Re: susan of the cakes - last questions I promise

[Guest guest]

> I am so pleased for you 1.5kilos per week is absolutely fantastic. You

> should get to goal in under 1 yea from now.

Actually it will take longer than that. I understand that they expect me to

lose 50% excess weight between 6 and 8 months (for me 50% would be about 100

pounds) and then the rest of what I will lose within 2 years post op. The

weight loss will definitely slow down with time, but I do have a 2 year

window of opportunity before my body will fully adjust to the changes; and I

know of others who have been able to lose more even after the 2 years with

lots of exercise.

>

> How long did you give the band a chance to work for you?

I had the band put in in November of 1999 and had the switch July of 2000.

I started researching my options in April of 2000 so it was under 5 months

that the band and I could coexist happily.

>

> From what I understand you have no vomitting no reflux and none of the side

> effects we can get with the band.

That is correct. I did struggle with nausea and occasional vomiting for

about 6 weeks postop, due to the resectioning of the stomach, but then

everything just settled down and I have had no problems since then.

>

> Do you have alot of scars? Will you need to have skin removed?

I had the switch as an open procedure and my scar is from just below my

breast bone to just above my belly button. It is just a thin red line now.

Yes I will need a tummy tuck and maybe my arms done as well.

>

> Lets say you get to 68 kilos and want to drop to 60 - can you do this with

> exercise without having the extra op. I know that I would have not got to

> goal if I had not spent alot of time exercising. Will the last lot of kilos

> be hard to loose or will they come off just the same?

Yes, I could drop the extra weight with exercise. In any weight loss

situation as you get closer to goal, the kilos are harder to get off. It

will be no different for me. I am exercising now and will continue to do so

to be sure I get my weight down to a point that I am comfortable with.

>

> 1200 calories per day is not that much, some diets are as low as that -

> wont you keep loosing then?

No, the theory behind the disease of morbid obesity (BMI of 40 or above) and

this surgery is that before the switch I was absorbing a lot more of the

calories from food than a normal " thin " person would. So the switch levels

the playing field. I now absorb closer to what a " normal " sized person

would, even though I will have to intake more to get the same absorption.

>

> how long did it take you to recover from the op?

The switch was a lot more difficult to get over for me than the band. It

was about 6 weeks before I started feeling good. Before that I struggled

with fatigue, and nausea, but once things settled down I improved rapidly

and now have more energy and strength than I have had in years. I am also

off of my depression meds since the surgery and was just yesterday cut loose

from my psychiatrist. I only have to go back if I notice problems and this

was a wonderful side effect of the surgery that was completely unexpected.

>

> Did the surgeon talk to you about when you get to goal about how your mind

> does not register that you are thin. I have major problems with this - i

> know i am slim now -everyoone tells me and i can see it in photos but when

> i look in the mirror I see 95 kilos still. Also the other problem I have is

> that I am very critical about my body - yes i still have rolls of fat and

> to me I should not have them as I am meant to be thin. Does this make any

> sense to you??!!!??

It makes perfect sense. In fact we were discussing this issue the other

night when we had dinner with . (Sooze) was saying that when

she was large, she never saw herself as large as she was and now that she is

smaller, she never sees herself as small as she is. I think that happens

with everyone who loses a substantial amount of weight. The mind is slower

to catch on to the weight loss than the body and it takes some time to

adjust. You are perfectly normal Hally, just give your mind time to catch

up and you'll be fine. *smile* We can also discuss this more when you

come to Melbourne if you want.

I won't hold you to the last questions pledge--sometimes that is just

impossible to stick to *grin*!

Warm Regards, of the Cakes

[Guest guest]

Me three I never saw myself as big as i was and now that i am 65Kg at

172cm tall i dont see myself as slim as others see me - i think i

will always be a fat chick on the inside - just learn to handle

myself a little better as time goes on (i hope).

Lara and I (and i think Joy) have had this exact same discussion

before - I suppose it is all part of the disease - a distorted body

image (nature/nuture/who knows)and an inability to treat food/image

as a so called " normal " .

-- In ozbandegroups, Dave & <davson@i...> wrote:

> I have major problems with this - i know i am slim now -everyoone

tells me

> and i can see it in photos but when

> >i look in the mirror I see 95 kilos still. Also the other problem

I have is

> >that I am very critical about my body - yes i still have rolls of

fat and

> >to me I should not have them as I am meant to be thin. Does this

make any

> >sense to you??!!!??

> >

> >hally

>

>

> Yes it does. When I see photos of myself at 10 stone and age 22, I

am slim

> as slim can be. But at the time I still felt fat.

>

> This time is different. I feel slim and although I have 20 kilos

to go,

> considering I was 140 at one state, I can see and feel and know the

weight

> is off. I have changed my mind set about the mirror now.

>

>