Three Months Post-Op Check-In
Oh, hi! Here’s the check-in for three months post-op after having Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG or a sleeve). I still feel really good! My energy level is good, I’m able to get in all my hydration and supplements, and I’m hitting my protein goals. My weight loss is slowing down a little, but I didn’t exercise much in March, so I suspect that is part of the slow down.
Here are things that I’ve noticed or new things I’m doing this month:
- I’ve added fruit and veggies back to my diet to help with the constipation;
- I’ve started losing my hair (although this is normal and I know it will stop in a few months, it’s not my favorite);
- I’ve begun feeling what I’ll call “hunger.” It’s not what I felt when I was hungry before the surgery, but I can identify that it’s when my stomach is empty. It’s an odd sensation that I can’t really describe, so I won’t try;
- My skin looks really good (this has been true since the second I had the surgery, but I forgot to mention it earlier); and
- I’m really jiggly. Â It might sound funny, but when you’re fat, you’re often really solid feeling, so when the fat goes away, you can feel how little muscle tone you have. I need to get swole, y’all (is that right? Is that how you use “swole”?)
I know everyone wants stats, so here they are:
- Before VSG, I was 300 pounds and my measurements totaled 361.75 inches.
- My 1-month post-op numbers were: 266 pounds and 330 inches.
- My 2-month post-op numbers are: 250 pounds and  316.5 inches.
- My 3-month post-op numbers are: 237 pounds and 289 inches.
- So, I’m down 63 pounds and 72.75 inches!
This is what a typical day looks like for me:
- 2 Premier Protein drinks,
- 3 small meals,
- 64 oz. of liquid (this includes the two protein drinks),
- B-12, calcium, multivitamin, biotin, a prescription antacid (I’ll only take this for another month as my surgeon likes to have patients take it during the first few months of healing), and a stool softener
- 60-80 grams of protein
Some non-scale victories this month include getting to buy a pair of size 18 pants (I was in a 26 at Christmas), wearing an XL t-shirt instead of a 3XL, sitting with my legs crossed, and having room left over on the seat of a conference room chair. I have a check-up with my surgeon and I’m getting blood work done at the end of the month, so I’m excited to see how things inside my body have changed.
My goal for April is to increase my exercise. I can’t believe how soft I’ve gotten over the years.
Let me know if you have any questions! I won’t give you medical advice, but I can share my experience.
Here is this month’s comparison picture:
Two-month check-in if you want to see how last month went!
Wow! Get it, girl. You look fantastic.
Thanks friend! And thanks for reading 😉
So excited for you! Really, though, my take away from this post is the word swole. Thanks for keeping me current ;).
I appreciate that you got the main point.
I am so proud of you Sherry and I am enjoying reading about your progress. You are so awesome for being so open and sharing.
Thank you Elizabeth! I read so many posts and watched so many videos before I had the surgery that I thought it might be worthwhile to share my stuff.
Thank you. I keep dancing around the edge of this considering it. There comes a point after so many years that you realize that just trying to “eat better, exercise more” is not going to do anything without some serious help.
How did you decide on the sleeve?
Lucretia,
Thanks for reading! I researched and thought about and changed my mind about getting bariatric surgery for about seven years. When I was pregnant with my second child, I had gestational diabetes and my endocrinologist suggested that the surgery would be a good option for me. She saw how my body responded to hormonal changes, diet and how that impacted my weight (I have always lost weight during my pregnancies because of my healthier diet and the different hormone level). I ate better and exercised over and over for more than 20 years. The most I ever lost was 30 pounds in a year. And of course I gained it back and more. I chose the sleeve over gastric bypass for a few reasons. The biggest reason is that with the sleeve, there is chance for revision later if it’s necessary. In other words, I could have a gastric bypass if I needed it down the road. Also, I liked the less extreme option of not rerouting my intestines. A less important reason was that I have an almost phobia about throwing up and the thought of dumping syndrome with gastric bypass wasn’t something I wanted to entertain. The other option is the lap band. My surgeon doesn’t perform those, and she gave me many sound medical reasons for her choice. I will tell you that every surgeon is very different, so they all give different recommendations, so you might find one who will do the lap band if that’s something you’re interested in. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Thank you!! I look at it every so often. But I’m in the same boat. I manage to lose 20-30 lbs, then get it back. I need to be out of the cycle. I want to be comfortable in my skin again.
Thanks for the nudge.
Thank you for being so open and sharing your journey. I will have to thank Diane again for letting me know about your blog. I go in for my surgery on Monday and can only hope that I do as well as you have been doing. Looking forward to watching your journey continue.
Lisa,
Thanks for reading! You’ve made a huge decesion and I’m sure you’ll do great. I’m happy to talk if you have any more questions and good luck Monday!