deedee

Katrina, my fingers and toes are crossed for you!!! Do you know at all how long they usually schedule out for?

Yay for you!!! You are doing an awesome job, what a great hump to cross.

If you really want to shovel, I can call you up when/if the next storm hits...I'm still sore. I feel really bad for you in SoCal, how horrible it must be to have moderate weather and great beaches :-) Did I mention that is one of my favorite areas in the country?

Good job working your tool, the scale is moving in the right direction and that is definitely an accomplishment during this season! That's good that you've been able to use your bike, I probably wouldn't have gone back to the water class either, I didn't give mine a second chance.

Excellent job on the weight loss...I love getting out of each number bracket (90's, 80's, 70's), congratulations for being done with the 170's FOREVER!!! Also, great job on getting moving, I'm bummed because tap dance is now on break and I just called and found out Jazzercise will not be in session because the parking lot isn't all the way cleared. Maybe we should try an exercise/get moving challenge or something in the new year??

I'd never heard of them, but just did a quick google search and found the nutritional information (if this is the correct thing). Booster juice Nutritional Information Just from clicking on a few of the them, they might be a little high in carbs/calories for a really early pre-op food. I guess really early out you wouldn't be able to get through much of it anyway. I know my first couple/three months out I really tried to stay under 30 grams of carbs per day, and it seems one of these would definitely put you over that with just the drink, BUT every surgeon has their own recommendations and many things seem to work for different people, so it might be okay.

That's great news! Now just the pre-op diet and you'll be sleeved before you know it!

I can actually post early today because we're off due to snow. I ended up with 20" at my house. Yesterday we spent a total of 3 hours shoveling AND I'm so glad I do not have to go to work today because my back is so sore!!! I must have worked muscles that have never been used in my entire life. BUT, I actually was able to do it and not hurt much during the process, which is an NSV in my book. Okay, now to the weigh in. This morning I weighed in at 156.5 lbs. I got to this weight a few days ago, but I will take it! It's two pounds down from last week and the lowest I've ever weighed!!!

I love it!

CONGRATULATIONS on all of your victories...your picture blew me away AND a size four!!!! I wish you continued success, which I know you will have. YOU'VE ROCKED YOUR SLEEVE...good job!

Nick, When I first got out of surgery and the next day until I had my leak test, I was great. I basically ran laps around the hall, chatted it up with all the nursing staff, and just felt wonderful. From my leak test (day 2) until day 5, I took a turn for the worse. Although I walked, I was physically and emotionally spent. I sort of fell into a little depression and (at times) thought I just couldn't go on...well, on day 5 I took out my pain ball (never had a drain) and immediately felt better, each day got better after that. I guess what I'm trying to say, although we had different experiences and surgeries done a little different (pain ball, drain), it wasn't easy for me in the beginning. I will keep you in my thoughts and hope that you get better soon.

Thanks for the update. Sipping was hard for me as well and liquids "hurt" a little until the day of my first post-op appointment (I think day 13). You seem to be doing wonderfully, enjoy that hotel room!

Congratulations, I'm so happy everything went smoothly AND you got some nice eye candy to look at:-)

I completely can relate to this post, I could have written much of it during my first 3 months...I just so wanted to be normal! Now at 4.5 months post-op I'm feeling normal...not normal for the "old" me, but for this "new" me. My husband and I have been eating out 2-4 times per week since I went to pureed/mushy foods about 3 weeks out and I've figured out how deal with wait staff (and so has my husband). The time really does fly and pretty soon you'll find your own rhythm. You are doing GREAT!

That's sounds like a wonderful way to spend an evening. Let me say again, you ROCKED that dress!

Frank you are in my prayers. I can't wait to follow your journey!

Thank you everyone for the compliments. Jachut, you're right, I do not sit around picking apart other women's bodies...I'm too busy concentrating on all of my flaws:-), which there are many, I think I take better pictures than I am real life, trust me. I also agree with Tiff about rather having saggy skin that the extra fat. Steph, I don't do anything all that special. I do Jazzercise 4 days per week, tap dance 1 day per week, use my Walmart ab ball daily (that really kills), and use our body gym thing in the basement a couple times per week for weight stuff.

Steph, the Loft is definitely much less elegant than the real Ann Taylor, and they have a great petite section that might fit you. I'm 5'4" 1/2, and my body is almost half and half, so my legs are pretty short, and I did wear some petite's, but most were too short for me. The thing with petite is they are usually cut smaller than the regular sizes (like I could fit into a 14 regular, but would need to get a 16P) and oh how I love seeing a smaller number even if it's not quite accurate:-)

Excellent news JPetty! Welcome to VST! It seems like you have the right attitude and your excitement should help get you through the pre-op diet. This is a very informative place with super supportive people, so feel free to ask any questions and keep us all posted on your journey.

I just wanted to welcome you to the forums! I am very new to this and I'm not sure we have many people posting here that are that long out since the site's pretty new. We do have a lot of people that revised from the band to the sleeve though...I know that's not quite what you are looking for. Have you checked the VSG forum on obesityhelp.com? Anyway, I'm sorry you are having/have had such trouble with your band. Good luck on your research!

Thank you ladies, but my thighs in real life do look pretty bad...the skin sort of reminds me of an elephant when I push at it. Chancie, you do NOT look 20 years older than me! Good job taking care of your skin.

Okay, seeing that I had the time now...I went to take pictures to show you. All of my shorts are too big so I put on the swimsuit I used last year, it's a little big now in the chest area, but should give you an idea. Looking at these pictures, I'm seeing I might have painted a little rosier picture than the reality, but I still am hoping that I won't need plastics if I keep working hard over the next couple of years. One is of my thighs (you can see the blips, but it's even worse under the skirt), another from the side (the belly is getting flatter, I didn't think that would ever happen, been doing a lot of ab work), and the last I got my husband to take. I will post a couple more in my album that I couldn't get resized to fit here.

I've heard it's dependent on age, weight (and how long at that weight), and genetics. We both have similar ages and starting bmi's. I'm pretty happy with extra skin results so far, but I'm not quite done. For a while I was really concerned with my spare time, triceps, and inner thighs, but the exercise is really helping all areas except I still need to work hard on my inner thighs. I think exercise is key as well as the things I posted above. If I'm still shut in tomorrow due to weather (I have really bad cabin fever and it's only been a day) I will take some pics in shorts and tank top so you can see.

Late to this party, but wanted to reiterate what everyone else has said. YOU ARE GORGEOUS!!! As I look at pictures of myself I see times in this process where my face looked gaunt because I tend to lose fast there and then a month later my face fills back out, BUT I do not see this at all looking at your pictures. I really think that it's because they are so used to seeing you heavy and it just will take some adjustment time.

I'm the same way. I've never had spotting, but I have this discharge (tmi) and cramps. Each month since surgery I've been able to pinpoint the date and mark an O on my calendar and then when my cycle starts the next month I count backwards 14 days and it's been right on. That was one of the worst things when I was so heavy, my body just wasn't working properly anymore. I'm so glad you have this back too!!!