FibroDiva

Throughout my sleeve journey, I've been working out and trying to minimize the post-surgical sagging. Despite my efforts, I have body issues:
bat wing arms,
potatoe sack thighs, and
a thut [a but that literally sags into my thighs with no definition between these body parts].

I don't know if this is due to the rapid weight loss or because I am fast approaching 60 years old [thus the result of aging], or, a combination of the two.
 
No matter the reason, I'm exercising. I've been working with both a physical trainer and a physical therapist and developed an exercise program that supposedly will address my body issues while being appropriate for my Fibromyalgia/chronic pain and over 50 age group.
 
I joined a gym in Chicago, for when I am home, and utilize the fitness center in my daughter's apartment complex in Milwaukee/Brown Deer when visiting her and my granddaughter. I'm worried about working out too much because now I'm losing volume in the girls [my breast].
 
On top of this, I have developed keloids at the surgical incision sites. I expected them, as an African American, I've had problems with them in the past. I've tried using cocoa butter, shea butter, etc. to no avail.
 
Short of surgery, I guess there's nothing I can do about the sagging. I found some suggestions for handling keloids naturally. Guess I'll try them.

Quick drastic weight loss is a strange experience. Don't get me wrong, I was fully prepared, after all it took over 10 years to finally break down and undergo surgery. After all the research, doctor's visits, and support groups/forums, I was prepared buuuuttt. I'm having trouble moving into the "skinny mindset".
 
I eat like a skinny person, I don't have a choice since 95% of my stomach is gone. I'm becoming active like a skinny person with Fibromyalgia [there's only so much you can do with Fibro].
 
The problem is clothing. I still see myself as fat and think I should wear larger clothing. That's where having lots of children [young adults] in one's life helps. After being teased for wearing clothing that is too big [even though it is smaller than what I use to wear], I broke down and purchased items for stores I would have never dreamed I could patronize, Express, Old Navy, J C Penny, Victoria's Secret. Everyone thinks I look great but I feel they are too small.
 
Oh well, I guess my self-perception will catch up with the physical as time goes by.

As May gets under way, I realize it is a month of nurturing [Mother’s day], appreciation [National Police Memorial Week], and advocacy [international Fibromyalgia/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Gulf War Syndrome/ Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome Awareness Day].
 
My Fibromyalgia has been flaring big time but I've been busy building awareness of the special needs of people with Fibromyalgia who have had weight loss surgery.
 
For one, we cannot take out pain medication the way we did pre-op.
 
I testified at the FDA Public Meeting on Patient Focused Fibromyalgia Drug Development and spoke about my experiences as a post-op patient. After the meeting I posted all the questions which the FDA needs community responses online [Click here for questions].
 
If you are a WLS patient with Fibromyalgia, please take a moment, click on the link above and copy and paste these questions to a word document, answer them and then go to http://www.regulatio...013-N-1041-0004 and paste your answers as comments onto the FDA docket. The comment now button is in the upper right corner of the FDA’s page.
 
The comment period closes on May 26, 2014. The FDA really needs to know that there is a subgroup of people with Fibromyalgia who need their medication in chewable, dissolvable or liquid forms.

I have several grandchildren and have not seen most of them since pre-op. Yesterday I saw my 4 year old grandson MJ. Because of my weight loss and physical therapy, my Fibromyalgia pain has decreased so I was able to bend down to his level. MJ screamed, "YaYa you're my height, I can see your eyes". He then hugged me and said, "YaYa I can hug all of you!" :wub:

As May gets under way, I realize it is a month of nurturing [Mother’s day], appreciation [National Police Memorial Week], and advocacy [international Fibromyalgia/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Gulf War Syndrome/ Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome Awareness Day].
 
My Fibromyalgia has been flaring big time but I've been busy building awareness of the special needs of people with Fibromyalgia who have had weight loss surgery.
 
For one, we cannot take out pain medication the way we did pre-op.
 
I testified at the FDA Public Meeting on Patient Focused Fibromyalgia Drug Development and spoke about my experiences as a post-op patient. After the meeting I posted all the questions which the FDA needs community responses online [Click here for questions].
 
If you are a WLS patient with Fibromyalgia, please take a moment, click on the link above and copy and paste these questions to a word document, answer them and then go to http://www.regulatio...013-N-1041-0004 and paste your answers as comments onto the FDA docket. The comment now button is in the upper right corner of the FDA’s page.
 
The comment period closes on May 26, 2014. The FDA really needs to know that there is a subgroup of people with Fibromyalgia who need their medication in chewable, dissolvable or liquid forms.

Good evening. I was watching the local news, Boston, and they showed a new device from England. It is a pill you swallow and it blows up into a balloon. The balloon stays in your stomach and takes up room for around 3 months and you lose about 20 pounds. After they deflate the balloon your stomach is back to where it always was. It cost around 5k!!!
It will be tested in the USA soon. Bad idea, sorry, don't like it. This is as bad as sewing mesh on your tongue for a month. When are they going to stop with dumb s**t???????
But then that is how people make money, millions of dollars.
 
I love my band and today it really did it's job when I was bad. Thanks band for reminding me to stop and eat smart.
 
Now if the band could say, Arlene get off your fat ass and get to the gym, then I would be more in love.

Quick drastic weight loss is a strange experience. Don't get me wrong, I was fully prepared, after all it took over 10 years to finally break down and undergo surgery. After all the research, doctor's visits, and support groups/forums, I was prepared buuuuttt. I'm having trouble moving into the "skinny mindset".
 
I eat like a skinny person, I don't have a choice since 95% of my stomach is gone. I'm becoming active like a skinny person with Fibromyalgia [there's only so much you can do with Fibro].
 
The problem is clothing. I still see myself as fat and think I should wear larger clothing. That's where having lots of children [young adults] in one's life helps. After being teased for wearing clothing that is too big [even though it is smaller than what I use to wear], I broke down and purchased items from stores I would have never dreamed I could patronize, Express, Old Navy, J C Penny, Victoria's Secret. Everyone thinks I look great but I feel they are too small.
 
Oh well, I guess my self-perception will catch up with the physical as time goes by.

I gave myself and my daughter post-Christmas presents, memberships at Planet Fitness. Since I don't drive and PF allows you to bring a guest, my son gets one by association - he will be my driver.
 
The problem is that with this extreme cold weather, my fibro has been in overdrive. I don't like to go out when it is really cold because it aggravates my pain so I've been following the exercises set up by my pre-op personal trainer and my post-op physcial therapist.

I gave myself and my daughter post-Christmas presents, memberships at Planet Fitness. Since I don't drive and PF allows you to bring a guest, my son gets one by association - he will be my driver.
 
The problem is that with this extreme cold weather, my fibro has been in overdrive. I don't like to go out when it is really cold because it aggravates my pain so I've been following the exercises set up by my pre-op personal trainer and my post-op physcial therapist.

Heeeelllllp!!!!
 
This is my first holiday post op. My family is from New Orleans so we start cooking the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
 
My daughter lives in Peoria, IL in the area hit by last week's tornado. The family is traveling to her to support her, her fiance and their 1 year old daughter. They were not hurt physically and did not suffer any damage to their home but the work at the local news station and have been under a lot of emotional stress.
 
I am nervous because all my life the only way my family has celebrated the good times, and shown strength thru the bad times is by eating. My family actually is insulted when one does not partake with large bowls of gumbo and plates of turducken, etc. etc.
 
I have stopped testing the food as i cook it but what do I do when it is time to sit down and pass the plate?

Sometimes we [people with Fibromyalgia, women in general, parents, grandparents, older alduts] have to remind ourselves to STOP. We are so use to doing things for others, to putting others first, that we neglect our own needs and health. It has been difficult for me to do this in the past, but since my surgery I have begun to practice putting myself first. Sometimes I have to remind myself of the flight attendants speech, "in case of an emergency, put your oxygen mask on first and then turn to help children and others around you".
 
Here is a list of 10 things we should type up and put on our mirrors or frig to remind us that we need to stop doing in order to take care of ourselves.
 
The following list is from an article written by Adrienne Dellwo for about.com
 
Today I will stop:
 
1. Overdoing it.
2. Criticizing myself.
3. Blaming myself.
4. Believing other people's negative opinions about me, Fibromyalgia, and weight loss surgery.
5. Having unrealistic positive expectations.
6. Having unrealistic negative expectations.
7. Putting myself last.
8. Giving up on new treatment options and/or lifestyle changes for my Fibro too soon.
9. Letting stress overwhelm my life.
10. Asking why.
 
Click here to read to complete article

Sometimes we [people with Fibromyalgia, women in general, parents, grandparents, older alduts] have to remind ourselves to STOP. We are so use to doing things for others, to putting others first, that we neglect our own needs and health. It has been difficult for me to do this in the past, but since my surgery I have begun to practice putting myself first. Sometimes I have to remind myself of the flight attendants speech, "in case of an emergency, put your oxygen mask on first and then turn to help children and others around you".
 
Here is a list of 10 things we should type up and put on our mirrors or frig to remind us that we need to stop doing in order to take care of ourselves.
 
The following list is from an article written by Adrienne Dellwo for about.com
 
Today I will stop:
 
1. Overdoing it.
2. Criticizing myself.
3. Blaming myself.
4. Believing other people's negative opinions about me, Fibromyalgia, and weight loss surgery.
5. Having unrealistic positive expectations.
6. Having unrealistic negative expectations.
7. Putting myself last.
8. Giving up on new treatment options and/or lifestyle changes for my Fibro too soon.
9. Letting stress overwhelm my life.
10. Asking why.
 
Click here to read to complete article

I have several grandchildren and have not seen most of them since pre-op. Yesterday I saw my 4 year old grandson MJ. Because of my weight loss and physical therapy, my Fibromyalgia pain has decreased so I was able to bend down to his level. MJ screamed, "YaYa you're my height, I can see your eyes". He then hugged me and said, "YaYa I can hug all of you!" :wub:

I have several grandchildren and have not seen most of them since pre-op. Yesterday I saw my 4 year old grandson MJ. Because of my weight loss and physical therapy, my Fibromyalgia pain has decreased so I was able to bend down to his level. MJ screamed, "YaYa you're my height, I can see your eyes". He then hugged me and said, "YaYa I can hug all of you!" :wub:

I have several grandchildren and have not seen most of them since pre-op. Yesterday I saw my 4 year old grandson MJ. Because of my weight loss and physical therapy, my Fibromyalgia pain has decreased so I was able to bend down to his level. MJ screamed, "YaYa you're my height, I can see your eyes". He then hugged me and said, "YaYa I can hug all of you!" :wub:

I have several grandchildren and have not seen most of them since pre-op. Yesterday I saw my 4 year old grandson MJ. Because of my weight loss and physical therapy, my Fibromyalgia pain has decreased so I was able to bend down to his level. MJ screamed, "YaYa you're my height, I can see your eyes". He then hugged me and said, "YaYa I can hug all of you!" :wub:

Anyone have any comments, ideas, thoughts or concerns about when to start exercising and what type of exercises to do post op in-order-to combat the post WLS sag?
 
Please join the conversation and post your comments, ideas, thoughts or concerns here.

Welcome to new and returning visitors, thanks for stopping by and showing interest in my Fibromyalgia and Bariatric surgery blog.
 
Feel Free to like and follow my blog.
 
Feel Free to invite your friends, family members, and support group members to stop by and like and follow my blog.
 
Most importantly feel free to join a conversation or start one.
 
Fibro Diva's Bariatric Blog is a gathering of those thoughts that escape the Fibro Fog, both those concerning bariatric surgery and Fibromyalgia and those on Fibro only.
 
Fibro Diva's Bariatric Blog is a place to discuss the unique concerns of people with Fibromyalgia who are considering and/or who have undergone surgery to help control their weight, [and possibly take charge of their FM].

Welcome to new and returning visitors, thanks for stopping by and showing interest in my Fibromyalgia and Bariatric surgery blog.
 
Feel Free to like and follow my blog.
 
Feel Free to invite your friends, family members, and support group members to stop by and like and follow my blog.
 
Most importantly feel free to join a conversation or start one.
 
Fibro Diva's Bariatric Blog is a gathering of those thoughts that escape the Fibro Fog, both those concerning bariatric surgery and Fibromyalgia and those on Fibro only.
 
Fibro Diva's Bariatric Blog is a place to discuss the unique concerns of people with Fibromyalgia who are considering and/or who have undergone surgery to help control their weight, [and possibly take charge of their FM].