Pinky Green

I have gone from a 42DD to 34DD. I think 34 band is the smallest I'm going to get. I can't wait to get to 34C so I can start buying bras at Target and Walmart again. 42DD is easy to find at Walmart - they don't carry 34DD or 32DD. I was told at The Bra Experts the last time I got down to 34DD that the band usually goes down first and then the cup size. I think the smallest size I ever wore was a 32B but that was when I was about 15 so not sure if I'll get to 32DD or 34D next. Hope I'll fit in 34D soon.

Oh and in 2 lbs I will no longer be OBESE!

I weighted 240 going in to my 2 week preop diet and lost about 12 lbs - weighed 228 at surgery. I'm wearing a size 12 pair of blue jean shorts and an XL women's t-shirt.

A year and a month out and I'm down to 156. Haven't been here in a while. Thought I'd post a new picture.

I was supposed to be there at 9am but I was anxious to get it over with so I got on the first bus of the day from home to the hospital (didn't want to pay for hospital parking) and arrived at admissions about 6:30am and they pretty much took me right away.

My BMI has gone from 46.9 to 31.2

I was just a little younger than that, I was a few months shy of 54 when I had my surgery and I had no problems.

I'm 11 months out and still have constipation that I never had when I was heavier, but I'm still glad I lost the weight.

I went back to work at 3 weeks and was glad I took the whole 3 weeks. Although I wasn't in pain, I don't think I could have sat for 8 hours with a headset on with only 2 fifteen minute breaks and a 30 minute lunch. I don't think I was feeling completely better for a couple of months. I wasn't really able to start exercising much until I got down below 180 lbs. Then all of a sudden I got my knees back. Now I'm able to walk a mile and back but I've only really been able to walk for the last 2 months or so.

I have lost almost 80 lbs. I seem to lose in spurts of about 10-12 lbs at a time. I was stuck between 172-174 for the longest time. I would be 172 one day and then 174 the next and back and forth. That was for about 3 months. Then all of a sudden I was at 160. Now I'm stuck going between 160-163 back and forth. I lose down to 160 and then back up to 163 and then back down. I too find I can eat way more simple carbs than I used to be able to, but not near as much as I used to eat before the sleeve. Example, I used to go to a place called Tia Maria's. I would go by myself, eat guacamole, a ground beef taco, and a tostada with queso - that was just the first plate. Then they brought a plate with a tamale, two cheese enchiladas, rice and Beans. And I ate the whole basket of chips. Anyone care to estimate how many servings of simple carbs that was? Now I can't eat more than two or three servings of any kind of carb. Rice and Pasta causes me to throw up if I eat more than two servings. My doctor told me to get 60-80 grams of Protein and I know that they said to eat protein first, so here's what I do: First, I get a ahead of the game by having a 30 gram Protein Drink, it's like 180 calories with very little sugar. For the other two meals, I take about 3 bits of the protein first. Then I take a bite of a non-starchy vegetable and then a bite of my starch. Then 3 more bites of protein. I still get all my protein first, and I think it's really better if I am able to get in a good amount of fresh vegetables and whole grains. I try to eat a 2 or 3 oz piece of fish or a chicken thigh because a breast is too big and a drumstick isn't quite enough. I'm not usually able to eat the whole thigh though. And with the chicken, I can usually eat about a third of a cup of vegetables and about a half a cup of rice. I'd say I'm getting about a cup or a cup and a half of food most lunches and dinners. It all seems to be very variable - some days I can only eat about 2/3 of a cup and other days I can eat a cup and a half. I think it depends on what I eat though. I can eat quite a bit of Soup. solid food I can eat much less. I can eat more chicken and fish than beef or pork. I have however, let myself get bad about eating too much popcorn. I think popcorn isn't bad, as long as it isn't made with a lot of fat and salt, because it is a whole grain, however, I certainly shouldn't be eating the whole bag (3 servings) even though I am able to. I think eating too much popcorn with salt is what has been making me constipated and possibly also contributing to Water weight. I have quit buying popcorn in the microwavable bags and have bought me a small stainless steel pot just to make popcorn in. If I use the two quart pan, I will eat all the popcorn I cook in a two quart pan, if I only use a one quart pan then I will only be able to eat one quart or less. I do use good oil though, grapeseed oil. That's my worst temptation to overeat I have had so far.

I thought those leg massager things were the coolest things. Wish I had them at home just for how good they felt.

I didn't have a drain. My doctor says that he checks the seam thoroughly during the surgery and it's been 11 months and so far so good.

We were told no nuts, seeds or popcorn until we are 6 months out.

I know it is major surgery but it helps to think of what you might be facing down the road if you don't have the surgery. Also ask yourself not only if you can lose the weight but also whether you can keep it off. I was 110 pounds when I went off to college. When I got married 3 years later I was 122. I got up to 150 and then went on a diet and lost down to 102. Then I gained to about 125 or 130 until I got pregnant - miscarried and got up to 140. Finally had my daughter at 29 years old and went up to 182 and would eventually get down to 172 when my daughter was about 6. Then I had an alcoholic abusive boyfriend. I got up to 185 again and then before I left four years later I was up to about 212. Then I was on my own and got up to 239. Then I had surgery for sleep apnea and then I lost down to about 180 again. I was up to 242 again two or three years later. Then I went down to 172 again and then had another bad relationship and then moved and then I GOT BIT BY A RACOON and got rabies shots. It was a very stressful time, then I went back up to 240 before I had my sleeve surgery. What finally convinced me is when I started having knee problems and could no longer walk without pain. As long as it was just worsening asthma or feeling tired it didn't seem like such a problem. I was told I might need knee replacement surgery and it would cost at least $45,000 and I felt like the price tag for the sleeve and the shorter recovery time made it a better option. Also remember that even surgeries like tonsillectomies and appendicitis operations can have complications like blood clots, infections and bad reactions to anesthetic.

My Texas driver's license has my height but not my weight. The picture is from the last time I was 175 or so before I gained a lot of weight. I am at least 10 or 15 pounds less than that picture. My height says 4'11". I do tell people I am 5'. I think I'm actually 4'11 1/2"