Our 18 month surgiversaries

Hard to believe that it has been 18 months! Perhaps we can all give a little update about our progress at this stage. I am pretty close to what I want to weigh. My BMI is 23 or so (155 pounds), and I wear a size medium in most tops, and a size 10 in most pants. I am 5'9", so I am quite pleased with all of that. My energy level did NOT spike like many of yours - I think that there really is something to this chronic/acute fatigue syndrome that the docs think I have. I DON"T think it was caused by my WLS, but by my respiratory infection or flu in December of 06. I am slowly coming back. Everything is easier now - flying, seat belts in cars, walking in the park, going shopping - all of it. I can tolerate anything I care to eat, and I can eat a reasonable amount. I love this surgery. I'm waiting , as I am sure we all are, to see if I have a bounce back weight gain - but I hope that my new eating habits and exercise will help minimize this. Next stop - plastic surgery for my arms and tummy!

Wow, its been 18 months. seems just like yesterday! 5'9? you are tall. Love it!! and a size 9?? watch out now.. That is awesome! I have lost 118 pounds.. I weigh 136 i am 5'5. I wear all different sizes. I have been super tired latley.. Not so much energy like I had a few months ago. I havent gotten sick this year yet (knock on wood) so maybe I am coming down with something? Who knows.. I started dating this guy named Robert. He is sooo nice to me... Tells me I am HOT all day long.. Love it!! He is actually an old friend of my brothers. He was 18 and I was only 14 but I totally liked him back in the day. He googled my name and found my profile here.. So he created a profile just to email me. How sweet huh? His Mom and sister has had the surgery so totally knows all about it.. Seems almost to perfect.. I still have a hard time eating alot of things.. No red meat unless I take tiny tiny nibbles, and only a few. Alot of things still get stuck but not like they use to.. No mil**** cream not even sugar free.. but I know pretty much what I can and cant have so I usually dont have any issues.. I hope everyone gets a chance to update. i would love to hear where everyone is.. Tabby came on line the today to say hi on yahoo and I only had like 5 min to chat. I felt bad.. I will email her soon. sorry to here about the CFS you might have. Hopefully you will start feeling better soon.. PS next for me.. I am building a case with my Doc in hopes my ins will help pay for it.. Hugs and Luvs!!! Tiff

Hi Everyone, I am glad to see you both are well. Yea we made it a year and a half. Well I am still the same I have lost 161 Lbs to date. I weigh 159 and I wear a size 10 on the bottom and a med on top. I am still super paranoid about gaining any of it back. I am so happy for ya Tiff. You are a wonderful person and you deserve to be happy. Well have a great day. Love you all, Amy

Hi Tiff! I want to hear MORE about this guy you are dating! You can email me at [email protected]! Sounds like you are doing well!!!! Hugs, Holly

I've lost (on my best day!) 128 lbs. (309 lbs to 182 lbs) but my weight has fluctuated between 182 and 188 for 6 months! I wear a size L or XL blouse and 14 pants which seems much larger compared to others who have posted. I guess it just depends on the type of clothing, body type and clothing manufacturer. My shoe seize went from 11W to 9 1/2 N which I find most amusing. I also have wrinkly heels. I wonder if I can get a heel lift when I get a body life? As others have said, everything is easier. I love walking up steps - and I choose to take the steps rather than the elevator when there's an option - and not being out of breath! Even though I have more to lose (my goal is 150) my self-confidence is sooo much higher and I'm rarely self-conscious. I generally eat what I'm supposed to, but I'm finding myself getting back into old habits. Exercise has always been a challenge but I'm getting back on track with exercise and food because I'm *terrified* of gaining the weight back and being one of those "failures" we all hear about! Surgery was the best thing I ever did and I'm grateful every day that it was an option for me! My goal is to lose the remaining weight by July 28 (my birthday) and have plastics soon thereafter.

Hi everyone, Evelyn, 5'9" ? Girl, I'm never going to stand next to you, I'd end up w/ a stiff neck, I'm only 5'2". Hope you're feeling better soon. I'm so sorry you're still not up to par. It seems as if any time there's a resp infection it takes so much out of you and takes so long to bounce back to "normal." and the older we get the longer it takes to heal. That sucks!!!!. It's hard to believe that in another six months it will be two years since we all had surgery. Which one of us would ever believe that we would all be at the great weights that we're at now. I know I never would have believed it this time almost two years ago. I also hope to be at or below my personal goal weight by our actual surgirversary date. I've lost 149 pounds, started out at 313 and down to 164 as of today at my pcp's visit. I'm only 5'2" and based on my height I should be around 122 - 125 #, no way on God's green earth. People are already telling me not to lose any more weight. I want to lose at least another 14#'s, for my goal of 150. I'm walking up and down 4 flights of stairs at work, working out in the yard all the time, I try to walk when I'm able. Haven't been able to join a gym yet, money is still really tight till we get mom's estate finalized. Food, oh my God!!!! Help!!!! I'm able to eat and tolerate anything and everything. Nothing seems to bother me. I've even, on really stressful days at the hospital (real sick babies) had 3, count them, 3 reese's peanut butter cups (full size) with out any cramping, diarrhea or foaming. Can you say big problem? Clothes, I'm in an large to extra large depending on the cut. And I can't believe it but I'm tired of going out and buying new stuff, tops, pants, uniforms every couple of months. To all my October sisters: keep up the great work you've all accomplished and be proud of who you are, where you've come from and where you're going. Donna, sfy

Haven't been on here for months, but like all of you I find it hard to believe it has been 1 1/2 years since surgery. I am down from 232 to 129 and wearing a size 4...never dreamed I would say I'm wearing a size 4. I do not have very much problem eating anything in particular just still eat very little. Energy wise I seem to be tired alot, but I have had nothing but allergy problems since November including having to have 2 rounds of antibiotics no sooner had I gotten over that than I had the stomach flu and could hardly eat anything for 3-4 days. This past year has been pretty stressful and one day I'll include you in on it, but not yet as things still aren't fully settled. PS isn't part of plans right now because I can't get my insurance to pay due to no skin problems, etc and other financial expenses won't allow me the opportunity, but maybe one day. I am so proud of each of you and how far you have come....keep up the good work.

Hello everyone. It has been forever since I have been on here but think of all of you quite often. I was going to post an update since we all did hit the 18 month mark and saw that the thread has already been started. One day before my anniversary I hit my goal of 150#. I started out at 339# and have lost 189#. It amazes me that I have lost that much considering my doctor told me that at 175# I would not lose anymore probably. But it is funny how since I have not been able to get the plastic surgery yet, I still am not content with my body. Don't get me wrong, it is so much better than before, that is with clothes on. But I sag EVERYWHERE, and I mean everywhere. I won't be able to wear shorts this summer as the knees look like wrinkled elephant knees, the arms are sagging real bad and of course the belly is unreal. But take that all aside and I am feeling wonderful. I have energy that I don't know what to do with and work full time and still take care of things here at home. Size wise, I have trouble fitting into proper sized pants since the belly is so flabby. It was funny the other day. I finally went to get some jeans and I fit into a size 12. But to put them on I had to grab the belly and "tuck" it into the pants. I usually just wear the knit pants with the elastic waist still. But I am from 5X pants to a 14 or small with the knit pants. Top, I am in a medium for the most part. It is so amazing to be able to go into a store and buy clothing now. To be out of the plus size clothing is so wonderful. I can eat everything imaginable and I really have to watch as I do eat whatever I want. I just know how wonderful I feel and never want to get back to where I was once so I have set the number of 155 in my head, promising myself that I will never get above that again. I have just played around with that number for months and just these past couple days have finally dropped the last couple pounds that I have wanted to. I have gotten turned down twice for the belly tuck,Panniectomy(sp). Even though I have a terrible rash and have submitted pictures and all, they still say that the surgery would be cosmetic, so now I am on an anti fungal cream to see if it will help. I just won't use it like I should, and come 3 months from now, hopefully they will approve the surgery. I know I am easily carrying around an extra 20# of skin. Maybe as time goes on I will have the surgeries I need to remove the excess. Funny though how hubby now calls me bony. Never in a million years would I have ever thought I would be at this point in my life being healthy and fit, being able to do all those things that I only dreampt of doing or envying other of doing. Life is wonderful and I could not have had an easier journey with this. I never dumped, never was unable to eat what I wanted, have not gotten sick since my surgery and need no medications anymore. All I can say is life is wonderful. Well, long enough here babbling, as I could go on forever singing the praises of this surgery and my journey, but I won't bore you any longer. You all know what I am talking about as we have shared this wonderful trip together. Love to all and continued good health and happiness. Gay

I too am celebrating my 18 month surgiversaries. I had WLS in Oct 06. Since preparing for the surgery weighing in at 404 - surgery date 370 now 186. I am grateful and so full of energy. I have lots of excess skin. What do you single women do for dating and what do you tell the guys about your body?

Congratulations to us all on our 18 month surgiversary. I havent posted here in a while, but I still lurk fairly often. Day of surgery I weighed 297. I am 5'1'' so it looks like I am probably the shortest. I have lost a total of 172 pounds and I'm feeling that I probably wont want to lose more than 10 more pounds. I think 115 would be a good weight for me because of my height. I can pretty much eat what I want, but I do get dumping syndrome (headache, rapid heartbeat, dizzy), if I overdo it. If I had the cash I would definately get my arms done, then my upper thighs. My stomach doesnt bother me too much. I am long waisted and short limbed so the stomach doesnt look to bad under clothes, of course, but I would like to be able to wear shorts and short sleeve shirts in the summer. This surgery has been wonderful. I am no longer taking medicine for diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, or using a CPAP machine when I sleep. I feel like I am finally living life instead of watching from the sidelines. I do have a big fear of regain. Hopefully, this fear will be what keeps me in check. I do have my hungry days though. I just try to get right back on track. Thanks to all of you for your continued support.