Everybody update!!!

This site is so slow I thought maybe anyone who still checks in might like to give a short update on what is going on in their life. I have just started working at a local hospital in a Cancer Treatment Center as an office manager. For the first time in a very long time I feel fullfilled, no I am not a brain surgeon but what I am doing really does make a difference in people's lives and that makes me feel very good. My marriage could still be better, but most days are good. I guess I really can't complain. I think that we are trying to do more as a couple-we are going to NYC this weekend (first time for both of us) to see a Yankee game and a couple weeks ago we went to NH to a Nascar race. My kids are now 14, 12 and 5 and are all handfuls in their own"special" way. I think they are going to drive me nuts before they are 16-and then what it going to happen once they can drive? As far as my weight goes I still want to get back down to 140-145. I am trying to stay motivated by walking every morning at 5 before I go to work. I just get so frustrated because even now that I am exercising the weight is not coming off and I just keep adding more and more. It probably doesn't help that the drug reps where I work bring in lunch 2-3 times a week. I am still fighting my old demons with soda and the score is demons 2564 Christine 3. Has anyone really had success with that "diet" to get you back off carbs, I can't remember what it is called? Anyway here are my current measurements: Starting weight 281 Current weght 158 Lowest weight 138 Goal Weight 140-145 Height 5'10 Hope everyone is doing well and I hope to hear from everyone soon. Christine

Nice to see someone else checks out this place. I don't work out of the house. I watch my grand daughter a few times a week. She is 10 months old and an angel. I take her for walks when it is nice and she loves the pool ! I have started to gain which is getting me down. I know it's my fault. I have gone back to grazing and have to stop it. I have become lax in taking my vitamins and have to get my behind in gear again. There is something called the 5 day pouch test. I haven't tried it yet. I still need to get in more protein. I am back to not eating right which makes me gain again. Take care Sandy

I was just on another show this week.. "Divorce Court" I was on it as a witness. SOmeotime the show does "Before the Vows". I was there to tell judge why I DIDNT want her to marry her asswipe of a boyfriend.. Well he called me her " TOKEN FAT FRIEND" everyone has them he said.. WHY I ALMOST.... if we wouldve been on Jerry SPringer, I wouldve Cole ****ed him.. I dont care he's a BOXER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eating.. well... I am trying a different approach. I stopped eating meat. I eat a lot of soy substitute and protien to get in, but weight not going down.. I weigh between 166 & 169 lbs.. My lowest was 141 lbs, but that was too low.... I excersize everyday, and although I can eat more, I do not drink sodas.. I believe a lot of my weight is muscle gain, cuz my legs are looking better, everyone mentions it, but I hate that they are going back to the form they were before!!! I am now keepin stable at that weight, but REALLY need to lose... I would like to be 154, but I really BLEW my goal away by being under 185 lbs...

It was a surprise to see a recent post on here, I have stopped by a few times and there has been nothing new. Guess I should have posted somethin then huh? Im starting to gain,,up 13 pounds from my lowest and starting to panic. I havent really been eating junk, just a lot of slider foods that dont keep me satisfied, so I eat too much!! There are still alot of things, mostly meats, that dont sit well with me. Grazing and night eating are the demons I fight! I went grocery shopping today and bought some stuff for good dense protein meals,,like fish and ground chuck. I did the 5 day pouch test right after the holidays, and it really works. It reset the sensitivity of my pouch where I dumped on stuff again,, and was satisfied with less, and the cravings all went away. I would start it again, but IM gonna be gone this weekend a lot, and its just not feasible. I may do it next week. It was refreshing to know that there are still some of you out there. Can ya beleive its almost 3 y ears? remember when we were all waiting for our surgery dates? Where did the time go?? Have a great weekend! Betsy

Hi All, Well, it's been one heck of a year here for me. My weight loss stopped last fall and because of husband's health and job issues the past 10 months, I started to eat out of control, again, and feel horrible about it. I gained 30 lbs back. I feel absolutely NO restriction in my pouch anymore and can eat LARGE amounts of food, again. I am due to see my surgeon next month, so, I want him to do some tests to see if there's something going on in there that's stretched, or opened up cause this just does not seem right to me. Maybe I'll need a revision? Things emotionally are up and down right now because my husband will probably lose his job/career with the FAA because he had that one seizure last Sept and they will NOT let him control airplanes any longer...he has to be seizure free for two years, but the government won't retain his employment for longer than one year..go figure, you give the US 26 years of your life and they can just kick you out on your a$$ like that. Thank you Mr Bush...Lots of worry going on here and how the heck will we be able to keep the house? How can a 46 yr old man go out and find a new career when all he's been trained in and knows is air traffic control? Not easy. With the economy going on, it's going to be tough...I cannot work cause of my disability... Enough of the poor me's...there's always someone else out there who's worse off than I am... Glad to see people posting again. paula

Paula, I am so sorry to hear about your husband. It is so unfair what can happens sometimes, you wonder where the important people in the world's head's must be sometimes when they make stupid decisions they do. I guess they don't really have to think how their decisions will effect other people because it won't effect them. Did any of that just maKe sense? Have you tried the 5 day pouch test? I tried it for 2 days and gave up. I just thought maybe it would be an option you can try before you get to the doctor. I have also gained about 30 pounds and I know how mad it makes you and how scary it can be to think that after all your hard work that you can gain that weight back. Everytime I step on the scale and I gain a pound I beat myself up for a week and then I gain 3 more pounds. I hope you know that you can email me or call me any time you want to. Just let me know and I will give you my number. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

I'm doing quite well. My lowest weight post-op was 140.2, but I now hover around 150 +/- 5lbs. The goal weight the doctors set was 118, but I have a lot of muscle & heavy bones apparently (according to the Tanita scale), so I don't think I'll ever see that. I suspect I have about 15lbs of excess skin. I fell in love last year, and had a good relationship with a really great guy. We ended things amiably about a month ago. During that time, I got into motorcycles and rock-climbing, which I love. I also play pool two nights a week in a league which is a lot of fun. Healthwise - I seem healthy on the outside. I exercise. I eat right (for a DS'er). I'm able to do 5 mile walks for fun. I can climb a 100' wall. Ride my bike. But my ferritin levels are low, and do not seem to want to increase just with supplementation. They've gone up some, but not as much as I would like. I'm going to talk to my PCP about an iron infusion. I also began having hypoglycemic episodes in January, and I've just gotten in to an endocrinologist to discuss that. I found one who got his degree in nutritional malabsorption so he's really on top of what's happening inside my body. All in all, I'm doing pretty well. --BT

Hi, everyone. It has been an interesting 3 years since surgery. My husband has had a lot of health problems and I have finaly admited that I am a stress eater. I always said it didn't matter I would eat anytime. But I am finding that when he is in the hospital and I am alone all I want to do is eat. There are also good things in my life My second grandaughter got married this past March in Ponta vedra Florid and it was great. My third grandaughter had a baby in December, so I am now a Great Grandma. I don't feel old enough for that. But she is beautiful. I'm still working full time for an insurance company and I love my job. The people I work for are great and have been very good about me taking time off for my husband. There aren't a lot of places that will let you do that. My weight. I haven't lost anything in over a year. I starte at 303 and got down to 207. Now I keep going back and forth between 207 and 214. I am at 214 today. I am starting to go back to protien mainly and cut back on the carbs. I am also a nightime eater and have a real hard time with it. I just hope I can get myself under control and lose. I just want to get under the 200 on the scale. My goal was 170 but the way things are going it doesn't look like I am going to get there. If I could get under the 200 I would be happy. Well I am at work so I better get back. Have a great day everyone. Carol W

Hi everyone  I thought I better do an update too.
I am getting close to my 3 year surgiversary in Sept 08.

I am not at my goal yet.
Really havent had any wls complicatications so to speak.
Did become low in Vit D recently but corrected that right away with RX from Vanderbilt.
They are wonderful.

After my WLS I did need cervical neck surgery with a fusion  and carpal tunnel surgery so that was done. now I have jusr recently had 2 biopsys to check for female cancer, I go into the hospital middle of Sept for another biopsy to check on that. I am post menopausal and have had some problems that arent normal the dr saw after my exam and from what i told him, but God is in control
That put me back from exercising quite a while.
About 2 years ago I started having seizures and so far the Drs havent determined why. One med didnt  stop them, but this new meds has stopped them. I have only had 1 small one. I have a lot of eye problems and they think maybe thats what is causing them so they say I will have to continue taking the meds until I see my specialist  and he might suggest something else.

But I am still losing weight and inches.

My starting BMI was 53 it is now 32, still high but I'm working on it.