NSV: Size Whoo Hoo!

When I first started this incredibly long journey almost 8 years ago, the NUT at the lap band surgeon's office asked me what my weight goal was.  I'm 5'4" and didn't have the first clue what the answer should be.  So I guessed and said whatever weight a size 10 would be?  She asked why I chose that size, and my only answer was that I couldn't remember ever being a size 12, much less a 10, so that must be pretty good.  I weighed about 226 at the time.

Seven years later, I was in a 10, but pretty much in only one brand of pants, and they were tight.  I had plateaued at between 180 and 185 pounds, and I was miserable living with the band.  Every time I traveled (and I did frequently), the band would tighten to the point I couldn't even swallow water, much less food.  My last trip to Malaysia January of 2013 I would throw up eating soup.  And the reflux was horrendous.  I had gone for several unfills, but NEVER EVER felt normal - food always felt stuck in my gullet and there was always the fear of throwing up.

I had enough and told the surgeon that needed a break - please unfill it completely.  He listened, unfilled the band, and sent me for an upper GI.  Minutes into the GI, the radiologist called the surgeon, who came right over.  The liquid barium was just sitting at the entrance of my stomach.  He asked me what I normally do, and I said that sometimes stretching helped, sometimes jumping up and down.  I had to do that there to get the liquid to go down, and that was with the band unfilled!

I had a hernia, the band had slipped, and needed to be removed.  So I set up an appointment with a new surgeon for a revision (my old surgeon no longer accepted my insurance).  While I was waiting for surgery, I gained back up 196 pounds, and size 14 was tight.

May 8, 2013 I had the band removed and revised to a sleeve.  I lost weight pretty steadily until October, and got back into a size 10, but now in most brands.  I actually got into size 8 in one brand of pants.  

Then the holiday**** and the winter blues.  I consider the holidays starting at Halloween, all the way past New Year.  I maintained my weight, but certainly didn't lose.  Every 5 pounds I'd lose I'd gain right back again.  The carbs had crept back in, and a candy bar became my nightly "treat".  I knew mentally every thing I was doing wrong and what I needed to do to get back on track again; I simply didn't want to.  And then I did.  I detoxed the sugar (my, that was a miserable 48 hours) and went back to high protein, low carb, around 800-1000 calories.  And I lost 5 pounds.  Then gained 5 pounds in the same week.  This time I wasn't giving in, and kept on going.  The scale started to creep back down, .2 pounds some days, nada other days.  Then a whole pound, and then another!  

My size 10 dress pants were getting a little baggy, and we have an important customer that I'm going to be seeing more regularly.  So I went to Marshall's today, just to see what was on sale.  I tried on two size 8 dress pants, each a different brand, and while they fit, they were a little big!  OMG, I tried on a size 6, and they fit! I could not believe what I saw in the mirror staring back at me!

I have 3 pounds to go to be "normal" BMI.  According to the charts, I have 14 pounds to go to my "ideal" weight.  And for the first time in my life, I think I can get there.  It took me eight years to get this far, and I think I can get the rest of the way before summer starts.  

So I laugh when I see posts like "I've only lost 30 pounds this month - what am I doing wrong".  The entry "Slow Loser" in the dictionary has my picture next to it.  For real people.

Congratulations on never giving up. This surgery is not easy and has it's ups and downs but it's moments like this that make it all worth it. I'm the same height, size 8 also. It's unbelievabe to be in a single digit size. You will be at goal before you know it!

Dedication! You rock!