. . . .only 10 more to go to get back to where I was. . .that's at least heading in the right direction!  

Some of the swelling is going down thankfully, my toes are starting to look like toes again and less like sausages, that's always a plus!

I still don't feel so great but 4 lbs is a good start and I will definitely take it  at least there seems to be some improvement with my first few days on the patch.  Keeping my fingers crossed that things keep improving!!!

 . . . .but here it is May 1st and I am actually going in the wrong direction :( 

I have gained 14 lbs, yes you read that right, I am up to 187 from 173 thanks to bloating and having had my period consecutively for the last 2 months . . . . sorry if that is TMI but I am going off of the Depo injections because of this and starting the patch this week, which would be time for my next injection and am praying the bleeding,cramping and bloating goes away!!!!!

I am taking extra iron because of all of the bleeding and have been working out with a personal trainer and doing cardio 3-4x a week so seeing a 14 lb gain almost had me in tears.  Though, it wasn't a surprise that I gained because I am so bloated that I am up a whole pant size, it looks like I swallowed a basketball, and my legs and ankles are swollen.  I look like I am 6 months pregnant.  It is terrible. I hate it, and I am sooooooooooo miserable.  I know it is temporary but I still feel gross and yucky and discouraged.  

I'm still tracking my calories and I know in my mind that this is all water weight because I haven't eaten enough calories to have actually gained 14 lbs of weight but it still just makes you feel icky and blahhhhh for lack of a better explanation.  Man I hope switching over to the patch gets things straightened out because I don't know how much longer I can do this :( 

So, that's my blog update for now, hopefully in a few weeks I will have some better news and will be able to report that things are back on track and going in the right direction!!!!

. . . .It feels like I am NEVER going to get out of the 170's. . . .very frustrating!!!!   Back to the bouncing 173-175, geesh!!!!  I'm glad I see the Dietitian in a few weeks, am going to rack her brain for more ideas!!!!

On the positive side, my blood pressure and blood sugars are fantastic!!!! 

Finally, the scale is going down again!!!  I knew those 11/12's were fitting better here lately    FINALLY I have broken past that 175 lb road block I have been hitting!!!!!

Stalls stink, but they happen for a reason, we may not always like it, but it is what it is, and it is a part of this whole weight loss journey that we have to accept and plan for.  It's not nearly as bad when one hits you if you know it is coming and it is normal and you are not the ONLY one it is happening to or has happened to.

Seeing my new family doctor today, hopefully he will put me on Cymbalta for this arthritis pain; my knees, hips and back are killing me daily now!!!!  I am still working out though it is becoming painful so I have had to REALLY slow it down, but I don't want my weight loss to stall out or stop.  I see the Ortho doc on Tuesday about these knee spurs and arthritis too.  I am really not feeling another surgery to fix the spurs, I am praying he has an alternative.  I am thinking the Cymbalta may take care of my arthritis pain, knee spur pain and migraines. . .I figure it's worth a try!!!!

I still need my diabetes meds  I have tried missing a few doses and my sugar jumps back up to the 167-190 range, so I am still not quite there yet.  I had been hoping with the exercise that would maybe be the last push I needed to get off of the meds, but I guess not.  Oh well, I still have 23 lbs or so to go.  I will see what happens at that point.  

So, at this point I am down 114 lbs from my start with Bariatrics in 2006.  That's a huge win in my book!!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! 

. . .from 175-178 though because of the arthritis flare and knee spur pain I haven't been exercising the last few months.  

However, I am now being noncomplaint and joined  Planet Fitness and have started exercising again  though I will say, I am taking it very easy and only doing cardio (treadmill and stationary bike) that doesn't cause me any pain.  

I have to go see an Orthopedic doc about the knee. . .  and I just can't wait to do that .  

I am looking forward to see the scale start moving down again though I know it will not be as fast as before.  As long as I keep going in the right direction I will be happy.  I can still get to 150 (or lower) by my 1-yr surgiversary