Mlssrodd1521

Heyyy!!! My name is Melissa. I found BariatricPal through a random online search. It’s been 10 months since my surgery (April 1st, 2013). I had the gastric bypass and I’ve lost 90 pounds so far.
I am extremely happy I had this surgery. I needed it. My knees and my feet couldn't take my weight anymore. I was having constant pain in my back, I had trouble sleeping. Dieting just hadn't worked for me in the past and my exercising was limited. I was in fear of getting diabetes and most of all dying young. I was tired of being depressed and unhappy.
The good part about this surgery is that I’m able to do more things now than I could before. It’s a great feeling to be able to go shopping and find clothes that fit. It’s an amazing feeling to see shirts that were so tight on me I couldn’t breathe fit me. It’s built a better confidence in me. I’m happy and more social. I was able to go to 6 flags in September and not be afraid I wasn’t going to fit in the rides!!! That was the best feeling ever, I was able to get on everything. I have more energy. I’m able to do things easier and longer like walk up a flight of stairs.
I have experienced complications along the way:
1. The day after I got sent home I found out I was allergic to the Tylenol and Codeine I was prescribed. My lip had swell like a balloon. Wasn't anything super major but I did go a whole day without pain medication which was really ok. I did have pain but I still did move around.
2. About 3 weeks after my surgery, I went to the ER. I had a lot of abdominal pain. It felt like a pulling filling right at the incision above my belly button. Turns out it's the stitch that was there on the inside. It tends to kink at times and it was normal by readjusting myself and my position it but have kinked.
3. In September, I had a scare. I was working pretty much every day 16 hour shift. It was the norm for me. I had 2 jobs. Well one day after I got out of work, I was driving and all of a sudden I began to shake. My body was shaking not like a seizure but like if I was cold. It was weird because it wasn't a cold night. I rolled up the window and proceeded. I was still shaking...teeth shattering cold...and it was painful. I was only 10mins from where I needed to be. I turned on the heat on high but the seat warmer on. I was still cold and my body was in excruciating pain. I was trying not to panic and I was afraid to stop. No one knew where I was and my phone was dead. My vision got blurred by the time I got to the house and my husband opened the door. I told him I wasn't feeling good and I was worried. He helped me up the stairs and I got so cold. I couldn't even hold a cup of water my hands were shivering so much. He was going to take me to the hospital but I couldn't move I felt so faint when I stood up so he called 911. I went to the hospital. They did some tests. I had some kind of virus like a small 24 hour flu. My iron, vitamin D, and B12 levels were so low that I was pretty much running on Empty and my body was trying to reboot. It had no energy to fight off the virus so my immune system was compromised. Afterwards I was so weak and my body hurt. I had to take off from work until my levels were a little better. I was off for 2 months. Vitamin D deficiency sucks really bad. So be sure to be taking your vitamins. I am now prescribed prescription strength vitamin D and have to get blood work every couple months. My levels still aren't where they need to be but they are a lot better than what they were and I’m able to function.
What I hope to get out of this website is a few friends and hopefully help people with questions. This surgery has been one of the BEST decisions I have ever made. But I am in no way shape or form saying it is easy. This surgery is not easy. Weight loss in general is not easy and I would like to help people along the way.
The main thing to remember about this surgery and the other surgeries is to reach optimal results YOU MUST DO YOUR PART.
It's been an interesting 10 months. I've had some ups and downs along the way. But I’m happy to say that things are finally coming together. I’m getting healthier and I’m definitely happier. I am now down 90 pounds from where I was (280). And I have 60 pounds left to get to my goal (130). Trying to it my 100 pound mark by my 1 year Surgiversary (April 1St).
Yes with this surgery you will lose weight, its automatic your body kind of has no choice in the beginning, but if you don’t do your part it will return. I've seen it. YOU MUST MAKE A LIFESTYLE CHANGE.
My mom and my sister have both had the surgery as well different times. My sister had it a year before me and my mom had hers over 10 years ago. They both struggle with their weight now. My mom was down to 180 at her lowest she lost 150pounds and struggles now a days and fluctuates between 215 and 240. My sister had lost 100 pounds and was down to 240. She's now at 260. The reason why they are struggling is because they didn't adapt and make a lifestyle change.
YOU MUST EXERCISE. I’m not saying go run a marathon (unless you want too). But just add a little 30min exercise to your day. It might not seem like a lot but it's an extra 30 minutes of exercises that you weren't going to do. You don't need a gym membership. Squats, lunges, push-ups, sit ups, crunches, torso twists, kicks, walking, etc. etc. etc. is all FREE!
BE REALASTIC! This is the problem my sister and my mom have and it's normal. My mom noticed more that I was exercising more and she got inspired and motivated and that's awesome. So what did she do? She started on day 1: 90 sit ups!!! Really? I don't even do 90 sit ups yet. I mean I probably could but I’m not trying to hurt myself THE POINT IS TO PROGRESS. Anyway...what happens with the 90 sit ups? The next day she's in so much pain she can barely bend down to tie her shoes and what happens next? No more sit ups. The point I’m trying to make is be realistic. You don't have to kill yourself right off at the start. It's a gradual process. Start small and work toward a greater goal. If she would have done what I suggested start of 25 sit ups and then gradually increase by 5 she would ultimately get to 90 because she wouldn't be in so much pain and she wouldn't give up because you’re changing it up and your progressing. BE REALISTIC...RESULTS WILL COME...THE POINT IS TO PROGRESS.
My workout consists of Zumba at home 5 days a week; I do squats, sit ups, push-ups, at home. Sometimes I do Wii Fit Plus. When it starts to get a little warmer I plan on starting some walking goals. I just joined a gym on February 7th, 2014. My first work out at the gym will be on Monday, February 10th, 2014.
YOU MUST MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES! Eating better is important!!! Diet is key. I'm not saying starve yourself. You will get nowhere with that. Plan your meals ahead of time. I started doing this and it's helped me so much I don't have to think about it. I don't get tempted as much. It's great. The main thing is GET YOUR PROTEIN IN FIRST...then your veggies then your carbs. Stay away from sugary things. Fruits will satisfy that sugary craving usually. Try not to focus so much on counting calories. The main thing is to make sure you get your Protein intake in and make sure that the sugars in your protein don’t go over the amount of protein you are taking in. Example: I don’t recommend you eat a Protein Bar that has 20grams of protein and 38grams of sugar. I would suggest more a Protein Bar that has 20grams of protein and 5grams of sugar. Once you you’re your protein intake for the day everything else is manageable. You need the protein to give energy to your body. There is nothing wrong with giving into your temptation. I’m just saying you can treat yourself because not treating yourself can actually make you sabotage yourself, by binging or over eating. Drink lots of water!!!!!!! I struggle with this it’s not easy for me at all. I’m starting measure how much water I drink a day and track it and its been helping.
An example: My husband had texted me he was going to order pizza for dinner one day. I told him to order a medium pizza. He asked if I was sure and I said yes. Normally, we would have gotten 2 large pizzas. (There is a purpose to this) The whole time I was at work I was literally thinking about all the pizza I was going to eat. How many slices! Yum! I couldn't wait. I decided BEFORE I got home I was going to have 2 slices maybe 3! I got home he was eating his pizza. I went to the box. At first I thought I’m going to put the 2 slices on my plate. Then I was like no. I'll put only half of one on my plate when I finish I'll get up and get another. I ate the half of a slice of pizza and I was full and content. If I would have put the whole slice of pizza on the plate I probably would have made myself eat it even if I was full. And the point in buying a smaller pizza is if I would have bought 2 large pies, he would be the one eating it all by himself. Which isn't good! A Medium size pizza has smaller slices, he had only eaten 4 slices which u can equate to 2 maybe 3 large pizza slices and he was content.
REALIZE YOU ARE THE ONE THAT HAD THE SURGERY! It’s so hard to get caught up in the surgery and the process and forget that YOU ARE THE ONE CHANGING. Everyone around you is going to keep doing what they were doing before. So it can be frustrating at times and you might get disgusted. You must be aware of that. I noticed after I was full after eating a couple of bites of something and my husband was still eating I would say things like: Are you almost done? Are you really going to eat all of that? You want a second plate seriously? In turn I was making him feel bad. Ultimately just like it was your decision to have the surgery it is their decision to eat how they want until they decided they want to change. And maybe by you changing they will change themselves.
THIS SURGERY IS NOT JUST PHYSCIAL IT’S A MENTAL ONE TOO! It takes your mind longer to catch up to speed. It's going to keep thinking you can eat the things you were and the quantity. It’s going to keep thinking you look and should feel like the person you were before surgery. That is why PICTURES are important for you! So you can see the progress. You looking in the mirror and on the scale every day you aren’t going to notice change. I honestly hadn’t noticed a change. I mean yes my clothes were getting bigger but when I looked in the mirror I still saw who I was before the surgery, even though everyone was telling me how great and different I looked. And by the way that’s going to be an issue with you mentally too. People are going to say how different and better you look. You just have to keep in mind that they mean well. Even if the compliment sounds bad like Oh my God! You look so much better now than you did before. Ha-ha I honestly hated it because I personally was still seeing the person I was before so yeah compliments sting sometimes.
MAIN THINGS TO REMEMBER:
1. YOU MUST DO YOUR PART
2. YOU MUST MAKE A LIFESTYLE CHANGE
3. YOU MUST EXERCISE
4. BE REALASTIC… THE POINT IS TO PROGRESS
5. YOU MUST MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES
6. REALIZE YOU ARE THE ONE THAT HAD THE SURGERY
7. SURGERY IS NOT JUST PHYSCIAL IT’S A MENTAL ONE TOO
8. PROTEIN FIRST
9. TAKE YOUR VITAMINS
10. DRINK LOTS OF WATER
11. THERE WILL BE UPS AND DOWNS, NEVER GIVE UP
I believe the surgery is well worth it and I would do it again. My journey isn't over yet....if you have any questions definitely message me!