Search the Community

That's a great read thanks!! One of my favourite of your NSV's were the veins.. I'm a phlebotomist and when I did my training no one could feel or find my veins.. They were very well hidden.. Now I've lost 100lbs I too can't stop prodding and poking my nice 'new' prominent veins!! Amazing achievements! Well done!

Wow - very interesting stuff. Congratulations on your NSVs!! LOL... love the "you don't need to look so happy about breaking down someones door" comment! Thanks for all you do as a first responder too - communities need dedicated paramedics like you.

Alright, I decided to post a couple of NSV's that go through the warped mind of a paramedic, hopefully you all hearing how us warped individuals that save lives everyday think won't frighten anyone, lol. Most recent one was the other day I respond on a lift assist the classic I've fallen and can't get up, get to the house and as frequently is the case all the doors are locked, the patient is in the house and yells for us to break down the door, now I have been running on the ambulance for 23 yrs and am currently a Supervisor so don't do as much direct field work as I used to, so it's probably been at least 10 yrs since the last time I broke down a door and for the last couple years I usually call for fire department or let the police do it because I didn't have the energy and or strength to break them in anymore, but this time I figure all this time in the gym i'll just go ahead and do it. So I hit the door with my shoulder and bust right through, actually almost fell going through because it was so much easier then in the past, afterwards I look and had actually split the door jam down the middle. The 20 something kid that was my partner that day looks at me and says nice job, and then laughs and says but you don't need to look so happy about busting down someone's door. On another recent shift got dispatched for an unconscious person in a vehicle, get to the scene and the fire department already busted the car window and got the doors open, but there all standing there looking at the patient trying to figure out how they should get him out of the vehicle. In the past I usually have just stood back and told the firemen how to extricate the patient, but this time I walk right up reach in grab the patient under the arms and tell my partner to grab the legs and pull the guy out and then realize I forgot to make sure the litter was ready first so now i'm stuck just holding this patient in the air while the fireman get the litter set. The rescue coats we wear for protection at vehicle accidents and fires are very expensive, in excess of like 500 dollars for just the coat and they have to fit right or they actually go from being protective to being dangerous, but due to the cost it never goes well when you tell the manager that you outgrew your rescue coat and you need a new one, if your lucky the timing works out that they can find someone else it will fit that needs one but obviously the bigger you are the less likely of that. Well anyhow the other day I take my Rescue coat into the manager's office and say I have to turn this back in because I can't wear it anymore, it's a size 4x and I now need a size large, the manager looks at me and says good job, go ahead a call and order yourself a brand new one. And of course the strangest thing a paramedic thinks and I believe this one is true of many other medical professionals is that paramedics are constantly looking at peoples veins, it is actually almost subconscious, can't be helped, when your trained to start right away looking for a good IV access point right away so you can get it established quickly you just start looking at peoples veins in everyday situations. Yes that means if you know any paramedics and have spent anytime with them even just talking they probably already have identified most of your major arm and neck veins and determined wear they would like to stick needles in you. Anyhow it's funny as I keep losing weight I keep finding myself staring at my own arm veins constantly thinking how easy it would be to start several large bore IV's on myself. OK, that's all for now, hope you can all get some enjoyment out of my disturbed thinking.

My thoughts are you are going to feel so good in a yr from now...It takes work...the band is just a tool that we have control of...but I works !!! There will be so many small and large non scale victories (NSV) along the way...rejoice in all of them !!! Good luck hun....Im excited for you !

What a journey you have been on!!! Speech! SPEECCHH!!! Would love to hear a summary of your NSV's and who has said what and get up on that soap box!!! woo-hooo and shout out!!! How absolutely AMAZING you are, what an inspiration!

Great post and NSV! love the quote "hot as fish grease"!

This morning I was able to wear the smallest pair of jeans I had in my closet, but wait! That's not the best part... Here goes: When I put them on, they fit perfectly on my hips but there is a HUGE gap in the waist...my butt can hold them up, but they need a belt to fit my waist!!!! Wooo Hooooo! I LOVE THE BAND AND WANT TO KISS MY SURGEON TODAY. I'm so serious...he's as hot as fish grease!

Saw my GP today.I am tired and wobbly cos I am severely Iron deficient and it looks as though my arthritis is becoming rheumatoid or lupus.So no issues with my trusty sleeve or calorie intake-thanks again for all your support and sensible advice. My GP said I had the sleeve done in the nick of time.No-one would operate on me now. 22kg down and only able to walk cos of the weight loss.Latest NSV: my knickers fell down inside my work slacks yesterday.Lol! Absolutely love my sleeve

My biggest day ever! 8.59 miles total of 45.79 miles! I'm going to really do this! What an amazing NSV! Thanks to Bean for challenging me!

I feel you, it's a wonderful NSV! When I lost my first 125 I went back to Worlds of Fun and road all the coasters I couldn't before.

Thanks all! Looking at side by sides is surreal. I still have a ways to go and I gained three back over a girls' weekend (complete with the start of my girly cycle - of course), but I'm tickled. That dress is a HUGE NSV, too. I bought it Thursday, off the rack, without trying it or anything else on for a night out! First stress free GNO purchase in a decade and best of all....NO SPANX underneath! Can I hear a WHAT! WHAT! ?

At 6 weeks post op I noticed that my contacts weren't fitting right anymore, and my glasses seemed blurry. Went in for an exam, indeed my eyes had changed and i bought two new pair of glasses, and new contacts. Now at 4 months post op, my eyes have changed again! I am a type 2 diabetic, and my blood sugar was really bad before my surgery (A1C was 10.7). My blood sugar is now under control and A1C is in the 6's. The optometrist says that affects the eye shape and I have become less nearsighted. Now I need all new lenses! That's for two pairs of glasses and contacts! Fortunately, it's not going to cost me that much, as the optical store is going to cover the new lenses for me. I will pay again for the anti-glare coating. So not really an NSV, as it is costing me another $200. But I wish I'd known my eyes were going to change that quickly!

So I had my surgery on August 6 on that day I weighed 302 lbs as of today 5 weeks later (or is it 6... Hmmm ) I weigh 276... Weight loss kinda slow but not getting my protein in like I should... But on a positive note for a NSV I started in a size 24/26 and today I put on a pair of 20s and they fit perfect! I put a 22 on the other day but wanted to see if I could fit in to any smaller sizes and a size 20 fit great! Anyone else with any NSV!

I'm two weeks out from surgery today and I have lost 18lbs since surgery, 43 since the start of my preop liquid diet. I am pretty large so you can't tell much, but today I bit the bullet and joined a gym. I realized that this journey is for me and I'm going to make the most of my tool. I didn't care about what others might have thought about me or that I was sweating my butt off just walking on the treadmill, it was just about me pushing myself to be better. I'd say that is a great victory for me!

We call them NSV's - Non Scale Victories and yes, truly verily they are much more important that the scale will ever be.

I hate to seem like a klutz, but I keep seeing the abbreviation NSV used, but I have no idea what it means. New sleave.. something?

Hi there! I had my surgery on August 15th and so far I have had a complication free, speedy and very lucky recovery. I have lost 47 pounds including a one week pre-op which I am pretty excited for! Well I have an interesting story (I'll make it short, I promise) that I want to share with you. [below talks about lots of junk food - don't read if you are sensitive to that kinda thing, heh] Before getting the gastric sleeve I was an emotional eater. I binged multiple times a week and the only person who knows is my mom and a good friend of mine. Food was my best friend. I used to eat huge quantities, well over 10,000 calories at a time and end my day with a big thing of ice-cream. I still get disgusted thinking about eating everything that I did. And I did this multiple times a week for years. Anyway~ Besides deep fried cheesy foods, sweets was my number one go-to food. You know those, "Oops, we baked too much!" 50% off carts they have at super markets? Yeah, I attacked that. Sometimes getting two dozen donuts, 24 count Cookies, etc that would sit in my stomach after a day and a half (not including all the chips, Pasta, cheese sticks, hot pockets, etc I would eat prior) I was a wreck. [end junk food] Anyway, now that I had the sleeve I have had no cravings other than fresh fruit. I am allowed SF/FF pudding (I got dark chocolate, my favorite) and I took one bite and it was far too rich! It went down smoothly and I had no problems but it was just disgusting. Pre-surgery the richer the better! But no, I just can't tolerate it now. I tried again a week later (the other day) and took one small spoon. Nope, not happening. I just don't want it and I gave it to my mother and said she can eat them. ISN'T IT CRAZY HOW MUCH YOU CAN CHANGE AFTER SURGERY? This super-super-sweet girl doesn't like sweets! I get great satisfaction by adding a strawberry to my crystal lite lemonade or eating two small blackberries but nothing more. I think this is a big fat NSV!!!!!!!! Does anyone have a story similar to mine?

Awesome NSV! Congrats...I'm glad you're feeling better already.

Wonderful story, thanks for sharing a NSV!

Congratulations!!!! That is so awesome. I totally agree with you, never thought I would enjoy running, some days I dread the thought, but when I go out and do it, it feels so good. I think some of the euphoria comes from knowing where I was before....getting winded going up the stairs. Great NSV!!

NSV are the best! My 16 year old son will come give me a bear hug and pick me up and tells me I'm so light. Another one was when I went shopping and I automatically went to the woman's department and the sales clerk told me I was in the wrong section!

I'm pre-sleeve but lost about 35 pounds a few years ago before a back injury. 35 isn't that much but on a small framed person like me it made a huge difference. I held onto my favorite outfit from when I was at my biggest. Unfortunately that outfit fits me just fine now...Lol. But when I was losing and dropping sizes it was a good inspiration...especially if I had a day where I didn't "feel" like I was being successful. Fully intend to hold onto it again. and good for you on such an awesome and exciting NSV!!!

I cleaned out my closet yesterday. It was a NSV for me, after losing almost 60 pounds I was still wearing my "before" clothes. I was hoping for that moment when you raise your hands and your pants fall down, but I guess because all my clothes were knits with elastic waists, they expanded with me when I gained weight and contracted with me as I have been losing! So back to the closet.... I had saved a bunch of clothes for years hoping to have them fit when I lost weight "some day". I tried a bunch on and expected them to not zip, and boy was I surprised when they fit and some even looked good! I spent the rest of the day doing 6 loads of laundry since the "new clothes" had been in a dusty closet for at least 3 years. My question is to those folks who have lost a significant amount of weight. Did you save a "fat outfit"? Something in your top size to help remind you of where you started? I'm trying to decide if it is worth it, or if I should just ship them all off to the local charity and be done with it. Any insight would be most appreciated!

that's a wonderful NSV and just you watch....those jeans will button up before you know it!

I really thought my first NSV would be finally buttoning up my favorite pair of jeans that I haven't been able to wear in over a year. I keep trying, but ... no luck yet! But I did however realize today that since being banded two months ago, I have not once gone to the dollar store to buy candy!! I used to go to the dollar store on a weekly basis (at the very least) and buy about $5 worth of candy. And if you've ever been to the dollar store, you'll know that is a lot of candy. I would start eating it in the car on the way home, and I'd keep eating it until it was gone. Doing some simple math ... five boxes of candy, 7 servings or so per box, that makes, uh, 35 servings of candy a week!! But, I have not even had the desire to go out and buy candy. My intense food cravings have almost vanished, and when I do have something sweet, I definitely find it far sweeter than I used to. I am so proud that I'm finally candy free!