The Candidate

Wow you are a weight loss demon and you look like an angel. Your hard work has certainly paid off. Congrats!

You look amazing! You are doing fantastic! Congrats!

Commit to making food and lifestyle changes now. And lose as much weight as possible as a pre op - it really does make a difference. I loved food too, but too much of anything, even the good stuff, is going to come back to haunt you in the end. Use that golden period of rapid weight loss to its upmost. For me the biggest game changer was finally feeling full. I never had that feeling before. I never went back to any of my old ways. During that golden period I was able to rid myself of a lifetime soda habit. I gave up fast food, sweets, Pasta, rice, bread, and more. I also only drink Water and threw out my salt shakers. If you want long term success you will eventually have to give up things. If you're anything like me, striving for moderation, and then failing miserably is what got me here in the first place. I know there are post ops who can walk that thin line without going overboard, but I'm not one of them. I knew in my heart that this was my last chance, and by God I was going to make it happen. I can tell you sincerely that what you give up pales in comparison to what you'll get in return. I'm 55 and I've never been fitter and happier. It was worth it a 100 times over. Sit down with yourself and take a good hard look at what got you here, and what you're willing to do to get out... permanently. Best of luck!

The heart of a lion and the patience of a saint. ????

And whoop there it is!! Congrats! ????

Congrats on the date and I have my fingers crossed on the approval! Good luck!

When I was a pre op I didn't have a gym membership, and walking outside on uneven pavement aggravated my osteoarthritis and plantar fasciitis. So, I improvised. I have a two car garage but only one car. Each day I would park in the middle and make laps around the car. I also swam. Now at over a year out I still don't have a gym membership. I don't want the expense. I no longer do laps, but I purchased a treadmill, elliptical and stationary bike from Craig's List, along with a mini trampoline from eBay. Daily weight and exercise are the only things I still track at this point. I have a 3 pound range that I allow myself to bump between - (130 to 133 pounds). On days when I reach the 133 mark I know I have to increase my exercise. Wanting to maintain, at this point, is more than enough motivation for me. Plus I tell myself that if I was diabetic (I was pre diabetic before surgery), I would have to take medicine to live. Diet and exercise are the medicines I now have to take if I want to live. It works surprisingly well.

You look incredible and are certainly an inspiration to one and all. You can feel the happiness in your words. That's wonderful. Congrats!

Congrats! There's nothing like the comfort of home to kick the recovery process into high gear.

I currently have a 401k loan out. The interest rate is only 1.5% It's even less than my house, which is 3.9%. And as others have mentioned before, all the money goes back to you.

I was prescribed Actigall for the first two months after surgery. I was also prescribed a PPI for the first 30 days, and continue to take an over the counter acid reducer daily as a precaution.

I'm a part of the group that ended up being way over prepared. I brought my own binder about a month before surgery, only to find out the day before surgery that the hospital provides one for you. Great, I thought - I can wear one while the other is being laundered. After surgery I wore it maybe two days and that was it. I never had a great amount of pain and zero complications. My recovery was quick and easy. But not everyone is so lucky and I've read many posts where people found the binder essential, and some even wore it for a month or more. So again, the necessity is unique to the individual. Every time I come across those binders I think that I should probably toss'em (I'm 14 months out), but I never do. Now that I'm entering the plastic surgery phase (probably 01/17), who knows, they might prove useful.

Excellent article. It's refreshing to find someone in the fashion industry that actually "gets it" that there is no such thing as one size fits all. And especially the fact that promoting the idea that every "body" should be rail thin in order to fit into society's warped ideal is not only ridiculous, but dangerous. This sad practice has only gotten worse in the last couple of decades. In addition to the no size above 2 nonsense that most designers seem to adhere to, now you've got the ones openly admitting that they don't even want people of size touching their clothing, as if said touch would go onto taint their brand somehow. It's sad. We need more of this article's ilk. Designers willing to openly welcome and pursue the plus size market. Having been fat all my life, and then recently having to replace my entire wardrobe after WLS, it really makes you fully understand just how limited the plus size choices available. A lot of things need to change.

Congrats to you! I count getting my date as one of happiest in my life, so I know exactly how you feel. Ride that happiness wave all the way to an amazing healthy new life!

You're very early out so I'm sure as you heal more over the next weeks you'll start to feel a marked improvement. When I was preparing for my own surgery I read how a lot of people had to sleep in a recliner for the first few weeks because of the comfort issue. I didn't have a recliner so I actually bought one, and then didn't even need it. I was lucky that I was able to sleep comfortably in my bed from the first night home. Maybe that'll help, try sleeping upright in a recliner and see if that helps any. BTW, I found that once the weight came off I slept a hundred times better. I stopped having to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom too. Hang in there and best of luck!

My surgeon required the same stay for all his patients, which is rather long in comparison to most I think. I was in there with two of my friends from Options classes (a Kaiser thing). We all had the RNY. The first had hers on Monday and was out on Thursday. The second has hers on Tuesday and was out on Friday. I had mine on Wednesday and was out by Saturday. So that's 4 days, give or take.

I completely stopped losing at 7 months, but I had reached goal so I was happy. It started slowing down after the 4th month, enough so that I noticed anyway. But I'm older, 55, so that might have had something to do with, having a slower metabolism. The best piece of advice I've ever gotten, and took to heart and practice, is to lose as much weight as a pre op as you can, and take advantage of that golden period of rapid weight loss. Change your eating habits and establish an exercise regimen. The quicker you do it and stay the course, the better off you'll be.

Get used to it, as it's very common. I stalled a lot, the majority of people do. I distinctly remember fretting that I'll never get out of: the 200's, the 190's, the 180's, the 170's, the 160's, the 140's.... Are you seeing the pattern here? ???? I fretted, but I never freaked out about it because I knew this was likely to happen, and happen, and happen... I've been 130, which was my goal, since April, and have been maintaining nicely. I continue to track my weight and exercise daily as it seems to work for me. But everyone is different. If it becomes too much of a mental block or serious stressor you might want to consider weighing less often,like once a month or only at the doctor's office. Many do it that way. Best of luck!

I keep bouncing back and forth between the RNY or the Sleeve. I start my Options classes tonight! I'm so excited. I have some time to decide, but I am also diabetic so the RNY would be best. Gah, what to do! You'll figure it out in time. Just go with the one that fits you the best. I started dead set on the sleeve and ended up going with the RNY. I hope you get speakers in your classes, past Options post ops - that was the best part for me. Good luck!

Totally normal. So much so it's practically a requirement. ????

I'm Kaiser, close to 14 months RNY post op. Took a year to get through the process, including 6 months of Options classes. It was so worth it. Good luck!

Thanks for the info! I had mine done last month. I have gotten them yearly since I was 39, as my mother had breast cancer so I'm considered at a higher risk. I knew going in that massive weight loss can be seen as a breast cancer warning sign so I was prepared for that. But I've been experiencing something else that I never even knew existed before, and I was wondering if anyone else has had this happen. I went in for a plastic surgery consult in early August when I was 13 months out. I was primarily interested in a breast reduction and lift. BTW, this is the same surgeon who did my mother's breast reconstruction after her mastectomy. And his first comment upon examining me was "How long have your nipples been inverted?" I looked down and sure enough, there they were: hiding, looking like groundhogs stubbornly not coming out of their burrows on Groundhog Day. Or more accurately, like two innie belly buttons. I'm kind of ashamed to admit that I'd never even noticed. I could only tell him for sure that they hadn't been that way before surgery and a 118 pound weight loss. So I did some research and found out that they could possibly be indicative of breast cancer, or a result of rapid weight loss. So I had my mammogram done a few weeks later where I was sure to mention this new development. I'm happy to report that I got the all clear, so that was a relief. Also in my research I found that there is actually a plastic surgery procedure to make them outies again, but I'm not sure I'm going to add that on to what I've already planned, given the extra cost. They don't bother me, so maybe I'll just see if I can coax them out on my own, maybe with a sexy bra bribe. ????

Yep, somehow I managed to miss this gem. Thanks for the additional info. I will definitely seek out the fuller version!

Thanks for sharing this! I'd never taken this test before, very interesting, and the results were astonishingly accurate in how I see myself as well. I tested out as an INFJ - The Protector. I was especially surprised though when it said that only 1 percent of the population has an INFJ personality, making it the most rare of all types. I strive to be original in my daily life, so I find that oddly comforting. ???? INFJ (Introverted Intuitive Feeling Judging) As an INFJ, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you take things in primarily via intuition. Your secondary mode is external, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit with your personal value system. INFJs are gentle, caring, complex and highly intuitive individuals. Artistic and creative, they live in a world of hidden meanings and possibilities. Only one percent of the population has an INFJ Personality Type, making it the most rare of all the types. INFJs place great importance on havings things orderly and systematic in their outer world. They put a lot of energy into identifying the best system for getting things done, and constantly define and re-define the priorities in their lives. On the other hand, INFJs operate within themselves on an intuitive basis which is entirely spontaneous. They know things intuitively, without being able to pinpoint why, and without detailed knowledge of the subject at hand. They are usually right, and they usually know it. Consequently, INFJs put a tremendous amount of faith into their instincts and intuitions. This is something of a conflict between the inner and outer worlds, and may result in the INFJ not being as organized as other Judging types tend to be (e.g. a messy desk in an otherwise orderly work area). The INFJ is a natural nurturer and is patient, devoted and protective. They make loving parents and usually have strong bonds with their offspring. They have high expectations of their children, and push them to be the best that they can be. This can sometimes manifest itself in the INFJ being hard-nosed and stubborn. But generally, children of an INFJ get devoted and sincere parental guidance, combined with deep caring. INFJ Strengths Creative – Combining a vivid imagination with a strong sense of compassion, INFJs use their creativity to resolve not technical challenges, but human ones. People with the INFJ personality type enjoy finding the perfect solution for someone they care about, and this strength makes them excellent counselors and advisors. Insightful – Seeing through dishonesty and disingenuous motives, INFJs step past manipulation and sales tactics and into a more honest discussion. INFJs see how people and events are connected, and are able to use that insight to get to the heart of the matter. Inspiring and Convincing – Speaking in human terms, not technical, INFJs have a Fluid, inspirational writing style that appeals to the inner idealist in their audience. INFJs can even be astonishingly good orators, speaking with warmth and passion, if they are proud of what they are speaking about. Decisive – The INFJ's creativity, insight and inspiration is able to have a real impact on the world, as INFJs are able to follow through on their ideas with conviction, willpower, and the planning necessary to see complex projects through to the end. INFJs don’t just see the way things ought to be, they act on those insights. Determined and Passionate – When INFJs come to believe that something is important, they pursue that goal with a conviction and energy that can catch even their friends and loved ones off guard. INFJs will rock the boat if they have to, something not everyone likes to see, but their passion for their chosen cause is an inseparable part of their personality. Altruistic – INFJs have strong beliefs and act the way they do not because they are trying to advance themselves, but because they are trying to advance an idea that they truly believe will make the world a better place. INFJ Weaknesses Sensitive – When someone challenges or criticizes the INFJ's principles or values, they are likely to receive an alarmingly strong response. People with the INFJ personality type are highly vulnerable to criticism and conflict, and questioning their motives is the quickest way to their bad side. Extremely Private – INFJs tend to present themselves as the culmination of an idea. This is partly because they believe in this idea, but also because INFJs are extremely private when it comes to their personal lives, using this image to keep themselves from having to truly open up, even to close friends. Trusting a new friend can be even more challenging for INFJs. Perfectionistic – INFJs are all but defined by their pursuit of ideals. While this is a wonderful quality in many ways, an ideal situation is not always possible – in politics, in business, in romance – and INFJs too often drop or ignore healthy and productive situations and relationships, always believing there might be a better option down the road. Always Need to Have a Cause – INFJs get so caught up in the passion of their pursuits that any of the cumbersome administrative or maintenance work that comes between them and the ideal they see on the horizon is deeply unwelcome. INFJs like to know that they are taking concrete steps towards their goals, and if routine tasks feel like they are getting in the way, or worse yet, there is no goal at all, they will feel restless and disappointed. Can Burn Out Easily – Their passion, poor patience for routine maintenance, tendency to present themselves as an ideal, and extreme privacy tend to leave INFJs with few options for letting off steam. People with this personality type are likely to exhaust themselves in short order if they don’t find a way to balance their ideals with the realities of day-to-day living. Famous INFJ's Benedict Cumberbatch Carl Gustav Jung Plato Leo Tolstoy Daniel Day-Lewis Cate Blanchett Agatha Christie Tilda Swinton Mahatma Gandhi Michelle Pfeiffer Career Choices Clergy / Religious Work Teachers Medical Doctors / Dentists Alternative Health Care Practitioners Psychologists Psychiatrists Counselors and Social Workers Musicians and Artists Photographers Child Care / Early Childhood Development INFJ In Summary ... Seek meaning and connection in ideas, relationships, and material possessions. Want to understand what motivates people and are insightful about others. Conscientious and committed to their firm values. Develop a clear vision about how best to serve the common good. Organized and decisive in implementing their vision.

It's tough, I know, but try not to get discouraged. It took me a year to get through my requirements and I thought my day would never come. But it did and now I'm nearly 14 months out and it was worth it all. I'd do it all again even if I had to wait five years. And once it happens all this waiting will feel like nothing, just a distant dream. Just don't give up. ????