STLoser

Hair * Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Also, excuse the frizzy here. It's 8 million degrees here! [emoji23] Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm excited to add my first entry to ootd. I love clothes and always love seeing people's outfits here. We don't get out much and since I've been home with my son I don't dress nice most days, lol. Also, when I worked, my ootd was scrubs anyway. Today is my 51st birthday so we are going out for dinner. I just got this new dress off Amazon. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I had it 2 years ago and I could not be happier I chose it. It was a gamble, but so worth it. My husband just had it done in May and he's doing fantastic. I lose 205 pounds with it, and I am healthy and all my blood work is great. If you have any questions I'll be glad to answer them. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi. Sorry! It's a newer version of the DS where they only bypass one part of the intestine. It's also called the SADI-S or SIPS. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Wow! Congratulations on your amazing success! That's wonderful! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

*I did not reach a normal bmi Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I had the Loop DS and I am thrilled with my results. Like Novaluna, I did but reach a normal bmi, but I lost 205. I am 5'3" and started at 393. I am 187 right now and my body seems to be happy and I feel great so I just started maintenance. My surgery was July 23, 2020. I chose my surgery because I was paying out of pocket and my surgeon thought it was the best one for me and he feels it's just about as powerful as the DS but less risk of things like diarrhea. Definitely go with your gut! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Welcome and congratulations! I had the Loop DS and I couldn't be happier I did it! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Yes exactly. I'm one of those people. I am technically still class 1 obese, although I sure don't feel it and I don't think I look it. I'm around 35 pounds overweight. It's far, far better than being in the highest class of obesity like I was before! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

just realized I said the loose skin was really bad on my arms and legs. I meant my stomach and legs. My arms have some but I never had really big arms for my size so it doesn't bother me there. But my stomach and legs are bad, and my back around my waist and upper back. I'm not gonna lie. Sometimes I look in the mirror and it makes me feel sad. After losing so much weight, it would be nice to look in the mirror and see a nice, toned body, but whatever. My face is actually what bothers me most, because I have the under eye bags that run in my family now and wrinkles I didn't have before. I always heard "you have such a pretty face if only you'd lose weight." Well now I don't have that. Sigh. But my husband still thinks I'm beautiful, although he always has even at my highest weight. I've done so much soul searching over the years and there was a time that I felt that no matter what accomplishment, I would never be good enough because I was still fat. At some point I realized that was ridiculous and accepted myself fat or not, so I went into this with a pretty good attitude about my body, but that doesn't mean I don't look in the mirror sometimes and think wtf!!?! But then I put my size medium or large clothes on and feel pretty darn good, because I wear an AVERAGE size now. Like you, I'll probably not get plastics, except possibly a panniculectomy because I have issues with that area. I have a consult next month. The rest of it, I'll just have to live with. And like you said, it is better than those extra 200 pounds I was carrying around. I am proud I was able to lose over 200 pounds, and I know you know that feeling. There aren't a lot of people who have that much to lose! I think it sounds like you had realistic expectations and again, what you have accomplished is amazing! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I quite often eat yogurt for a meal! I have always loved yogurt, but since surgery I love it even more and I would say it's my favorite food now. Sometimes, it's all I want and I find it very satisfying! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I hope you all feel better really soon! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Although I did not have a sleeve or bypass, I sort of had a combination. I had a SADI-S, which is a sleeved stomach with bypassed intestines. It's a single anasthamosis duodenal switch. I had not heard of the procedure when I met my surgeon. I had planned on getting bypass, but he suggested this because I was paying out of pocket, and at the time insurance didn't cover it, and I had over 200 pounds to lose and he calls this 'the most powerful operation. " I decided to go for it and I'm very glad I did. No regrets whatsoever! My husband just had the same surgery in May and he's lost about 100 so far. (jerk lol). Now we have insurance that covers it. Our insurance didn't cover any wls at the time though The surgery was still fairly new when I had it, so most insurance didn't cover it anyway, but my husband's was covered. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

My surgeon never focused much on my final weight. I think he asked me at my first appt. What I hoped to get to, but I think it was more to see if I was realistic about the amount of weight I wanted to lose. Even though I'm not a "normal" weight, he considers me a great success and is very happy with my weight loss. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

But maybe not a lot * Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

My goal was to be under 200 pounds since I started at almost 400. I am at 187 now and while that is still about 40 pounds over ideal body weight for me, I feel great and all my labs are good. I'm happy with the way I look too, but I was never in this for a perfect body, just healthy. I just started maintenance and I don't know if I'll lose anymore. I'd like to weight 150 or 160 which is my lowest weight an adult, but I'm OK where I am too. I have a ton of loose skin and I feel like that accounts for some of this weight too, but maybe but a lot. Either way, I'm very happy! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Excuse my typos. I can't edit on my phone. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I went from a 50H to a 36H now. I had a breast reduction in 2003 but they got bigger again after having by son, gaining a lot of weight, and breastfeeding. I was hoping weight loss would get me down to a DD or so, but no such luck. [emoji24] My cup size never did change in the past with weight loss or gain though, just the band. The only time it did was after the weight gain after my reduction. I was a 42DD after thag surgery until my pregnancy and went up to an H. They aren't as big as before my reduction at least! It is SO cool being a 36 band too! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Exactly! Very well said! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I can totally relate to a lot of this. I was 48 when I had surgery 2 years ago and did not look my age. I have also lost over 200 pounds. Now I definitely look my age or older and I don't recognize myself sometimes. I did not have wrinkles before and now I do. That bugs me. But I just try to remind myself why I did this, and it was to get my life and health back. I do have energy now, so I'm lucky there. I probably have a more relaxed eating approach than a lot of people. I do not believe in good or bad foods. I have no forbidden foods. I pretty much eat what I want. Luckily, even before I did this, I preferred healthy foods like veggies and did not like things like fast food or fried food. I am proof you can be fat on healthy food. Too much of a good thing is still too much. I have "junk" like ice cream when I want it. Like, I am not a chocolate person except during PMS, and then it's like I NEED it and I have some. I just keep my portions of everything much more reasonable now. I do track food just to make sure I get my protein and keep my carbs reasonable but I'm not completely militant either. It certainly can be exhausting tracking everything, but I can't promise that I track every single taste. I just make sure to track all my meals and snacks. For 2 years, this has worked for me. I have eaten this way the whole time. If something changes, I will adjust, but for now it's working. I just started maintenance so we will see how that goes. I am lucky that I don't work at the moment. I am an RN, but when my son was born I stayed home with him (11.5 years ago! [emoji15]) and I've been planning to go back but something always happened to keep me home. I really do plan to get another job soon. I know what you mean about work t extra hard as a fat person. I always felt like I wanted people to see that I wasn't lazy just because I was fat, because all fat people aren't lazy! It will be nice not having to worry about that when I go back. I became a nurse in 1997, and I was fat the whole time I worked, so that will be a first. I do live in fear every day of gaining all my weight back, but I hope that if I keep eating like I'm eating I will be OK. That is all I can do. When I look at all the loose skin, it can be discouraging sometimes. It's really bad on my arms and legs, but I know how hard I have worked to lose weight and even if I didn't have a weight problem, skin does tend to sag as you get older, and I am going to be 51 in 2 weeks. I would love to have it all removed, but it's just not in the budget right now since I paid out of pocket for my surgery. Maybe it will be when I get a job, but I refuse to be ashamed of my body. I'm proud that it carried me through being so morbidly obese for so long and it's still here carrying me. It has put up with a lot of stress and it has been strong for all of it. I'm definitely weaker than I was but I'm working on strength training now. I know I'm rambling here but I just want to say you're not alone in your feelings. You have accomplished so much. Just try to remember that! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Yeah that's what I have to do with my protein powder. No one carries it so I get it off Amazon. Maybe I'll get some Fairlife there too. I don't use shakes much now, but my husband had his surgery in May and he still does. It's a good idea not to get too many before your surgery though.. I couldn't stand Premier after. I will say Fairlife is the only one I could stand.. It got me through! I could only find vanilla around here though. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I should add that I tolerate most foods pretty well, except excess fat will give me diarrhea since I had the SADI-S. I don't absorb fat as well. It doesn't stop me from having an occasional ice cream though! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

My plan allows anything after 3 months in moderation.. I'm 2 years post op and I occasionally have cake, ice cream, or whatever. I don't really like pizza but it's something I will eat if everyone wants it so I have had that too.. I make healthy choices 95% of the time, and allow myself a treat now and then. I think in order for this to be a lifelong lifestyle change it needs to be that way, at least for me. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I am curious how long it took your doctor to complete your surgery? My surgery took about 2.5hours I think. I had thr SADI-S and I was one of my surgeon's first patients for that procedure. How long was your hospital stay? I stayed 4 nights. I had pretty bad nausea and some vomiting. My husband just had the same surgery with my surgeon and they are better at managing the nausea now since they've done this surgery a lot more since I had mine 2 years ago. He only stayed 2 nights. How was your doctor's bedside manner? My doctor has a fantastic bedside manner. He is very down to earth a personable. What can I expect when I get to the hospital before surgery? They will check you in, then you will go to a room and have you change into a gown and then the nurse will come in and start your IV. The surgeon will come in and discuss the procedure and also anesthesia. What was your biggest struggle at the hospital and at home? I had a lot of nausea in the hospital. I never had a lot of pain. Once I was home, my biggest struggle was drinking the protein shakes because my taste changed and they were so gross. When did you go back to work? I was not working at the time of my surgery. If there was one thing that you could have changed, what would it be? I would have done it a LONG LONG time ago! What did you pack to take to the hospital? I packed a change of clothes, a book, my phone and charger, my own pillow, and Aquaphor for my lips. Good luck on your surgery! It will go by fast! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app