How I feel about Gastric Bypass - a Note to a friend

It was the best decision of my life. Old habits die hard, you have to make sure you are dedicated to changing them. People are going to constantly critisize what you eat, when you eat it and the attention you get isn't always positive. Men are going to hit on you more, sounds great right? Well if they didn't like you when you were heavy, they sure don't deserve you when you are thin. When you are close to goal, people will start telling you that you're too thin, I still have 12lbs to go to goal and I have to hit it or else whats the point, I'm still overweight. It kills relationships with friends, your skinny friends won't like you anymore because you're not the fat one and you WILL get more attention than them, your bigger friends won't trust you anymore because they think you are just like the skinny stuck up girls. BUT you'll love yourself more, build new relationships and live a healthier life without food dependency. Be ready to get on antidepressents about 4-5months post op, its normal. But it gets really bad, you don't feel like yourself in your own body. Now that the outside matches the inside you feel almost akward. you can't use food for comfort anymore. You'll lose your hair, no matter what you do. Your boobs dissapear lol! Sex is great! Until you hit the depression stage and then you don't want it at all lol! You become more compassionate, you share your fat stories of being kicked off roller coasters, not fitting in a booth, arm chairs sucked, getting passed up for jobs etc. You share your # with anyone because you're more secure. You're more self confident too! You're going to be talking about yourself a lot because everyone wants to know how it worked for you. Don't drink, ever again. Bariatric patients are at risk for cross addiction. My mom is now an alcoholic and has gained back half her weight. Oh and shopping sucks! There is too much to choose from and you never know your size. Get hand me downs now and don't do what I do and shop every week. One day I can be a size M in one brand and then an XS in another, 12 in jeans or 8 in slacks, nothing matches up and the weight comes off quickly! Don't obsess on the scale, it'll move quickly the first month and then seem slow. I'm stuck AGAIN! I'm still stuck between 177 and 180, I'm almost 6 months post op. Like I said, best decision ever, work your ass off to get to goal and then surgery will do the rest. Oh and it doesn't hurt as much as everyone says :)

11/2/2009 Measurements

5/26 7/5 (difference) 11/2/09 TOTAL Difference

Neck 15 14 -1 13.5 -1.5
Shoulders 49 46 -3 42 -7
Rt Upper Arm 15.5 14.25 -1.25 11 -2.5
Rt Lwr Arm 11.25 10.75 -.50 10 -1.25
Rt wrist 7 6 3/4 -.25 6.5 -.5
Chest 42 40 -2 38 -4
Bust 39 37 -2 33 -6
Belly 43 38.75 -4.25 36 -7
Waist 42 39 -3 37 -5
Lower Tummy 51 44 -7 (yes I have a belly dent lol) 43 -18
Hips 48 45 -3 42 -6
Butt 49 45 -4 42.5 -6.5
Rt Thigh 29 24 -5 23 -6
Rt Knee 17.5 17 -.5 17 -.5
Rt Calf 18.5 18 -.5 17 -1.5
Rt Ankle 10.5 10 -.5 9.5 -1

TOTAL Lost in 5 months

54.1lbs

74.25 Inches

Broke 180 FINALLY!!

179.9... that's more than 6 weeks to lose 5lbs.. incredibly hard... maybe itll continue to move down again. I have 9.9lbs to my high goal! I wanna get there before my birthday in a month and 2 days :) Crossing my fingers!