Savanah26
I am 31 yrs old and live in Dallas. I have been overweight since I was 9 yrs old, and now find myself weighing over 300 lbs. I can't believe that I let my weight get so out of hand. I have been dieting on and off since I was 9 or so, when my first memory of being upset about my weight invoved attending a weight watchers meeting with all adults. I hated feeling like a freak. I still feel like a freak. I am 31, have high blood pressure, sleep apnea, sore joints, acid reflux, and insulin resistance. Pathetic.
I have been researching the surgery for 3 years now. I was scheduled for a surgical consult once, and chickened out. Now I am back on track and went to meet with my surgeon yesterday 2/25/04. I am sceduled for Monday April 12th. I am flipping out. I have so many tests to do before surgery, and I am so
scared. I have never had surgery and I hate hospitals. What I really hate is being sick or incapacitated to the point where other people have to help me do things. My mom is coming to visit for my surgery, but I don't even like having to depend on her (even though she is great about this kinda stuff). I have major control issues and that is what weighs on my mind more than pain. Anyway, I am ready to start a new life.
My best friend is going to have the surgery too, so maybe we can help each other through.
3/15/04
I am getting impatient waiting for my surgery date. The same time I am having surgery, the company I work for will be moving their offices. Like I need the mess of a move and all that when I am trying to recover from surgery. I will have to make sure I pack everything before I leave. I hate the idea of everyone pawing thru my stuff while I'm not there. I am worried about things going wrong at work while I'm gone. I share duties with this guy who is an incompetent boob. I usually have to scramble to fix problems he helped to create. I hate the idea of him working on my projects and screwing something up (which he will). I hate being a control freak!
Anyway, I have successfully quit smoking (it's been about a month now)and I am very proud of that. I miss it sometimes, like when I am drinking, but I feel better. I have my EDG this Sat., and surprisingly I am not really nervous about it. I just want it to be over.
3/25/04
Well, my EDG went fine and now I'm just waiting for April 1st when I have the rest of the pre-op tests to complete.
Turns out my best friend from childhood is having the surgery too. It's crazy, my roommate and now my other closest friend, having surgery at around the same time, it's cool.
I can't stop thinking about the surgery. Every minute of every day, it's the same thing. I wonder what it's going to be like, will I be OK, will I lose weight. I need something to get my mind off the surgery.
4/30/04
Well, surgery went great, no problems to report. I am amazed at my speedy recovery. I went into surgery at 7:30 am, was out of recovery at 2 pm and released to go home by 11 am the next day. I'm so glad I had my mom to look after me at home, she was a real blessing.
My two week follow up appointment went well, I have lost 30 pounds in 2 weeks! I am shocked. My doctor is very happy with my progress and everything is going great.
My 6 weeks follow up went great, have lost 47 lbs as of May 28th. Things are getting much easier. I am so happy I did this.
7/6/04
Things are still going great. My roommate came thru surgery just fine and has lost 15 pounds in the last 2 weeks. It has been difficult to not be competitive about weightloss. She is disapointed that she hasn't lost as much weight as I did. We talked about how everyone is different and it's not a competition, but I would be upset if I were her as well. I am trying to be more aware of comments I make and commenting on how loose my clothes are. She will experience these things, but I don't want to put pressure on her. On that note, my clothes are crazy big! I am buying new clothes all the time, bye-bye money :)
I have started exercising regularly with my other friend who had surgery a week before me. It's nice to have a work-out buddy. I feel so good when I work-out, I wish I could do it more. Thank God for this surgery.
My biggest challenge is making sure I get all my vitamins in. I have a schedule, so maybe I can stick to it. I don't want to have health issues in the future just because I was too forgetful or lax about taking my vitamins. Every week it is a different challenge, one week I am great with my protein and crappy with the vitamins, and the next week I will do great with my water, but not with the protein. It's a challenge, but no more of a challenge than trying to lose weight the traditional way (and always failing I might add).
7/27/04
Things are still going great. I took my first vacation post-op and eating was no problem. I was worried I would have a difficult time finding the right things to eat away from home, but it was ok. Not eating, drinking, or smoking while at a casino/resort, now THAT was hard.
I joined a gym today and am so excited about it. My roommate and I joined and already scheduled personal training together. I would NEVER have had the courage to do that 4 months ago. I love this surgery.
8/9/04
Things are still right on track. I have been working out almost everyday and love it. I am so happy I joined a club, and I love my personal trainer. The only challenge I am having is that my roommate who had surgery 2 months after me is a very slow loser and she is so frustrated. I wish I could help her, but I just make her feel worse. I can sneeze and lose 1/2 a pound! I try to be sensitive to her frustration and I try to never broadcast how much weight I've lost, and I try to tell her everyone is different, but she is depressed about it. I hope her weight loss speeds up a little.
8/30/04
Weightloss is slowing down a bit, but I knew that was coming. I'm still working out at least 5 days a week. Having a personal trainer has really paid off. My roommate's weight loss has started to pick up somewhat. We have both been working really hard to get in all our fluids and protein. I'm trying to get used to men noticing me, and it's really weird. I don't think I will ever get used to that.
I just feel so fantastic, I'm so happy I had this surgery.
9/28/04
Well, I haven't been doing too great in the working out dept. I've only been to the gym 2x this week. Last week I didn't go at all, but my dog died, so I wasn't in the mood. I am feeling so good due to the weight loss, and apparently it shows because I am getting alot of attention from people. I mean people who would not normally talk to me are suddenly striking up conversations. I'm getting hit on, which is weird and I feel socially retarded from being trapped in my big body all these years. I feel like a 13 yr old girl when I talk to guys, hopefully I can improve that.
10/26/04
Things are getting interesting. I met a guy, he's fabulous. I told him about the surgery, he even went online and did some research himself, which is so cool. I am eager to see where things go with him, I hope I don't screw it up. Me dating, and getting attention has really caused a rift in my friendship with my roommate. She is still losing slow and I am still losing fast, and she resents me for it. I don't really blame her, but I am so happy right now and that just brings me down. We barely talk anymore. I can only try to talk to her and support her, the rest is up to her.
12/09/04
Things are going well. I am having a hard time adjusting to being 130 lbs lighter. I am always busy, always going and doing. That is such a change for me. Things that used to be important to me have fallen to the wayside.
My body is wrinkled and saggy like an 80 yr old and I'm not even close to goal. I went shopping the other day and between the flourescent lights and the three way mirrors, I don't think I ever want to be naked again, much less have sex. I wonder how my boyfriend can stand to look at me. My upper thighs are the worst, followed closely by my stomach, and bat-wing arms. YUCK!
1/11/05
Life is great! I have come to terms with the skin issue and discussed it with my boyfriend and he made me feel better about it. He swears it doesn't bother him, he loves me for me. I am just so happy that I am not 330 lbs anymore, I think I can live with the skin right now. The things that used to be a challenge for me when I was heavier are so much better now: flying on an airplane, walking up stairs, just being out in public, the list could go on and on.
My biggest challanges now are taking my vitamins, drinking enough water, and working out enough. I work at improving things all the time, and I am so happy I had surgery.
3/3/05
I'm on a plateau from HELL. The scale hasn't moved in 2 months and I haven't been doing anything different. I've been food journaling in FitDay.com so I can keep a check on what I'm putting into my mouth. I didn't work out for 3 weeks straight due to trainer and family issues, but I'm back in the gym and have going 3x a week. I am scared I will stay at this weight. I know I won't and that this is normal but it is still frustrating.
It's funny how different people handle the surgery. My roommate and I used to be like peas & carrots. We like the same things, had the same political views, same hobbies, best friends. I have surgery and lose quickly (lucky) and get revved up about goiing to the gym. Went thru a period of a few weeks where I drank a little too much, mostly because I like the attention at the bar. Met a great guy who I have been dating for 5 months. Couldn't be happier. Roomie has surgery, is discouraged because she is not losing as fast as I am, goes to the gym for awhile, doesn't seem to be concerned about carbs and lives on snack food a lot. She goes out almost every night and drinks like a fish. Our friendship is forever changed. We aren't close anymore, she hates my boyfriend, and sleeps with countless guys from the bar. It's sad. I know a lot of it is my fault because I spend so much time with my boyfriend. But I'm tired of always doing what others want me to do. NO more! I am doing what makes me happy and along the way I try to make concessions to make others happy, but I'm number 1 priority now. It's hard. I wonder if I would have gone thru with surgery had I know my whole life would drastically change this way. I guess I would because I love that I am not 330 pounds.
7/7/05
Things are on track as far as my weight go. I am losing very slowly, but I know I could take action and speed things up. My personal life is just so hectic that I don't make enough time for exercise and I am trying to work on that. My 1 yr follow up showed I needed to up my B-12 and add folic acid to my vitamin program. I can eat anything now, but I getting to a point now that I really recognize when I am craving food to fill an emotional need and can resist the temptation which is good.
I purchased my first home and my boyfriend moved in. I am having to deal with my ex-roommate and cope with how our relationship has changed. It's sad because I am realizing that our so-called close friendship was mostly a co-dependent/misery loves company thing. That makes me sad, and maybe things will change, but I just have to move on.
I got to go to Six Flags for the first time in like 10 years and it was AWESOME! I rode every ride without a worry that I would fit. My boyfriend and I even did the bungie thing where you fly thru the air like Superman. It was sooooo cool.
11/16/05
Weight loss has come to a grinding halt, but that is due to the fact that I have stopped working out. There have been so many changes in my life and some of them have been difficult to deal with. I am in therapy now and that is helping. Things are pretty good, but I still turn to food sometimes and I am having to deal with the loss of a friendship. My boyfriend and my family are the only constant, positive things in my life. I don't know where I'd be without them. I hope to get back on track with going to the gym so I can lose these last 30 pounds. We'll see.
3/30/06
I have gotten off track. I feel like a failure, but I know that I have not failed, just got sidetracked and I am trying to get back on the program. I don't make the best food choices and get depressed a lot lately which leads to my old behavior of eating to dull the pain. I stopped working out and need to get back to the gym badly. I hate what has happened in my life with my relationships because of the surgery and the changes it allowed me. I am in therapy, but I wished I had been in therapy sooner. Things are so much better in most ways, I am healthier, and can get around, but things are different and there is no going back.
2/10/11
Haven't checked in for a few years! I gained weight, I'm up to 205, but have held steady at that weight for several years, and while I would like to work on that, I'm pregnant right now, and can't. Yes, I'm still overweight, but my numbers are great...HDL, LDL, etc.
4/12/04-----330 lbs bmi 56.8
4/28/04-----299 lbs
6/6/04------275 lbs
7/6/04------258 lbs bmi 44.4
7/26/04-----249 lbs
8/9/04------242 lbs
8/30/04-----236 lbs bmi 40.5
9/28/04-----225 lbs
10/26/04----212 lbs
12/09/04----197 lbs bmi 33.8
1/11/05-----187 lbs
3/3/05------183 lbs
4/4/05------170 lbs bmi 29.2
2/10/11-----209 lbs
7/7/05------165 lbs
11/16/05----168 lbs
3/30/06-----177 lbs