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What's a NSV?

Welcome to the forum yungshi. I am old enough to be your grandma, but started out at 235 pounds, also. You will be freaking amazed at how much better you will feel after the first thirty pounds come off - even if you don't look any different. At fifty pounds down, a pain specialist who had not seen me for several months, did not recognize me. He and his nurse did a double "time-out" before starting my procedure because he thought he had the wrong patient on the table. We call those kinds of things NSVs (non-surgical victories). Please let us know when you can cross your legs, trim your own toenails, shoes get too big, people who knew you don't know you now, you feel good three days in a row.......stuff like that. That is one way that we encourage each other to keep on keepin' on. If you take pictures and measurements now, it will give you a rference to see how you are doing. The scales can play horrible head games with you, especially as you exchange fat for muscle. You will notice that when you ask for advice, opinions and tact will vary. Please do not take anything personally....just take what you need and set the rest aside. I wish you good luck and good health.

Still stuck but I do have a NSV yesterday........ My husband and I were folding clothes and he said I can't tell your jeans from our son's jeans anymore. You are wearing a size close to his they look the same to me. What is so wonderful about this is that my son weighs 94 lbs. So I know I do not wear anything close to him but it was so nice that my husband thinks I do An another NSV I ate salad yesterday and today and it went down easily and tasted yummy! As far as weird side effects. Yes I have a couple that even through all my research I didn't realize. One was all the emotional crap I go through. No I am not sad about food, but I can get my feelings hurt pretty easily. it was much worse the first month or two but I am still a little more sensative than usual even right now. I smell odd sometimes and I have no idea why. I even asked my kids and my husband if they noticed and they finally admitted they did. I am HOPING that's only temporary. I was prepared for my hair to fall out but it has gotten frizzy and very unhealthy looking also. I have to admit that I regretted the surgery at first for even longer than most people. I am actually JUST NOW feeling happy about my decision.

I'm only a week out and had my very first NSV!! I bought a pair of dress pants 3 years ago that were way too small at the time, just in case I decided to lose weight. I found them in the back of my closet and decided to try them on...and they fit perfectly!! I'm so excited for the rest of this journey that I'm on!!

Great NSV!

I see that this thread isn't very active at the moment. But, I know that struggling bandsters are out there. I went ahead and had the gastric bypass surgery. It is the best decision I've ever made! The weight falls off effortlessly, I'm rarely hungry, I'm not obsessed with food anymore, no stuck episodes, no port pain anymore, and more scale and nsv's than I can list. If you are considering revision, my advice is just do it! Looking back, the band was very bad for my self-esteem. For years I called myself a failure. Well, now on the other side of revision, I can honestly say, the band failed me. The band was the failure. Not me. For 40% of bandsters, they have fantastic success. The rest of us suffer. Please don't think of yourselves as the failures! 4 months post op with the rny and I'm down 61 lbs. Easy peasy. Good luck everyone!

This has been the best NSV for me, up until now he's never sat with me, I am now his buddy.

I experienced a new NSV this evening and I have to say, I'm feeling pretty good after this one! My daughter had a dress in her closet that was MINE when I was a sophomore in high school. I wore it when I walked in the football homecoming that year. I remember feeling so beautiful in that dress. We were looking through old yearbooks and pictures a few nights ago and she said "Hey! I have that dress in my closet!" So tonight, she pulled it out of the closet and insisted I try it on. I was certain that it would NOT fit. Only, it DID fit! OMG! Wow! What an amazing feeling that was/is! I just can't believe it! People keep telling me how skinny I am and how great I look but I have such a hard time seeing/believing it for myself. I have spent my entire adult life wishing I could be THAT small again and looking at that picture and thinking how little I was and now...Wow! Just wow!

We'll today was all about the NSV's put on an outfit and DH looked at me and said your not going to wear that "your swimming in it" so off I went to closet shop, pulled out a large shirt and it fit, tried on a pair of 16 jeans and they fit too (started in XXL and 20's). Pulled out the measure tape and I've lost eight inches in my waist I am thankful for my sleeve and the support of my DH, DR, NUT and all of you.

Today is my 3 month surgiversary!!! I am so excited to say I am down 60lbs!!! My stats: HW 246 SW 240 CW 186 I went from sz 20/22 2xl to a l/xl and 14/16! It feels amazing I have had so many NSVs, like wearing sz LG scrubs at work, fitting in a roller coaster with my son, and just feeling amazing! I have to figure out how to post pics on here and I will do before and afters. I love my sleeve and loving my life!

My one year is coming up two days before Christmas. I may night be quite to goal by then, but I will be darn close! I have the cutest dark wash denim short-waisted embroidered jacket that I bought just before I gained an extra 50 pounds (post-op of an orthopedic surgery). I got it out of storage the other day, and it still had the tags on it. I very cautiously put on, thinking that it still wasn't going to close over my belly. Surprise........it was too big! You will have many non-surgical victories (SNVs around here) that will blow your mind. I think most everyone expects clothes fitting better or being able to cross their legs, but another one is that your body's internal systems with thank you for the improved nutrition and a bit of exercise. You will actually start to feel better. May many happy NSVs come your way.

Ah man! It is such a wonderful accomplishment. I am not fully able to cross my legs but I am getting there. I semi-cross them everyday. My husband says that I think I am cute. He will never understand. But you guys do. Its not about being cute. To be able to sit like a woman and not with my legs COCKED wide open with my hand on my hip. Or with my hands under my belly. To look at a pic and see that, I hated it. I have never been able to cross my legs and always wanted to know how it feels. That is one of my NSV goals. Everyday I am going to keep trying until it's right. So, YOU GO GIRL! later losers!

wheeeeee! i can't wait to do that! congratulations, great NSV!

I'm smiling from ear to ear!! I do type on my pc with my legs crossed...lol! I cross my legs on the train when I can see myself in the window so I can stare at them. This is a great NSV and I'm happy happy happy for you my friend!

Only here will people understand. I was actually afraid to try it until today. I have not crossed my legs the "dainty" way in many years. I joined the century club this week, and decided it was time to try crossing my legs in a chair. I was afraid that my belly would still be in the way. It was irrational and fear based. Today I decided to go for it at work in my cube. I crossed my right leg over my left and it worked. I crossed my left leg over my right and it worked. If I could type on my PC this way, I'd do it all day long. Crossing my legs is my new favorite activity. Happy NSVs to us all!

I'm about half way through the tons of pre-op clearance appointments for a December surgery. It's a tough place: both of hope and fears. But... today, I am celebrating baby steps and a few pre-op non-surgery victories. I have 4 kiddos: twins that are 15, a 5 year old, and a 3 year old. All girls. Where's my gold star for that alone? Anyway, I'm currently sharing plates, bowls, and utensils with my toddler. I did not get upset today when I had to have green instead of pink. I cut up her food before I diced mine to pencil-eraser size. I tried not to be jealous of her cute sippy cup sitting next to her plate. Tried. Seriously, not drinking before, during and after a meal is rough! So woot woot for me! Anyone else?

Yasman, the 1st time I sat on the couch and pulled my heel up to my rear to give myself a pedicure was a complete shock ! It had been sooooo long since I had been able to do that ! Woot Woot !!! No more big tummy in the way or getting my air supply cut off when I tried to bend ! That was a fun NSV !!! Congratulations to you !!!!

Years ago, my favorite song to exercise to was "She's a Bad Mama Jama," (even though I didn't then own the words for myself). Now, from the song "Blurred Lines," I love/embrace the words when they say, "You're the hottest bitch in this place!" and "...swag on, even when casual; it's almost unbearable." [A great NSV since surgery is being able to just grab and go when it comes to clothes, so it's easy to do that now]. I agree with jessi...wearing a dress isn't 'trying too hard.' A dress/skit is a normal feminine thing to do...and with less fat, better curves, hey! But do what you'll feel works for you and you won't be self-conscious. If you don't usually wear dresses/skirts (maybe because of the then-weight), it might feel unusual; but I say go for it: a dress and heels. Maybe put on a dress and heels, play some music with a good beat, and dance around your house to see how you feel. In any case, have a good one; and have fun.

Nothing's up with that Janice. A half pound is just a good dump away. Sorry for being crude but it could be anything...your tom, a full colon, too much salt last night...anything. Take it from someone who's been at this for a while...stay off the scale. It will drive you crazy. If you are being compliant, you don't need to weigh yourself very often. Pay attention to how your clothes are fitting or other NSVs. They're better than any number for sure. I list my stats just for informational purposes but I never weighed myself more than once a week even when I needed to get to 200 lbs. in order to have my hip replacement surgery. I've lost more than 140 lbs. and never lost more than 3 lbs. in a single week. It will come off, I promise. Follow your doctor's protocol and you will be fine. Good luck to you.

I was freaking out from the day before my surgery date, but lucky for me I was too embarrassed to show it. The morning of the Big Day, I arrived at the hospital with my best friend and got checked in. As we waited for the nurse to come and take me back, I so wanted to turn to my friend and say that I'd changed my mind and we should go home, but embarrassment kicked in again. How was I going to explain running out the door and blowing off the surgery when I'd spoken of nothing else for the last three months but getting that sleeve? So I stayed and I did it, and I'm so glad. Aside from a respectable beginning weight loss (I still have a long way to go), there have been many NSVs. It has already proven to be not only worth it, but one of the best and smartest things I've ever done. I'm glad you're rescheduling. Be brave and go for it!

I think in the next week we should start our post op page. That way once someone finishes surgery they can move over to the post op page! Also, what is everyone's goal for after surgery? What size/weight do you hope to end up as? What are some nsv's do you hope to accomplish?

Wearing belts is one of my NSV! I NEVER wore them when i was obese. I don't always wear them, but since I have no butt, it keeps my pants in place - ha! I feel like my words often don't come across as supportive, so I was hesitant to respond to the very sobering wakeup call of the scale and clothing sizes - I have been there countless times and really do know the pain. My intention is to be supportive, but my own views of things are perhaps not commonly shared - I don't know. If what i have to say does not reasonant, then just leave it be - we all need to find our own way of the emotional/mental part of this weight management thing. What I can share is my personal experience - I come from a LIFETIME of obesity and overweight. Seriously, starting about age 5-6 until my sleeve I was overweight, obese or SMO except for maybe about 2 years total during my teens and early 20s - I got slim a couple of times but freaked out and quickly regained, so I am probably exagerating to say I was normal weight for a total of 2 years - maybe 2 weeks - ha! So, lets say I have about 40 years experience beating myself to a pulp over what the scale says and how awful I felt like I looked. It didn't work and just made me feel bad. I look back and remember weighing say 160-170 and feeling like a huge cow - ridiculous! How much better my life would have been had I been able to accept that weighing more than other "girls" was okay and natural for me? Heck, this morning I was at 145.8 and you know what crossed my mind? A close friend that is my age, is 2" taller and weighs 117. She weighs 30 pounds less and is a real hottie - damn, why can't I be that? Totally ridiculous line of thinking and I shut that down right away! That shame cycle is part of why I gained and got to such a high BMI. Shame and self loathing never really helped me and I have alot of practice at it. I no longer feel humiliation over being up a few pounds. I don't want to regain, but I know statistically it is very likely to happen to me - at least a partial regain. I am diligent but I also recognize I am worth more than the scale or a clothing size and you are all too. I think we all need to remind ourselves that we are worthy people, we are not the only ones who struggle with maintaining a healthy weight and our value as a human being has nothing to do with how we look or what some chart says we should weigh or what society says we should look like. (or what a close friend weighs or looks like!) Yeah, easier said than done, but for me personally, I need to be in that head space or I risk freaking out and needing to use food or SOMETHING to feed the internal demons that rear their heads. I am making alot of progress on slaying those demons and not feeding them to keep them quiet... it is an ongoing process but it feels like a good direction for me.

WLS stands for Weight Loss Surgery. You will find other texting abreviations on the forum. Another is NSV which is a NonSurgical Victory, such as being able to tie your own shoes, someone you haven't seen for a while doesn't recognize you, being able to cross your legs....happy stuff like that. You will also see the term "Onderland" which stands for 199, meaning that your weight is finally below 200 pounds. I have had to look up many text abreviations and street slang terms in an on-line urban dictionary to be able to keep, but it helps me stay current.

Janette so glad you had a great trip and experienced so many NSV's! Great job on your follow up Claire, so glad your doc is pleased with your progress. I hope the suggested things help with your diarrhea. That must be tough to be so unpredictable and having to be near a toilet all the time. Do you think insurance will help with the skin removal? I definitely want a tummy tuck, but not sure it will be covered. I'm also going to pursue a breast reduction and lift.