Nyelaah

I want to add something that's been niggling at the back of my head since reading your initial post.
I used to be ruled by food. I never considered myself an "addict" until now when I reflect back on my habits. I own my own business and work out of my home. I spend a lot of time in my car meeting clients and team members.
I used to plan my routes around where I could grab some Breakfast and then a snack and then lunch. I would purposefully plan meetings to bump up to a meal and to be near a favorite lunch spot at that meal time. It was nothing to stop at one place for a burger and another for fries because of what I liked and where. It was nothing to grab another meal elsewhere as a treat because "I was never out that way" until the next time when I was.
I ate a lot in secret and a lot in my car. I denied this to myself, of course, but I was smacked in the face with that denial when I made a point of stopping to throw out the food bags before I got home so no one would know.
I would look at menus before going out under the guise of "planning my diet" when in reality, I was planning my failure. I ate salads when out with skinny friends and relaxed and gorged when out with fat friends. Vacations weren't meant for eating, but finding local spots and specialties was definitely a joy.
Now I'm free. My appetite is small and buying a complete meal is a waste. I can only hold 1/2 - 1 cup max. I can't dip into the bread basket because I can't eat a bite of bread and a meal, too. I save a ton of money sharing a few bites of my family's food, or just ordering an app.
I used to care about food and I never thought that would change until it did. I still like food, I still crave things from time to time, I still enjoy the little I eat, but I can only eat a little.
I truly believe that restriction has saved my life. Actually, it gave me a life back. Instead of food leading my life, it's my fuel. Nothing more, nothing less.

I'm extremely V-D deficient. That stopped without meds after surgery as did my pre diabetes, beginnings of knee and foot pain and overall damage to my heart.

I, too, lost a lot of weight prop op, along with every time I did WWs, South Beach, Atkins, etc. That was easy, keeping it off wasn't. Now I am almost two years out and maintenance is fairly simple. I have a five pound bounce range and if I hit the top, I go back to all Protein for a few days, lose it and start again. I am done with diets, stress and guilt caused by obesity.

As far as travel. You'll still be able to eat, just not as much. Personally, I don't comprehend traveling just to eat, at least not any more. I now have the energy to see all the sights, the body to shop in all the boutiques and the desire to hit all the beaches. food no longer motivates me. It's an amazing release.

Yes, taste buds may change. I used to live for ice cream, now it makes me feel ill. I no longer want it. Every once in awhile, I'll have a bite but no more than that. The desire is just gone. It's a good thing.

If you aren't ready, don't do it. If you think you can do it non surgically, more power to you! But, if you think you can do it on surgically only to travel to all these places and feast, you are setting yourself up for failure. Think about that logic there.

I know this question probably has been asked a million times before but now it's my turn to ask. I'm new here and I'm taking the 12 week program leading up to bariatric surgery with Kaiser. I'm about to hit week 11 and my goals from week 0 have completely changed. Originally I blamed the odd pains that I've had in my body for the last year and a half on my weight. But in my blood test revealed my Vitamin D levels were dangerously low and put me on high does meds. Since I've been taking them my body feels MUCH better and the pain is completely gone.
Since starting these classes I've been putting the work in to lose weight and I've lost a surprising amount in only 8 weeks. Now I'm thinking about the future and traveling without having to pay for two seats. The only thing is the places I want to travel to are places where food consumption is at the top of my list for things to do. I'm worried that having this surgery will limit me too much and keep me from enoying the stuff I like. Wine-tasting comes to mind. I also heard your taste buds change.
I'm worried about regretting what I've done to myself. I'm worried about not being able to have fun or never being able to eat out again. I worry that the food will make me sick and I won't like it because of the surgery. I worry about cutting off one of the greatest reasons to travel overseas. A part of me wants to keep going and trying to do this on my own, but the other part of me feels I'll fail or not do as well as I could've done. So I ask, does anyone have any regrets about getting the surgery? Has any one had any experience traveling after surgery? Were you happy? DId you still have fun even though you couldn't consume anything? what did you do?
Thank you for reading!

HAHA......okay not really but maybe that I am being silly???
We are leaving on this Friday for vacation. We are flying out and this will be the first time on a plane since my WLS. Now in the past when we fly I would always ask for a seatbelt extender as I was getting on. That way I was all prepared and ready to go. If it was just me and my daughter flying I would always put her in the middle so I wasn't oozing (for lack of a better word) onto someone I didn't know.
Well it is me, my husband, my daughter and my mom going this time. My daughter and my mom will sit together and me and my husband will sit together. I have asked my husband to let me sit down and see how I fit and feel in the seat and if I am comfortable I will sit in the middle, if not he will let me sit on the aisle. Isn't he sweet?? (because of my husbands job when we fly, we preboard and he should sit in aisle seat.)
Now both my husband and my daughter say I will be just fine and I shouldn't be worrying about fitting, but I just can't seem to not. This is the only part of the vacation that bothers me. I am so excited otherwise, we are headed to Diseyland and being 80lbs lighter I cannot wait to go and enjoy myself and not have to watch everyone else having fun.
So I know once I board the plane sit my butt down I will be fine, it's just doing it. Everytime I fit some where that was tight before I get so excited and amazed. So this will just be one more of my NSV's I am hoping!!
Thanks for letting me get this out!!

And that is what I call "Biotin Backlash"! Yes, my eyebrows (which normally for me are sparse, uneven, and need to be plucked only once a week, at most, are full, lush, wavy, gorgeous, and might I add - VOLUPTIOUS, are now joining in the soon-to-be new fashion-forward trend: the UNIBROW!!! AND I have noticed unwanted specimens growing where no self-respecting female body would have it - on my NECK! I really don't WANT a beard! But my scalp has had enough of hair, and is rebelling most auspiciously by shedding the blasted stuff all over EVERYTHING!!! Talk about being un-balanced! I am it IN SPADES! And all my bald husband can do is GIGGLE! Ah, yes, life as a WLS patient... Life is GOOD, indeed!

Onederland is when you reach a weight that starts with a 1 instead of a 2, or 3.. etc.
199 Lbs or less.

I drank this past Saturday and I am not brain dead. If that matters. Although, I may have been a lil brain dead before I drank. lol...I enjoy vodka with a splash of cranberry w/ lemon. I have no problems with those. Definitely can't eat and drink though. Priorities....I drink 1st. lol...J/K. Every doctor is different. Every patient is different. No need to get panties in a wad. If you want to have a drink, have one. If not, don't. Some people are strictly by the book, then theres us who live on the edge. lol...
BTW...I am 9 months post op.

what about frozen margaritas? the girls from work like to go out every couple weeks and i don't want them to think anythings up. lol

This is great. My husband is gonna love that I'm a cheap date! Lol

I just got my insurance approval today. Woohoo! My surgery is March 30.

Yay! That's exciting! Good luck!

well by being behind you she would have to admit you have a problem and i guarantee you that admitting you have a problem makes her feel like she has failed as your mom. parents do not want to see their kids as anything but wonderful, and if they admit you have a problem that youve had since you were a child, they have to take blame in that and they won't do it. My dad was a food hoarder, he was legally blind and resented that he couldn't work to provide for us so my mom worked ( no big deal nowadays but back then ) anyway, he would guard food under lock and key and you could only eat at mealtimes, but he would eat Cookies and bake a cake and eat half or more of it himself and hide it from other people. as a result we came to regard food as treasure and the only comforting thing. my mom was obese i was/am, my sister was, etc. my dad refused to believe he had anything to do with it, and refused to believe any of us were obese for any reason because he would have to admit his ways were wrong. So i do wonder if your mom might feel like she has failed you if she admits you need help. Denial is a very powerful beast indeed.
I wish you well.
You Can Do This!

I needed to hear that!????

*First is my MAJOR scale victory, I am 100lbs down as of Sunday. Hw 290, Sw 282, Cw 190 from a size 20/22 to a size 8/10. Shoe from size 9W to an 8 regular.
*I no longer snore at all, which is big for me since it recently started and was so loud and disruptive to both my family and I. Now, nothing at all, they say im so silent they wonder if im breathing. I sleep so much better and more comfortably.
*Also, the late night cravings have gone away and I never wake up at night anymore so no more late night snacking.
*I no longer have pain from my Fibromyalgia and have stopped my medications completely!!!! I hate meds!!
******Sad to say that I have had serious negative responses to "MY LIFE" decision, here are some of the daggers in my heart...
-I've had family tell me, I didn't need the surgery, I was pretty enough even though I was "BIG"! As if I am so vein that I would do something so serious to my body just to look good...smh
-I was told, "I don't like this on u, it's not YOU, you're not meant to be this small"...SMH
Then, "I could never make myself sick every day just to look good". WAH? Who's that, I'm not sick at all...uneducated speakers make me wanna vomit if that's what u mean...UGH.
-another family member, "don't lose no more, we have enough crackheads out here, wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea". WTF???
THEN THE ABSOLUTE WORST OF ALL.....
-My husband threw me a big party when I hit my first goal of 200lbs. I invited all my favorite girls to a Glam Session to do makeovers and a photo shoot (my first pics public photos other than on BP) as a girls night but also as a celebration of my successes since at that time, I had also gotten a raise at work (Which is also suspect), a new luxury apt and a new car. I struggled over 2 years to gain these things from a 1 bedroom box apartment and no car to the new life that my hard work paid for. Do you know one friend was heard saying, "Why she gotta show off, now she think she something special because she lost weight, who's gonna shrink her head?" This hurt me the most because my husband offered me anything I wanted to Celebrate and all I asked is that he treat me and my girls, 17 of us to catered food from Carrabbas (My Fav), dj for the room, make up sessions with Mary Kay, we had a pure romance presentation, a man that was selling jewelry to enhance our look and a photographer to document the whole evening and take personal photo shoots as well, all this at no cost to them and this man made that happen just to celebrate me and my accomplishments and I was extremely thankful beyond belief but also so hurt by not only the person making the comment but the 4 that entertained her, 2 by saying, "that's alright, when she fall, she gonna fall hard" "she got a new 2014 car but just asked me for $60 bucks just last week, she's a phony" -this was when I lost my bank card and had to wait for another and she was with me so I asked her instead of calling my husband. Lesson learned!
Basically I learned that people are not always who you think they are. Thank God I did what I did for me and not to impress anyone or seeking anyone's approval. I am happy with my decision and since I've noticed that ppl seem to be down for you as long as you stay down in life...on their level perhaps but the minute you move up, now your not good enough for them. I have since been uninvited to 4 events and the excuse was, " Oh I thought You'd be busy or traveling" REALLY? I was suppose to be celebrating but I literally cried for 3 days. Beyond the gains (materials) and the losses(weight), I thought I had support. I learned an ugly lesson that day and here's some I wish to pass on...
Make your moves for YOU!, Seek only approval from YOU! Make sure you have a true support system. Then my daughter sent me a comment picture that reads,"Don't dim your light simply because it's shining in their eyes" That's for you too. Be positive and don't let the haters tear you down.
I don't have a positive relationship with my family, been on my own since 16, so these women have always been around but now that I can't even share my life losses or gains with them...my husband is taking me away from it all, no more pain, no more tears, no more haters, we are moving to California, his home town and I will make new friends and hope and pray to share a good life together. He even says we will renew our vows so I can get a new dress vs the size 26 I had to wear in Jamaica. After 18 years, we will renew our vows in Santa Monica!!! Haven't told any of them yet but I bet they act like they care... but they probably don't and who cares, I'm over it!! It will be a last minute goodbye and an AWESOME 2015!!!!

I am happy and I will continue to be, I could have uplifted others but I will reach out to the real ones and help bring them up and we can pray together for those too busy hating on others to ever come up in life!! Good riddance to em'...
Love you guys, needed to get that out!! Thanks, whew!

Well it's been a long, fun, hard road. I have to say during my weight loss stage it was exciting to see the scale go down every single day. I was one of the lucky ones who did not encounter any stalls. God only gives us what we can handle.....I beleive He knew I wasn't strong enough for that. I have been blessed not to lose my hair. The only rough road I had was the first two weeks post op and taking my medications in liquid form. I have to say honestly I would love to keep losing it was that exciting. Now my road begins to learn how to maintain. I am scared to death of gaining anything back although my NUT tells me that a 5pound plus or minus loss or gain is normal. I don't have many before pics I was too embarrassed to have my picture taken. But here is at least one before and a few after. Good luck to all on this WLS I wish you all the best. Surgery date 8/25/2014. HW 289. SW 229 GW 150. Followed my program every step of the way. I never cheated.
     

Hey all! I haven't posted since the very early days out...I was sleeved on 10/2/13 at 273 pounds. I reached goal in 9.5 months which was 159 pounds which would put me at a normal bmi. At about 8 months post op I started running. That was a game changer! I have since completed a triathlon, a 5k, 2 10ks, 4 half marathons, and on January 25th, 2015 I became a marathoner! I went on to lose and additional 20 pounds and I've been maintaining 20 pounds below goal ever since. From a size 22/24 to a size 2/4. I eat clean and train hard! I am really living my best life now!

My surgery was July 31, 2014 and I wondered how I would feel when I hit the 100 lb. mark. This morning I hit 101.3 lbs. lost and I feel great! I know there is much more to do but today I am going to Celebrate. If I could give my pre-surgery self advice, I would say, "Don't worry about how fast other people lose. Stick with the plan, learn how to live your new life, respect the sleeve and it will all work out!" Let's see if I can follow my own advice for the next 107.7!
Hope your journey is going well and you, too, are feeling great!

Thanks! Yeah, well let's just say that the waistband on my shorts is strategically placed.

Well this morning I finally made it to goal! It took me exactly 7 1/2 months to get here and I'm totally thrilled with the entire journey! For those wondering how it happened so quickly, I can only say that I followed all the rules meticulously: 80-100 grams of Protein, no starches/sugars, some veggies, no booze/soda, and 64-120 ounces of Water every...single...day, plus daily walking and once a week workouts. I always had a plan for what I was going to eat, even at parties and restaurants, and if I deviated from the plan, it was always protein-based, like cheese, nuts and beef/turkey Jerky. So... going in, was I worried about missing out on food? Yes. Did I feel deprived during my journey? Nope, as my tag-line says, "Nothing tastes as good as slender feels!" What's next? Lose 4-5 more pounds so I can have a little wiggle-room and still stay at or below my goal weight. Will I go crazy now and eat all the stuff I've missed? I don't think so because I've tried to get my head straight about this being a lifelong effort. Can you do it too? Absolutely!!! Thank you to all who have given me support and guidance along the way. I hope I was able to help you too. And my plan is to keep coming here and posting my message about The Dreaded Week-3 Stall, because it almost broke me at the beginning of my journey. I wish everyone who reads this a world of success!!! If you want to ask questions or get tips on how I worked my program, send me a message and I'll try to give you a thoughtful answer. Okay, here are some embarrassing photos and some slightly less embarrassing photos.....

When four year old grand daughter asked you. What happened to your pregnant belly?

When you take a new home sleep study and can turn in your CPAP machine! :)

When you can comfortably sit in an airplane seat without needing a seat belt extender

Mine took about 30 minutes. I was asked a bunch of questions. Then I filled out a 25 question form and that was followed up with some additional questions and then he printed my letter and I was out of there. They noted that if the 25 question form did score right that I'd have to do a much longer one. I was given a list of about 20 people that could do the evaluation, but they noted one took my insurance and that was who I went to, so I paid a $30copay.

So this post is a little old, but I'm replying anyway, lol.
I had plastic surgery done and I have my final procedure in March. The break down for the cost was:
Breast Lift/Augument- $8k
Abdominoplasty- $12k
Groin incision thigh lift- $7k
Brachioplasty-$8k
Posterior Lower Body LIft- $8k
The website realself.com has a lot of useful information as well if you're still wondering about things.

I have my test today! I'm a bit nervous... Wish me luck!