KBlackwell

I am currently 3/4X or 28/30, I guess. I just had my 1st dietician meeting a week ago. I wish I could move faster to get to surgery. I have thought about this and done research for the last 3 years, finally got my mind ready to go. I have met with my pulmonologist, met with cardiologist and have my echocardiogram & stress test, & mammogram scheduled. I have began adjusting my diet and think I am doing pretty good. I just need to figure out how I can make my body let me start some kind of exercise. I am ready to wear smaller sizes - my last shopping trip to buy pants that were more comfy put me in tears when I saw my entire body in the dressing room mirror. I have kept my jeans from each stage from about 16/18 on up to 24/26. Before surgery I will hang them in size order. I am going to get with a local WLS support group to see if they would like to start a clothing pantry - where you can come and exchange to the size you need as you lose.

Liveaboard15: how long did it take to get the cardiologist clearance since you had to go through the stress test?

I have had 2 previous stress tests from an irregular ekg reading pre-op (mine was for ligaments being replaced in my knees), but the day before surgery I was cancelled and referred to a cardiologist- both times I had to have the nuclear tests and no issues. No I am in the process of needing cleaners for the sleeve surgery and worry about the same thing. My health has changed since before and my previous tests tooold to use for this time. My pulmonologist told me Friday that he won’t give me clearance until I see a cardiologist and get that clearance first. I had respiratory failure in 2018 and have reduced lung capacity, so losing weight hopefully will help me breathe easier. Don’t stress about the stress test…. Many people have a slightly abnormal ekg ready and go on for the stress test to be clear.

I haven’t had surgery yet either, and I don’t have a date set. If I am able to obtain all my clearances then it should be mid-end May. I have been so many different weights at various ages. My body is shaped different (I guess)z. I want to tell you about my history so hopefully it will help you just incase you don’t meet the clothing size goal. When I was in high school I weighed 100-110 lbs and was 5’2”… I wore a size small top, 32A/AA bra and jeans size jr 9-11. All my friends approx same weight wore size 1,3 or 5 at the most. I gained weight to about 160, Medium too, 34A, womens 14-16 pant. Lost weight to 132, Medium Top, 34A, size 12 bottom. (Looking back at photos - that is where I hope to be eventually) that was also after my 1st child. at age 25. After 2nd son, age 30… 160 pounds 38B, size 18 jeans. (Would still be happy based on those pictures) I am now 53 (in May), still 5’2”, weigh 347!!!! Top is Plus size 26/28, pant size 28-30 if stretch material. I don’t recognize this person. So for me —- my goal is going to be weight loss and to feel healthy. I still have all different size of clothes - can’t wait to get into them and keep down sizing (I won’t keep clothes as they get too big for me). If I were to do a vision board, I think it would be more pictures of thing I want to see me being able to do. Fit into a roller coaster seat, comfortably sit in a booth, fly on an airplane for vacation, go to the beach and not look like a beached whale! I do think visualizing goals is great; just don’t be so specific that if the goal you meet looks a little different than planned.

I just had my 1st tele-appointment with my surgeon and the dietician. I have been reading and talking to people the last few years about bariatric surgery. Friends with different surgeries, different goals and different outcomes. They have told me the good, bad and the real uglies too. They all seem to have had it slow movement the first couple months then within 10-12 months from surgery date they have lost right about 100 pounds. I know that there are recommendations for how much and of what needs to be consumed before and after…. It is very important to follow those as close as possible. Your body will not react how it should if you don’t nourish it enough . My Grandma always said your body is like a furnace; it has to have fuel or food to burn to work. So if you don’t put wood in your furnace then it won’t heat up to burn. (I think I may have not remembered it exactly right) but you can get the idea. Lol I am looking forward to the long term weight loss & will keep what you are going through in mind. Please do keep updating your status; I can’t wait to see how it goes once your body has healed and out of the “what the hell just happened” stage. That is all it is doing right now.