Hello everyone!

I'm new to the forum and didn't really know where to begin, so I figured why not start a thread about my journey?

So, I've always been kind of obese (there were a few years that I lost a lot of weight sticking to a low carb diet) I hovered around 300lbs give or take for many years. In 2012 during a divorce, I ballooned all the way up to 365lbs and I swore I'd never get to that point again. I started doing low carb and got all the way down to 235lbs before getting re-married and gaining back about 50lbs. During COVID in 2020, I just completely fell apart and ended up getting to my all-time highest weight of 385lbs.

I drive trucks for a living and in August of 2022, I had to go for a sleep apnea test and I failed miserably. Failing the sleep apnea test put my career in jeopardy. I decided immediately afterwards to contact my local hospital about bariatric surgery and immediately started a 6 month program in October, 2022. Since I had already had the sleep apnea test and failed, I'd already knocked that part out at least.

I literally just got back from my final doctors appointment and they told me that it's up to my insurance provider to approve or deny me for surgery. I'm really excited but also really nervous. The only time I've ever stayed in a hospital overnight was to take my sleep apnea tests.

I started this journey at 385lbs, today I weighed in at 365lbs. I had my ups and downs, but I'm really looking forward to this journey and really looking forward to getting to know everyone and to share my journey.

On 7/28/2023 at 7:47 AM, heatherh7878 said:

Hi Friends,

I have high BP and sleep apnea and was on the low end of the BMI range. I expected to be denied but I had my approval very quickly. Saying prayers you get that approval soon!

Thank you, I got my approval on May 31st and had my surgery on June 23rd.

I apologize for not posting as often as I did at the start.

I've slowly started to incorporate more things into my diet over the last couple weeks. I had a fish taco from Torchy's Tacos tonight, for example. I was only able to eat two bites, but it was a nice change up.

I attempted to eat a turkey sandwich from Subway last week and wasn't really feeling the bread. I was only able to eat about half of a six inch and it took me a couple days to get that done, lol. After getting sick off of roast beef about a month ago, I haven't even attempted red meat again and really don't have a desire to.

I've found that I still "want" to try to eat a large amount, but my body doesn't allow it. I've pretty much just started taking two bites of things and being finished as when I take more than two bites, I have to start spitting in a cup or I have a desire to throw up.

I'm officially down to 313lbs, so I should only be in the 300's for a couple weeks more or so. I'm down 72lbs since the start of my journey and down 48lbs since my surgery on June 23rd (8 weeks ago tomorrow.) So I guess you could say I'm averaging a 6lbs/week loss since my surgery, but I've found some weeks I'll lose 10lbs and some weeks I'll stall.

It's hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that I'm only intaking like 400-800 calories a day and stalling, but I know that it's just a part of the bodies process.

My surgeon has said since day one that this surgery and weight loss will last about a year and to make the most of it now. I swear, feeling how I feel when I eat, I don't imagine that I'll ever be able to eat like I used to again.

I guess we'll see.

Thanks to everyone that's stuck with me through this journey and ready my posts and have given me encouragement. If you're reading this and you're still on the fence about whether to have the surgery or not, I can say without doubt that it's the best thing I've ever done. It really sucks to not be able to eat certain things anymore, but being healthy and losing weight is a lot better than any junk food.

Sometimes when my family are eating huge burgers, cakes, pies, etc... I feel regret for a brief second, but honestly, the only regret I have is that I didn't do this 10 years ago.

Welcome!

Hi, great diary. I would like to know how you feel now?

On 9/10/2023 at 11:31 AM, Pollygis Dond said:

Hi, great diary. I would like to know how you feel now?

Thank you for the kind words, generally, I feel pretty good.

It's kind of a pain to be hungry and want to eat like I used to, then take 3 bites and be so full that I have to have a spit cup or I'll puke, lol..

As far as pain or anything like that, I don't have any and I feel like normal.

I'm officially right on the edge of being back into the 200's for the first time in about a decade, I'm also now closer to my goal than I am my heaviest weight, so that's pretty exciting.

I've been slowly learning to take smaller bites, way more chewing, and taking more time with meals. I know that we're not supposed to be eating fast food, but I had a regular McDonalds cheeseburger a couple days ago. It was the first burger I've had in four months, and even though it was from McDonalds, it tasted great and I was able to finish the whole thing over the course of about 30 minutes. I'd say that's progress.

At one point, my surgeon had told me that it was okay to start incorporating lunch meats and I tried boars head roast beef and it made me so sick that I swore I'd never even try beef again, but I did and it seemed to work out.

Most days, I see myself mostly eating string cheese and various nuts.

This has definitely been an interesting journey so far.

I have a bit of a new update...

I started a new job in September so I've been pretty busy. Since my last update, I've lost about 10lbs. I haven't really been eating the way that I should and have missed a vitamin here and there, but I'm still progressing.

My new job takes me out of town and I don't really get to cook like I normally would.

I'm planning to get back on track this upcoming week. I'm hopeful to reach my weight goal by my birthday in January.

I've found that of all the foods I've eaten since surgery, the only food that I haven't been able to tolerate is beef, of any kind. I also don't tend to tolerate bread very well.

I've really been craving coffee (since I gave up all carbonated/caffeinated drinks before surgery) but it doesn't really agree with me either, lol.

Quick update, I had my first doctors appointment in roughly three months today, I weighed in at 286lbs, though it should have been less because it's cold in Texas right now and I was in jeans, shoes, and a hoodie, lol.. but anyway, everything is going really well! I dropped another 10lbs this month and the doctor said that I'm averaging about 10lbs a month, which is normal.

He says that before long, the stomach will start to stretch more and that I'll be hungry again soon, which I don't really believe but hey, he's the doctor, right? I still can't really eat more than 3 bites or so without getting sick and have been mostly eating soup lately because of the weather and that I can take a little more in with the liquid. I've been drinking a lot of coffee and sweet tea, which I know isn't good, but I figure since I'm not eating that much, it's okay to get some calories in through drinks.

I have 1lb to go until I hit the 100lbs lost stage and I only have 61lbs to go to hit my goal, so I really think I'm going to reach my goal before next summer, which would absolutely amazing.

It's frustrating at times to see my family indulging on fast food and remembering a time when I could down a double whopper and a large fry with ease. These days, I can't take two bites of a burger before I'm ready to throw up, but to anyone reading my journey, it's absolutely worth it!

Hi @TRClark23!

How are you doing? How are you feeling?