8 month DS surgiversary... HEALTHY BMI!!!
Today happens to be my 8 month DS surgiversary, and Wednesdays is also my weekly weigh in day. I can officially say today that for the first time since I was 13 years old, I have a healthy BMI. I have lost a total of 102 pounds, going from a pre-optifast high of 235 to todays weight of 133 (I'm 5'2"). This was never my explicit goal, but it sure feels good! I'm wearing a size 6-8 in dresses/skirts and a medium for most other things, though a sales lady tried to persuade me to buy a paid of size small tights recently. Much more importantly than the number that is my weight, here are some other amazing things that have happened in the past 8 months:
- I'm no longer diabetic. Fasting glucose and A1C are completely normal.
- My blood pressure is 110/70
- The frequency of my migraines has decreased enough for me to go off my medication on at least a trial basis
- My chronic knee and foot injury are virtually non-existent. I can walk for hours without any pain.
- My labs are all normal without any deficiencies. I have a thorough vitamin regimen that includes about 25-30 pills/day over 4 doses and I NEVER miss a dose. It has served me well so far.
- I feel amazing! I've never needed such little sleep or had such energy.
I am extremely grateful to the incredibly talented Dr. Hong who approved me for and performed my DS. I knew the DS was the right surgery for me and I wasn't taking no for an answer. I was prepared to pay out of pocket for it in Montreal if need be, but in the end Dr. Hong agreed that it was the right procedure for me and for that I will be forever grateful.
It has not been easy. I am still limiting my carbs to 100g/day, and was limited to 50g/day for the first 6 months during the rapid weight loss (though I'm going to allow myself a 3 day mini-binge this week in celebration to have a taste of all the things I missed, which should make me just sick enough that I won't want any more for another 8 months!). I ate no fruit, no wheat and virtually no sugar during that first 6 months, and still keeping those things limited in my diet. I'm still losing about a pound a week, but expect that this will taper off as I approach my one year anniversary in March. Eating carbs alone will make me feel sick, as does any amount of wheat, and beans/lentils cause horrible bloating and gas for me. But I can eat all the animal protein and fat I want, so my options are really not that limited. I start everyday with a double protein shake and have no plans to stop. It took a while to get used to taking 25-30 pills a day, but now it is routine; a Prevacid first thing in the morning, a multivitamin and 3 calcium/magnesium with each of my lunch-time, afternoon and supper meals/snacks and then a big batch at bed-time that has my A, D, Iron, probiotics, and anything else I need (I've previously taken potassium and zinc, but don't need extra of those anymore). I consider it a small price to pay to be as happy, healthy and energetic as I feel.
The skin situation is really not TOO bad, I actually look great with clothes on, but the the looseness and pockets of cellulite are just never going to go away otherwise and I want to treat myself and get into bikini shape (something that I've never, ever worn!). I'm planning on a breast lift, thigh lift and tummy tuck next year, along with a long-awaited nose job to fix a badly deviated septum that happened when I broke my nose at 13. Add that to my jaw surgery this past spring (orthodontic reasons) and the removal of my braces this coming spring, plus a hair colour change from red to blond, and there will, quite literally, be a whole new me. It'll be great motivation to not let my carbs get out of control. It's been a lot of fun to shop for a whole new wardrobe and to actually enjoy the process of clothes shopping again!
People in my life who know about my surgery have been overwhelmingly supportive and kind, and people who have seen my weight loss but don't know the details have been supportive while also being mostly respectful of my privacy (I tend to be pretty private IRL which is why I don't post pictures here, though I am completely open to any personal questions about the surgery on here). I haven't had to deal with any absolute boors or dicks basically, which has been nice.
So to all of you on here, thank you for being here, for reading, for sharing, for building a supportive and informative community that is a pleasure to be a part of!
Fabulous post! A HUGE congratulations to you!
Karen
Ontario Recipes Forum - http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/ontario_recipes/ 
