Rhie's Journey to a Healthier Self. - Australia, AU

Hi. My name is Rhie. Im 26 and I suffer from Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome. I was always quite petite as a child, but it seemed that as I hit puberty, I also begun to gain weight, I also developed tiny patches of hair in areas that only men got hair but it was just 5 or 6 odd hairs so I guessed it was nothing to worry about. The older I grew the more the hair spread, I was diagnosed at 18 with PCOS. My whole chest has fine black hair that has weak follicles that can barely hold the hairs in place, so waxing is completely pain free there, my chin on the other hand is not so fine its quite coarse and is very painful to wax and although it bleeds sometimes from being so coarse, I cant bare the thought of shaving my chin. I never have yet the hairs still became coarse and wirey. They prick into me like pins if I leave them a day or 2 too many. They make me feel like less of a lady. I become depressed when I look in the mirror and see my hairy chin and chest. I am 108 Kgs and have a bmi of 40.5 but with pcos it is often more difficult to lose weight. I dont ovulate and I menstruate maybe once every 9 to 12 months and lasts up to 3 weeks, so at the moment my dream of being a mum is exactly that... a dream. I get severe acne on my buttocks and inner thighs... so although its not visible publicly it makes me too self conscious to make love to my partner with any kind of lights on. My doctors have told me that I can reverse the hair growth and even begin a normal menstral cycle(which means I will be able to concieve) if I am able to lose the weight. So for 8 years I have been trying to lose the weight to no success. After 4 years of trying my g.p put me on a public waiting list for patients with low incomes and no private cover and medically caused obesity issues. The list was long but after another 4 years I finally recieved a letter to come in for my first appointment on the 13th of march 2014. I saw the Bariatrics G.P and she said with my medical history im am a good candidate for the sleeve. I saw the surgeon on the 16th or april. He went through how it all worked and what I needed to do prior to surgery, 2 weeks "optifast" diet and clear liquids only for the 2 days leading up to surgery. Also dietician appts and psychologist appts prior aswell. He said that with the list he had that I was looking around november for surgery and to expect a call about 6 weeks prior so I can arrange dietician and psych appts. Well I got the call a few days later and my surgery is booked for the 29th of july 2014. I originally just came here looking for advice from others expirience but I was asked if id like to share my expirience with you all... I thought why not. Oh also because I was on our public system all I had to pay for was the initial appointments so I will be set back about $500 total by the time ive had surgery. I still need to see the dietician and anaethitist and also the psych on the 10th of july but thats all I have left to do besides the liquid diet. Really want this to work for me. I have tried so hard and I want to be a real girl so badly. Thats all ive ever wanted.

So just thought I would update everybody on my journey. I have been on the optifast now for 3 days today. I'm not finding it that bad, I guess it helps being able to use herbs and spices so my meals still have flavour. The optifast chicken soup is terrible.... I could only get half of that down. When I come to my next soup I will be adding some of my veggie allowance to it with some garlic and herbs just make it tolerable. Other than that not feeling too hungry over all. I actually feel like I'm eating more during the day but waaaaayyyy less of an evening. My body is already feeling the difference healthy food is making... I have more energy and drive to get things done. I really cant wait for my surgery but it is coming up so quickly now only 11 days to go. Yikes.... thought id be getting nervous by now but still excited.... wonder when the freaking out part is gonna kick in. When I found out the date for my surgery I did get a little anxious about the fact I wont be able to eat all the foods I loved anymore and went a little nuts... I gained 6 kgs in 4 weeks... but I have managed to start my optifast diet at the same weight I started out at.... which was really hard, but I was determined not to let the docs know id put on weight. I was really worried if they saw id gained they would scrap my surgery. But I'm glad to say I'm on track and going great. I have made myself a food chart so I can write down what I'm consuming... I think its helping because I can see it all and I can feel proud that I'm succeeding. Will update again after surgery
Thanks guys Rhie. Xoxo

Hi guys its Rhie again. I am now 4 weeks post op. Since starting the optifast (I weighed in at 10.7 kg) I have lost a total of just over 15 kg now weighing in at 95 kg as of this mornings weighing. So over a 6 week period thats an average of 2.5kg each week. Im so happy I have done this. I have had no complications post op. I felt like I had really bad period pains for about the first week and then it was gone. I am a smoker and I found coughing to be a little painful but I just needed to hold a pillow against myself to be ok. I went on a liquid only diet for the first 4 days then progressed to mushies. It was supposed to be 2 weeks of each but I had no trouble or pain with the fast progression. I was on solids again by 2 weeks post op but I had no problems with keeping it down or pain there either. I just couldnt do the mushies it was physically making me sick and I had no option but to try something solid and see how it went... it went good. I had no pain. I had a lamb loin chop on the 3rd week. I didnt tolerate that very well but soft meat like mince and sausages were fine. Now 4 weeks in I can eat anything I like.. my tates have changed quite a bit though. Im not interested in chocolate or icecream so much anymore and I cant stand bread.. I dont tollerate it very well and just the tought makes my stomach feel bloated haha. Anyway thanks for reading. Good luck to you all on your future endeavours. Xoxo.