LadyK44

Arlington. Sleeve scheduled for Sept 15!
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Fort Worth! I may live in Cowtown, but I'm working on being lean beef!

Garland, TX here
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SW: 267
CW: 160
GW: 145
9 months out

I'm back, y'all!! Work has been crazy. I'll be 22 months post op on the 20th. Almost to that 2 year mark!
HW: 330
SW: 323
CW: 150

A few days shy of 11 months between these two pics.
Feeling better. Thinking better. VSG was a hyooooge winning decision in my life. Why in the hell I waited so long to take action is a mystery to me. I've given up on divining the reasons why I waited.....just moving forward.
Long way to go....but grateful for the relief I feel every single day. Back pain is way better.....crappy knees are still giving me hell for waiting so long.....but my ticker is thankful and no longer working double-time to pump blood where it needs to go. It's like my body has switched into cruise control and I feel better than I have in decades. I have nothing but encouragement for anyone considering this surgery.
I've had zero complications with my VSG and my surgeon left me with simple and easily followed instructions for how to succeed with the weight loss and approach food forever.
There is nothing that I cant enjoy and nothing that I want for. Went to enjoy a birthday celebration yesterday at my favorite spot....a Mexican restaurant that I LIVED at in my old life. I had chips 'n salsa.....and margaritas.......and even ordered a meal that was off the charts with flavor......brought the leftovers home for Breakfast, lol. I sure don't eat & drink that way very often.....but I can enjoy anything on occasion.
By having 80+% of my stomach removed........I have finally found what it is to be "normal".
Go figure.

I'm a nurse and I have yet to meet a nutritionist who was worth a darn. The absolute nonsense I've heard from nutritionists would be laughable if it wasn't so serious. If there's a conflict between what your surgeon says and what your nutritionist says, go with your surgeon. I have declined to meet with the nutritionist further because it's a waste of time and money. There are decent resources out there if you as a patient have not learned about basic nutrition that will cost less and be real scientifically proven information.
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So I was talking to someone today about the Gastric Bypass surgery and she had it about 8 years ago. She just kept telling me well you know your going to have loose skin. A lot of it. I'm just telling you because a lot of pool don't think they will. But you will have a lot of loose skin. Ok lady thank you I heard you the 14 th time. I know I will have loose skin but I would rather have loose skin then not be able to fit in a seat comfortable , or go to movies with out having to have a seat in between my spouse and I so I have room. I can't wait to get on a plane or hell even plan a trip and not care about getting on the plane because of how tiny the seats are. Trust me I love how beautiful I am . I know I'm a really pretty woman but this weight has to go. Loose skin or not.
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My husband (who has a BMI of 32), said once I'm skinny, people will look at me then him and call me a chubby chaser.
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I told virtually no one, but I really stuck to the preopt and post opt diet and exercise program and lost 100 pounds in about 6 months which led to similar stupid comments:
1. Walking up to me while I'm eating dinner in a restaurant and saying "I want to see what you're eating". Or exclaiming (as I reach for normal food at a party) "you're going to eat that!"
2. Greeting me for months with the same statement "I don't even recognize you anymore". Gets old after the 10th time the same person says it.
3. "I bet you had to buy a whole new wardrobe"...

This weekend someone told me "oh you dont want to hang out with us anymore now that you are skinny" after I removed myself from the dinner table once they started bringing out multiple cakes and Cookies. Then there was an awkward silence. I just replied back " no i just cant eat junkfood and dont want to get tempted". It really hurt my feelings but I felt proud of myself for not giving in to my junk food cravings and saying no to family trying to push unhealthy food on me.

@@VSGAnn2014 For these same reasons only my hubby knows and I have sworn him to secrecy. We live several states away from family and only see them a couple of times per year so that has helped. Persons I encounter now have never known me as a larger person so it's a non-issue even four years out.
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At five days post op my aunt told me "oh I already see the skin on your hands starting to sag" wtf ! She even touched my hand and lifted my skin. I was like what are you talking about - I just hAd surgery !
At work my boss told me "if you would have just eaten 4 oz of food at each meal you would not have needed the surgery, right ? " i said its not that simple- perhaps you may want to do some research on bariatric surgery before you make comments like that. She responded - Im sure it is complicated but I figured that is what it seems like you are doing now. I responded by saying again you need to do your research about bariatric surgery to understand how it works - there are endocrine benefits to surgery that go way beyond just eating smaller portions.
On another occassion she asked me when i was going to tell my co-workers becAuse they were noticing I am losing weight fast. I responded - how is that any of their business? My personal life decisions are just that - personal. I really dont care what the have to say or are thinking. As my supervisor I would expect you to respect my privacy. She has not commented since - I am 6 months post op now. Down 60 pounds and I do not plan to share this incormation with co-workers.
At a family gathering someone asked so how much weight have you lost.., oh well once you get pregnant you will gain all the weight back.. I responded well thanks for the positive spirit -???? But that is not my plan.

THANK YOU everybody for your input! Alex has PM'ed me back and is going to get a forum started specific to regain. I think it will be invaluable for everyone here, because regain is a very real issue at some point. Even those freshly post op can gain knowledge from a regain forum, and learn what NOT to do long term!
I appreciate your input.

I agree. I would love to follow this. It gets so hard, especially for me at 2 years post op.
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8 years ago at 290 lbs vs today at 160. I love my sleeve!
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Not at goal......but working in the right direction and feeling great about the decision to have the sleeve surgery.
The day before October 2015 VSG & hernia repair.
Wearing and old stretched out 6xl t-shirt.

10 months out of VSG & hernia repair.
Trying on a brand new 2xl t-shirt.....over the shirt I was already wearing.

These are some great answers! @@dede_mont and @@Dub I completely agree with missing being able to drink fluids while eating a meal! It is so…natural…to do so, and it is something I just took for granted before WLS.
I know exactly what you mean, @@aug33k, about being frustrated walking through a grocery store and seeing all those off-limits products. That used to drive me crazy, too. Now I try to think about it differently, and it has helped. Instead of focusing on the products I used to enjoy but can’t have anymore, I try to focus on finding new healthy options. Since there are about 50,000 different products in an average supermarket, I am pretty sure there must be plenty of healthy, interesting, and delicious foods to try – I just have to look for and find them!

Getting full after a few bites if I eat too fast, stomach says no even 3.5 years out to fast eating and then I'll be hungry again in 2 hours. WLS is like Chinese food.

"chicken boobies?" "Chicken boobies?" I'll take the bait: Blue-footed or red-footed?
Are those green Beans on the small plate? Notice anything?

I had my surgery on a Friday. Saturday was the day I took my "sip test." The attending physician well let just say he was a "butt!" As I struggled to get my big self out of the wheelchair and in front of the x-ray machine he said "you did this to yourself." My replay "I sure did." I proceeded to have a conversation with him about effects of obesity on my body. The x-ray tech appeared shocked and confused. At the end of the day speaking up made me feel better.

@@sassy_ tiffany
Surgery is very taxing mentally. VERY. If you are not in a good mental space prior to surgery, surgery and the post-op hormone dump, the inability to comfort with food. They will all push you over the edge, and you can sink into an abyss of depression and despair.
Go to counseling, take the meds. Have your surgery. It is not the end of the world.
Be happy you have a doctor that actually cares about you. Most of these WLS doctors right now care more about $$$$$$$ than patients. If your doctor did not care about you, they could rubber stamp your approval. You are lucky.

For me this use to be an issue. I make cakes and Cookies for my kids. They also now make cakes and cookies. I made a batch of decadent fudge/caramel/chip cookies. I ate two and was sick for hours. I can now cook without eating as the pain set me free.

Drinking adds calories and for some becomes another addiction. I have stopped drinking due to I do not wanting the extra calories at this time. This could change. I am not stressing about drinking. I just do not want to be fat again. So, I do not drink.
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Several of my friends/family in health and fitness told me the same thing! It is a pain in the butt to have to defend my WSL lifestyle. Again, when I move it will be on a need to know bases only! I will not lie! However, I don't want to spend the next 40 plus years taking about this medical procedure unless I am getting paid. Lol