Come on out April Babies!

Everyone! How have you all been? Where are you at in your journeys? What have been some of your best WOW moments? How has your life changed over the past two years?

Nice to see more Aprilians coming out! Im on my way to work and do not have alot of time to post. I will be back when I get off tonight. Im slowly putting my profile back together, that mysteriously disappeared. Im a slow looser but the best part is Im still looseing and have never had a weight gain, so far. Ive lost 104 pounds. Im 5'9" and have gone from a 26/28 to a 16 right now. 14's are right around the corner Im healthier than I have ever been in my life, my food tastes have changed, for the better and I will add more tonight when I get in from work and can reflect on all the changes! Have a great day! ES

Where are you at in your journeys? Im still looseing and I feel like my 18 month window for weight loss will not close. Ive never gained, Ive had some stalls but it seems to pick up in from time to time and when I start looseing it goes from week to week before it stalls again. What have been some of your best WOW moments? 1. fitting into my husband's jeans! He was in a 32 when we married 27 years ago. He is now in a 36 and he was in awe when they fit me...LOL.. His shirts are next! 2. I can wear my daughters clothes, so its payback time for all of my clothes she conviently borrowed without asking, growing up. 3. going to the fair with my grandsons ( age 5 & 3) and fitting in on all the kiddie rides. This summer we are going to Disneyland. 4. This entire journey has been one major WOW moment! How has your life changed over the past two years? My life hasnt changed as much as my eating habits have. I no longer crave sweets but tend to scour the produce section for fruits Ive never tried. I no longer want fast food and tend to stick to chicken and seafood only, grilled salmon is my absolute favorite!. On the rare occasions I do go to fast food it is grilled chicken and I toss the bread. I dislike red meat. I love vegtables! I love yogurt and pre op, I couldnt stand it. I eat yogurt at least 3x a day. I drink water constantly. I still have my coffee every morning and occasionaly tea but my main drink is plain water. Once I increased the water, I noticed I was looseing at least 3 pounds a week, without even trying. I had chronic anmeia pre op. Im still anemic but I try foods high in iron like spinach and beets and learned I do love those now. I keep pickled beets in my fridge and Im nibbling on those everytime I open the fridge. Ive had one series of iron infusions and that has helped alot. I have a low vitamin D level and I take prescription vitamin D daily as well as much yogurt and cheese I can get in. I have never liked milk, still do not like milk so I dont do protein shakes but I do add protein powder to my coffee. I no longer take $600.00 a month medications. I only take Requip for my restless legs, Wellbutrin XR for my depression and Ambien for sleep. Other than that, my daily vitamins and Citracal chewables. My husband has become more attentive and while some marriages fail after WLS, ours has seemed to flourish and sparkle. For Christmas he surprised me with a 1 carat marquis shaped diamond with a diamond encrusted marquis shape wedding band. I was shocked. He is always wanting to go on trips for the weekend and just get away together so once a month we try to go on a trip. Tupelo Ms, Nashville and Memphis are on schedule for our next trip! Ive always wanted to see The Grand Ole Oprey, Graceland and Elvis's birthplace! THIS has been a MAJOR change since WLS! Have a great day! ES 304/200/150 -104#

I have had many changes since this surgery - I have lost a total of 118 pounds - I met my goal weight of 130 back in May and I hover between 130 and 127 now. I've finally got a job (career track) I graduated in May of '03 and got a job in Marketing with my company last May. I had to move an hour and a half away (not to bad) for the job - I don't beleive I would have had the confidence to do all of this without the weight loss. I had the confidence to leave a bad marriage (it will be 2 years in June) thought I would never have the courage to do that. For the most part - everyday is a WOW moment for me - the fact that I have trouble finding clothes that fit because I'm to small never ceases to amaze me! I have always been a shop-a-holic - but now I shop for myself again. I think the best part of my weight loss journey is inspiring two people to have the surgery themselves. Now they are both successfully losing and I'm very proud that I played a major part in their decision. I continue to be thankful everyday for taking the risk and finding sucess.

I've lost about 140lbs. It took a little less than a year and half. Since then, I just maintain within a 3lbs. window or so. I'm thinner than I thought I'd be so I won't go nuts if I get that 10% gainback. It hasn't always been easy, tho. It was a longer and rougher recovery than I thought it would be but once I passed the 9 mo. mark I felt like myself. I wear what I want and look good in what I wear (That doesn't mean there isn't excess skin) . I feel good and can do so much more. I eat pretty healthily (when I'd lived on junk food for the past 15 years). No one would ever know I'd been MO.

Hey girl! Where is your profile update? I miss reading about you. JudyAnne

It's been two years this April 4th and I'm down 120 pounds and just love it. This is the best I've ever felt or looked since I was 16!! That was 42 years ago!!!! I don't think I've ever been a size six before, even though I know that's impossible. It's just that for all my life I have struggled with the weight and didn't act until I was 56. Everyday is a WOW moment. Looking in the mirror is still an adjustment. I have been staying between 128 to 132 pounds. I weigh ever day to ensure that I do not gain. The food cravings are completely changed. I used to be a sugar addict, now I am not interested in sweets. It just doesn't taste the same. Last September I developed an ulcer in my pouch. So now I take Protonix. That seems to make a big difference. Also, I have been able to reduce my medication to only two pills a day. This is wonderful!! The weight loss has really made a big improvement on my arthritus pain. It is remarkable was 120 pounds can make. So, that's my update for this anniversary. Lara

Everyone has such positive things happen to them. So now I will voice the opposite side of this surgery...........weight gain. I have gained over 20 pounds and having an awful hard time getting it off. I never even made goal, losing only 90 pounds to start and stalled at 8 months out and that was it until my gain. I know i probably eat too many carbs a day, a small bagel, a small tortilla, maybe a slice a bread. The problem is that I still want to eat such things, that my pouch hasn't restricted me at all. I do eat less than what I used to before WLS, but any kind of food agrees with me, meats, chicken, fats, sugars, and so my dilemma goes on. My bf moved in with me in November and that started me on the road to failure, then the holidays, my failure continued. Last month I took hold of myself and started walking maybe 2 miles a day, maybe only 1 1/2 miles, but almost every day, and going to the gym and doing the weights like 3-4 times a week. The fact that I haven't been working helps me get to the gym and do all that walking. But again my weight is where it is at. I feel like I am absorbing ALL the nutrients which means all the calories I eat and I am not restrictive at all. I plan to see my surgeon within the next couple of weeks and go over ideas. I feel like such a failure. I wasn't even going to post here any longer for fear of reprisal. So bring it on. Karen

Karen No, you will NOT get any reprisals from me. Even with the regain, that is still less weight that you are carrying around. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayer that you and your doctor will find a solution to your stall. Please keep us posted!

Well, I guess that I should have posted too! I will be two years out on April 20th and I just can't get over the changes that I have gone through. My highest weight was 332 pounds and as of yesterday I weighed in at 117 pounds. I still can't believe that I've lost 215 pounds in less than two years. I have had some health issues that my Doctor and I are working on. I am trying to gain back some weight. I have about 15-25 pound worth of skin that I want to have removed, however I can not have any plastics done until I gain some weight back. I am also having troubles with anemia and being B12 defiencent. But I can confident that I'll be back at 100% soon. Some of my BEST wow moments ... Having my hubby give me a piggy back ride Fitting into a size 3 juniors Being able to hang all day with my kids without being tired. Going horseback riding again My life has always been great...I have a fantastic husband and 3 wonderful little girls, however, through WLS I am able to really enjoy every moment I have with them. I'm no longer sitting on the park bench, I'm out there playing. My husband and I going dancing again too! Try to post more often so I can keep up with all of you! If you have a MySpace account, look me up! http://www.myspace.com/rockchickjackie