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Ok after I read this to someone they just had to share in the excitement of your NSV. So here they are!!! Oh By the way, WAHHHH HOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, weird thing today for me. I've been stalled at roughly 310 lbs for the past few days. However, when I went to put on my belt today, I was able to pull it even tighter than it was before without it being uncomfortable. Now, leather belts can stretch, but it's possible that I've lost inches without losing weight.

Excellent news on dropping the meds! Leaving meds behind and just feeling so much better physically are wonderful NSVs! Dropping clothing sizes, while getting expensive, is also surprisingly fulfilling!

Go ahead Ana...cry...But never give up okay..I had 14 surgeries while I was in the hospital and 2 since I came out....It is quite a trip for both of us....I know I will not give up and neither will you...Your a strong woman and need to trust in your health care provider..Tell him your fears and concerns...... I came through it so will you...one step at a time girl...one step at a time....Each little NSV will mean so much to you.. I know it does for me because I paid a huge mental, emotional, and physical price for it..... Soon you will be able to encourage others. And give them hope and when they think nothing else can be done..You'll know better....... Come on Ana...show me what you got eh!!!!!!

Love all the NSV everyone! A few of mine: not spilling over onto the person next to me on the airplane, lost a chin (still have a gobbler neck though), can wear high heels all day, down to a 14w was a 20 prior to surgery.

NSV for me today! Putting laundry away and on a whim tried on my 14 yr old daughter's jeans. They fit! She's 2 inches taller and 25 lbs lighter-no idea how that works... I'll never tell her though. She'd be HORRIFIED (eye roll!)

A belated Thank You Ed, yeah I hope I do make it there, only 27 more years, after all. Woke up,with my upper arm paining. I hope my,ortho can get it fixed up by removing my hardware that's been there for 9 years since I broke it at work, and Workmans Comp wheels grind very slow, especially when it,is against an self- insured ex- employer. They can be in No Hurry to settle. Suspect,they may have been saying,novena for my early,demise, but fooled them- I kept on living! But this arm is impinging on my Life quality, had to pop a Norco so I could sleep at 3 AM. Got myself a special heating pad from Sunbeam with Velcro straps, I does help a lot, takes the pain down to a dull roar but you aren't allowed to sleep with one on! And chrissymcm08, I take 60 mg of Dexilent each AM before good. Omeprazole WAS NOT GASTROPROTECTIVE for me, ulcerated under therapy,from my gastroenterologist in late 2017, when they put me on it again post- surgery I developed 2 in my brand- New pouch, and a string of them down my jejunem(second section,of small intestine) and that war is finally being solved when they permitted me to revert,to Dexilent in November. I am the exception to their rule, and I doubt,i ever will be able,to stop this PPI. My firm feelings since I went into this with a history of gastritis and Hector, my then sleeping small Gastric Ulcer, I should have been on Carafate also from the very beginning, never was started until 6 weeks in and we are STILL playing catch-up. That may be why they say Doctors practice, there is always a patient who teaches them One Size does not fit all. Goody my Norco has kicked in, the arm pain is letting up some, do not abuse them, this is still from my Going-home prescription last September. And besides if I were to depend on them like I had to post my last knee replacement in February 2017, I would have gone into ostipation, that's constipation to the INTH degree! Had to call out major laxatives to get relief from THAT! Feared, at the time, a stick of dynamite was next----- KABOOM KABOOM!💩 But you live-- you learn---and you learn to play the cards you're given in the Game of Life. And I still call my surgery Day the 5th greatest blessing after marriage💍 and the birth of my 3 babies👶. It has been a Life with a lot if Joys, I do have my NSVs, different than some but then we each have an individualized road to ✌ Victory. And yeah with a RnY I was and am GERD -free, And all the rest, it's bottom- line Good after All.😝

Karen, I totally feel you. I used to HATE HATE looking in the mirror, especially at the hair salon! Now I see like a new person and so I look not in vanity but in a "is that me??" kinda way!! My NSV, I actually took a full body pic next to our Christmas tree and I loved it! I was in denial about how big I was for a while. My mom always told me I looked fine and so did my BF. Now they are both telling me that I was huge and they were trying to be supportive so I didnt feel down about myself! I understand them.

I just HAD to tell you guys about my NSV last night. My boyfriend has not said a whole lot about my weight loss other than to say that my boobs are shrinking. :thumbup: Well, out of the blue last night he said, "You are getting skinnier....I can tell." It blew me away. Then I weighed this morning and saw that I had lost (after having a pretty non-productive December). I feel good today!!! Here's to a very HAPPY 2009!!!:wink_smile:

Thank you so much Steve for your reply and encouragement! You know - talking about the NSV's...I travel a lot for my job and one of the things I have hated is getting on an airplane and praying that I didn't have to ask for a seat-belt extension! I know that sounds silly but it is always so embarrassing - I even have it down to a science that MD80 airplanes seatbelts are not as long at 747's...lol! So I always check and see what type of plane I am flying on so I know whether to dread it or not! I also always take window seats so I can lean as close to the window as possible so I won't crowd anyone...I know to some people that may seem silly - but just one of those things. So my next flight is in January - can't wait to see how many inches of seat belt I can pull through the buckle! LOL! I hate pictures of myself now, so hopefully that will change soon! Congratulations on your very successful journey and thank you so much for the advice!!

I am super excited that when I wrap my bath towel around me it actually closes!!! It's been a LONG time since that was the case! So happy!

I had my surgery on Feb 27, my hw was 265 sw 259 (no pre op diet) cw 232. and at my last count a week ago I had lost 20.5 inches My weight loss seems like its slower than others. Although I am very happy to have lost 33 pounds and 20.5 inches. I lost 20 some of that my first month, this month April, I have lost maybe the other 13, and I am hoping for to get in to the 220's before May 1. My goal is to be under 200 by August, which is my birthday, which gives me 3 months. Actually my dream would be to loose 45 lbs in the next 3 months, so about 15 pounds a month, not sure if thats realistic. I have a sleeve of steel unfortunatley, I can eat almost anything. At first nothing tasted good. It took me awhile to find a food I felt satisfied with. Which is the bacon pineapple meatballs and sausages from Costco, also I know its crazy but I really like the chocolate Premier shakes from Costco as well. I get all my vitamins in and have only had one problem since surgery to speak of which was a ruptured ovarian cyst, that sent me to the emergency room at 5 am with what I thought for sure was a gall bladder attack from WLS. My NSV was going to the store to buy clothes and even bigger NSV they were not all BLACK! lots of colors, and off the rack, still buying XXL, and size 18 jeans at Old Navy, but it is comfortable, or just a bit too big. I was at the point before surgery where this would have been too small for me. So I just wouldnt buy new clothes. Sorry I am rambling, I havent told anyone about my surgery except for my husband/mom/sister/daughter ( I swore her to secrecy so she better not tell anyone..she is 14 lol) So no one to really talk about with all of this. Thanks for listening...

Awesome, NSV! I am down to 36 dd. They measure me at 34 c, but I find they squash my flabby boobs, 36 dd makes the most of the flab without me falling out!(from 2 kids, 100 lbs, and 64 years of age).

A few weeks ago I went on a little shopping spree at value village and bought a number of XL button shirts. It was not a large fortune, but more shopping than I have ever done at one time before. I honestly thought I would be able to wear these for a while. I tried one on yesterday and it was draping over me, like a tent. And another and another. They were all very large on me where they for nicely when I bought them less than a month ago. I know because I tried everyone on, one at a time in front of the dressing room mirror. Sigh- I am going to have to donate these and go buy some large size button shirts (thrift store until my weight stabilizes). It is sort of a bittersweet realization, well, perhaps more like shock. A few of you may remember when I donated all my 2x, 3x clothes not too long ago. I filled 10-12 garbage bags full of button shirts, some 250+ button shirts, t-shirts and jeans). I think I shrunk a bit in the last few weeks from running all the time. It may be time to take a new picture for VST profile soon as the current one is a couple months old. Also yesterday, my wife's cousin came to visit for the evening and told me i was very lean and looking really good. He was joking around and asked if i was eating any longer ( the answer of course is yes, 6 times a day, about 100-300 calories a meal). He is about the same age as I and is an ex marine, very muscular and lean (can you believe that comment coming from him?!?!). His wife did not recognize me at first and i just saw them 2 months ago. I have a twin brother who has always been the "skinny" one where i was the " fat one". In quotes because weights fluctuate, but those generalizations have held true for the last 20-25 years. Well, i now weigh 45-50 lbs less then him and work out almost every day. he lives with me while he is getting his life together (been with us for 3 years going to school, now finishing CNA training, looking for a job, and saving emergency money that he gets from government for his own place). I keep encouraging him to eat a little better and to join me in some exercise beyond walking the dog. he will when he is ready to and certainly understands he needs to as being overweight. She thought she was looking at my brother, but then got confused because i look a little different from him just due to different life experiences, hair styles, clothing choices etc. She also said i had fine bone structure because she was commenting on my new delicate cheek bones and jaw line that i now have. i was surprised as i always thought of myself as large boned being heavy most of my life. Others reading this probably also think they are large boned and can relate to this reaction. One of her daughter's said i had a body shape " similar to daddy's" ( the ex marine). It was both cute and did a lot to put a smile on my face. I guess losing weight near goal weight (e.g last 25-30 lbs or so) makes more of a difference in the way clothes fit then losing weight at obese size (150 overweight). I am only 5 lbs away from my first goal of 185; i may try for 165 if it does not turn me into a skeleton. I hope you all have similar stories like this (hopefully not as much pain in the wallet with regards to clothes though ). This time I am going to only buy a few shirts if for some reason I enter the medium size. I really doubt it though being 5'11 and building muscle with strength training.

@@Elode little hijjack yesterday, big snowstorm, slippery, snowy - i went off the road into ditch (no damage to car) oh, i'm fine too ! the AAA guy (he was a cutie about 25) kept calling me a young lady after he used that phrase about 4 times i said something like.................. young lady,?? thanx for not calling me an old fart!!! we both laughed and he said something like "you sure don't look old to me!!! - i really do think he meant it afterall remember "i am cute as a button!! " if not a full blown NSV, it was nice to hear after he dropped me off at my house i gave him my phone # GOTCHA!!! hubby "probably" LOL wouldn';t like that so...............@@Elode - "well thank you young lady" back at ya kathy 61 years young in 2 weeks!!! cards or money excepted in sleeveland u.s.a.

HI all! Today is exactly 9 Weeks since I had my sleeve surgery. I have read a lot of post on here pre and post surgery about people being so dishearten over the numbers on the scale when they weigh. I told myself back before my surgery that I was NOT going to fall victim to the stinking scale! That hellacious thing has a way of ruining a persons whole day/week. Now I know some people can weigh everyday and whatever number pops up they can live with but I know me, I know my past, and I know how many times that Sucker has knocked the wind out of my sails and made me feel defeated. NOT this time honey! So what I did do with my daughter help (Partly to make sure I couldn't fudge on the numbers later) was measured every part of my body. Today is the first time we got the measuring tape out and revisited those numbers and I have to say I am astonished! These inches I have lost so far, far surpasses the feeling I got from any scale number! People are always asking me for recommendations of what they should do and my advice is to take your measurements because you can almost bet when that scale isn't moving but your following orders your probably still losing inches. I'm a open book so I will share my numbers with you... Under bust - 3inches Smallest part of waist -4 inches Natural waist -6 inches Buttock, booty, lovely lady lumps -10 inches!!!!! Yes -10 inches!! Crazy!!(Don't fret there's plenty more where that came from) Upper arm -3inches Thighs -6 inches (loving this) Calves-1 1/2 inches. Such a long way to go but I am so incredibly grateful for my sleeve and the help it has given me to finally be succeeding at something I've wanted for so long! Hey does this count as a NSV?? ( ps: I do weigh myself but only bi-weekly if I feel like it:)

@@Elode you and your doggie look sooooo happy (and cute too) you are looking great wonderful feeling to have that sense of being an eagle flying/soaring high with wings spread feeling free ***************************************************** designers make sooooooo.....many blouses with horizontal stripes yeah, emphasize that area that looks awful!!! nobody TOLD me not to wear those blouses i just knew i felt and looked terrible in stripes NSV , i now can/ do wear striped blouses (4 new ones hanging in my closet ) by the way bud - i think we look pretty cute standing next to each other kathy congrats

No need whatsoever to step on the scale if you don't want to. I only ever weighed about once every 3-4 weeks. As long as you are getting your protein and fluids and following your meal plans, you will lose. For me, the NSVs were my measure of progress and way more fun to track anyways. Others like to see those numbers every day and that's fine. Just do whatever you feel most comfortable with and what will allow you to be successful.

What is NSV?

Congratulations! Yeah I've heard a lot about the stalls. Scary but I think the NSVs are a lot more fun to see. Especially since I don't really like to weigh myself. Lol

I love Victoria's Secret. As I was losing I had the ability to hang out mostly in yoga wear as I am not currently working. A pair of yoga pants can fit you for a long time. I found that VS tops however were a different issue for me and honestly their sizes can fit differently. I wear some larges that are too large and some larges that are too small. I was ordering a lot of their stuff on line and refused to take it back knowing I would likely fit into it in the coming month. Dumping lane Bryant for me was the best NSV ever. I used to hate clothes shopping and now I love to try on things just because I can. LOL. Also I found that if I buy clothing from anywhere, I tend to not return if it is too big or too small so trying things on really is the optimal way to purchase for us. I have found the Calvin Klein and Anne Klein clothing fits me fantastic and I love their fashion sense. There I know if I buy an 8 Jeans or a 10 slacks they will fit. Or if I buy a top in a large it will fit just right. They seem to be consistent. I have never had a size goal but never in a million years did I think I would go from a 24/26 to an 8. I cannot imagine what it will be like following my Abdominalplasty! Already with tops following my arm lift I can see I may have to go to a medium.

So happy for you! I honestly feel the NSV's are what keep me going in the right direction. It's so wonderful to be able to share NSV's like that here with people that so understand and celebrate right along with you!

I'd say it was an 18, but not as comfortable as a 16, and now I am in some 14's and to sit that way is natural again. I'm with you, I was thrilled. My new NSV was this morning, lying in bed, my DH told me "check that out, you can see your individual ribs". And I could I could feel each rib, and the separation between them!!! Keep going, those legs will go where ya want 'em soon!!! Kat

Thin people totally don't get how big of a deal this is to us. I started at 18/20 and am now 14/16 (3 months from surgery). I can comfortably cross my legs now. One direction is more comfortable than the other, though. I try to remember not to sit too long like that because it really isn't the best way to sit for circulation and stuff, but when I am somewhere that I have to sit and my legs can be seen, it's really cool to be able to cross them in a ladylike way! Truly one of my first big NSV's.

Try to project a year from now...when you weigh less, when you have had dozen's of NSVs...buying smaller sized clothes, off your meds, feeling and looking better.... I was miserable on the preop diet....and I am so so much better now. I know it's easier said than done but one short year ago, I was where you were and the difference between then and now is unbelievable. Just this afternoon, I was sitting with my coworkers in the kitchen, finishing my 1/2 sandwich and clementine. Heck I even had a couple of thin pretzels. So...just know that sandwiches are still in your future. Oh...and while we were chatting, I leaned back in my chair a bit and crossed my legs. Such a little thing...unless like me, you haven't been able to do that in years. I feel so normal now that it still takes my breath away. Hang in there....it will get better...I promise.