amylynns

I had the same problem, even now it's hard for me to drink Protein Shakes. Makes me feel WAY too full!

I went to an un-flavored Protein and mixed it with broth. That helped a lot.

Hang in there!! I was right where you are 5 months ago. Promise it gets better!!

Focus on getting Protein in, it'll help with healing also. I had the sharp, isolated pain in my belly also. Then one day, I felt a "snap" in my belly and the pain was gone. Someone told me it's like an internal stitch gets caught or something, and it'll break free at some point and no more pain. (if that's what you're feeling)

Constipation will get better as well. Are you still on pain meds? They'll cause that.

Also make sure you're getting in your liquids. It'll help with the constipation.

I had so many days/ weeks/months of thinking, "What have I done?!" But I am SO happy now, 6 months out--78 pounds gone, that those horrible days are a blur now. People who say we've taken the easy route are SO wrong, it is not easy AT ALL! But anything worth fighting for, isn't easy.

Once you can increase your Protein, it'll also help you lose more quickly. Same with drinking Water. You'll get there, promise!!

@joankrie--Yes, it's so hard to wrap our heads around that fact! I automatically go towards the plus section, even tried on a plus size dress, SWAM in it, LOL!

It was liberating to get rid of all my plus size clothes! But yet, that little spot in my head said, "But what if you need these again?" NO!! I will NOT need these again!!

We've lost weight so quickly, it's like our brains need time to catch up to it all!

Just updated my ticker, but it's not showing up yet.....2 pounds away from being in the 160's. Holy crap! 11 pounds from goal. WHAT????

@Luna222---That sucks your PA is such a winch!! And then to top it off, you went to HS with her?? Oh my goodness!! I really do like my PA, although she is a very tiny, petite lady, she's very supportive and tough when she needs to be. She is 7 months pregnant now though, and has a VERY large baby belly!! So cute though, she was huffing and puffing and apologizing for it, LOL. Now she knows what us big girls felt like when we couldn't breath!

I've gone to just about every support group meeting. (we have them once a month) I really do get a lot of good feedback from people and now that I'm 6 months out, I feel like I can really help those either in the before surgery stage, or early stages. My surgeon was actually at the last one, LOVED seeing him!! And I was answering a lot of his questions, so he kept coming back to me, asking my point of view on things when the newbies would ask questions.

I just looked at next month's topic: Dressing for your new body! Just what I need, although I'm getting better, with my daughter's insistence, LOL!

@ShonIsLove---amazing before and after pictures!!!! You look amazing girl!!!

I wish I knew how to make the before/after pictures all in one shot like that?? Although the only full body shot I took of myself before is the morning of surgery.

So we were on our way to the hospital at 7:15 this morning for my scope test and we're about 10 minutes from being there and I get a call from my Dr.'s office. She said they had to cancel the appointment!? What!!?? Didn't really say why, but told me to call back when I had my schedule in front of me to re-schedule. So we turned around and came back. I stopped at home to put on work clothes and trudged into work. Darn it! I was really looking forward to just dozing all day!!

I called right away at 8:30 to re-schedule and no one has called me back yet. What the heck? I hope my Dr. is alright.

So, I have my 6 month post op tomorrow! I wish they would send me for blood BEFORE the appt tho, so we could discuss it AT the appt lol. Oh well. I guess we'll see. I am definitely going to talk to the NUT tho, try to get my scale moving some more!

I can't stop feeling my collarbone lol, it's been soooo long since I've seen or felt it!

I'm surprised they don't run your labs first? I had to have mine done at least a week before my appointment so they'd for sure be back to go over.

I'm loving my collarbone too!! And my hip bones! And the first thing I do every morning when I'm still laying in bed is feel my belly, or what used to be my belly. It's SO flat when I'm laying down, LOL! Still a bit jiggly when I'm standing up though.

My goodness, I got new black dress pants. I'm SO used to buying them so they're kind of baggy, but my daughter would NOT let me buy the baggier ones when we were shopping. So my new ones are "form fitting." Well, my honey could NOT keep his hands off me all day at work yesterday, LOL!! ( we work together) He kept telling me how hot I was, loved it!!

Oh, I guess it did rotate it, hehee..

Ok, so first I had an appointment with a new family Dr. because mine left. I'm still in physical therapy for my back/hip and my PT lady wanted some additional imaging done to see why I'm not progressing more than I am. So anyway--I think I'm really going to like my new Dr. though. Guess she's technically a Nurse Practitioner.. So anyway, she ordered an MRI of my back/hip, so we'll see if that shows anything. I'm doubting it will, but I am getting really tired of being in pain everyday with this stupid hip!

So then my 2 daughters and one of my sons did some shopping between appointments. I bought some new work pants, size 11, Whoa!! I haven't been in this size since before I had my first daughter and she's 21 now! Crazy!!! Also finally measured my feet at the shoe store. I've gone from an 11 to a 9.5 Crazy!!

Ok, so my 6 month check up. The office ladies were astounded by what I looked like! It was so fun seeing them all!

My labs all looked great they said, yay! I haven't gotten a copy of them yet, but will check on line for myself, LOL. That's good news cuz I have to admit I'm not 100% great about taking all of my Vitamins everyday!

I have lost 77 pounds. They always tell me what percentage of my body weight I've lost. I've yet to figure out how they figure this though? Seems off to me? They said I've lost 85% of my body weight. I really should ask one of these times how they figure it!? LOL! I told her I'm still having reflux even when I faithfully take the omeprazole and Pepcid though. And I'm really frustrated with that because with the bypass, I was told the reflux would be gone. So they're going to do a scope tomorrow. My actual surgeon will do this procedure, which is nice because I haven't seen him forever! And I like him!

I also told her about this area in my abdomen that's been really sore the last week. I'm figuring it's just scar tissue, but not sure why it's all of a sudden been sore. She mashed around on it for a while, while making me be in a stomach crunch position, OUCH!!! Holy buckets, it's still sore where she was mashing! She said it could be a hernia. Great. So they're going to do a CT, but it'll be a week or so from now, waiting to hear when for sure. So other than that, I think it went well!

I have a mammogram today, so that should be interesting since all I have to scan is some deflated tissue hanging off my chest!

I had my 6 month check up yesterday. I'll be back in a bit to report how that went but wanted to post a silly picture with my daughter and I from yesterday. Someone thought we were sistets, haha!!

Dang! Why can't I figure out how to rotate my pictures!?

Oh, I guess it did rotate it, hehe.

@misstvb--Super cute!! I forgot about JC Penney!

I love that dress too! I couldn't pull off the skinny straps though, my darn big chest requires too big of a bra, LOL! I can't believe my cup size hasn't gone down??! I went from a 40DDD to a 34DDD. I've tried a DD cup, but my left side is significantly larger and it just won't squeeze into it well. I have a lot of breast tissue, but yet it's totally deflated, does that make sense? So bummed on my boobs.

I think I'm going to start saving some $$ so maybe next year I could get a bit of a reduction and for sure a lift.

We're going to Hawaii in June and I REALLY wanted to be able to wear some cute sun dresses and tanks, but I don't think I can pull them off. UGH...we'll see!

I get a lot of my clothes from Maurices. I used to love their plus size clothing, they have a big selection and it's not old lady stuff. But now I can wear the regular size stuff, so even more choices!! And Kohls, their plus size stuff sucks for the most part, but now that I can wear the regular size, I like their dress clothes for work.

I have to go shopping this weekend!! I only have one pair of jeans (size 11) that come close to fitting me, and they're getting too big in the waist, but my big ol' thighs still fit in them. But my dress pants are too big. I had a pair of "new" black ones on yesterday that I had hiked up to almost my boobs and still had a belt on with them. Luckily the blouse I had on was pretty loose so no one could see my waistline that high, LOL! I had a "new" pair of brown dress pants too, and they're obscenely too big too. I'll try the consignment shops, but I don't usually have the best luck there. Otherwise, I hope to hit some good sales!

@PinkPolkadot619--Great plan! I love all your Protein, I have yet to get THAT much in! :-)

I also find during my PMS time I am physically hungrier! It's the only time I "Feel" hunger actually. So I've given up and figured maybe my body needs extra calories during that time. For 2 months I've let my hunger during that time take the lead, and I just make sure I'm eating healthy options when I'm hungry.. So things with a lot of protein.... I have also dropped 3 pounds right after my period for these last 2months. SO, it must be ok for my body to have those extra calories.

Overall, right now, I average 800-900 calories a day. During my PMS days, it was more around 1,000 calories. So even just that little increase really helped. If I don't give in and eat something healthy, I end up eating junk.

It might be worth trying for a month and see how your body reacts to it?

@Glyndalin--Thanks for sharing your food plan! Do you order the BariWise stuff on line or are you able to get it at a store?

I wonder how "processed" the Bariwise items are considered? I try and stay away from as much processed foods as I can, but I don't know that it's considered processed?

My scale dropped another 3 pounds, yay! 77 pounds gone, 12 to go! Holy buckets, I can't even believe it! And my work pants I just got a few weeks ago are already too big. Gleeps! Too big to even use a belt with. I checked the consignment shops while we were there unloading my fat clothes, but didn't see anything I cared for.

My shoes are needing to be replaced too. I'm curious if some of my back/hip issues are from walking weird, trying to hold my shoes on my feet because they're too big, LOL! I hate buying shoes. I need comfort, but just hate to spend money on shoes!

Update on the hair loss thing: Looks like it has arrived, I am losing hair at an alarming rate and I have thin Patches at the temples showing. I am also developing dandruff, which I have not suffered from in so many years I had forgotten it even existed. I am thinking time for a pixie haircut. I do take Biotin and zinc (since month 2) but nope, it's not helping. I think this is supposed to be temporary but right now it's a little worrisome.

How is everyone's hair doing?

My Hair loss never got to the point where it was noticeable to anyone but me. It lasted about a month and once I increased my Protein significantly it really slowed down alot.

Thanks, everyone. I am going to try more Protein. I am not getting enough. I eat protein at every meal but I added the average day and it's not enough. I think I am going to supplement in the short term and will have to eat even more meats. I am going to try that for a week and see if I notice any improvement. Yuck! I had a soccer game to take a child to, stopped at two places on the way home and I have to go take a nap and it's only 11:30 AM.

I think you'll really notice an improvement Beni. I'm enjoying beef jerkey and greek yogurts to help increase mine. I just can't get enough in at my 3 meals.

@Bronxmerci--You look great girl!! Wish I could wear a hot outfit like that!!

@Beni--That's exactly how I was feeling about a month ago. I increased my Protein and I've had a significant improvement! How much Protein do you get? I still haven't been able to get in as much as the Dr. wants me to (60-80g) but I'm getting in the high 50's at least, which has REALLY helped my energy level. And when I increase my protein, it boosts the losing too.

My pattern for losing seems to be, I stay the same for about 2 weeks, then I'll drop 2-3 pounds. So I'm slowing down on the losing, but I try to stay positive knowing every couple weeks, I'll drop a little.

Now if I could just get my tailbone/ hip crap under control. I'm on week 6 of physical therapy. I have some improvement, but still a lot of pain. My PT was going to contact my family Dr. this week and see about getting some more imaging done. So odd that I lose 74 pounds and now my back/ hip hurts?!

@@brown eyed gal--I can eat small amounts of Pasta. Same with bread, if it's really toasted well, I can eat one piece. (I add Peanut Butter to it usually)

I've had 1/2 cut of spaghetti at a time, with lots of sauce. And I've had raviolis too. Again, about 1/2 cup, if that.

This make me a very happy girl!

It's hard to go wrong with 1/2 cup meals!

We had spaghetti last night and it was probably 1/4 cup of the actual Pasta and then mostly meat and sauce. It was probably closer to 3/4 of a cup, but I didn't quite finish it. It's nice to be able to eat just a little pasta though. Need a few carbs in there too.

@Luna222--I wish I was near you! I use Young Living Essential oils and I know of a few of them that would really help you with pain relief and numbing the area.

I've had jaw pain for 3 days now because of some minor dental work (I have TMJ, so anytime I even get my teeth cleaned, I know I'm gonna be in a pain for a few days) and I've been applying my oils and using ice packs.

I'm sure mine is NOTHING compared to what you're feeling. You poor thing!

That really sucks they can't get you in earlier than the 29th!!! WOW!

@@brown eyed gal--I can eat small amounts of Pasta. Same with bread, if it's really toasted well, I can eat one piece. (I add Peanut Butter to it usually)

I've had 1/2 cut of spaghetti at a time, with lots of sauce. And I've had raviolis too. Again, about 1/2 cup, if that.

This make me a very happy girl!

@dc0520--Yeah!!! I went down about 3 more this weekend too!!

@dc0520--Nah, not TMI for me. That sounds horrible!!! Ouch!

That's great no implants would be necessary. Ummm, Yeah, I'm 42. I don't need youthfull fullness, I'd just like them out of my arm pits when I lay down, haha!!

I haven't had rashes since my surgery, but I might start trying the trick someone mentioned on here, just to get some stuff documented. Or if I check into just a lift and it's a reasonable cost, just pay for it out of pocket. We'll see I guess!

Yeah, I'm supposed to get more like 60-80g of Protein, but I have a really hard time eating more than I am right now! It's odd having that issue now, LOL!

My PA said I could supplement with Protein shakes, but they fill me up SO much that I don't want any meals after that. Hard to find that balance!

@dc0520---You look amazing!!! Love your hair!!

My hair loss has slowed down, thank goodness. Not sure what helped because I changed about 3 things at once, LOL.

I'm curious, How many calories had you been averaging? I typically get 800-1000, but usually more toward the 800-900 range. About 50g of Protein.

I'll be curious to know if the increase in calories gets your loss going again.

Great news about your lift/ reduction!! I want one so badly! But I think I'm going to wait to look into it until I'm about a year out. Can you answer this.....Do they have to use implants for a lift/reduction? I won't do it if they have to use implants. They freak me out, LOL.

I had the lapband previously, and if I thought about the fact I had a foreign body inside me, I went into a panic. Plus, I could feel the port to it. My kids had to always be careful when they'd hug me, or we wrestled because the port area was always tender.

Anyway---Congrats!!!