Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

Good morning everyone! I was just banded at Southern Regional Hospital in Riverdale GA by Dr. Johnson on July 18, 2013. The surgery went well with no complications. When I got home is when the real pain set in. The medicine my doctor prescribed Roxicet seemed to do nothing it didn't even make me drowsy and I was up pacing the floor and crying in pain most of the night. I had my surgery at 11 a.m. and returned home at 5 p.m. I drank about 8 ounces of water and 4 ounces of apple juice and that was it for food that day. To quote someone I read on You Tube who adequately summed up how I felt, "I felt like I was stabbed 5 times with knitting needles" and then my stomach was p…

I'm 2 weeks out today and started on my puree phase. I ate about 1/4 cup of cottage cheese. This isn't my first bariatric surgery so I know to take small bites and chew very well which I did, but I feel as though I have something stuck in my throat. I got this feeling a lot when I was banded so I'm just wondering if this is natural with the sleeve? I did not over eat, I stopped as my stomach started to get that full affect. I also started to burp a lot after eating, something I also did with the band. Any info would be great

My surgery date is aug 6 and I'm on a 2 week diet I did cheat a little but I used a latex to try to clean out! So not long to go. I hope I be fine and clear and he don't reschd me! Have anyone cheated on their 2 weeks?

I'm so excited!!! I'll be sleeved tomorrow and I can't believe it is actually about to happen. I don't know if I'll be able to sleep!

2009, 340 pounds, getting chemo July, 2013, 212 pounds Bruce Lee, (no relation)

Had my first meeting with my surgeon today. I went in filled with research knowledge, plenty of questions and eager to continue checking all the boxes that will get me to my surgery day. When he shook my hand and said I am a good candidate ... oh the joy I felt! I guess I was afraid he was going to tell me there was something that would keep me from getting banded. Whew! I'm more excited today than I was when I received my letter of approval from the insurance. Can't wait to get on a great and successful path of losing!

I don't understand how I'm losing so much inches but its not reflecting on my scale. August 5th will be 2months post-op and only 35lbs lost but lots of inches gone to the point that I went from size 24w to 20w. Yes! Yes!. No complaint but I wish I can see my hard works of walking more than 10blocks and walking around the park for 20minutes for 5days. Love my sleeve and good luck to all.

I had my pre-op apt today. My surgeon tried to talk me into having the bypass instead of getting sleeved. I e have gastric reflux, although it's not that bad. He said there is a 15% chance of the reflux being worse after surgery. It usually be relieved with medication. He also said that if I have a hiatal hernia, he will fix it and the reflux will probably be better. Has anyone had increased reflux after getting the sleeve? I want to keep my stomach, small as it will be!

I was just looking at some members before and after pics...how beautiful others were looking in their new clothes and bathing suits, etc. It got me to thinking...I'm finally wearing my clothes...instead of them wearing me. 78 pounds ago...my clothes wore me. I would put on nearly anything that I could get around my large torso and fat a$$. Not that I looked all that bad...but I think to a large extent I settled for what fit around my frame. Fast forward to today...78 pounds lost...and I now have choices. I can choose between this pair of pants or that pair. I can even consider a pair of skinny jeans. I'm wearing heels again and looking tall and (almost) slender…

Hi everyone! Just wanted to check in and ask a few questions. I am feeling pretty good (surprisingly better than I thought), but I am hungry. I am starting each day with a protein shake. Does anyone try non-pureed food at this point? Also, I have been walking a lot. Is it too much to walk two miles each night being so soon after surgery?

I've been waiting to hit onederland so I could post my scale pic! haha, well I did it! I'm so thrilled it is unbelievable! I seriously can't remember when I weighed this much, it's been at least 11 years! I beat my surgeons goal of weighing under 200lbs by 6 months post op! Im 5 and a half months post op! My highest weight:302 on January 11th of this year!! Pre-op weight was 296 on February 4th, and day of surgery (Feb 13th) I was 285lbs. I'm doing it friends and with all this losing comes a lot of gaining. I've gained a whole lot of positive self esteem and confidence. It hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows though, I've really begun to dig into the deeper parts of me …

Height 5'4" Pre-op high 355 5/9/2008 vsg surgery 309 lbs 5/9/2009 panniculectomy 199 6/9/2009 lowest 189 7/30/2013 243 lbs I am not happy but not because my VSG failed. On the contrary it statistically did what it was supposed to do. Five years out 50/60 % weightloss. I recently called a well known Doc on the west coast about the DS who told me I should be happy that the surgery I had was a success. He said the only problem was I had the wrong surgery. Well, I had what I had. I hovered in the 219s for years until I was determined to see a DS surgeon who told me I didn't weigh enough for it so I ate donuts until I gained 30 lbs. I weighed enough then. Then t…

Hello, I am seven weeks post op and I am in need of a mentor, someone who has already been down the road I'm going. If intrested please send me a message where I can contact you. Thank you in advance Dana

Hi, I am in my last semester of grad school, and I am planning on writing about the Gastric Sleeve experience for my final project. Along with my own thoughts about the subject, I also wanted to get testimonies from others who have gone through the process. Is anyone interested in sharing their story with me? Please respond to this post if interested. I want to get the perspective of both pre and post opt Sleevers. And P.S. I am also happy to share my experience as well. May 13th Sleever....down 36 pounds since surgery.

I started my journey back in March. After meeting all of the prerequisites that my insurance requires, I was finally approved today! I will be sleeved on August 13. I start my pre-op diet tomorrow. I am both excited and nervous at the same time!

Driving to the hospital now with my husband and my surgery is scheduled for 7am. Prayers please and thank you.

Good Morning all...... Today is my day! Prayers & well wishes are requested. I'm headed to the hospital shortly. Thanks for all of the support.

My name is Holly and I turned 40 in May. I have been chubby my entire life and after yoyo dieting went from chubby to obese, from obese to morbidly obese and have reached a new low with super obese! I have been a student with no insurance for years and now while I have insurance they will not cover it but, my husband of a year (life partner of 18) and I have decided we will finance it. I want to be healthy and have babies and my clock is ticking down! I start my 3 week pre-op diet tomorrow! Not happy about the 3 weeks of starving but I know I am ready, in the past year I have graduated college, married my love of 18 years, finished my first year as a SpEd teacher and…

As of 8:03AM 7/23/2013.... I finally cleared the 50 lbs. lost hurdle! 50.3 to be exact! :-D

Ok hello all I've been gone awhile lost log on information had to create a new one. I had my surgery October 17th 2011 everything was going great I was focused and losing pounds exercising was near my goal then that all ended December 8th 2012 my mother passed away due to a pulmonary embolism to the left lung due to her plastic surgery. I was preparing to start my nursing program in January . All of my benefits were cut off because I had medical through my mom she was a hemodialysis technician. So I have no more medical no more surgeon meeting follow ups I feel lost ihave no idea how I'm doing so well in school but I am . I just have so much stress and pressure on me to …

i cant believe it. i suffered from PCOS and havent gotten pregnant til now, the old fashion way without trying. i am down 140lbs. hopefully, i will remain healthy and continue being healthy with gaining a healthy amount of weight without blowing up. wish me luck!

Hi all, I had my surgery July 23rd. I did not meet the weight requirements, but I had an early onset of Diabetes at 29, after having had PCOS. I have been losing weight for years. When I successfully became pregnant, my weight peaked. I have been losing weight since the day she was born 7 years ago. I have been fortunate enough to maintain the weight loss over the years. But, last November, for the first time in years, my A1c was out of control. Neither my eating not my exercise habits had changed. I've always followed the diabetes eating plan which was why I believe I was successful at weight loss and maintaining it. My world crashed as I realized I am only 42 and h…

So, I have decided to take the first step, and make my appointment for consultation. I have Tricare, and they cover everything except the Nutritionist. Anyone know the approximate cost of this? I am very nervous, but I'm going to get through this, and have been creeping around on the forums to see alot of success. Thanks!

im so excited. it has been a long process, but worth it! I have already started my pre op diet so I can get used to the change LOL. (I don't want a fatty liver LOL) any advise would be greatly appreciated!!

I was just wondering is it safe to eat pasta or rice with the band? I was told if you eat rice and pasta then it will swell and stretch the band....I ate a little pasta for the first time in almost 6 months and I am really nervous..wonder is it going to stretch my stoma??? HELP any suggestions??

Has anyone gotten a leak a week or two post op?? If so what are rye signs you might have one?? I'm really paranoid about if and would like to know how I would be feeling if I did. I know weird question.

Feeling a bit nervous !

Is anyone from Canada? I will sleeve Aug 6, 2013 with Dr. Lopez in Tijuana, Mexico. In January 2013 I weighed in at 272 pounds. My height is 5' 6. As of Monday July 29th I weighed in at 256 pounds. My goal weight is 172. I am so nervous and excited all rolled up in 1. No one in my world besides my daughter, boyfriend and very good friend knows I am having the surgery. I do not want negative feedback so I choose no feedback at all. That was a very hard decision to make because I live in Canada, I am having my surgery in Mexico and majority of my family is in the States. I could have had the surgery here in Canada for free but at 46 years old I did not want to be…

Hi all! New to the site and just wanted to introduce myself. I have been happily married to the love of my life for 16 years and a proud mom to 3 beautiful red-haired boys. I have been on diets from my teens to current and half lost many pounds but they always seem to find there way back to me and then some. I am 43, working 2 jobs and my "on the go eating" and poor choices have put me in the Morbid obesity range! A wake up call to see thosde words staring at me from my chart at my last MD appointment. So here I am! I have attended some support group meetings, met with the Surgeon's scheduling cord., nutisionist, and psychologist. Today I meet with the surgeon …

Well I'd like to say yesterday was a nice relaxing day, but it was not. Told my middle daughter about the up coming surgery and she was so angry. It made for a very stressful day. But I did get a good nights sleep and waiting for my ride to the hospital to arrive. Will take some time to pray all goes well, but at this point there is no looking back. My 12 year old granddaughter is going to spend a couple days at my house helping me out, so I bought her a cute pair of Betsey Johnson earrings as a little reward. Well my next post will be post-op! Blessings one and all!

I am in route to the hospital. My journey began 7 months ago and today is the day! Please say a quick prayer for me. Surgery is at 9:00.

I had my first Fill July 25 So I'm good with solid foods going down as long as I Chew them Very well but When it comes to liquids I can't seem to get 64 ounce of Liquids in It was my first day back to work after being off for a month I'm on the same bottle water I had at 7 o'clock this morning Is this something I have to get used to however I was able to get a bottle of protein shake in

My day is finally here. I am strangely calm. Today is like any other. I am completely in the hands of God.

I was not happy a while back because my weight lose stopped only after 2.5 weeks (after surgery). So I stopped weighing myself so much. Had trouble with amounts I was eating (ate to much), but now I think I'm getting the hang of how to do this! At least at this point! I have been on regular food about a week and here is how I see how to work with the band. I have not counted calories but try to eat good food, of course protein first,then veggies, sometimes a carb, even a small desert . 3 meals a day and maybe a bit of yogurt (greek). THATS IT! Weighted in this morning (after about 2 weeks) 2lb loss. and feeling good! One question though; At dinner time I can not feel…

Hello I'm just starting my journey to receive gastric sleeve. This will be my second go round with this decision. The first time I let my family talk me out off it. It seems like they only hear negative things about this surgery never the positive things. So this time I decided to keep my decision o myself and only tell a select few whom I know will support me. I'm 35 and the mother of two beautiful teenagers and I want to be around to see them go to college...get married and have my grandchildren I have been to the meeting with my surgeon on July 12th and we have decided to go with the sleeve. I have KHPE for insurance and I was told all I needed was a psych eval whi…

Just passed my psych eval!!! Thank The Lord! Will be submitted to insurance company now!

Ive had two fills since my surgery May 10th and I was losing a pound or so each day.Since my last fill I haven't lost or gained any weight. I have a bruise where the Dr gave me my fill and I don't feel any food restrictions. Has anyone gone thru this or heard of anything similar. The last fill was 1.8cc's.

I just went for my endoscopy yesterday, I now only have two more nutrition appointments and I will get my surgery date. I am so excited but a little nervous that my insurance will not cover it because I have no major medical concerns, my bmi is just really high. I have united health care and their requirements are a bmi of 40 and over to be covered but you never can tell. Has anyone else not had any medical issues and were covered by insurance just for a high bmi?

Hello everyone my name is Tony and I am scheduled for surgery 7/30 and I am very excited but yet a little worried, Is this a normal feeling. anyone else ready in a couple of days?

I'm 10 days post op and on holiday I've found it hard drinking water or juice during the day but went out a couple of nights and had way way way to much to drink (and not jst juice )it jst went dwn so easy but now I'm terrified I've fone some sort of damage like stretching my stomach or causing a leak ? I know it was a stupid thing to do but got caught up in the moment .

I'm suffering with a sickness bug and I feel drained ! I've put myself on fluids only today and I think tomorrow too. My poor stomach has been through enough !!

So after being stuck between 203-207 for nearly 8 months I have finally broken that huge goal and hit 198 this morning. Holy cow!! Feels so amazing, pretty sure I haven't weighed under 200 since Jr. High. Surgery was February 20th, 2012 where I weighed in at a whopping 368 lbs. I'm pretty sure that wasn't my highest, but that's where I start this journey. This was honestly the best decision I have ever made in my life. If I had it to do again, I wouldn't change a thing!

Anyone have experience with significant travel in the first month after surgery? I'm scheduled for surgery just ten days before flying to Africa, and just want to get feedback.

I am 2 1/2 weeks pre-op. getting so excited! I guess it would be nice if I spelled sleeved correctly.

Just looking for others sleeved about when I was. Curious about what others r doing daily in this journey meal planning. Work outs. Ect.

I was banded Friday 7/26. Surgery went well. I'm now doing liquids but I'm confused about what to eat. My nutritionist said clear liquids so I've been doing beef or chicken broth, skim milk, jello, Popsicles, is there anything else?

These jeans fit me before my op on 15th march. Intact I wore them to go into hospital !! I'm now 6 stone lighter (84 lb for my American friends). I feel so much better I'm happy happy. Still want to loose another 5 stone but hey I'm sure I will. I love my sleeve

Tuesday I go for lab work and see the doctor I can't wait Aug 8 I start my clear liquid diet and aug 15th is my big day nerves and scared at the same time it still seems like a dream to me

Just 4 days post op I was able to put my bra on, and go to church this morning! Everyone told me how good I looked today, well that's good too! Pain is very little thank goodness! Enjoying a bowl of tomato soup. So glad I did this. My doctor did tell me I was a very good candidate for this because of the weight loss I had already achieved and I work out daily so my recovery has been very quick. I am a very happily banded girl! I wish each and everyone of you a super fantastic day!!

Hello all, I was told by my doctor that my story is UNIQUE!!!!! So I wanted to share with you all.....I don't intend to scare anyone as all surgeries are different for everyone!!! My intial surgery for the gastric sleeve went great!!........Until my stomach took a slight left turn, I was doing everything I was supposed to before and after surgery and didnt even cheat my diet!! I was in my room not for too long after surgery, I started vomitiiing up bile really bad.......then it got worse, it went on for a few days....I stayed longer than the intial 3 days for surgery. My vomiting wouldn't stop, I had pink buckets after buckets and nurses in and out my room duming them…