Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

Hi all. I am new here and just starting my journey. I have tried all sorts of diets, exercise.....I start off great and strong. I am strict, but always start gaining weight while on diet. So I have been thinking about getting the sleeve. I live near the Daytona Beach area in Florida. My doctor wanted me to go to Jacksonville, but drive is so long. So I did my research and found Dr Birkedal in Ormond Beach. My insurance does cover the surgery thank goodness. ! am required to have 4 visits, a psych eval and then surgery!! I start my low carb diet next week and have started walking. Hopefully I can lose a little before surgery. This is so exciting and scary too.

So, today marks my 10 day preop. I start my liquid diet today in preparation for my sleeve. I'm getting really nervous and excited all at the same time. I'm nervous because I have 2 young boys ages 6yrs and 8 months old. I'm getting excited because this is the start of my new life! I've suffered from hypothyroidism and PCOS for years. And I am 130 pounds overweight on my 5 ft 2 in frame. I can't believe my surgery is right around the corner…

So I got sleeved on 4/7/2015. Not sure if I've seen people talk about how truly painful this can be. The afternoon it was done and the next morning I was in a lot of pain and really didn't want to move. I must admit the nausea was terrible. On the afternoon of 4/8 things were looking much better for me. Although my main issue is skill having difficulty drinking. Even sipping it is hard. Is this normal? Also the top of my thighs are sore, has anyone experienced this??

So I'm 1yr and 1 month post op, and I've just found out I'm 6 weeks pregnant! I'm so excited but scared at the same time. I already have a 15&13yr old, so parenthood is not new to me. However I've been trying to have another baby for 10yrs now, and boom it happens after I've lost all this weight. My dr sent me to see a gynecologist to see was I infertile, and we talked, and she reveled to me I was pregnant. I'm telling you I was in total shock!!!! This is me last Friday when I found out.

Hello everyone. I have made the decision to have bariatric surgery. Diagnosed with type one diabetes and high blood pressure last year. Cholesterol diagnosis & meds last summer. I decided at that point to work harder. Exercise daily, eat much better and nutribullet. Well I have & been successful at not gaining more weight but not losing which us what I need to do to get healthy. I have never had a weight problem until I had my daughter in 2004 plus diagnosed with hypothyroidism at the sane time. I am a single mom of two wonderful children. They are 9 years apart but are my world. I am an only child with my mom. I have step brothers & sisters all live out of…

I am 8 weeks out and down 48lbs, lately I am having an issue getting all my fluids in because every time I drink, once it hits my stomach I am instantly queasy. Any idea why this is happening??

I went to my surgeon on April 1st., 2015. I have a May 11th surgery date. I'm not getting any support from family and friends. Everyone says that I'm taking the easy way out.

That is a famous line in Funny Girl, my favorite movie. I am new to this message board, in fact I'm new to message boards all together. I am on the road o my surgery and have all my lab work done. My endoscopy is scheduled for May 1. My surgeon wants me to lose 40 pounds and I am down 12 as of this past Saturday. I only weight self on Saturday mornings. I am ready for this surgery and have lots of support in my personal and professional life. What I do not have is anyone to talk to and ask questions about pre and post surgery that has been through this process. That is why I am here. I 48 years old and need to lose a lot of weight to be healthy. I have been doing well …

My name is Diane and I live in SW Florida. I am as of today 6 days post op and on my last day of Clear liquids before graduating to Thick liquids. Looking forward to it as I'm feeling really weak today. I have lost 19.4 pounds so far. I started out at 5'4" and 259,8 lb s. I can't believe I got so big!!!!! I was thin the majority of my life and not sure what changed but it was affecting my heart and joints so badly my primary physician saw this surgery as a possible fix on all the other things. I was on the fence about doing this (to late now, LOL) until the day before surgery. I have alot of support at home which is good. My surgery went well and I've had relat…

I am 64 years old and started my weight loss journey over 10 years ago, when my husband was still alive (he will dead 10 years this fall). I started with the pre-op testing, etc.. but as his health failed I couldn't take part in the demanding schedule so I gave it up. Two years after he died (2007) I started the process again, but this time at a local hospital with a local surgeon because I would have to do all the driving to all the appointments and I didn't want to drive into the city at the university hospital. MISTAKE NUMBER ONE. This surgeon and his partner were new to bariatric surgery. They were general surgeons who took over the practice of a retiring surge…

After agonizing over this decision for months and going through the process many of you know so well, I had my RNY surgery three weeks ago tomorrow, and I haven't felt this great in a long time. I know a lot of people post on these forums for help with their struggles pre-and post-surgery, and these are great resources for help and support. But I also wanted to share a success story, and to let people who might be browsing right after surgery know that it DOES get better. I left the hospital no longer needing to take my insulin for diabetes, and now the back pain I was suffering when I walked more than 10 feet is already gone, 28 pounds later. I have more energy than I'v…

So today I am 6months post-op VSG. (Was sleeved on 6th October 2014) So far since pre-op I have lost 106lbs and feeling incredible. Still finding days hard where I don't feel like eating and the next, the head cravings come on strong but I just exercise it all out! How is everyone else?

Hi. My name is steffany and this is the first time I have been to this site. I apologize if I am doing this wrong but I have to start somewhere. Im from Sun Lakes, AZ. I am working toward gastric sleeve surgery. I am currently finishing my 4 months medically supervised weight loss. Then im ready to be scheduled. I've done lots of research and I'm ready for the surgery. I have lots of support from my family and I'm excited but still a bit nervous. There is so much to learn.

Today I jumped on the scale and I am 6 months and 9 days post-op. I hit my 100 lb loss in that amount of time. My blood work is fantastic. Getting my protein in everyday still. I worry as I hAve never really gotten full and feel hungry often, but document every calorie I eat in my fitness pal, all to make sure I don't overdo it. For those of you who have questions about doing this surgery as I did and almost chickened out, it was the best decision I made. I work out 5 days a week and know this will be a lifestyle forever. Now my husband is thinking of doing this as well. It was a great day today. Thanks for the support on here the last 6 months, it's been hard work for su…

First off I wanted to say hello. I had my gastric bypass on march 19, 2015. The reasoning behind the surgery is I had been diagnosed with gastroparesis in December 2014. I had the lap-band done back in 2008 and they replaced it with the realize band in 2009 when they removed my gallbladder at that time due to the first band slipping. The surgeon at the time happened to damage my vagus nerve mid 2014 when they removed the band because my system could not tolerate any saline in that band's fit. I've been feeling well rounded ever since the drainage tube was removed. The nutritionist has advanced my diet to pureed foods such as deli chicken breast with broth or egg whites …

Hi all: I feel like I want to write down some milestones that are huge to me. I had my sleeve surgery on 30/Mar/15 and the positives I am experiencing so far are: No knee pain when walking up/down stairs No lower back pain when walking or doing housework No shin splints on walks Stand taller Confident to tell my journey about getting to the decision of surgery and how I am doing Feeling the like opportunity to have Michelle Obama arms could become a reality I am so close to hitting Onderland - it's been several years. When I do hit that milestone you will hear me across the world as I whooop whooop! LOL I go to my surgeon for my first post operation assessment mid-…

Today I made an appointment that will change my life. I am ready for the challenge! I am ready for my change ready for my health to return. I will be having gastric sleeve surgery sometime in the next few mths. At this moment I can't wait!

So lately a lot of people have asked me what made me decide to have surgery and I wanted to write it out and share it publicly. I find that I am better able to hold myself accountable when I am open and honest, not just with myself but with others. So here goes my story. Well this is the short version. I have always been overweight. I have also always been very active. I didn't see my weight as something that was holding me back. I am successful in my career and my relationships. I have great friends and family. The company I work for started doing voluntary health screenings about 7 years ago. They even paid you to do it and there were no consequences. I kne…

Starting weight 350 Weight at surgery 330 Surgery Date April 12, 2012 Reached 280 by August 2012 with one fill October 2012 had a second fill. I have remained at 280 up until July 2014. Started gaining weight July 2014 Current weight 313 Had my third fill March 17, 2015 At this point I feel like I am starting all over again. I admit that I feel off the "band" wagon and let my emotions and stress get the best of me. I didn't care about my eating and didn't exercise at all. I was at a point where I was eating like I didn't have a band. I could eat so much and was hungry all the time. After all the weight gain and my eating habits my doctor gave me a huge fill. I…

HOT OFF THE PRESS: Hello, I am Karen Gillman author of ‘It’s Never Too Late’ which is my 10 year journey with weight loss surgery. In early 2000 my weight crept to an all-time high of over 300 pounds. My body type was medically classified as morbidly obese and I found myself going through the motions in a lifestyle I didn’t love, living in a body that was weighing me down mentally and physically. There were several indications that made me realize if I didn’t make some drastic changes, my future will never match that of what I had been dreaming of. In 2004 I had gastric band (Lap-Band®) surgery which ultimately helped me combat my obesity, shed and maintain a weight…

I've been slowly getting better the pain has subsided and now I'm just a little uncomfortable . I had a moment of truth since I couldn't sleep and questioned why I did this then stood on the scale and realized I'm already down 10 lbs... I guess this is a sacrifice that I am willing to take I can't wait until my body starts to feel normal again any-who best of luck to everyone who is a post op this is a challenge both mentally and physically and we can do it !

Hello! My gastric sleeve surgery was on Monday, 3/30/15. And I'm feeling OK. I spent one night in the hospital and was able to come back home the next day. My mom flew in (from Boston) to Colorado to spend the week with me. I cried so hard dropping her off at the airport last night ????. She was so helpful for me. She kept me calm, prayed for me, did my laundry and cleaned my bedroom for my return home. Lol. It was so sweet of her and I truly appreciated her for doing it. I was so cranky and sore post surgery. I don't know what I would have done without her. So now I'm back on my own, journaling my "food" and Water intake. I definitely must step up my exercise. I'll be…

Surgery done this morning at 8am. Dr said everything went beautifully. I'm in my private room and not feeling too shabby. A bit of a dull soreness in my upper stomach area. Been sleeping a lot. The only thing that sucks about today so far is I can't drink anything and my mouth feels like a cotton ball. :-/ upper GI X-ray in the morning will tell us if I can start taking liquids and ice chips tomorrow. I seriously can't effing wait for that.

If so I would love to read some of your blogs and follow your journey especially if you are further down the road than me so I now what to expect. I am one week post op and I started a blog and would love to talk to people if anyone is looking for support. Just from reading everyone seems super awesome. Here is my blog http://quarterliferny.blogspot.com/

I am in uk and had surgery on Friday 27th March. I completed the pre op two week diet of slim fast shakes, so far the worst bit and now on liquid diet. Sent home after two days and only had to take pain killers a few times. To be honest enjoying soups with different flavours, not really a sweet tooth. Doing this mainly to get rid of diabetes and so far so good not taken one drug associated and levels all below 6! No major food pangs as I just remind myself of the goal not to go back onto injecting insulin or victoza and if possible to stay of the metformin. Looking for any advice and a place to chat about any issues.

Hi everyone I am 3 wks post op I had surgery March 17, 2015 before surgery I weighted 267.2 and today I step on the scale I weigh 245.0 I am down 22.2 lbs in 3 wks,

Hi, I am one week post op and still very bloated! How long does it take for stomach to go down? Feels very uncomfortable. Thanks!

Tomorrow is the day and I'm excited. I had my Picc line inserted today and now I'm counting down the hours. I hope everyone has a great day and be safe. ????????????

Hi everyone, I've seen screen shots of this app on insta and thought it would be a good outlet for me during my surgery journey! I'm having my surgery on April 16th and am very excited, but getting a little nervous! My current weight is 270, high weight 276. My goal is 140! Hope you get advice and encouragement, as well as give it!

I am at the very beginning of my journey. I just got my insurance approval to see the Bariatrician and Surgeon. I just want to thank you all for sharing. I have been reading all of your experiences. Because of your posts, I feel like I have a real picture of the challenges I can expect as well as the victories. Now I know that I can do this and I can try to prepare myself for what is to come.

I'm 14 days pre-op and started my liquid diet today. I hope the next two weeks goes by incredibly fast. I'm pretty nervous but also excited. My "support staff" (family, boyfriend, friends, personal trainer, surgeon, PCP) are all rooting for me, and it's helping me get through each day of the countdown. My boyfriend is doing the liquid diet with me (solidarity!), I hope we don't spend the next two weeks snapping at each other because we are "hangry" haha. April 6, 2015 8AM, my life changes forever for the better! If you need me, I'll be crying in the break room with a Jello cup (LOL)

Hi! I am mexican 23 years old and my bmi was 41 before the operation. I choosed Gastric Sleeve in Mexico with doctor Henry Mansur. I took this road because last year I was in Europe and even when I changed my eating habits and I did a lot of exercise: I couldn't manage to loose more than 5 lbs. I really love mexican food, but I realized that it would be easier to cut it of my life after this months away from it. So I came back from Europe 29 March and my operation was programmed at March 31. I was very sad because hubby wanted to eat a hole mexican buffet in front of me. But I did it well till the pre and during the medical process. Everything was ok with my analy…

I had my band done on 03/24/2010. I was and still very happy with the decision. But about three years I had all my fluid taking out due to health complications one which cause pneumonia. But even while getting my health back on track I was working out and eating healthy and maintaining my weight. Well this last year I was again faced with some health issues and have now gained about 50lbs due to medicines. And I'm struggling to get back down. I have debated over and over again about if I should a get a fill again. Because honestly Im a little hesitant due to at one point I was over filled which cause my first set of issues. I did the lap band for the reason to have adjust…

Hello, I've been scheduled for almost 2 weeks for the 23rd of April.. I'm in the 400's and I've been eating right making changes, swimming and walking to get my weight down some. My Dr has not said that I needed to lose but I wanted to at least lose what I can before surgery. I've lost 10 lbs so far and I need to lose 20 more to get out of the 400's. liquid diet starts on the 10th but can anyone recommend a Meal Replacement that I can do now to help me reach my goal? Thanks

Anyone from the Buffalo Rochester area?

Hello everyone I started my weight goal journey in the beginning of 2014 I had gastric bypass on dec 31,2014. I'm proud and happy to say that when I started my weight was 410 now I'm 293 I'm very happy I made this decision it's the best thing I ever did for myself just sharing to hope help someone out there :-)

Hi everyone just spent another five days in the hospital after being 10 days post. I had an episode of very heavy bleeding with no pain and no fever. They were unable to detect where the bleeding started it lasted about three days and they did many tests and it just stopped now. The blood was coming from my rectum with no hemorrhoids noted. I have tried to research what this possibly could be and it does not appear to be a leak and the doctor discharged me. I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything like this after surgery. The surgeon did a scope and also colonoscopy and all they found was some inflammation around the sleeve. any advice or any similar exp…

I'm sure you all missed me desperately all last week while I was away on vacation. I know I missed you! I have so much to talk about, so I thought I'd put it all in one big post and you can read it or not. I just want to make sure I get it all out. So for those of you who don't know, my parents, sister's family, aunt, husband, and I all went on vacation in Tennessee last week. In all there were eleven of us (7 adults and 4 kids) for the whole week. In addition, my sister's childhood friend and her whole family (husband and 3 kids) came for part of the week. We were staying in a 5 bedroom, 5 bathroom cabin in the Smokey Mountains. The Drive The drive down ended up bei…

Every morning I wake I thank god for a new day on this earth! After all I have been through in the past 9 days, has seriously made me a new person. I am 9 days post-op sleeve gastrectomy. I can remember, like it just occurred, I felt so cold, I said, I have a fever, the nurse checked, and said, your ok. I noticed on my monitor that my heart rate had jumped to 121, Blood pressure which typically ran high was, jaw dropping low. The nurses kept emptying my drain, over and over, I had lost 3 liters of blood-within 3 hours, that is not including what she threw out prior to feeling that there was reason for concern. My once jovial upbeat nurse, had turned invisibly …

Hey all, I've spent the past 12 months reading blogs and posts in preparation for my own sleeve surgery. It's been an intetesting time and I've taken in a lot. This is my first contribution. I'd love it to be funny and lighthearted but its a kinda dull past, but the future looks so much brighter. I've struggled with my weight since teen years. It's felt like my life has been one seesaw between gaining and losing weight. Try as hard as I can to play the "it doesn't bother me" part, but of course it does. Always slightly out of place and awkward. I'm 47 and making changes. Look out! My start weight was 135kgs. I was sleeved on 4 March by Dr Ramsay in Coffs Harbour Austral…

I'm on the road to bypass surgery. pulmonary appt on Fri, and then getting the surgery date. I'm hoping for mid June as soon as school is out. Is that enough time to get adjusted to my new life before school starts again mid August? My other question is for teachers who have had the surgery, how do you find the food requirements of small meals and side effects (bathroom issues, etc) work with your tightly scheduled day as a teacher? I teach 6th grade. Any suggestions and tips appreciated.

I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart! I had a wonderful experience in TJ and now I am home sweet home! ???? No pain, no nausea, no nothing but new beginnings! I am very happy with the choice I made! #thankful

Hi all, I am scheduled to have the sleeve surgery after one month from today. I was wondering if you guys can help me with some of the questions I have as I am really concerned about a few points. Particularly loose skin and pain duration after surgery. I am currently playing between 102 and 105 KG, my goal weight is between 55 and 60 KG. Any advice? Thanks

Check the scale and I'm down 42lbs.... Have been have a pulling type pain in my right side... Is that normal? Also as I been walking I sometimes get little muscle spasms in my calf muscles. Still trying to get in 64 oz of water and I think my muscle mass is shrinking... What is a good way of toning and maintaining the muscle mass?

I was sleeved today about 2pm and I have to say it's been a wonderful experience! I was sleeved my Dr Quinones and I have zero pain, zero nausea and I am about to be on my third walk! I pray that everything stays this way lol! He was totally awesome and very attentive! ???? #newbeginnings #transformingofmymind #life

In Jan. 2011 I stood in a winter storm in Missouri. Hidden under a little green tent with the sweet smell of flowers and tears rolling from my eyes. I buried my 46 yr old brother due to comorbitities of super morbid obessity. I promised that day I would change my life and try to help my family do the same. I was "the small one" in a family of over eaters with thyroid, hormone and a plethora of other issues that would sabatoge any attempt to lose weight, and forget maintaining! I was depressed, stressed, and hating life. Thank God for my husband, children, and best friend. I roller coastered with my weight, no permanent loss was sustained. That's the way it had bee…

I started the process for gastric sleeve the last of December. I have everything completed-blood work-psych evaluation-dietitian. Waiting for pre-op when the doctors office calls. The hospital he does surgery at is not a "Center for Medical Excellence". So everything has been put on hold. I am so ready to give up. They assured me the first visit that everything was great with my insurance. I have been trying to have this surgery for a very long time. The one time I see the light at the end of the tunnel it burns out. (

Besides my best effort to educated my mum, a women who is intelligent i have failed. For the last two weeks my mum wanted to have a chat. My mum lives across the pond, and i live in the States. Time difference , work and just life in general keeps be from chatting often to my mum...Yesterday we finally had the chance since i was off...My older sister simply refuse to tell me what the chat was about.Yesterday on my Daily walk it started like this"You a too skinny what are you doing to your self..Why are u always walking or at the gym'..."folks will laugh after you you are so small" now keep in mind am 5'8' 185 lbs normally am 235 and up. I just lost it yelling at the top …

What size are your meals do you still weigh to 4ozs how many meals a day? Do we increase meal size so we can only eat 3 times a day for our nutrition?