gowalking

Please don't set yourself up for failure. There is no average weight loss and 13 days post op might find you with a weight gain due to swelling, fluids, etc. Just take this journey to wherever it leads you and know that as long as you follow your doctor's guidelines, you should do well. Good luck!

Oh Seela...I spotted your post and even though I'm a bandster, I so feel the same way you do. I also see an old woman looking back at me in the mirror. She has lines around her mouth, bags under her eyes, and a horrible turkey neck. The saggy skin everywhere else, I can hide under clothes but the face....how can you hide that? It's so bad (in my head at least) that I've started seeing a professional to talk about it. I haven't been this small in 15 years so when I look in the mirror, I have no idea who this 'normal sized' old woman is. I had cataract surgery recently and these brand new eyes were horrified at first at what they saw. Heck...the first thing I did was run to the drug store and buy concealer...LOL. But seriously...I so get what you are saying. All I can suggest is that you try to remember what I keep telling myself. Looking like this is still much better than the weight I used to carry around with me.

Regarding excess skin...there's not much you can do about it. It mostly depends on how much weight you expect to lose and genetics. Oh, and probably age. I'm 55, lost nearly 100 lbs. and am a saggy sally for sure. The good news is that I can hide most of it under clothes and there's always plastic surgery. Good luck...23 lbs. after two weeks is a great start.

I was putting something into the back of the closet earlier today and saw hanging there, my wedding suit. The marriage didn't last too long, but I kept the suit because it was so expensive...and very pretty even though a year after the wedding, I was already too large to wear it. Why I never got rid of it, I have no idea...but I've taken it with me every time I moved. Well, just for the heck of it, I tried it on to see how close I was to the size I was 15 years ago. Well....you're gonna have to go and open the pics.....

awww..thanks Bubie. Hope you are also doing well. I don't see many of the NYC folks online much anymore. I hope it's just a case of no news is good news.

Oh yeah maybe....my hips are still swollen post-op so nothing fits quite right yet. Too bad about them big ole shoulder pads....maybe I can wear the dress part and ditch the jacket...lol!

Just posted a topic very similar about not realizing what we look like now. I attached a pic I took today of me in my wedding suit from 15 years ago. I'm also not able to 'see' that new person in the mirror...

Yipee!!!! That is fantastic news. Good for you!!

Excellent! Good luck with the pre-op diet (if you go on one).

So....I've been struggling for a number of months with hair loss. Along with taking the Biotin, extra Protein, and Vitamins, I changed up my hairstyle a bit to try to minimize the thin spots. For the first time in a very long time, my hair is really short and unfortunately now thin enough that my ear lobes are quite visible. I finally decided today that I might as well take advantage of this situation and put on a pair of earrings. Usually I don't bother because: A) my hair used to cover my ears...and... 2) after a couple of hours, my ears would hurt and I'd have to take the earrings out. Well...I've had them in all day and they aren't bothering me at all. I swear...my earlobes must have gotten thinner along with the rest of me. I think I may have to Celebrate this nsv and head to the nearest jewelry store this weekend...

well...sounds like it's not just chasing and myself who feel the same way. not surprising, that's for sure. we all have weight issues in common so why wouldn't we have similar thoughts about ourselves. again...that's why I like this site. it lets me know that I'm so not alone.

I know exactly what you mean! I am often embarrassed that I had to resort to surgery to lose the weight. Just last week, I was at the pain management doctor for shots in my back. There must have been something under or in the table that allowed the doctor to see my insides in order to determine exactly where to inject the cortisone because I heard him pointing out my port to his new assistant. I was so embarrassed to hear him give away my 'secret'. Now, don't get me wrong....no one who does know about the band says anything to me about taking the easy way out. I'm getting nothing but positive feedback. Doesn't mean I still don't think as you say....'she couldn't just walk away from the table. Nooooo...she needed to resort to surgery'. I hear that in my head all the time. I'm also finding that I am so appalled at how heavy I was. I needed to lose 100 pounds to look normal. 100 pounds! I can't believe I was that out of control. I'm starting therapy next week to discuss some of these issues with a professional. I know that lots of folks on this forum do this and I think good for them...and good for me for recognizing I need to do this as well.

Woo Hoo!! I also ride the train and I know how totally awesome this nsv is. You are on your way!!!

Welcome Marissa! You will find plenty of support and information on this site. I'm coming up to my one year anniversary and this site and of course the people on it were so important in helping me to stay on track and be successful in losing nearly 100 lbs.

Wow Terry...that's the prettiest description of throwing up that I've ever heard. You my friend are a true poet...

I know hair loss is very common but I don't believe everyone suffers from it. I was actually very surprised that it happened to me. I thought only those who had bypass or sleeves or other invasive WLS had this problem...not bandsters.

I noticed that my hair was falling out probably about three months after being banded. It wasn't noticeable for at least another three months. I've been doing everything the doctor and nutritionist told me to do but it's still very thin even four months later. I'm just hoping it comes back in. I had such thick hair and now I have to play around with it to minimize the spots where I can see the scalp showing through.

Sorry you're not feeling well Shazam

You're in the home stretch now. Stay strong!

I know you've had some tough things to deal with this year Donna. Wishing you all the best and know that we are keeping you in our thoughts.

Lovely picture. My daughter-in-law's father passed away a year ago from complications from his early onset dementia. It was a very difficult time for her and her mom and I have much compassion for you and anyone who has a family member with this terrible illness. Cherish your mom for however long you have with her.

Hooray! Sometimes these things are simply out of your hands and you have to wait it out. I was supposed to be banded in October of last year. Just before the surgery, Hurricane Sandy hit and the hospital was flooded. They didn't reopen until January and that's when the surgery took place. It was frustrating at the time but almost a year later, the delay had no impact.

Condolences on the loss of your mother Terry.

do your best not to deviate from your doctor's schedule. even if something goes down OK, you have to remember this is a time for healing from the surgery and this new foreign item sutured into your body. moving forward before the doctor says you can, could potentially cause issues. Having said that, at least what you had was still liquid though the blended potato made it thicker than broth. Just forget about this ooops moment and get back on the scheduled food directive. Good luck with your weight loss journey!

Oh wow...can I relate to this thread. My sister, who I am very close with is still obese while I have lost nearly 100 lbs. While I never purposely do anything to make her feel uneasy, I think just being so much smaller now makes her uneasy no matter what. I don't want my relationship with her to change but I fear it already has. She's said some not so nice/really snarky things to me lately. So much so that my mom commented on it and asked me if I was OK with some of the things she said. I chalked it up to my sister just being bratty but I have to tell you, some of what she said was downright mean and I really hope it wasn't because of the weight loss. I really do hope at some point she just decides to get the lapband as well and then we can be 'equal' again. Plus of course it's better for her health. She's developed high blood pressure and diabetes over the last couple of years.