1yr and 9 months out!

Haven't been on here in a while so thought I would just come in for a quick "check-in".  I had RNY May of 2014 and was 345 at the heaviest. I'm now proud to say I am 205. I feel I still have a long way to go (only 25 or so lbs to go according to the clinic - but I have my own goal!). I did lose quite a bit of hair at first, though it's starting to sprout again. I've never experienced dumping syndrome (I don't think anyway). I stay clear of anything with more than about 7g of sugar (per serving). I did not quit eating things I enjoyed, but rather minimized them (where i'm not eating them constantly!). I joined a gym, did 22 personal training sessions (they were a gift from someone who had recently quit the gym and had all these sessions left over!). I hated every minute of that but know it was for my own good. I Zumba 5-6x a week at the gym now that i'm at a "dancing weight" again! I do have the bingo wings, excess skin is getting a bit bad, but the skin would be there if I was 300lbs or 200lbs, just less full this way, and healthier :o)  For the first few weeks after surgery, I regretted it. I felt horrible, I couldn't eat anything without getting sick, I couldn't drink anything. About 7 weeks after surgery, it was magical and sudden. I was able to eat and drink without getting sick. Though I do have to say, plain regular water actually gives me pain in my chest. It's sad. If I add Mio or crystal light, it's fine. But pure water gives me pain. The bottled water in Antigua however, I can drink with no pain! I think it's a sign that I should live there.

All in all - don't get discouraged. I'm at a stall with my weight now, goes up a pound, goes down a pound, but I keep shrinking out of my clothes. Not as quickly anymore, but it's happening. I went from a size 26/28 to currently a size 14/16 (depends on the brand). I'm extremely happy with my decision to go through this. It was not easy at the start, but to be honest, it's pretty easy now. I eat when i'm hungry, and just a teeny bit which has become normal. I don't plan out my meals and haven't since the very beginning. I know my body and what I can and should eat, and it's good enough for me! Thanks everyone for listening!! when that scale goes under 200, I will be throwing a friggen party!

Thanks for checking in. You have done a great job. I am the same with plain water and pain. No one has ever really explained why some of us get that pain.

I hope you get to have a onederland party soon.

I know that quite a few people have experienced the "plain water pain" issue - it just seems backwards to me. The more pure the water is, the tougher it is to drink it. Adding some Mio or crystal light seems to make a world of difference - what the heck?!

I used to hate shopping. Shopping ruined my self esteem. Nothing ever fit me right. I never had big boobs but everything else was big, so nothing was ever fitting right. And looking at the size 4x really was painful to me. Now...what's painful is that I have a shopping addiction and my wallet hurts! At least I save some money since regular size clothing is generally cheaper than plus size clothing :)

The crystal light and MIO makes the water slippery and easier to go down.  Like when you add soap to a bucket of water for cleaning and it becomes slippery.

Really? is that why water is so tough to tolerate? and yet...I'm okay with toast! I still find it weird lol My doctor thinks I'm crazy for saying I get pain from drinking plain water (with the exception of my Antigua water). But my surgeon told me that it was quite common for bariatric patients. Good to know why!!

It has to do with the surface tension of the water and how the molecules interact.  Heating water or adding substances to it changes that surface tension and makes it easier for us to drink.  It was several years before I was comfortable with plain cold water.