vanessak8

I forgot to say my dr had me take Zantac liquid by prescription for 30 days post op. It is her standard of care.

I had a hiatal hernia repaired with my VSG. Prior to surgery my reflux wasn't horrible, but I had it for sure. I mostly ate tums when I had it. I read prior to my surgery that a hiatal hernia repair can complicate the surgery so I told my surgeon that my heart burn was not bad enough and that I did not want her to repair the hernia. She said that if it was small like it looked like on the upper GI than she would leave it alone, but if she felt it needed repaired she would do it... Needless to say she fixed it. Also, prior to surgery I'd frequently vomit bile when I'd wake up early for work...530 am (I am nurse). Immediately post op I had lots of pain under my diaphragm and was dry heaving once I got up to my room and got up to pee. They gave me lots of meds and I was out... Woke up 4-5 hours later and was whole new person. I stayed in the hospital 2 days, but I felt great and really could have went home. I haven't thrown up since surgery, I have not had any heartburn. I have however in the last month or so had this nagging feeling that I'm hungry even though I just ate a few hours ago. Not a normal hungry feeling just like I need to eat. It has led to some not so good food choices. I remembered reading some where that feeling hungry can some times be an increase in acid. I found an article and its dyspepsia. Increase in acid in your stomach and you feel better when you eat because eating stimulates gastric emptying... I bought some nexium and I took it and the hunger like pangs have stopped.

I drank a ton of diet Mt Dew prior to surgery. It was my only form of liquid. When I quit drinking it... It took 4 weeks before I really quit wanting one. It was torture. Now I don't even think about it.

I'm reading these NSVs and I'm like yep I've experienced that one and that one and I've enjoyed everyone I have had.... But as I was reading I realized its 930 pm and I'm still dressed and I have been dressed all day in my bra and everything . This is a NSV because before losing 146 lbs I could not stand to be dressed. If I was at home I was in my lounge clothes and no bra. Wearing a bra was the devil... Uncomfortable and I hated it so to be dressed all day when I haven't even left the house is a huge NSV for me!!!!!

Weight today is 213

I'm in.....

213

213

Started in error

I've been a nurse for ~20 years the last 12 in a level III NICU...in STL, MO. I was sleeved 7/14/14. I'm 5'6", I weighed 360. I'm 38 years old. My BMI was 58. I am currently 214 with a BMI 34.5. While that is still obese I feel great. I had no comorbidities at my highest weight thank God, but I was tired and miserable. I have lost 146 lbs since the start of my journey (that started 2/6/14 with my first surgeon's appoint) 45.5 of that was prior to surgery and about 22 was my 2 week liquid diet. Now that I am 8 months out I lose slower, but I still lose I would like to get to 165, but if I don't I'm ok with that. I had this surgery to change my life and more importantly my participation in it and I have. I'm happier and enjoying doing things with my boys(all teenagers)and my husband. I have ice skated, went snow sledding which I hadn't done in years. I went dancing with my husband which I also hadn't done in years. Good luck to all!!! And especially to those who are just starting and wondering and worrying if it will work for them cause I know that I worried if this would be another thing to fail at. Even at 8 months out it still early in my journey, but I feel it is really the best tool possible to be successful and stay successful.

214

Maybe it's that blue cross blue shield of Texas generally covers bariatric surgery, but the policy that your employer purchases through them does not. Ultimately it is your employer that picks what your policy covers and what it does not.

I'm 8 months out and I eat 1200-1500 cal. I have lost a total of 146 pounds since my highest weight and 100 since surgery. I am still loosing and I just lost 7 lbs in 9 days.

You should be able to tell from your policy if it's covered or not. I would start there...

I've lost 146 lbs as of today.

Everyone stalls. I too stalled my third week through the sixth week... I too though what the hell!!! How can you eat 6-800 cal a day and not lose. It seems ludicrous for sure. I am now 8 months post op today and I am 100lbs down since surgery and 145 lbs down since I saw the surgeon the first time... Only 14 lbs away from bring in the 100's. I agree... I was working out at this point and increasing my calories a bit did help. For sure

I'm 214.5.... I've not met my goal the last two challenges, but here it is 3 weeks in to this one and I've met it. I picked this weight because it's exactly 100lbs lost since my surgery date (it is 8 months today). I have lost a total of 145 lbs since I started this journey Feb 6, 2014. Today I wouldn't even qualify for surgery (BMI 34.6). My BMI when I started was 58. Lots of emotions... I'm also only 4 lbs away from the weight I was when I went to my first OB appoint with my son who will be 17 this month. (I went on to gain more than 80 lbs during that pregnancy, which obviously I never lost). What am I doing different this challenge. I am doing a whole30 with a friend. That is it. Since I haven't been eating a whole lot of sugar and carbs prior to this not a huge change, but I am eating cleaner and I have been enjoying fruit and green smoothies. I can taste wonderland... My goal for My surgery is 165 (my surgeons gaol 260... She is super conservative and that would have been 100lbs lost total and 50% of my excess weight lost. Needless to say she is beyond thrilled with my progress)... I hope to get there by July 8...my 39th birthday and 6 days shy of my 1 year surgiversary.

221

The fear of failure keeps people paralyzed!!! Don't let that be the reason you don't make a change.... I'm 7 months out, I've lost 137 pounds, and I have 55 more before I am at my goal. I have passed up my surgeons goal. She only expected me to lose 50% of my excess weight. She is beyond thrilled. My point of this post is my oldest son made a comment when he heard me talking about WLS in general... He said it's the easy way out... Flash forward 7 1/2 months he said to me the other day... OMG mom your shredded... His way of saying I've been working out a lot... Point is most people who say it's the easy way probably have never known a person who has had WLS and worked it like they were supposed too!!! WLS is a tool and like all tools it can be used properly or not. Those who use it properly will experience a lifetime of fulfillment from gaining their lives back. Those who use it improperly and lose some weight and then regain because they did not make the mental change too are why the public at large see WLS as the easy way and often see it as not working.

The next challenge is under Easter challenge. You will need to look it up and susan will put you down. The next challenge is under Easter challenge. You will need to look it up and susan will put you down.

Current weight 223... Goal 214

224... Didn't make goal, but lost weight so that's a victory

I'm in...

225

I was pretty honest with people in my life that I was having surgery. I am a nurse and work in a very large NICU so I have a large work family. I have always been active at work I wear a lots of hats so most of my coworkers obviously could see I was fat but I didn't work like a fat person. I was in charge, placed PICC lines and did transport for our unit. Anyway they have all been so supportive. Even before the surgery I lost 35lbs. I always lose in my face and boobs first. They all noticed and now that I'm down a total of 135lbs I am constantly hearing how much have you lost, you are so skinny (I appreciate that but I have 75lb to lose still). Every pound I lose these days is noticed which I think it's easier to notice when you are smaller. I drop pant sizes with every 10-15 pounds lost when it took me 50lbs it seems before I went down my from my beginning size of 26. My family notices for other reasons.., I'm happier and more active. My three boys have never had their mother participate in all their activities. I get asked a lot about what my husband thinks about it. I was thin when he met me and never made me feel bad about being overweight. He does not say much one way or the other, but I told him that people have been asking how he felt about my weight loss and he said "I love you know matter what, but if you want to know the truth I think I missed some things that I didn't know I missed. He wrapped his arms around me and said like this. I didn't know I missed it but now that I can do it again I realized that I did." Oh and I let them take my picture this year at christmas!!!