...and a millstone

Jupiter6
on 5/13/07 6:56 am - Near Media, Pa- South of Philly, NJ

No, but seriously-- I posted before/after progress pics-- top left in my profile. Anyone seeing anything at all? -Shari

"Oh sweet and sour Jesus, that is GOOD!" - Stephen Colbert Lap RNY 7/07-- Lap Gallbladder 5/08--
     Emergency Bowel Repair 6/08 -Dr. Meilahn, Temple U.   Upper and Lower Bleph/Lower Face Lift
     12/08
     Fraxel Repair 2/09-- Lower Bleph Re-Do 5/09  -Dr. Pontell, Media PA Mastopexy/Massive
     Brachioplasty/ Extended Abdominoplasty (plus Mons Lift and Upper Leg lift) / Hernia Repair
     6/24/09 ---Butt Lift and Lateral Thighplasty Scheduled 7/6/10 - Dr. Ivor Kaplan VA Beach
     Total Cost: $33,500   Start wt: 368   RNY wt: 300 Goal wt: 150   Current wt: 148.2 BMI: 24.7

Janine P.
on 5/13/07 7:06 am - Long Island, NY

DS on 05/03/11

I can see a difference, yeah!

Janine Me on Youtube

Jupiter6
on 5/13/07 7:17 am - Near Media, Pa- South of Philly, NJ

RNY on 07/16/07

I'm not sure *I* can-- it's a drop in a very big bucket! Thanks, though!

"Oh sweet and sour Jesus, that is GOOD!" - Stephen Colbert Lap RNY 7/07-- Lap Gallbladder 5/08--
     Emergency Bowel Repair 6/08 -Dr. Meilahn, Temple U.   Upper and Lower Bleph/Lower Face Lift
     12/08
     Fraxel Repair 2/09-- Lower Bleph Re-Do 5/09  -Dr. Pontell, Media PA Mastopexy/Massive
     Brachioplasty/ Extended Abdominoplasty (plus Mons Lift and Upper Leg lift) / Hernia Repair
     6/24/09 ---Butt Lift and Lateral Thighplasty Scheduled 7/6/10 - Dr. Ivor Kaplan VA Beach
     Total Cost: $33,500   Start wt: 368   RNY wt: 300 Goal wt: 150   Current wt: 148.2 BMI: 24.7

MelindaR
on 5/13/07 8:46 am - Lansing, MI

VSG on 01/16/08

Shari you are looking GREAT!!!! Congratulations on the loss. I can tell a difference. Way to go

Donnamarie
on 5/13/07 9:22 am - NY

Lap Band on 03/29/11

Okay, I asked the most honest person I know if they saw a difference. My 14 year old who is too dang honest for his own good, said YES there is a huge different Mom, don't you see it? i said, yeah I see it but I would tell her I did even if I didn't so as not to hurt her feelings!!! So how's the honesty of a teenager who could care less about weight????

"Accountability first to yourself, then nobody else matters"

Jupiter6
on 5/13/07 9:46 am, edited 5/13/07 12:27 pm - Near Media, Pa- South of Philly, NJ

RNY on 07/16/07

Perfect! I teach 14 year olds, but can't show them pics of me in a swimsuit! It was actually students that let me know now was my time-- while I have always been supersized, I didn't always look like hell-- and several times in January, teen girls'd say, "Miss S...are you okay? Your face looks really tired" or "You have really dark black circles under your eyes-- do you have some kind of sickness?" I realized then that I wasn't just fat anymore, but damaged, and sick. I couldn't sleep. I was depressed-- not from the weight, but because my body was sick. Everything hurt. So when my girls confirmed what I was feeling, I decided now's a good time to go forwards. I share the numbers with a couple of chubby girls I know whose esteem isn't great. They're my biggest fans, and they inspire me daily! -S.

"Oh sweet and sour Jesus, that is GOOD!" - Stephen Colbert Lap RNY 7/07-- Lap Gallbladder 5/08--
     Emergency Bowel Repair 6/08 -Dr. Meilahn, Temple U.   Upper and Lower Bleph/Lower Face Lift
     12/08
     Fraxel Repair 2/09-- Lower Bleph Re-Do 5/09  -Dr. Pontell, Media PA Mastopexy/Massive
     Brachioplasty/ Extended Abdominoplasty (plus Mons Lift and Upper Leg lift) / Hernia Repair
     6/24/09 ---Butt Lift and Lateral Thighplasty Scheduled 7/6/10 - Dr. Ivor Kaplan VA Beach
     Total Cost: $33,500   Start wt: 368   RNY wt: 300 Goal wt: 150   Current wt: 148.2 BMI: 24.7

Patience P.
on 5/13/07 10:22 am - French Settlement, LA

VSG on 12/16/08

Oh there is definately a change. You go Girl! The question I pose to you is: Do you think in all honesty that you can keep the weight off without wls? I can only tell you about my experiences, I have done the diets and even though my DH had the surgery and I am doing what he is doing for an eating plan, I cannot honestly tell anyone - people I know and even strangers I don't know - that I can do this forever. If we could afford for me to have the surgery I would do it in a heart beat. I have many health problems like you and I am doing what I can to reduce my size. I know me well enough to know that I usually stick to something for a while then sneak and cheat here and there then say I quit. Like I said I am telling you what is in my heart and how I think. Take for what it's worth, about 2 cents. Patience

Jupiter6
on 5/13/07 11:05 am, edited 5/13/07 11:11 am - Near Media, Pa- South of Philly, NJ

RNY on 07/16/07

I will be having RNY Bypass Surgery. That having been said, yes, I think I can keep it off, but that's not the whole issue. The truth is, super morbidly obese people (a BMI over 60, as mine was) according to my doctors and nutrtionist--are very rarely able to get their BMIs low enough to eliminate their co-morbidities or completely assuage physical pain. The tendency is to lose a very large amount of weight (like 100-150 pounds) which gets you a good amount of the way there, but then, depending on your situation, that sort of loss might not be enough to live with for life. Apparently, those with so much to lose tend to hit a setpoint, below which it is very difficult to lose. I have seen this happen in some very motivated, savvy women I know, and have no reason to believe my body would behave any differently. I started at 368 pounds, and at a place where my systems are breaking down, and I have tremendous back pain. A 100 pound loss would lessen a lot of miseries-- but as I age, it may not prove to be enough. Because the average loss is about 60% of your "additional weight" (over your goal weight), I figure that it's of tremendous advantage to start with the lowest BMI possible. Additionally, it will be much easier for the surgeon to visualize my internal organs and manipulate them as needed if my pre-op diet helps reduce the fat layer that surrounds them. And lastly, a balanced pre-op diet plan makes it easier to start thinking about the dietary restrictions and vigilance required of post-surgical patients: learning to be mindful now will make it easier to be mindful later. It's my intention to resume my present eating plan a couple years down the line, and use it for life, to maintain my losses. It's nice to know it's possible before I even get there. I've given this a LOT (6 months of daily ruminating) thought, and this is the conclusion I have come to for myself. I think other ways would work for other people, but this is the best thing I can do given the information I have. Hope that answers your question! -S.

"Oh sweet and sour Jesus, that is GOOD!" - Stephen Colbert Lap RNY 7/07-- Lap Gallbladder 5/08--
     Emergency Bowel Repair 6/08 -Dr. Meilahn, Temple U.   Upper and Lower Bleph/Lower Face Lift
     12/08
     Fraxel Repair 2/09-- Lower Bleph Re-Do 5/09  -Dr. Pontell, Media PA Mastopexy/Massive
     Brachioplasty/ Extended Abdominoplasty (plus Mons Lift and Upper Leg lift) / Hernia Repair
     6/24/09 ---Butt Lift and Lateral Thighplasty Scheduled 7/6/10 - Dr. Ivor Kaplan VA Beach
     Total Cost: $33,500   Start wt: 368   RNY wt: 300 Goal wt: 150   Current wt: 148.2 BMI: 24.7

Jupiter6
on 5/13/07 11:10 am - Near Media, Pa- South of Philly, NJ

RNY on 07/16/07

On May 13, 2007 at 5:22 PM Pacific Time, Patience P. wrote:

Oh there is definately a change. You go Girl! The question I pose to you is: Do you think in all honesty that you can keep the weight off without wls? I can only tell you about my experiences, I have done the diets and even though my DH had the surgery and I am doing what he is doing for an eating plan, I cannot honestly tell anyone - people I know and even strangers I don't know - that I can do this forever. If we could afford for me to have the surgery I would do it in a heart beat. I have many health problems like you and I am doing what I can to reduce my size. I know me well enough to know that I usually stick to something for a while then sneak and cheat here and there then say I quit. Like I said I am telling you what is in my heart and how I think. Take for what it's worth, about 2 cents. Patience

Patience- you wrote, " I cannot honestly tell anyone - people I know and even strangers I don't know - that I can do this forever." Even with surgery, you will need to monitor your intake -- for life. The food intolerances and malabsorption lessen in time. Think about that-- without it, you can easily end up in the unfortunate lot of people *****gain most of their weight post-surgically, and I can't think of a sadder state-- can you?

"Oh sweet and sour Jesus, that is GOOD!" - Stephen Colbert Lap RNY 7/07-- Lap Gallbladder 5/08--
     Emergency Bowel Repair 6/08 -Dr. Meilahn, Temple U.   Upper and Lower Bleph/Lower Face Lift
     12/08
     Fraxel Repair 2/09-- Lower Bleph Re-Do 5/09  -Dr. Pontell, Media PA Mastopexy/Massive
     Brachioplasty/ Extended Abdominoplasty (plus Mons Lift and Upper Leg lift) / Hernia Repair
     6/24/09 ---Butt Lift and Lateral Thighplasty Scheduled 7/6/10 - Dr. Ivor Kaplan VA Beach
     Total Cost: $33,500   Start wt: 368   RNY wt: 300 Goal wt: 150   Current wt: 148.2 BMI: 24.7

Patience P.
on 5/13/07 9:57 pm - French Settlement, LA

VSG on 12/16/08

You are correct. Even with surgery one's mind must understand what the person has done to the body and WHY. As with any tool, it works if you work it. Putting in junk will creat junk. What I am trying to say,I think, is that with the right mindset and the right tool(vsg for me) I would and could get to where my bmi is "normal" and stay there. I have read a lot since my DH's surgery and evidence seems to show that the VSG seems to be the one with the least amount of side effects in the short term and the long term. You see for me the way my brain and tummy are connected, they don't care what I eat as long as I eat enough to fill my tummy. Good or bad food choices, they con't care. Even with surgery, you will need to monitor your intake -- for life. The food intolerances and malabsorption lessen in time. Think about that-- without it, you can easily end up in the unfortunate lot of people *****gain most of their weight post-surgically, and I can't think of a sadder state-- can you? No I can't, that would truely be a tragidy. I know how important its is to have a support system in place. I am also a recovering alcoholic with 13 1/2 years of sobriety. It hasn't always been easy but it has been a wonderful journey. Thank you for giving my an opportunity to think about what I should consider. The whole picture, not just the easy parts.

...and a millstone

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...and a millstone