Folly

I've been off this site for a while. Life got way busy. I have to comment on the hair loss. I started using rogaine for women the day I came home from surgery. I had great determination not to deal with that. My hair didn't fall out...until I figured I didn't need it anymore and stopped using it. I didn't go bald but it did get pretty thin. Here's the cool part. I always wanted curly hair. What fell out was straight, what grew back is thick and curly. I have no clue how to deal this kind of hair but it's at least entertaining. It grows back. Don't worry :-)

I'll sleep when I'm dead I guess. This has been goin on for a year now.

I go through this with my sister. She's incredibly supportive but has no friggin concept of privacy at all! Last time I saw her we were visiting mutual friends I hadn't seen in a while. She not only announced numbers but insisted I take off my coat so they could see how " great" I look. I have to frequently remind her to knock it off or I'm going to have to have her killed. Last time she did it I brought up her hysterectomy and starting asking very personal questions about her feelings about fertility, effects on sex drive, etc. When she quit being angry she said she gets it now... we'll see.

Yes! It gets harder and harder to fall and stay asleep. I am developing quiet hobbies so I don't bug my family. I used to be sluggish, always tired - could sleep for ten hours. Now I start most days like I've been shot out of a cannon and I never sleep more than 2 - 4 hours a night with no naps during the day. I wonder how common this is post WLS? I hope it gets easier over time to sleep once my body learns to channel energy better...it could happen!

I recently had a long talk with a very close friend I never see in person about my struggles with obesity and weight loss. Just before I was going to tell him about WLS he told me how proud he was that I didn't go the "lazy-loser" route of having surgery... this from one of the kindest, most open-minded people I have ever known. The misinformation and prejudice that people still carry re: WLS is disheartening.

Awesome!

I'm finding the physical changes a little more drastic that I at first imagined. I'm struggling with this dismorphic meltdown stuff. I feel tiny. I reach for clothes hopelessly too large and my reflection is of a droopy-skinned large person. Aaaaaaah! Anyone else?

You probably aren't in a stall. I noticed in the beginning that minor variations happened. A week and no change then suddenly 5 lbs gone. I think it's just your body holding and moving fluids around, hormonal influences, etc. If you still menstruate you will notice this more when you are closer to menstruating. Don't worry just yet. What you're experiencing is pretty normal. Peace and Comfort

I hope all is well with you. Please go to the emergency room or urgent care if you don't see improvement very soon.

@@MisforMimi Thank you

I would like to begin having meet ups with others in the Everett, Washington area. Just getting together with as many as care to join in for discusiion and mutual support. Anyone else interested?

Lmao!!!!!!!!

It's been a lot harder than I thought it would be. Letting go of the safety I felt in being my own island turned out to be the issue that has over and over come up to level my pride and make me feel vulnerable and afraid. Some days I feel free and unburdened. Some days I feel adrift and without anchor. Most days are somewhere in the middle. I used a bowling analogy recently while talking with someone about these issues and it seems appropo. When you can't hit all the pins and get the strike you just gotta say "fuck it" and go for the spare. Most days I go for the spare. Peace

Cowards! LMAO,

We broke up. I love people now and I let people love me.

@@freshair I'm not making assumtions about who has bigger issues. And we're not discussing other people, we're discussing the portrayal, exploitation and normalization of morbid obesity. If you want to discuss other exploited people like Kate + 8 I' m not interested at this time. As a nurse for over 20 years and someone who has worked in hospice, domestic violence and with disenfranchised people I can honestly say that intellectually I accept the probability that obesity occurs with no underlying addiction or destructive emotional or psycological issue but in reality I have NEVER seen it. I have never met anyone who was more than 100 lbs overweight that did not have underlying issues with food addiction stemming from other emotional and psycological problems. Not ever. Not once. You must be the exception. Peace

@@freshair I can't speak for the opinions of others but for myself I have to say that the issue I have with presenting extremely obese people in a positive light when the focal of that light IS their weight is exploitative. Making the symtoms of a dangerous, desructive, debilitating, life-threatening addiction seem like an alternative lifestyle choice is UGLY. Replace it with any other similarly destructive addiction and we would not be applauding. The girl trying to be a dance instructor in spite of being a toothless meth addict is not inspiring...she needs help! Or how about in spite of being a black out drunk? The thing we got away with was seeming normal but just heavy when there are, in fact, underlying issues that are just as destructive and painful as the ones that drive any other addiction. We shouldn't be normalizing destructive behavior. Offering compassion, love, help, understanding? Absolutely! But let's not pretend it's OK.

I would like to begin having meet ups with others in the Everett, Washington area. Just getting together with as many as care to join in for discusiion and mutual support. Anyone else interested?

@@freshair I can't speak for the opinions of others but for myself I have to say that the issue I have with presenting extremely obese people in a positive light when the focal of that light IS their weight is exploitative. Making the symtoms of a dangerous, desructive, debilitating, life-threatening addiction seem like an alternative lifestyle choice is UGLY. Replace it with any other similarly destructive addiction and we would not be applauding. The girl trying to be a dance instructor in spite of being a toothless meth addict is not inspiring...she needs help! Or how about in spite of being a black out drunk? The thing we got away with was seeming normal but just heavy when there are, in fact, underlying issues that are just as destructive and painful as the ones that drive any other addiction. We shouldn't be normalizing destructive behavior. Offering compassion, love, help, understanding? Absolutely! But let's not pretend it's OK.

Everyone who has posted on this topic, even those I don't happen to agree with just ROCKS!

What is PCOS?

I had a lot of post op pain. The protein shakes that were so delicious before sugery made me gag when I smelled them post op. I developed food aversions so intense that I couldn't get nearly enough vitamins and minerals. It delayed healing and made the pain go on longer than otherwise would have occured. It took several months to get that resolved...and working on the emotional/psycological issues that exacerbated the problem.

I saw an episode of Big Fat Love or whatever it's called. There was one woman making sure EVERYONE knew she lost 110 lbs, one who who got hysterical when she assumed people were critical, one who was a total " anybody's". These are unhealthy, emotionally damaged people. It isn't entertainment, it's spectacle... the natural evolutionary continuum of the Jerry Springer show. Shameful, exploitative and embarrassing!

I am and always have been of the opinion that the weight is a sympton, not the problem. People put on a little weight here and there and this is normal. Putting on 100 or more excess pounds is beyond needing to cut back on sweets or hit the gym once in a while. I don't see long-tern success being attainable for anyone who is unable or unwilling to address the unerlying issues that took them to such a dangerously unhealthy place to begin with. I think the weight loss shows and people we know personally (maybe the person in the mirror?) demonstrate this. Just my opinion, I could be wrong. Peace

I went through the Kaiser Options program as well. As much as I am not a fan of Kaiser in general, for their bariatric pre-surgery stuff they are awesome. I hope you got to do the classes... I hope all goes well with you. Also, keep in mind that at every stage of this journey we all have something to learn from and to teach others so don't be a hesitant to post. Your voice is valuable now, too. Peace