CheleLynn45

You look great!! Go get yourself a new pic! I think anything that makes us feel better about ourselves I am all for it!! Here in AZ our licenses are good till I think we are 62. I will be 47 this year and plus the pic on my license is a pic of when I was a little lighter so I think I may wait till I am closer to goal. I know the weight listed on my drivers license is 199, I am almost there. LOL

I had glue that closed my five very small wounds, with no bandages or coverings. That was very weird for me I wanted to cover them and protect them while they healed. I had one on my left side that opened a teeny tiny bit and I did cover that one a few days but other than that they all healed up pretty nicely!

I only saved my two biggest stretched out capris that I was living in daily and two tops to try on and see how far I have come. Everything else went bye bye!! I have been selling my clothes on a couple facebook group pages and using that money to buy new clothes, I love it. It is fun and fairly easy. Stuff that doesn't sell I have donating. I average between $5-$15 per item depending on what it is after shipping. I have also purchased a few things off the sites too. When I went thru my closet there were so many items that still had tags on them it was crazy. Some things I shrunk down into others I lost to fast and couldn't wear. But make sure you keep an outfit from where you started and I always tell people take monthly photos and measurements too. The scale shouldn't be your only measure of your success!!

My insurance required a 6 month supervised diet before approval. I was extremely happy to have to do that.. I know it sounds weird but I needed that time to prepare, get educated and figure out my relationship with food. This surgery is not something I had been wanting or looking into for years. I was diagnosed with a Ventral Hernia and the surgeon that was going to operate on me suggested it to me. Doing the surgery to remove the Ventral Hernia is very invasive she said and recovery time is long and painful. If she had operated on me at the weight I was there was a huge chance the hernia would come back and she didn't want to put me thru the surgery again. So she referred me to Dr. Chaiasson my bariatric surgeon and as they say the rest is history. I feel I was as prepared as I could have been. I knew how my relationship with food would change and by my surgery date of Oct 27th I was ready. It's hard to explain sometimes, cause this journey has not been easy, but I can say it has been easier than I anticipated. My recovery from surgery was fairly routine and quick, once I got my eating down I was able to handle way more items than I thought. I still work very hard at it everyday, I do have bites of things here and there. My 16yr old daughter teases me, you know the seagulls from Finding Nemo......Mine, mine mine mine mine!!! LOL She is always saying Bite, bite bite bite bite to me in that same tone. It's funny!!! You didn't say when your surgery was but you sound like it was pretty recent. Hang in there all those feelings you are having are pretty normal. You have to realize you have to have a different relationship with food now. It's hard sometimes but oh soooooo worth it. I just consider this my new normal. It's just how things are now. I truly think the biggest and most important thing you can do is plan and be prepared. I still track and log everything that goes into my mouth into my food journal. I keep track of Protein, sugar and liquids. Good luck in your journey and I know it is easier said than done sometimes, but you will get over that hump and instead of feeling like that daily it will only come and go periodically!!!!

I was in very very stretched out 28W bottoms (probably should have been 30W) and 4X or 30/32 tops. Now almost 6 months later I am in 18W bottoms and 1X tops. XL tops go on but don't fit the way I like them, my daughter keeps telling me they look fine but I still not sure. LOL

Weight this morning 227.......Goal 217

I have mine on my ticker only so I can see it go down as I lose my weight. I won't be considered "overweight" until I hit 29.9 for my height. The BMI may say obese where I am now, but I DO NOT feel that way at all!! sticking my tongue out at the BMI chart!! Ah that feels better!! LOL

Good Luck on your upcoming surgery!! For me my outlook has changed completely! Where before I was just a spectator to my life, always watching others doing, always from the sidelines or from home because I didn't go. I know it affected my husband and my daughter. Now almost 6 months out I am loving life and I AM A PARTICIPANT in my life again. No more sidelines for me. I am doing stuff, I am going places and I love it. My family has noticed and they love it. We took a vacation to Disneyland at the end of March and I logged betweent 18-22000 steps daily. I went on every ride and we had a blast. Our last family vacation before that was to Universal and that time I sat on benches while my husband went on rides with my daughter. Don't worry, things will change for you after WLS. You will be amazed how things will change!!

I feel fine, except for my lower right side. I have a ventral hernia (not a hiatal hernia) and it could not be removed durning my sleeve surgery. His name is Herman and he needs to go bye bye!! Since my weight loss he is protruding so much it is very noticeable. In clothes it's not so bad, but twice a month he gets rock hard and hurts like crazy. We will be discussing his removal on April 28th at my 6 month follow up appt. Herman is what started the whole WLS process for me. The surgeon said she could do the surgery to remove the hernia but at my weight (over 300lbs) the recovery would be hard and there was a super high chance of it returning. 17 yrs ago I had abdominal surgery and was opened up from an inch above my belly button to my pubic area and had three tumors removed. That surgery plus the weight has made my abdominal wall weak so that is where the hernia comes from. If I didn't have Herman I would only know, as others have said, that I had WLS because of my tiny scars and restriction.

I am working so hard to try to lose 100lbs by my 6 month check up that while I was talking with my mom yesterday I realized that from my heaviest weight I have ever seen on a scale (329) which was probably about 3 months before my supervised 6 month diet I am DOWN 101lbs!!! This made me pretty happy, I am still plugging along and doing good but it's so funny how something just hits you! I really love this Ah-Ha moments. Also at work yesterday I went into the break room for lunch and put my stuff down on a table and went to sit down. I noticed that where I was there was a chair with arms instead of one with no arms. Normally I would of switched the chairs around, but I looked at that chair and I sat down in it and had plenty of room. LOVE LOVE LOVE that!!! I still giggle out loud every single time I slide into a booth and fit just fine. My family thinks it's cute!! LOL Hope this post finds you all having a great day!!!

oops....I guess you are right about it being a scale related victory. That not worrying is the best feeling in the world!! LOVE IT!!

I can't say if it will always be like that because I do not know. What I can say is I am 5 1/2 months out and I find I am cold more than I ever was. Before my sleeve I was always hot and thought that I might have been starting menopause early because I was feeling hot like from the inside out. It was weird. I hated it. I am in AZ so I am kinda looking forward to the being a little on the colder side to continue thru the summer months. I know this doesn't answer your question but I know someone will weigh in soon with better information. Good Luck and try to stay warm!!

I too do not have 200 lbs to lose but I would like to welcome to this site and wish you the best of luck in your journey. I love having my weight on my ticker, it is so much fun to get on that scale see a loss and get on here and log it in. I do that for me if for nothing else. Watching your weight and BMI go down is an incredible feeling. My advice for you is to make sure to document in pictures and in measurements along your way. Your weight loss will be fun to watch but for those times when it slows down it is nice to have other ways to measure your successes. I take my pictures in clothes and in a bra and undies every month, I also take my measurements monthly too. I am so gald I have those pics to look back on it really helps to keep me motivated. I see posts on here where people wish they had done that. Good luck with your surgery and take it one day at a time. Like others have said don't look at the whole picture, concentrate on 5 or 10lbs at a time and go from there. Celebrate ALL your accomplishments even if it is just with a pat on your own back!! You can do this! Use this stie and knowledge here and you will be good!!

I keep seeing these challenges and wanted to join in, so count me in this time!! Will be back on April 13th to post weight and goal weight! Thanks for doing this!!!

I would have to say that my biggest surprise would have to be my recovery. Short of one day where I tried a new shake and it didn't agree with me. my recovery went way smoother and easier than I thought it would. I am such a big baby when it comes to be being uncomfortable or in pain. Even my family was surprised at how well I did. YEAH ME!! LOL My biggest regret would definitely be not doing it sooner. I had gone to a WLS about 5 years ago and ran out of it early thinking this is not for me, I don't need this. Now knowing what I know now, I really really wish I had stayed and did it then. But hey better now than never.

That is awesome!! Congratulations!!!!

While I was going thru the process I was SO SURE I wasn't going to tell very many people. And for me most of that was because I didn't want to be judged. But as time went on (I had to do a 6 month supervised diet before approval) I started to realize I didn't care what they thought. I knew why I was doing this, and by the time the my surgery date came I was sure I would do good!! Now I am 22 weeks post op, down 86lbs and feeling great!! I don't go around announcing what I have had done, but people who ask I do share. I find I am educating most, since people views of WLS can be not so good. I hawve had nothing but positive attitudes and encouragement. No one has said anything snarky or mean to my face. Everyone has to do what feels right to them, but don't be ashamed. I know I was in the beginning but a good friend at work helped me see past that. I am now proud of what I have done. Proud so far of what I have accomplished. We all know who have had this surgery this is not an easy road, but it is what you make of it. I like my new "normal" and wouldn't change anything about it!!

I have been using straws since about 2 weeks post op. I have my Tervis giant cup which is great cause it does not sweat and leak everywhere! I couldn't imagine not using a straw. I know we should all follow our docs orders, but I truly believe there is no reason you really can't use a straw!! Good Luck!!

My husband, 16 yr old daughter and my mom flew from Tucson to California to go to Disneyland over my daughters spring break, we just got home yesterday. This morning I get up and get on the scale to find I am down 2lbs and loving life. When we booked this vacation I was only two months post op and wondering how I would handle the challenges I might face being away from my routine and home. Well at 5 months and two weeks out I was fine, absolutely fine. A few NSV's I celebrated along the way, (1.) I fit in the airplane seat NO extender needed, no oozing onto the person next to me (2.) was able to use my own tray table, laid down flat and didn't rest on my belly at all (3.) walked and walked and walked for four days straight, clocking an average of 20,000 to 22,000 steps daily, with no foot pain (4.) fit on every ride I went on (5.) wore a matching shirt with my daughter one day (will post a pic) and the family another day, was never able to do this because of my size (5.) wore a sleeveless top one day and shorts another day and was comfortable in both I planned ahead and brought my unflavored Protein for my morning decaf tea and my Quest bars for one meal during the day to make sure to get in my protein everyday. I was able to find options for meals without any trouble. Had a few bites of treats here and there. I made sure to get enough liquids in also, it was in the 90's a few days we were there. Overall we had a blast and I was okay, realize this is my new normal and I like it. I was so happy also that when I got up this morning after being gone for 6 days I had lost 2 pounds. Woo Hoo! I think all the walking helped a lot. So just remember this new way of life is doable, I didn't feel restricted at all. With planning ahead and being prepared I successfully had a wonderful vacation!!! I have to apologize in advance for my pics being on their sides, they look the right way on my computer but then when I attach them to my post they always go sideways??

My daughter was just going thru her phone and came across some photos that were taken on the day of my surgery on October 27, 2014. So I put it together with a pic that was taken last week on vacation. Whoa!! You really see the hard work when you see a side by side comparison in photos. LOL I'm working hard to hit the 100lb loss mark by my 6 month surgiversary!! Wish me luck!! P.S. I finally got a pic to post the correct way, not sure what I did different though. LOL HAHAHA

Thank you so much everyone!! Thanks The Candidate....one of my concerns about losing weight was when the fat was gone from my face maybe all my wrinkles that the fat was pushing out would show. LOL So far I am glad they are not!! I am not sure if I really look younger but I know I feel younger!!

My tummy makes noises too, I have just gotten used to them. The other day my hubby was layng on my tummy and it was making a lot more noise than usual. He was like what is in there??? I guess it sounds a lot louder when you lay directly on it!!

I will be 6 months post op on April 27th. I am down 86lbs from 314. Right now I am not to mad at my body. lol For the amount that I have lost so far, so far I am happy with how things look. I am noticing that areas are getting a little saggier, that my boobs really only look good in a bra (but I have known that since I had my kid 16 yrs ago) I am trying to look at the positives so far and not focus on the extra skin on my arms, knees, thighs and belly. I knew going into this it would happen. Now once I lose another 50+ pounds we will see how I feel.

I have been selling my high end in good shape clothes on facebook on a group page called FatToo (sizes 20W and up). It's fairly easy and I have been using the money from there to shop shop shop. LOL It is a closed group but you just have to send a request and wait for them to accept it. They have a FatToo Lite group (sizes 12-18), FatToo for accessories for purses, shoes, etc, FatToo @ night for bras and such. I listed 5 bras that were in great shape and within an hour they were all sold. It was crazy. Anything that doesn't seem to move I have been donating.

I just flew to CA and had a 100 cal pak of almonds in my purse and a Quest bar. My other Quest bars, almonds and Protein powder were packed in my checked luggage. I didn't need any Protein Powder during my flight It was only 1 hour and 15 mins. But if I had I would have put a serving in a very small Tupperware/Rubbermaid container and carried it thru too. It's really the liquids that they are concerned with mostly.