Perspective....and no more whining from me

[star0210]

ok, so I've been kinda whiny...mostly to myself in my own head but a little bit here, there, and everywhere.
I felt like my loss since my conversion was super slow and it was frustrating me. I felt like I wasn't maximizing my window of opportunity because I didn't know what to change or how to convince my body to let go of the lbs.
And while the loss IS slow comparatively, I DID expect this given I was a lightweight going in and being a revision but this seems super extra slow. I've only lost 8lbs since the first of March.

However; when I look at the percentage of EWL, I'm doing great!
At 5 months out, using a goal weight of 125 (which is probably a bit unrealistic) I'm at exactly 50% EWL. If I use 135 as a goal weight (which hopefully is more realistic and attainable) I'm at 58.75% EWL.

That's the perspective I needed and the encouragement to keep trying to figure it out. One change I made was cutting out the non dairy powdered creamer in my coffee...I wouldn't say those carbs were hidden because I knew they were there, I just didn't realize how much of it I was actually using in a day. That added up big time!
Can I get a big ole DUH?

 

[robs477]

You are doing just fine young lady. I knew it was going to be real slow for you because of it being a revision, and, more relevantly, because you didn’t have near as much fat stores to lose. I am FULLY expecting that when I get to my last 20-30% or so, it will also go super slow, which in a way is good, because I DON'T want to be one of the cases where I keep losing and can’t stop, loose too much weight and get malnourished etc. Plus, don’t forget, we have those similar super absorb guts that hold on to everything. I am just so grateful right now because for the first time in 35 yrs, I am actually eating like a real human, i.e., I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have literally had to learn how to eat again and plan my meals etc which has been a huge learning curve, (and a LOT of work). Yes the portions are small, BUT, I get the pleasure of eating and being like a normie (in that regard) and...lose weight while doing it!! What a deal!!!!!
You’re doing great!, jus keep on keepin on

 

[southernlady]

Slower by whose calculations? Someone who has about 100 lbs to lose can NOT compare themselves to someone who has 200-300 extra lbs.

While lightweights LOOK like they lose slower, we really don't. Not if you go by percentages. http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/its-not-pounds-its-percentages.1844/ And excess is figured based on being a normal BMI of 24.999%. For me, at 5'4", my normal was 145.

As long as I stay below 145, I will maintain a 100% excess weight loss. And go reread this as well: http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/my-weight-loss-by-month-as-a-lw.1104/ AFTER my third month, I NEVER lost more than 5 lbs in a single month, I had TWO months where I gained instead of losing and I still lost 100% PLUS of my excess.

 

[star0210]

135 would put me at 24.7 BMI.
That would be perfect. I'd probably actually be happy at 145 but I'm thinking of my back here...the less weight the less pressure on my back. Trying to avoid fusion surgery for as long as I can!
Thanks for the links @southernlady.
I've seen the first one before but not the 2nd. Going read it now!

 

[southernlady]

but I'm thinking of my back here...the less weight the less pressure on my back. Trying to avoid fusion surgery for as long as I can!

I knew in 2009, that future back surgeries were in my future. Getting the extra weight off did DELAY it but did not stop me from needing it ultimately. But instead of my second back surgery being in 2011, it was delayed by weight loss to Oct 2013. Unfortunately I think more of my back or hips are going out so I may need another sooner than later. The pain I can handle, the feeling going is NOT something I can delay. But it's not as bad as it had gotten before my first back surgery in 2006.

 

[star0210]

I had back surgery in 2011 to repair ruptured disc and remove the shards (that's the word used in MRI report) that were lodged in my spinal canal.
Things were pretty good for a while.
I've been surviving by doing radiofrequency ablations of the facet joints (just had another one last Friday) and SI joint injections and ESI's to the offending discs. I refuse to take any medications for it other than the occasional muscle relaxer when the spasms get crazy and the occasional anti inflammatory.
Doc said Friday that I have lots of arthritis and the facet joints are bone on bone.

Blah, I hate my back. Lol

 

[JackieOnLine]

you know what? first of all, Liz gave you the math - but even if you weren't doing that well (which you are, the math says so!) it's still 8 pounds less and every bit counts.

I feel so sorry for anyone with that kind of pain, damn.

 

[southernlady]

I had back surgery in 2011 to repair ruptured disc and remove the shards (that's the word used in MRI report) that were lodged in my spinal canal.
Things were pretty good for a while.
I've been surviving by doing radiofrequency ablations of the facet joints (just had another one last Friday) and SI joint injections and ESI's to the offending discs. I refuse to take any medications for it other than the occasional muscle relaxer when the spasms get crazy and the occasional anti inflammatory.
Doc said Friday that I have lots of arthritis and the facet joints are bone on bone.

Blah, I hate my back. Lol

I HATE mine too.

Current diagnoses:
Mild Scoliosis
Arthritis of Spine
Spinal Stenosis
2 herniated disks fixed in 2006. Added one more in 2013.
Laminectomy with spinal fusion of L4/L5/S1 and 6 screws for support March 2006
Spinal fusion L3 with 2 screws to connect with the previous surgery Oct. 2013

 

[star0210]

How has the fusion been? I'm terrified of it. Had the surgery scheduled last summer and cancelled it.
Have you lost much in the way of range of motion?

 

[southernlady]

The first one in 2006 was the worst surgery I had ever had, even beyond the DS. I spent a week in the hospital and three weeks in rehab. And 12 weeks in a hard plastic back brace. I was 8 weeks out before I was allowed out of it for longer than a shower or my pool therapy. Compared to it, the DS was easy! And yes, I lost some range of motion. But I regained the ability to walk...I was in a wheelchair/scooter by then when outside the house. My legs would collapse out from under me with no notice.

Second one was a piece of cake compared to the first one. Spent one night in the hospital and then home. Had to use a walker and I had a soft back brace to use if I needed it but wasn't in it 24/7 like the first time.

The thing about a spinal fusion is the failure rate of the discs above the fusion exceeds 25%. If you can avoid it, do so. I had tried everything else when I had mine. And my surgeon only gave me a 70% chance of regaining the feeling in my legs all the time. I took the odds and it worked.

As far as my range of motion, stretching is the hardest. You know how people tend to raise their arms while bending backward? Well, the bending backward doesn't happen well at all. And I have to log roll out of bed.