Life Update - 2 years post op.

I haven't been updating this blog as regularly as I used to, and I apologize. I really tried to stick with it and I still get ideas for posts all the time, but I don't have as much time anymore! I'm doing some online courses to get a certificate to get into medical transcription, and I've been writing a lot more non-medical things, working on my skills to maybe start some freelance writing soon.. I need to get paid. I need a job, you know? I turned 18 last month and since I'm not in a typical 'university' setting I need to figure out what I'm going to do with my life.. Kind of crazy that your whole future depends on some decisions you make when you're still a teenager.. but it is what it is.

Anywho.. Alright. I guess I'll just get right into it. As far as surgery goes.. Still no complications. All of my bloodwork is perfect.. Vitamins, A1C, Insulin.. My fasting glucose is usually pretty low.. However generally speaking my blood sugar runs in the 80's most the time, so it's not too much of a stretch. My thyroid last checked was slightly elevated, so my endocrinologist bumped up my dose of Synthroid from 75 to 88.8 and if it's still high in a few weeks I'll go to 100. The nurse practitioner was surprised with my bloodwork.. usually they don't see patients who's vitamin d levels are perfect, and mine were.... It was funny because a week prior she had bumped my vitamin d from 1000 to 5000 because of other kids levels being low, then mine turned out fine... Admittedly, I don't hardly ever take my vitamin d supplement because.. well.. I don't really have a reason. I just typically don't bother with it since there's some combined with my calcium citrate (800iu) and then my multivitamin has some as well. Probably not the smartest decision on my part, but I mean.. it's been 2 years.. If I was going to go deficient in something, don't you think it would have happened by now? -- My LDL (bad cholesterol) is within normal range, and my HDL (good cholesterol) was actually elevated last checked, which is a good thing. And... yeah. I think that's about it as far as bloodwork is concerned.

I can eat about a cup of food at any sitting.. give or take, depending on the density of what I'm eating.. I generally eat 4-5 times a day, unless I'm an idiot (like this past weekend) and only eat once a day because I'm on a road trip and don't want to spend the money (and since I'm never physically hungry, I usually feel like I can get away with it until it's 2am and I feel like absolute crap.) No food intolerance's or issues with things getting 'stuck' in my esophagus or stomach.. Honestly, as far as my stomach goes, it's as if nothing had ever happened aside from how little I'm able to eat. Which is an awesome thing! Whenever anyone who doesn't already know asks and I don't feel like explaining it, I just say "I had surgery on my stomach when I was fifteen and it's left me not being able to eat very much at one sitting. No worries. I'm totally fine." and people seem to accept that as an answer. I used it the other day with a guy who asked, and given, he asked more questions.. which was totally fine. But I didn't have to elaborate too much. It was more along the lines of "Are you okay now?" as opposed to "Why?" Haha.

As far as weight loss goes.. Oh boy... Well, here we go. At my 2 year post-op appointment a little over a month ago, I hadn't lost weight since the last year appoitnment.. I think I lost like half a pound. Which is kind of ridiculous, because I don't eat junk... (I think I had frozen yogurt twice this past summer.. That was all the 'pigging out' I did.) I've never had much of a sweet tooth, you know? I've mentioned this dozens of times. That was never my issue. and I think everyone on my bariatric team finally decided to listen to me as far as that's concerned.. and my surgeon asked if I'd be wiling to be his 'guinea pig' and be the first patient of his to try this new diet of his, called the 5:2 diet.. which I had actually researched a bit before the appointment but hadn't tried.. So I was like, sure, why not. You think this will help me? Let's try it.. and I went all out.. did it for a few weeks, no issues.. But.. I gained 5 pounds... and immediately, I was freaking out. I had already had an appointment with my endocrinologist set up so I brought it up with her and asked why she thought that was and what she thought I should do.. She said the 5:2 diet works for a lot of people, but if my body didn't react to weight loss surgery like most other patients, clearly I need something slightly more extreme than excess calorie restriction 2 days a week... So she had me try the Atkins diet.. or, a modified version of it.. She wants me to aim for 100 grams of protein a day instead of 60 like I had been, and I'm currently still on phase 1 so I'm still consuming less than 20 net carbs a day as opposed to the 40-50 i was allowing myself during the 5:2 diet and I've already lost almost 10 pounds in 2 1/2 weeks... I'm down to 180-ish... So I'm pretty happy, and I'll probably be sticking with that for the time being.

I was supposed to have a follow up with my bariatric team about the 5:2 diet last week and I skipped out.. and I feel really bad about it. Because they wanted to use my results with this diet so to speak to help other kids but.... clearly, I'm not like all of the other kids they treat.. and I don't want them to base how they treat other kids after me.. I mean, if they find one with the same issues with me than great but.. So far no ones mentioned any so.. You know.. I'll leave it at that. Every other person I've talked to loses weight and eats junk.. given, they may not keep it off but.. I've worked my ass off trying to lose weight in the first place... and I've had enough trouble doing that, you know? I still don't have a real answer for why... but.. it is what it is. I'll continue going to my yearly appointments for the research study I signed up for,.. I feel like I need to.. there needs to be documentation that this tool isn't as much help to some people as it is for others..

As far as medications, my birth control has been switched a few times.. I'm on Sprintec now.. Also, Metformin 1000mg twice a day, Aldactone 50mg twice a day, and Synthroid 88.8mcg once a day.. I switched from monthly to yearly b12 injections, and I take a mutli-vitamin and my calcium citrate twice a day.

So yeah, I mean.. I don't regret having surgery. The benefit of never feeling hungry helps with some of these diets I've been doing, and it helped me find some amazing doctors who have worked with me and helped me figure out what I need to be doing as of right now.. just.. I was under the impression going into this that my Insulin Resistance would be gone after I had surgery, that I'd drop all my weight pretty quickly since I started at a lower weight than most, and that it'd be a relatively easy process as long as I stuck to my diet/exercise regimen.. and well, none of that happened. I didn't know going into it that I'd be talking to other patients the whole time who were doing so much better than me, and finding out how one of them was eating fried oreos and still losing 3 pounds a week.. Like... It's hard. It's been really hard. Also very frustrating. But it's made me a strong person, so at the end of the day I don't think I'd change anything. If I did, I don't know where I'd be today and that thought is a little unnerving.

As far as sizes go, I'd say what size shirt I am but it depends on the store.. and I like wearing things a lot loser these days.. I'm usually a medium or a large though. 40c bra, 16 pants (however I'm wearing a lot of leggings lately, and I'm usually a 'large' in those.)

Here are some pictures of me lately:

On my 18th birthday I drove up to Cleveland to see We The Kings (and a bunch of other bands) with my two best friends. :) (I'm on the right... a lot of people think me and my friend on the far left look a lot alike, haha.)

Road tripped with my brother and dad last weekend up to Kent to see another band at my friends house. :)

This was me earlier today (9/23/13) when i was about to leave for my brothers soccer game.

VVV

Soccer game. :) (Yes, I had 1/3 of a smoothie.. It was still in my carb allotment for the day. Shh.)

New tattoo I got a few months ago. :) It's on the back of my right shoulder. 

No makeup. You can tell my skin is a lot healthier than it used to be. Not as much acne (however close up there's still a lot of scarring from it.)

Oh yeah, and this is from the bariatric team's 'Summer Event' support group thing they held a couple months ago. I'm in the front on the right. Everyone there is doing so well and I'm really happy for them. I'm not a frequent support-group-goer because I live kind of far away and They're always friday nights, which I'm never able to get a ride for. But it was still nice catching up with some people, and meeting some new people as well. :)

and yeah, that's about it. :) 

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I hope this update filled some of you in.. and seriously, if anyone still reads this blog... Message me on facebook or twitter or email me! I'd love to talk to some of you, hear your stories.. If you ever need someone to vent to, I'm here. Need advice? I'm here.. I'm always checking my e-mail and facebook and what not (yay for smart phones) So just shoot me a message! I know what it feels like to be alone going through this.. not just surgery, but the metabolic issues seeing as those are mainly what I'm dealing with now anyway.. But either way.. You don't need to feel alone. You might feel like you are.. I always did. But you aren't. And you shouldn't feel that way going through something this important. 

I hope you all are having a fantastic day and I'll try and update this more often. :) Until next time.. Bye guys. <3

-Ashley(:

P.S. I had this song on repeat while I was writing this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLiUJyKdy3Y&list=FLN2Zuo7rzGnOe4f0e6EcQXQ&index=1 .. just in case any of you were curious. Which you probably weren't. 

Surgery Update! 18 months post-op.

Okay... I've been really bad at updating this lately. I'll try to get back into it, I promise! Haha.

I'll be 18 months post-op (VSG) in a week or two. I have my 18month follow-up appointment on February 21st. It's been a crazy year and a half... things are constantly changing.

My medications have changed a lot, a bunch of different times, after surgery. Weight wise, I go through stalls like every month.. but then i drop five pounds then i go through another stall.. Which I guess I'm okay with. It's better than nothing. I'm glad i'm still losing, because for awhile right after surgery I didn't lose anything because of medication issues.

Highest weight ever: 285lbs in 2010.
Weight on day of surgery: (08-19-2011) 250lbs
Weight today: (2-7-13) 185lbs.

So, I've lost 100lbs. Some of that pre-surgery, some post-op.. I'm not at my goal weight yet. I still have 40 pounds or so to go. I really hope I get there, asap. I've been working for this so long, I just really want to be there.

I don't want my life to focus around the number on the scale, so I try not to focus on that too much anymore.. Because I am healthier than I have been in a long time. But it's hard not to, when my entire life up until this point has been focused around my weight.

I'm having more issues eating lately, than I did originally post-op. I typically always avoid sugar/fat. Or I try to. I've never liked it. I was never allowed much sugar when I was younger, so I've always been in this mental state that sugar is bad. So the idea of even taking a sip of a regular coke, or a bite of a cookie, makes me sick to my stomach.. Therefor I never actually want to do that.

The only things that go over well 100% are fruits and vegetables, which sucks, because those don't have much protein. I have greek yogurt a lot, different cheeses.. skim milk (1% & 2% make me feel sick). Dairy is okay.. sometimes. But there are sometimes it doesn't sit well with me either. Meat-wise, shrimp usually goes over okay.. Deli meat can, like, sliced turkey or ham or chicken? Salami is okay usually. but more dense things don't anymore. It's hard for me to eat steak or a roast or something... Pork has never gone over well. At all. I can't go near pork anymore, haha.

So, I manage. It's just hard, because some days I can eat more than others, and some days certain foods sit well when the next day those same foods won't. So a lot of the time I end up feeling sick, because it's constantly changing.

One day I could eat a bowl of cereal for breakfast, greek yogurt and fruit for a snack, a couple oz of deli meat and carrots and ranch dressing for lunch, string cheese and some turkey pepperoni for a snack, and then have a small, or half of a burger (no bun, lean meat, homemade) with cheese and a small salad for dinner.. (total volume never reaching over 8-12oz for the most part)

Where the next day I'd feel absolutely terrible if I tried greek yogurt, or a bowl of cereal. Where I don't want to go near a burger, and the only thing I'm able to get down is a cup or two of vegetable soup and a few pieces of pineapple. One or two slices of deli-meat, if I'm lucky... That's all day.

It's confusing, and I don't know why it's like that. No one can seem to explain it. I asked my endocrinologist yesterday when I went for a follow-up, and she gave me a prescription for Prevacid to see if that may help.. So we'll see. But if it doesn't I'll probably end up with a referral to GI (actually, I think she ordered one anyway.... I'm not sure. I'll have to double check that.)

But regardless, I've been doing my best. Some days I don't get enough protein because of it. But I'm doing what I can. I really don't like eating though...

My hunger still hasn't returned since surgery. None. I have to remind myself to eat. I guess there could be worse situations to be in....

Medication wise, I'm on 75mcg Synthroid for my thyroid.. 1000mg Metformin 2x day for Insulin Resistance, and 50mg Aldactone 2x a day for hormones/blood pressure/diuretic purposes. and Ogestrel birth control for PCOS. I take a Multivitamin 2x a day, and Calcium citrate twice a day as well. I'm terrible with taking a separate vitamin D, but there is 800ui of Vitamin D in the calcium citrate i take, and my blood work seems to consistently come back just great vitamin-wise, so I'm not too worried about that...

Exercise wise, I'm doing good. (: In the post I made about motivation a couple weeks (months?) ago I mentioned a Tumblr I made for motivation, and I've found a lot of great exercise ideas on there. Different routines people have came up with, songs to exercise to, etc.. That are much more interesting to try than doing the same thing over and over again each day.

I really want to build up more muscle that I'm sure I lost. I used to be an athlete. I played a bunch of sports, danced, and had a lot of muscle.. My legs still do. but I'm not nearly as strong anywhere else, so I've been doing a lot with my resistance band. I only have 1 & 3lb weights right now. I want to get 5lb & 10lb weights. When I get some more money, we'll see. (:

I also made a playlist on YouTube of videos I found that have exercise routines.. The Livestrong YouTube channel has a ton!!

Overall, I think everything is going alright. I know it goes a lot worse for some people, so I'm okay with all of this. Nothing is easy. I'm used to this. It feels better knowing I'm working harder for the weight loss.. The chances are better that it will stay off because it's coming off slower, and I feel better about it... Because it has not been an easy fix like a lot of people say. I don't even like the word fix. Because it didn't fix anything. It's helped. But nothings fixed entirely. but I'm okay with that.

I just have to accept the fact that nothing comes easy, and I need to keep working harder and harder as time goes on, to get to where I want to get to.

I hope every one's having a great day, and I'll talk to you all soon!

Talk to me on Facebook or Twitter or Email me or something!!!! I'd love to talk to some more people. (:

Bye<3
-Ashley(:

Success Story Video!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MrMUr67pVY8



Back in September (2012) I was asked to take part in a Success Story type video for the Surgical Weightloss Program for Teens at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, where I had the VSG back in August 2011... So, of course I agreed.

I wasn't at my goal weight then, and I'm not now. So I had a hard time understanding why they wanted me as a success story. But, my reasoning behind it is that I AM a lot healthier now, than I was before.. I have lost 100lbs (including what I lost pre-op) and I did everything they said/asked. So in that sense, the fact that it has benefited me and continues to benefit me every day, would be considered success.. Right?

So yeah, that's that. Watch it if you want. (: Let me know what you think.

Have a great day!

-Ashley<3

(Also, here is the hospitals FAQ & the programs promo video that were uploaded that I'm in briefly, as well!!)

FAQ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naTFOlSnbRE (This video is just basically the bariatric team at the hospital I go to answering frequently asked questions about surgery, the program for teenagers, etc...)

Promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUlWh0hRuuA (This video gives some more information on the program, and how surgery has helped me & a couple other people with our lives. I got really excited when I first saw it because they included my tattoo in it... Haha (: )

How much can I really eat?

Okay, so I'm attempting to post this from my iPhone. If I can do this, it will make my posts MUCH more frequent.. Haha. Anyways...

How much can I really eat? Doctors will tell you the estimate of how much you should be able to eat, and it's different with different surgeries. I had the VSG. I'm supposed to eat about a cup to a cup and a half (volume-wise) of food. Which is roughly right. But the density of the food matters. Salad? Yeah that's about right. Pure protein? Meat, cheese, etc... No. Not even close. -- my family does eat out quite frequently. Or carry out or whatever. We went out to eat the other day and I decided to use that opportunity to blog about a real life situation (with pictures). :p

(and right as I attempted to insert a picture on my phone, it crashed.. saying i need to install a new app to be able to do that. I may try it later.. So I know I can write drafts.. just no pictures. alright. :P)

Anyways.. Basically we went out to eat and I got what I usually get at that restaurant. A club-melt sandwich (which consists of turkey, bacon, tomato, and I think it's white cheddar cheese, on toast. and a side salad.. Salad is pointless for me to eat. It's nutrients it limited. It's basically just water, fills me up too much, whatever. But the sandwich comes with a side, and I really like salad. So I get it and just have a few bites of it and give the rest to my brothers who like it. So, this is how much of my meal I could eat:

(I used my hand to show you roughly how big the salad was)

Volume-wise.. it was maybe 1 1/4 cup of food that I ate. I picked off all the crust and a few little parts of the half to make it look like I ate a little more than I actually did to shut the waiter up (because yes, most times I go out they question if the food wasn't good or if I'd like something else or what not.. Haha) and I brought the other half home. 

I looked up the nutrition facts for this meal that I usually get because my family goes to this specific restaurant  pretty often... Turns out The sandwich alone has 56 grams of protein.. Half of that.. (minus some bread) is like 28 grams of protein. almost freaking 30 grams of protein. Half of what I'm supposed to get in a day. That isn't bad. At all. That's actually kind of amazing. The fat content isn't high, and calories/carbs are average.. And salad is basically nothing because I can only eat 3-4 bites of it, so.. yeah.

Some people seem to think after surgery you can't eat the same foods you used to.. I guess that depends on what you ate before surgery... If you're used to living off of fast food, eating entire bags of chips, little-no vegetables/fruits, fried things, etc... Then yeah. Probably not. You're physically capable of it, but doesn't that kind of ruin the point of having surgery? But if you have a relatively healthy diet? There is no reason you can't eat a normal meal at a restaurant. Obviously, less of it... But this is something I got pre-surgery too.. Except I ate it all. 

So yeah. That's about how much I can eat. I could eat a little more volume if I had more salad and less sandwich, but then I wouldn't get as much protein. (Which is something I've had issues getting enough in of, in the past.) It just depends on the density of what you're eating.

Alright! Hope you all have a good day and I'll update again soon. (: Bye.

-ashley

Exersize Regimen as of 6-26-2012 (10month post-op)

Exercise is a huge part before/after surgery. I suggest you get into a decent exercise regimen before surgery, even if it's just walking. I've always been a really active person... I played lots of sports, did dance, swimming, etc.. And I have no doubt that is partially why recovery from surgery was so easy for me. In the months leading up to surgery, mostly I just walked and swam. I did a little big of strength training, but not much. I never really enjoyed exercising. Swimming I loved, and still love, because you don't really feel like you're exercising. Growing up I was forced to do Richard Simmons exercise tapes.. At 7 years old. I resented my mother so much for it. And jogging and all that.. Aside from how active i was in dance/sports. Because That was stop/start a lot of the time. & I had to do an hour solid aerobics 5-6 days a week.. Which I know helped me. And I thank her for that. But still. It wasn't fun. -- But. again, I think it's what's made it easier for me now.

Now I actually enjoy exercise. Because I've seen results for the first time in my life, because of the surgery.. I have more hope in other things working.

So now about 10 months out from surgery, I have no restrictions, this is what I do:

2 days a week I go to the pool. I do swimming for half an hour to an hour, depending on how crowded it is. It's usually a mix of laps, and leisurely swimming. It's far too crowded to do laps for the entire time period. Haha.

3-4 days a week (not on the days I go swimming) I'll stretch, and then do a cardio workout... for 20-30 minutes. Recently I actually looked up cardio exercise routines on YouTube. I don't own any DVDs anymore. And I found this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAuwO0vxwck&list=FLRXPpD3SipXQ1tt6A9pEkyw&index=9&feature=plpp_video which is what I've been doing lately. It's way too hot/humid to go outside to jog. I reserve that for spring/fall when it's weather permitting. Haha. But yeah. After I do the 20-30 minutes of cardio, I'll add in some palates.. Just simple things that I got out of magazines, that I do with a resistance band.. Along 2 reps of 10 push ups, squats, and sit ups. and 2 reps of 20 bicep curls, with 3lb weights..

During the Cardio, for half the time I also hold the 3lb weights. I'm really determined to get my arms back... Haha.

On the 1-2 days I don't do cardio/aerobics I just do the strength training. I use the resistance band in almost every way possible. Google exercises you can do with it. It really helps tone muscle. then I use the 3lb weights a few different ways.

Of course, occasionally I miss a day or two when I'm sick, or go to concerts.. (I have a few days coming up this summer where I know I'll miss it due to festivals, all-day concerts, etc...which will involve a lot of walking.. all day.. so I'll still be getting exercise) But other than that, I'm pretty obsessive about it.

So yeah. That's what I do. In August, I'm actually supposed to meet with a personal trainer for free through my program.. To learn more things I can do at home, etc.. So that will be good. (:

Sorry I haven't been updating as much lately. It's summer. My schedule is extremely off. and I don't have proper motivation for very much, other than trying to enjoy it. The past few summers have been miserable for me. So I'm trying to make the most of this one. (:

Feel free to contact me if you ever have any questions, or just want to talk! I'd love to know if anyone actually reads this blog and/or gets anything out of it. I'd like to meet other people that are in similar situations that I'm in. I've met some of my best real-life friends, online. I love the Internet...

Have a great day!

-Ashley.

PS: on a side note, my moms iPhone crashed. I had to back all of her pictures up to my computer, so I found lots of pictures, obviously... Personally, I can't see any weight loss. I'm having serious medication issues, and I haven't lost any weight in months. I actually gained 3 pounds. But I'm trying to stay optimistic. but when I look at these pictures I can see a difference for the first time.. So I'm happy. (:

Mid-December 2011, we went out to eat for my moms birthday... I was probably around 225lbs then..?

This was like 2 weeks ago at my brothers baseball game.. (I have 3 brothers.. this is the youngest and only healthy one, Nolan. Shh Don't tell the others, but he's my favorite. [;. ) All the weight I've lost, I've lost in my legs and chest.. I've gone down from a 26 to a 17/18 in pants, and from a 46DDD to a 42C in bras.. But I still have a ton of weight in my stomach, face, and upper arms I need to lose.. But i can see it in this picture for some reason.. Maybe it's because that shirt fits me, it's a little snug, but it was the only size they had, and it's a medium? or because I was actually able to buy those shorts in the juniors section at walmart..? or because bracelets fit my wrists now..? and all of those components are in this picture? I don't know why. But I can see it now for the first time. So I'm a very happy person. (:

Clothing Sizes!!!

These are how my clothing sizes have changed periodically From my highest weight, on down...

Highest Weight: 285lbs. (Most of 2010)
Shirt Size: 3x
Pants Size: 26
Bra Size: 46DDD
Bracelets and rings don't fit.
Picture:

~~~

Surgery Day Weight: 250lbs.

Shirt Size: 1x-2x

Pants Size: 22-24

Bra Size: 46DD

Picture:

~~~

3 Monts Post-op (November 2011): 230lbs

Shirt Size: 1x-2x

Pants Size: 19/20

Bra Size: 44D

Bracelets starting to fit..

Picture:

~~~

7 months out from surgery (March 2012): 210lbs

Shirt Size: 1x

Pants Size 18/19

Bra Size: 42D

Picture:

~~~

10 Months out from Surgery (June 2012): 197lbs

Shirt size: Large/1x depending on the brand.

Pants size: 15/17

Bra Size: 40/42 C

And now bracelets and rings fit. (: yay.

Picture:

(Sorry I had to blur the kids face out. I don't know if his mom would want him on the internet or not.)

~~~

Currently as of 6/10/12 I'm 195lbs. Same sizes as listed above.

~~~

That's me. (: I'll keep updating this periodically as months pass to show progress. So keep checking back.

Have a great day!

-Ashley.

10 month post-vsg update.

Prepare yourself: Long update.

Ahh It's finally summer time! Sorry I haven't been updating as much. I've been busy at the pool. (;

Anyways. It's almost 9pm. I'm bored. Figured I'd come on here and update.. and start a few posts that I can put up in the future.. so if I ever don't have any ideas, i can put one of those up and i won't feel guilty for not posting anything. (:

Currently I'm 197lbs. I broke the 200lb mark. So I'm happy. I've been at 197lbs though now, for a month.. I emailed my dietitian today asking what she thinks... And she thinks I'm not eating enough actually.. So I'm waiting on an email back from her to see what she thinks I should change.

I'm having issues with Metformin... It's really started bugging my stomach.. Something it never used to do. I've been on it since i was like 8 years old.. So it's surprising. I'm afraid to be off of it, or on a lower dose.. Because i tend to not lose weight when I don't take it... But The nausea/stomach pain isn't the only issue.

I've sort of become hypoglycemic (To have low blood sugars).. I haven't had a doctor confirm it for me.. But there are a lot of times that it gets really low.. A few times it's gotten into the 40's, which is really scary.. I mean I know how to get it up.. It just takes awhile.. and I mean, I can't eat a ton.. So it's hard to manage it right.. If i get down to 40 something.. I know i need to eat something sugary or simple carbs.. along with protein/complex carb to get it back up... and keep it up. I don't enjoy math. I've never liked it or been good at it. It's a pain in the ass. & That is pretty much what it is.. trying to squeeze all of that into 4-8oz depending on what it is, is kind of hard.. Especially when you're shaking so much from it being low, you can't hold a glass of lemonade without it dropping and/or spilling..

So yes, that's very frustrating.. But I'm working on it. It's getting easier to manage.

I also need to figure out what's going on with my PCOS... The pill (birth control) pill I'm on is constantly changing.. and the one I'm on now isn't strong enough. I break through. So.. That's something else I need to bring up with my doctor. But I've been regular.. Which I never have been in my entire life. I hardly ever had it before.. So.. bittersweet thing. :P

I will admit I have had drinking issues.. Not alcohol.. :P I mean.. getting the minimum of 64oz of sugar free fluids in each day. I just don't remember! I'll go and take a few big gulps. then I'll feel full and bloated. set it down. and then forget to go back to it... I'm never as thirsty as i was pre-op.. so it's an adjustment. I've lost my thirst, along with my hunger.. Ha! Fantastic. anyways..

Food porn announcement!:

I'm a Mexican food junkie. I love spicy things. My dad and I went to this Mexican sports bar (Else's) the other day and I got this... This was the half. They had a whole option. Both were huge. I could only eat one slice.. but this chicken quesadilla was fucking amazing.. and stuffed with grilled chicken and cheese... really high in protein.  and just flat out amazing. Pretty cheap too.. I will definitely be going back there.

Okay. food porn over. Back to the update.

Uhm... Exercise! Yeah. Let's start that.. I'm working out close to an hour a day... Going on walks/jogs.. and toning. I do palates and light weight lifting (3lb weights)..  I do this 4-5 days a week.. and the other days I go swimming (and sometimes on the same day).. The pool i belong to is sort of like a mini water park.. there are water slides and a vortex pool and stuff.. lots of hills in the grassy area, steps, slopes, etc... Just walking in and out of the place is a work out in itself. And I love swimming. It works all your muscles. You don't really sweat.. or you don't feel it anyway, because of the water.. it's easy on bones/joints.. It's fantastic. and you don't really know you're working out when you do it. which is fantastic.

Surgical scars:

I know the lighting sucks.. sorry about that. But.. You can hardly see them. My stretchmarks I have are fading, and the surgical scars are fading with them. (Sorry there is one you can't see. it's in a really awkward spot. But it's the smallest out of all of them... and is the most faded. you literally wouldn't be able to see it at all.)

Lets see.. what else... Oh. NSV. (non-scale related victory).. there are actually  few, which I'll put here.

Had a bonfire the other night.. 2 neighborhood kids were moving to Michigan (I live in Ohio).. So.. All the neighborhood kids were over. The 2 that were moving, plus 3 other kids.. plus my 3 little brothers.. and the drummer in my brothers band (the kid in the Nike shirt.. the other 3 kids in the picture are my little brothers.) They roasted marshmallows and made s'mores. (Yes.. I had one. Sue me. I regretted it twenty minutes later. I learned my lesson.) Quinn (brother on the far left) and tommy (drummer.. kid in the nike shirt. all the other kids in the picture are my brothers. (: ) and I  all took turns with a guitar.. playing, messing around.. Kept the fire going for over 8 hours. (from a little before 7 till a little after 3 in the morning..) we were just fucking around.. having a good time.. The victory in all of this? I was actually in pictures... Usually I'm the one hiding behind the camera... But I actually wanted to be in pictures this time. Most the pictures I have of myself.. I trust myself to take, at the right angle, so I don't look bad, etc.. I'm really into photography so I know how to edit too, and all that.. Well.. not this time. I handed my $300 camera (carefully.. and hesitantly) to my little brothers to take turns.. and i ended up in some pictures.. that I didn't feel the need to edit.. Which is happening more and more lately.. Which is amazing. <3

Second NSV?

For over a year I didn't sleep in my room.. stuff accumulated... you literally couldn't walk 2 steps into the room without tripping on something... I had no bed. My friend broke it. I had a couch in there to use as a bed, but I couldn't fit on it.. I was so claustrophobic and my blood pressure was always so high.. I was so overweight.. i just felt tight and confined in the room.. so i slept on the couch out in the living room.. well... I finally got the motivation to clean my room last week... and actually sleep in there... and I'm not claustrophobic anymore. Oh. and I'm actually getting a real bed this weekend too. (; Life is good..

Last nsv.. for now..:

I played soccer for almost 10 years.. I quit when I was 13. I was closing in on 200lbs.. It was physically becoming too difficult for me to play and keep up with the other girls.. I was on 3 teams one year! A competitive select team, my school/church team, and a rec team... I loved soccer... I always have. It's honestly a part of me.. I still watch games. and play outside with my little brothers.. I'm looking into refereeing now. Well.. That bonfire I mentioned above? I was FREEZING. (another nsv.. no mater how cold it was outside.. i was hot. i never wore coats. now i get freezing so easy it's not even funny.. and i love it.) i went inside but all my sweatshirts i couldn't find because i had just cleaned my room! so they were all int he wash, with all the other shit i found. WELL. i found this hoodie on the top shelf in my closet... It was my old select soccer team hoodie.. has my last name on it and everything.. It used to be skin tight. So even when i was at soccer practices and stuff i wouldn't wear it... Guess what? it fits now. it's big. it's comfy. and i love it..... <3 I seriously almost started crying.. I miss soccer so much... I'm starting training now.. to hopefully try out again next season.. I miss it. and That is a huge goal for me.. to get back into it. it was my lifeline. It was how I took out my anger. Something I'll actually admit I'm good at. And i miss it. I will make that team again, some how.. some way.. <3

Alright.... Enough NSV's for now... anything else i can think of..

OH. okay. last thing. for now. Lose skin is getting really fucking annoying. I can't wait to have it all cut off.. The nurse prac. at the hospital doesn't seem to think I'll need much.. if any at all.. because i started at a lower weight than most their patients.. But... I know I will.. I keep getting cysts where the lose skin is. and it's annoying. and painful. I'll do a separate post in a bit about what I'm looking into.. PS wise.. But yeah... my legs are amazing. Years and years of dance and soccer and swimming and tennis... I've built up a lot of muscle.. and I've always tried to keep it. i like my legs. but when i sit down... it's just disturbing. my friend took this picture of me when i wasn't looking the other day:

You can see my thighs just.. flatten out. spread out. and over lap each other. It hurts to walk sometimes because the skin rubs together and what not.. I get rashes. It's a pain in the ass. Those bug me even more than my stomach... So yeah.

Over all.. yes I'm having some issues.. with the loose skin, low blood sugar, and some meds.. But. I"m happy! It's summer! I go to the pool a few times a week. I'm actually ENJOYING exercising.. something I never thought I'd say. yes. I'm eating too little right now.. But... even though its bad.. and this is probably a bad way of thinking... I almost see that as an accomplishment.. Simply because... It isn't the other way around. I'm not eating too much for once in my life..

Life is fucking fantastic. I can't wait to get to my goal weight.. I"m 57lbs away. And then get all this skin chopped off. and to be able to get this tattoo on my ribcage I've wanted forever... to keep training and get back into soccer..

I'm feeling extremely optimistic. And I'm happy. Loving life right now... VSG = best decision ever.

I love you Chewbacca. <3

-Ashley.

Fluids!!

Before surgery, on the pre-op diet I was required to get 80-90oz of sugar free fluids a day. At the hospital, i was allowed to leave once I could finish 32oz I believe. Anyways.. then my goal was set at 64+oz of fluids. Lately I've tried bumping it up to 70 or 80 oz to see if it would help speed up weight loss. (When I figure out if it's helping, I'll let you know.. Haha)

But it's really hard to get that in.. Especially right after surgery.. I should have gone to the hospital a couple times in the first few months, because I know I was dehydrated.. So did everyone around me. We just never got around to going.. Some days were better than others. But that was the main issue I had post-op. Drinking enough. And it's still something I have to remind myself, and force myself to do.

I can't drink tap water. I don't know why, just the tap water in my city isn't very good. And it makes me sick, drinking it. I prefer ice cold water/drinks too. and our 'cold' setting on water isn't very cold.. Haha. So if you can, that's fantastic. If not (or in addition to..), here are some ideas of things that I drink, or things you could try, to help make sure you get enough fluids. (The ones with three star things [asterises? sp?] before them, are the ones you should clear with your surgeon/doctor or wait till your at least a few months out to try.)

• Bottled water (I'm hoping that was obvious to most people...)
• Crystal Light or Mio or any flavor enhancers that you add into water that are SF.
• Fruit 2 0 (Or any brand of flavored water.. Aquaphina and Nestle have some, too.)
• Propel Zero (Also has vitamins in.. Which are great.)
• Broth (Right out from surgery broth from chicken noodle soup and vegetable soup was a staple for me. A little high in sodium, but I was super tired of the sweet protein shakes and fruity waters, etc..)
• ***G2 (It does have like 5 grams of sugar per serving.. But it's super low in calories and a good treat every now and then..)
• ***SF Lemonade (one of my favorites. but some of the acid can affect people differently.)
• SF Popsicles or Jello (Yes, both count towards liquids.)
• ***Diet Soda (Not super soon out from surgery.. but after 4 or 5 months i had a little bit.. diluted with ice water. It worked out to be 1 1/2 part water, 2 parts Diet Soda (Diet Pepsi, usually.) Or just wait for some of the carbonation to go away after a bit... Caffeine free is best.
• BariWise Fruit Drinks or Cappucinos (Protein drinks that you mix with water.. Sugar free or very low in sugar. They can count towards your fluids, too!)
• Some Teas (Green Tea, Mint Tea, etc... its warm. I'm not a huge fan of it, but a lot of people are. You could definatley try it. Just make sure its unsweetened, or you add splenda or something else sugar free.)

Alright.. So that's my list, as of now. I may add more to it later. Different surgeons and programs have different plans requirements, so be sure to follow yours.

Have a great day!!! (:

-Ashley.

Post-Op Haircare.

I don't know about everyone, but personally for me I always hid behind my hair.. (and piercings.. haha) When my hormogne levels got jacked up I started losing hair, then medications made me lose even more hair, then after surgery I lost even more hair when I wasn't getting enough protein.. Then every time medicines get changed, I lose hair. It's vicious. My hair stylist thought i was like purpously thinning my hair out.. Because it's like only half as thick as it used to be. But then I explained all the medicine changes.. and that explains it.

Also, with hypothyroidism hair can become really dry and brittle.. Then with other hormognes being messed up it can get really oily. along with your skin being oily, etc... I have a really weird mix of both. And I hate it. I control it the best I can.. But it's still frustrating.

I've done lots of different things over the years.. and I use different products at different times.. But i just found a really good combination of very cheap things that help keep my hair as healthy as it can be... So I don't lose more.

Causes for hair loss: Messed up hormogne levels, not enough protein, not enough vitamins.

So basically: Get your medications figured out, eat enough protein, and get enough vitamins.

But on top of all of that, this is what I'm doing:

**Suave 2 in 1 Ph Balancing shampoo/conditioner.

**Herbal Essences Anti-Breakage Conditioner.

**Aussie Shine Spray/Heat Protectant

**Garnier Fructis Curl-Sculpting Cream Gel

Yes. I use the shampoo/conditioner combo and then a regular conditioner on top of it.. Rinse it all out. Use a wide-tooth comb through your hair, instaed of a brush or fine tuth.. To prevent breakage. Be gentle!!

Then run some heat protectant/shinespray or leave in conditioner or any smoothing product through the hair... and either air dry, or blowdry (If you blow dry, don't do it every day if you can help it. Less damage is better.) Style however you normally do, and because I have so much re-growth.. I have to find a way to matt it down or it looks like an afro along with my long hair..

So I use the curl sculpting gel (even though I usually straighten my hair) and smooth down the top layers everywhere. it smooths it all down and keeps the flyaways and regrowth down for the most part.

and that's that. (:

It's a lot harder with long hair, like mine.. But totally worth it. I contemplated chopping all my hair off because it's so jacked up if i dont spend time on it.. But I look terrible with short hair, and I'm trying to grow it out down to like my hips... I want to do Pantene Beautiful Lengths (Similar to Locks of Love.. but for cancer patients.. Locks of love rarely donates their wigs to cancer patients.) So I'm trying to keep my hair as healthy as possible.

This is my hair now by the way..:

I didn't do much to it today. I let it air dry, then just straightened the very front portion that is more frizzy than everything else.. along with everything else I mentioned above. Most days I'll either curl it or straighten all of it. But I was lazy today. Haha.





Kay, well I'm going to go now. Have a great day!!

~Ashley (:

Measurments (pre-op to post-op comparison)

^^^^Pre-op.

^^^^^ Post-op.

Just thought i'd share. (: have a great day.<3

-ashley

www.twitter.com/ashleyohara_ (don't forget the underscore.. for some stupid reason it wont add it to the link.)

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