Question:
Does anybody have any problems being post-op??
I'm thinking more specifically day to day problems and not necessarily negative (funny too). I saw that someone said they have a hard time shopping for clothes now and I was wondering if anyone else finds the thinner side has it's problems too...I thought it might be interesting to know. — Morna B. (posted on September 6, 2002)
September 6, 2002
Someone said, "Life is what happens while you're planning something
else." One problem that I never thought would bother me was
"in-growing" as opposed to outgrowing clothes. Having designer
clothing in size 14, new with tags, and by the time I put them on for work,
TOO BIG. Still, this is a problem which makes me grin as opposed to seat
belt extenders, high blood pressure, societal prejudice and being
unofficial "Stair Speed Monitor" at work. \;~)
Best of everything to you and yours! God bless us every one! CJ
— cjtich
September 6, 2002
Well I have a comment on the clothing theme that the previous poster
starter. You see, for the last 15 or so years while needing first a Large,
then XL, and up to 3XL (for shirt/coat sizes) everything nice looking was
ALWAYS ether small or medium. Well believe me, I never thought I would ever
again wear ether and I am! Now what do you think I'm finding??? Now it
seems that clothing manufacturers are waking up to the fact that a majority
of people are over weight. So now it is had to find mediums... and almost
impossible to get smalls. (I can wear both- often small fits better). Now
even on special order, I often can't get small. GO FIGURE! After all these
years of salivating to wear smalls (at least at my local Walmart and
Carhart stores) atlas... now everything is in my former "FAT
SIZES". Sigh....
— Danmark
September 6, 2002
Clothes shopping has been a bizarre experience. I'm still wearing alot of
my big clothes because of it. Previously if something fit I bought it. I
was basicly lucky that I found anything. Now, I realize I have no sense of
style. I just don't know what I like and I really can't tell if it looks
good on me or not. I still see the super morbidly obese lady in the mirror
and not the only morbidly obese one. LOL The only things I knew for sure
that I wanted were a pair of jeans and a leather jacket. I got the jeans
and 2 weeks later they are too big. And jeans are not like cotton knit
pants. The cotton pants can still be quite comfy if they are loose. Jeans
are not. And I have no idea on what size or style jacket to get. I better
figure it out soon. It's getting colder!. Often I leave the store with
nothing because I'm just so confused...but it is a good confused and I
wouldn't change a thing! I'll figure it out in time!
— LisaTaz
September 6, 2002
While losing weight I prefer to shop at the thrift stores so I don't waste
too much money. It seemed like when I was an MO, that everything was
smaller in size, now it seems like I find a lot of plus size clothing there
now. I figure its because there are so many more people having this
surgery now and that there are more MO's getting rid of their big clothing.
I also find that shopping is confusing because the style is different in
smaller clothing than in the plus sizes. I'm not used to being 'hip and
in-style'. Takes a little time to get used to that. And the choices can be
overwhelming, there is SO much more to choose from. The plus size section
was always too small and had a lot of 'granny clothing'. But all of this
change is really great! Its fun!
— Cheri M.
September 6, 2002
Well I do have some troubles... My backside hurts since I lost all the
padding. Sitting for longer than 15 minutes in a unpadded chair reminds me
to get up and move. My work is less productive. I repair machines in
schools and see my customers twice a year at most. ALL want to know are you
ill, how did you loose the weight, etc. I dont mind but it slows me down.
Occasionally I run into a MO who wants detailed info. I have made many new
or better friends, but I get less done each day, less accomplished is fewer
$ when your self employeed/ . Now and then I make a bad food choice and
feel YUK for under a half hour. This occured last night, some onion rings
would of been fine but Jen wanted a blooming onion and it was HUGH, we both
ate too much and that comnbined with fudge just did not work. Jen wanted to
eat at the irish festival, now what does a blooming onion and fudge have to
do with Ireland?:( Our problems all like this are minor, in comparison with
our health problems pre op. <P> Jen would tell you her problems and
my delights are her getting used to wearing high heels, dresses, pantyhose,
earrings, fake finger nails, Femine articles she wouldnt do before surgery
when her breathing was so bad she had trouble walking up steps, and her PCP
put her on disability. <P> WLS doesnt fix all your troubles, were
broke but all in all life is GREAT!
— bob-haller
September 7, 2002
ahhh.. everyone should have these problems right? clothes shopping is a
problem.. because sizes vary so much.. I can wear one size in one store,
but its too small in another... .. but.. my real problem is .. right now..
just starting to go from summer to winter clothes.. I don't think I have
any that fit... my partner reminded me this morning to take some long pants
(jeans) on an overnight trip we're taking today... so I pulled out two
pairs of jeans to take with me.. and they were too big.. then more.. too
big... *laughing* nice problem.. but I'll freeze if it gets cold tonight!
— Lisa C.
September 7, 2002
Hi, Your question made me think and laugh. What I have really noticed are
that my boobs have become rather pruney,and I also have some loose skin
under my neck,LOL. I am also happily finding out that I have a collarbone !
And a tailbone ! I really have less of a problem with clothes, as in the
past I would search for anything to fit and hide my weight. LOL. Now it
seems like their are so many options. I prefer to wear jeans,and tee's
,now. Mentally I still have a hard time with serving my self large
portions of food only to realize that I can't eat it all, and I still have
a distorted body image. When I look in the mirror I still see myself being
morbidly obese. It takes time to get 'to really see yourself'.I wouldn't
give up a moment of any of this though. This surgery saved my life !!
— Sherry S.
September 7, 2002
I seem to have more trouble finding clothes now. I used to wear a 24/26
plus size. I have a favorite consignment store that has alot of plus size
stuff. I found that as I have change sizes....the selection has become
smaller. I am a 14 now. My taste in clothes is changing. My skirts are
shorter and my heels a little higher! Even with the shopping problems....I
wouldn't change a thing. Kim
— [Deactivated Member]
September 7, 2002
I LOVE shopping now!! I'm in a size 8 and want to move down to a 6 and
I've found that even an 8 is VERY hard to find in stores and a size 6 is
almost impossible to find. The stores seem to cater to 12, 14, 16 and 18
sizes. I've also found that my butt hurts when I sit for more then about
15 minutes because I don't have the padding back there that I once did!!
— Patty H.
September 7, 2002
OK, Here is my only gripe...FAST FOOD. I do not mean McDonalds happy meals
or anything. I mean that I still feel, even 9 months later, I have to think
too hard about WHAT to eat. It is not simple for me. I plan to make sure
that I am doing, or at least close to doing, the right thing. Other then
that, my only other complaint is the amount of clothes that I have had to
get rid of, and all the clothes that I have only gotten to wear once or
twice as I was shrinking.
— Vicki L.
September 7, 2002
Leftover-lots of them! If you go out to eat, like for lunch and order one
of those lunch salads, you take home more than 1/2 of it, and salad does
not stay good for too long. I have thrown away more food in the past 6
months! I wish things came in small quantites instead of
"family" sized packages. As for clothes, I , too, love thrift
and consignment store shopping. The dilema now is that winter is still a
few months off and I am sooo tempted to buy the winter clothes,but hold
back because what if they don't fit a few months from now? Small problems
in the long run!
— Cindy R.
September 8, 2002
i have found that being sensitive to others is my problem. let me
explain,,, i was always one of those funny big girls, i'd crack on my
weight and the clothes i wore. i have friends and co-workers who are also
obese and alot of times i forget i've lost as much weight as i have. i'll
make a joke and it doesn't seem to go over very well anymore. i also
offered some of my old clothes to a co-worker that was in that size(she had
told me her size) and she seemed to get upset. i felt bad. i should have
waited for her to ask. this isn't a major problem, but one i have to pay
close attention to since it is not my intention to upset anyone who is my
friend or happens to be obese.
— Jessica O.
September 8, 2002
Speaking of clothing... I have a problem in adjusting to wearing clothes
that actually fit, not just cover up. I have a friend who's MO and she has
a tendency to wear things that are too tight, show every bulge. I've always
been the opposite, liking to have baggy comfortable clothes that I now
realize only made me look bigger. I want clothes that fit and I think I'm
finally getting there. I have found that especially in Plus Sizes, if
you're an Apple Shape, you have a heck of a time with clothes being too big
in the hips and butt and too small in the waist. Does this get better as we
get smaller? I'm currently a size 20, down from 24 pants and 26 tops. -
Anna LAP RNY 7/3/02 -60lbs.
— Anna L.
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