Raj_TheNextChapter

Feb 26/16 ????????

I totally agree with you!!

I've been fat pretty much all 27 years I've been on this earth. I've been considering this surgery for almost 5 years and I'm lucky the people I have told are supportive. Now that I'm making decisions on the surgery and moving forward I've decided to tell a handful of people but post surgery I will not lie to anyone that asks. In general I'm a private person but also I'm also the kind of person people don't openly share negative opinions to. I don't expect someone to tell me they disapprove but if they do I honestly don't care. This is about me and my health - I asked the people that really matter in my life and their support is overwhelming. For those of you who have people who are negative about your decision I think you're right not have the conversation with them. This is a decision that should be exciting and it will be difficult enough without others' negativity.

Feb 26/16 ????????

Feb 26/16 ????????

I am almost 8 months out and I finally reached the 100 pounds lost mark! Yyyyaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!
I started this process at 315 and today I weigh 214.6.
Another 70 pounds would put me in the normal BMI range. My one year anniversary is May 26th.
I would like to at least lose another 40 lbs by my surgiversary.
Onederland Is so close. Can't wait to reach it.

Took me a long time to build up the courage too but I got tired of watching everyone else around me shedding the pounds and getting healthy. So congrats to you on your new life it will be all worth it.

As my hubby told me repeatedly...you didn't gain all that weight over night...it's not all going to come off overnight. It's a marathon, not a race. You are doing great. Look at the big picture. When you are not losing pounds, a lot of time you are losing inches. It'll get there. Be patient.

I really love my morning coffee and on weekends may have 3 cups. I decided to start weening off caffeine or tryinng to go cold turkey now and not post surgery. Walked into Dunkin Donuts this morning, ordered a small Decaf and that was it. No donuts either. I didn't feel too bad. I'm also doing one Protein shake replacing one meal.
all my documentation is in, just waiting. Hoping for an early Feb. date.
I will say this, I'm not sleeping well at all. I think I just have too much on my mind. I'm so preoccupied with this whole process.
UPDATE: As of Jan. 6 10:30 a.m. APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would recommend high protein/low carb for the simple fact that it will help prepare you for how you will have to eat post-op.

I didn't have a set amount to lose, but I basically went "healthy low carb," meaning I did a modified Atkins/South Beach. I didn't cut myself way down on carbs, but I did cut out processed sugars and starches and made healthier choices. I shot for around 1200 cal a day with 80 gm of Protein. I found it lots easier to track my meals on MyFitnessPal (or any of the other free meal planners).
Also have been trying to learn, "protein first, Water Water water, chew thoroughly," and all the other requirements. I sent for samples of various Protein powders (or bit the big one and bought the smallest amount of others) so I would know which ones I can tolerate. It really is an individual thing.
I'd say follow the plan that you've been successful on in the past.

Before/ during (posted in another thread previously)

Today is my one year surgiversary and as of my weekly weigh in yesterday, I have surpassed my goal by one pound. My starting weight at the beginning of this process was 260. I was 236 on my surgery date. And I am now 164.
It's been a long road. The early days/weeks/months were rough. But for a long time now, I've just felt "normal". I eat 5-6 times a day. Always Protein first, but I occasionally have some treats. Juts yesterday I shared a piece of cake with my husband. I love not feeling deprived. If I want a treat of some sort once in a while, I have a little bit of it. I don't track my food or calories. The big thing to really get my head around through this whole process is that this is not a "diet". This is the rest of my life. I don't have any deadlines to meet with my weight loss. The goal was just to eventually get down to a healthy weight and stay there.
Were I on a "diet", I would have been tracking every calorie in and every calorie out. Sharing that piece of cake with my husband, I would have tracked those calories eaten and then tried to make up for it in calories burned so as not to "fall behind". I would have to "make up" those extra calories. Now... if I eat half a piece of cake, I don't sweat it. If it takes me a week to burn off those "extra" calories, what does it matter? What's a week in the grand scheme of things? It's definitely been a real change in thinking for me.
As for exercise, I've been killing it in that department. I've run several 5k races over the summer and plan to continue with my running and working on improving my time. I was pretty hard-core about strength training as well until my sister and her four kids moved in with us temporarily. That makes getting time to myself to SAFELY do strength training a real challenge, but I plan to get right back to it once they move out later this month.
So now, what you've all been waiting for: PHOTOS!
           

I had my surgery on May 29, 2015
I started at 305 the day of and presently 233

My friend, it's a HUGE commitment and a major life change - if you didn't have moments of second thoughts, I'd worry about you! And everything seems so much more difficult when you're hungry.
What I CAN tell you is that, statistically speaking, there's a REALLY good chance everything is going to be just fine. All those feelings you've got now are normal.
Yesterday I read a story about an agoraphobic woman who left her house for the first time in 10 years and fell in a sinkhole - no joke! The truth is, I kind of went into surgery feeling like that would be me. I'd finally try something drastic to take control, and be the anomaly that ends up with complications or bigger than I started. Neither thing happened, and other than 3 weeks of a nagging pain in my right side and a monster case of what felt like morbid Constipation, it all turned out alright. I have two regrets - getting myself in the position of NEEDING surgery, and waiting so damn long to do it.
I wish you had someone to go with you. Heck, if I had two nickels to rub together right now and some time off work, I'D go, lol. But if you can get past the jitters and go for it anyway, I think you're going to be really happy that you did!

Yes - I had my VSG with Dr. Ortiz at the OCC in February 2013. You are welcome to read my blog as I was looking for any and all info I could find before surgery www.hoosierfatty.wordpress.com hopefully this is helpful to you.
Had a good surgery and smooth recovery. The most difficult part of the whole process was BEFORE surgery. Crazy random thoughts, frequent inner-discussion about why I couldn't lose weight on my own, friends worried about my safety, etc. Bottom line is this: if you can get past the geography and keep yourself from a nervous breakdown, Dr. Ortiz and staff are very skilled at what they do. Good luck...