raylo
I have Medicaid. I have a surgeon that I've seen (second surgeon consulted), but while I liked his staff, I didn't really get to speak with him as he had no voice that day.
I wish I could find a doctor in Brooklyn, who does this.
I'm 31 years old, and my activities are limited because it really hurts to walk around much. I'm interested in finding other people in the Brooklyn area (I live in Sheepshead Bay) to perhaps attend support groups with or something.
I am almost 3 weeks post and doing ok. I go to see Dr. Flancbaum tomorrow for my post surgical check-up. I can't wait to see how much weight I've lost. I have a neck again, I seem to have lost my double chin and I am no longer choked by my fat. Well, that's all for now folks. Good luck to everyone.
5/19/03
Well, I am now almost 4 1/2 months post op, and feeling great. I've lost 78-80 pounds, according to my new scale (recently purchased at Target). I'm not sure if I definitely trust that scale. Can it possibly be right? Every few weeks my jeans get bigger. I'm loving clothing shopping now! I can move around, I feel great. Yesterday I was shopping... was walking around Toy's R Us for an hour; pre-op, 10 minutes would have been a trial for me. I feel like my old self (w/ worse knees, lol). I'm fitting into clothes that havent fit for like 6 or 7 yrs. Amazing! I've had no complications, I rarely dump, and I'm still trying to find ways to intake enough protein, but things are good. Last weekend I went to Philly for a WLS get-together from Spotlight Health. I had a wonderful time. The world is really opening up for me.
6/26/03
Well, I'm feeling great!! I've gone from a size 28 stretch bootcut jeans to a size 18 in non stretch stuff. How cool is that?? I'm also mainly an 18/20 in tops too (all in Lane Bryant clothes). I went to 'Nelly Bly Amusement Park', a kiddie place, mainly.... well i went on a kiddie ride with my nephew, and fit! With room to spare, of course it didn't hurt that I'm 4'8. :D
I'll update again soon, right after my six month checkup.
Friday, April 9, 2004
I am now 15 months post-op, and doing quite well. I have lost 124 pounds to date. My BMI is 35.9 and although I feel pretty good I am still technically obese. I don't feel as though I'm obese though, I just feel fat, LOL. I am completely out of plus sizes, and am discovering a whole new world of shopping. I used to shop primarily in Lane Bryant. It was weird saying goodbye to them. They really do have nice clothes. I wish their clothes were as nice over a decade ago -- back when I was in college.
I am wearing a range of sizes, depending on the cut of the clothes. I am basically a size 12 now. I have a few fitted tops that are a misses XL, a number of things that are size Large, and a few Mediums. There really is no sizing standard, it seems.
A few days ago I went to Modell's (a sporting goods store), and bought a pair of cropped workout pants in a medium. I bought two t-shirts and I can't believe what size they are...
I was looking at the women's tops, but they had a lot of fitted tees. Like baby tees. I'm not down with that.LOL. Too snug.
I thought about the men's tops (I'm a medium there), but I'm quite short, and they'd simply be too long. Sooo, I thought 'what the heck, lets try the kids stuff'. I bought two BOYS XL t-shirts. They fit nicely, and are proportioned well for me. Can you imagine? This is all quite surreal. They were cheap too!!! Way cool.
I now weigh 160 pounds. The strange thing is, from where I started I thought I'd be thrilled to get down to a Women's 16 or 18. However, when I got there I just wanted more. Even being in Misses sizes, I'm not happy yet. I want to get to a size 8 or below. I feel greedy saying that.
I still feel like I have a long way to go. My nutritionist set my goal range between 184-134, thats some range, huh? At 134 I'm still overweight by the BMI chart. Ideally I'd like to get to 120 or below. I think I'm living in a dreamland as far as that goes. We shall see. I've joined the Y and need to go with more regularity.
I still have days where I feel SOO hungry. They scare the hell out of me. This surgery is not magic. You still have to make the right decisions, and fight your urges. For the most part I allow myself to eat what I want, I just do it in moderation. My meals aren't as regimented as I'd like... i'm still trying to figure out how a 'normal' person eats. It's a learning curve, ya know?
Well... I think I've updated quite enough.
7/14/04
I'm 19 months post op now. I've sort of plateaued, it seems. I weigh 157 and am a size 10-12. I started tracking what I'm eating on www.fitday.com , but I haven't been to the site in two days. I've been eating too much for the past two days, and it's half freaking me out, and the other half has it rationalized that it's just my PMS hormonal swings upping my appetite. I've got to get back to the Y, as well.
I realize that I will always battle my weight ... at least the battle doesn't seem hopeless now.
8/19/04
I went for a check-up at my surgeon's office last week (belated 18 month check-up). I never see Dr. Flancbaum, I always see Toni, the nutritionist and Vicki, the nurse practitioner. They both seemed pleased with my progress (except for my water intake and problem taking my iron pills). Toni thought I was doing quite well, and have lost a considerable amount. I expressed that I was not happy with this weight and would like to lose a lot more. Toni seemed to think I might not be able to lose as much as I'd like. I don't exercise much because I have serious problems with both legs that need surgical intervention. Vicki still wants me to lose more because I'm still not at a healthy BMI. They seem to have very different outlooks on the matter, but I suppose they're coming at it from different places.
My office visit prior to this one was in late February, and I've lost a mere 10 pounds in that time. At this office visit, on their scale, I weighed 163 pounds. I was less than thrilled, but Toni said I should take 5 pounds off that for jeans, LOL. I was skeptical, but I was wearing panties, bodybriefer, jeans, top and a belt. I weigh myself in panties or nude, when I'm home (it's not a pretty sight). So, I guess my scale at home is accurate ... I was worried that it's 3-5 pounds off (I always think I'm heavier than it says). Today my scale said 156, but I think I have PMS .. its bound to go up a few pounds soon.
I feel as though I've been on a plateau FOREVER. The scale moves, but barely. If I could just get under 155 ... the scale has hit 155, but it keeps going back and forth between 155-159. I can't be a slave to the scale, but, alas, I am. Toni suggested I start taking measurements and note changes like that, as well as how mu clothes fit. My jeans do feel a bit bigger. I want to see if I can squeeze my flabby derriere into an 8 now. I've got to go check out Old Navy. I still don't really enjoy the whole clothes shopping thing. I don't love the way things fit me, I'm so short, and some of the clothing that's been in fashion this season has truly nauseated me. I am really hating this new take on 80's fashion. Wow ... my old self really would have needed to smack me, LMAO. THESE ARE NOT PROBLEMS!!! Being choked by my fat, now that was a problem!
*****Latest Update*****
MAY 9, 2006
I'm still struggling to lose more weight, although perhaps 'struggling' isn't the correct word. My weight did go up 9 pounds (I went up to 165 and it scared the crap out of me). I got real with myself, and took that weight off, plus some. I now weigh 148, although I range between that and 150. Getting below 150 was a major deal for me, I reached 149 once, last year ... but like for a DAY. 150 has been the bane of my existence. I'm happy to be at 148, but I'd like to lose more, and have Plastic Surgery. I've lost over 75% of my excess body weight, going from my consult weight of 297.
Some wacko calculator thingie puts my IDEAL WEIGHT as 102 lbs. but frankly, that's just nuts!! I have to be 111 lbs. in order to reach a 'normal BMI'. Where does OH get their 102 figure from? 111lbs. will be difficult enough to reach, ya know?
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