Where are you now?

 I finally broke the stall and bad eating choices and lost 5 lbs.

Yay!!

Surgery Status? post-op
Surgery Type? RNY
Surgery Date? Nov 2009

WeightHighest: 265
Current:150
Goal: 160

Starting Sizes:
Pant: 22
Shirts: 2x
Shoes: 9!/2

Current Sizes:
Pants:7-8
Shirts:L
Shoes:81/2

How do you feel?I feel wonderful, I never felt so much energy in my life in so long.  I can walk more and I also quit smoking which helped me a lot to.  I would have never thought about eating healthy until I had wls, and i feel it is the best thing i have ever done cause i saved my life.  I had tried to lose this weight with everything i could think of from pills to all sorts of diets.  I did not succeed but always ended up gaining double the weight.  If i had to do it again I would cause it has help me to get back my self confidence.

Any WOW moments?  Yes, my wow moment was when i took an old pair of  jeans that i was wearing and put it against myself and saw that I had lost a whole other person, it made me feel so great.

Do you have any concerns? My only concern is that i don't want to lose to much weight cause i am afraid i will not be able to get reconstructive surgery,cause of my insurance and will have to live looking saggy,  I have lost my boobs and my stomach doen not look pretty. that is the only concern I have. other then that i feel great.

Hi Lucy,

It sounds like you are doing a wonderful job. I'm about 5'6" and I'm down to the mid/low 130's and that's a little small for me... you can see recent photos of me at my son's wedding on my profile, but to be honest, I don't think I look too bad. So, while I really do understand your not wanting to get to thin, I think you'll probably be fine if you stop somewhere in the neighborhood. 

Keep up the good work!

Hi I'm Lisa

Surgery stats: post -op 1 yr
Surgery: RYN
Surgery date; 07/16/09

Weight; 185
Highest; 380lbs
Goal: 180
Starting sizes; 28/32 pants
Shirts; 4x/5x
shoes: 11 w
current sizes: 14/16 pants
Shirts  XL/ L
shoes 10
How do I feel: FAB.. LOVING LIFE.. instead of life passing me by..
Any wow moments: I can fit any ride at an amusement park, went home for the first time since surgery.. i was no longer the fat girl in the group but actually the smallest

My concerns are that I will not slack off but stay motivate.. I cannot and WILL NOT GAIN ALL THAT WEIGHT BACK.. I want to remain focus... carbs are my enemy.. must be kept at bay just a LITTLE..LOL WILL MY HAIR STOP FALLING OUT.. GRACE JONES HAS MORE HAIR THAN ME..LOL

Hi Lisa,

Congratulations on your astounding success! You've done a great job!! Your hair should stop falling out soon. You might ask your Dr. about trying Biotin w/Zinc however, I understand that Biotin alone is ineffective and Zinc can only be used 30 days at a time because otherwise it builds toxic levels in your system. 

Re: Carbs...I love 'em too and you are right, they can be your downfall if you aren't careful. My solution to this issue, is that I can have carbs, but first I need to have 3 to 4 ounces of lean protein first. This allows me to have my 'proverbial' cake and eat it too. 

Keep up the good work!

Hi everyone, I had gastric bypass on July 12, 2010 and I am in my 3rd week of post-op.  I feel sick all the time, tired and a little depressed.  I keep telling myself it will get better but I feel scared to eat when I get to that point.  I am also having a hard time getting the required water and protein down.  Has anyone else had these problems?
A little background-
starting weight- 242
height-5'3
current weight- 210
I am unsure of my clothes size, I was wearing a 22 but now it seems like I am closer to 18-20.  Any input would be helpful,
thank you
Diane

(((Diane))),

While not everyone shares your experiences, they are more common than you might think. It will get better. Remember that while you probably have half a dozen small incisions, you just had MAJOR surgery and right now, you are malnourished. That combination can definitely cause fatigue and discomfort, but it will pass. It's not uncommon for people to have some issues with depression, as a matter of a fact it's pretty common. If the depression seems excessive or seems to be interfering with activities of daily living, be sure to address it with your Dr. Be sure that you are getting plenty of hydration and do your best to get the prescribed requirement of protein. I don't know if you are aware, but many programs vary a great deal regarding the dietary program, so I'm not sure what you are doing at this point. When I was 3 weeks post op, I was still on full liquids and then transitioned on to 'soft foods.' Try not to be afraid of eating too much when you start 'eating' again. Your tool will seriously gate you in that area for at least the first year or so. Re getting in the Rx hydration and protein. Try to keep a water bottle with you at all times and try to get about 2 or 3 ounces of fluid in every 15 minutes or so. What are you doing for protein at this time?

It sounds like you are making some serious headway with the weight loss. 

Wishing you all the best,

 Seems as if most people in this group had the RNY, so hoping I didn't join a members-only group by accident!! Hope not! :)

Surgery Status?  In the pre-op--have the NUT appt. psych eval left, then I'll schedule a date!
Surgery Type? VSG
Surgery Date? Probably in September

Weight

Highest: 352
Current: 352
Goal: 150

Starting Sizes:
Pant: 24W or 3X 
Shirts: 3X or 22/24
Shoes: 10

Current Sizes: same
Pants: 
Shirts:
Shoes:

How do you feel?  Well I haven't felt any weight loss yet, but I am very excited about the opportunity to make this life changing decision for myself and get on to living my life the way it was supposed to be lived!  I am really wanting this ball to start moving so I can have the surgery and be on the downside, like so many of these wonderful posts I've read! :)

Any WOW moments?  Other than the negative WOW of getting on the scale at my surgeon's office, not so much!  I have felt very WOWed reading posts on the OH website though.  So encouraging and inspiring!

Do you have any concerns?  I am blessed to have a supportive group of people surrounding me.  At this point I honestly don't have concerns because I am ready to give up my unhealthy relationship with food.  My only concern is making sure I do what it takes to get through this surgery with no problems and come out on the other side as a better me!

Thanks everyone!

Kara :-)

Hi Kara,

Welcome and no, you are not in the 'wrong' place. Most people still have the RNY, so there are proportionately more RNY patients, but this is an inclusive group that has representation from just about every surgery type available. While there are some differences in the experiences that people have from one surgery type to another, it has been my experience that overall, the experiences have much more in common than you might imagine. 

Like you and just about everyone else that I know of that has gone through this experience, I have to say that this truly is a life changing experience in ways that I could not have imagined before. I look forward to hearing about your experiences as your new life unfolds.