While scrolling through past postings I noticed there is" Guys who started over 400lbs" in the Guys Room. Well I believe if there is" gravy for the ?rooster" there certainly should be "gravy for the? hen " especially those of us with meatier? drumsticks. Are there challenges we face that aren't faced by our 200 lb sisters? Do we tend to lose weight faster or slower than smaller? flock members?
Weigh in my sisters, weigh in!

So how much have people lost prior to surgery? I'm 334 at my last appt. I'm finding it so hard to lose.

On 08/30/2018 at 21:21, Ellens531 said:

So how much have people lost prior to surgery? I'm 334 at my last appt. I'm finding it so hard to lose.

my highest weight was 354, however i started my journey at about 346, day of surgery i was 328, with a one week pre op diet. weight came off slow for me in the pre-op phases- my dr didn’t really care about the number so much as showing i was dedicated and starting to lose and make an effort

Pre Op weight - 327 / July 21/18
Surgery day weight - 310 / August 11/19
Today August 30/18 - 292
Sleeve

Surgery was August 11/18 not 19 :)

I'm almost four months post-op and have lost 140 pounds (92 pre-op and 48 since surgery), down to 222 from 362 and a starting BMI of 70 (I'm only 5 feet even!). I am still coping with feelings of disappointment about the slow weight loss post-op, and every time I stall, which is every couple of weeks, I find myself believing that the weight loss has stopped for good and try to accept where I am. But other times I am quite happy--I feel so much better, and I can walk without pain.

I think where I get stuck is that, sort of subconsciously, I have really linked this weight loss to my ability to have a relationship and find a partner (something I have not yet done at this point in my life even though I am in my 40s), and I still don't feel like my body would be acceptable to anyone. My feelings about the excess skin, of which I have plenty, aren't helping here. One thing that helps me is seeing how many of you are in loving relationships; that gives me hope.

Continued best wishes to all of you ladies on your journeys!

Edited August 31, 20187 yr by brightfaith

I am so glad I found this group! It is nice to know I am not alone.

I started my journey in January 2018 at 295 lbs after trying to lose weight so I could have a right total hip replacement. I had gone to my PCP in July 2017 for my yearly physical and mentioned to him about my hip hurting. It took awhile for me to mention it because I thought it was because I was so fat and my inner voice kept telling me to "suck it up, this is the price you pay for eating the way you do" (I can still hear that in my head in my mother's voice). He sent me for an x-ray, then immediately to an orthopedic surgeon. He didn't sugar coat anything. I had stage 4 osteoarthritis in my right hip, needed a replacement. and the 80 year old man in the room next to me had better hips than I do at age 48. My ortho refused to do surgery and instead wanted me to do hip injections and lose weight.

I got my first injection on Tuesday August 22, and drove with friends from Michigan to Philly on Wednesday to participate in the Susan. G. Komen 3 day 60 mile walk. On Thursday we walked around downtown and began the walk on Friday. By Sunday, we had walked over 70 miles in 4 days.

My second injection came the Monday after Thanksgiving. What a fun holiday that was! I wasn't allowed to take my beloved Aleeve and Tylenol was not much help. I drank Scotch to supplement, much to my mother's dismay but my husband's amusement. That injection was enough to get me through hosting 40 people for Christmas at our house and going to New Orleans in February (What a fun town!).

I went to a WLS consultation with my husband in January. We listened as the surgeon gave his speech where he talked about how people who more to lose have little or no chance to successfully keep any weight loss off because of our bodies and I immediately began to bawl. You mean my mother was wrong? I didn't need more willpower? Or someone to slap all the food out of my hands? Or I wasn't walking enough? (For the 3Day I walked a total of 600 miles in 24 weeks which averages out to 25 miles a week). My husband was very supportive, especially with drowning out that voice. So I began my 6 month physician monitored diet, which my PCP was not a fan of.

My third injection came in March and lasted one week while we were in Vegas for March Madness. When we came home, I called my ortho and he wanted to see me immediately. He decided that since I was pursuing WLS that he would do the surgery. I was bone on bone and living on Aleeve and the occasional Scotch if I had a bad day at work. The worst was the two weeks before surgery when I couldn't have Aleeve and we went to Vegas again (The trip was already paid for). I couldn't get comfortable in any position - chair, stool, walking, standing, or laying in bed.

Surgery was on May 29th and I had instant relief in my hip. No more bone achingness that felt like someone was sawing off my leg. I did really well with physical therapy and ortho was pleased. We are keeping an eye on my left hip, that is at Stage 2.

I was in for a big surprise though. I thought now that my hip is brand new, I will be back to walking everyday and getting on with my life. On May 29th I weighed 316. I have found that the rest of my joints and back are now protesting all this extra weight. I have lost my stamina and I am so frustrated with the state of my house and gardens. Yes the husband and adult kids clean up after themselves but they don't do the deep cleaning that needs to be done.

The good thing is my PCP is much more understanding and knowledgeable about bariatric surgery because of my journey. He has seen me lose weight the first 2 months and slowly gain it do to my loss of mobility.

Well that is my motivation story, I have my surgery on Wednesday, September 5th and it can't come soon enough. I am trying to prepare myself mentally and emotionally for this and have been watching lots of Dr. Voung videos.

How do others deal with the voices that tell you that you can't do this, or make you ashamed of ever getting this size?

I am so glad I found this group! It is nice to know I am not alone.
I started my journey in January 2018 at 295 lbs after trying to lose weight so I could have a right total hip replacement. I had gone to my PCP in July 2017 for my yearly physical and mentioned to him about my hip hurting. It took awhile for me to mention it because I thought it was because I was so fat and my inner voice kept telling me to "suck it up, this is the price you pay for eating the way you do" (I can still hear that in my head in my mother's voice). He sent me for an x-ray, then immediately to an orthopedic surgeon. He didn't sugar coat anything. I had stage 4 osteoarthritis in my right hip, needed a replacement. and the 80 year old man in the room next to me had better hips than I do at age 48. My ortho refused to do surgery and instead wanted me to do hip injections and lose weight.
I got my first injection on Tuesday August 22, and drove with friends from Michigan to Philly on Wednesday to participate in the Susan. G. Komen 3 day 60 mile walk. On Thursday we walked around downtown and began the walk on Friday. By Sunday, we had walked over 70 miles in 4 days.
My second injection came the Monday after Thanksgiving. What a fun holiday that was! I wasn't allowed to take my beloved Aleeve and Tylenol was not much help. I drank Scotch to supplement, much to my mother's dismay but my husband's amusement. That injection was enough to get me through hosting 40 people for Christmas at our house and going to New Orleans in February (What a fun town!).
I went to a WLS consultation with my husband in January. We listened as the surgeon gave his speech where he talked about how people who more to lose have little or no chance to successfully keep any weight loss off because of our bodies and I immediately began to bawl. You mean my mother was wrong? I didn't need more willpower? Or someone to slap all the food out of my hands? Or I wasn't walking enough? (For the 3Day I walked a total of 600 miles in 24 weeks which averages out to 25 miles a week). My husband was very supportive, especially with drowning out that voice. So I began my 6 month physician monitored diet, which my PCP was not a fan of.
My third injection came in March and lasted one week while we were in Vegas for March Madness. When we came home, I called my ortho and he wanted to see me immediately. He decided that since I was pursuing WLS that he would do the surgery. I was bone on bone and living on Aleeve and the occasional Scotch if I had a bad day at work. The worst was the two weeks before surgery when I couldn't have Aleeve and we went to Vegas again (The trip was already paid for). I couldn't get comfortable in any position - chair, stool, walking, standing, or laying in bed.
Surgery was on May 29th and I had instant relief in my hip. No more bone achingness that felt like someone was sawing off my leg. I did really well with physical therapy and ortho was pleased. We are keeping an eye on my left hip, that is at Stage 2.
I was in for a big surprise though. I thought now that my hip is brand new, I will be back to walking everyday and getting on with my life. On May 29th I weighed 316. I have found that the rest of my joints and back are now protesting all this extra weight. I have lost my stamina and I am so frustrated with the state of my house and gardens. Yes the husband and adult kids clean up after themselves but they don't do the deep cleaning that needs to be done.
The good thing is my PCP is much more understanding and knowledgeable about bariatric surgery because of my journey. He has seen me lose weight the first 2 months and slowly gain it do to my loss of mobility.
Well that is my motivation story, I have my surgery on Wednesday, September 5th and it can't come soon enough. I am trying to prepare myself mentally and emotionally for this and have been watching lots of Dr. Voung videos.
How do others deal with the voices that tell you that you can't do this, or make you ashamed of ever getting this size?

I am 51. For my 50th birthday, my friends and I went to Nashville. I was so excited to go. Determined to have a good time. My lower back had been bothering me but I kept pushing it off. We did a peddle tour. Due to being scared of being embarrassed, I got up on that thing with ease. Or so I think it seemed for everyone else. My back bothered me no matter what I did. The worst was walking around the opryland hotel then walking to the grand old opry. Omg the pain in my back. I became more determined to lose weight. Got home and hit the gym more. Fast forward a year and I'm still here with the same issues. I'm hoping for surgery in December and finally try to help my bones by getting this weight off

I'm still pre-op, with a surgery date in the first week of October and a one-week liquid diet to do before that, and I'm about 20 pounds down (probably only 18, if I'm honest; comparing my home scale and my first-thing-in-the-morning, pajamas weight with my post-breakfast, fully-clothed weight at the hospital is probably a little unfair).

My team has a required 3-month "program" they put you through, where you're supposed to practice good habits, small bites, protein-first, and all that... and they want to see significant weight lost during that period.

All told, I'm imagining I will have lost 25-30 pounds before surgery--it depends whether my current stall breaks (I've been gaining and losing the same 3 pounds for 3 weeks) and how brutal the liquid-only diet really is, right?

On 9/1/2018 at 1:06 PM, SueSaBelle said:

How do others deal with the voices that tell you that you can't do this, or make you ashamed of ever getting this size?

It is tough, especially if you are at or near a weight that is your heaviest in your life. I focused on watching positive videos on YouTube of people that were successful with their weight loss. I cruised Instagram and looked at people that had lost large amounts of weight there. Lots of people looked like me, normal people with jobs, without personal trainers and personal chefs. If they can do it, so can I, so can you, and so can anyone else here. I stayed away from any post on here with any negative heading.

As far as being ashamed, that is always there in the background with a bit of regret that I ever let things get so far out of control. But I can’t change the past. I try not to dwell on it because it doesn’t help anything anyways. I try to focus on living healthier every day now, and it is working.

Good luck with your surgery.

2 and a half days until,SueSaBelle and. I have our surgeries. Wish us both good luck and keep us in your minds September 5th, okay?
?&?=?

14 minutes ago, Frustr8 said:

2 and a half days until,SueSaBelle and. I have our surgeries. Wish us both good luck and keep us in your minds September 5th, okay?
?&?=?

We Got This!

Best wishes for Frustr8 and SueSaBelle for their surgeries today! I hope you both have a smooth procedure and recovery

On 03/09/2018 at 8:42 AM, Frustr8 said:

2 and a half days until,SueSaBelle and. I have our surgeries. Wish us both good luck and keep us in your minds September 5th, okay?
?&?=?

Good luck today!!! Thinking of you guys!! Can’t wait for you to join us!

I started my weight loss journey at 390lbs. The day of surgery I was 368. I had my seven week appointment yesterday and have lost a total of 71lbs from my highest weight and 49 pounds from day of surgery; currently @319lbs. It’s been a tough adjustment but motivated with the success so far. My next follow-up appointment is at the end of October. Doc said I should be 20-40 pounds less and doing great. Taking one day at a time and striving for set goals. I am down 3 pant sizes from a 28 to a 22. Currently only buying a couple slacks to survive work and one pair of jeans for the weekend. However, I have bought a few things a few sizes smaller to motivate me and look forward to the months ahead.

On 9/2/2018 at 5:40 PM, KimTriesRNY said:

How do others deal with the voices that tell you that you can't do this, or make you ashamed of ever getting this size?

My highest wt was 368, consult wt 350, and 8 weeks post-op have been stalled at 314 for two weeks. Very demoralizing. In some respects I still feel I'm at 368. Stalls create feeling of O boy, here it comes -- another Epic Fail at losing weight, like its something in my DNA I can never overcome. But I don't feel ashamed anymore after learning obesity is a disease -- a chronic disease -- a chronic, deadly disease. And we don't know a singular cause of it. Yet. I am working on this, and realize it is very much a mental game element we must overcome. My best self tells me to look at the NSVs (non-scale victories), to look how far I've come, look for small goals in terms of more exercise, and journal. I do track protein, and get 60-90g per day, but it's not enough to quell cravings and there's not enough variety to provide the satisfactin of a tasty meal. I'll try to make tomorrow a better day. I really need my body to end this stall. I am glad for this site, and glad we can lean on one another and share our journey with others who understand.