happychaos35

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I am one-year out and on my first longer than a month plateau. I have had stalls but this really sucks. I am hopeful that this is just a plateau and not the end of the loss. I am very happy with my progress to date, so I will not complain. Life a year ago was not life at all but just existence. So almost 144 pounds less, I have energy to live life. 

I have not been able to exercise for over a month due to a bulging disc in the lumbar region of my spine. It is very painful, but I will start a series of spinal injections and then PT early in June. Hopefully this will help and I will be able to exercise soon.

Let's talk self-image...

I am now 9.5 months post-op and have lost 137 pounds. The loss is so slow these days but that is bothering me less and less. I am pleased with my success to date and am pretty excited that sometime this summer, I will reach my first goal. I will re-assess at that time to see what else I would like to lose. So what is bothering me these days? How I look!

It sounds crazy, I know, you'd think I would be happy that I don't look morbidly obese anymore, but there are new issues that have popped their literally "ugly" heads. First, I look gray, drab, lifeless. I hear this is a common post-op occurance but it really bothers me. I am only 36 and should look young and vibrant with this new life, but my palor really un-nerves me. Second, can I hear somebody say bat wings and aprons? Oh my God!!! This skin is so gross. It hangs, it gets rashes, it stinks, it hurts my back, and it makes me still see the fatty I was before surgery, just a deflated fatty. I am not sure how I will handle a denial if my insurance does not cover the skin removal. I know I cannot live with it, even when I lose the next 35 pounds. I think the only way to get to a healthy weight will be to have the skin removed.

Well, enough ranting. Just needed to vent. 

The weight loss has finally kicked in again. I was worried that it had stopped all together. Yesterday I hit the milestone of 130 pounds lost! Yippee!!! My next goal is to get below 200. I currently weigh 224.4 so that is about 25 pounds to lose. It may take 3 months or more, but just the thought that this is in reach is very surreal. I am still not good at the exercise thing and know that this would help with the loss, but I just can't seem to get motivated to move. I will focus on this for the next month to see if I can find something I enjoy.

Wow the weight loss has nearly stopped these days. I need to get in more exercise as I know this will help. I am also not making the best food choices all the time. I do on most days, but sometimes fast and easy wins out over healthy. The holidays were wonderful and I had a great time seeing my family. It was the first time my brothers had seen me since surgery, so they were taken aback. I did toast with the family on Christmas Day and enjoy a glass or two of champagne. It was a nice time.

Yesterday I went for my 6 month check-up. It was alright. I didn't get to see Dr. Deveney because he was in emergency surgery. I saw an assistant. I told her I was on a plateau and asked her advice on strategies to kick in loss again and she replied "You may be done." Inside I screamed "What?!?!?!?!" I am only six months out. I am not done! Who teaches these people their communication skills? Where is the human factor in doctoring? I have had a major surgery to deal with a life threatening illness called obesity and the medical facts suggest that weight loss will continue for as long as 18-24 months post-op. The medical statistics also show that plateaus within this timeframe are common. I was asking for suggestions to stay focused on good behaviour changes through this time of frustration, not to be so bluntly addressed with information that is contrary to common statistics related to WLS. Oh well, enough venting. I will continue to exercise, consume protein, and steer clear of evil sugars! On a positive note, my labs were great.