Gastric Bypass Surgery Support Group
Gastric bypass (GBP) is any of a group of similar operative procedures used to treat morbid obesity, a condition which arises from severe accumulation of excess weight in the form of fatty tissue, and the health problems ("co-morbidities") which result. If you are considering gastric bypass or have had it, join the community where we share our experiences and find support.
So yesterday i had a depressing day. my DH was great and mostly made me feel better, but i thought i would share. Perhaps some people will see what you may go through at the end of your weight loss.
first my stats. I started at 258 and i am down to 146 - loss of 112 in one year (as of Oct 7). suffered with hair loss (it did grow back) no dumping (but one time), no serious side effects at all.
So a few days ago i was out with my friend who is overweight - probably 250 or so. She's a beautiful girl and i found myself thinking about that during our lunch. when we left we were getting into the car and i was talking and happen to catch my expression in the window. i was struck with how ugly i looked. my face just looked so harsh, pointed.
My weight loss has slowed and i have only lost about 5 or 6 lbs in the last two months so i had been living with this face for a while. but it's not like i stand in front of the mirror and make a bunch of faces to see what i look like.
so then i started thinking about all the other changes. and found myself depressed. needless to say i focused on all my sagging skin. Most of it is not horribly bad. but of course there is a huge, negative impact on my breasts and butt.
so here i am, at a perfectly healthy weight. i am so happy to be free of 112 lbs. but there is still a sense of real loss in the things that i liked about my old body. there were so few things i liked, but those that i did are now gone.
yesterday my husband shared some of his thoughts about my weight loss process - he hasn't much before. but just to give some insight as to how our spouses may feel. he said that he had times during my rapid loss when he would look at me and not recognize me - hearing my voice coming out of someone else's body.
anyway - i think that we need to be prepared (as much as we can) for the fact that we can truly be shocked and surprised at some point about our weight loss. I know we all know we will have sagging skin and other such changes. but the day you catch your face in a window and think you're ugly is a unexpected day.
Good luck to you all,
Rochelle
first my stats. I started at 258 and i am down to 146 - loss of 112 in one year (as of Oct 7). suffered with hair loss (it did grow back) no dumping (but one time), no serious side effects at all.
So a few days ago i was out with my friend who is overweight - probably 250 or so. She's a beautiful girl and i found myself thinking about that during our lunch. when we left we were getting into the car and i was talking and happen to catch my expression in the window. i was struck with how ugly i looked. my face just looked so harsh, pointed.
My weight loss has slowed and i have only lost about 5 or 6 lbs in the last two months so i had been living with this face for a while. but it's not like i stand in front of the mirror and make a bunch of faces to see what i look like.
so then i started thinking about all the other changes. and found myself depressed. needless to say i focused on all my sagging skin. Most of it is not horribly bad. but of course there is a huge, negative impact on my breasts and butt.
so here i am, at a perfectly healthy weight. i am so happy to be free of 112 lbs. but there is still a sense of real loss in the things that i liked about my old body. there were so few things i liked, but those that i did are now gone.
yesterday my husband shared some of his thoughts about my weight loss process - he hasn't much before. but just to give some insight as to how our spouses may feel. he said that he had times during my rapid loss when he would look at me and not recognize me - hearing my voice coming out of someone else's body.
anyway - i think that we need to be prepared (as much as we can) for the fact that we can truly be shocked and surprised at some point about our weight loss. I know we all know we will have sagging skin and other such changes. but the day you catch your face in a window and think you're ugly is a unexpected day.
Good luck to you all,
Rochelle
I can't say I know how you feel yet, I'm still not even 2 months out, but I'm sure I'll have days like that too. Just remember why you started this journey, to get healthy. Sounds like you are.
I pray that one day you can look in the mirror and see yourself for who you truly are....a beautiful person. {{{HUGS}}}
It was the face part that was such a shocker. i have caught reflections of my body and not recognized myself before. but not my face. when i was heavy i was the "she has such a pretty face" girl. I was just so surprised when i didn't see that face.
thanks again
http://tinyurl.com/3on7kht
I know my head will catch up, but I now feel like I look everyone of my years and like I am very serious all the time. Also...mini rant...my dimples are now grooves.
I share your pain, but know too how many delightful experiences are now open to me. My health is great, my energy great. My head broken.
Now we move forward and find the joy. Best wishes.
I too noticed how fat smoothes out (fills in) the wrinkles, but I guess I am looking at it differently. Although I will be wrinklier as I age, at least I WILL age. I was quicky headed into an oversized coffin before I took steps to (hopefully) live longer.
So blessed you have a husband that loves you, new you, old you, old voice in new you.... :) Glad you have good support in dealing with all the changes.
Blessings to you both.
i am very happy about my weight loss. and i sort knew this day would come. it's just it still surprised me.
i've been getting hand me down clothes from friends smaller than me but now those are saggy too. And bras - ah i have a black one and a tan one (hubby washed tan one in the darks so now i have a grey one!).
i know i should just go buy some clothes, but i am so cheap. plus christmas is around the corner. plus - what if i lose more. i am only 6 lbs from surgeon's goal, but i could lose more. i'm not sure i want to lose more - but my body may decide otherwise.
anyway, thanks again for the support. i am so glad i have found DS. it's good to share with those who know.
Right after I hit goal, I thought my face looked long and drawn. My mother (always brutally honest) even commented on it. The good news is that after awhile it got better and everything settled into place. Now, people tell me my face looks younger than I did before surgery. My mother asked me what i had done to get rid of my nasal-labial folds. I hadn't done anything...things had just eventually shifted. Keeping your vitamins and your water up and staying away from processed foods and caffeine can help the process along.
The last time I was a healthy weight was in my early 20s, so I missed seeing my real face during my 30s and early 40s. So, I went from seeing the normal me for about 20 yearsand Ive aged since then. I wish I could get those years back for my face, but I cant. However, having energy and being able to move around without pain is worth it.and I know a good plastic surgeon.hmmm..
:)
JJ
xo
Mo
I can relate on the face. I always had a pretty face, even when I was heavier. Now my face is getting the point where I do not want to loose any more in the face. My current picture is me at the best "face" weight but I am down another 15 pounds since then and wow what more can I loose in the face is what I am wondering. I am about 14 pounds from my goal of loosing 100 pounds and weighing in at 141. I say I look good but only with clothes, a $70 amazing bra and Spanx. :) :)
Heidi
I know that my mind needs to catch up with my body, I just wish it would hurry up and do it. It sounds crazy when I am excited and disappointed all at the same time!! Excited about my weight loss, excited about how much more energy I have, excited about what I can now do, that I couldn't before...the list goes on and on. And then at the same time disappointed in the wrinkles and the sagging skin.
I am almost more self concious now about my body than I was when I was obese!
But I know that I will get there...just one day at a time!!