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NSV-Got engagement ring back on Ordered 2 sizes smaller swimsuit Dropped one size in pants, almost a second size

SO I've had a couple of NSVs lately and couple of learning how to eat episodes too. I'll be 1-month post-op on the 18th and this is what I've seen. Clothes that I haven't been able to wear in over 6 years are fitting me again. I've had people come up to me in the grocery store telling me how much different I look than the last time they saw me. And I've had to remove a link out of my watch band about my wrist! I've also learned that I need to drink my protein drink in the morning before food otherwise everything is just too dry all the way down. It's kinda weird. but starting the day with liquids helps everything else to follow. I had an episode where I overate because I was not paying attention. I'll NEVER do that again! It ruined the whole day and hurt like hell!! So no matter what, set your timers, eat slow, chew, chew, chew, and pay attention to how you feel after every bite! I've recently begun to start having family meals again no one makes comments or says anything unkind as to how little I'm eating. I tell them that I get dinner twice because I can eat the rest later on I'm so full that only one bite of dessert goes over the lips because I'm completely satisfied. So far, it's working!

Hi there, it has been wonderful to read all of the stories here. I'm a 39-year old mother of three from Finland and have had RYGB 17 days ago. Here surgeons actually operate more RYGB than SG (contrary to US), and although I was set on SG before when I decided on needing the surgery, the surgeon did convince me with RYGB suiting me better in the end (and she is the surgeon in Finland who gets referred with the most difficult cases and operates a lot both in University hospital as well a privately, so I just ended up trusting her expertise). I don't know anyone personally who has had the surgery so nobody to really have discussions with about the downs (ups is another matter as I do have a family but obviously not all of the NSV's (a new term I learned today, yay) can be comprehended by someone who really has never been there. I started my journey with the decision in May, first appointment at the clinic June 2nd weighing 352 lb (160kg, I'm 5'10 tall so BMI about 50 at this point), 11 weeks later August 10th had a meeting with the surgeon and internist for approval (weighing 320 lb), had to have ECG and gastroscopy due to medical history to be approved, and the surgery was done 26th of August so jyst over two weeks ago. My weight that day was 317 lb (143,8kg), and currently it is 301 lb (136,6kg). Here in Finland we have the possibility to get the operation through regular healthcare system if we fullfil the criteria (BMI over 35 with obesity related diseases or BMI over 40 plus you need to have had experience before atleast of 6 months of conservative weight loss (can be from the past, does not need to be just then) and you need to lose 8% of your weight prior to surgery with atleast 3-4 weeks vlcd to make sure liver loses its fat to make surgery less risky). I obviously fullfilled the criteria and was referred to the process, but unfortunately due to Covid having resulted in so many cancellations of elective surgeries, the waiting time for surgery was more than a year in every University hospital (we have 5, so I called everyone of them). Here we have this wonderful thing, called progressive taxation which ensures that people who make decent money, don't really get to keep more than 50% of my paycheck so having good healthcare and free education (like University is free, free school meals up until you're 18) comes with a prize tag that we just have had to accept, so obviously I would have preferred to get the surgery for that regular prize (which would have been probably around 300 euros in total with the doctor's pre visits and the hospital days). However I quickly decided, and my hubby agreed, that waiting for a year, maybe even two, was too long as my body had gone through so much already last year. I was worried that too long of a wait would result in me yoyoing with my weight and more complications could have a really bad impact on my long term health. So, I ended going to a private hospital in Finland which in overall was a good experience, and I was able to go home the next day as planned. Tried to go to work 3 days later, but had to go back home after a couple of hours and just work from home the amount I was able to. After leaving the hospital I only took a couple of acetaminophens a day, which I found quite surprising. A week later I was already working regularly normal hours (mostly a desk job, no heavy lifting). No vomiting but a couple of times now that after two weeks I was allowed to have crisp bread (and somehow thought it was a good idea to make it less dry by combining it with cream cheese) have I had it block the stoma or just become just a big clump inside the pouch. Not a pleasent feeling, and tried to drink a bit, and I could feel the fluid staying in the esophagus so just waited it out... Thing I find most annoying is that I have never been a person to drink my calories, not a soup person, especially pureed soups are not at all my thing. Vlcd with the shakes was already a 5 week misery and the the liquid and pureed food phase now after surgery. I already hate all the things I previously used to like such as protein puddings and smoothies. I like the textures of differents foods, fresh fruits and vegetables and can't have most of them in a long time. I have started to chew foods like sweet paprika in my mouth to get the experience and then spit it out to not cause problems. I had no idea I would grow such a disgust (it really is like a physical feeling of nausea) towards so many liquid and pureed foods so quickly.. Feels like right now, at this point when I really don't have any of the NSV's etc effects yet, that it is quite hard to stay in positive at times when the physical nausea, inability to join the family dinners etc. makes you feel down. Maybe atleast some of you understand where I'm coming from, some support would be encouraging. At least reading threads about different topics related to WLS is already something to keep my mind of negativity. Final note; WLS aka weight loss surgery sounds so much more upbeat than our translation in Finnish which is Lihavuusleikkaus (direct translation to Englush for it is Obesity surgery). It sort of has the emphasis on the obesity rather than what it aims to do. Person who came up with the terminology must not have been obese themselves... For anyone who actually read the whole post, thank you, I appreciate it! Sent from my AC2003 using BariatricPal mobile app

Well, it is not weird but definitely a NSV. Yesterday I went through my clothes for the 6th time! I have now donated 10 trash bags of clothes!!! 🤯 I am in a 16/18 from a 24/26, and officially in my smallest size of stashed "skinny clothes".

I was in Costco the other day. I don't know if this counts as a NSV but it was interesting to me. They had protein powder on sale and I was looking at it and it was a different version of my usual brand (Orgain) but way cheaper and I said "I wonder how this one tastes" to my husband. Another lady told me they had samples and we got to talking and I said I usually use this brand but a different version and then she was asking me questions about it and I was giving her advice on where I get the other version, how I use it, etc. I just think it's funny that someone would talk to me about nutrition without batting an eye, not knowing that I ever weighed almost 400 pounds. It feels good but at the same time weird, because I actually was just as into health and nutrition then, I just never could eat small enough portions. I could have given the same advice 2 years ago, but no one would have asked me or believed I could know anything. Now, I look the part. I'm glad people aren't able to look at me and assume all the bad things they probably did before I lost weight, but it's sad too. I'm the same person. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I had a lot of NSVs since I had my surgery in January 22: 1. I recently bought a mountain bike and I've been riding it every night around my house. The longest distance I've complete was 8 KM on a slightly hilly area 😀. The last time I was able to ride a bike was 25 years ago 2. I had to get rid of all my old clothes since it does fit me anymore (I kept one shirt and pants to remind myself of how much I used to weigh). Went down from size 52" pant to size 38" in less than 8 months. 3. I bought a lot of fitting T-shirts, pants and even shorts from the regular size section of department store. Had to buy new shoes also since my old ones don't fit any more

I've been bringing my kids for the past few years to a place called Urban Air, it's basically an indoor amusement park, it's a lot of fun. Unfortunately, a lot of the coolest things to do there have a weight limit, 250 for some and 230 for others, so I was never able to join them on those rides. Even though I passed both thresholds a few months ago I never felt comfortable going on them until tonight I decided to give it a shot. I ended up doing ALL of the stuff I couldn't go on before, including the "Sky Rider" (indoor zipline, it was awesome), Ropes Course, and Rock Climbing. Lots of fun, and another great NSV.

Weird nsv as of late. I used to be a size 11 in women's shoes at target. I recently bought a new pair of sneakers from target and had to get a 10. Now that I'm wearing them they're actually too loose and I could've went down to a 9 or 9.5. I didn't realize your feet get smaller when losing lbs. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi guys! For those of you struggling, I’m saying this as much for myself as for you. Be patient with yourselves and your bodies. Do what you know you have to and what you know is right and the rest will take care of itself. Get off the scale if its making you flustered. Focus on how your body feels and what your stomach is now telling you, so you can keep doing what’s right. Remember, today is the last day of the month, so even those of us who had surgery 8/1 are only now a month out, we’re still healing and learning. I believe in us August 2022 Buddies! I know we will help each other be successful. I myself am super nervous about today. And I have not weighed myself since halfway through my pre-op. So I have no idea what I am going to hear at my 1 week post-op. But even if its a gain or not a lot I still know I am going to succeed because I am prepared to! And I know you guys are the same! We got this! You can do this! We’re here for health and NSVs! The scale can suck it! 🤣 (for now, lets not go crazy, we still need some base measurements, lol. I hope you guys all took you inches too, so you’re measuring multiple things😃) But, We’re the MFing, ABs!! We can do this! Everyone who reads this pick up your water bottle and give your self a toast and a sip to celebrate that you are here, you did this great thing for yourself and you will keep on moving! AND YOU (we) WILL SUCCEED, NO MATTER WHAT THE SCALE SAYS RIGHT NOW!! 💪🏻💪🏻

That's fantastic news! COngratulations on all the NSVs! ❤️

Oh gosh! I'm so, so glad you're healing and taking it easy. What a scare. And yay for the NSV of walking up the stairs! I'm only 7 days post op and only 4 pounds under my pre-surgery weight (because I had lots of water retention last week), but my victory is getting around easier, and (it might be my imagination) pants a bit less snug. [eta: come to think of it, even though I only lost 4 lbs since surgery, I've lost 19 overall in the past 2.5 weeks, so that's significant enough to feel a difference]

Sorry I haven't been on much lately but I had a setback and have been really taking it easy. About my 5th post-op I kept getting really bad wrenching cramps in my abdomen under my incisions. They sent me for a CT scan with the blue contrast dye and all that fun stuff. Come to find out I had a gas bubble in my pouch. Plus they had given me heartburn medicine to take for a month, but the directions weren't clear so I had not been taking it. Come to find out that the omeprazole (sp) was there to help with any kind of gas and whether or not I had heartburn. Once I started taking that again, the cramps went away and I could heal. I was so scared I had done something wrong and messed up my surgery. Definitely not fun! But I'm down almost 40 pounds since I started this journey. I had a NSV yesterday - I was able to walk up the stairs in my home without feeling winded! What kind of non-scale victories have you had recently?

Ya know I knew I was big, but didn't realize I was THAT big. I've lost half of my weight to lose to get to goal (315 HW 236CW 165GW) and finally I see the difference. Suddenly I'm more confident wearing clothes that I wouldn't have worn before. I dont fear clothes showing my belly or butt when I move. Its an amazing NSV. I don't feel all that smaller but I guess 79 lbs is a big chunk off of me. Only 71 more to go!

Hi everyone! 6 week update! Since my surgery (7/12) I'm down 35 lbs and 6 BMI points! I feel a lot more satisfied now that I'm able to eat soft foods. My issue is more with the healing, and getting used to, the hiatal hernia repair. Pic on the left is the day after surgery. The other picture is of my husband and me on a date last weekend. Huge difference! NSV: reduction to BP meds, could *almost* fit a regular towel all the way around my waist I regret nothing! I feel great@ Sent from my SM-S908U1 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi I had my VSG on 7/19/22. I did not experience the hunger because I was not able to keep down water for 2 days. The worst! However, it got much better on the 3rd day. I weigh myself every Monday as a gauge to stay on track. I also measure myself for non-scale victories (NSV) as this helps me to not just focus on the scale. I did hit the 3 week stall but pushed through by walking/drinking more.

Eating a cookie may not sound like a NSV, but two days I ate one Girl Scout thin mint cookie. Not one box. Not one row. Just one cookie! It was my first one post surgery 1.5 years ago. Trying to make sure it’s not a slippery slope, but leaving the rest in the fridge for my family. I savored every bite of the ONE I had.

Congratulations on your loss so far. Awesome NSV and good excuse to enjoy more concerts and festivals. Gotta build up that wardrobe.

Congratulations on your weight loss! I had my bypass in May and I'm down 45 pounds from when I had the surgery. I just dug out a bunch of shorts in smaller sizes that I haven't fit into in years and was so excited that they fit. My own personal NSV was being able to get into a kayak without plopping down like Pooh Bear, ha, ha.

Yesterday marked 5 months post op for me! Down 93 lbs in those 5 months and 130 since I started my WLS process. My favorite NSV is buying shirts anywhere; concerts, festivals, souvenir shops. ETC. Shirts, more my personality rather than the plain ones I bought because they fit. I don't measure myself too much. I did the night before surgery and have 1 other time I think 2 months ago. I carry most of my weight in my stomach so the only number that really changed was my waist measurement. I will again, but it is not a big deal to me because I can see a drastic change (most days) some days I do still the extra chunky me but most days I easily see the new and improved me. I am so grateful that this has been so smooth, really haven't had any issues at all. I hope everyone is doing well, KEEP CHUGGIN! ❤️

OMG I am doing this too and didn't even register it as a NSV - just thought 'why have I been sitting so far back before?' and moving the seat gradually forward! Also tall although not quite as tall as you kcuster83.

Congrats on the NSV!!! I’m looking forward to watching those sizes drop!! I’m not sure if it’s normal or not (the winded part) but those deep breaths are still pinching a little (I’m assuming muscle spasms and tightness). I’m still using my spirometer they sent home and trying to take long slow deep breaths throughout the day to keep my lungs strong. My guess is as the muscles and Internal healing take place those deep breaths will get easier.

Def an NSV. I noticed this too as I lost weight! Looking at old pictures, my trapezoid area shrunk (the part between the side base of your neck and the top of your shoulder). And as it did, a little dip formed there that was a perfect little cubby to hold my purse strap in place! Lol. So yeah, add it to your NSV list, ha! ❤️

Five-week Post-Op update. W1 - 7/22: -12.6 lbs W2 - 7/29: -5.6 lbs W3 - 8/05: -2.6 lbs W4 - 8/12: -3.8 lbs W5 - 8/19: -4.4 lbs That's 29 lbs since surgery to go with the 28 lbs I lost prior to surgery. It's great to see the numbers go down because when I see myself in a picture or in the mirror, all I see is my (still) big belly. I was weighing myself daily for the first 4 weeks, and not seeing big results each morning was driving me crazy. So, I am only recording my weight on Fridays now. After the first week, it looks like I'm losing about 4 pounds a week now. I think that's good, right? NSVs: My face is definitely thinner. My pants fit much looser and I am now fitting into some clothes that I had outgrown. I had to dig out an old belt since the one I have been using no longer had enough holes. I'm about to fully transition from my 3XL shirts to 2XL. Right now, it's a mix in my dresser drawer. Physically, I feel great. I still get hungry, but I fill up fast. I have a bit of a problem knowing when I'm full and it's hard to get out of the habit of eating everything on my plate. If I eat too much, it's a bit uncomfortable, but it doesn't hurt. I guess this concerns me a bit. I want to get better listening to my stomach. The diet plan completely sucks, and I try not to cheat. But it sucks, so what do they expect? I just got back from a family visit and had two 1,000 mile drives. For the trip, I made a low-fat chicken salad and had string cheese and Quest Protein chips for snacks.

So, I always use "cross body" purses because when I put them on my shoulder they always slide off and it annoys me. If I am only going from the car to the house sometimes I may just hold it or put it on my shoulder, I don't know why? Quicker? haha Anyway, the other day I put my purse on my shoulder and walked to my house and noticed it never slid off. Didn't think anything of it, then did it again yesterday and again, it didn't slide off. WHAT? Did it slide off because I was fat? Is that really a thing? Does it stay now because my shoulders are thinner? Is it coincidence? Is this a NSV? I don't even know, but I will take it and I am adding it to my NSC bank. haha This is not the first thing that changed and I had no idea it was the way it was because of my weight? For example, moving my seat forward. Even being 400+lbs my belly never touched the steering wheel. I am 6ft tall. I assumed my seat was moved back because of my height, but as I lost weight I noticed I needed to move my seat forward. I guess less back/butt fat allows me to sit further back in the seat which makes me further away from the steering wheel. Scooting forward on the couch before getting up, like to the edge and then standing up. I just always did it, never realized it was because I was fat but just thought it was normal. Never paid attention if anyone else got up like that. But, like a week ago I noticed that I just got up. From my normal sitting position, did not scoot to the edge of the couch first. Then, i noticed it and was like UHHH what just happened. It was not intentional it just happened and surprised me. So then i started paying attention if my thinner friends got up the same way and they do. So, another "I didn't know it was because I was fat" NSV! It is so weird how we (or at least myself) has been so big for so long that things we think are completely normal are really just our normal and we didn't even realize it until suddenly they weren't OUR NORMAL! It is kinda cool; actually it is very cool!

Just wanted to share a little NSV. I realized last week that I had to do some shopping because once again my clothes were getting too big on me! When I started my weight loss journey, I was wearing XXL shirts that were getting too snug, and size 42 pants that were also getting too snug. As of this week, I'm wearing Medium shirts and size 32 pants - holy cow! I found one of my old XXL shirts that used to fit me tightly, tried it on with a little help from my daughter, thought some here might enjoy: