Questions

I'm having a few problems I need some advice on. The first thing is I seem to have a lump right under my breastbone. I know that I had a heital hernia repaired at the same time as my RNY, and I guess that could be the cause of the "lump." It doesn't hurt, but it catches on the bottom of my breastbone sometimes when I bend over and that's uncomfortable. No pain, just this little pop as it slides over that bone. Should this concern me? It doesn't seem to concern anyone else. I'm having the worst time getting in my water/liquids. I'm pretty sure I'm borderline dehydrated all the time now. I do really try, but lately the liquids just make me sick. I'm also fairly sure this is why I only lost a pound last week. By now, I should be used to it shouldn't I? I also seem to be losing weight everywhere BUT my waist. Or more accurately, I think, when I lose weight, it all SAGS to my waist. I'm a 2x or so around my chest and neck, down from a 5x. But still have to get a 3x or 4x for my waist. It's frustrating. Is anyone else finding that their waist isn't shrinking as fast as the rest of them? I'm feeling pretty low right now. First really strong batch of depression since surgery, which is pretty scary. I can see myself slipping back into bad habits if I'm not careful. So these things are concerning me fairly strongle.

I have a hard spot right under my breast bone to. I have always had it the the smaller I get the more I feel it. Sometimes it feels larger. But my doctor said all is fine. I think it is my new stomach. I would ask your dr. On your fluids. Do you like ice tea. You need to get those fluids in oneway or the other. I love ice tea and put splenda in it. That is how I get most of my extra water in. I had depression off and on since sugery I ended up on meds. Okay Mike I know how I preach excercise all the time. Walking is what toned my mid section up. Walking is the best excercise for you waist and stomach. You can read up on that. And keep on that elliptical and keep swimming.. But walking is honestly what is going to shrink your stomach. I drink a liption caffine free lemon ice tea. I drink that all the time. I just love it. If your depression gets any worse you might want to see your Dr. There is help for it. No need to feel that way. I think you are doing wonderful. Losing 1 pound is better than no pounds. I dont think your slipping back into any old habits. I think your body is taking a rest. A big Hug Your way Barb

Mike, I really can't help you with the lump under your breastbone. The only advise I would give you is to keep asking questions about it until you get an answer that you are comfortable with. You know your body and if this is something that concerns you that you should make your doctor concerned about it also. I have a hard time with my water also. I am probably in the same boat as you as far dehydration goes. And as you know I don't lose much weight on a given week. I just started drinking crystal light again, which comes in quite a few flavors. When you say you are getting sick do you mean physically? I know whenI had the stricture I had I couldn't keep even water down. I am not sure if it is too late for you to develop such a thing. Was your waist your largest body part? I know that my butt and legs are my biggest part and they just don't seem to be getting any smaller. Of course they are the thing that I am looking to get rid of the fastest. I know that alot of people are my weight and are in much smaller sized clothes. I find this very frustrating. I know alot of people have problems with their waist line because everthing from the top seems to sag to their waist. Maybe with all the success you have had so far now that the weight isn't coming off quite as fast you are feeling disappointed. I think with all the expectations that we have for ourselves it is really easy to get into a depressed funk- been there a couple of times myself. Try to remember that you are only human- allowed to make mistakes, and when you do just get up and dust yourself off and start over again. Hope this has helped even a little, Christine

Oh yea, by far my gut was the biggest thing. By far. I've been trying to predict the weight loss and it just isn't easy to do, and I suppose predicting it is a recipe for disappointments.

YEP, my problem is similar, I lose on my top, but my bottom...OH BROTHER.. 77 lbs, and just one size down... HOLD ON..a bumpy ride, but well worth it... I'm with ya, we'll get through this together... God Bless. Tanya 349/358/**281**/185

Even my thighs are shrinking, just not my gut. Grrrrr. You're right... Together.

I was biggest through my middle also and still am. My doc said that seems to be the last to go in his experience hang in there im sure its getting smaller. The thing is everything else is too so the stomach seems really large still even though its probably shrinking just like everything else. My bigggggggggg!!!!!! tummy will actually fold in half now. eww sounds gross right but i figure this means its breaking up and going away if there is room. My husband told me i feel different i guess i always though fat people were nice and squishy but he said i felt hard i guess my skin was stretched to its limit and so it made it feel really firm. I have days of depression im impatient and want to be at goal now. lol Dont we all. Cant say i really miss food too much. I also am not drinking enough ive been working night shift and drink way too much coffee to stay awake and then sleep the day away. Next week ill be back to the land of daylight thank goodness. Keep your head up. The lumps im not sure of. I have knots on my back that feel like they are at the edge of bone. I have had them for awhile and they are sore sometimes my doc says we will see how big they are when all the weight is off. I thik they are fatty like tumors i also have a couple in my arm. Tammy O

Hi Mike! I am not a doctor or anything but that lump in your chest could just be some scar tissue from your surgeries. But I would ask your doctor the next time you are in to see him/her. I can completely feel ya when it comes to the liquids thing. I get so full from trying to drink all the water that we are suppose to that I feel physically sick. This morning in fact I had my husband get me a glass of water because I was dying of thirst and all I did was take a little sip and that almost made me throw up. I don't understand that at all. About your waist...I jus****ched a program on discovery health and they had mentioned on it that men that have gastric bypass surgery for some reason have a hard time losing their waist. And depression from what I have been told is common after gastric bypass surgery. I doctor suggests that at the first onset of depression we ask for an anti-depressant to take for a short period of time. You are doing great! I think this is a hard time for all of us right now. If we all just pull together we will all get through this and by this summer we will all be totally different people. Melanie

Hi there Mike, Sorry you're feeling blue. I've been kind of going through that myself the last several days and don't know why, but am starting to perk up. Don't you worry about your stall! My gosh, what a role-model you are! Very inspirational to us all, but you are not superman. Expect your body to do this every once in a while. Looking at my stats~they're TERRIBLE, slooow! I stalled for probably a month about a month out and thought, like so many, "yep, I'm going to be the one person who screws this thing up!" It's going along better now, but I have to say, I'm no angel bariatrically speaking. If there were a rule breaker, you are lookin' at her. Bad habits die hard and although I REALLY thought I wasn't "addicted" to foods in the past, it seems clear now that indeed I am. Why else would I eat when I'm not hungry or reach for foods that I shouldn't have? Crazy... Concerning the tummy area, my problem EXACTLY! I am so frustrated by that. I was practically as big around the waist as I was in height. I haven't went down in pants but one size. I don't understand it either. My face, shoulders, chest and rear are slimmer to be sure, but the very area I hate the most is stubborn and doesn't want to leave. That's why I resist putting my pics now online. You wouldn't be able to tell much of a difference in before and afters. I want to be at goal NOW!! Like most, I know it's gonna happen, but I want to get on with the thin life, ya know? So much to look forward to. Okay, I'll stop rambling, but just cheer up! I hate to see people sad. You'll get there soon enough, my friend. Hugs, Kelly

Michael, About the lump, have your doctor check it out...if he's not worried, I wouldn't. If it gets bigger, or becomes painful, I would definitely follow up with him again. About the fluids, as soon as I start to drink, I get sick to my stomach. I've had this ever since I first had the surgery. When I talked to my doctor about he told me to keep drinking...to drink past the nausea. I know it sounds gross, but it does work. I can't drink plain water, I've been drinking watered down cranberry juice, or water with lemon, but still struggling. About the spare tire...me too. I've lost inches, but not as many around my middle. It's hell trying to buy pants. I'm down to a 20/22 from 28/30, but I think my legs are a size 14! I just moving on the "demon" elliptical. About feeling low...did you know yesterday was the most depressing day of the year? The post holiday blues I guess, and for us September babies, we're just starting to realize there's a certain amount of work that will go into our post-wls lifestyle. For me I'm learning what the statement, "the surgery is only a tool" really means. In my support group we talk about not giving into negative thinking, and stopping the negative tapes. If you think it, you will become it. I'm more sad that I have had to give up my old friend..... food. It's almost like I'm in mourning. Plus the fact that the weight loss has slown down, it makes it even harder. I try to focus on the joys that the surgery has brought me. I'm trying not to sound too much like Pollyanna, but when I decided to go though with weight loss surgery, I promised myself I would do what it took to be successful. If that means moving out of my comfort zone, I'm going to do it..like going to support groups or the gym. I would make that list of all the things you're thankful for since having your surgery. I know it must be as long as mine. Always remember, if you think it, you will become it. Hang in there... Linda R