BrantS1976

I'm in!

Starting weight: 286 Goal weight: 276 Current weight: 279 (missed my goal by 3 pounds, but I will take it. Now down 104 pounds.)

So I stepped on the scale this morning and the following was staring back at me. I have now lost 101 pounds and finally passed the 100 lbs lost mark about 6.5 months after surgery. I have been staring at the scale impatiently for the better part of the past week waiting for this and today was the day. I keep reminding myself that I originally thought it might take a year to get to this point and it bested that by 5.5 months. As an added bonus at my six month appointment I was told I had lost 96 pounds overall, but had lost 102 pounds of fat, so I actually gained some muscle. In addition to that my measurements showed a loss of six inches from my neck and 12 inches from my waist. Surgery definitely is the tool that makes the difference.

I had the plication surgery here in the US as part of a study. The nausea was bad for the first 48 hours, but the drugs made it tolerable and it passed after the first couple of days and I haven't had any issues since. Financing can be tough. I was approved for $12,000 in financing, but the term was limited to three years, which put the payments over $400. Most surgeons work with financiers, and you might want to contact them and explain your situation. They will be able to best recommend who to contact. I had surgery on a Thursday and was back at work on Tuesday, so about 5 days. Granted, my job is not as physical as yours but you should be fine within a week to 10 days I would think.

Count me in. i would love to attend and meet others in our area. I'm in Auburn between Seattle and Tacoma. I would be happy to help out with organizing and coordinating the event.

Starting weight: 286 Goal weight: 276 Current weight: 282 (down 2 from last week - puts me at 101 pounds lost!)

Good luck to you!

Kelsey, If you have surgery you also have to go through a psych eval first, and besides that most surgeons have therapists they work with who are good at helping with food issues. The sleeve would help you lose weight, but isn't a magic bullet. You have to work on it from all fronts including the stuff between your ears, which is what I think trips most of us up. Best of luck to you, and know that there are some great people here ready to cheer you on.

I wanna be there when you try to board a flight. They'll probably wrestle you to the ground as a terrorist using a phony ID. On second thought....maybe you better get a new pic. Oh please! They actually had to go check the security cameras for me to get back in the casino! I was waiting for someone to just snap my ID in half. Hey, but if you look different enough that they don't believe your ID belongs to you, I'd say that's a great sign of how far you've come and a good problem to have.

Glad to hear you are doing well. The stalls are frustrating but it seems the scale numbers still keep moving in the right direction. I had a bit of hair loss starting and my doctor recommended supplementing with Biotin, which seems to have helped. As an added bonus it also seems to boost your energy level a bit. Look forward to the pics and seeing your progress! Keep up the good work.

Exceptionally well put!

I have lost 99 pounds in a little over six months since having surgery. I was concerned I had lost muscle mass, but at my six month appointment the surgeon had me on the body composition scale and it showed my total weight loss at 97 pounds, but I has actually lost 102 pounds of fat since last time, so I actually GAINED five pounds of muscle. I had not expected that as I have felt a bit weaker since surgery. I guess the moral of the story is eat the amount of Protein they recommend, and it should be just fine.

For me the shopping experience was fine. Didn't care for the taste of some of their products, but some of that may just be personal choice.

Thanks for the excellent post. Only six months out but have started to experience periodic stalls in weight loss and this is a great reminder. When I hit a stall I do two things. First, I look at all the positive changes and think about how much better I feel and how much healthier I am. Then I do a very honest self assessment to see where I may be slipping up a bit and what might have crept back into my diet. Biggest culprits for me tend to be liquid calories, not drinking enough water and not getting enough sleep. We all got a great toolkit from our surgeons and their support staff, just need to remember to keep using them.

Starting weight: 286 Goal weight: 276 Current weight: 284 (same as last week)

Remembered to weigh yesterday, but forgot to post. Starting weight: 286 Goal: 276 Current weight: 284... down two pounds, one more and I'm at 100 lost since I started my journey!

Ginger, thanks for the kind words. It can be a tough road at times but one you get going things start changing pretty quick. I look forward to hearing about your journey.

Mine is also my theme song for life; I Won't Back Down by Tom Petty http://youtu.be/nvlTJrNJ5lA

Don't let the callous words on one nurse talk you out of one of the best things you could do for yourself. I would also mention it to your doctor or patient coordinator. If that is her attitude then she shouldn't be working there. The nurses and everyone else on my doctor's staff have been so amazingly supportive and encouraging. Several of the people in the monthly support group are well into their 50's or 60's. You are most definitely NOT too old for this surgery.

Great list Ginger. I can tell you that it will happen. i have my six month appointment this Friday and have lost 97 pounds. In addition to the numbers on the scale its funny the changes you notice as you go through this process. I no longer worry where they will seat me when I walk into a restaurant (I no longer fear the booth), no more avoiding plane flights whenever possible, no more paying way more for the same clothes just because they are at a big and tall store. Can now go to a baseball game, sit comfortably in my seat and not feel like i am encroaching on the person next to me. Keep us posted on how it goes tomorrow. Love your song lyric choice, that lyric was in my head when I decided to do this as well. I felt like I was 37 going on 55, and now I feel the best I've felt in a decade.

Good luck tomorrow. I am sure it will all go well.

Missed my goal on the Easter one so jumping in on this one Goal weight: 275 pounds Starting weight 286 pounds

Was out of town and finally have a chance to post Goal weight: 283 pounds (would put me at an even 100 lost) Starting weight 292 pounds Current weight 286 pounds Missed it, but at least I'm still losing. Hit a plateau during this one but things are moving along again. On to the next challenge.