Big...CONGRATS!!!!!

I gained 5 lbs back in the last week when I quit smoking...Crappy... I don't know, I'm sure it will come off.. I'm sure not complaining of being at 145 now instead of 140... Its much better than 240-250

Wow!!!! Congrats on your weight loss!!! What an accomplishment!!! I started at 329 and am currently down to 222. I have lost 107 pounds in 9 months, but have also been hitting plateaus that really upset me. I don't think that I could ever lose weight fast enough though. It seems like it will never be enough...that sounds so bad to say, but it is so true. We fight this battle with our weight for so many years, that we just want it to all be off instantly. Keep up the good work with the weight loss!!!

I've passed my 9 month anniversary and things are going reasonably well. I'm not very confident that I'll see my goal weight of 170 lbs (I'm at 236 now) but I have dropped 106 lbs which I couldn't have done without WLS. When I first got the go ahead to start solid foods, about 5-6 weeks out, it was quite a battle. Everything seemed to "hang up" but my friend Cheryl, a WLS veteran, told me she had the same problem and had to have her stoma dilated twice to correct her problem. I was scheduled for a colonoscopy (2 reasons-50 years old in June and I had experienced GI bleeding post surgery) so I told the Gastroenterologist about my problems. He said he'd take a look (made him promise not to use the same instrument or at least do the north end first). He did take a look and he said my stoma was too small. It was dilated and things changed dramatically. I felt like a new person when I stopped throwing up after every meal...believe me, I would have said this was a big mistake if I'd had to live like that all the time. I advise anyone who is experiencing similar problems to talk to their surgeon because it is not that exact a science when it comes to forming a new opening for the stomach to the small intestine. Coincidentally, when I no longer threw up with the same regularity my weight loss slowed dramatically. I continued losing up through Thanksgiving but lost nothing during the Holidays and only started losing again after the New Year. I've readjusted my goal weight and will be extremely happy if I can get down to 200 lbs. My goal of wearing 36" pants may be unattainable but I'm still looking pretty good compared to where I was at 54-56" pants (I wear 40-42" depending on the cut now). I guess the next thing to consider will be whether to have cosmetic surgery to tighten up the loose skin. I'm still a few months from that point and probably won't do it unless it gets a lot worse than it is now. I will admit that having a "turkey neck" hanging under my chin is really disconcerting but the new goatee is helping with that. Girls, I wouldn't advise you to go that route but for a guy it's not so bad. This is a great website and the first place I send anyone who asks me questions about my WLS and is interested. Keep up the good work.

Karen- great job on the weight loss and the loss of inches. You should be very proud of yourself- Way to Go!! Sorry to hear about your daughter. I use to be just like her as a child. My situation was somewhat difference-however, It was the same. My father died when I was 12- and my mom started dating again when I was 15. That was so very hard and just seemed to tear my world apart. It has a lot to do with jealously, insecurity,and loneliness. I would suggest some counceling for your daughter and also for you to help you not feel guilty for her feelings. Good luck with all of this, and again GREAT JOB on the weight!!!