Katieisin

First week SUCKED. By day 5 I was feeling a lot better.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Afternoon all!
I'm writing this on a super awesome day: my one-year post op date! This day last year, I weighed 387 pounds and was in recovery after my bypass. This day two years ago, I weighed 450 pounds and saw very little hope of making it past 30. Today I am 207 pounds and perfectly healthy. How times change.
I've learned so, so much in the last two years since I started down this road towards health and happiness. Some of the things I learned were tough lessons, some of them were illuminating and freeing, but all of them together have brought me here. "Here" is a place I never in a million years thought I could be. "Here" is an entirely different Abby, an Abby I thought was sort of a childish dream, or maybe a fairy-tale I told myself to comfort myself during the painful years I spent being obese and incredibly unhappy and uncomfortable.
I still struggle every day with the person I was, the person I am, and the person I am becoming. I struggle to regain my self-image, and to regain an understanding of who I am outside and inside. I struggle with the social and emotional changes that have happened since my surgery, namely the way that people suddenly treat me like a human being because I am no longer painfully obese. I struggle to forgive the cruelty that I experienced at the hands of so, so many people, including my own family and friends. Including myself. I struggle with food cravings occasionally, and with the gravity of the change my personality and habits have gone through. I struggle with that tiny voice of fear in the back of my mind that tells me I couldn't possibly keep this goodness up. I struggle not to compare myself to others and I struggle to keep clothes on my back as I continue to drop sizes. Every day is a struggle.
Every day is also a miracle. I would do this again, and again, and again... forever if I needed to, if it would bring me back here every time. This road has been a little bitter, a lot of sweet, and a wilder ride than I could have possibly imagined or prepared for.
And it ain't over yet!
From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all of you here who have been a part of this journey with me, whether you realized it or not. Thank you to all the vets who slapped some sense into me and the kind strangers who listened during times when my anxiety was out of control or when I was feeling so bad about myself that I felt hopeless. You all share a little piece of my victory with me. I wouldn't be here without you and the enormous host of other people outside of this site who have supported me and encouraged me and been proud of me the whole way. THANK YOU. I have a life now, and a future that simply did not exist for me two years ago.
I am ecstatic to be able to share these pictures and my progress with you all today. I love you all.
<3 Cervidae (Abby)
Stats!
Starting weight: 450 lbs
Surgery weight: 387 lbs
Current weight: 207 lbs
Weight lost since surgery: 180 lbs
Overall weight lost: 243 lbs
Jean sizes lost: 20 (size 34 to size 14)
Waist inches lost: 28 in
Hips inches lost: 35 in
Neck inches lost: 4 in
Shoe size lost: 1.5 sizes

I've been hypo for about 14 years, but then had thyroid cancer 8 years ago. My thyroid was removed. Been clear now for 6 years, thank god...Thanks for asking...
make it a great day

@@Katieisin
Yes, definitely relaxing and taking it easy is good. The stomach and the body need to heal, and can't be rushed.
As for changes, they do happen, but again they too take time.
For me, at 3 months I could see a big change, and now again at 5 1/2 months later, even bigger and better changes.
I am doing fine, just not sleeping well, which is a nuisance. Just waiting to see my endo, and my thyroxine dose should be lowered again, I think.
I will see her early September.
Heal up well, take your time, and before you know it, changes will happen!

Hi @@judy vsg,
few of us here with thyroid issues. Welcome to the club
I have Graves disease, pain in the butt!
However I am hoping for some stability in my thyroid once I reach goal weight.
Have only been hypo for 1 month, 4 months after radioactive iodine treatment.
Can't wait for my Thyroxine levels to be lowered and stay stable.
How are you doing?
Hope you are well.

@@Katieisin
If not for my thyroid disease, my recovery would have been rather smooth.
With the weight loss I am back to hyper thyroid, so back to insomnia and sweats.
Need my thyroxine dose adjusted down again.
And yes, as aussiegirl mentioned, once on solid foods I started feeling much better.
Good luck

Thanks for that mate i can do 2-3 months if the exchange is thinner and healthier for the rest of my god given life! ????
Sent from my SM-N920I using the BariatricPal App

Thanks so much for the support @krakow57...i also have hypothyroid and Hashimotos.. just another layer hey!
Sent from my SM-N920I using the BariatricPal App

Well.... its done... i am officially post op!!!
Doing quite well surprisingly

I promise it gets easier.... i thought i would never be able to meet my Protein and Water... especially water... but after about a week it got a lot easier once the swelling went down.
Its a stressful time for your body... emotions will be out of whack.. be kind to your body and give it time to heal
Im 3 weeks out now... i cant even tell ive had surgery until i eat... the only reminder i have is when i feel i have had enough food... i know.
Hang in there... promise it'll get easier

I had the band initially and gained 25lbs, IDK how it managed to happen as I couldnt eat much due to everything getting stuck and the pains that came along with it. I then went back and had all the Fluid drained after going through test after test to figure out what was going on. I gave up for awhile and then decided that since I started this journey already I might as well finish it as I continued to look in the mirror and continued to be disgusted with what I saw and how I ate. I got the approval from the insurance to get the band out and have the sleeve completed. I had the surgery March 1, 2016 and as of today I hit -50lbs. Best decision I have ever made and I enjoy healthier foods that I didn't used to. It may also be because I don't have to eat a ton to get my fill so it works out great. Good luck!

Im so proud of what I have accomplished so far in 5 months and 50lbs down that I just wanted to share my Before / After pictures that hopefully they can encourage and inspire you to keep moving forward. Be and Stay Blessed my friends!  

Hang in there it is so important to get protiein and fluids in I had a problem the first couple days but better now. Keep trying

The first week was the worst for me. It all gets better! At nearly 2 years post op, all of the difficult times are a distant memory. It is all worth it in the end! Keep up the good work, you have got this!

I hope I have this success!!! I am SO nervous Sleeve is on July 7