Dawn

So happy to see everyone check in here so I don't feel like I am the ONLY one. It really helps. Anyone else having foot cramps before bed? I do my best on fluids, but this is happening every night!

Surgery 11/27, Down 43 lbs since surgery, -20.75 overall inches. I have been diving into smaller shirts and bras, but feel like my lower half isn't shrinking as fast as I want. Oh well...keep your chin up people...we are all making progress even if it seems slow. I am just hoping to feel good enough to actually wear a bathing suit by this summer. So, I have a couple of months before I freak out...I hope. Right now I love oatmeal with brown sugar splenda.

I have been doing fine, but I started working full time this week and wow do I feel tired after my work day. All of a sudden I am feeling really horrible just after dinner *breakfast & lunch are fine. Any advice?

Low blood sugar! I am struggling with it. Especially after I workout and first thing in the morning. Doc said to drink a 1/2 protein shake before workout and finish after workout. Dehydration too...make sure you are drinking, but blood sugar is a real issue with the amount of sugar we are not having. {PS: Anyone else desperately missing bread right now?}

So face shots after 7 weeks... still can't stand body photos, but...lots of time yet.

Dr said down 32 lbs since surgery on 11/26 and he is happy. That is somewhere in the 30% excess gone range New issue is BRUISING. I look like I have been beaten up. Dr says it is because I am losing the padding. One word...OWWWW!

I am starting to try to think of my weight loss in terms of 5lb bags of potatoes. Really..think about it. 20lbs down is 4 BAGS of Potatoes. I can't believe I was carrying all that extra weight around. Or 12lb bags of dogfood. Seriously people we are doing amazing for people who struggled to take off even 5 lbs before. Keep up the good work!

You go girl! I am there tomorrow! Wish me luck!

I read a lot of labels and most of them scare the spit out of me. It is almost better when someone else cooks/shops because I feel PARANOID. I have dumped, had food get lodged (just for a couple of minutes), and it is something I try to avoid...at all costs. Cottage Cheese and Yogurt are really difficult labels for me to read. It seems like a lot of sugar for such small portions. I am not even worrying about hair...yet.

All I did for the first week was sleep (2-4 hours), sip when awake, and walk (or stumble) at first I was only able to go two houses away (not very far apart!). I am 6 weeks out now. I can do a lot more. I set myself small goals at first to keep me motivated (ex. go to house 3, then do 15 minutes on an exercise bike, get out of the bathtub by myself) BUT I did not: pick up children, cook for everyone, do most household chores until after my 2 week follow up. Hey they may be sitting on thier a**es but when they run out of dishes someone will have to do it. Be strong and tell them to shove it (bending over and putting things up in cupboards was really uncomfortable for me.) Grocery shopping was WAY too much walking at first. So someone will need to do that or they will starve or learn to call for take out. You set the boundaries and stick to them (or you are going to hurt yourself...A LOT). Everything gets better. PS my dr said NO OATMEAL for a while and I didn't listen and DUMPED....it is high in fiber. Cream of wheat is better. We have all been where you have been! The holidays and being out of town sucked, but it was a "learning experience". Best of luck to you!

Depends...surgery was 11/26/12 and sometimes I am attacking him and others I am just tired and not in the mood. My hormones did speed up for a week or so and he was crawling away from me A positive attitude helps, when I feel upset or depressed I am not in the mood. When I am feeling optimistic and have made progress then he normally knows.

I am doing really well. Go back for a followup again tomorrow. Vacation was tough because I was trying to pick and choose from "real people holiday food"....scares me to think how much of it I used to eat! So glad my surgery had a huge impact on my desire for sweets and baked goods. I didn't really have time to work out (except doing 2 flights of stairs at least 5 times a day...yikes!) I am now down 40 lbs since my heaviest in Oct 2012 and down 31 lbs since surgery 11/26. Hope everyone is doing well now!

I have had a great experience too! I am 3 weeks out and wake up everyday thinking THANK GOD I DID THIS! My only struggles are trying to drink enough which will come with time I think, glad to know I am not a Freak! My hubby assures me I have a low pain tolerance and I had epidurals with all 3 of my kids, so I am happy that I did so well and happy to see a post about a positive experience!

I am DesperateDawn on myfitnesspal.com so people can add me. Started working out at week 2! Zumba, Line Dancing, Exercise Bike, & Walking right now. Sorry to hear about people who are having a hard time, hope you all feel better soon! I am eating and drinking well, and now that the tenderness in my jaw is going down multivitamins aren't so bad. I have stopped wearing 20's but I am still in a 18w, BUT when was the last time I lost over 20 lbs in 3 weeks? UM....never! Hope everyone is staying positive and upbeat!

I had a little oops on my way to my follow up appointment when I got stuck needing to pick up something on the go. I got mcdonalds oatmeal and asked for it plain....they didn't make it plain so I ate around the cranberry/raisins/apples, but I FORGOT about the brown sugar they add. Needless to say I had "food poisonings" type symptoms within about 15 minutes. Chills, Diarrehea, Nausea, and headache. It only lasted 30 minutes and 2 bathroom trips ..THank GOD! My pouch hates cold stuff, I can't even do frozen yogurt. My nurse Jennifer, a gastric bypass patient herself, said it is common. I LOVE campbells chicken noodle soup with a scoop of tuna on the side and so does my pouch. My doc said that unlike normal pasta the noodles couldn't possibly swell in my pouch because they have been soaking in liquid so long. (Mind you this is the condensed stuff not a homemade type soup.) I/my pouch like room temperature or even a little warmer when we eat or drink. Ironically I like cold milk still, that is IT. Warm crystal lite lemonade is my favorite. Soup broths help to up my fluid intake too so win win.