prettylittleheart

I'm waiting to sign up at Elmwood, I am going through a consultant for Ochsner but haven't been too pushy with it because I don't want to go to a gym by myself - I have been running, squats, lifting a little not too much because I don't want to put on weight, but would love a work out partner! Waiting for the consultant to call me back. & same with me - everyone I knew had Dr. Richardson at Ochsner Main Campus, but when I met Dr. Wooldridge I knew I made the right decision & haven't regretted it since! He truly was all I could ask for in a surgeon & he is very reassuring as I had some serious anxiety about the surgery and anesthesia. Have you started your liquid diet yet?

Even though I get discouraged and don't fully grasp mentally that this whole process is happening to me - I figured maybe I can try to inspire other people who are just starting out. StartingW: 326 DOSW: 303 (day of surgery was 2.28.13 CW: 238 Height: 5'9" I went from a BMI of 48.1 to 35.1 I still want to lose about 70-90 more pounds hopefully I make it. Pic to left is four months ago (around time of surgery). Pic to the right was this morning

Pic to right was this morning* oops!

Pic to right** oops my other left lol!

Dr. Wooldridge was my surgeon**

I am from NOLA - had surgery February 28th, so I'm a little over four months out. I had surgery at Ochsner Main Campus & let me just reassure you that he is phenomenal! If you have any questions, I'll be happy to try and answer them! Good luck ladies!

Even though I've had surgery - I still consider myself a big woman & I am attracted big men. In fact, skinny/slender men aren't my preference. But don't get me wrong whether slender/big, short/tall - physical appearance isn't a ruling out factor for me. I'd rather take an interest in someone who accepts me for me & treats me well regardless physical qualities. So I'm not sure how to answer your question.. Just figured I'd go against the grain here lol

I second on the please let us know the findings! Praying!

It could be as little as dehydration - I know it probably seems as though you are drinking a lot but I was in the ER in the beginning for dehydration with a heart rate of 190, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness, extreme fatigue - not fun. As far a leak tests go - swelling tends to go down as days go by. The day after the surgery - you are extremely swollen. ( still not trying to alarm you) if you do decide to go - they may have an opportunity to catch something they hadn't before. Just another valid point - chest pain, lung pain, or shortness of breath is never really a normal symptom under any circumstance especially after major surgery.

You may want to go get checked out - just to be safe - not to alarm you or scare you, but it could be a blood clot.

It kind of makes me sick when men who never looked at me before - now look at me and talk to me and I'm not even half way through this process. I'm terrified to start dating. I go back and fourth about it all the time. My friends are also all dying to set me up with people now - it makes me feel as though something was wrong with me before. I also have this issue where I need to love myself first. If I don't love, who is going to? My mind has not caught up with my physical changes and I still feel like I'm not ready to put myself out there. I keep hoping it'll just happen, but lol I know wishful thinking. Also - this quote sticks with me ALL the time - 'just because a man desires you, doesn't mean he values you.' This disgusts me too, because most men I run into don't know how to value a woman. I dunno, still terrified. I have so many thoughts on this. Glad I'm not alone. I hate when I know someone is superficial because I think on the inside - I'm someone worth knowing.

I had to wait three months. Fortunately for me - my sleeve handles everything. The only thing I really had trouble with was peas, they didn't make me sick - my stomach just didn't digest them well. My nutritionist told me to start off with iceberg lettuce (easier for stomach to break down but have no nutritional value really) then work my way up to romaine, spinach. I handled them all fine. I'd call your doctor/nutritionist - every doctor is different. But I'm four months out now & can eat raw veggies of all sorts and fruit with peels, salad, etc. - I just try to stay away from high carb veggies, fruits, and sorts.

I try really hard to see me at goal. Before surgery, when people who have already undergone weight loss surgery told me this is just as much mental as it is physical - I didn't not believe them, but I blew it off. Now that I'm a few days over four months out & 85.5 pounds down - I see myself as gross, probably now so even more than ever. I feel guilty eating things like low fat, low cal, low carb dressings because I feel like that was one of my issues before surgery (except that nothing before surgery was low fat, low cal, low carb). I'm 5'9" - I still have 70 pounds to go to get to my* goal weight of 170, my MD wants me at 152. I have a hard time seeing me at either of these goals. I think daily, is it really possible for me to get to either of these? I think for this reason, stalls trip me out because I want to continue losing. I still go to the store & buy clothes at pre-surgery size (3-4x) because my mind hasn't come to grips with my physical changes yet. I fit comfortably into L-XL shirts now. Hope goal is possible for me. Working hard everyday, and haven't cheated no bread, pasta, rice, fattening condiments, soft drinks, alcohol, fast food, nothing. I don't miss it really (except for alcohol lol) I am happy I'm seeing results, but am not yet where I want to be.

Our weight loss is almost the same - I'm a little over four months post op - my date was 2/28 I'm down 85.5 pounds. Wish I had my measurements! You look great! Keep up the good work! This is me - First one to the left was 3-4 months ago. Pic to the right was taken 6.28 First one to the left was last month Pic to the was taken 6.28 I couldn't fit in that scrub top.

Just dyed my hair about 3 days ago, I'm a few days over 4 months post op - I lost hair before surgery due to polycystic ovarian syndrome, but it hasn't worsened at all.

Bought these and thought I'd share - hummus chips They are made by Kashi and come in 3 different flavors. A little high in carbs, but I never eat a full serving size anyways. I eat about 5-10 when I eat them with low cal/low fat chicken salad but I'm sure they'd be great with other things.

I actually found these by the check out isles. I guess I would look by the health/whole wheat grain section - Kashi makes a ton of other things and my Walmart has a little section for things like that - I did by them at Walmart. I wanna say 2.67$/bag. I've been really pleased with every kind I've tried. I've done different things with them too - Low cal/low fat chicken salad, tuna salad, crab salad, ham and cheese slices - they are even wonderful plain. Kashi might sell them on their website. It may be a new product, as I've just started seeing them.

They really are. I'm extremely impressed. They also have a sundried tomato & feta flavor & black pepper and sea salt. I've tried the tomato and feta one - was also good. Onion flavor tastes comparable to Funyuns. Highly recommend and they have protein. 3-4 grams

I haven't had one problem. I'm almost 4 months out & down 80 pounds. Not one regret. Feel like I finally have my life back.

I'm 21, sleeved 2-28-13 SW- 326 CW- 247 GW- 170 but won't stop there Dropped 8 sizes - I was going out of a 26 in pants, now can fit in 18s Shirt sizes - was a 4x Now XL I currently get in anywhere from 600-900 calories a day. Keep all my days low carb. 100+ oz of Water daily. I have a Powerade zero daily. Eat 3 meals and snack a day (usually a fruit or veggie). So far the only food I've had trouble digesting was peas. Before surgery, I lived off of pickles & used mayo with everything - I no longer like those things. Another dislike is ground meat & pork. I mostly eat a lot of chicken, seafood, tuna, canned chicken, steak. Just recently got cleared for salad and have been loving every minute of that. I exercise on a treadmill, do squats daily. Gonna start doing crunches. I've also became obsessed with my collar bone ever since I've been reunited with it after surgery lol (I can finally see it again) - I carry most of my weight in my mid section - I'll be happy to see it go! Good luck!

I just bought a triumph 400 from Academy for $249 - love it! Been using it for about a week now and it's definitely giving me a run for my money ha

I'm in New Orleans too!

Saints fan here too! You look great - hope I'm where you are at 7 months - have about 4 & 1/2 months to go! Congrats!

I've lost 73.5# but recently just start incorporating more lettuce, veggies, and fruits. Not sure what the deal is but for about 2 weeks now - I've been stuck between 253.5 and 252. Frustrating. I've not cheated once truly & I don't exercise as much as I should because I work anywhere from 10-16 hour a day and by the time I leave work it's dark - gym's closed - but I just received my treadmill today so that will change - get 100+ ounces of fluids a day, with 3 or 4 meals and either a protein shake or bar in the morning (the bar is Atkin's meal replacement bar - Cookies and Creme - 180 cals 15g protein and 20 carbs which is about the same as my protein shake) Lately - I'll cut up boneless, skinless chicken breast with broccoli, red onions, mushrooms, and celery a little garlic powder, FF Italian dressing, and some spray butter - I can get in about 3 tablespoons of this and be completely stuffed, also do Tuna Creations in the pack a lot, or just planned grilled chicken. I don't use salt anymore. Rarely ever drink crystal light, but do have a powerade zero - approx. one a day. Take all of my vitamins. Get in about 800-1000 calories a day & 90-110g of protein. Any other suggestions?

So I finally got cleared for raw veggies/lettuce at three months out Today I made a tuna salad sandwich concoction (haha) really easy and convenient - I took one small hearts of romaine stalk 1 pack of tuna in Water Mixed the tuna with FF ranch, cheese, and pepper I also added a dash of buffalo sauce for a little spice. And then I spread it on the hearts of romaine. One fills me up.