DownInSocal

Well I have been honest about surgery. I have received positive and negative responses. I am so happy with myself and my results that the negative responses just role off me. By far I have found that after surgery people are much more accepting and are curious as to how you eat and live. Before surgery was a different story though. People were judgemental and downright rude sometimes. Maybe because after you have had the surgery people don't see the point in berating you or because when you are thin you are a part of the "club". I dunno. I have many times just simply said "I had a surgery and my stomach only holds 4 oz. The ribs (or insert other barbcue item) were great. Thanks so much." or I just say "I am watching what I eat. Thank you for the wonderful spread you have put on! You must give me the potato salad recipe." Redirection always works well. If you are speaking to an overweight person you will get a black or white response I found. Either they are mad right away and walk away or they want to knnow more when they find out you had surgery. You will find your own way to handle it I promise. Just remember you did this for you. Anyone who doesn't like it can shove it! They can also continue to shovel those incredible mounds of food in their mouths! If you decide to have surgery you will be sleek and healthy, not stuffed and unhealthy.

Congrats Tiff!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sure you already know this but I have found that sizes between brands in jeans vary by up to a sizing. I can fit in some 10s but not others. Right now I am wearing a 12 but that won't be for much longer. If you are in between sizes try an 11 junior or a "relaxed" fit 10. Good luck in the jeans hunt.

Keep updating!! I can't wait to see the little one. Hey when is your due date? Or did you say and I missed it?

I only had to do 3 days liquid, or maybe it was 2. I can't remember. I didn't have to do the two week thing though. I know that for sure.

I wish I would have done it sooner. It was the best thing, hands down, I have ever done for myself.

I just wanted to share a female NSV I had today. When I was young and thin I always knew when I was ovulating. I would get a little cramp in my abdomen and get a couple light pink spots. I also felt bloated for a few hours. If I counted I would see I was at my ovulation date. That all stopped when I got heavy. I still had my period but never felt ovulation. I am assuming I was though. I felt it today! I used an online calculator and sure enough today is my ovulation date. Not trying to get preg but it is still kind of cool to feel your body working right again!

How did it go with your doctor? I have the same problem if I am lame and don't take my acid blocker twice a day. I feel this is probably an acid issue.

Did you call your surgeon?

Ugh. I have lost a lot of hair also and have zero advice. At least I know it happens to everyone.

Yeah! Here you thought you would never have surgery

First I wanted to thank Dr. Jossart for taking time to answer questions. You have no idea how thankful people will be. I had VSG through single incision on 8/26/09. I am on full solids. Due to a strange sequence of events I have not seen a bariactric doctor since the day I left the hospital. I have been seeing a nurse. She didn't seem know what my lab results meant. I admit I don't take my Vitamins daily. I miss doses. My life is kind of hectic right now. I workout 1 hour 4-5 times per week now. My questions is: Does rapid weight loss cause cholesterol levels to rise after surgery? My 3 month labs showed a rise in my cholesterol from 119 to 172. Here are my specific cholesterol results. Ranges are in parenthesis. 11/10/09 Total: 172 (<200) Tri: 91 (<200) HDL: 38 (35-85) VLDL: 18 (8-32) LDL: 116 (65-130) Before Surgery 6/17/09 (no special diet but was being careful about what I ate) Total: 119 Tri: 110 (40-150) HDL: 44 (35-85) VLDL: 22 (8-32) LDL: 63 Low (65-130) I can never remember having cholesterol above 140. My cholesterol has always been low and hovered in the 120 range. I eat more meat now. I used to eat more on the vegatarian side but obviously need more dense Protein afer surgery. I do also rely on cheese as a protein source more than maybe I should. Below I have included my full 3 month labs in case you need them. Thank you so much for your time! I really appreciate it. Full labs 11/10/09: Thiamine: Lost in transit. No results Protein: Lost in transit. No results Iron: 57 (37-145) IBC Transferrin: 206 (200-360) TIBC preformed on COBAS: 288 (261-478) WBC: 5.5 (4.0-10.5) RBC CNT: 5.03 High (3.9-5.0) HGB: 13.5 (12.0-15.3) HCT: 42.1 (36-46) MCV: 83.7 (82-99) MCH: 26.8 Low (28-33) MCHC: 32.1 (32-36) RDW: 15.0 High (11.5-14.0) Platelets: 232 (150-450) PMV: 8.2 (6.4-10.3) All specific WBC were normal except: Mono %: 2.3 Low (2.0-7.0) Mono #: .01 Low (0.2-0.9) Na+: 138 (136-145) K: 3.6 (3.5-5.1) Cl-: 103 (98-107) CO2: 23 (22-32) Anion Gap: 12 (3-20) Creat: 0.6 (.4-1.0) BUN: 11 (6-20) CA: 8.9 (8.9-10.4) Phos: 3.5 (2.7-4.5) Mg: 2.30 (1.7-2.55) GFR: >60 (must be >60 for caucasion female) Fasting glucose: 82 Day after surgery 8/27/09: WBC: 9.9 (4.0-10.5) RBC CNT: 4.55 (3.9-5.0) HGB: 12.3 (12.0-15.3) HCT: 36.4 (36-46) MCV: 79.8 Low (85-99) MCH: 27.0 Low (28-33) MCHC: 33.8 (32-36) RDW: 14.6 High (11.5-14.0) Platelets: 253 (150-450) PMV: 7.8 (6.4-10.3) Fasting glucose: 96 Pre Surgery 6/17/09: WBC: 6.4 (4.0-10.5) RBC CNT: 4.87 (3.9-5.0) HGB: 13.3 (12.0-15.3) HCT: 38.9 (36-46) MCV: 79.8 Low (82-99) MCH: 27.4 Low (28-33) MCHC: 34.3 (32-36) RDW: 14.5 High (11.5-14.0) Platelets: 270 (150-450) PMV: 8.0 (6.4-10.3) All WBC normal H pylori negative HGB A1C: 5.5 (4.8-5.9) Est Glucose: 97 Fasting Glucose: 82 Total Protein: 6.5 Low (6.6-8.7)

While this is a good cautionary tale does it need to be in every area of the forum?

How are things going Ruby? Military wives are so strong. We never give ourselves credit for what we go through and manage to acomplish alone. I want you to give yourself some credit for being so strong right now. Huggs.

I fully understand how you feel. Sometimes I get sad reading posts because our self esteems have been so battered we don't even love ourselves enough to do something for us! Try and introduce new thinking every single day. Tell yourself how awesome you re for taking care of yourself. Over time you will learn to love yourself again and it will come easier to work out. Edit: I by far have NOT conqured my self loathing demons. I just take baby steps every day.

I believe you need antacids also. Your tummy still thinks it needs to produce all that acid. I am 3 months out and still need it twice per day. Sometimes I am lame and miss a dose for several days. I pay for it with burning also.

I don't have medical knowledge but wanted to share my opinion. I have found I need to still take Prilosec twice per day. If I miss my morning dose for several days (the one I always forget to take is morning) I will get more hungry and the acid discomfort in my stomach when hungry is intense plus I get some reflux. If I take Prilosec it is ok. I have not been able to find complications from long term Prilsec use until about 5 years of taking it. I am the type of prevention instead of complication. Why take the chance? I would take it a little while longer just to be sure your staple line is fully healed. An ulcer can be devestating if it is at the staple line. Just my humble opinion.

I second the say no to Reglan. Just google it. It is not worth the risk. Ask for Zofran.

Ugh. I have struggled with it. I think you need to get a new doctor though. Mine had a lot of suggestions. None worked but at least it was not "all in my head". Now that I have lost weight I think it is getting better! I have only had 3 periods since surgery (maybe 2? dunno) and they were not that bad. I am hoping they stay that way.

I have a american flag heart thing on the upper hip area of my butt, where it starts to curve back into your back kinda. I got it when I was about 10 lbs heavier than I am now. It stretched when I gained weight. It looks so much better now. The color is more vibrant instead of washed out. It will be interesting to see how it looks after another 40 lbs. I hope it doesn't look like a pancake or something silly. I understand your worry. Hey I have a question for you! I want to get a simple tattoo on my outer upper thigh area. If you feel your hip bone on the side and slide down just a little I want it to start there. It is a simple line and small flower design. The famous question: Do you think that will be a sensitive area? I don't have much fat there anymore. My thighs are rock hard now. Very little wiggle if any. My butt only brought tears to my eyes when it got close to the back where there is no padding between skin and bone. The design: TATTOO TRIBES - Shape your dreams, Tattoos and their meaning - seagulls, forget-me-not, flowers, sea, freedom, love, adventure, escape Minus the seagulls. What do you think? Give me your honest opinion on the design as a pro. Also with the flowers that small is the color going to appear to bleed a lot as the tat ages? I want to have the lines black, the flowers blue with yellow in the middle of the flowers. Just like forget me nots. Thanks so much!!! My appointment is in 2.5 weeks.

I am also wondering if the "hunger" feeling you have is extra acid. At three months out if I screw around and don't take my prilosec I feel "hungry". It is really the fact I have too much acid in my stomach.

Fitness goals ............ humm. I guess I never thought of it. I want to do the 3 day breast cancer walk one day. I am not looking foward to my toe nails falling off though. Oh well. I want to be able to run 5 miles a few times a week. I am really not too into doing triathons and stuff. All of my goals are health or weight related.

How is the spin class going?

MNB: 18 lbs in a month is great! My weight loss slowed also. You won't continue to lose weight at the same rate you did right after surgery. As far as working out at home with DVD's and feeling no guilt about stopping, how about being true to yourself? Don't do this for anyone else. You are cheating yourself. Love yourself enough to go that extra minute. Don't start working out until your doctor says it is ok to do more than walking though. Also it gets easier to work out the lighter you get. I feel different now at 164 than I did at 204. Much more motivated and able to work out so much longer. I did 35 mins of target ab work last night :party4: Me? The fat girl who huffed and puffed going up one flight of stairs 3 months ago? The great thing about working out is you can see results the smaller you get.

You keep taking stuff out Daisy you are not going to have any parts left!

I am so sorry Netty. My heart aches that you have had such a rough time. Hugs.