Neversaynever

I have cardiac disease strongly in my family, before I got my cardiac clearance I had testing over a 3 week period. Like my BariBud BeeCat above I had all those, stress test , Holter Monitor etc. Did find a teensy anomoly, did not bar me from surgery but I will be on a every year check to make sure of no progression. And I gleaned a wonderful young female cardiologist in the deal. So it worked for the best. if I need more medication in the future, if I later require cardiac surgery, maybe 5-10% chance, she can and will take excellent care of me. Now I am 72 years old, yeah I know , not an usual age for major surgery let alone Bariatric surgery. But I am special, I am as healthy as a 45 year old, just trapped in a fat 72 year old shell. Peeves my PCP I have better test readings than he does and he isn't 50 yet.
I told my Dr Needleman I would prefer an open rather than ending up as you did. These days 99,9% are laprascopic , so open is pretty rare. He leaned back in his rolling office chair, grinned and Said " Do you really want an 8-10 inch abdominal incision to have to heal?" I flipped up my 👕, and smiled back , I have an 6 inch right paramedian scar from 34 years ago when I lost my appendix and gall bladder. It lies just to the right of my navel, 3 inches above, 3 inches below. I smiled sweetly when I did it and he said " Okay, Okay, point taken. I'll keep that in mind!" His nurse told me later I had won THAT challenge.
And Cardiology was only one of many. Began to think I should have had my good friend who will be my tattooist, put a representation of a legal tablet on the other side of my belly from the scar, that way each speciality could put their initials and date.
And on September 5th At 7 AM EDT, Yes the first of that day, so if it takes more than 1.5 hours he will be in no rush, My REBIRTHDAY will come, my Wonder Wednesday when I become a " kangaroo" because like them I will have a little pouch.
Scared, heck no! I drowned my fears in my tears long ago, now I yearn to start on my new improved life , use my surgical reconstruction for my benefit and live, baby, live!😝👍😷👍🌈

I'll kick this off.
I had a pair of scales a few years back that told me my body fat was 62%, I doubt it was accurate but you never know.

I started this process 2 years ago and it took that long for me to get accepted here on the NHS. My body fat percentage just before my op was 43%. I have lost 54lb
(almost 4 stone in the uk) and my body fat is now 40.2. It can only get better from here on in!

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So, just stop already... please.

Some of us want it, and I'm not talking one on one time, that's preposterous.

But if there was a place where just info could be left, like a vets hand book , where vets write about their experiences, it would be helpful.

VSG2017 HW 249 SW 238 CW 167

I have only told my immediate family and my best friend. Anyone else that asks I just say I am following a very low calorie diet and it is working!
Also, regarding the scars from surgery, if anyone asks in the future, I will say it was from having my gallbladder out, which is true but I had it done 15 years ago lol.

One other thing, here in the uk you can have the surgery done for free on the Nhs if you go through many hoops and it takes about 18 months to two years. Some people take offence that you have what they would class as non essential surgery and that it means in their eyes that you are a burden on the Nhs. That's obviously false as statistics show I will be much less of a burden once I lose all that weight and won't need diabetic meds and high blood pressure meds etc in the future.

I have only told my immediate family and my best friend. Anyone else that asks I just say I am following a very low calorie diet and it is working!
Also, regarding the scars from surgery, if anyone asks in the future, I will say it was from having my gallbladder out, which is true but I had it done 15 years ago lol.

One other thing, here in the uk you can have the surgery done for free on the Nhs if you go through many hoops and it takes about 18 months to two years. Some people take offence that you have what they would class as non essential surgery and that it means in their eyes that you are a burden on the Nhs. That's obviously false as statistics show I will be much less of a burden once I lose all that weight and won't need diabetic meds and high blood pressure meds etc in the future.

We see them all the time. Hell, maybe we'll write one someday...
OMG, I've regained! What do I do???????
You know what I like to do?
I like to go back in that person's post history and read about their diet habits in the beginning when they were losing....get a feel for what kind of dieter they were.
And I almost always find that the re-gainers....were super strict, super disciplined, never-touch-a-carb, low calorie extremists.
And it kills me...because the advice to these folks is always the same.....get back on your super strict diet! up your protein! don't touch a carb!
And I'm sitting here shaking my head.
Why do people return to what doesn't work? Over and over and over. Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?
Don't mean to just pick on our Ketovangelists....there are plenty of Passive Pollys out there who ate junk constantly, never kept track....and wonder why their weight went back up after the honeymoon.
My point is.....if a particular strategy ends in failure.....why in the world would you return to it? Why encourage someone to return to what didn't work longterm?
if the goal is longterm maintenance....why send them back to another stop-gap measure that fails them in the long run?
Ketovangelists....try something different if extremely low cal and carbs doesn't work long term for you! If you eventually lose your mind and fall off the wagon, maybe the wagon you're on doesn't fit. Try something more moderate so you can stay in control long term.
Passive Pollys....try something different! If a total lack of structure is resulting in your surgery being useless.....add some freaking framework to your diet. Work on healthy limits without going completely overboard. Be accountable.
More and more, I believe an addiction to EXTREMISM is what keeps people fat. So many of these folks are either "I must be in COMPLETE CONTROL"...or "I am helpless against my eating"....there's never any middle ground.
Stop with the extremism.
Knock that shite off.
It's hurting you.

And I tell almost everyone that cares and I'm sure some who DGAD, I am so happy to be rising like a joyful Phoenix. bird from the ashs of a past life. I plan to fly true and straight into the future. My wings may be old, but I will ride the winds where they may carry me. No stigma, no shame*** I am committed And I SHALL WIN this game!😝🌈😝

I can finally participate!!!!

I made some low-fat ricotta bites and they are ahhhmazing!

Also- I made so many, because I’m bringing some to my surgery buddy to try!

Hi, @nibble ... my research buddy! I've been averaging about 1/2-1lb per day. No complaints, though I wonder if there's any connection between my rapid weight loss and the painful cramps in my legs. (And the pain has to be substantial for me to even notice. Being opioid tolerant, almost nothing surpasses the source of my chronic pain: my right ankle.)
I'm taking a separate magnesium supplement, hoping that it'll help with the cramping. So far, little relief. It's a conundrum: do I rest my crampy legs or do I try to walk off my cramps so my calf muscles won't become even more atrophied? I've been doing a lot of both. The walking actually helps while I'm walking, but afterward, I wonder if I overdid it.)
Maybe I should try an "antelope shake" as a remedy for my aching calves.

It's a big area to cover but I humbly accept the acclaim that comes with it!😛🌈😛

Well I do hope you don't get pregnant but a old joke from my era.
Question: What do you call a man who fails to use condoms?
Answer: Daddy!

I'm not thin, nor do I want to be thin
I am, however at a very healthy weight and my body fat is under 28%...which is perfect for me.
I am a muscular, fit, strong force to be reckoned with.
I run again, ride my mountain bike, landscape, kayak, rock climb and am having a hell of a lot of fun:)
Best part is to be off all my meds (save thyroid) and have perfect labs.
My diet is extremely different, but it's awesome and it makes me feel really good. I don't feel deprived and I splurge on treats in tightly controlled moderation. I exercise A LOT...I do fun stuff and it makes me feel really good:)
It's worth it. And it's wonderful:)

This essential oils fad is killing me. Don't get me wrong, I am not ignorant to the fact that essential oils can help for some things through scent therapy like headaches, anxiety and nausea. But losing weight?? I have never in a million years heard someone say "With the help of essential oils I lost 150 pounds and kept it off!" So irritating. I know this woman loves you and means well but she doesn't understand and its your body. Tell her you decided not to do it and do it anyway. If she asks how you are losing the weight tell her essential oils!

I have just measured myself and using the measurements from before my surgery, I have lost 42 inches from my body, gobsmacked!

Unfortunately, 6 of those inches are from my boobs

Someone posted this recently and it made me feel a lot better about my 33lb weight loss ( I am 9 weeks out)

I had surgery on the 14th of May. I have lost roughly 30 lbs since surgery day but almost 50 lbs since the start of this journey.

I am 5ft 9 and weighed 304 at the start, or for people in the uk, 21' 10

I had a couple of stalls which were beyond frustrating! but, I knew they would happen so I just carried on drinking the Water and eating the Protein and going for my daily walk. On average, I am losing about 1.5 to 2lbs a week after the initial dramatic weight loss immediately after surgery.

I am very very happy with how my body is responding so far. Yes I do get envious when I see people posting they have lost 60lbs + in the same amount of time as I lost 30 lbs, who wouldn't! but I accept we are all different and that its not a race. Congrats to all so far who had surgery in May, well done!

Someone posted this recently and it made me feel a lot better about my 33lb weight loss ( I am 9 weeks out)

Someone posted this recently and it made me feel a lot better about my 33lb weight loss ( I am 9 weeks out)

I was one of the unlucky few that developed a leak. They are life threatening! I want to tell my story to be a resource for anyone who has this type of complication. My surgery date was 5/1/18. Non- smoker, good health, surgery went smooth. 3-4 weeks post surgery, something was definitely off. I had rigor, trouble regulating my body temp, foul smelling burps. I called my surgeon's office daily that Memorial week. I took myself to the ER thinking I was dehydrated. They ran a CBC and my WBC count was 30,000. They sent me home to follow up with my surgeon. Next day, took results in and according to the nurse, my surgeon wasn't concerned. Next day 6/2, had trouble urinating and pain under my diaphragm. So at 9pm, my husband took me back to the ER. They thought it was kidney stones, but the CT scan revealed a leak. They transferred me via ambulance to a larger hospital. My surgeon was out of town (I refused to be seen by him again- so it didn't matter), and I got blessed with the on-call surgeon. I was in the hospital 9 days. He did exploratory surgery 6/7due to the location of the leak. Mine high up like 85-90% are. Thank goodness, I did not have an abscess like the CT showed, but I did have inflammation that he cleared out. All of the samples they took were negative. He also installed a drain that remained in line 7/10.They did an upper GI on 6/8 that showed the leak was still there. Up until this point, I was NPO and on round the clock antibiotics, Saline bag, and potassium bag via IV. On 6/8 picc line was installed and began TPN. They sent me home on 6/12 with TPN, antibiotics and Home health. On 6/20 back into the hospital with surgery to place a stent. Discharged next day. I could have Clear Liquids, but had to remain on TPN for 1 more week until X-ray showed it had not migrated. 6/27 X-ray showed it hadn't so off TPN and allowed food. Living with the stent was tolerable. Your esophagus is open, so acid reflux is a big issue. I never took a pain pill and found heating pad helped with the upper back pain. I could drive, do small outings with my kids, etc... I even went on a girls trip to see Smashing Pumpkins. This made it easier on my kids mental health, because mom didn't look sick and could do little things with them. I took everything really easy. On 7/19- stent came out and leak healed!!! I'm now on liquids for 1 week and then can advance my diet slowly as tolerated. My new surgeon was with me every step of the way and family and friends were very supportive. They even took my kids out of town on fun adventures. My faith in God strengthened. Luckily my Insurance covers bariatric surgery and complications. I would easily be out $120,000 or more for the hospital stays, home health, 3 additional surgeries, TPN - $1000 a bag, etc...Thank goodness I'm a teacher- so I didn't miss any work. I'm down 50 pounds and regaining my energy daily. If you are diagnosed with a leak, please reach out to me and remain positive. This is a very isolating time, but they do heal. Be assertive, listen to your body, and switch surgeons if necessary. I messaged a recent leak survivor on here and she was a great resource. Everyone's story and experience is different, but knowledge is power. I would love to be a support for you.

Stigma maybe, stigmata very doubtful unless your side and the palms of your hands are bleeding.

I'm here to Celebrate a non weight loss victory! I mowed my lawn last week! I have just over an acre and its not all flat terrain and I did it over a 3 day period and it was NOT easy. Just 2 months ago I could not stand up for more than 5 minutes without needing to sit. I could hardly move from the car and up the ramp to my front door. And here I am mowing over an acre with a push lawn mower. Lemme tell yuh, that is a major victory and feels so good. It feels so good to 'feel' my body again even though I am still quite large. I just have energy now and can move and get things done - I am starting to be able to do life again
Here I am mowing away with the rain about to pour and having a laugh with myself

Someone posted this recently and it made me feel a lot better about my 33lb weight loss ( I am 9 weeks out)

@RickM. If grades were being assigned to comments, your comment would receive an A-.
I was going to give you an A, but I didn't want to risk you getting a transfer addiction involving perfect grades.

I had surgery on the 14th of May. I have lost roughly 30 lbs since surgery day but almost 50 lbs since the start of this journey.

I am 5ft 9 and weighed 304 at the start, or for people in the uk, 21' 10

I had a couple of stalls which were beyond frustrating! but, I knew they would happen so I just carried on drinking the Water and eating the Protein and going for my daily walk. On average, I am losing about 1.5 to 2lbs a week after the initial dramatic weight loss immediately after surgery.

I am very very happy with how my body is responding so far. Yes I do get envious when I see people posting they have lost 60lbs + in the same amount of time as I lost 30 lbs, who wouldn't! but I accept we are all different and that its not a race. Congrats to all so far who had surgery in May, well done!