Molly23

It’s been over 2 years since surgery. I’ve been stalled for a bit and didn’t think there would be too many NSVs anymore. Today I wore a bathing suit for the first time since I was in high school 16+ years ago! I forgot how much I enjoyed swimming and I really didn’t care about people seeing me or what they thought about the way I look.

Love this one!! Definitely relate to it big time! Even squeezinga top out of 1 yard sometimes!! Would love to see pics of your handmade clothes! Are you in any sewing Facebook groups?

I remember when I first started feeling like this it was so bizarre. My dimple is so prominent now that it makes a crease in my makeup lol. Things I never would have though would happen. Even now a solid 6 months after being my lowest weight my collar bone seems to stick out and sometimes gets irritated with a coat brushing against it. I wouldn’t trade it for putting the weight on that’s for damn sure. I honestly forget sometimes how far I’ve come but those little things are reminders of the hard work. Congrats for all of your hard work! I agree that it’s a weird feeling but it’s also an incredibly exciting time! You should be proud of everything you’re accomplishing! I had a random NSV yesterday. I got a plus size clothing catalog in the mail and there was a cute jacket on the cover. Then I realized I’m two sizes smaller than the smallest size they sell. I’m happy that I can shop in a wider variety of stores now. Also, I love seeing that plus size stores are making more trendy fashionable clothing. It was one of my biggest frustrations about being overweight.

I had gastric sleeve. The insurance company was billed over $17,000. I paid $500 deductible out of pocket for the surgery. That doesn't include the co-pays for the doctor and nutritionist visits that were required before surgery.

You look awesome! The surgeon did a great job! Congrats!!!

Thank you!! I’m definitely realizing that I have some adjusting to do. I’m excited to lose the last few lbs and work on maintenance though!

Just over one year out from surgery and I’m so close to my first goal weight. I feel really good where I am but I do want to tone up some more. Started at 311lbs, size 24. Now I’m 180lbs, size 8.

NUT is a nutritionist. Mine is super helpful figuring out when I’m questioning my eating and I can be honest with her. She’s also available by email which helps a lot when I have questions that come up between appointments.

I have mentioned weight loss surgery to guys because it's hard to explain how little I eat sometimes. I've had a positive response about it and some curiosity which doesn't bother me at all. I haven't disclosed anything about loose skin or even mentioned it after they've seen it to be honest. The guy I've hooked up with hasn't mentioned it at all so either he hasn't noticed or doesn't care. I have a very minimal amount of extra skin but it is noticeable, at least to me. I thought I would be way too self conscious about it and want to hide my body but I'm proud of where I am and I feel good. It's not perfect and I don't think it ever will be so all I can do is live my life in the body I have. Besides, it's a lot more fun when you can let go of those hang ups.

My nutritionist only allowed decaf tea for the first three months. No coffee, decaf or regular until the 3 month mark. I stopped drinking it about 3 weeks before surgery because I have bad withdrawal headaches and didn't want that during recovery. Coffee was the only craving I was having towards the end of the 3 month time frame but it wasn't too bad.

If you're starting a workout routine it's expected that your appetite will increase and you may even gain a couple of pounds. This is more likely due to building muscle and even possibly some water retention. Make sure you increase your water intake when you workout more. My NUT recommended adding in some healthy starches to help sustain workouts. I know that we are all programmed to think that eating less is how we lose weight. However, if our body doesn't receive the correct nutrition to sustain exercise it will try to hold onto any fat it has. I'd recommend reaching out to your NUT to review what you've been eating and any adjustments they might have. If your diet is okay it's possible that you just need another week or so of consistency for your body to start responding how you might expect.

It does look irritated and likely infected. The redness, draining, and separation of the incision are concerning. I'm not a doctor but none of those things were present with my incisions so I recommend seeing your doctor ASAP to resolve it quickly if necessary. I did experience a rash on my chest post-op that I felt embarrassed about mentioning to my doctor. They had to prescribe a medicated powder but it helped a lot to know that it wasn't a big concern to them.

I've had migraines on and off since puberty. I can usually attribute mine to my monthly cycle or dehydration. Post op I've had some days that it was difficult to get all of my required water in and it usually results in a migraine the next morning. Not getting proper protein can also do this now. When you initially change your diet it's possible that you'll experience headaches or migraines because it's a change to your normal intake. I changed my diet drastically with the guidance of my NUT about 6 weeks before surgery which I think helped the transition to the post op diet.

Gorgeous! You're glowing. You look so much more comfortable, confident and happy! Congrats!

Thank you!!!

Thank you so much! So thankful for this surgery!

My weight loss has slowed down a lot lately but I know I definitely need to hit the gym more regularly. So excited to be close to goal. The last time I saw the nutritionist she thought that 170lbs would be a good goal for me and we could reassess once I reach it. Today I'm 184lbs and I have my one year surgery anniversary coming up April 20th. Trying to crack down to hopefully be 170 by my annual check-up. Regardless I'm really proud of how far I've come and I know that I can get there with the same focus I've had the last 10-11 months. In the last week or so when I've seen old pictures I don't even recognize that person. Surgery was the best decision I've made! December 2016 February 2018

Happy Surgiversary!! You’ve done an amazing job, you should be proud! Keep kicking ass! You’re a great inspiration

Amazing job!! Love to hear success stories of people who are in maintenance. Thank you for sharing!!

Amazing!!! Congrats on your success! You look fantastic!

My nutritionist hasn't had me focus on calories at all but rather protein grams. When I was tracking my food consistently though I was around 1000-1200 calories daily. I was losing about 2lbs a week for the first 6-7 months or so. My nutritionist wanted me to increase my workouts and also start eating some starches to be able to sustain my energy for exercising. This has definitely made my weight level out and I've been in a stall for about a month now. Hoping that I'll be able to lose at least another 15lbs and tone up some more. One of the best things I can say though is to just take it a day at a time. You'll be able to make adjustments in the types of foods you take in to still be healthy but stay in maintenance rather than losing. I would recommend that you cross that bridge when you come to it though! Best of luck!

I belch like a trucker but I did before surgery so maybe I'm not the best example lol. I do notice that it's harder to do quietly or hide. It's much more painful to hold it in. I'm 9 months post op and I need to take 3-4 gas-x most days because the gas on the other end is uncontrollable when I have it. That might be my only negative thing since surgery.

Walking is the most helpful thing. Otherwise, used gas-x strips or chewable tablets. Just make sure you don't use the gel caps. My surgeon said gel caps are a no-no after surgery, for at least 6 months.

I'm with you! I have a small amount of extra skin but in my research it takes the skin an additional year after being at a stable weight to recover. If it still bothers me then I will look at plastic surgery options. Check out the plastic surgery board, theres a lot of women who have posted their experiences with pictures. It has been very helpful for me to know what my expectations should be if I make that step. It's your journey, and your body so you need to do what makes you happy! Best of luck!

Yes! I have PCOS and I have been on the pill for about 11 years to help with some of the symptoms. I had surgery in April and at least 6 of those 9 months I have had 2 periods. It was usually every other week for me. My PCP said this wasn't abnormal because fat cells store hormones, so when we lose weight the cells shrink and the hormones get released into the system. It puts your body into overdrive to regulate the hormones. Once your weight stabilizes your cycle will become more regular (at least that's what I've been told). I'm currently in a stall and it's been pretty stable so that seems about right. Unfortunately you just need to wait it out until then.