deedee

Yay!!!!!! I know it wasn't your intent to lose this much, BUT you look GREAT! I love the new pics in your skinny jeans. Glad you're feeling better and I, too, cannot wait to get back into a normal exercise routine (although my excuses aren't valid like yours...nothing to do with health restrictions).

This morning I'll be flying to WA State for a couple of days. It wasn't planned, so just yesterday I called a couple friends to let them know I'd be in town. Due to this trip not being about pleasure I wasn't even thinking about my weight loss until my best friend asked, "so are you an anorexic, skinny chick now? Will I even recognize you? are you a completely different person?" It was said in good humor, but it kind of took me by surprise. I still think overall I am the same person...just a little different. I'll post more when I get back about the reactions I get. I really hope it's all okay because I don't think I can handle any more drama.

Thanks for your encouraging words. Everything turned out fine on that front:-)

I did it, I made it to my goal weight! The first time EVER in my life that I actually have reached a goal weight I've set...never with Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Bootcamp and dieting, weight loss dvd's, etc., but the sleeve actually was the tool for me. I feel like one of those silly informercials when I'm sharing with people about my success, "if I can do it, then anybody can do it." I want to thank all the people I've "met" through this site, because the support I've received here and continue to receive has been invaluable. I LOVE MY SLEEVE :001_tongue:

EXCELLENT!!! You are doing a fantastic job working your sleeve!

I have no idea, don't think I've seen it done???

Good for you! It's great that this tool helps you learn to deal with life's issues without using food as a way to cope.

I'll be thinking lots of positive thoughts for you tomorrow.

This has never been a favorite holiday or anything (always felt kind of contrived), but I wanted to journal about how this one went food wise. My husband and I had lunch around 11:30 AM before going to see Up in the Air, which I loved. I wouldn't say the honeymoon is completely over in terms of my sleeve, but it's definitely changing. I ordered an 8 oz. steak and ate 4 ounces with slight discomfort (ate too fast at the end so didn't realize I didn't need the last couple of bites until it was too late). In the past, like last month, I could only ever get in about 2-2.5 ounces of steak at a meal. For dinner, we went to one of my favorite restaurants here in town. They only offered a Valentine's special 3 course selection menu. I got the spinach salad, shrimp and broccoli fettucini alfredo, and strawberry cheesecake. I also ordered my first alcoholic drink (orange crush-vanilla vodka, orange juice, and sprite). My drink came out and I took a couple of really tiny sips, but even by the end of the meal it didn't look like I'd had any because it was so full to begin with. I thought I did pretty well on the salad, but when she took it away it also looked untouched. This was the first time having pasta since surgery and I ate one noodle and three pieces of shrimp and was full (not uncomfortable-I wanted room for dessert). I love our waitress who knows how little I eat so came at the perfect time and took it back to be boxed, but the people next to us kept glancing over...oh well. Now cheesecake use to be MY THING before surgery (discovered I liked it for the first time in grad school and my weight pretty much stayed in the obese category after that). I hadn't had any since surgery and it was so good. I again was only able to eat 2 bites and the great thing is I was so satisfied. I decided not to have that boxed because I could see myself grazing on that all day long. I still weighed in at 147 this morning, so nothing horrible happened I suppose. I ate more than I typically do on any one day and can definitely see why the first 6 months are called the "honeymoon phase." My sleeve tool is still there for me to work, I just think I'll have to be a little more diligent about working it now that I seem to be able to eat more.

My blood pressure has always been in the low range of normal and I was worried pre-surgery that it might fall even lower. When I brought it up to the surgeon, he said my body would adjust accordingly. Well, I've been feeling kind of "off" for the last few days. I've gotten light headed several times when I stood up, my ears have been clogged, and had a runny nose like a cold coming on, but hasn't. On my way home from exercising tonight I decided I should take my bp (I felt a little dizzy in class). I did when I got home and it was 99/61 with a pulse rate of 46. My normal ranged between 106-114 (for the top number), but my pulse rate was always 80-100 (kind of high). After a shower, drinking Water, and eating a salted nut snack, I took it again (about 2 hours later) and had 99/57 with a pulse rate of 51. I know it's not terribly low, but because of the light headedness I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this due to losing weight. It could be that I'm simply getting a head cold, but thought I'd ask. I'll call the surgeon's office tomorrow because I'm flying out on Wednesday for the rest of the week. Thanks for any insight you might have.

Thank you ladies. I'll let you know what, if anything I find out today. I took my bp this morning and it was 102/62 and a pulse rate of 61, that's better:-)

Sounds like a lot of fun. I agree, beef or turkey jerky would be good. Also maybe some protein bars. I just bought this book [ame=http://www.amazon.com/This-Thousands-Simple-Swaps-Pounds/dp/1594868549]Amazon.com: Eat This, Not That! Thousands of Simple Food Swaps that Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds--or More! (9781594868542): David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding: Books[/ame] from the store the other day because I found it very interesting while browsing through. It may help make some decisions regarding fast food although you of course would not eat the bread and side(s) suggested. Good luck!

Welcome to VST! Congratulations on getting one of the items checked off the list in your pre-op process and good luck with the rest. Keep us posted and feel free to ask andy questions you may have.

Just 4 more days and you'll be sleeved...woohoo!!!!!!!! I wish you an easy and speedy recovery. Let us know how you're doing.

Welcome and congratulations on your date! March 1, will be here before you know it and I can't wait to here about your journey to becoming a healthier you.

GOOD LUCK!!! You amaze me with your willpower.

I love reading this thread and congratulations on all of the successes you are experiencing each week! Click on anybody's ticker found in their signature and then click on the tab to create your own ticker. After you've filled out the information and click next it will take you to a page where you can copy a code (you want the bbcode) and then you put that code into your signature here at VST (you do that by clicking on customize profile.

Oh, you look sexy hot in those!

Excellent job MidwestGirl...it is a BIG DEAL to get out of the 240's!!! Today I weighed in at 147 pounds. That's 1.5 lbs. down from last Monday.

Excellent news Shontel! I too prefer Prevacid, although mine is a prescription solutab tablet. I ran out of the prescription after 3 months and tried to just use nothing, that was a mistake I was seriously regretting and by the end of the first week I went to the pharmacist who had me use OTC Prilosec until they could get the refill prescription from my surgeon (it was fine, just not as settling for me). Bitsy, food choices definitely come into play for how bad my heartburn is, but not necessarily getting it in the first place. I think many people start out on a PPI for the first 3 months post-op at least and eventually wean themselves off. I have no immediate plans to wean off (I've gone a couple different weeks without while waiting for refills and they weren't pleasant) completely until maybe this summer over break. If I'm in discomfort, I tend not to be the most pleasant person and that is not okay if you teach middle school. You may want to call your surgeon's office or get an over the counter acid reducer.