SleeveToBypass2023

I'm a lot weaker than I used to be. I've been losing a lot of strength. I'm always tired and super fatigued. I'm losing muscle. I'm losing stamina. I'm getting more headaches. Not to mention how bony and veiny I look. My clothes and jewelry literally hang on me. I'm noticing I'm achy more often, such as muscles and joints. I take my vitamins everyday. I take an iron supplement but now need to start my iron infusions again.

I just had my 1 year blood work done for the bariatric surgeon, and everything came back normal except the fact that I'm anemic (that's nothing new, thanks to my systemic lupus). Here's what I had done: VITAMIN D, 25-HYDROXY VITAMIN B12 VITAMIN A TSH VITAMIN B1 (THIAMINE), WHOLE BLOOD LIPID PANEL PREALBUMIN IRON PROFILE HEMOGLOBIN A1C FOLATE FERRITIN COMPREHENSIVE METABOLIC PANEL CBC WITH DIFFERENTIAL My PCP also got the results and said she was happy with them and set me up with another iron infusion (I have to get them twice per year). My surgeon was happy with the results and said sometimes our bodies just do what they're going to do and we're along for the ride. He said if I get tot he point that I physically can't function because of the weight loss, then he'll look into ordering additional testing, but as of right now, while it's unusual to still be losing at this stage, it's not unheard of so he's not particularly concerned. It's nice that HE'S not, but nobody seems to take into account that I AM. I keep explaining how I feel, how I look, how I don't have energy or strength, how I'm losing muscle, how I'm always so so tired, how I can't shake the circles under my eyes or make my skin look healthy no matter how much collagen or serum or cream I use and nobody seems to care. He literally commented on the fact that he could see and feel my bones, ribs, etc... I said "yes, I know. That's my point. Look at my hands and feet. They are bones and veins. No fat at all." And he said it would even out in time. But all that's been happening is I've been getting smaller and smaller the more time goes by.

I'm definitely nowhere near an unhealthy bmi ON PAPER, but I also know my body. I can see and feel my bones sticking out. My husband and kids hug me and they feel my bones and tell me I feel like I'm gonna break if they squeeze me because I feel fragile now. I look like I'm losing muscle, and frankly, I feel really weak compared to how I use to feel. I have permanent circles under my eyes. My hands and feet are boney and veiny and my skin literally hangs off my body, including my face. I'm always tired, even though I get plenty of sleep. I'm one of the curvy, big bones girls. I carry my weight in such a way that I can weigh more but not look like it. So right now, I look sickly. But more importantly, I don't feel right. I feel not great, which is the opposite of what I wanted when I started this journey.

Thank you It's frustrating because for nearly 26 years, all I wanted in the world was to be thin an healthy again. And now that I am, I'm complaining because I'm too thin. But I'm getting a lot of comments about looking sickly and boney and too skinny. And I agree. I can see and feel my bones sticking out. My husband and kids hug me and they feel my bones and tell me I feel like I'm gonna break if they squeeze me because I feel fragile now. I look like I'm losing muscle, and frankly, I feel really weak compared to how I use to feel. I have permanent circles under my eyes. My hands and feet are boney and veiny and my skin literally hangs off my body, including my face. I'm always tired, even though I get plenty of sleep. And my clothes and rings literally hang off me. Nothing fits at all. I'm always hungry, no matter how much I eat, no matter how often I eat, and no matter WHAT I eat. I'm just praying that things start to even out soon. This is a really slippery slope, and I could find myself in disordered eating territory really easily since I only seem to hold on to weight when I restrict my eating. I don't want to get into doing that and have that become my new norm.

I have before and afters, just not in the same outfit. I was never able to do that lol You look absolutely amazing, girl!!!!

I'm noticing more aches and pains since I've dropped so much weight. I thought it was weird, too, so I asked my doctor and he said it can be normal with bariatric patients. Particularly those who lose a substantial amount of weight. I may go back and ask for additional testing, just to be sure. But being hyper focused on hitting or not hitting the goal number on the scale you set can really do a number on you mentally and emotionally. I'm very goal oriented when it comes to work and school, but I had to learn to let some of that go when it came to my personal life. Specifically weight loss. It took a while, but I realized that the NSVs were way more important than the number on the scale. Once I figured that out and took some of the pressure off myself, the scale actually started to move more in the direction I wanted it to lol

OH!!! And CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You're getting closer, and I know you're nervous and excited and freaking out, but this is what you've been working so hard for. You're almost there!!! WooHoo!!!!

My questions were: How long are we looking at for the actual surgery time and time in recovery before getting to the actual room? How long is the recovery and what can I expect during it? How long will I be in the hospital and how soon after the surgery will I be up and walking? Should I use a stomach binder the first 2 weeks to help with the pain after the surgery? What is the recommended time for each stage of eating post surgery, how many calories and carbs should I be getting in, and what are my fluid and protein goals at each stage? When will I be getting follow up blood work (I personally had it at 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year post op)? Is there a list of acceptable exercises to do at each stage of healing until I get my final complete clearance, and at what stage will I get that? What pain meds will I be given and how long will I be able/expected to take them? What, specifically, is dumping and what has been known to trigger it and how do we get through it if it happens? What hormonal changes are to be expected as the weight drops off, especially during the first 3 months? Please tell me EVERYTHING you can about stalls, in as much detail as possible. What medications are affected by the malabsorption that comes with bypass (typically it's extended release, but there could be others). That's all I can remember that I asked, but I hope this at least gives you a good start!!!

I have absolutely NO boobs left. I was a DD and now I just have empty skin sacs. OMG I hate it. And my poor booty just went and effed off. We don't know her anymore. All saggy and flat now when I use to have a bubble butt.

We don't have anything like that, but maybe I'll look into starting something like this. Thanks for the suggestion!!

I went from a 5x and 28/30 in clothes to a 14 and XL. Stayed there for a bit so I went and got scrubs and outfits in XL. And was doing great for about 2 months. NOW I'm in a 12 and L in clothes. I never, ever thought I would be down to this size again, but the frustration is that now I can't fit into any of my clothes and work scrubs. I'm the main breadwinner in my family (my husband is on disability) and I just don't have money to buy more scrubs. I listed my old ones (3 sets of size 2x and 6 sets of XL) and they just aren't selling. They have solid bottoms and prints on the tops. I look rather comical in my scrubs now that they are a size too big. I guess I'm just venting because I'm irritated that my clothes don't fit, that I don't have the money to replace them with ones that do, and the ones I have aren't selling. I've only gained 2 pounds since I've been working hard to try and put more weight back on to at least get to my goal weight (I keep dropping back down and fighting to gain those 2 pounds back). I have to do blood work to have my thyroid tested. Apparently every once in a while, having WLS can throw the thyroid off and make it hyper active. So I might need to take something to even it out for a while, with the hope that it will normalize itself eventually. My doctor said that might explain why I literally cannot put on weight, keep on anything I do put on, and I just keep losing no matter what I do. Grrrr..... Ok, rant over....

This is WAY above my paygrade lol Definitely reach out toy our surgeon on this one.

Sugar has actually never made me dump at all. I am extremely, almost excessively sensitive to carbs. But I can eat as much sugar as I want and it doesn't affect me in the slightest. Go figure...

YAY!!! I'm so glad things went well!!! I was hoping they would, although I really didn't have any doubts about it I don't hide my weight from hubby. Never have. But I think it's mostly just because I figured if the man sees me naked and still wants me, knowing the number on the scale isn't that big a deal lol

Oh lord, ok she said "Ow do, just faffin' wit me niece. She say stop mitherin' me, I say nay wee one. Now she vexed, but I reckon it's be reight". Like...what??? lol Ok then...just keep your secret language. I have a headache now.

Yes, she was quite happy with me lol And And she said her sandwich is not nasty or rotten lol I knew what chuffed meant but now ya'll are speakin a whole other language lol Makes my head hurt lol

My aunt is from York, as well!!!!! She's lived here in the States for 30 years full time and 50% of the time for about 15 years, so she doesn't say stone or any of that any more (still says flat instead of apartment and pronounces H as haytch OMG WHYYYYY), but her accent is still so thick, and she has so many funny things she says that I gave up trying to figure out YEARS ago lol

Exactly. And then my mind goes to "Oh, I KNOW why I didn't deserve the compliments when I was bigger. I wasn't THEIR idea of pretty or fashionable or sexy or anything THEY liked looking at". As if I liked what I saw when I looked in the mirror.....

I like Propel water (watermelon, black cherry, and mango are my favorite flavors), Gatorade zero (the blue one, I forget what that one is), and Prime hydration (Ice Pop and Strawberry Watermelon are THE BEST). All 3 have electrolytes and help with dehydration and make it easier to get fluids in when I struggle to hit my goal.

I don't have a period anymore, but since I had my hysterectomy and went on hormones, I seem to ALWAYS be hungry!!! It's crazy. I can eat, feel full, and still feel hungry at the same time. It's like my brain isn't getting the message that I'm not hungry anymore or something. When I WAS getting periods, I noticed I craved salty foods a lot. I've never really had a sweet tooth, but salty, greasy, fried foods were my weakness. And period weeks were the WORST for that, for sure.

Right now, you're having liquids, so feeling full won't really happen. It does for some (when I had the sleeve it did, when I had the revision to bypass it didn't) but not all at this stage. You had a lot of nerves cut, so you won't necessarily get the "I'm full, stop eating" signals right away. So you just have to be mindful of how much you're eating and how often until you're healed enough to start really feeling it.

I absolutely can relate to this, and I so wish I could hug you right now. When I was younger (all the way until I had my son at age 20) I was thin and athletic. That's all I knew, that's all anyone knew of me. As I started to gain weight, the looks and attention changed. And I wanted to disappear. I saw the stares and looks, heard the comments and whispers and laughs. I felt every jab, every comment, every insult. Then I lost all the weight and I look like I did in high school again (I mean, like LITERALLY I do...so weird) and things have reverted back to the way they use to be. And it really hurts because I have something to compare it to. Definitive proof that I "fit in" and I'm "accepted" when I'm thin and fit society's idea of what beautiful is. And it makes me angry and hurt and frankly, pissed off. I have a really hard time accepting compliments from ANYONE who knew me when I was originally thin, and fat, and now thin again. It just doesn't feel genuine.

Honestly, both. Your body is in a bit of shock because this is definitely not what it's use to. It's also mentally taxing on you because, as a binge eater, you're use to eat-eat-eat-feel guilty. Eat-eat-eat-feel guilty. And now that cycle is broken and your body and mind don't know what to do with it. Not to mention, your body has gotten use to functioning on a certain amount of calories and carbs everyday and it's not getting that now. It thinks it's starving to death, even though it's not. It'll take a bit to even out.

I'm definitely not someone who sews lol. My mom use to, but she lives in Florida (I'm in Colorado) and her arthritis has gotten bad and she hasn't sewn in years.

I love your posts so much, I really do!!! OH, I meant to tell you... so my godfather is married to the most amazing woman (family friends since before I was born, they are my "aunt" and "uncle" and I love them so much) and she is from the UK. I have tried for YEARS to follow along with what she says, and it's a 50/50 crap shoot if I actually understand what she's saying. SO anyway, I was talking to her over the weekend and I actually was able to follow along with more of what she was saying. She was surprised and asked if I was using Rosetta Stone or something to learn British slang (she's always busting my chops until I start speaking Southern to her, then it's crickets lol) and I told her about you and showed her some of our past chats and she said to tell you "bloody hell, you did the impossible! Cheers, mate!!" 🙄😁🤣 Now back to the topics at hand lol I'm so so happy for you that you're rediscovering your wardrobe!!! It's so fun to be surprised with smaller sizes, isn't it?? I know what you mean about the "bitter wife syndrome" lol My husband, over the last 2 years, has lost 65 pounds. How? Oh, walking to the lake and back with me twice a week, riding the exercise bike 1-2x per week, eating absolute GARBAGE but just less often, parking at the back of the parking lot when he goes to the store 1-2x per week, cutting out sugar, reducing salt intake.....that's it. That's LITERALLY it. He's gone down 2 clothing sizes and gotten off his diabetes and blood pressure meds.....just by doing that little bit. No diet changes, no work out routines, nothing. UGH!!!!! I love him, and I'm happy for him, but UGH!!!!!!! Good luck at your dietician appt!!! You sound prepared. I bet it'll go well I have faith that you'll be ready to move on to the next steps for your WLS. I know it's annoying when it takes a long time, but I promise, the wait is absolutely worth it. And you're doing awesome, so I know you'll see some amazing results. YAY for the gym and physio!!! I am just so happy for you and proud of how hard you're working and how far you've already come. Enjoy your show, you've definitely earned it. Have a great week!!!