leatha_g

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 My family is much more happy to see me at a 'normal' weight.  I was looking a bit like a chemo patient at 98lbs for so long. 
For me, it's scary.  I quite smoking in January and gained 12lbs the first week!  EEK.   I've replaced cigarettes with hard candies, and now I must break THAT addiction.  I do not want to gain anymore weight, and I sure am not interested in starting that whole diet yo-yo after all I've gone through.  So, back to reforming another habit which has sustained me this far. 

4 1/2 years, my bloodwork has been good, except for the low VIt D -- NOW suddenly we are seeing low iron, RBC are malformed and low.  My fault, I guess.   I haven't taken the vitamins religiously and so now it's beginning to show.  
Because I take blood thinners, I'm unable to eat green leafy veggies like spinach, no liver type high iron foods, so I need to get serious about my intake and vitamins.  :( 

It's all a conundrum for me, due to severe hypoglycemia brought on by dumping, the blood thinner problem and now the need to up my iron intake.  YIKES

99 lbs - 22 months out.  This is okay.  Hopefully this coming year will bring a bit of rebound!  Crossing my fingers for a slow bit of gain. 

So, I'm late in updating for my one yr anniversary. 

It's really hard to believe it's been 1 yr already!  Time has moved so quickly and my weight loss journey has gone from one end of the spectrum to the other extreme.  I'm down to about 100lbs and am having the worst time finding clothes that actually look 'good' on my body.

My biggest complaints - no booty to fill out the back of my pants.  No boobs to remind me of the curves I once had. 

I'm truly hoping this as low as it goes and some of the padding will once again find it's place.

I am eating more and still trying to make it healthy proteins and vegetables.  I have never really cut out carbs, it's simply the lack of absorption and the lower volume of food that has taken the weight off all by itself.

I have not committed to exercise as much as I would like, but at this point it's something I know has to be incorporated into my life if I want the muscle mass to remain or be regained.   I spent a few weeks with a personal trainer and that was beneficial, now it's up to me to find a program on my own and learn to love it. 

The supplements are still a thorn in my side as well, but I'm working on it. 

Alot of things going on in my life right now - living situation isn't really conducive to focusing on my self.  Job is stressful, weather is yukky but I just keep putting one foot in front of the other.  I feel much better physically after a yr out.  Not nearly as many episodes of diarrhea or sugar/fat sweats/ dumping.  I'm learning and I'm working on trying to eat MORE and the quest for work clothes continues.   

I'm looking forward to this coming year - maybe I can find a middle ground.

Okay.  So the ass is gone - completely! I never ever dreamed I'd ever say I'd like to have some ass back please!

I think this is absolutely far enough!  I hope it is! I have NO clothes.  Anyone have 4 petites they need to get rid of??

I realize eventually some of this will bounce back, but I really don't think I can stand to lose anymore.  I'm 5ft tall, so this is fine, but any more and I will definitely be looking bad.   Things just aren't as padded as they were when I was small in my teens.  The curves are GONE.  I went down to a 34D bra and I really think a 32 is really what I need.  I have no idea how to even BUY panties this small and with no booty, they just kinda hang.  YUKKY..

I have not really 'dieted' at all.  I eat carbs as much as I can.  I just simply get very few calories in a day.  I'm working on trying to do better.  

I've just moved and my next goal is to get myself into the gym re-building this muscle.  Maybe that will help me at least fill out these clothes a little better. 

I'll be doing bloodwork this week and seeing the doc.  I am so hoping everthing is okay.  We'll see!

Can I just say my butt hurts??? 

I'm now weighing 133lbs and I think my butt is going to be a flat one. :( 

I've been away, working in El Paso since May 1, 2008.  We sit alot and key data into the computer and man oh man, my rear end has taken a beating.  These new bones actually HURT!!

Guess I'll get to be one of those little old ladies carrying a butt pillow around.  Yikes!

So, everything else seems to be going well.  I'm moving past my personal goal of 135, which does not surprise me.  I just hope I don't begin to look like a bag of bones with saggy skin attached. 

I'm still getting the dumping symptoms, although I've learned to avoid most foods that will cause this.  Lactose intolerance seems to be hanging on as well.  Oh well, I guess this is what I came for.  

The hair is falling out, so I went and had it cut off for now.  Hopefully this will slow as well, or I may be a skinny bald-headed bag of bones?? 

Exercise, exercise, exercise.. someone make me exercise!!



 

Me again, 5 lbs to my personal goal of 135.  Amazing!
Of course, my own personal goal may not be that of my body's response to this surgery.  I'm only 5 months out and at 5ft tall, I could find myself much smaller.  I'll just pray for proportion and health!

Bloodwork was all good at 3 months, except the B12 was a little high.  So, I've cut it down to every other day instead of daily.  

Lactose intolerance seems to be a fact of life at this point and I'm still working on the protein thing.  Ugh... 

It's very nice to be able to buy 'normal' clothes again and since I had to work away from home all the month of May, well, I had to buy more than I would have liked.  But it was cool to grab cute things off the rack for a change. 

I didn't lose my average of 15lbs per month in May either.  Guess that's what happens when you wind up dining out nearly every evening, but I'm okay with it for now.  I'll be home this week then back on the road again most of June. 

My digital camera was stolen and I'm very saddened that I haven't been able to take lots of photos as I've gone down, but once it's replaced, I'll do plenty of 'afters'.  

Summer is in full swing and I'm back to shorts and 'younger' clothing.  I am so relieved!  I've always been so ashamed of my chunky legs and how I have looked in summer clothes (although they were always my favorite).  So it's wonderful to grab a pair and go out in public.  I've even got a tiny tan line and I'm ready to hit the water!

I expect to see the 130's on my scale any moment now! YAY ME!

Well, here I am!  Finally 100lbs lost from my initial weight loss surgery in May 2003.  Me and the lapband had a wonderful friendship, but the RNY has done the trick!

I didn't want it, I tried to avoid it, I put myself through 4 yrs of the lapband and 4 surgeries later I am 100lbs down from my initial weight of 250.  Halleleujah!

According to my own personal goals, I have 15lbs to lose.  Hardly believable, but I am SO excited about the fact that I'm wearing clothes I haven't worn since I was in my early 20's and the scale is still moving downward.  Only this past week have I really began even attempting to look at myself in the mirror and yes, there is another person there.  Less than 120 days and I'm 15lbs from goal???? Astonishing.. 

I am OUT of clothes!  I am trying to hold off on buying too many this time because the weight just keeps falling off.  About the time I am getting to one size, it's only a matter of weeks (or days) until I'm looking for something that looks better on my body.  Today I'm wearing a size 14P jeans.  They look great on and I can't believe how slim my legs look in those jeans.  Of course, when I take them off the skin is there to remind me where I have been, but I hope to get busy on trying to tone and strengthen those legs and claim ownership of those darn things.  They have been my nemesis for more years than I care to admit and if I can lose this weight, I can conquer that excess flab.  The tummy may be tougher, but what helps one must also help the other, so I need to GET BUSY!

I'm sitting here looking to the left of this page, seeing my BMI was 37.1 when I first signed onto this website in 2002, it actually went up to 39 before I had my first surgery and today it's 28??? 

Thank you Jesus!  Thank you for allowing me these opportunities to regain my life and my self. Thank you for the determination you have so graciously given me to keep striving to live and maintain this gift of life in a much more graceful and pleasing way! Without your strength and protection I could never have accomplished any of this.  Amen. 

Two days away from my 2 month post op date and I'm doing wonderfully!

Today I weigh 164lbs.  I have not been this weight since after the birth of my 26 yr old daughter.  I am so thankful to a gracious God for allowing me this opportunity.  

I cleaned all the 18/20 clothes out of my closets yesterday and sent them off to an alternative school for those kids who are fighting their weight.  They have to dress professionally at least one day a week to practice interviews and professional behavior and there are several underprivileged girls there who just do not have everyday clothes, much less professional career wear.  So it's cool that I can help them out this way.  I hope to be cleaning out the 16s in the next few weeks as well.  Then, I'll be in trouble.  I HAVE NO 14s and I don't really want to go out and have to buy a whole new wardrobe for just a few weeks.  What a problem to have!

My surgery was completely healed, no problems.  I've had absolutely no pain, no problems swallowing. I've had only two incidents with taking either too big a bite or eating too fast.  

I'm still having issues with getting all my needs in and it's pure stubborn-headedness with me.  I am not, nor have ever been a good breakfast eater.  I forget the darn vitamins quite often, but I'm a work in progress.

I have started aqua-aerobics, but with family issues, it's been a sporadic start.  The cool thing is that this particular class meets everday except the weekends, so I can make up what I miss (with diligence).   Spring is moving in and that will help alot.  I'm looking very forward to this summer as I won't be so uncomfortable in my own body. 

I am eating meats with no problem.  I feel bad for those who say they just can't eat meats at all.  I can't imagine how I would get in the protein otherwise as the shakes just aren't agreeing with me since my surgery.  

I did get the Whey Protein Bullets and I am using them during those times that I just don't have time or want to eat solids.  They have 42g of Protein in them, but yuk!, they come out so thick it's gross, so I water them down and pour them over crushed ice.  

All in all, I feel great!  I am losing hair which bothers me (all the more reason to get that protein in).  I've spent several afternoons outside with my nephew teaching him to play basketball and football.  I went to the car races twice this weekend.  Dancing and biking are next on my list.  Also, I am going this weekend to my brother's house at Possum Kingdom Lake for a Mardi Gras party and the opening of the lake.  I'm very excited about this as I've always been so self-conscious I wouldn't dress up goofy and just let myself have fun; this time I have my mardi gras gear all ready and I've decided I can waste my whole life sitting on the sidelines. I want to be party of the party again!

The body I turned in at 18 is NOT the body I'm getting back, but I thank God for the gift of an older, saggier version.  YAY God!

I had my one month post op visit yesterday and all is well! Doc says I'm an 'over-acheiver'. Hah!  I'm 47 years old and FINALLY someone calls me an over-achiever.  Too funny.  

He says this is because they only really expect maybe up to 20lbs the first month and I have lost 32 since my initial consult.  This is good, but it was quite awhile from my initial consult to surgery date, so it wasn't really all in 4 weeks.  I'll take the compliment, however. 

I am now back to my lowest weight with the lapband and this makes me happy.  At least now, I can move forward with my weight loss journey.  

I have been procrastinating on the exercise thing, but as of yesterday, I signed up at the local YMCA for aqua-aerobics which I love, so I'm excited about getting back into an exercise routine.  As hard as it is to get started, it really does make me feel better physically, emotionally and definitely helps with agility, balance and flexibility, so I'm ready to move on to the next step.  

I have ordered some of the Whey Protein bullets in order to supplement my protein intake.  So far, I have not been able to tolerate the protein shakes without having diarrhea and I just can't tolerate that in environments outside my home. Soo.. I'll try those and see.  Otherwise, I'm back on the solid foods train and able to do better with solid proteins which I prefer anyway.  

Very honestly, I'm not really hungry much at all. I'm having to remind myself I just need to find something to eat in order to not become weak, but I'm working on it.  
I'm getting better with water, but I'm having to remind myself about that too.  It's all a process, right? 

I can't believe that soon I'll be having to locate new clothes again and a 14 at that.  I have a closet full of 16s, but I get the feeling they won't last long.  I am already handing some off to my neice because they're just too baggy.  This is a good thing.  Thank you God!

5th Day Post Op and all seems well.  

I had my surgery Thurs, Dec 27th, 2007.  Gastric Bypass - long time coming.  Two lapbands and a gallbladder later, here I am starting over again.  

As for my surgery, this was my most painful immediate post op yet. I am giving credit to the fact that Dr B had to remove my lapband first, which surely had adhesions etc.  Makes sense he would have had to do more probing and cutting.  I have staples this time, not too many, but I've never had them before, so that's new.  

I'm doing well 5 days out, for this I'm thankful.  I'm a little perplexed that I was never taken to xray to do a flouro for leaks before I was let to leave the hospital, but I'll ask about this on my one-week visit.

So far, not one moment's problem with liquids, swallowing etc.  I think my prior experience with the band has certainly helped with 'stop' signs etc.  

It's a good way to start the New Year!