Forsythia

I doubt I will ever not have ample junk in my trunk. I come from a long line of booty. LOL. But, I notice when I sleep (I'm a side sleeper) that my knee bones are knocking against one another. And I am not even thin yet. I am pretty thin in the legs from the knee down though. But jeez.

I didn't freak out at all. Although, throughout the entire process (for months) I was like, "well, I can quit anytime". But I kept fulfilling the requirements. Also, I took public transit to the hospital (because I live in the city) all by myself. So I sat there on the train with my music on my headphones and my overnight bag. I was remarkably chill. They called my number at the hospital and got me prepped and I was still chill. Wheeled me in the room and that was it. The next thing I remember was waking up.

I met the anesthesiologist the morning of the surgery. He was delightfully easy on the eyes. LOL! But to answer your question, no, I did not have to have any sort of meeting with him prior to the day of.

I went to a gym 5 days a week, and hired a personal trainer for sixteen weeks long before I ever considered surgery and lost maybe the same 10 lbs over and over. So it was not for lack of trying. The diabetes and PCOS just made losing weight incredibly difficult. This drives me nuts. Oh, just drink more water and workout more. And of course, put the fork down. Ugh.

I was on that Rx dose twice in one year. And my Vitamin D levels, according to the doctor who did my final labs before my surgery, never really did get up to where they needed to be. But I was at a double disadvantage being black, I tend to absorb less natural vitamin D from the sun. I also live in Chicago, and there are all these shadows and tall buildings blocking the sun. Add those two factors on top of the obesity (which I was told by a nutritionist that there seems to be a correlation between obesity and vitamin D deficiency, thought she said there was no specific reason why). But anyhow, no, my low vitamin D did not delay anything. I really had no noticeable side effects from my deficiency. I take 1000IU a day and am no longer deficient. I think since I've lost so much weight I absorb it better? Who knows.

I think when people say this, they are saying it because we (as in Americans) have all gotten so fat that fat is the new normal and you look "okay". And I thought I was okay for a long time. I never lacked dates. I had a social life. I got married. I mean, a person who has friends and a life can't be fat enough to need surgery. Only "those people" who are 400 lbs or bedridden are big enough for surgery. But the fact is I let myself creep up over 300 lbs. I had diabetes and high blood pressure. And I didn't like how I looked or felt. All my size 24 pants were too tight. Your reasons are your reasons and you do not need to justify them to anyone. When you have a BMI of over 40 you are big enough to need surgery. When you have tried and tried and can't lose the weight or keep it off, you need surgery. When you fall off the ledge and become diabetic or have PCOS and can't get pregnant, or are on all the medications for your various ailments and maladies, you need the surgery.

I had a sleeve and my sugar levels immediately dropped after my surgery. I was no longer on medications about a week or so after my surgery. My HgA1C at my last check up was 5.5%. At one point it was over 9%! (I had gotten it down to 6.7% pre-surgery, as my surgeon will not do the surgery on you until you get your HgA1C down below 8%). Like countrysweet, whenever I check my sugar levels they are always pretty even keel, around 94, 98 and the like. While I will fully admit to being vain, I really was becoming more and more concerned with going blind and/or losing a foot. I was already on two medications and my nurse practitioner was thinking about moving me to insulun. I was diagnosed as diabetic when I was 32 (I'm 37 now). So the thought of facing the effects of the disease for another 30 plus years was daunting.

Once you move to purees and solids you will get full quick. Like, two or three bites quick. And your mind will be like, "I can eat more than two bites" but your stomach is all "oh hell naw" about it. I used to get a pang, and a gurgle, but that went away once my stomach healed a bit more. I know when I get close to my limit I start burping or hiccuping. I went through Northwestern Memorial, and you are on purees your first day home. So I did not experience the not being full feeling. I actually was not hungry at all for like three weeks. It was a chore to eat (this was new to me because I love to eat).

I put my protein powder in my morning coffee. I don't have any withdrawal from caffeine like a lot of people. I can literally quit any time. But I like having coffee because it makes going poo easy. Lol.

Non scale Victory. Like, realizing that you no longer take up part of the seat next to you on public transit. Or being able to make it up three flights of stairs without feeling like you are going to die.

You can get PB2 and add that to your shakes right now. http://www.amazon.com/PB2-Powdered-Peanut-Butter-2-Pack/dp/B00B40WZXA/ref=sr_1_8?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1413074090&sr=1-8&keywords=pb2 As for actual Peanut Butter, it was never specifically banned in my program, but the nutritionist encourages PB2 because you get the flavor but not the calories.

Today I went to Macy's - the big flagship store in the Loop. Normally I automatically go up to the 5th floor where the plus sizes live. Today I went to the 3rd floor where the contemporary brands are (like, Kensie, Bar III etc. Younger and hipper, and slightly edgy but not juniors. So, right where I skew stylistically). I found this sheer, embroidered hippie dippy top on the 80% off rack. It was $12 after the discounts. I found all these clothes to try on in my size. Some fit, some didn't. Some were summer clothes on clearance. I declined to buy them because I figure next summer they would be too big. But I was able to try on all these different dresses and tops and stuff that I would have had to mournfully walk by before. But the whole time, I kind of felt like a sales associate was going to come up to me and tell me that my size was on the 5th floor. No one did that. A couple people did ask me if I was finding everything okay. Then I went up the 4th floor and tried on more casual, less edgy clothes. Got a pair of capri pants for $8. Also clearance. Good for lounging about the house on the weekend. I went to the new Ross that just opened on Randolph. It is disappointingly small. Well appointed, but small. The Ross I normally go to is about the same size. I picked up another bra in 38DD. So now I have three that fit properly. Yay for that. As it gets colder, it is becoming apparent that I need a new winter coat. I have three. And they are all too big. Way too big. I have this issue - being two different sizes - an 18/20 on the bottom and a 14/16 on the top causes problems. A coat that fits me up top won't zip over my derriere. And I am a person who likes coverage. We're talking about Chicago in the winter. A place that got nicknamed Chiberia last year. Ideally I want a down coat I will wear the hell out of so that I can justify the $250 price tag. But I really don't want to buy one in a plus size. So far every coat I've tried on in a misses size has been to small except for one Anne Klein wool peacoat (in fabulous fuchsia) in a regular XXL (18/20). I really want down, as it is warmer than wool. I guess I will just have to keep exercising so I can lose more weight and get into an XL. I don't want to pay $20 more for a coat just because I'm buying it in a plus size.

I'm glad you persisted and wore Aetna down.

I swear to god the weird thing with undies is that they all still seem to fit. I mean, 86 lbs since surgery and I can still put on a pair of size 12 panties and they fit relatively okay. I have bought some new size 9 panties. But they are the one item of clothing I put off buying!

Ah the relationship between mothers and daughters. I love my mom to death. But she is the family gossip. She told her sister (the other family gossip) that I had surgery which got conveyed as a lap band. At least get the details right if you are going to spread all my private medical business to the entire Stewart/Lynch side of the family. LOL.

Percentage wise you are squatting a higher percentage of your body weight.

This is a bit misleading. Fat is fat. Muscle is muscle. You cannot turn one into the other. Fat does not transform into muscle when you work out. Muscle doe not congeal into a lump of fat if you are sedentary. Fat cells shrink when you lose weight and exercise, muscle tissue expands. If you could transform fat into muscle, you would probably win the Nobel Prize in science.

I didn't really go down a size until I had lost a significant amount of weight. And I lose from the top down so I'd be smaller in the boob region but still in a 24 at the waist. Currently I'm a 14/16W or 16 misses in tops and an 18 in pants (as an aside 18 is the worst size because you can sometimes find it in a normal stores like New York & Company but when you go in there are only like one or two items in the size. You go to a plus size store and the 18s are all gone because it is a common size. So you can't find it any damn where). But, in the plus sizes there is a lot more variance between sizes. So you can lose 30 or 35 lbs and still not quite fit into a smaller size. Bizarre, right? If you are a size 12 and you lose 35 lbs you are down a couple sizes or more.

Checking in again. I'm down to 226. So 86 lbs from my program start weight (well over 100 from my all time high). My goal is to lose 27 by new years eve. So I can be in Onederland once 2015 begins. I think I can lose it faster. But I don't want to get cocky. LOL!

Have you tried using something like Keranique or Rogaine for women? You can get those in a place like Ulta. I've always had thin, fine hair (which is curly despite my picture), but have had no real loss as of yet. I eat a lot of red meat. Not sure if that makes a difference in my case or not. Besides surgery, check your Vitamin A level. If your Vitamin A level is too high, it can cause hair loss. If that is contributing you might want to adjust your vitamins!

I had this with the lungs. I could not take a deep breath at all. It felt like I had bronchitis or something. And it took me forever to walk a block from the hospital to the bus stop with my husband right after I got discharged. I was basically okay after a week. Just keep using your breathing thingy and walking and it will go away!

In the words of Taylor Swift, shake it off. You do not owe these people any sort of explanation or apology on what you are doing to your body. However, I will say that these people are used to seeing you be obese. They have no concept or idea as to what a proper weight for you is. You can go all clinical on them and say "Thanks for your concern, my BMI is still over 26, which is considered overweight. I'd like to get into the normal range of 20 to 25". You can also be polite and say "I appreciate your concern and I will take your advice into consideration". You can be that person who gives zero effs and tell them to "Eff off". (maybe save that one for people you don't like). But don't let it get you down. These people have no idea about your personal needs and are just reacting to seeing you thin.

I went in the hospital 294. Came out 306. And of course the first thing I did when I got home was step on the scale. Then I proceeded to drop 15 lbs in 3 days. You really get pumped full of fluids in the hospital. Don't fret!

You should be cleared to do vigorous exercise by 6 weeks post op. Hiking, biking, zip lining, lifting heavy weights. Unless you have some extenuating circumstances.

My hair is also natural (although in my profile picture it has been flat ironed). My hair texture is thin, fine and curly, not kinky and thick. I have not had any hair loss as of 5 months post op. You may or may not lose hair. There is no way to tell if you will or not. Do your best to get all your Protein. I eat a lot of lean beef for my protein. Maybe that makes a difference? Take your multi-Vitamin and make sure your Iron levels are good.