tiarasandtantrums

This weekend marks one year since my surgery - Happy reset birthday to me!

It has been a phenomenal year for me and I cannot believe that I have lost 120 pounds and am below my target weight.

My intention is to come back and write more later today, but I have to get moving for now.

Love to you all x

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Deets

happy anniversary!! Look forward to hearing how your first year went x

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Bev

Glad you are ok and all is well. Love and hugs xxx

Nickynoodles

Wow fantastic weight loss.... Am glad all is well

Nicky xx

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GP applied for funding November 2009
PCT approved funding November 2010
Group Forum St Georges Hospital 31st January 2011
Bariatric Team Appointment 8th February 2012
Dietician Appointment 28th February 2012
Psychiatry team appointment 2nd May 2012

tiarasandtantrums

So, the past year has seen me lose 120 pounds (plus a further 25 pounds on the pre-op diet). My life has completely changed. Not only am I so much smaller (I was a size 32 at my biggest and I now shimmy easily into a size 10 - I even have a pair of size 8 jeans!) I am also so much healthier.

Pre-op I had apnoea, asthma, arthritis, angina, uncontrollably high blood pressure (even on 7 or 8 different lots of meds just for the BP), high cholesterol and was pre-diabetic. Now .... apnoea - gone; asthma - controlled (I have had it since birth so it is unlikely to go away completely); arthritis - so much better; angina - controlled; blood pressure - normal (I'm still on a low dose of one med, but hope to be off that eventually); cholesterol - normal.

Pre-op I walked with at least one walking stick, often two. Now, even though I'm going through a flare up of arthritis in my left knee (the damage has already been done there), I haven't used a walking stick in over eleven months.

Pre-op I could barely walk a few yards - now I walk for three and a half hours every day (even with my bad knee, I just walk a little slower at present).

In addition I have been learning to swim and ride a bike - two things that I never thought I'd do. I love my aqua-fit classes, which I will be returning to on Thursday.

One of my spare bedrooms has been converted into a gym - with lots of equipment .... all of which gets used!

I now have the chance to enjoy my life again rather than just suffering through it.

Has it been easy? Not really. The surgery itself was not without pain and I was so exhausted for the first couple of months - I really thought I had done the wrong thing for a while. Has the weight fallen off - well, yes and no. I have thrown myself into the whole post operative lifestyle by eating healthy, nutritional food and avoiding 'empty calories'. Also, exercise has played a vital role in my journey. People have to work with their tool and not expect to get good results without putting in the effort. They also have to remember that the operation will not cure the problems with their head - head hunger and comfort eating can still be an issue. I see a psychotherapist each week. It's not cheap and I know that it's not an option for everyone, but it has certainly helped me. Admittedly I was seeing her before my surgery for a couple of years (since my mother died) so we have built up a good relationship and she knows me well by now.

Would I do it again? YES!!!! Every year if I had to. Hopefully I won't have to because I have learnt and continue to learn how to live my new life.

I thank the NHS and the staff at Charing Cross hospital for giving me back my life.

Good luck to anyone just starting out on their journey.

Amanda x

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dottychic

Such an inspiring story, you have done so well. It must feel like you are a totally different person these days... a massive well done to you (HUG) XX

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keeley86

Well done! Only 1 year and your at your goal allready or better still, below goal! That's amazing and like dotty said.... Truely inspirational. Congratulations!!!

blueeyes

Aww Amanda!! You have done so well and should be very proud!! You've done a 180 on your health and on top of that you look fabulous!!
See you soon at the aqua fit class x

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Referred by GP FEB '10
Group session 05/05/2010
Appt w/psychologist & consultant 27/08/2010
Appt w/surgeon 22/10/2010
Pre-op 16/11/2010
Bypass 08/12/2010

AUGUST 2011 - 100 lbs lost

RoseA

Brilliant story Amanda - realistic and inspiring !
You've done so well

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Ticker shows weight loss since Sept 2009 when I was accepted for surgery.
Chart shows weight loss since April 2010.

My Weight Chart:
>

Weight loss from 1 April 2010
1 stone lost: 04 May 2010
2 stone lost: 03 June 2010
3 stone lost: 23 June 2010
4 stone lost: 01 Aug 2010
5 stone lost: 05 Sep 2010
6 stone lost: 09 Oct 2010
7 stone lost: 29 Nov 2010
8 stone lost: 19 Jan 2011
9 stone lost: 21 Mar 2011
10 stone lost: 12 Aug 2011

phatmomma

TnT, you have lived up to your name. You have been dynamite. It seems like only yesterday you were waiting for your op, and if i remember rightly was it you who's doctor wanted them to have a band but you stuck to your guns (forgive me if i'm wrong)...

You have done so well and to top it off you have two beautiful grandchildren as well. What more could you possibly ask for? Apart from world peace..... xx

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Julie xx

I may not be called Cinderella but i'm chuffing well going to the Ball!!

Goals:

To use the cross trainer for 10 minutes solid... (in progress) = (done 11/8/11 going for 15 now )

To run for 10 minutes solid..(in progress)

To start exercising seriously! - Done July 2011

tiarasandtantrums

Thank you all for your comments. I'm feeling so positive about the future these days.

I apologise that I don't have much input on this site at present - I'm so busy living my life at last.

Love you all!
Amanda x

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Glenville

Congratulations Amanda! I've been following your journey and you have been so determined right through the whole process. Having said that I only met you a couple of months ago and as you may remember we were next to each other in the coffee shop and although I thought it may have been you I said to myself "No that couldn't possibly be a wls patient!". You truly look fantastic and should be very proud. Good luck with getting your knee sorted. xx

biggy123

Well done on your fantastic loss and it was really nice and inspiring to read your story.

Grace

What an inspirational, uplifting and realistic post.
You have done amazingly well TNT, but as you so wisely point out, so much of that is down to your own hard work and determination.

To go from a size 32 to a size 10 is awesome. To be so healthy is even more so.
Congratulations, Happy Birthday, and thank you so much for sharing.
Grace xxx

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Into 18s - done pre-op Jan 2010
Into 17s - done pre-op 16th July 2010
Into 16s - done 2 weeks post-op 24th August 2010
Into 15s - done 6 weeks post op! 21st September 2010
Into 14s - done 11 weeks post-op. 26th October 2010
Into 13s - done 17 weeks post-op 14th December 2010
Into 12s - done 26 weeks post-op 9th February 2011
Into 11s - done 35 weeks post-op 11th April 2011!
Into 10s - done 48 weeks post-op - 12th July 2011
into 9s! done 14 months post-op - 7th October 2011

My Weight Chart:
>



13 pounds lost pre-op (including pre-op milk diet)
Post-Op Weight Loss
Month 1 - 19 pounds
Month 2 - 9 pounds
Month 3 - 18 pounds
Month 4 - 5 pounds
Month 5 - 7 pounds
Month 6 - 7 pounds
Month 7 - 6 pounds
Month 8 - 6 pounds
Month 9 - 5 pounds
Month 10 - 6 pounds
Month 11 - 2 pounds
Month 12 - 15 pounds!!!!

zarafa

Hi Amanda!
Finally figured it out I saw you at a group meeting at Charing Cross a few weeks ago, and you mentioned this forum to a pre-opper considering surgery. I wanted at the time to ask your username, but I was too shy.

You've done amazing, you look amazing, and you should be very proud of yourself

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Start Weight: 23st 6lb / 148.7kg - 11/09/10
146kg (23st) 22/12/10
139.7kg (22st)26/02/11
133.3kg (21st)12/03/11
127 kg (20st) 06/04/11
120.6kg (19st) 05/05/11
114.3kg (18st) 06/06/11
107.9kg (17st) 07/07/11
101.6kg (16st)01/09/11
95.25kg (15st) 26/12/11
88.9kg (14st)13/05/12
82.55kg (13st)|76.2kg (12st)