9 Month Check Up Today!

Hey Gang.. I told ya what I would update after my appointment so here it goes.. I weighed in at 155 on the nose fully clothed and after eating my breakfast/lunch today at the office. I was pretty happy b/c I weighed in at 186.7 on my 6 month visit so I was down 32ish pounds. I was told I have lost 96% of my excess weight at 9 months out! She (the PA) said that was very excellent. I asked her about goal weight.. she said no one knows where I would stop but b/c I am losing 10 lbs a month roughly still that I should "slow down" before I stop, like go to 5 lbs a month or something like that. She said 135 would still be considered ok for someone that is 5'5" and my stature if I was to get there. She said not to be concerned about losing too fast that it should stop where it needs to.. if I get worried to call her. Then we talked about calories... She wants me on no more than 1000 calories still till 1 year out then I can take it to 1200 and never anymore.. this is it for life. I questioned her about this saying doesn't that seem like not enough to maintain.. how does one maintain on this calorie load. The only thing she said is that we are not the "normal" person, our metabolisms have been messed with and we don't "need" as many calories as the "normal" person.. then I asked "even with my running 2 miles a day?" She said yes. That is why she lets me have more protein 90-95 grams a day (i need to get it down its been creeping into the low 100's lately). So that is that.. I get labs drawn at my year appointment in December. Nothing TOO monumental learned today, mostly stuff I already knew but felt the need to question why, etc. She said that I am not the normal patient not try junk food and not eat sugar but as long as I watch my cals, not eat the junk and keep exercising she said I would never gain my weight back. Makes sense.. better not. Ok well I hope I can get to sleep here soon. I am dang tired and that apple I ate went right through me tonight (I know TMI). Fruit and me well ya know.. i try it and then stuff like that happens makes me get away from it again. Argh. Perhaps I eat it too fast. Do any of you feel you can eat pretty normally now as far as speed is concerned? I don't feel I have to slow down although I know I should. Hugs, Melissa

That is a great report Melissa......mine is Monday....I, like you have not tried sugar at all since surgery but sometimes the 'picking' occurrs when i am around junk food....eg vinegar and salt tater chips, tortilla chips at a restaurant, fries, PEANUTS are the worst......crap like that. I have scaled back (quit) all of those things if i ever want to get to GOAL I have to and I WANT it. Shoot i am 5'7 and would LOVE to weigh 135, but for now i am shooting for the top end of my range which is 159. Sounds like you are happy and healthy (cept for the cold) I tried Tylenol Allergy and COld last week when i had the crud and it seemed to serve me well--no drowsiness or disconnected feeling...... Take Care Have a Great Day! Dawn

Hey Dawn! Let us know how the follow up goes.. I love reading those on the boards! Also I will try that tylenol cold.. i need something, i feel like I wanna die.. ugh!

Great job surgery twin! I am really proud of you mini me

Thanks Melissa

Hey, Melissa...Sounds like a good visit! Interesting about the amount of calories; up to 1000 for year #1 then 1200 thereafter. I think I can stay within that guideline. Did the PA mention a reasonable "low" (750-850 calories) for the year #1? I am a bit confused by the concept of "goal". I am 5' 1.5" and was told that 160 Lbs would be my goal from both the surgeon and the nutritionist. Perhaps they were trying to be conservative so that I would not be discouraged. My highest recorded weight was 332 Lbs, but I did drop to 274 Lbs long before surgery. I am going to ask for an updated goal in October because I think 160 Lbs is a bit high for my height. What do you think is going on with the goal setting? I think that it was very positive that the PA seemed to say that your body would find its best weight. Hope that that helps you, as the speed of your loss has been a big concern. You are very mindful of the rules and it shows. Keep up the good work! Ro

The only thing she said is that I was already on the "high" side of cals so I would think she meant closer to 800 or lower. I think thats low though personally but that's just me. I lose great at 1000 cals so for me thats just too little I think. I think it depends on your metabolism, age and activity level a lot. I do think the surgeons give a conservative number so u don't get disappointed that only makes sense.. I say go for where you are comfortable at. I was 280 before surgery. you can go however for you want to.. use your tool good and anything is doable as far as I am concerned. Thanks for the compliments, I appreciate it Ro! Keep up the good work yourself, you are doing great! *hugs*

Hi Melissa, Sounds like you had a great 9 month check-up! Way to go! I have to have my 9 month check-up this coming Monday, I am really dreading it! I just had my 6 month labs done today! UGH! I went a couple of times to get blood work, and it seemed like some thing always came up, the 1st time, I had coffee that morning, which I forgot I could not have, so that knocked me out of it that day. Then the rest of the time, I knew I wasn't getting my vitamins in right, so I kept telling myself, I would really try harder next week............. Oh well. My doctor has me on 1200 calories a day and they want me to get 100-120 proteins a day! So needless to say, I have not lost very well. I have not been weighed since the last of June, so I will probably be very disappointed Monday evening. But I am starting to get healthier, and I feel much better than I did. That is why I never post what I eat, because it is so many calories, I am sorta ashamed. It sounds so high. I had to go to two different hospitals today, one for lab work and one for my yearly mammy-grammy! OUCH! Has anyone had a mammy-grammy since weight loss? It hurts more! I guess we don't have all of that cushiony fat now! ha Hopefully I will find out if I have to change vitamins, I hope I can get a different kind, and not so many. Melissa the apple crisp sounds yummy! Love all of the recipes! Leatha

Wow Leah! Thats a lot of proteins. Honestly I don't know that 1200 isn't A LOT of calories, I have a sneaky suspicion I would still lose on that just fine but maybe as I approach a year it would be different. They say we slow down some after that if we are near goal. I donno, I think everyone is different. It depends on a lot things one being how much you are bypassed I think. Are you bypassed as a distal? I am a medial so from my OWN research 90 proteins is about right for me and for distal its around 120 so it would make sense you get more protein and more cals if you are distal. Sorry to hear about that ouchie mammy.. I haven't had one yet since I am 30 but already not looking forward to it.. I have NO fat on my breasts left.. as the gyno said to her student while she was doing my breast exam "as you can see here.. this pt has lost a tremendous amount of weight and subsequently has nothing but breast tissue left, her adipose tissue doesn't exist any longer" THANK YOU!!! not.. lol. Whatever lol.

Wow, Melissa that all sounds great! I will say it agan, you are an inspiration