CALLING ALL MARCHERS!!!

What are you Experiencing at this point in your life 5/6 Months out? For me: 1. PLATEAU!! 2. More food cravings! (grrr so hungry!) 3. More food testing 4. Loosing some inches! 5. Stomach pain (getting checked out) 6. Dizziness 7. Being too leinient with my food choices 8. Have lost 80 pounds so far (give or take a couple) 9. Pampering myself more 10. Feel lots better and can do so much more! Elizabeth M

We'll I am experiencing alot of the stuff you are too! 1. More food cravings 2. Indulged in a few poor choices 3. Losing inches 4. Tried bike riding for the first time in 18 years 5. I have lost 85 pounds! 6. I feel awesome! 7. Have been dressing more like a I feel 8. I want to start dating again. I think.. Lori S.

Lori - Oh I can relate to #7! I feel like I am able to dress more like I feel also. I know it will change even more as I get out of plus sized clothing, but the difference in what you can get from the low 20's to the low 30's sizewize is amazing! I no longer have to buy something merely because it fits! Dina

I am feeling GREAT. No food cravings at all, I almost have to force myself to eat. Nobody recognizes me at work ! When they do they are amazed ! Was dizzy but I was overmedicated on my BP meds so reduced them and all is OK now. Food is not my number one priority now ! I have actually become a Vegitarian. Have lost 117 lbs so far. I am feeling GREAT !

Mark, you continue to be such an inspiration for me! Thanks for the BP tip, I'm down to 1/2 BP pill a day but my pressure is pretty low -- was 102/70 today so hopefully my doctor is ready to take me off all meds. FIRST TIME IN OVER 20 YEARS I WILL NOT BE TAKING DIABETES AND BP MEDICATIONS!! You have done so well, I think it's time you show your true face now!!! How about an updated photo?? Be well. Maureen

Well, since you asked: 1. Down 96 lbs. 2. More energetic, actually WANT to move my body! 3. Able to eat normally, including normal portions - which scares me! 4. Only down side, chronic constipation. 5. Don't really see or sense the weight loss, still feel very large! 6. Trying very hard to learn to live with food. 7. Have noticed some giving in to cravings...emotional eating-yikes! 8. Having lots of "bone" problems: rotator cuff in shoulder, stress fracture in foot, bursitis in hip...preventing me from working out. 9. Over all, feel like my life has been given back to me. 10. Rode a bike next to my 10 year old son, who had never seen me on a bike before! That was the greatest high so far for me. WWhhhhheeeeee! Maureen

Maureen, I didn't even recognize you!! You look fantastic!! I haven't been on for awhile so I haven't seen your new picture. You go girl!! As for me: 1. Down 77 pounds 2. Can finally play tennis again 3. Have slipped eating on occassion, but just tastes 4. Starting to dress how I want, no long buying things only because it fits 5. Still get tired easily 6. Less body aches and pains 7. Off all blood pressure medicine 8. Starting to get tired of eating chicken 9. Looking forward to a fancy Holiday Outfit 10. Still have a warped body image LOL, Sierra

WOW talk about being an inspiration ! You Look wonderful ! Will update my Photo soon.

Good morning: Nice question. Every day on the over 50 board I put up a "what's new for you since WLS" post. I do it because I feel so happy and so wonderful since having this surgery. I have lost 70 pounds with 11 to go. I wear sizes 8/10 instead of 20. I can sit down on the floor and get up again. I can even visit friends with low contemporary sofas and not be afraid of embarrassing myself trying to get up. My knees and feet no longer hurt me all the time. I have my long legged stride back - for a while I was walking with a cane. I can dance for an hour w/o getting tired or out of breath. Losing at my age of 57 has left me with saggy baggy wrinkly arms - but I don't care. I just wear 3/4 length sleeves and look fine. Although I am frequently hungry I am able to resist the wrong foods, most of the time. Every day feels like my 8th birthday. A day filled with boundless energy, full of happiness and surprises. I think the closer one gets to goal the more one finds to be joyful about. Love, Louise 231/161/150

Good question! Well, let's see.... 1) I went through a 2.5 week plateau but caught up and am at my normal steady pace of about 3 lbs a week. I've lost 77 lbs so far. 2) I have experimented lately as well. Found out that I can eat a donut if I don't have anything else with it or after it. Shame for shame on me. But I have to admit it was nice having a little treat with the family again. It was more of a social thing than a craving thing. Don't know if that was good or bad, but I'm thinking good since I'm not seeking it out as I once used to. 3) I have had more dumping episodes lately with things that never made me dump before....and with things that aren't really bad for me. I tried to eat Lunchables and they do me in every time. Don't know if it is the cheese or what, but the crackers are so few it shouldn't be a problem. Who knows. 4) Hair loss is starting to ease up. I look like I've been through partial chemo. you know that fine hair that is very short and plastered to your head look? I have that up around my temples. When I pull my hair back, you can see it on the sides really bad. At least it's growing in! I think I lost about half or more of my hair. 5) I actually had something get stuck in my stoma for the first time a couple weeks ago. I have had the stuck feeling in the chest/throat before but never in my stoma. I thought I had a stretched out stoma but found out otherwise. It was oddly comforting to me as I was bent over clutching my gut in pain. 6) I have shrunk out of my "skinny" pants and had to buy a new pair to tide me over while I deal with looking sloppy in others. 7) I have passed up my wedding weight by 17 lbs and am on my way to the weight I was when I met DH and the weight I was when I was hired at my current job (245 - 3 lbs away). 8) I have a tan....on my legs even!!! 9) I have a waistline again and I find myself staring at my tummy or lack thereof. When I sit in my chair at work and lean back I am marvelling about how I see no bulges. 10) I went to sleep the other day and rested my arm on my hip as always, only this time I felt something weird. It was my hip bone!!! Dina RNY 3/10/04 325/248/150