ramos252006

I hear the famous words "oh my gosh I can tell you have lost weight. I see it in your face". I hear this at least twice a day from random people i work with. I was listening to a comedy podcast and this guy John Pinette talks about how he has heard the same thing. "I see it in your face" he says "man what is this? I must have looked like the kool aid man and no one told me". hahaha I get so many compliments and they say I look good, etc. Since my first surgery in 2010 to now I have lost 85lbs. Now since my sleeve surgery in April 2013, I have lost 55lbs. I am not sure which number to really go by. I had lapband in 2010 but that failed for me, I only lost 30lbs in 2 years, my fault? I think partially it was yea, but it also slipped, causing issues. Anyways when I look at myself I don't really see what others see. yes my cloths are big, I can tell a slight difference in my face, 55lbs is alot of weight, but yet in my brain its not that much.... yet. So I think I still have that "fat girl" image of myself. yea I am not small, thin, or tiny but I HAVE lost some weight. How do I go about "thinking skinny" thoughts? Anyways last time I posted something I was having all kinds of issues, and problems and was going to have test done, just wanted to let those who encouraged me through that time know that everything turned out fine. Nothing was wrong at all, just turned out my body was still in the healing process and I wasnt such a fast healer as I thought lol. I still have issues with some dariy products and sugar intake has to be minimal, but other than that, things are GREAT. Im able to eat REAL foods now, i cant even look at soup anymore haha!! Thank you to those who helped encourage me through that rough patch.

I used to love working out, then I started school, had to study for exams, and just let life get in the way. Now 2 years later, and 3 months after surgery I WANT to get back in the gym, but oh my gosh it is sooo hard to get started again. I have been walking 60min everyday since the surgery and Im down 55lbs. I KNOW I can lose more if I just start weight training again. It is so hard to start up again, and believe me when you do, you will feel so good about yourself. I know I did the first time I started working out. There isn't much to the treadmil, I LOVE the elliptical machine, most ppl don't like it, but I LOVED it. I have always like lifting weights, so I know in order to tone my body I need to include weight training as well. It is hard to start a work out program with no one beside you (support system). My friends who start with me always quit after a week or so. I think that is what is holding ME back, no support system, but I need to get over that and "just do it". haha You got this, just start slow and listen to your body. It will tell you if you have over done it, or not doing something right. Thats what the employees are there for, to help you out. Good luck!!

Thank you Bradycone, that means a lot to me. It is a mental battle right now, and its even tougher when you have physical pain to follow, but I am trying everything in my power, and praying power to get through this.

Thank you to each of you for encouragement. I admit I was in a self pity mode, poor me, and I whinned, and I did panic. This is a huge thing and while myself and my mom were talking, we both have used food as our comfort when no one else is around for support or we feel lonely. Now my stomach is like a baby stomach and I have to learn all over again basically to eat and to maintain a healthy positive attitude. So like Melody2 said, I can pity myself and do nothing, or I can pick myself up and start trying to start over. I am the only one who can do something about my mental status, so I have to start somewhere. After I posted this, I went for a walk around my apartment complex. I did 6 laps and I gave myself a talkin to and I prayed and I talked to my mom. I feel a lil better now, I just tried drinking a thin protein shake and Im having some cramps again. So I still have to figure out how to get my protein in. =/ Thanks again for all the responses!!

It has been a long journey for me thus far. I was always over weight as a kid, I was never teased though, which is a good thing. I had the LapBand in 2010 and well that didn't work for me. It slipped, I got a hernia, and needed surgery, so I decided to switch to the sleeve. Everyone I work with seems to have had it done and nothing but amazing things to say about it and they look amazing. I wanted that feeling. So I had my sleeve done on April 29, 2013 and I gotta tell you I got the crappy end of the deal. I have had issues ever since i got home. I got a boil on the rear end, had to have that taken care of and tested, then I had severe cramping in my stomach and around to my back. This was the worst pain I have ever felt in my entire life and I have tattoos, and being a woman having those wonderful monthy visits. These pains were like menstrual cramps and labor all in one. Like drop you to your knees, crawl in a fetal poisition and cry. I went to the ER and they did blood test and a CT scan, everything came back normal. So i had traveled back to Irving to my surgeon and the nutritionist this past Wed. The nutritionist didn't like anything I was doing. She hated what I was drinking, she hated my Protein shake choices, she hated my Vitamin choices, nothing I did was right. Then I went to see the dr. They did a swallow test and everything is still very swollen. So they gave me a steroid shot to help with the inflamation and another week on full liquids. This was suppose to be a great decision and I am suppose to be happy. As of right now Im feeling angry, sad, frustrated, irrataed, every feeling you can possibly feel except happiness. I am regretting this decision because it seems like I can't do anything right. Seeing everyone around me eat amazing food that I USED to be able to enjoy and I cant even get a Protein Shake, Soup, or crystal light to go down "normally". I am just lost right now, everyone tells me "it will get better", "give it time" and I just can't see it right now. Thats why I joined this support sight because I can't drive 300 miles every week to go to a support group and there are none in my town I live in.

congrats on the full liquid stage. I too am on the full liquid stage, but having issues with everything still being really swollen. They had to give me a steriod shot to help with the inflamation. I woke up feeling great, but as soon as i sipped my protein shake I had really really bad cramps and got sick. I am having a very hard time getting my protein in. Nothing wants to go down correctly cause Im still swollen. Soup, water, crystal light, everything just seems to sit in my chest. its frustrating, but I am super glad everything is going great for you!! Keep up the great work!

Oh i understand the pain in walking. It seemed everytime I walked the more intense the pain got. I had these unimagineable cramps in my stomach and it wrapped around to my back. I went to the ER and they did blood work and a CT scan, everything was normal. I went to my surgeon for my 2 week check up and they did a swallow test and everything is fine, but my insides are still very very swollen and they gave me a steriod shot and today I feel good. Being so swollen though has blocked me from getting my protein I need. i cant drink protein shakes b/c they make me sick, soups just seem to sit in my chest, so its difficult to work passed these issues. hang in there, walk as far as you can until it hurts. It might be gas build up which hurts like heck... Gas X was my BFF the first 2 weeks.... still is actually.