Hi February losers! I know we've got a great group in the pre-op sub forum, but now that we are on to week two, thought we should start the thread over here too! I see a few other Feb stragglers around so hopefully they can join here too.

I had my surgery on Monday 2/3. I'm down 10.5 as of one week. Not sure if this is a normal amount or not. I'm not getting in much calories, but do get in Protein of at least 50g per day (need to up this) and all my Water. I have a drain which still causes me pain. Other than that thing, I'm doing good on my incision and recovery. Today I start back up work, but thankfully it's from home and I just have to work on a laptop or computer.

So looking forward to the losing phase of this journey with you all and learning and growing from each other.

Edited February 10, 201412 yr by kimr

Hi,

We are now back from the South. We had a really good time but I have to say that eating was far from easy! I have been back for almost two days and I have lost 1.5 pounds since we went but I always gain flight weight so I think that it might be better than that in reality. As I ate so little it really should be better than that but now i am home it will probably respond to eating more normally again. Fingers crossed.

The weight loss has certainly slowed down as you are all finding. We will all be so upset when it stops or bounces back a bit again. That is inevitable though from what I hear so I think we will just all need to be there for each other, as we have been throughout. This is such a supportive place to be.

Like Kim my hair loss is slowing down now yaayy! It didn't last that long really I suppose and it wasn't visible to anyone else I don't think so really it wasn't as bad as I feared. The shine is coming back a bit and hopefully the thickness will too in due course.

Take care all of you, it is so good to know that you are all there.

Claire

Hi everyone

I talked to two different friends who each had the surgery over a year ago and both are still losing weight - so there's hope - don't presume you will stop losing. The main thing one of them advises is to keep tracking food and get as much exercise as possible - most "bounce back" is caused by reverting to old eating habits, not tracking Protein etc. She hasn't reached her goal but is still moving slowly in the right direction. The other has now hired a personal trainer and sees lots of inches going away although weight loss is slower (but still going in the right direction).

Claire - so glad you had fun "down south" although food was a problem. Happy you lost a little weight - you'll get back into your routine at home. Also happy the hair loss wasn't too bad.

Doesn't look like I'll make ONEderland before my trip (a small goal I set) - so close but yet so far (201lbs) - but that's OK. I'm getting there.

HEY EVERYONE - I'm going to visit Claire in England - I'm so excited to meet one of "us". I'm originally from Scotland so I'm going home for my mother's 90th birthday. Taking a little side trip to visit my new online BFF. Feeling a little nervous about the sausage rolls, fish and chips, Scotch pies etc. Those foods from my childhood just call to me whenever I'm over there. I won't have much access to the internet - so "talk" to you all in 3 weeks.

Have a great trip Janette!!

Claire, I'm glad you made it back home safe and sound. It sounds like you had a blast.

I'm still seeing some progress, but, like Kim, I need to make exercise more of a priority. The weather is starting to change here in Ohio...and that means no more working out outside...so I'm thinking of looking into getting a personal trainer to keep myself together over the winter.

I'm hoping that my hair loss will start to slow down soon...but starting Biotin supplements and using Biotin shampoo has helped a little.

Glad everyone is doing well!! Keep it up!!

Kimr

I'm not sure the 5 day pouch test helps all that much.. yes I lost 5 lbs, but I think the bigger advantage of doing this was to get back to basics. I think I was wanting to eat the sludge making foods so that my new pouch didn't hurt afterwards. I was definitely eating more calories than I should have been, but the sludge foods move right through you making it easier. Now that I am aware of this I am back to the protein foods and hope my pouch feels uncomfortable so I will not fall back into old habits.

I haven't lost any weight since the pouch test, but the inches are moving so that's a good thing, even though I really want to see that scale move.

Like Sammy I might look into a personal trainer during the cooler month's. . Not that it gets very cold here in California..

Great job everyone!!!

Hi everyone,

I am now back in the UK. The trip was great and we saw so many wonderful places and everyone was so friendly! The food was a challenge and eating was a struggle but I am now 7 pounds less than I was when I went so every cloud etc. I am seeing a personal trainer every week and we do exercises with me sitting down. The aim is to increase core and leg strength because I have lost that quite considerably since the surgery. I saw her today so that is good.

Sam, my hair loss has slowed down a lot so I am really pleased about that. Hopefully yours will too.

I am really looking forward to seeing Janette this time next week. She flies over here to Scotland for tomorrow and then she is staying with me from Mon to Weds next week.

Take care all of you

Claire

Hi Tammy,

I can't seem to find your message on here but I did receive it by email alert. I hope if you get an alert you can find your way back via this message.

I am sorry that you are going forwards and backwards but I suppose at least the trend is forwards so that is excellent. Everyone seems to be doing well, just slower. I am looking forward to seeing Janette next Monday. She is over in Scotland visiting her family and then will come down to England to stay here for a couple of nights. It will be so good to meet her in person.

Do take care, and I hope you find your way back into our group, you are important on here!

Claire

Hello everyone,

Well my weight when I returned from our big trip was fine after a few days once I had got rid of the flight weight. I should get my Slimming World 10 stone award tonight. I know none of you knows what either of those things are and it is not that much since the surgery but in the last four a bit years. However I have now lost 140 pounds and around 92 pounds since February. Yaaay.

I have just had a lovely few days with Janette who came to stay in the South of England while she was over visiting her mum in Scotland. It was so good to meet her in person and we had so much in common and so much to say to each other.

Here is a picture of us both. I am on the right and Janette is on the left.

I hope that you are all well and doing well.

Take care

Claire

Before and current pictures

ryn2bthin, that is an absolute amazing transformation!!!

Such a great picture of Jeanette and Claire, I love that you got to meet IRL.

Edited October 6, 201411 yr by kimr

Thanks kimr!

I love the Jeanette and Claire got to meet.. how exciting for both of them to go through this journey and chat as a group. .then really get to meet. Fun fun fun

Awww how lucky! I would love to meet Claire and Kim!!! RNY your transformation is amazing! Claire, you look stunning.

Hi,

Ryn, you look amazing in your after picture. So beautiful. Your smile just before surgery is wonderful though, such an infectious smile and you look so happy to be having the operation. You look flippin' wonderful!!!

It WAS lovely to see Janette, we had so much to chat about, and not just the surgery etc, that was just a small part. I would love to meet you all. When I was in Georgia I was thinking I am not that far from Erin in Florida, I wonder where she is. I don't know where the rest of you are but as you know we come over to the States quite a bit. Who knows, it would be great. Next Summer we are probably going to the Rockies and Yellowstone and the year after possibly New England and New York State. Of course if any of you want to join us in Hawaii in January... Maui here we come!

Janette flies back on Weds and has no internet connection until then. I am seeing my bariatric surgeon on Saturday, it would be good to see if we can improve the diarrhoea and gastrointestinal eruptions to some extent. The unpredictability and speed that these things happen is sure to create a major problem before too long. Otherwise all is fine and I am happy to be much smaller. I am trying to buy more size appropriate clothes in bright colours and if I take a picture I might actually post something on here. Even if I stopped losing at this point I would still have achieved a lot, so I am trying to keep my expectations down and my hopes up.

Take care all of you

Claire

Finally I found my way back to our group!!!

Everyone is looking like they're doing great.

Hi Tammy,

So glad you found your way back. I tried to help by replying to you but I am not sure it helped.

Glad to see you hear again and I hope that you are doing well too.

Claire