Hannah83

Weight loss has always been an incredibly slow process for me and I have been disappointed this hasn't been faster. But as long as it keeps going down, I'm OK. And I did say to my surgeon, "What are you going to say to me when this doesn't work?" and he laughed, turned to his PA and said, "Have you ever seen this NOT work?" The agreed no, they hadn't, so I just set my mind to keeping my eye on the goal and accepting the small victories. I had to work hard to remind myself it's not all about the scale. It's smaller pants, another notch on a belt, a wolf-whistle in the parking lot (my co-workers think they are very funny, LOL), somebody not recognizing me in the grocery store, shoes no longer being tight ... plus big things like less orthopedic pain, sleep apnea that has nearly resolved itself, etc. I lost 30 pounds before my surgery in December on the liver-shrink diet and am down about 55 more since the surgery. I started this whole process last June and the way I look at it ... if I hadn't, I'd be 85 pounds heavier, probably more, and barely able to walk. Tonight I'm going to a baseball game for the first time in three years. So I'll take slow over nothing!

I want the weight to fall off faster, but remind myself i didn't put it on overnight either.
I am very happy that I now exercise and actually enjoy it. I didn't go one evening and actually threw myself off and felt off. I hated walking and can now do a 15 minute mile, am slowly introducing jogging and hope to do my first 5K this fall (i know I can walk it but i want to run). I'm off all my diabetic meds and no more back pain. I'm down 54 ponds since surgery and 105 since my heavyist, I am 3 months out. I hated vegetables my whole life and learned what I was missing during my pro-op program (Kaiser Options) and quite enjoy them now and have learned there are many ways to prepare them besides boiled/steamed (what I grew up with).
What has been fun is actually going to the movie theater and sitting comfortably in the seats, or sitting in a chair anywhere and not having the fear of snapping it. It's been a fun ride this far and still looking forward to the rest of it.

This just makes my heart hurt. You need to be able to vent your frustrations and negativities in this space as well as in your 'real' life. This surgery thing is HARD. Yes, in some ways it's easier than doing the diet and exercise thing again, only to regain, but in other ways it's the hardest thing EVER. I am very, very lucky in that I have an amazing support system, and I've needed them at many points during the last 2 years. I got frustrated and quit posting here a while back, but reading this makes me realize the debt that us 'vets' owe to our support groups.
So, to answer your original question, I had a pretty clear goal in my mind and always looked at the goal as something that I absolutely could attain. Some days when I'd get on the scale and it would be the same as the day before...that was defeating but I truly believed in the surgery and in the plan I was following. So I'd give myself a little pity party then get back to it...and I exceeded my goal within a year. I've had my plastic surgeries and I don't feel like a WLS patient anymore, I feel like a normal, thin-ish woman who eats small amounts at a time and doesn't feel self-conscious when I go out.
Again, this is HARD. I don't think there's any way to adequately prepare ourselves for the crap, mental and physical, that's coming in that first year post-op. The hormonal changes, dealing with our personal relationship with food, accepting all the praise from everyone who sees us (this was the hardest for me...it got to where when someone would say 'Oh my gosh, you LOOK GREAT' I'd think 'damn, I must have looked BAD'), the saggy skin and being dehydrated and constipated or the opposite...it's just a long, complicated slog. But I can tell you that after a couple of years, it CAN be awesome! Yes, I still need to log my food, avoid carbs, exercise and be aware of my old habits, but it's easier and more routine every day Message me when you hit 2 years out...I want to know where you are and how you feel!

I totally get the pretending to be positive thing, some days just suck. A stall makes me think why bother with all this work if I am just going to stay fat? I know 6 months from now I will be smaller, but it is an emotional roller coaster at times.
I have set a lot of mini goals on the way down. It has helped me be better with every little pound lost.
HW/SW: 268 sleeved 5/9
Goal 1: under 250, that officially puts me under the weight limit for lots of stuff I use anyway; ladder, dining room chairs, lawn chairs, kayak.
Goal 2: lose the equlivilant of my almost 2yr old (30lbs)
Goal 3: lose equlivilant of my 4yr old (40lbs)
Goal 4: ONEDERLAND!
You get the idea, don't want to make this the longest post ever.
Current weight: 246 and in a stall 😣

Oh sister sue, I totally hear you! Ugh with the moodiness...I've not had a 'honeymoon' phase but a hellish mood phase that has been harder than the physical recovery. Depression has been a female dog to deal with, medications not absorbing finally they have started to absorb better than before. I had my sleeve on Oct 31, 2017, and I'm down 65'ish pounds. I'm on a ton of meds so that might be the reason for the slower loss. But on the upside I do like the gradual loss, it, as you stated, gets the things we learned cemented into place. I'm about 2 pounds a week, not counting more inches I've been losing is a better indicator as well as progress pictures...We are all different, and with that in mind I pat myself on the back and keep on trucking.

I just want to get off it so badly. I hate the stuff. I cannot stop eating. I snack all day which doesn't exactly help the weight loss! I'm also bloated and moody AF. It's really charming.

Rapid weight loss definitely has a lot of drawbacks. I have had a lot of health issues from my body being in shock. Feeling dizzy and light headed. I had psoriasis flare ups (in addition to a range of complications from my auto-immune disease).
I didn't mention this before, but it's very strange, psychologically speaking to lose 100 plus pounds in less than six months. It's very disorienting. You feel like a stranger in your own body. It's uncomfortable. You don't recognise yourself. I had a bit of depression (which may have been related to the illnesses), but it also was in part because I was really freaked out by all the changes. How do you stay mindful and centred, when you're dropping 6 dress sizes in 6 months? There's no time to adjust!
I am not complaining. I underwent this surgery as an investment in my future health and happiness. And frankly, I wouldn't mind some of that magic rapid weight loss again. However, losing slowly does have some benefits.

I take something for anxiety, but it’s a small pill. Pre op they told me I could even take one the morning of surgery. Post op my surgeon said it was fine to swallow. Which was a welcome surprise because anxiety meds taste like 💩 when crushed 😂

When you are dehydrated and on a crash diet basically your body is going to retain as much Water as possible. There is no way at this point you won’t lose weight. I started with my surgery the exact weight you are almost a year ago and I now 11 months post op and have lost 100 pounds, my weight loss was consistent but a little slower because I was bad and didn’t follow the regulations for part of it! You are doing great! Just Take is easy on yourself, you will lose weight and the slower you lose weight the better for your skin and hair. Just follow the dietary guidelines, walk a little when you feel up to it. Keep a water bottle with you drink lots of Protein Shakes. You are doing great! Now that I am a year post op I am doing and feeling better than ever and feel like I wasted a lot of energy worrying about little stuff. The first six months after my surgery I felt like I made a mistake because I wasn’t taking care of myself. But now I wouldn’t change it for anything !

Hello (waves) I have high functioning autism, I deal with depression and anxiety disorder. My meds have been well it's been a rocky road with absorption, I am on Cymbalta (generic) 60 mg it's a time release capsule I now am on two daily one in the morning and one mid afternoon to get my absorption rate back up to 60 mg. I had numerous appointments with my psyche doc to get the dosage right. I've been put on Lexapro 10 mg in the morning with the Cymbalta as a 'booster' it's month two and I've had dizzy spells with the Lexapro.
I take amitriptyline 50 mg, 0.5 Clonazepam, and eszopiclone (generic Lunesta) for sleep issues. My sleep has been OK'ish at best and fitful restless at worst. I'm 8 months out now and by far the worst adjustment to post-op life has been the depression, anxiety and absorption with medications for my depression.
The first two months were hell, I had a severe depressive relapse and dear god it sucked balls. Cried myself to sleep most nights months 1-3 and woke up snot covered.
Now I'm over the major hump and I just think my body is trying to find it's equaliburam the 'new normal' once I reach my goal weight of 160'ish things should calm down and find the balance.
I'm also on low dose birth control and haven't had a period for 10 years. So there is that. My body is wonky right now, and as such I've been 'blah' 'f this' and not motivated forcing myself to workout, lift weights, walk outside. Do this thing called life.
With all that said, welcome to the forums. If I can be a sounding board for you to listen to (read your replies) I'd be more than willing to share my experience and advice should you request it.

well done!

Hey Hannah
i have spent a bit of t8me here and mostly folks are kind, supportive. I don’t reckon I could be doing this without the good folks - keep being kind and they’ll find you!

And i, Hannah, am very glad to have met you and hope to be your friend now and in the future. Although our ages are very different I feel I can learn from you As much as I might be able teach and share wisdom with you. You feel like a turtle, well there are times I feel like an armidillo, rolling up in a ball for protection. But I am a survivor and I suspect you are also Lets get through this bariatric challenge as buddies, okay? ,,,, Frustr8

you're very welcome sug.

let us know how it goes? I'm interested to see you progress to your 'happy place'

lol, I love how my comment of slaughtering a chicken links to the BariatricPal Store. If I need to slaughter a chicken, at least I can do it in a bariatric friendly way.

That's my favorite! Whey protien with almond milk! Tastes great.
Unsweetened almond milk has 30 cals per 8oz (less than skim milk). Still has Calcium and other good stuff.
Sometimes I buy 1/2 almond milk and 1/2 coconut milk, mix it with chocolate protien powder, and you have an almond joy shake!

Beautiful. Thank you

Sent from my SM-G935F using BariatricPal mobile app

It sounds off-putting, reading most of the forums honestly is off-putting, how does one even start to manoeuver through the swamp of disparaging topics with obvious solutions at best or unsolicited snarky advice at worse?
Yes a lot of us are at different stages in our journeys, most of us probably want to use our walking stick to wack some sense into someone else's skull but that is beside the point.
I didn't join this form for a wine fest, I joined for support.
I'll be damned if I'm going to be a 'keyboard warrior' stick hitting or an emotional punching bag for someone's idea of a grand get off.
I choose kindness, I choose to stick up for those other's will not. I choose loving myself where I am at now. With God's help, and a lot of locals here support I'll make it fine.
My name's Hannah J Capps, don't mind me much I love singing playing guitar and being my own self-advocate but also asking for help when I need it.
Mom has and always will be my biggest human support. I become lonely quite often, I have trouble voicing what is in my voice.
I was bullied online before it became chic. I was verbally hazed before it became an epidemic right alongside the opiate overdose epidemic and the rising suicide epidemic.
I'm sure self-mutilation is on the rise more so then when I last check the CDC statistic.
I'm coming to slowly know that a group of opinionated people who really just wish to dump and not help clean up afterward is what this forum is made of.
The few that are good-hearted, who take time to listen (or in this case read the text) are a rare thing. I've been beaten up too much socially to stick out my neck again.
I'm a turtle 'is it OK?' nope. In I go. But I offer my meager kindness, for those who wish may partake. Enjoy your weekend.

Keep up the good work!

I share the same struggle with a class I take & my 6 month is coming soon to. Congrats & keep it up!

Well done! I was a bit slow on getting moving, but been making a massive effort over the last 6 weeks.

Celebrate my 6 month sleeversary yesterday with a Body Combat class (was only a 30 min one, but couldn’t even have managed the walk from the car park to the gym 6 months ago without struggling!)

Good job! I joined a gym last week and I'm really enjoying it, too. But I'm terrible at pilates

I’m down 82lbs!!

For a long, while the scale hovered around 202 203 200.x Today, I'm proud to show this number, did it up in soft glow because that's the feeling I had! (has song right about now funk show brother playing in head)