Sajijoma

It's common. I started out at 429lb and a sw of 386lbs and I shivered and shook my way through to where I am. I notice even now as I lose, I get chills still. Invest in pretty sweaters and jackets especially if you are in the upper half of the world because winter is coming and you are gonna shake and shiver those pounds right off!

Thank you all so much. It was such an emotional day and one I want all the newbies and those thinking about surgery to definitely see. I NEVER thought I'd be in regular sizes but especially not a size 12. I was just hoping to hit 24 and be able to shop in the plus section of stores instead of online only when I first started my journey. I knew the surgery did great for others, but I was used to being disappointed in my own progress on every diet I'd been on that I tried not to hope for much. Please know and understand, you CAN hope for it, because as long as you stick with your program and exercise and do what you are suppose to do, it will happen. You will have your crying in the dressing room day too!(or if you are a guy that cough in the dressing room and maybe even a runny eye probably caused by being allergic to clothes shopping LOL).

Congratulations. I too found that fitting into smaller clothes was a good motivator. I would buy a pair of pants or shirt that was a little too small. You know the kind that you have to take a deep breath to fit inside and if you exhaled it might pop a button or break a zipper. Then a week later it fit like a glove. It was a wonderful feeling that was happening right before my eyes.

you describe it so well! my motto is if the button can be buttoned and the zipper zipped and no eyes pop out of socket, I'd buy them because in a week or two they will be falling off. Haha

I can't wait until it's my turn to cry in the fitting room. Congratulations! I'm so happy for you!!

Sent from my SPH-D710VMUB using the BariatricPal App

Your turn will come! I never really thought I'd be there. I mean, I was 429lbs to start and it seemed so unattainable. I had kind of convinced myself that either I was wearing brands that ran big to be in an 18, or someone had switched out labels or something. LOL it was quit the revelation to know that the store I went to try on tends to run smaller than some of the others and I STILL got them babies on.

I went shopping today because I desperately needed pants that fit. I wasn't sure what would fit so I tried on 16's and they were too big. Then I tried on 14's and they were kinda loose. I thought just for jiggles I'd try on some 12's and they fit! I was so shocked I actually broke down crying in the changing room. I have always been good at keeping my emotions locked down tight, but in there at that moment, I totally lost it and started bawling and LOUD. The changing room attendant knocked on the door and asked if I was ok. It took me awhile, but I managed to get the words out that I was ok and that I had found out I was a smaller size than I thought I was. I'M sure she thought I had lost my ever loving mind, but for me, this is a monumental thing. I had been an overweight kid and an obese adult, my entire life! The size I put on and zipped up, I NEVER had been that size. The closest I had to being that size was a size 11 juniors in 4th grade, so here I am, over 30yrs later and I am finally smaller than I was in 4th grade. It was monumental. I also discovered why it's important to check the price tag before falling in love with a pair of pants because $115 for a pair of pants I probably won't get more than a couple months wear out of was just too much, so I had to put them back. Broke my heart, but I did go on to find other 12's and some 14's that worked and I am officially not plus sized anymore. I can shop in the regular section with all the cute clothes!❤️ From 32/34 and some 36 down to a size 12 in less than a year...all I can say is wow! Thanks RNY for giving me a life I didn't know was attainable!

For me, when I look in the mirror, I still see my former self or rather the dillusion of my former self. I had no clue how exactly heavy I was, but I knew I was heavy. So now when I look in the mirror, I still see that much heavier person, but if I take a pic and look at it, I can clearly see the difference. I've lost nearly 180lbs at this point. You would think I'd be able to physically see the difference with my own eyes, but I can't. My advice is to just keep taking pics and lots of them. Not only is it a great testament to how far you've come, but it helps with the whole body dismorphia thing.

My NUT told me fruit doesn't cause dumping as a rule because fruit sugar is fructose and fructose is absorbed further down the intestinal tract than refined sugars or sugar alcohols even. That being said, I am 8 months out and have eaten grapes, watermelon, apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, peaches, clementines, nectarines, pineapple, kiwi, cantaloupe, and honey dew melon all without any problems. [emoji4]

I've been using the Patches to supplement my Bariatric Advantage multi and calcium chews because my Iron and calcium/D3 were both low. Also have been using the glucosamine/chondroitin patch and the anti aging patch because I got a better deal buying a set so I thought, eh what the heck. I got my labs back and have seen a remarked improvement in my deficiencies so far after a month of use.

I was 38. Starting weight of 429lbs and I'm currently around 240 I think. I quit weighing daily. It slows my progress somehow. I had RNY.

I had rny, but my surgeon requires the same tests for both...which was just a basic CBC panel, EKG(it was less than a minute), and answer a bunch of questions to determine if they need to watch for signs of sleep apnea. He likes to keep things simple and I was grateful.

The pure Protein Bars are full of very dense Fiber and when you drink Water with it, it expands which is great pre op because you stay full on One Bar, but post op it can be dangerous, although I found I had to at least take a tiny tiny sip because it was like swallowing sand and not drinking for an hour was too miserable.

I've tried it, but my "pancakes" using the recipe didn't turn out at all. It was a hot mess. I'm not a stranger to cooking either. I went to culinary school! LOL I still have the rest of the box in the cabinet and haven't bothered trying any of the other recipes. It really just was a bummer for me.

I had soreness at the sight of my drain and the Water from the shower really brought me to tears the first few days after it was out. It will pass, but just keep it covered during the day and you can use neosporin on it to keep it from getting infected and promote healing. My surgeon had me remove the bandage and allow water(not soap) to run down it daily. That was not fun for me, but it did heal up well. I almost can't even see the hole at 8 months out.

Everyone is kind of different because your ability to absorb different Vitamins and minerals may be different based on your own physical anatomy. For me, I take Bariatric Advantage ea chewables and chewy bites 500 for Calcium and that's it. My body is absorbing all I need from that and my levels are good and steady. Some people I know who have had the same surgery need more B12, Iron, and d3/calcium because they just aren't absorbing it. I'd start off with the basics like I did and wait til your labs to see if you need additional supplements. You may not need them and that's money left in your wallet.

I was lactose intolerant for the first 6 months after surgery. The Syntrax Nectars were and still are my shake of choice. I also bought the lactase tablets so later on I could tolerate cheese and yogurt. Some people are lactose intolerant for a short period of time after surgery and some never get over it, but even if you are now, there is no reason to think it's forever.

I still used Protein Shakes to help me meet my Protein goals at that point. The puréed foods were mainly to satisfy my mouth's need to be involved in the process. I couldn't hold more than 1oz of purée in the beginning so my protein shakes really saved me.

My guidelines were that I could drink caffeine once I could get in 36oz of Water first. Caffeine is dehydrating so in the beginning it's important to get that much needed water in first, but after the 36, you can have your caffeine.

left is me the day before surgery and right is today hw:429 sw:386 cw:248

Charliewrt2016 You really have got the best surgeon in the world. IMO. He was so gentle and he does his best to get all the gas out so you don't have the insane pain that comes from the gas being left in. I can't say enough about him. He just really cares. Every time I have an appt he always comes out and says hello and checks up on me and how I'm doing even when I don't have an appt with him anymore at this point. I just love him to death. I honestly was freaked out about the drain too. I begged him to just not put it in, but he'll tell you why it's something he does and why he won't budge on it. It really wasn't that bad in the end. I had mine for 10 days. The worst part was that it would fill up at night while I was sleeping and leak so I started emptying it at night when I got up to use the bathroom and that handled that. Also I am a super clutz and got the hose part hung on the cabinet door knobs more than once and broke the bulb part off once [emoji15]. Get a lanyard to clip to the bulb end of the drain for when you take a shower and use a safety pin to pin it inside your shirt for extra support. It's a God send so you can use both hands to Shampoo and whatever. Also as I learned... tape the hose down close to your body with waterproof tape so you don't hurt yourself on doorknobs, but don't over tape it because you have to pinch and squeeze the hose to create the suction after emptying. The nurse will show you how before you leave the hospital. It really isn't that bad, I promise. [emoji4]

It's hot or miss honestly. I use Goodwill and Savers and sometimes I'll leave with bags of clothes for $20 and other days I pick through all the racks and leave empty handed. It's kind of like hunting. If you aren't into the hunt, maybe stick to clearance racks and eBay or something

The biggest hurdle at all immediately post surgery was being tired, but do as much as you can before surgery and then rest a few days and then get back on it. You'll be fine and the fact that you are probably going to be bored to tears at that point will make you ever so grateful for something to stimulate you.

I was allowed to try eggs in the puréed food stage so I cooked basically a sunny side egg and mashed it with a fork til it was good and floppy(like I fed my babies when they were eating mushy foods). It went well for me, but some people have a really hard time with egg especially in the beginning so if it doesn't work, table it for awhile and try again later.

I had puréed foods at 10 days post op, so not too soon at all really. Life for me on the Protein Shakes was hard because I was lactose intolerant immediately post op and the shakes that were lactose free made me violently vomit, but once I got to start adding in soft foods like yogurt, it got easier. More choices make thing so much easier! You are doing fine. It's just the part of the recovery very few doctors explain to their patients unfortunately.

Congratulations and happy surgiversary! You look wonderful!

I'm 9 months as well, and my weightloss is reaching a slowing point. It's not done, but the days of the 4lb overnight drop are long gone and I can go weeks without losing a lb and then lose 5 and then not lose for awhile. It's all part of the process as we get closer to goal. Just make sure you are still following your guidelines and keep from sabotaging yourself with little things you wouldn't allow in the beginning.