healthyme1963

Congrats, Sarah! You look fantastic!

Woohoo! That is fantastic! You look great and I bet you feel even better. Keep up the good work!

I had very little pain afterward. I was up and walking a few hours after surgery and only used the pain meds they gave me for about a day and a half. Used liquid Tylenol for a couple of days after that. Most people I know that have had this surgery laparoscopically experienced minimal pain. One friend who had to have an open surgery experienced a bit more pain and was on pain meds for about five days.

Good luck to all of you! I hope your surgery goes splendidly and you have very smooth recovery!

Onederland is a slang term for the scale going below 199 pounds or less.

Thanks, everyone! It feels great to see the scale show a '1' as the first number! To answer your question tsangia - I'm down a total of 83 pounds since I started the process (including the weight lost during the pre-op diet phase). I've been averaging about 11-13 pounds per month since surgery. You may lose faster or slower depending on your height, starting weight and how much you exercise. A lot of people lose faster than me because I was considered a 'smaller' patient to begin with, plus I don't work out heavily. I do work out 4-5 days per week, but having arthritis and fibromyalgia, my workouts are not very intense. Good luck to you!

That's fantastic! Keep up the good work!

Great work! You look very fit and healthy!

unjury makes an unflavored and vanilla Protein powder that are pretty good. I mix a scoop with watered down 50-calorie orange juice. You can sprinkle a few pinches on your s/f pudding, Soups and other liquids. Before you know it, you've used a scoop (20 grams) over the course of a few hours and got some protein in without having to drink those thick Protein shakes. If you like the shakes, then, Premier Protein makes a decent ready to drink shake, which gives you 30 grams of protein per drink.

Good to hear you're doing well! Keep up the good work and keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks!

I would have a long talk with my family members and explain why they can't eat 'my' food. Then, slap an 'OFF LIMITS!' sticker on anything that they aren't allowed to have. You may have to keep dry goods that don't need refrigeration in your bedroom closet or dresser. Good luck!

I can now walk into any department store and buy regular size clothes! Seat belt issues are a thing of the past. I have the confidence to wear clothes that actually fit properly and not hide behind big, loose tops. Yup, life is good!

This would be best discussed with your nutritionist or surgeon. Each one has slightly different criteria. I know that with my plan, in the early weeks after surgery, I was told 1-2 oz of meat and a couple of tablespoons of veggies at each meal, no more than 2 small servings of fruit a day and minimal carbs. After the first couple of months, my Protein size increased to about 4 oz per meal and 1/2 cup of veggies, 2 servings of fruit a day and still minimal carbs. I eat 3 small meals a day and 2 Snacks. Each snack also includes some form of protein. If I don't meet my protein goals through solid food each day, then I'll mix a scoop of unjury vanilla or Unflavored in 8 oz of 50 calorie orange juice and Water (half oj and half water) in the evening before bed. Good luck!

Well, I did it! I hit 199 today. My surgery date was March 18, 2014, so it took me about 4.5 months to reach this point. I have about another 50ish pounds to get to my goal and now have the confidence to know that I can do it. I couldn't be happier with my progress. This surgery has been such a blessing for me. I am healthier, so much more active and feeling better than I have in years. This forum has been a wonderful place for support. I have plenty of support from the few family members and friends that know I had the surgery, but having this site has been extremely helpful. Thank you everyone! I'll post pics eventually. . .