Ann, I feel so bad that you feel this way. I think your weightloss is something to be so proud of. The health benefits alone from losing 135+ pounds is astounding. Sometimes I get discouraged reading how much better others are doing when my weightloss isn't as fast. All I do know is that I am so thankful for every pound I have lost. I have read people lose weight even at 2 years. Ann, we will make it. Maybe not as fast as others, but WE WILL get there. Hang in there. I'll be thinking of you.

Hey Fellow Marchers who choose to read this, Here I am at my one-year anniversary from Open RNY surgery. I had no idea that I would wake up feeling this way today. I looked through all the materials I got from Bariatric Treatment Center last night. They expect that I would have lost 70% of my excess weight by today. Guess what? I have not. I am 70 pounds short of being there. When I look at other 400+ post ops that I know and have seen on OH, all of them have lost much faster than me. I am feeling so much like a failure today. I have tried so hard to do well. I have been exercising, avoiding white carbs, drinking water, having lots of protein, getting support, etc. It is not easy. Sometimes I think it would have been so much easier to stay fat than come this far and not make it to my goal. I have heard about the 18-month window of opportunity to lose the excess weight. I see so many other people being successful. I want it too. I wonder if it is possible for me. I want it with all my heart and soul. I have my one-year post op visit at BTC tomorrow. I am disappointed and scared. My original surgeon, Dr Julie Leverton, is no longer there so I will have to see Dr Wiltse. Some people really like him. I just know that the last time I was at BTC Dr Thrift gave me a hard time about not losing more and being further along. I upped my protein and got serious with exercise. Still it is not enough. The pounds are not coming off. My measurements at Curves show that I have lost over 75 inches. I weighed 414 at surgery and weigh 278 now. It is progress but it is so far from where I need or want to be. I am so disappointed. I am afraid that I can't make it. Being fat was easier than struggling like this. Right now I feel like taking a break from OH and not coming here every day like I do. I feel like I have nothing to offer anyone else and that I am just reminded daily that I am not successful or where I need to be. It is not like me to be quite so chatty. I am an extremely private person and yet I feel compelled to write my feelings and thoughts today. Maybe being reflective is what happens when you reach a milestone like being a year post op. All I know to do is to keep doing what I have been doing and hope the results will come. Other folks say it will come in time. I am just so incredibly sad today that I am not having the results I want and that my goals seen unattainable. I did not expect to feel this way today. Ann in TX 423/414/278/140 March 7, 2003-BTC Dr Julie Leverton

Hi Y'all - my anniversary is 3/20 too. Looking forward to it. Not sure what I'll do to celebrate. This has been a wonderful year, and it's hard to believe that it's been that long and that so much can change. My weight loss has tapered off, but I'm still down almost 115#. I have the loose skin, too, but it's not bothering me a whole lot now (especially if I only look with my clothes on)! I don't know if I'll look into plastic surgery yet. Maybe I'll give my body time to adjust. But it's wonderful fitting in chairs, being able to sit on the floor and actually get back up unassisted, not being so exhausted that I need a nap at lunchtime, my husband's thrilled about being able to put his arms all the way around me. I'm sure you all know what I mean. I haven't had a major shopping spree yet, because I still want to lose a few more pounds. Being 56 years old, and having lost 100 pounds 5 years ago, I still have clothes that I had stored away. So I had clothes from 26 down to 16. My 16's are getting big now. So I guess I'll have to do something soon (Lord knows I ain't running around naked with this body). I still don't exercise as much I want to, but my eating patterns are muchly improved (except for yesterday when I went to the home and garden and food show). But today's another day. Anyway, congrats to all of you and health and happiness to us all in this new year.

Hey ya'll, It's been a long time since I've posted except for a couple of responses. So many changes this year including knee replacement surgery on 1/20/04 (10 mos. exactly from WLS)! I'm also 20 lbs from goal assuming excess skin weight is only 20 lbs. I'm looking into removal of the skin later this year. First things first, however. How do you get pictures on this site? Marilyn has asked me a couple of times to post mine but I don't have a scanner (that works anyway). Any help would be appreciated. I just turned 51 on 2/28 and now weigh what I did in my early 20's--this is kinda fun! I enjoy the looks I am getting now--it's been a long time! Also, I have developed a seriously s-l-o--o-o-w heart rate--41 in the doctor's office yesterday with a BP of 90/55 so I am off to the cardiologist's office on Monday. Anyone else experienced something like this? I can't believe I have lost 204 lbs. and NOW develop heart trouble. I hope to know more next week. I will also undergo an endoscopy on 3/22 when I have my year appointment to see if I have an ulcer from the meds I take now and if I need to have my stoma stretched to allow me to eat more since I am still losing 10-13 lbs a month with no slow-down in sight (never thought I'd have that problem). Anyway, I am proud of each of you. Keep up the good work. Thanks to those of you who have sent e-mails to me. I apologize for not being really great at responding--with the knee surgery and the other health problems that have cropped up I haven't felt like spending a lot of time on the computer. I do appreciate your notes though and will try to do better. I pray God blesses each of you richly as we all reach our year anniversary.

Marilyn, I really can't tell you how many calories/fat/carbs you should or not be eating. My doctor does not have a set amount, he says "you had this surgery to not have to diet the rest of your life, eat normally, but just until your are full". I usually eat approx 800-1000 calories a day, would say my carbs are kept below 30. I do not eat any....not any bread, potato's, pasta, rice or crackers. I eat lots of beef jerky, peanut butter, yogurt, fish, shell fish, chicken, beef, pork, salad, & veggies. 2 oz of beef jerky has only 160 calories and 32 grams of protein. A 3 oz can of tuna has less than 100 calories and 21 grams of protein. Hope some of this helps. Jan P 326/190/1??, pending hernia repair and tummy tuck