Engteacher

After six months of hot flashes hourly, I decided to go on hormone replacement therapy. Since I don't have a uterus, I don't have as many side effects to worry about. Hormone replacement has help immeasurably, especially and night when my sleep was interrupted by hot flashes so frequently I was constantly sleep deprived. It's not for everyone, but it was a good solution for me.

It took me 15 months. My high weight was 244 and I was at 239 on the morning of my surgery. I am 16 months post-op now and have lost 101 pounds.

You probably aren't feeling true hunger pains. Your pains are more likely related to the trauma of surgery to your abdomen and gas. Nausea will pass as long as you are moving a bit every hour or two. Get up and stand. Walk the hallway. Be gentle with yourself, but move around. Drink little sips of Water ever 15 minutes. No more than a sip or two, though. Pain with surgery is normal but manageable. Don't get dehydrated. Drink even though you aren't thirsty. Keep to your post-op instructions and it will get better. Promise. I was exactly where you are right now just one year ago.

Happy Anniversary! Well done! I'm celebrating my surgery anniversary today!

151 today!

153. Got Stall???

I was sleeved in June 2015. I started at 20W and even had a 22W in the wardrobe. Within six weeks I was wearing old size 16s in my closet that I hadn't thrown out or donated. By August I was wearing 14's. My winter wardrobe was size 12. What I've purchased for summer is all size 8 or 10, depending on the manufacturer. Since I'm still losing, I expect I'll end up at size 6 or so.

153. Again. Grr!

Checking in at 11 months post surgery. I'm down 90 pounds and have dropped from size 20 to size 10. Mostly I'm grateful to be able to move easily between desks in the classroom, to have energy all day long, and to feel comfortable in my own skin. I can bend down and pull weeds in the garden. Imagine that! I don't love the attention my new shape attracts. I know that people feel the need to say something, but I'm completely over the "You look great" and "What's your secret?" Especially from people who have never struggled with morbid obesity in their lives. Anyway, I feel great. How are you folks doing?

153

CW 155.

155

156

158 today.

It feels so good to clear out the closet, bag all but one outfit up, haul it over to the Salvation Army, and then go to an upscale consignment shop and buy something new for yourself. I've done this three times since my surgery. Resist the impulse to buy a lot of new clothes. They won't fit for long and you'll just have to repeat the process. I cinched the waist of my size 20 clothes as long as I could before shopping for size 14's. Then I dropped to size 12. Now I'm size 10. Like I said, just buy what you need when you're in transition.