I posted at my one year (8/29) on the main board but forgot to jump over here to post... It has been one wild ride! I've gone from 410 down to 232 (178 pounds gone forever!) and I've lost over 140 inches too. I still want to lose another 50 pounds though. It has been VERY slowly coming off (7 pounds last month, 7 pounds this month) still. I guess it will take me another 6 months or so to hit my true goal. I am going for 185. At almost 5'8" and a medium frame with excess skin, that will probably look pretty darned good! I've gone from a size 36W to a size 18 or 20. While those are not small sizes, they are SO much smaller than where I started! I recently moved into size 10 undies and when I first pulled them out of the package, they looked SO small! I started in size 14 Just My Size! I will admit that I will be tickled pink to be at ANY weight that starts with a ONE. I've already seen some clothing sizes (18) that starts with a one and those two things were my primary goals. Best wishes to ALL of you! Lea

Thanks for the info. Sherry. Sounds terrible. I also had RNY open on Aug. 8th 06. I have been doing great and have had no complications so far..thanks for keeping my eyes open to the possibility that things can still happen, but there is help for things like this. Sue.

August 8 was my one-year anniversary, which I happily celebrated in Hawaii! I rode 2 helicopters, went snorkeling, etc., and everything was so fun. I would never have done those things before I lost 110 pounds. However, right before I left for Hawaii, I started having intermittent strong pain in my abdomen. It only happened twice more while I was on vacation, but then again when I came home. I visited my doc and he said it sounded like a hernia. No way to check except by surgery to look. Last week I had laparoscopic exploratory surgery, and yes, they found and fixed a hernia. I have 10 staples from the surgery which I'll get out in a few days. This surgery was much less painful than the bypass, and I returned to work in 2 days. Any of you go through this? I am SO THANKFUL that this didn't strangulate at any time, especially while I was in Hawaii. My surgeon does the emergency procedure only as an open operation to try to save the bowel. So while I didn't want another surgery, I guess I was lucky. Symptoms were: strong abdominal pain, but below my stomach pouch. It just felt different than anything I had gone through all year. Episodes ranged in length from a couple of hours to 30 minutes. The last episode was so bad, I was panting from the pain. It lasted 2 hours, and I was about to call my surgeon when it finally stopped. If you have similar symptoms, be sure to talk to your dr. Sherry

Hey my fellow August surgerys, we did it! WE made it through the first year. From the reports it sounds as if you have done fantastic. It is a great feeling isnt it? I have lost 102 since surgery and 120 altogether. I am so happy with how I have done and all the new clothes and compliments. I feel soooooo much better too. However, lately my appetite has really increased. I need to be more conscious of what I am eating. I do not dump so I can have 'treats'. We just had a student from France here for the month of August and she is used to desserts after every meal, so we had them lots and I have developed a sweet tooth! Heck, I didnt even have that much of a sweet tooth before surgery...I just ate...a lot! Anyway, just wondering if others are finding their appetite has increased lately and if they are still losing. So far I am still losing,but slowly, 3 to 5 pounds a month. I am happy enough about that, but worried it is going to stop and I want to lose another 15 pounds. Anyone looking at tummy tuck surgery yet? My surgeon here does it for free, but I have to be at goal for at least 6 months I think. take care, live, love, laugh and learn, Cindy

Congrats to you.....