gamergirl

Yes I know we’re supposed to give away our clothes. So we’ve been bagging them up. Today, we took them out to take pictures since we will be donating them and wanted records for the IRS. They were all laid out neatly, and I don’t know what’s bothering me more–giving them away, or realizing how much I had to spend on clothes to have professional wardrobes in 5 different sizes. When I think of all the money tied up in those clothes it’s sickening. When I think of self-paying to go to Mexico so I don’t have to be here again, it’s starting to look like quite the bargain. In my defense, at least two of those stacks are my husband’s clothes. I mean, they’re not ALL mine. That would just be ridiculous

Gamergirl, are you sure you don't have Hashimoto's? It just means autoimmune disease of the thyroid, rather than some other cause of thyroid failure. As you are diagnosed with one AI condition (RA), it's highly likely you'd have more, and Hashimoto's is the most common one. I believe Hashimoto's, Coeliac disease, Diabetes and RA share a genetic profile... Involve the same gene/s. You need to have a biopsy of the thyroid to confirm there are auto antibodies in the thyroid tissue. I don't think it makes a jot of difference to the way your thyroid function is treated, but can be useful for doctors to know if you have a single AI condition or a "systemic" one. I don't really know. I will ask my PCP next time I see her. I do know that my levothyroxin dose has been reduced twice since the surgery, so if the gland were well and truly dead, I'm assuming that wouldn't happen? Good point though, I should ask.

It will happen and then some sizes you'll barely be in and others, you'll feel like it's never going to change....my scale has made me it's biyotch for sure, and I can see clothes sizes being the next ones to dominate me.

So I can empathize with what you're saying but I too see a huge difference in the first and third pictures. They ARE going down, just not as fast as you want. I will also guess--and I'm only guessing--that down the road, you may want plastic surgery for your thighs. If I were you, I'd save my money for the plastics. Even after lipo--which as woo woo points out is very painful--you will likely still want skin reduction. Lipo will take the fat out, but it won't do anything for the loose, hangy skin you will be left with. If you look at the pics in the cosmetic surgery thread, you'll see that often even after they have lost all the fat their bodies still look like there's fat--when it's only skin. Butterthebean posted really good shots of his stomach. It looks like he had fat, but he didn't, it was loose skin. Same thing may be happening with your thighs too. Be patient, it will work itself out slowly

gah you sound like me. I think my trainer was ready to cry when after 6 months of working out I had lost one pound. Well the surgery is the only thing that's worked for me so far, but of course, it's early yet, maintenance, life-long commitment, only a tool...you know the drill I'm guessing.

Is it a muscular pain or a piercing stabbing one, like a nerve pain? A lot of people found odd aches and pains when they started to lose weight. But generally, you shouldn't be feeling pain 10 days out. i would suggest you call your doctor and see what they think. Why take a chance, right?

Something that is soft and sleeve friendly but also family friendly hunh? well, how about chili, that you can puree for yourself? or ground beef flavored for tacos, but no shell for you, with refried beans, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, cheese etc.? Those sit well early on for most people and your son can have tacos with beans and a salad maybe?

My son is 23 and the last time I was this weight? he was 4 years old. So sad right? your kids and husband are seeing the new-Redbean being born daily

I hadn't either before I started it in November. Not easy but what I loved is that progress is very achievable. Little victories all add up

oh girl, none of us are laughing now, I can tell you that. I hated having to give them up. But honestly I feel so much better and I am losing weight, which is the best thing ever. So you used to do triathlons? I'm impressed

woo hoo!! Start of a new life tomorrow for you! Do update the is thread so we know how you're doing and if you haven't already heard this a hundred times, let me be the first to repeat it for the 101st.... walk, walk walk focus on drinking Water, don't worry about the Protein at first. do not get dehydrated remember the way you feel the first few days is not how it's always going to be. rest up! it may not feel like major surgery but it is so be kind to yourself Very best of luck to you.

Oh and to answer your question about food.. I was definitely NOT eating enough to justify my weight of 230 lbs. Our metabolisms are definitely slower than those who do not have it but at 600-900 calories, even we lose weight. I will also say that I found what doctors were telling me to be true--that I am very carb sensitive, which many with AI diseases such as Hashimoto's are. So when you do get sleeved, please consider doing a diet that has 40% protein/40%fat/20%carbs and see if that doesn't help you.

woo hoo!!! I tell you what...I have realized that clothes tell the story a LOT more than the scales do. Look at you! barely two months and down to a 20! WTG hunny bunny, WTG. Doing well.

yay! good for you! keep busy and focus on the outcome and you will do great.

I don't have Hashimotos, but I am hypothyroid and I too was very worried that I wouldn't lose weight even with the surgery. I'm happy to report that hasn't been true. By and large, the following categories of people seem to lose "slower" than their counterparts (and this is World According to Gamergirl after reading these forums a lot, not gospel) 1. women 2. menopausal 3. thyroid, pcos, or other Autoimmune diseases 4. have had children 5. those who don't have as much to lose (i.e., under 100 lbs) So I am female, 47, not yet menopausal, have underactive thyroid and RA, have birthed a child and had under 100 lbs to lose. By all counts except menopause, I am in the slow loser category. And yet, I'm down between 48-50 lbs in less than 4 months, which I never could have achieved on my own. I know because I tried for years to lose anything and was not successful. Perhaps what we need to focus on is that losing slow is still better than not losing at all, and I think if you didn't lose at all, they'd be featuring you in every news article in town as a medical marvel I hope that helps.

Although I had no idea, my first photograph of myself in my undies showed me that I was "that" woman who wore her bras so tight that they cut into her in the back. I guess we just used to pain from that? Idk. I do know that it took a while before the bras I had fit, and only recently did I move into a different size. As misty says, everyone says the larger sizes are cut more forgivingly and take a while to come out of. Also I know I had more "stretchy" clothes in my higher sizes because god knows I needed them to stretch!

Who cares! it's still 30 seconds more than before. Join in and just be proud of whatever you can do. We'll all cheer you either way

I planked once a day. that was about the best I could do!

oh that looks amazing! and so healthy.

Actually I think this is very insightful and has helped me understand my own behavior a lot. I've been thinking about this since you posted it this morning. Addiction for me was my body craving sugar after I ate sugar. That was an uncontrollable, physical reaction and I craved it with a hunger that was not natural. I used that phrase several times with my husband and said "There's something wrong inside my body. This hunger is not natural." I didn't understand what was causing it until much later. Habit was me buying Snacks to munch on as soon as I walked into the airport. Habit for my husband was grabbing a handful of nuts each time he walked by the jar. These latter were easy to just stop doing once we became aware of them. The former, the sugar addiction? We had to undergo a physical de-tox when we stopped the sugar and that was hell. By the time I decided on the surgery, we had very few bad habits left. We did have a wicked addiction though, and it was the pre-op that helped us kick that one. We had to go cold turkey, go through the headaches, chills, fatigue, nausea, exhaustion, raging hunger, etc. before we got over the sugar addiction. I like that distinction, it's very handy. Thank you!

that would have made a nice picture! Don't forget at dinner. Enquiring minds want to know what your dinner/snack looks like

I think there's a december sleever's thread out there and if you posted in that one, you might have better luck finding a sleeve buddy. Good luck! Just 6 more days to a new beginning for you

What kind of liquid whey protein did you get?

I think there are some local forums and if you can find one for CT, you might get better responses there.

I'm sure you'll get there if you want to! When is your surgery scheduled for?