[Debs]

Hi there. My name is Debra and I had my RnY on Dec 20, 2002. I've lost 196 lbs and still losing.....very slowly, but still hacking away those extra lbs! Only 15 more to go!

Not sure how to load my pics, but I have some!

[DocSanae]

Hi Debra, welcome to the board, thank you for joining us.
I hope you'll find this place enjoyable and fun.
As for posting pics, you either post a link from an online album, or go to advanced posting, and there is a "Manage attachment" feature there, where you can either upload from your computer, or form an online album.
In any case, you will first have to edit your photos if they are too large.

(((((HUGS)))))) May your journey go well.

[FemmeMode]

YOU MUST POST YOUR PICS!!!!!

Wow, Girl....that is amazing progress....I'd like to hear more....especially b/c you are the first person I've met that has had success in loosing as much weight as I have to loose. I have 184# to loose....and have lost 86# now.

I sometimes have feelings that it will be impossible to loose that much....that I'll only loose about 140....and be stuck with the last 44......
What was your progress like??

What did you loose in the first 6mos??
Then what were you at at one year??

Then what....Now you've been about 3.5 years....and you are still loosing...this is GREAT motivation for me, not to give up!!!!

Thanks for posting....I hope you will post your pictures....I'm eager to see!
Thanks,

[Becca]

Yes welcome to the bords.

I agree with Deb get those pic out soon, we are WAITTING HERE LOLOL.

That is so great, i'm very proud of you, for the weight loss.

[Debs]

Hi Deborah-

I lost about 60 lbs in my first 30 days. At 6 months, I had lost 100 lbs, at 1 year I had lost 155 and I lost the last 45 pretty much in the next 8 months but I have continued to lose very slowly over the last 2 years. Believe me, I was worried too. I read everything that said if you lose only 75% of your excess weight they consider it successful. Sorry, but I was NOT going to be happy at 200 lbs. The point of the surgery was to get AWAY from overweight/obese on the BMI table! I walked a lot and I used these videos by Kathy Sansone "Walk Away the Pounds" that were great. It was hard at 352 lbs, it was easier at 260, and now at 150 it's a breeze! I don't do it as much as I should but I haven't gained any weight back (knock wood). Take that back -- I fluctuate between 152 and 158. When I hit 159 I GO INTO PANIC MODE. I still have trouble seeing myself as a small person, I don't know if that will ever go away. I'm working on my plastic surgery now since the girls are far below where they belong and I have a lot of extra skin on my tummy. Other than that, my arms aren't bad at all and my legs could use some tightening up but it's the boobs and the tummy that have me the most freaked out. I sometimes feel deformed and repulsive -- it's awful. I'd do it again, no regrets. Even with the complications (nearly 3 yrs post op, 45 days in hospital) I would do it again. Remember -- if it hurts, there's a problem and DO NOT let your dr send you home again and again. Worst case scenario, go to ER. I wish I had. I can't complain, I'm still alive and my scars are my battle wounds -- I'm proud of them. It reminds me how hard I fought to stay alive. It was all worth it.

I'll see if I can post some pictures.

Debs

[fr1endly2]

Welcome to the boards DEB!
LOOK forward to you uploading some pics!

GLAD you found this site for support and look forward to
getting to know you thru your posts!
THATS awesome that your still looseing.
I havent lost in two months and figure im done!
MAYBE theres hope LOL

[Becca]

Welcome Deb.

Youe weight loss is great. I wish i has a great weight loss early out like you, were....I'm at 3 months and 52ish lbs gone.

[Debs]

I don't know if I did it, but I did "manage attachments" and "upload"...we'll see....

[FemmeMode]

AMAZING transformation......
I am soooo glad you posted....I am 4 mos. post op...and have lost 86# I'm glad it's moving along b/c I have a long journey ahead of me....I don't know but hope that I will have lost 100# by my 6mos. I've calculated that I should loose 110# by 6 mos. to keep in target to get it all off.

Like you, I will not be satistified at 200#!!

My goal is 150#....to have a little "wiggle room"....I like that you said you go into "panic mode" when you hit a certain weight....that is soooo me. I will really be watching that.

Thanks sooo much for posting your pics and giving me your story...You look AMAZING!!!

Gives me sooo much hope for the future!!

[Debs]

Don't get discouraged if you don't hit your target. I did that...I had a spreadsheet and everything..."I'm losing this much on per week on average, so by this date I should have lost this much weight". The FIRST time I didn't lose what I calculated I should lose, I literally fell into a depression. "I'm never going to lose this weight, this was a waste of time, what have I done to myself, I can't believe I'll never enjoy a piece of cake again"...I said all of it! And that's not to say you won't do it, you just might do it a little later than you anticipate. And believe me -- I eat some cake. I don't believe in "diet cake". If you're going to eat a piece of cake, EAT A PIECE OF CAKE. I doesn't mean you have to eat half the cake, just have a piece! I also get "lucky" in that I dump pretty bad. Unfortunately, there is no rhyme or reason to it -- STILL! I can make a hamburger patty for dinner, extra lean (7% fat) and within 10 minutes I'm "making a refund"..as we call it in my house....2 days later I can eat the same thing and be fine. One day I can eat 1/2 a snickers and be fine, next day I'm sick for 2 hours with the dumping. I have found that anything with a high fat content is sketchy for me....i.e., snicker bars and cake, but sometimes even toast with margerine makes me sick, or soups with too much fat in them. Now I eat a piece of angel food cake with some fruit when I want something sweet.(angel food is fat free!...but nor sugar free - remember that!) I find now I want fruity sweets now instead of sweety sweets like donuts, cupcakes, etc. Maybe because 75% of the time the sweety sweets make me puke....sorry "make a refund". My boyfriend laughs at me sometimes when I get a plate of something. He just cracks up and says "you may as well throw that straight in the trash or let me eat it for you...you know you're just going to throw it up anyway". I've come to the conclusion that, since my dumping has no rhyme or reason, throwing up is just part of life now!