kristieshannon

I’m 21 months post VSG. I’ve been having artificial sweeteners through my whole process. I’m down 139!lbs. My blood sugar and A1C levels are normal.

7 lbs a month is great! That is 84 lbs over a year, putting you at 145 this time next year. Keep up the good work, make sure you’re tracking your intake, following your program, moving your body, and keeping well hydrated and you’ll hit your next goal in no time.

Sitting here this morning in my chair doing some reading. I glanced over to my table and saw the current yummy chocolate bar I’m working on. It has eight segments, each one 56 calories. I am now to a point where I can allow myself this treat and control it. Where back in the day this bar (plus likely quite a few other sweets) would be gone in a day, now I savor one square in the evening while I read. One bar now lasts 8 days! I actually have to keep it sealed in a baggie to keep it fresh. In addition to all the other benefits, my sleeve has given me the control over food that I never had before.

Looking awesome! Are you still wearing your faja or other compression? I quit about a month ago, didn’t seem to make any difference. Your TT scar is fading faster than mine, but even so I’m thrilled with my results. I’ve dropped 13 lbs post op (he said he took off 11 lbs of skin, so a true loss of just 2 lbs weight), don’t see any issues due to that.

Prices vary wildly around the country. For what I had done I would have paid $30,000-$40,000 in Seattle. I found an excellent surgeon in Miami and paid $16,000. Even with travel expenses it was far cheaper.

I didn’t even try to get my insurance to pay. Their criteria is you need a year of documentation of failed treatment for skin infections/rashes before they’ll pay. I had none of that.

Yes. A tummy tuck, arm lift, breast lift & augmentation.

I don’t smoke, but I’ve had cbd/thc gummies-I used them for pain after my plastic surgery. No issues, no munchies. They just helped with the pain and made me sleepy which was exactly what I needed.

Such an amazing feeling-congrats!

If you do look in to Miami, make sure you do your research. There are super cheap, high volume places that have high complication rates. I chose a surgeon that was on the higher end cost wise for that area but has a private practice and an excellent safety record.

I didn’t bother. My insurance required a year of documentation of failed treatment for infections under my hanging belly skin. Then they pay only for a panniculectomy (no muscle repair). I had a tummy tuck, arm lift, and breast lift/augmentation in Miami in January and paid $16,000. Prices vary wildly around the country. I would have paid $30,000-$40,000 for the same surgery in Seattle.

Beautiful dress and you look great in it! Hope your birthday celebration was wonderful :)

It’s been many years since I tucked in a shirt. For you curvy girls with hips and thighs, I’m loving Fran denim. Fits at waist without the gap, but room for the curves!

I mix a premier protein shake with a Starbucks nitro cold brew for breakfast every morning. It’s delicious!

Have you worked with a dietician/nutritionist before with your eating disorder? Also, have you seen a therapist? Perhaps ask your primary care provider for referrals to both if you aren’t already connected with someone. Sounds like a very tough situation, hang in there and definitely seek out help.

I went a little crazy buying clothes every step of the way, but mostly from cheap places like Old Navy, Ross, and TJ Maxx. Now that I’m nearing goal I’m a little more choosy and spending more since I think things will last with tailoring. My first summer I bought cheap things in a couple sizes. $5 shorts and t’s from Old Navy clearance racks weren’t going to break the bank. 

Not sure if is the swelling, or the stomach muscle tightening, or just recovery in general but man is my restriction in full effect right now! I’m 16 days post op and can eat far less than I did pre PS. Dinner tonight was a quick & easy charcuterie platter as we’re in the middle of a bunch of house projects. A small slice of cheese, one small slice of prosciutto, and 2 small crackers and I’m feeling that full to nearly puking sensation. Anyone else experience this after their PS?

No way that 1 cup of yogurt + some brown sugar and cocoa caused a 5lb weight gain, most of that is likely water if you stuck to your diet otherwise. Work closely with the nutritionist at your surgeon’s office to find a plan that is sustainable for you and hang in there. I have never eaten as little as 10g carb/day during this entire process and have been very successful. I think the lowest I ever did was 25g carb/day and that was quite short term. Now that I am nearing maintenance my guideline, per my surgeon’s office, is 70-80g protein/day and to just keep my carbs lower than my protein. It gets better!

New dress. A little skimpy, but will be fun for summer.

I’m down nearly 140 lbs. I was also afraid of loose skin, and boy did I have it. However, my only regret is that I didn’t do the surgery sooner. I’d take very flap of skin any day over the health complications I had from being overweight. I had a tummy tuck, arm lift, and breast lift/augmentation in January. It was more affordable than I thought, I found an amazing surgeon in Florida where PS is less costly than much of the country.

Check out Smart BMI. It takes in to account age, race, and gender. Smartbmicalculator.com

I’m in the midst of a divorce. Although he didn’t cite my WLS as a reason, I think that combined with my recent plastic surgery led to him being incredibly insecure despite all of my reassurances.

Celebrating the first sunny weekend of the Spring, my new nurse T-shirt, and the beginning of the first time in many, many years that I feel comfortable wearing short sleeves in public. Please ignore the wrinkles-I just pulled it out of the package it was mailed in 😁)

Does your doctor have you on a PPI? Sometimes excess stomach acid can cause that rumbly feeling and mistake it as hunger signals. Also, as you progress in to more solid foods you may feel your restriction more. Try choosing the most dense foods within the parameters set by your team. Ex: thick Greek yogurt will likely keep you more satisfied than think soup, jello, or applesauce.

You look incredible ❤️