Diva Taunia

I am a 9.5 yr gastric bypass post-op. I've kept off nearly all of the 160 lbs I lost. (I am 5'7" and weighed 320lbs). It is absolutely the best decision I ever made. The only complication I have had is iron deficiency anemia, which I was before surgery. Because gastric bypass surgery is malabsorptive, my body no longer retains iron on its own. I get iron infusions about every six months. It doesn't hurt, it's really just a matter of scheduling and time for the appointments. Before surgery, I had PCOS, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, sleep apnea, and severe gaut. All of those were resolved post surgery with the weight loss. I no longer have any of them. I actually chronicled my entire weight loss journey on my YouTube channel (mixed in with my music as well) at: www.youtube.com/divataunia Maybe you'll find some of that helpful. ?

We do? Why am I not making the connection?? lol You'll have to drop me a PM and give me the 411. I was in the hospital longer because I had a low-grade fever and more pain than usual. I think they wanted to keep me until my fever broke. I don't think that really changed the outcome for me vocally at all, though. I think you're probably right in your assessment as far as ensemble vs. private lessons. If you're paying for the credits, you may want to hold off until you're fully healed, or at least have a conversation with your teacher first and let her know your concerns and what possible complications may arise. You'll have more leeway in an ensemble. Best of luck!

Hi Annie, This is a great question, and I'm happy to answer it from personal experience and also as a professional vocalist and voice teacher. I also had RNY gastric bypass surgery, the surgery you're considering - about 9.5 years ago. I was in the hospital slightly longer than most people, about a week. My recovery time in full was two weeks, but I was not fully out of pain until about three weeks. While I was able to teach (I was able to sit and mostly played piano and did not have to fully engage singing in the lessons), I was not able to get back to work performing until about two months later. For me (and lots of other singers), the biggest issue was with support. After major abdominal surgery, it takes some adjustment and getting used to. It was a difficult adjustment for me. You'll probably notice changes to your voice in general as your body changes - your body IS your instrument, so as that changes, the sound does too. I didn't realize there would be so many changes vocally back then. I think it's great you're asking now. If you can get yourself prepared mentally AND physically, you'll be just fine. But I definitely think you should give yourself a big window to heal.

I do that too sometimes, but only as a representation of how something can look on, etc. I always include a pic of how it actually looks and/or of the item that I actually have so that there is an accurate representation of it as well. Returns are a pain.

Glad to help! I did that a while ago, so there may be new tips and tricks, but if you're just getting started, it will probably be helpful. Good luck with your closet (and trying not to shop, lol)!

@MzCoffee - There's two ways you can add. You can go straight to my closet at www.poshmark.com/closet/divataunia and click on the "FOLLOW" button, or you can do a people search and search for "divataunia" (all one word). Thanks for adding me! @FruitandVeggies I actually created a tips and tricks sheet a long time ago. Happy to share it here with anyone who wants to start selling on there. Hopefully you'll find it useful! TIPS TRICKS POSHMARK.pdf HOW TO SELL ON POSHMARK.pdf

You're welcome, ladies! Back in the day (waaay back....lol) I used to use Ebay. I would sell my old clothes and use the money to get new ones as my sizes changed quickly. It was WAY more work than Poshmark. Also, Poshmark makes the buyer responsible for shipping and you get a lable sent to you immediately, so you don't have to deal with paying for that. WAY better. I schedule pickups at my house with the USPS (free), so the whole thing is super-easy. These days, I sell a lot of my stage and performance clothes so I can make a little extra bank when I'm not performing or teaching. I can sell and find ANYTHING on there. Be sure to add me!

Hey Ladies! Just curious if anyone else is buying or selling on Poshmark.com? If not, it's a fantastic site where you can find pretty much ANYTHING fashion and beauty-wise. As you're losing weight and changing sizes FAST, it's nice to be able to find clothing at drastically reduced prices so you don't break the bank while you're losing weight. If you're not already on there, you can use my code PAKEY when you sign up and get an immediate $5 to spend! As a musician, I have a lot of dresses and shoes for sale. I also offer a generous discount of 30% off when you bundle three items together (a function you can use to buy three things at once). Here's the link to my closet: www.poshmark.com/closet/divataunia If you're on there, comment with your address and I'll add you as a friend - or just add me on the app. Thanks for check out my closet, and best of luck with your loss(es)!! I remember when! lol

And I didn't, which is why I wrote my response to her original post. Maybe she'll be more mindful and perhaps more helpful in the way she approaches the many numerous people she works with in the future because she didn't call them "The Cheetos Lady."

I'd actually be interested in this. Do you happen to know anything about who runs it?

But you're talking about two entirely different situations: a frank and honest conversation with your family members/loved ones and a licensed mental health professional writing an article addressing the community she works with about the people she works for.

I'm going to be honest: some of the language in this article is concerning to me. For me, one of the biggest issues was trust. Having someone that looked like you sitting across from me, my immediate reaction would have been, "How would she have any clue what I've been through, what I'm dealing with, what it's like to be 320lbs." It would be hard for me to trust you, and the first thing I would do is ask if you've ever been in my shoes. Then, when I read something like, "a barrage of excuses..." that language doesn't read as compassionate to me. Add to that the subject header of this entire thread and it feels more like mockery than someone that I would want to extend my trust to, and reach out for the tools to deal with something so deeply personal and often times mortifying. I'm sorry that I can't just go with the crowd on this one, but this left a taste in my mouth worse than Cheetos and chicken...

You're welcome. Good luck!

As someone who decided to ignore the doctor's advice and take NSAIDS and ended up with ulcers: please, please, please: follow your doctor's advice. Even if you think it's worth it to take it just a couple times to alleviate the pain: IT'S NOT. I totally understand not taking Tylenol: it doesn't do a thing for me either. The problem is avoiding opiates, obviously. There are other pain relievers that you can take and it's best to have a serious discussion with your doctor if you have chronic pain that needs to be managed. My doctor prescribes Tramadol (Ultram) for me for migraines/cramps/severe pain. It's the only thing that works for me. I know this tends to be a solution for a lot of weight loss surgery patients because it's easier on the pouch, but you have to be very careful because it's a low-level narcotic. I take it only when needed and it has been a good solution for me.

I had my surgery back in 2008, so the resources were different back then. My biggest resource was actually YouTube, where there was a huge community of people recording their journeys and it was incredibly helpful to be able to watch someone go through the whole process. I wanted to give back so I did the same and recorded my entire weight loss surgery (RNY Gastric Bypass) journey from pre-op to post op on my YouTube channel as well. If anyone is interested, it's at www.youtube.com/divataunia. (I have things listed in playlists. I'm also a musician as well.) I attended meetings at my hospital, but they were geared mostly towards pre-ops, so I stopped attending after a while. I found some other online resources and forums, but I found those to be very hostile at times, so I never really stuck with them. That's why I decided to form my own community and create my own radio show. I still host that now every Tuesday at NOON PST: www.backstagepassradio.com. We discuss issues involving weight loss surgery, weight, body image, and even do giveaways. I'm lucky to have BariatricPal.com as a program sponsor!