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Hard to be just a lil over 5 weeks ago, I was riddled with nerves wondering if I was making the right decision to have surgrey. Today, I know having the VSG was the best decision I could have made for my long-term health. It has re-engergized my motivation to work out and already so much of my confidence is being restored... Last week, I blogged about how I was bothered and now I guess I realized I am hurt that my ex-boyfriend had not acknowledged my weight loss. Well I talked to him about it and how that makes me feel. I am not sure what I expected to get out of it because I as reflect on the conversation, I am not sure he ever said he has noticed I lost weight. In fact, I do not realize much of the conversation, only that I walked away from it unsatisfied with his response. But life goes on... On the positive side, though my ex is not noticing so many other folk are noticing my weight loss and it is really a good feeling. I met up with friends over the weekend and none of them knew about the surgery and so I was worried about addressing the weight loss and not drinking. Well the not drinking never came up because I kept a cranberry juice in my hand and they only had good things to say about my weight loss...No questions as to what I was doing but just that I looked good...I also have began to see the weight loss in myself. When I was smaller, I always thought I had a long, giraffe neck so I hated my neck. Well I notice that giraffe neck coming back and I have never been happier to see it... And I am also noticing it in my midsection...It doesnt stick out under my boob like it used to...Shirts and dresses fix so much better...Yayy... Oan: Despite the warning against tomato based things because of acid issues, I thought I would give chili a try. Bad move. Other than the protein shakes that i grew tired of, it is really the only food that I have reacted bad too. Other foods have made me feel bad but more because I ate to fast and not because of the food itself. So for now, I am not doing tomato based because I already have enough issues with heartburn. I am pretty much able to eat most things. I went to our farmer's market this past weekend and ate fried noodles...It was just about a cup but still I know I was so out of line. It made me work out harder. I got mile 3 mile walk/run jog done in 43 minutes. I started out at 60 minutes... I am so happy that my stall/weight gain from last week did not carry on into this week. Last week I picked up two pounds by the time of weigh in. I actually picked up three pounds by Saturday evening. But today I am happy to report I got those pounds I gained off and then some... VSG 08/17/12 HW 232 SW 227 (5'8) Last Week 210.4 CW 205.4 ... It may be ambitious but I am going for 199.8 by Friday's weigh in. I am already down to 204 today so I gt 4.2lbs to make it happen. I am going to push the workouts and stick to high protein/low carb for the week. I want Wonderland...I want Wonderland...and with it so close it makes me go even harder for it.

So had my sleeve done on 9/19/12 and the first day post surgery getting out of the recovery room was very hard, lots of pain on my neck, my mouth was very dry and my throat was hurting from the tube that was inserted, plus i think since i had a hiatal hernia and they did some work via my esophocus it felt worse :-( Overall though i have to say it was all worth it, now just have to get used the sipping and drinking lots of water all the day to avoid getting dehydrated as per Dr. Nish. 8/31/12 i weight in at 239 at Dr. Nish's office when i went in for surgery on Wed. 9/19/12 i was 228 lbs. this morning 9/23/12 i was 223 lbs. I'm very excited to go have gone through this, wished it would have been approved 10 yrs. prior. Very thankful with God family and friends, that everything went well.

So not a whole bunch has happenend since my last blog, just hungry still. I thought it would become easier but it hasn't. Day 3 was the worst so far; I had headaches and was even nauseous for most of the day. However I'm still trying to stay posistive. I finally told my family about my surgery and they gave me some much needed encouragement. Most everyone in my family is small, like sizes 4 thru 8. So I'm excited about looking like I too am part of the skinny jeans family. We had a yard sale on Saturday and I went ahead and got rid of a whole bunch of clothes. We made over $400, so now I have some funding for a new wardrobe when the time comes. I never really knew how dedicated you must be in order to do this. I knew it would be hard, but I guess food is a bigger krutch for me than I realized. I do feel great about getting rid of everyting though. I keep trying to focus on the payoff. No health problems and no uncomfortable rolls of fat. However like most people I'm so ready to get back to normal, and I haven't even really started. I have so far to go. 4 months before regular food. I think we forget how much food is not only for nourishment, but also how socially it affects things too. Get togethers, BBQ's, social gatherings, dinner time with famiy, date night, all of these and a million more not mentioned all involve or revolve around food. So before I end this entry, a little advice... don't sit around like I am. STAY BUSY during your diet and try not to dwell on not eating. Try not to plan anything that has food involve. Wishing all good luck and would love to hear from those who got thru this that were weak like me.

I just realized that I have lost 49lbs altogether, and that I have 99 to go to reach my goal! That's less than 100lbs! Yay for me! Good thing I can't go eat to celebrate that...because I want to party and celebrate. I'll just have to enjoy that I'm getting better and that the sun is shining, and soon I'll be back outside walkin in it!...maybe even jogging a little! I picked 160 as a midpoint of where I'd really like to be and where I was once before. At 189, the last time I had lost 63lbs....I was happy...then I gained it and more back. I was 165 or so when I got home from the Army, years ago, and that was ok...but when I was my thinnest, and felt the healthiest...I was 145-150. I had starved myself down to 138 one time, when I was going in the Marines...but honestly, I was sick as a dog and if I ate anything, I could not maintain that weight. I remember thinking I wanted to eat a houseplant that was in one of the offices I was in at that time, because I could not maintain that horribly small weight and eat. So, anyway, about 160 would be sweet.

I first met Western Bariatrics in Reno, NV in April 2012; Dr. Watson and his staff were fantastic! I havew been rollercoaster dieting for years, trying all sorts of things but needed to move forward. I wanted to make a decision lap band vs. bypass; I chose lap band. So all the prep, insurance approval, etc. finally came. In July, I started swimming laps for two months, then took lessons and learned the right way to swim laps to benefit your cardio and physical body! So, I wanted to start a habit before surgery. After I returned from vacation in mid August, I started my four week pre op. I quit drinking alcohol cold turkey, which was very difficult as I was a social drinker, but heavy at times. I also started protein drinks, mostly Muscle Milk Light, chicken broth, string cheese, hard boiled egg, pudding and jello for four weeks; With that and swimming, when I weighed in the day of surgery, I was 36 pounds down. Dr. Watson was very pleased! My surgery was September 12th and as I write this, I am on day 10 post op. I have lost an additional 6 pounds. I have stuck to the post op diet rigid. My follow up is in a week or two as I live 4.5 hours away from my doc. I will plan on getting a fill, looking forward to solid foods soon :-) SO that is my story. I want to get healthy, stay healthy and be happy. :-)

Hi Everybody, Well I had a very relaxing and refreshing holiday. I came back feeling very good indeed (apart from the jet lag which luckily doesn't last long). I had been having little treats while I was away including ice cream, and once a small half slice of chocolate fudge cake mmmmmmmmmmmmm! I also had not been able to weigh myself once during the whole three weeks. So of course as soon as I got home I jumped on the scales! I couldn't believe my eyes, I had lost ten pounds!!! OMG, how wonderful, as you all know I lose very slowly so to lose ten pounds in one go was just amazing, fantastic, wonderful...(you get the picture). So, after I came down off the ceiling and stopped dancing around like a mad thing I tried to work out what I had done differently. The only difference I could think of was that I hadn't been doing quite so much exercise, and had had a few treats. Is this the answer, well no I don't really think so. Perhaps just relaxing and not concentrating on the scales all the time had something to do with it too. I go back to my doctor in just over a weeks time and will be interested to hear what he thinks happened. But whatever the cause I am thrilled as I am just one stone (14lbs) away from my husbands weight, and with time I know I will weigh the same and eventually go under his weight. For so long I thought I would never get there and was sure I was the one, you know, the one person destined not to lose weight (or much weight) with the sleeve. This has stopped me thinking like that now. I really do believe that I will get to my target weight no matter how long it takes. (It has taken me six months to lose 35lbs) but with the weight that I lost before surgery and this weight I have now lost over 5 stone (70 lbs) Whoopee! So for all those who are losing as slowing as I was, and probably will continue to do, take heart it will happen, you just have to keep on doing what you know you should be doing and eventually it will happen. I have now lost a total of 41 and a half inches all over my body, and 13 and a half of those were off my hips!!!!! :wub: (yes I am thrilled and also a little embarrassed at the size I was!) My husband says I have lost a small person in inches and weight, that is just mind boggling. I am so so thankful that I found this board and read about the incredible weightlosses with the sleeve. It has made such a difference to my life, while on holiday I could walk easily and had no trouble on the airplane. I actually sat in comfort (in the cheap seats) was able to get my table down without it touching my stomach, and was only two inches away from not having to use the extension belt. (so, still quite a way to go, but not an impossibility.) I hope that everyone is doing as well if not better than I am as we continue this journey to our new selves.(like our old selves only wiser and hopefully kinder to ourselves too) Regards Phoenix