Hi everyone who is having surgery in October 2014. We can start a new topic for those of us who have had surgery already.

This is the spot were we will all end up, were we'll share our stories and recovery. It will be a new dawn for so many of us. Let's stay close as united we will conquer anything that comes our way!

BEST WISHES GLADIATORS

@@Bronxmerci

Prayers, let us know how things go. I will continue to pray.

@@misstvb

There were hardships in my first year. I did get sick early on and I remember the days when one single bite would take me over the edge and I would get sick. I couldn't tell when I was full and I could only eat a 1/4 cup at a time. But now I can eat a normal meal. Small but pretty normal. I do have to work at keeping my meals healthy and eating slowly. I tend to eat in less then 10 minutes but I know I should slow it to 20 minutes. Lately I notice I am hungry more often and my NUT warned me this will happen and that's why its so crucial to eat like a bariatric patient. Sometimes I don't want to and I pay the price. However, I think it is a small price compared to how good I feel. My energy level is so much better and my outlook on life as well. We are all a work in progress, a masterpiece in the making. The work is not finished yet but I know all our battle wounds are part of our process. This is how we achieve greatness. It's our own way, the road we have chosen because the hand we were dealt pointed this way. We had the courage to take the leap in the middle of great fear. I was scarred out of my mind when I made the decision to have my insides rearranged. Any reasonable individual would find it barbaric. However, we knew our struggle was too deep and we could not dig ourselves out of the pit we were in alone. My surgery was my gladiator moment. Was it wrong to battle or not? Is not the question for me but the fact that I acted upon a problem I could not solve - my obesity. I did not lie down and die (wanted to, believe me), I battled and I will continue to do so. To make a long story short, for me this surgery is like standing on the edge of the high diving board and jumping. Should I have jumped or not does not matter. It is the fact that I did that merits acknowledgment. Perhaps next time you wonder, if you are happy about your surgery, pause for a moment, take a look at you standing at the edge of the high diving board and jumping. Only then, will you see the courageous woman that you are. I can see her from where I stand and I am amazed at her courage.

Thank you. Beautifully written. I'm back to crying but tears of gratitude.

Has anyone been sick with a cold yet? Everytime I cough hard I have dry heaves and sometimes I actually throw up. Wondering if this is due to where the pouch is located and the stress put on it by coughing hard.

Has anyone been sick with a cold yet? Everytime I cough hard I have dry heaves and sometimes I actually throw up. Wondering if this is due to where the pouch is located and the stress put on it by coughing hard.

Oh no, sorry!

Tbh in the passed 6 months my family has been sick 3 times, I usually as the mom and wife, taking care of everyone, get sick right along w them and the worst. . . I haven't gotten sick once. It's beyond bizarre to me.

I find it interesting that I haven't been sick in over a year. In the past, I would get a cold, then bronchitis, sometime in early Oct. And, then I'd be sick through Spring. I wonder if it is because of our diets and the fact that I take vitamins, etc.

Luna, I can relate! A few bad habits have crept up on me. I think it's all the changes I've been going through. Carbs are an old friend.... So is wine. We have come so far, I really hate it when I slip! The good news about the job is I walk to and from work - which is over 4 miles total. But, I need to get healthy eating routines.

Luna- I have a question for you. Your new guy sounds GREAT the way you describe him. Do you feel you don't deserve him? Just do an ego check! See if that's why you miss the old guy who didn't treat you as well.

Honestly, that was definitely how I was feeling. I'm getting better at controlling those feelings now because I know he truly loves me. I am totally over the ex, and I think it was just that I was comfortable with him for so long, and this is all new, so I was reverting back to the old me. Love sucks lol.

Just stopping in to say hi! I will definitely take some time later to read all your posts, miss u all!

Here's a pic of me and my new guy :-) I actually felt sexy for Halloween for once, not frumpy! Woohoo!

@Luna222--You look amazing Luna!!! And your man is a hottie too!! Way to go girl!!!

I haven't been on here in a while either, but hanging in there! Stalled around 146 and I'm TOTALLY ok here!

At our monthly support group meeting last night they had a plastic surgeon there talking about tummy tucks, breast lifts, etc.

I would love both, but REALLLY want a breast lift. We'll see....it's $5000. Another $4500 for tummy tuck.

Something to save for. He said you have to be at a set weight for a year before he likes to do surgery.So that gives me plenty of time to save $$!!

@@Luna 222

You look so nice and your guy is gorgeous. Lucky guy, he has you.

I have not been sick even once since my surgery. It is quite remarkable. Surely by now I would have caught a cold. I firmly believe my imune system is stronger. I used to be sickly with lots of ailments. Even my back is absolutely fine. I used to have to spend days in bed because my back hurt so bad. My husband had to help me get up to go to the bathroom. Gosh, I can leap out of bed now. I did try the other day, so I know I can, lol.

I'm at 155 lbs. That's a 115 lbs lost in one year. Amazing.

Hello everyone, sorry have been so neglectful of this wonderful group, Hope everyone is doing well. I have big news, I got my tummy tuck, breast augmentation and a mini arm lift. Thanks to my mother and part of my inheritance. I had it about 5 weeks ago. I will attach a couple pictures. I am still healing and got a ways to go, but damn, having that flap gone is AWESOME!!!

Had my one year followup and my bypass surgeon wanted me to wait, said I might lose another ten pounds. No way, I am feeling too thin now, and can eat enough to maintain my weight, or more honestly, I make sure I eat only enough to maintain my weight, I could eat more, if I wanted/needed to. So went ahead and had the tummy tuck. Bought my first bikini since I was about 6 years old. so HOT DAMN.

Edited November 12, 201510 yr by smiley922

Hello everyone, sorry have been so neglectful of this wonderful group, Hope everyone is doing well. I have big news, I got my tummy tuck, breast augmentation and a mini arm lift. Thanks to my mother and part of my inheritance. I had it about 5 weeks ago. I will attach a couple pictures. I am still healing and got a ways to go, but damn, having that flap gone is AWESOME!!!

Had my one year followup and my bypass surgeon wanted me to wait, said I might lose another ten pounds. No way, I am feeling too thin now, and can eat enough to maintain my weight, or more honestly, I make sure I eat only enough to maintain my weight, I could eat more, if I wanted/needed to. So went ahead and had the tummy tuck. Bought my first bikini since I was about 6 years old. so HOT DAMN.

Hot Damn is right! You look amazing.

@Luna222--You look amazing Luna!!! And your man is a hottie too!! Way to go girl!!!

I haven't been on here in a while either, but hanging in there! Stalled around 146 and I'm TOTALLY ok here!

At our monthly support group meeting last night they had a plastic surgeon there talking about tummy tucks, breast lifts, etc.

I would love both, but REALLLY want a breast lift. We'll see....it's $5000. Another $4500 for tummy tuck.

Something to save for. He said you have to be at a set weight for a year before he likes to do surgery.So that gives me plenty of time to save $$!!

Thank you! :-)

I have been thinking about those procedures as well, I don't want to wait a year, but I can't afford it right now anyways, sooooo....

The tummy is the worst, I'm so self conscious with it!

@@smiley922

Oh my gosh what a great result. I am so happy for you. I am waiting a bit because things are still shifting for me. For example my tummy is looking a lot smaller now. Breast lift, I think will have to be a must. No way things are going to defy gravity.

If you don't mind sharing details of your plastic surgery we would love to hear from you. I am sure we would all benefit from any advise or info you have.

@@Luna222

I am glad you are allowing yourself to be happy. I think it's a big struggle for us as a group. For so long we felt miserable about who we were that we got used to it. Our normal was feeling bad and it is hard to change because it was a place we knew how to live in. It's almost like with any other self defeating life style. Like hoarders know it's bad for them but they are comfortable in their misery. I wasn't happy but I was definitely resigned to my role of the invisible fat person in the room. I took crumbs because I felt like I only deserved crumbs. Now I want more out of life. Still not asking for the moon but working on it. After all it is a process.