Today is my 6 mo. anniversary!

Brandi F.
on 2/21/08 4:28 am - Hamburg, PA
Hi, I'm Brandi, I'm 34 years old, and I started out with 175 pounds to lose. Well, today is 6 months post-op for me. I cannot believe 26.5 weeks have passed since I was rolled into that operating room. It just doesn't seem like it's been that long. Not at all. I've lost 87 pounds as of Feb. 18th, whichput me at 223 lbs. I only officially record my weight on Monday...but I do step on the scale every morning after I pee and take my PJ's off, LOL. This morning I'm up 2 pounds since Monday. Grrrr. So it's 85 pounds lost as of this morning. I'm not sure, but I think I haven't been eating enough this week so far. I'll have to keep an eye on this. Gaining weight sucks and this does it to me now. I've lost very nearly half of my excess weight and I feel great! So far :::knock on wood::: I've not had one complication. I'm thinking that the next 90 pounds will come off over the next year. I really would like it to be a shorter time than that, but I want to look at this realistically. I am hoping that with the warmer weather coming and with my walks increasing because I can go outside so much more often without freezing to death, my weight loss will increase and so the 90 pounds will come off faster. (I don't exercise all that often right now, but I'll be increasing this within the next couple of weeks.) I don't want to stress over my weight if it doesn't drop faster. I want to enjoy life and relax. Life is precious and I don't want to spend time freaking out over the damn scale numbers any more. I've done that for the last 20 years and I'm sick to death of it. That being said; I am going to try to stop weighing myself daily and leave it for Monday mornings only. I have no idea if I can do this. Getting on the scale after my morning pee is such a huge compulsion!!! I have no idea what I am in clothing size. At work I was in a 3X shirt (they provide) and I've graduated down to a 2X which is too large on top but still fits around my belly. I don't like tight clothing. I've definitely noticed that from my belly button up, I'm way smaller than I used to be. My shoulders have gotten smaller and I can feel (and see, somewhat) my collar bones. My boobs are less full as well. My bra size was a tight 44DD, not the right cup size! Now I'm in a 40DD and it's the right size, feels comfy. I still wear my 3X t-shirts and sweatshirts and they're looking big on me, but a 2X is a bit too snug yet. A 2X will fit nicely soon, I keep trying them on! Now, from the belly button down, I am smaller, of course, but it's still rather big which makes getting a shirt to fit nicely kinda hard. I'm looking forward to having this change. I kinda look funny right now, LOL. Pants: Ugh. I have a size of 26/28 that were skin tight when I was 310 lbs. I couldn't wear them. Now I'm wearing them and they're fitting nicely and are almost, but not quite, too big. I have another pair of stretch jeans (no zipper kind) in 26/28 that fit snuggly. I couldn't wear them at 310 lbs. Now they fit, but they feel like a second skin on my legs so I don't wear them, hate that feeling. My sister gave me a pair of 18 stretch jeans (with zipper!) and I can get them on and zipper them if I lay on the bed, LOL. But they mushroom top me, so ewww. I just got 2 pair of 18 jeans (with zipper, no stretch) at goodwill and they don't go over my hips yet. But I did get a pair of 16 capris (stretch, no zipper) on the same trip to Goodwill and I can get them on, but they're tight of course. So, I have no freakin' idea what size I actually am...it depends. :::: It's so much easier to move around now, and I can stoop down and reach under stuff and not get stuck, LOL. When I go down on one knee I can get back up without grunting and almost not making it! I've enjoyed this development immensely. TMI: I can wipe my butt without looking like a contortionist. TMI: I can put in a tampon while still sitting on the toilet. And speaking of tampons; I have PCOS and I never got my period pre-op without using Provera or BC pills to induce it. Now, since surgery I've gotten nearly every month. My cycles are irregular, but that's better than non-existant. And I'm told that this has the potential to become more normal as my hormones can stabilize once I get closer to goal. WOOHOO!!! I don't particularly like cramps, but I'll never complain about getting my period because I remember what it was like never to get one and to feel so incredibly broken. I can walk around without getting winded. I can walk around without my knees hurting so much. I can walk around and feel like I want to keep going! I'm enjoying life more and feel less embarrassed about myself. I used to go out and feel so bad, now I don't. THAT is cool. I'm still fat but I don't feel so gargantuan. This is all about the way I feel. People still probably think I look awful, but I don't feel awful and this makes all the difference in the world! I didn't really have anything wrong with my health (YET!!!) before surgery, but I knew bad things were going to happen if I didn't do something and quick. So I can't say that this condition or that condition is better because I hopefully headed off those conditions by getting this surgery. Now for the bad parts: I do worry about never getting to goal. I do worry that I'll fail. That I'll go brain dead and graze all day and gain back what I've lost. I worry that I'll betray myself as I've done in the past. I worry that even if I do what I should, I'll fail and my body will go wacky and gain weight no matter what I do to stop it. I worry that I'll have health problems CAUSED by my gastric bypass. I worry about stupid stuff that I shouldn't sweat until it comes because it probably won't, etc., etc. To combat this, I try to live in the today and leave the tomorrows to worry about themselves. This helps me because "today" is manageable. Today and tomorrow, now that's more complicated. Another bad thing: My hair is still falling out. I take my vitamins. I take my calcium. I get in plenty of protein. It's still falling out. I think I'm nearing on half of it being gone. I thank my genes for providing me with s much hair. I started out with a crap load of hair, so I still look ok, but geez, stop falling out already!!!!!!!! Hmmm, did I forget anything? Dunno. Ask questions if I omitted touching base on something. Have a good day people... ~Brandi
g1rl 0n f1re
on 2/21/08 8:54 am - City of Angels, CA
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY BRANDI!!! *HUGS* xxxBecca
Brandi F.
on 2/22/08 9:54 am - Hamburg, PA
THANKS!!
Tammy C.
on 2/21/08 9:06 am - Amarillo, TX
Yippee for you! Everything you said is so familar. I have thought and said all these things to myself. It is so nice to come out here and know that you are not the ony one thinking and feeling these things! I love everyone of you! I wish I had found this site months ago... Tammy
Midgie67
on 2/21/08 9:31 pm - Yuma, AZ
I am 6 months out also! Had my surgery on Aug. 21st. Isn't it weird to think 6 whole months? Crazy!!! I am losing and gaining also. I was down 110 lbs last week, gained 5, lost 3...so now I am 108 lbs down...so strange. I blame it on my period LOL and not drinking enough water each day. I have been doing much better on my water intake. I started @ 410 lbs...so to be so close to the 200's is driving me crazy...I just want to see the 2 before the rest of the #s you know? I have gone from a 4x/5x pants to a 2x/1x pants. A 4x shirt to a 1x shirt and bra was 54 DDD now a 42 DDD...it is amazing! I just can't get over it. I just hate hitting the walls, which I have been doing since Christmas. I have stepped up my exercising (who would have every thought ME exercising...not me that is for sure LOL) so I hope the extra helps. Keep up the good work! Hugs, Margery
Brandi F.
on 2/22/08 9:57 am - Hamburg, PA
Waving to Margery!!! Good work, chickie! ~Brandi
Brandi F.
on 2/22/08 9:56 am - Hamburg, PA
Thanks. I love this place too, it's awesome!!
edna5758
on 2/22/08 9:00 am - Bullhead City, AZ
Great job BRANDI, Congratulations...
Brandi F.
on 2/22/08 9:58 am - Hamburg, PA
THANKS!! ~Brandi
justcuz
on 2/24/08 7:16 am - Maricopa, AZ
Thanks for sharing. It's great to see how much we al have in common.
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