Hi...back! Its been a long time since I have been here!

Hi all...I am 2 years post op...have lost from 485 to 294.5, and I am feeling so good. I am hoping to lose lots more this year. I live in east Texas and I am 34 single and no kids,

Welcome back. Sounds like a great loss and great attitude to me.

Jessica, I am so happy to see you. I remember that we started at similar weights and times. I am about where you are, too. I started at 488 and got down to between 275 and 285. I got stuck there and just keep going up and down between those points for the last year. My belly/pannus is huge and I feel that is what is holding me back. I am going to have it removed next month. My dr estimates it to be 40 lbs. I am hoping that with that gone I will be able to exercise more effectively and get the loss started once again. I am so frustrated with having "wasted" this past year. I haven't been really doing any crazy eating, so don't know why the big stall--ugh. Please don't be a stranger. I usually post on the main board and haven't been on this one in ages. I'm so gad I popped in and got the chance to see your post. Hugs, Vicki

It's been forever since I've posted here and I'm happy to say that I've done well. I am 5'2" and at my heaviest weighed over 263 lbs. When I went into surgery I was 234 (from 251 at consult) and am now at 130. 130 sounds heavy (or it does to me anyway) but I've gone from size 22/24 to 4/6 and am satisfied (OK, I lie...the skin thing is bugging the hell out of me!). It took me 2 yrs to get to my goal...talk about stalling, slow loser, whatever but it didn't come off fast at all. I'm proud to say that I didn't get depressed, freaked out or anything because I knew that it would come off eventually. There are still things that I can't eat and OMG, am I stupid or what? When will I learn that eating is not a timed Olympic event? I used to be a speed eater and if I don't sit there and chew the living daylights out of whatever I'm eating; I get sick. Greasy food makes me ill; thank goodness for protein supplements (Muscle Milk for me) or else I don't think that I could get all the protein down. Carbs have somehow found me again, even though I moved and DID NOT leave a forwarding address...darn those carbs, savy little buggers! Congratulations on a marvelous job and I'm happy that you did it while you're so young. That's a regret that I have as I missed out on so much stuff w/my 3 kids. I was 47 (by 7 days) when I had my surgery and my youngest was 11 at the time. Now she's 13 and knows everything; between her & her 18 yr old brother, I am shocked that I can make it through a day without collapsing. My oldest is 22 and we actually get along as she is "grown up" and appreciates (somewhat) what I've tried to do as a parent. Jessica, keep up the good work and you'll get to your goal. You've come a long way! How has the quality of your life changed? Hugs from Sugar Land, TX

I have to say that I am a bit depressed...I am bouncing up and down with the same three pounds, and I am sick of it! I am so wanting to get lower...have been in what I guess would be a plateau...and I cant seem to shake it. I am really being strict with myself this month. Hoping to drop some soon. Thanks for responding. I love hearing good news from people who had the surgery about the same time I did. I think I will have to go back to using a protein supplement too...I am not getting what I should be in protien. I have one called Classic that I really like if blended with fruit. I am also going through some toothache stuff...so its been hard to do anything but smoothies...lol. Thanks again for responding...it means a lot!

Jess, Hang in there...it will come off. Maybe increasing your protein and/or water will get your body moving again. I bounce the same 5 lbs. around, 130-135 and when it comes on overnight I know that it's water retention and I just cut out sodium and try, notice I said, try to stick to unprocessed foods (lots of salt). Since this is the season for fresh fruits & veggies go with that and some "soft protein (fish, ground turkey, etc.). Fresh rasberries and blueberries rock! I've got a terrible tooth ache on the left upper side and am waiting to go to the dentist on the 30th so I'm just eating on the right side. I find that soups go down really well and I get the Campbell's Chunky Healthy Request Soups...tasty and better than Non-Healthy Request! Good luck and keep up the great work... PS: I live in a SW suburb of Houston and I don't know about you but our weather here is HORRIBLE...in order to go for a walk, you have to be out at around 6:30-7:00 am because of the heat and humidity. The mosquitos are the size of humming birds so in the evening you have to wait until around 8 pm and then hose yourself off w/chemicals so that the "humming birds" don't carry you off! It's like living in a giant sauna. Hate it, hate it! We have a pool but even the water is so warm that it's like taking a bath. Enough complaining...I do have a treadmill and try to use it several tiimes a week.