Danna78

@@Danna78
Great idea with chai tea. Thank you!!
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I made some Decaf chai tea today and put it in the fridge. I mixed 8 oz with a scoop of unflavoured Protein powder and a no cal sweetener and with some ice it was actually very refreshing! The spices in the tea cut the taste of the protein... Which was nice. If you don't like chai perhaps there is a fruit tea you could make? My surgery was July 15...so I feel your pain and frustration!
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I made some Decaf chai tea today and put it in the fridge. I mixed 8 oz with a scoop of unflavoured Protein powder and a no cal sweetener and with some ice it was actually very refreshing! The spices in the tea cut the taste of the protein... Which was nice. If you don't like chai perhaps there is a fruit tea you could make? My surgery was July 15...so I feel your pain and frustration!
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This is going to be long so if you don’t care about the story part, skip to the bottom for the numbers.
I never thought I would be here, post-op from WLS surgery, especially a surgery that removed most of my stomach but here I am, and I am thrilled to be here.
I grew up in a healthy, athletic family, really athletic, at the Professional level. We had healthy food and some not so healthy comfort food, but always real food in the house. I was always athletic, but slightly overweight growing up. Then in college, I started to yo-yo. My weight would change between 20 and 40 pounds. Then I had a baby, BOOM. I gained 70 pounds with the pregnancy and never lost it. I started working with Tech Startups in the dot com era and we had all the perks. Free food, free alcohol, all day every day. I moved up the ladder and with all the five star hotels came high calorie free meals. Extensive business travel meant eating out 5-6 days a week 3 times a day. On the days at home the eating out continued because I was so exhausted from the work week.
I was healthy with low to normal blood pressure and not diabetic most of this time. I was a healthy fat person for a long time until I wasn’t. I was active. I exercised, I could walk circles around even my thin friends in a mall. Then 10 years ago, diabetes. It was easily managed with pills and diet, so it didn’t create drastic changes. I never took it very seriously because I was never really extreme in my high sugars. Then about 4 years ago it seemed like things took a turn, I could never lose more than 20 or 30 pounds. My ability to exercise and be active seemed to diminish. Carrying all that weight was finally catching up to me and my body was breaking down and suffering. Then last year, high blood pressure came. After taking high blood pressure meds for 2 weeks that made me sleepy and made it almost impossible to run my business. I decided to have WLS.
I had researched and looked at WLS for years. I read WLS forums and talked to people, but always talked myself out of it. I finally decided that even if I died on the table that was better than dying slowly. So I knew I was ready. I went through the process very quickly. Almost not trusting myself to drag it out and I felt a real necessity to get the weight off quickly. I went from my first visit with the surgeon to surgery in 8 weeks. BCBSIL was wonderful and the whole process was fast and easy for insurance approval.
Another deciding factor that WLS would work for me, was because the post-op diet was something I was already familiar with. Low carbing? Sign me up. I had been an avid low carber off and on with varying levels of success for years. I realize now that the reason I was never successful was I gave up in stalls, but with the sleeve there is no giving up during a stall. I have always enjoyed low carbing because for me it makes my mind sharper, it is like doing coke or Adderall (no, I have never done either but I have been told the experience in great detail multiple times from multiple people). I have never viewed it as a punishment but a perk.
My issue prior to surgery has always been Portion Control. I skipped meals, focused on work and then would be ravenously hungry, and consume a whole days plus worth of calories all at once, or maybe in 2 meals. Even low carbing and eating healthy I would eat huge amounts. A 12 to 16 ounce ribeye is 900-1300 calories.
I was lucky to have an uneventful, rapid and easy recovery. I had very little pain, went back to work as soon as I came home (I work for myself), and stopped taking the pain meds within 36 hours of surgery. I met my Protein goals after the 2nd day. I eat all of the foods I enjoy, just in small quantities. I was lucky in the sense I never ate or liked a lot of the things that people have issues with giving up post-op. So I don’t have issues with avoiding them. I gave up sugar years ago to try and control my diabetes. I gave up alcohol for the same reason. I was already years out from either of these things when I had surgery so I didn’t have to give them up post-op.
Okay that is by backstory and how I got to the point surgery and why I felt it would work for me. This is where I am now.
Numbers
The weight I have on here is the weight when I first went to the Dr. It is not my actual highest weight.
HW 377
SW 358
CW 231
Total weight lost 146, 134 since first surgeon visit, and 127 since surgery.
Inches lost
Measurements in Inches
Bust (fullest part of bust):
20
Pecs (just above the bust line):
15
Ribs (top of rib cage just below the bust) :
21
Waist:
25.5
Abdomen:
22
Hips:
17
Right Upper Thigh:
8.5
Right Lower Thigh:
9.5
Left Upper Thigh:
8
Left Lower Thigh:
10.5
Right Calf:
2
Left Calf:
2.25
Right Upper Arm:
6
Left Upper Arm:
5.5
Total 172.75
I wore a tight size US Womens size 28 plus and a comfortable size US Womens size 30 plus. Now I wear a Misses 14/16 I am almost to a 12.
I have boundless energy to match my personality. I am so active in my everyday life in big and small ways. I don’t hurt all over anymore at the end of the day like I did before. I thought that was natural, because I had been so heavy for so long, I didn’t think there was a different way to feel, I thought that was norm. Now I know the difference. I feel like I have taken 20 years off my age.
So that is my story, if you read it all, thanks. I hope it can help someone. Obviously I am still not done. I need to lose at least another 50 pounds and once I get there I am going to evaluate and see if I want to lose another 20 or 30. I never thought that would be an option, to get my weight that low, but I think now it is a possibility.

See the scale number without pushing my stomach in to see!
Shave my 'bikini line' without just feeling around to do it... I'd like to see what's going on again!
Get on my horse without feeling like it takes an act of God, a good mounting block, and a few more prayers!
Have energy to actually get out and do things that I want to do... I am tired of it hurting to walk around a festival or park.
Be able to buy an outfit in the boutique where I get my hair cut... these clothes are SO STINKING CUTE! I want to wear them!
I could go on... LOL!

I interrupted my bath to write you this post!
I am exactly 1 week from surgery and I have been making a list of goals and rewards; like ... tying my shoes straight and not at the side because I can't been over to tie them correctly. You know what I mean; I got that sideways bow that looks as if someone standing next to me tied my shoes!
Well, It wasn't until just now that I realized that I have yet another goal I want to achieve after WLS: I want to take a bath and have my WHOLE body under Water at the same time. No more visions of my stomach sticking out of the water like Gilligan's Island!
Well, I hope this put a smile on someone's face today. It made me chuckle thinking about the little things that are going to means so much!
I could go on but I'd rather hear your goals too. Please share.
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Once you get past that bloaty gasy feeling and the scale starts going down, down, down I hope it will help! My favorite thing was popsicles. I am a yogurt lover and ended up having lactose issues 1.5 weeks postop. But if you don't have that issue plain greek yogurt with flavored powder or not is filling. I am 4 weeks out and have days were I cant fathom Protein shakes still. Did you learn the trick about adding plain or unflavored Protein to crystal light and Water (or sugar free grape crush)? It just takes like a refreshing drink. I never had food cravings at all --- but my family was good to keep things away. I was more worried about not wanting to get sick. Week 3 loved canned pumpkin, applesauce, and my savior top quality deli turkey and then deli roast beef. Eat slowly and chew it all the way before swallowing. A few days ago I had about an oz of ground beef with a sprinkle of cheese. Also hummus and avocado. I'm approved to try soft white fish tonight with sweet potato mashed. I also found a lot of interesting cauliflower dishes on Pinterest. The thing I did was only introduce one food per day so that i could make sure nothing caused issues. When the weight starts pouring off hopefully you wont look back but you do need protein to be full and healthy.
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It does!! That's one of the reasons dresses and skirts are OK now. No more chub rub. No more chafing or sweaty inner thighs. Pantyhose goes on without fighting, and I don't have to worry I'll cause a run trying to pull them up and stuff myself into them.
Oh the pleasures of being normal sized. It's wonderful...you newbies have no idea the marvelous things coming your way.

I have been taking a generic stool softener with laxative every single day or I don't think I would ever go again. LOL.
Honestly having IBS before surgery and always having to know where the closest bathroom was. I thought being constipated wouldn't be so bad having never had that problem.
Let me tell you, I would MUCH rather go all the time than not go at all. My belly don't like being constipated. Therefore, I make damn sure that doesn't happen.

@@chrisredjeep
i was determined to get the tattoo
i was also scared that the needle et al would hurt!!!
it was "ok"
hubby wasn't thrilled
i told him i wouldn't get another tattoo for the next 60 years!!!
6 months later..... i got a small italic tattoo on my right ankle with a pretty little butterfly
86 year old mom llllloves butterflies, this tat will be a good memory for me
asked the tattoo artist if it was going to hurt, he said no
when he was all done - i jokingly told him he "lied" to me
it really DID hurt!!!
6 months later i got the word survivor in small italic letters (under the butterfly)
(i am a proud breast cancer survivor)
17 years ago i ordered a drivers license vanity plate that says
CA SRV
you've gone through a lot losing 99 lbs!!
you can deal with a couple of needles too!!
kathy
congrats

@@doyouhear
woo hoo
welcome to the century club
we meet every month for drinks (Water LOL)
we have a secret handshake too!!!!
100 lbs gone!!!
(don't look at me, i didn't take them
keep up the great work
i know you will
kathy
congrats
i got my first tattoo ever on my top of my wrist
nearing 100 lb, goal, and turning 60 years YOUNGl!!!
i had the first letter of my grand-kids name in italics
M organ A ndrew E than
teeny red heart under each letter
signifying they are always in my heart
they live 1000 miles away in Georgia
my new found gift to myself is a manicure
i NEVER used to get a manicure (except big special occasions )
now i realize i am always special
i deserve a manicure whenever i want!!!

July 15th for me ????. I'm one week into my three weeks on optifast! Thank goodness for extracts... That stuff is nasty!!
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Mine is July 15th ???? so ready to be past the Optifast stage!
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Thanks for the replies...it has gotten better...I am on day 8 of 14.
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I'm on day six of 21 and had really bad headaches for the first 3 days. Now I find I get more of a brain fog toward the end of the day... Moreso when I've exerted myself in the heat. I am on 4 shakes a day (optifast) and broth if needed and Water... Always Water.
Hope your headache eases soon!
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July 15th for me ????. I'm one week into my three weeks on optifast! Thank goodness for extracts... That stuff is nasty!!
Sent from my SM-P550 using the BariatricPal App

Mine is July 15th ???? so ready to be past the Optifast stage!
Sent from my SM-P550 using the BariatricPal App

These are out there on other threads but here are my before/during/after. Surgery December 2013 down 136lbs and maintaining.
     

First one was two summers ago and I was at 377. The second one was in January at 187. I'm down another 19 but don't have any more recent full body pics.