Steffan467

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If this surgery is going to be a success or not depends a lot on your doctor.  You need to know a lot of different things.  Research the doctor.  Ask him how many patients he has lost.  Also a great big thing to think about it if your doctor picks and chooses who he will do makes a difference.  If he only does surgery on people under 300 lbs with little other problems his success rate will be better then people who are way up there in weight, have ashma, breathing problems etc. RESEARCH your doctor.  So important.....  How many surgeries has he done.  I read that until the doctor has at least 100 people he has done surgery on then it is not safe unless he has someone with more experience with him.  The doctor has the biggest impact on how the surgery will go.  You have the biggest impact on following directions and how much you will lose.

Good luck to you all

Brenda

I was just thinking of hairloss.  I have very thick hair. Even though I had a lot of it, after surgery it started falling out.  Quiet a bit fell out.  I remember thinking I was going to be bald.  You can see by my before photo that I had a head full of hair.  It lasted about 3 months and after my body adjusted to my new eating habits I had little nubs coming in all over my head.  I am very happy to say if you lose your hair, it will come back.  It is just part of the process.

Right after surgery it is easy to flip out when things like this happen.  Or when you lose fast and all of a sudden it stops.  The same thing happened to me.  I remember getting on here boohooing I am stuck at 143 or something like that.  That didn't go over well to people that were wanting surgery and still up there.  That little lag in weight loss lasted 2 months.  I don't even think I lost inches.  Then all of a sudden it started melting away again.   The closer you get to goal the less you lose.  Just be patient.

Don't forget it took you a long time to get at the weight you are.  Don't expect to lose it overnight.  Again, take pictures, measurements, and weigh once a month.  Keep a journal of all the measurements and weight.  It is fun even years later to look back and see how you use to look.  Please Please Please do a before photo.  You might not think you are going to change that much but you will.  People who had not seen me in months didn't know me.

This is the best thing I ever did for my health.  You have more confidence, feel better, and can shop anywhere.

Brenda

I am going to be a hag for a moment.  Thought I would check to see if anyone had wrote to me.  I am going to start doing this more.  I have more time now.  Someone posted that her Best Friend had surgery and is too thin bla bla bla.  She is worried about her on and on.  I do realize there are people once in a while that take it too far.  I have only seen 2 in 10 years of being on OH.  Now, my experience with good friends.

Most of these suppose to be good friends were overweight themselves.  I never reached a point when they said you look perfect.  It was always, you have a way to go to get there, then all of a sudden they thought I looked like death warmed over.  Yes, for a bit I did go overboard.  I was down to 103.  That is why pictures are so important.

Before you have surgery looking in the mirror you don't realize how big you are.  I knew I was overweight but certainly didn't think I was a cow.  I look at my before picture and I was a cow.  I can't believe my husband could even find me sexy.

Your body does go through a spell when you might get a little underweight.  If it does then you need to gain a little.  You can look at photos and be able to tell. 

You good friends that worry so much just sound jealous when you tell us we look to thin.  It made me want to get thinner.  So, if you really are a good friend take pictures.  Your friend can see how she looks.  

Your body seems to go through a final adjustment period at about 2 years.  Thats when I finally set my weight at 123.  I still have to watch it.  Sometimes it goes up a pound or so.  I know then it is time to slow down.  If I get to low eat higher calorie things to get back up there.

Hey, I have a wardrobe now and I want it to fit.  I try to stay where my clothes fit well.  If your friend does as they should and have blood work and see's their doctor.  The doctor is the one who should tell them they are too thin NOT YOU.......

I realize my avitar photo I am too thin but if you look at my photos now I think I am just right.  Sorry I usually try to have positive blogs but this was a pet peeve when I had surgery.  Or, when people say I took the easy way out. 

You know what.  I was a dumper and never knew what would make me dump.  It is the worse feeling in the world.  I am glad I dumped because it was usually when I ate something I shouldn't of.  I wanted to take a photo of me puking my guts up and post it.  THIS IS THE EASY WAY OUT. 

I promise my next post will be nicer.  If you are getting ready to have surgery good luck.  You will find out who is your real friend.  Who has so much jealousy in them they don't know what to do.  The friends that tell you how good you look and how proud they are  of what you did to get healthy are the real friends.

Brenda

I don't even remember the old me.  I don't remember having to buy the 3x clothes.  I just thought about it today how far I came.  You can do it.  I was as scared as you were at one time.  If you are getting ready to have surgery and need help or advice please send me a message.  Good luck and you can do it.

Brenda

I lost 100 lbs plus a little more.

 

 It looks like I have disappeared.  Shame on me.  I had all these wonderful ambitions of being a cheerleader for life after surgery.  Then life happened.  I would never change what I have done.  I have maintained at 122.  I have puked in the toilet for having too much sugar.  Oh that makes me so made at people when that happens.  I think "and they say this is the easy way out".  I know I have changed.  You are bound to change.  Believe it or not I still look in the mirror and see that fat Brenda.  I still look fat.  I did develop an ulcer and weighed 103 and still thought I was fat.  I had a tummy tuck.  My insurance covered it because of rashes.  I still have lost family memeber because of the surgery.  It is so sad..  I don't understand.   People think I think I am all that. NOPE, wrong.  I still see fat.  Sounds dumb doesn't it.  So be prepared.  Have a cheerleader that doesn't get tired of saying you are not fat or you will become anorexic.
My main thing I have to tell you is take your measurements and PICTURES.  Pictures ever month after your surgery.  You can actually see where you have been.  It does help when I am having a fat day.  Looking at a photo.  I have also kept one fat outfit.  The one from my first day of surgery picture.  It helps.  You have  had surgery that changes your body it did not change your body image.  I had a terrible body image and still do.  I don't get on often but please email me at [email protected]
Brenda

You can do it.

I can't believe how long it has been since I have been here.  Wow,  You guys helped me so much.  Life is so different now.  Being smaller is so funny.  I still feel fat.  I wear a 4 or 6 but I still feel fat.  In my head I know it is not possible to wear that size and be fat but in my head I am fat.  Make sence to you?  I feel flat chested I know that.   I use to have great big knockers.  I was sitting one day at the campground along the highway and I thought boy I use to be able to stop traffic if I were to flash those things.  NO I never did it but I would have stopped traffic.  Now all I would do is make em laugh.  I am gonna buy me some.  I am telling you. I am.  He he.....

OK anyone else out there tired of anything that goes wrong you stub your big toe and the first thing they say is.  Well, she had that surgery.  I am so fed up with it. Now a lady at church who had ds surgery 20 years ago is having problems so they are watching me to see when I am gonna kick the bucket.  It makes it worse because I come from a chubby family so they like me better chubby.  I didn't do this surgery to be sexy I did it so I would feel better.  So warning to people getting ready to have surgery it will happen.  I think some is jealousy. 

I had my surgery 3 years ago and If I would kick the bucket today I would still be glad I had it.  It is so much fun to shop, cross your lets, wear tiny clothes.  People treat you better.  They treat you so bad when you are chubby.   Not fair it is our society.    

I don't flaut that I  am smaller now and I know how hard it is to lose weight so I don't make fun of others who are trying.  This was the route God told me to take and I did it with much research.  One thing they did find it my stomach that is suppose to b completely seperated from my pouch is not so.......  I have a chance of weight gain.  let me tell you I watch.  I watch everything I eat.  .

Enough on me how are you.

Seems like it was just yesterday I was on OH asking for prayers getting ready for my sugery, being scared out of my mind.  I remember thinking I would be here everyday when I was post op.  What happened?  Life.....  As time went on seems I  got busier and busier with life and I just didn't come here so much.  I miss everyone so much.  Gonna start posting more and try to be an inspiration to others getting ready to have surgery. 

For the past 6 months I have suffered real bad with muscle spasms in my upper back.  Here I am 100 lbs lighter and my back was worse.  How does that happen.  There have even been days that I had to go to the emergency room to get a shot to take the edge off.  I thought I was dying.  Honest I really thought my days were numbered.  Of course it didn't help matters my mother kept telling me that she was sure my back was hurting because of my bariatric surgery.  They kept doing test after test.  NOTHING.  ugh.  I had my 1 year blood work and it came back I was low in iron and that is it.   Finally 2 weeks ago they figured out I have a bulging disc at T7.  They are going to give me shots and say it should be fine after 2 treatments.  Thank goodness I finally have an answer.  I  was really getting scared. 

Of course laying around and not feeling good does nothing for an appitite.  Last time I posted I was boo hooing that I was afraid I was not going to reach my goal of 223.  Now here I stand at 112.  I am not considered underweight according to the charts but my family thinks I should quit losing.  I remember there was a time that I could never imagine what it would be like to have to try to gain weight.  Now here I am trying to gain a few lbs.  Don't want to gain too much maybe 5  - 8 lbs.  When we have our brain set to lose weight for years it is so hard to try to change my mindset to gaining. 

Eating......    I can eat up to 10 grams of sugar at one time.  I have found little dollar rolls at walmart it the one type bread I am able to eat.  Other then that I feel like I have a pretty normal diet, I just don't eat large amounts.   I believe my hips are down to about 35 to 36 inches and I wear a size 4.

Would I do it again.  In a heartbeat.  I just want to get these spams taken care of so again I can live life.

Want to know a secret.  I am a finalist for Deal or no Deal.  I can't tell you much but I can tell you I was pretty hopeful.  If you want to know more send me a private message I can tell you some of the exciting stuff.  Now it is a wait andsee type thing.  Gotta hurry to get healthy.

I was without a computer for a while but I didn't realize it had been Nov since I last posted.  My weight loss has slowed way down.  I am not at 136.  13 lbs from my doctors goal.  Although I am having people tell me I am fine at the weight I am now and should not lose.  This has been a wonderful journey.

Remember when I posted the picture of my son Josh and I in my pair of pants.  He was so excited when I lost what he weighed.  I  sent it into Oh magazine quite some time ago and it is in this months magazine.  Can you believe it.  We are in a magazine.  I had just gotten out of bed and my hair is everywhere but it is a candid picture of what happened when we found out I lost a Josh.

If you are considering having surgery find the best surgeon you can find and DO IT,  It is the best thing I could have done.  Oh and I went to my neurosergeon and he thinks I have lost enough weight that I won't have to have that big back surgery.  

God is good.
brenda

Before I had surgery I remember reading how relationships often change between husband and wife after surgery.  I really expected my dh to turn into a very jealous man.  He sure has surprised me.  He has been my biggest cheerleader and compliments me on a daily basis.  I am somewhat surprised how my relationships with others have changed.  I honestly believe my weightloss was the foundation for a family feud with my brother.  Both of my brothers have always loved the limelight.  I on the other hand have been happy being in the back ground and barely being noticed.  Of course losing almost 80 lbs if I want it or not I have been put in the limelight.  ugh.  I wish I would have been more prepared for people having issues with jealousy and my weightloss.  I had this surgery solely for health purposes.  Last year this time I was never off my couch let alone be out of my house.  The extra benefit of weightloss has been that I look better.  I do not try to flaunt it.  
I have also noticed there have been some heavier acquantances that almost seem mad that I took charge and had surgery.  I know from their stand point this has looked like a very easy diet.  I go get cut and then the weight just drips off of me.  There is this really beautiful lady at church that told me she was very sorry but had to admit that she was jealous of me.  I couldn't imagine why she would be jealous of me.  She is just so pretty and someone I never considered fat.  I guess people  ought to come over and see me when I have eaten something that I shouldn't have and have a big old dumping session.  Maybe I should carry around a photo of me dumping.  How about a naked picture of me.    That would end any jealousy.  What use to be ample breast are not very ample at all anymore.   I hate people thinking this surgery is the easy way out.   We risk our life to take our life in our own hands and have surgery.  We will forever have to take vitamins and do bloodwork.  I will always have to watch what I eat.  I can't take a day off of dieting for Thanksgiving Day and eat two plates full.  This is a way of life.  FOREVER
So, if you are presurgery be prepared.  Your relationships will change.  You will no longer be the fatest person in your little group.  How will the next person that takes your place feel?  If you are dealing with relationship changes and need to vent please vent to me.  I am a very understanding person and know what you mean.
A very exciting thing happened to me yesterday.  My daughter who is very pregnant told me I was tiny.  :)  Tiny and Brenda just never were sad in the same sentence.  :)  Me Tiny???  I still feel chubby.  (:   I have the ugliest tummy in the world.  I want a TT so bad.  Have you all seen Haven's picture.  If I could look half that good.  :)  she is gonna yell at me if she reads this because she tells me I am just as beautiful.  Of course I have it figured ourt my dh is paying her to be my cheerleader also.  he he.  Only kidding.  Anyhow I had never seen a tummy tuck before.  After I saw her results I have decided it wouldn be terrible to lose all of this weight and have a baggy tummy.  Now, that is vanity talking.  :)
Brenda  145 current and only 23 lbs to goal.  I think I only have 14 lbs and I will be NORMAL (BMI)

My weightloss continues.  Yippie, I guess after you get through a plateau you continue to lose.  I honestly thought my weightloss was over.  I am so glad it has not.  I am now at 145.  Yea,  If you are experiencing a stall don't give up hope.  You will get through it and begin losing again.