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Natalie B

Gastric Sleeve Patients
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  1. Like
    Natalie B got a reaction from Shoppindiva02 in GALS who started their journey over 300 lb+<br /> +   
    Hi everyone! I started the process in February and my SW was 343. I am down to 314. My surgery is scheduled for August 20th. I have all my pre op testing done except one more blood draw and 3 more visits with the nutritionist.
  2. Like
    Natalie B got a reaction from Frustr8 in GALS who started their journey over 300 lb+<br /> +   
    Started at 343 in February 2018 when I first saw the surgeon and nutritionist. I weighed 283 the day of surgery 9/17/18 and today I am 228. You're all doing great and we've got this! Being less than 30 lbs until I'm in the 100s is craaaazy to me. Can't wait!
  3. Like
    Natalie B got a reaction from Frustr8 in GALS who started their journey over 300 lb+<br /> +   
    Started at 343 in February 2018 when I first saw the surgeon and nutritionist. I weighed 283 the day of surgery 9/17/18 and today I am 228. You're all doing great and we've got this! Being less than 30 lbs until I'm in the 100s is craaaazy to me. Can't wait!
  4. Like
    Natalie B reacted to RoRoKitty in GALS who started their journey over 300 lb+<br /> +   
    Hello everyone! I just saw this threat and I really liked it because I was seeing people starting in such low numbers it was a bit disheartening for me...

    I started very high (205kg) 452lbs. I am (1,7m) 5’7”.
    My surgery weight was (185kg) 408lbs.
    I had my surgery on 9th of October so I am now 2 months and 1 week after it.
    My current weight is (166kg) 366lbs and I am on a one week stall almost.
    Although I lost 86lbs already, I don’t think it’s having so much wow factor, people that had not seen me for a while notice there is something different but maybe they cannot quite tell what is it.
    I was size 30/32 (6 on Torrid) Now all my T-shirt’s are on the loose side and I can fit to everything I was not fitting anymore, but I don’t want to spend money and checking one by one the smaller sizes, I want to spend my next months with looser clothes until I can throw everything in summer... I am ready for some adjusting and cutting to help me with that goal and maybe also pillage my mother’s closet too lol

    Up until recently I had no desire for dating, I wanted to focus more on myself... now that I think I have things in a small order I met a nice guy (so far :p) who had two friends that did wls and he is supporting and super nice (fingers crossed)

    No complications so far, other than not getting all my Water every day... no real hunger just head hunger and I really miss some sinful savory tastes (pizzaaaa 🍕) but so far my only sins where five chocolate bonbons (not all together) and three Christmas Cookies, which I don’t even know why I ate, as it’s not as enjoyable as it was before neither in taste nor in the toilet after 😂😂 (no pain just diarrhea that I guess was caused by them)
    Will try to avoid them next time. ☺️

    Some non scale victories : I can fit in restaurant/cafeteria chairs easier without getting stuck on the handles, I could fit with my aunt in the bus seat together, I can finally zip an anorak I bought last year but it was too small and this I never wore, same with a dress I bought two years ago and never wore. I can walk 10K steps per day easily though before starting the whole progress I could barely walk to the next block without needing to sit immediately after getting there. I had stopped doing the groceries myself and I was relying on deliveries only even for the smallest things, as walking and standing in the supermarket aisles was a big issue for me. Some days ago I even run a bit to catch up with a bus that was waiting in the bus stop.

    That’s all folks for now ^^

  5. Like
    Natalie B got a reaction from April Marie in sleeve instagrams??   
    Mine is natahlee_anne
  6. Like
    Natalie B reacted to heyprofessor in Before and After Pics   
    I am three months (and some change) out from VSG (very super great) surgery and and down 75 pounds from when I started my pre-op nutrition counseling (55 since surgery on 7/23/18). I have had no complications and absolutely love saving money and anxiety and fretting over whether or not my dinner will be “enough.” I can’t believe how many decisions I let food make for me. I loved you, binge eating, but thank u, next! Here’s the progress so far!


  7. Like
    Natalie B reacted to TexasMommy80 in FISHING FOR COMPLIMENTS   
    Pre-VSG and post-VSG. I have lost 61 pounds and hope to lose 10-15 more. 
    Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app
  8. Like
    Natalie B reacted to FancyChristine15 in FISHING FOR COMPLIMENTS   
    In the left photo (pre-op) , I was in my choir’s 80s concert. In the right photo (7 months post-op) I was in the play “You Can’t Take It With You”.
  9. Like
    Natalie B reacted to GreenTealael in FISHING FOR COMPLIMENTS   
    I'll kick it off.
    Me at my smartest vs me at my cutest lol


  10. Like
    Natalie B reacted to FluffyChix in Open Letter To All Newbies   
    Dear Newbie,
    I'm not a vet--only going on 10months post op RNY. But here is the #1 rule of WLS, like think of it as the eleventh commandment.
    ELEVENTH COMMANDMENT OF WLS - If you want all to go well in your world, you will learn to pound drink Water like nobody's beeswax.
    Whahhhh???? You don't like water? Then you probably should choose a different road to Thinville. Seriously. Learn to drink BEFORE your surgery. Practice sipping from a 1oz jigger, every 15 minutes...then every 10 minutes...then every 5 minutes, until you can drink up to 4oz of water every 15-20 minutes. And btw? I mean WATER. Learn to tolerate it now without a crapton of MIO or whatever the fork you think you need to add to it. Use a slice of citrus, let some strawberries sit in the water, or a slice of orange. But drink it without man-made whackadoodle sweet crap.
    Why? Cuz after surgery, your life WILL depend on it--more than ever. And best part? If you stay VERY well hydrated, then you poop better, your nausea rate goes down, it's easier to eat, you heal better, you make better/rational decisions, and you can TCB (take care of bidness), but best of all--you mobilize and move out fat stored in your fat cells.
    Signed Sincerely,
    The Water Board
  11. Like
    Natalie B reacted to TakingABreak in 146lbs lost   
    Today I went to the doctor and weighed in at 146lbs down since prior to the pre op diet in January. Surgery date of 1/19/18. Original weight was 332lbs at 5’4 and today I’m 186lbs. Initial BMI was 57 and today 31. I started in a size 4X top and a size 26 pants. Today I am a large top and a 10-12 pants. I am six pounds away from the initial goal that the surgeon and I set at my first appointment. Ideally, I’d like to lose another 40lbs on this journey.

    For those who come to this site to look for validation to do this surgery....let me say this:
    1. This process does work IF you put the work in.
    2. This has been the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life.
    3. My only regret is I didn’t do this sooner. I’m truly living my best life now.

    These are my current pictures. I’m not posting before shots because I’m not interested in the past, only the present and future. This is me today. (There are pictures in an album on my profile if you want to compare where I started)




  12. Like
    Natalie B reacted to beingdina in *** September 2018 Sleevers ***   
    I am 1 week post-op today. Down 7.2 pounds since surgery (not counting the Water weight I gained in the hospital and had to lose to get to pre-op weight). So I'm feeling good about that. Really trying hard to NOT compare my weight loss to anyone else's. I know my journey is my own, whether or not we've had the same surgery. Aside from that I'm feeling good. Bored at home, trying to keep moving to avoid clots. Have to give myself another week of injections (Lovenox) which I absolutely hate, but don't want a clot. My left major incision hurts when I try to lay on it still, but I can sleep comfortably on my right side so I've been back in my bed for a couple nights now. My drain incision has been bugging me a bit lately, but that drain removal the day after surgery was literally more painful than the rest of this. Per surgeons orders, I am back on my pre-op diet again until 1 month post-op to allow my stomach a chance to really heal. The only change is that we are allowed watery cream of wheat and watery oatmeal. Yesterday I tried Cream of Wheat and that wasn't good. Felt majorly gritty going down and caused diarrhea. I'll try that again in about a week or so. I really, really want refried Beans with cheese and salsa and sour cream. I feel like I'll be able to eat that for every meal. Overall, I'm so glad I did this. I would be lying if I said I wasn't wondering why I didn't participate in some Mukbang before I did this though. I'm sort of mourning the fact that I won't be able to eat those large portions again. But at the same time, love that I can't. I've been wanting to be a "sleever" with a tiny tummy and a tiny portioned meal for a long time, and I'm finally here. I guess i t won't fully feel real until I try eating regular foods again. But I am going to a restaurant for the first time today, and I'm going to order French onion Soup and ask for no bread or croutons and no cheese and then I'll just drink the broth. I can live a normal life even when on the liquid part of my diet.

  13. Like
    Natalie B reacted to Ylime in Summer 2018 Surgery Buddies Check In Here!   
    Can you believe our Summer has come to an end?? This has been so much fun making friends, cheering everyone on, and watching all the progress!
    Here is our September Golden Key winners!
    @Frustr8, @Jingle123423, @karyn2018, @roseinnj, @Lisam72, @richiewho, @Svdlux23, @Natalie B, @KatallacStrong, @Suesloosinit, @Laura7, @MargoCL

  14. Thanks
    Natalie B got a reaction from TX4everLinds in *** September 2018 Sleevers ***   
    I had a second scope done on Friday to make sure ulcers have healed that showed on my first scope. Luckily, they did and the surgeon's office called me at the end of the day Friday to let me know the surgeon OK'd the scope results AND the insurance approval came back so I am scheduled for 9/18!
  15. Like
    Natalie B reacted to kimbers18 in Before and After Pics   
    Officially six months post surgery, down 126 lbs and feeling like a million bucks...44lbs away from my goal! And I can no longer shop at Lane Bryant...which is sad because I’ve been shopping there for 20 years. I get anxiety going into “regular” stores. But it’s a good problem to have! I flew Southwest this weekend and fit so comfortably in the seats. No more spending big bucks to fly first class!



  16. Like
    Natalie B reacted to Livetothrive in My surgery experience on 8/28   
    ***Sharing a recent surgery experience*** I had my gastric bypass surgery about 1 week ago and so wanted to share some of my experiences with you. I know before I went in, I was nervous, excited, anxious and would have loved to hear about someone one else’s experience – so I am sharing mine. For what it’s worth. <3 I tried to break it down into sections so you can scan and read what you want. SURGERY/RECOVERY ROOM My surgery was scheduled for 8:15am on August 28, 2018 at the University of Iowa Hospital; we arrived at 6am to get checked in. They did all the expected procedures, weighed me, asked medical questions, did a pregnancy test, change into hospital gown, and prepped the IV. At 8:15am, wheeled back to the surgical area. Where it felt like I was the car in a Nascar pit stop.  People checking with me, setting up IV fluids, other monitors, prepping for surgery. The last thing I recall is the oxygen mask and asking me to take deep breaths. The surgery started at 9:08am and lasted until about 12pm and I was in the recovery room until about 2pm. They checked on my pain levels and nausea. I was fortunate to not have nausea, but there was significant pain. From there I was wheeled into my room and was able to see my family. Remember, you just had surgery and you are going to be VERY tired. You will be pale and do NOT worry about any of that! <3 I was still linked to the IV for fluids and pain medicine; I could push the button every 8 minutes for a dose, which did help limit the pain. They also gave me anti-nausea medicine through the IV. DRAIN I had a gastric bypass so had a drain. I understand this isn’t the case for all surgeries. I had a plastic tube in my stomach that was connected to a small bulb. Every 4 hours, a nurse would empty it and they also sent a sample of the fluids to the lab to ensure what was coming out was ok. In my case, the drain did not hurt. It was just rather weird having a plastic tube sticking out of your tummy. At one point, my drain started to leak Fluid so they just had to remove the bandages and replace and cover with more tape. (Just another reason to stick with the hospital gowns – got the stuff on their clothes not mine!  ) I will speak to the removal of the drain – since that is a question I had. When I was about to be discharged the next afternoon, they had to pull it out. There were two stitches adhering the drain to my stomach so they snipped those (no pain) and started to pull the drain out. It was minimal pain but mostly it felt really …weird… They are pulling a plastic tube out of your insides so you can imagine. Not terrible – just not something I would like to feel again. CATHETER I had a catheter after my surgery; I don’t know if this is standard for all surgeries. Every 4 hours, the nurse would empty and measure the amount of fluid. The main annoyance was trying to walk around with a long-ass tube between your legs. When they took it out, it just felt like a little pressure and it was done. It was no biggie. NURSES I want to take a moment and recognize the work of nurses. They work their asses off to take care of us and it is not a simple job. I was pretty lucky with my nurses; they were very kind and fun. I did have one that liked to complain a lot, but she was still nice to me. Please, do NOT act like a jerk to the nurses! I know you may be in pain and scared – but they are there to help you and support you. It IS ok to ask for help though. Use the call button and ask for assistance as you need. There were a couple of times I had to use mine and that is what is there for. On a side note, I do know there are a few nurses who really should leave the field. If you do come across such nurse, it is completely appropriate to advocate for yourself and get a reassignment. When my grandmother was in the hospital many years ago, I had to do this because of her negligence and the way she spoke to my grandma. ***Long story short: Be nice, ask for help, and advocate for yourself. PAIN I am known for sugar coating anything (just ask my kids, lol) Yes, you will have pain. You will also have medicine to assist you with this. Be honest with your caretakers about your pain level. If the medicine is not helping you – it is ok to discuss other options! It is your body! I developed an allergy to the pain medicine and became itchy ALL over! Since the allergy wasn’t dangerous, they reconciled this by simply giving me Benadryl. The second day, they started to wean me off the IV pain pump and gave me the same pain pills I would have at home. *PRO TIP: Take the pain pills (and any other ones) as prescribed, even if it means waking up from slumber to take them! For example, I was to take mine every 4 hours. I set multiple alarms on my cell phone to alert me to take them – even overnight. That way the pain meds remain in your system and you don’t wake up in immense pain! It is well worth it, I promise! NAUSEA I was relatively lucky with this and didn’t suffer with it too badly. I know some folks really have difficulties with this. I did have anti-nausea meds in my IV for a while and they sent me home with anti-nausea pills for home. The only time I did have a terrible moment of nausea was the evening of the surgery.,,but we had some interesting weather. We actually had a Tornado warning so all patients had to come outside their rooms. I had to go from laying down to sitting up ramrod straight in a chair. I thought for sure I was going to get sick – but I was able to hold it in. I couldn’t bear to get sick in front of all the other patients and upset them or cause more work for the nurses. After the warning was over, I got to go back in my room and lay down and l felt so much better. WALKING When I was in the hospital (and after I got home) I got up to walk about every 2 hours and it *significantly* helped with any gas pain. It was also just good to get out of the room and see other people. Yes, I am talking about overnight. In fact, my most fun walks were at 12am, 2am, and 4am because the overnight nurses were really sweet and funny. I know you will be tired and sleep is very hard to get at the hospital, but it will make you feel better to walk for a few minutes. <3 HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT This is just my experience, but the hospital was not exactly a relaxing place. No surprise to most people.  There is constant noise: beeping from other rooms, people talking, some people have tv’s, etc. I recommend earplugs or headphones to help with the noise. You also will have folks coming into your room at all hours interrupting you sleep - to do different things (checking IV’s, vitals, catheter, pump, housekeeping) COMING HOME I was very happy to be able to come home. I was able to come home the afternoon after my surgery. They will get the meds you need and go over your discharge notes and instructions. (Do as they say!) I HIGHLY recommend bringing a pillow or having the person driving you home bring a pillow. It helps you hold your stomach from all the bouncing from the car ride. My ride home was a little rough. The roads in Iowa are not especially great so it did hurt. Just be prepared for that with a pillow and pain meds and you will be ok. <3 DIET Be sure to follow whatever diet your doctor/nutritionist. I know that different programs/hospitals have different protocols – so follow what you are given. Do NOT cheat immediately after your surgery! It is not worth it to possibly harm yourself. <3 WHAT TAKE TO HOSPITAL This is a question I see often and researched much as well. I will just list the items I found useful: • Comfy Robe (used for walks and as a blanket; it was much softer than the hospital blanket) • Slippers • Ponytail holders • Face wash wipes • hair Brush • Toothbrush • Toothpaste • Phone and charger • Headphones • Comfy clothes to go home in (I wore a cotton dress. I didn’t want pants to touch my incisions) • Extra undergarments • Deodorant • Biotine (My mouth was SO dry! And it was heavenly when I could have ice chips!) • I did not wear the PJ’s I brought. I wore the hospital gown and was thankful I did due to a couple of drain leaks! **************************************************************** Well, that was my experience. Hope you found it helpful. If you have any questions – let me know and I am happy to answer! Best of luck to you! Stefanie <3
  17. Like
    Natalie B reacted to RussT in From 470 to 235 (with photos)   
    As of this morning I'm literally 50% of my starting weight. From 470 in November 2016 to 235 lbs this morning and I'm still losing!
    Woooo hooooo!!!



  18. Like
    Natalie B reacted to Frustr8 in GALS who started their journey over 300 lb+<br /> +   
    Thought everyone,would like to,know I have lost,15 pounds since August 1st on my,liver-shrinking diet, and I am exceptionly proud,of ME. I never have been able to,lose, have the Basal,Metabolism Rate of a sicks🐌snail on antidepressants . So Hurray for Frustr8, cause I worked very very hard following that 1000
    calorie,diet. And since August 1st is a long t8me. But,maybe my,liver will,be small,and flat, and that will make my surgeon super happy.
  19. Like
    Natalie B reacted to CrankyMagpie in GALS who started their journey over 300 lb+<br /> +   
    OMG LADIES GUESS WHAT!
    Guess who just got their surgery date!
    I wrote a long, impassioned plea to my surgical team--who were holding off my surgery until I hit 10% initial weight lost (I'm at 5%, will be below that by another several pounds after a week of liquid diet)--to please try to fit me in before flu season gets going and I get bronchitis and get stuck having to put off my surgery until May (I get bronchitis every winter, and it holds on for months; this is one of many issues I hope will clear up, somewhat, when I am at a lower weight). I don't think they had realized I'd cut back my work hours (I work at a public service desk on campus, where people literally walk up and cough on me -- I've taken leave from that part of my job until after surgery, which leaves me with very few hours per week and a feeling that my employment is in limbo and my coworkers are angry with me), or just how much anxiety this whole shifting dates thing was causing me, because I don't always express myself well on the fly, in person. (Those of you who have seen my long, rambling posts are going "or in writing, either," and I hear you )
    They just called and told me they'll give me their first available, which is ... so much better than I had hoped for! I am so happy! And suddenly, just, kind of jittery, because it feels so SOON.
    The first week of October!!! That is so much better than I'd been expecting/braced for. SO MUCH better! I am over the moon, y'all!
  20. Like
    Natalie B got a reaction from clsumrall in Summer 2018 Surgery Buddies Check In Here!   
    No longer scheduled for August 20th The surgeon decided last week he wants me to have another scope to see if my ulcers are healed and there weren't any appointments available before the 20th. So, I have a scope on 8/31 and new surgery date is 9/10. Ugh so frustrating.
  21. Like
    Natalie B got a reaction from clsumrall in Summer 2018 Surgery Buddies Check In Here!   
    No longer scheduled for August 20th The surgeon decided last week he wants me to have another scope to see if my ulcers are healed and there weren't any appointments available before the 20th. So, I have a scope on 8/31 and new surgery date is 9/10. Ugh so frustrating.
  22. Like
    Natalie B got a reaction from Marisol Unda in August surgery ppl   
    Looks like I'll have to start a September surgery buddies board if one isn't already started. Last week, the surgeon decided he wants me to have another scope to see if my ulcers have healed and there are no dates for a scope before 8/20 (my original surgery date.) So, now I have a scope on 8/31 and surgery 9/10 if all goes well with the scope Good luck to everyone having or who has already had surgery this month!
  23. Like
    Natalie B got a reaction from clsumrall in Summer 2018 Surgery Buddies Check In Here!   
    No longer scheduled for August 20th The surgeon decided last week he wants me to have another scope to see if my ulcers are healed and there weren't any appointments available before the 20th. So, I have a scope on 8/31 and new surgery date is 9/10. Ugh so frustrating.
  24. Like
    Natalie B got a reaction from MargoCL in August surgery ppl   
    My date is August 20th. I start my pre op liquid diet on 8/6. I'm nervous! But excited too of course! Since February I've lost 45 lbs so I'm hoping the liquid diet pushes me over the 50 lb mark at least.
  25. Like
    Natalie B reacted to TakingABreak in Challenge for the Pre Ops   
    I would LOVE to share recipes. There are posts here and there that have them... but if there was one, on going one, that you could go to for inspiration, that would be AMAZING!

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