arialuvr

Krydmo,
Hang in there! Try cutting up your pain meds into pieces they are much easier to swallow and you'll only need a smaller amount of Water. Keep taking small sips, walking eases the pain and breathe! Your on your way to a new fabulous you!

It's been one year since my surgery down 118 lbs. still have a ways to go but enjoying the success.

Thanks for all the pics everyone! It's very inspirational, especially for a newbie like me. Thanks for sharing. I wish you all the very best in health & happiness.

My surgery team also stressed this, and specifically my surgeon, in a humorous way. He said I would need a new addiction now. I can shop, I can buy shoes, I can gamble, but I can't overeat. The psychologist was more serious, and said I needed to figure out what can give me joy. food has always given me joy, and now I'll need to figure out something else, or I'll go back to overeating.
I lost a lot of weight many years ago (not WLS) and dropped from 305 to 156 over two years. As I went down in size, I attended 12-step meetings several days a week, jogged on a track for three miles twice a week, and shopped for clothes every other minute. While also working full time and going to night school. I was single then, and had to fill the hours with activity or else I knew I would eat. The new skinny me met my husband at my high school reunion and we married a year later. I gained eleven pounds on my honeymoon, thirty with each of my two daughters, and it's been up from there ever since. I stopped all my healthy habits and dropped OA because he thought it was brainwashing, and I was too insecure to fight for myself. I did the "acceptable" Weight Watchers dozens of times since then, all ending in failure. At 302 pounds, I began to research WLS, and I am currently 3-1/2 weeks post-banding and have dropped 36 pounds since February.
Boy, this got long. LOL What I actually wanted to say was that during my shopping frenzy as a thinning person, I racked up some hefty credit card bills. One day my BFF and I were in Nordstrom's just passing through. We were dressed in sweats and weren't shopping there, just walking through. I saw a gorgeous evening gown and ran over to it. I'm talking beaded, floor length, stunning. The kind of dress that could only be worn to the Academy Awards. It was a size 10. We fawned over it and a saleslady came over and asked if I wanted to try it on. My friend and I busted out laughing, and said no thanks. She said, go ahead. Just try it on. I'll get you some pumps too. Well, I tried on that gorgeous dress and the shoes, and it fit. I stood there and my BFF and I just couldn't believe it. I felt like a movie star. That saleslady knew we were just walking by, but she gave me a gift I will never forget. For the first time in my life, I felt beautiful. Not thinner, not better than before, but beautiful. That dress was several thousand dollars. It went back on the mannequin, and a few weeks later was gone from the display.
I learned two things that day. I was beautiful. And I didn't have to spend a penny to try something on.
Afterwards, I modified my spending addiction into a trying-on addiction. I'd go to stores, try on some blouses and pants, and put them back. Once every couple of weeks I would purchase something affordable, instead of purchasing everything.
I am an addict, and I've given up overeating. I have no doubt my compulsive personality will seek out something new. I'm not in my twenties anymore, so the things I seek will be different. I expect I'll learn a lot about myself this time.
I hope some of this helps somebody. It was eye-opening for me to write it.

Addiction transfer is very common among WLS patients, and something to watch for according to the psych who did my eval.
I haven't developed any alternate addictions that I'm aware of, but I have noticed that cleaning up my food issues has made me more fanatic about cleaning in general. Seriously...my house is spotless now! (Maybe because it's a way to stay out of the kitchen?) It's quite a change from my old ways in any case.

Hi y'all! I had surgery on 9/15. I still have a lot of pain on the left side but it's getting a little better. Still taking Oxy.
I do very well with getting in all of my liquids and now drink 3 Protein shakes a day. I also drank them pre-surgery and found the Chike brands to be the best tasting. banana, chocolate and coffee flavored.
I also bought some whey Protein powder as its higher in Protein, and went online to find no sugar syrups. A company called Torani has lots of great flavored, pumpkin, almond, black cherry, gingerbread, Irish creme etc etc. they really help to offer a variety of shakes.
Hope this helps you. Wish you all the best as we all become "losers" ha ha

here is my before/after so far! I feel like a new person!

This is me before surgery and now at 6 months post op. down 65 pounds and went from a size 18 to a size 6!!!

Amazing! Congrats!!

I love all the great successes. So inspiring while I'm in the waiting process for surgery. Hopefully end of Nov or Dec. I can't wait for the day I don't have to go to Lane Giant for my clothes and underwear!

Way to many to list !! Looking good and feeling great. 6 months post op. Went from 302 pounds to 169pounds. Here are some before and after photos and a photo of my muscle rebuilding.

My knee high boots zip all the way to the top!!! Omg. They never did that! Someone suggested to post pics of myself a couple weeks ago so here they are. I had surgery on April 15 and am down to 188! Feel great!

Yes that is the room between me and the table at the BOOTH thru just sat me at!!!!! Woohoooo
HW 343 SW 322 4/23/13 goal 170

I can get into positions I haven't ever been able to get in !!!! My hubby loves it, (wink,wink) and now I have to be careful when I shave my legs because apparently under all the fat I had there are bones. Lol !!!

I bought a pair of size 12 jeans at a consignment store recently waiting for the day I could fit in them. Today was finally my day! This is the first time since 1989 that I've been in a size 12, and these aren't acid washed!

302 down to 169

This is my journey of weight loss!
Surgery was 7/15/13, and I weighed 265 pounds! I am currently 148, and wearing a size small- medium shirt and 8/10 pants and before was in atleast a 22 pants and XL shirt

Throwing these pants in the trash bin!!

I am a Lehigh valley boy lol, born and raised in Allentown PA! Don't see to many local people on here! Wish you the best with your weight loss journey!!

Yes lol, I think I have started something here. I love to see the success stories and before and after photos. I want to keep people motivated to reach their health goals!
Surgery was the best choice that I have ever made. This was a life changer! And a life saver for me!!
I am here to help anyone in there journey of weight loss! I am open to any questions and I will give all the advice and share all the knowledge I have.
Best,
Lester

Wow Lester! You look amazing! Congrats! ( hot looking too)

You go girl! My surgery is 9/15 too!

My Surgery is the 15th! ???? I am on day 2 of my liquid diet!! What an eye opener this is!!! I've been making videos and taking pictures for my own use to look back on, I look at the 15th as the first day of the rest of my life!
My mom had gastric bypass in March and is down 70 lbs, and her BMI is 29 now! She's totally off all of her diabetic, BP, and other Meds and doing awesome, so we really have a lot to look forward to!!! ????

September 15 r&y! Anyone else?

September 15 r&y! Anyone else?