Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

Hello everyone! I just wanted to pop in and say hi. I'm new to this forum. I did do a little bit of browsing before deciding to post. I have to say that I love the wealth of information that is shared. There is so much valuable information here! I can't wait to hear more about people's experiences and also share some of mine. Anyways, I just wanted to introduce myself a bit. In less than a weeks time I will be 30, I live in Houston, Texas. I have always been overweight all my life. My mom says that every since I turned 1 year of age and she took me off the formula, I've been overweight. Always been bigger, taller, fatter, etc than most while I was growing up.…

Once upon a time, (about 2 years ago) I lost about 75lbs ....and then unfortunately, I regained most of it back. It was the 1st and only time in my life I was ever able to lose weight, I was no where near skinny-but was beginning to feel good in my own body. It didn't last, and that's what scares me most about WLS, no matter what type I have (if I ever get that far). I fear that I will lose large #'s again, and then fail with regain. My husband previously had a successful the roux en-y surgery, so I with the same office I was expedited through most of the classes and appointments, (I made myself available anytime they said they had an opening-which is key) and as a re…

Hi... Im having surgery on 12/3..Today is my 43rd Birthday. I went out for my last hurrah last night. I have some fears about my surgery. I have smoked for 25 years..Quit cold turkey for 6 weeks..kind have been cheating with ecig..regular cig s bit on the last two weekends..Scared about outcome..nicotine urge is worsening..because of my increased anxiety as I near my date..Any advice or personal experiences that might help me

I have learned over the years that there is Physical Hunger and Head Hunger. How has the surgery helped with Head or Emotional Hunger

I would like to know now that it has been 3 years or more what have been your greatest challenge? Have you been able to substance your weight loss? Do you have any regrets? Do you have any side affects? I have read a lot of the posting but it talks about people that have recent down the sleeve or within 2 years, but I'm looking for response from long term veterans.

Hi everyone! Today I am 6 days post op, woohoo! The first few days of recovery were tougher than I imagined, but getting easier every day. I also had a Hiatal Hernia repaired during the Lap Band surger. I have my first post op visit (suture removal) this Thursday. I'm a little nervous because I am supposed to be eating ONLY foods that "run" off the spoon. As of yesterday, I have ate a few soft foods. I started feeling like my blood sugar was constantly falling, and running out of ways to make food "run" off the spoon. I hope I'm not doing anything too wrong, guess I'll find out Thursday. My question is, should I be able to eat more than 4oz at a meal, and when I…

So I'm about 3 months post-op On Thursday, I had my 3 month appointment and my doctor was excited about my progress! I've truthfully been so lucky with this surgery and have not had any complications. I have no regrets and really feel like this surgery has changed my life! Time to conquer the holidays! Surgery date: 8/22/12 Starting weight: 231 Current weight: 165 Height: 5'3 Age: 22 The first two pictures are before pictures and the other four are from these past 2 weeks.

I am going in to my PCP next Monday and I am going to be requesting the referral for the bariatric program hoping to be accepted for it - I am leaning toward the sleeve but what are the criteria they go by - I am 245lbs - 5'6" and my BMI is at 39 - does anyone know what the BMI requirements are?

I am 19 days post op and I am still in pain in the right side where my stomach was removed. How long does it take for the pain to go away so I can really get my work out on like Zumba and lift and carry my 25lb 2 year old?

New member! Had my sleeve on 11/28 and have actually felt really good since the first day. Really feel bad for those who have been having trouble. Hang in there everyone, we knew when we made the choice, some things would be hard. Keep your eyes on the prize....a HEALTHIER YOU :-) one day at a time!

I am 29 years old. I am ready to get the gastric sleeve journey started. I am doing research on which weight loss option would be best. Can anyone tell me why they chose the sleeve?

Hello all, My name is Caroline and i’m from Sherbrooke Canada. First of all I would like to appologize for any spelling or grammar errors as english is not my first language. So to make a long story short, i’ve been waiting to get my gastric band since 2010. Here in canada our health system is not the greatest so it is hard to find a doctor, and when you do get one, its usually a LONG process. So for 2+ years I have been monitored by the Obesity Clinic here in town to prepare for WLS. For those 2 years I was in a Gastric Bypass program (suggested by my doctor) but I have recently changed my mind for the band. For me, the band is the way to go. I just couldn’t accept t…

I have had my band for 2.5 years now and in the last year I have had problems with reflux. I have had my band adjusted several times and I take stomach Med to treat the reflux. I have also had my band adjusted several times. Now I have been told by my doctor that my ferriten level in my blood is low. I just finished up a 10 day IV infusion. I might have an internal bleed. Could this be caused by my band?

I was sleeved on November 6 and I thought I was doing okay and last Friday I threw up and felt like I pulled something on my left side close to the bottom of the rib area. I called the doctor on Monday and they said not to worry and it was better on Monday and Tuesday now today the pain is back. Has anyone else had this?

I just found this forum & I am hoping that it will be helpful. I am 4 days post op & I am extremely overwhelmed. I thought that I was prepared for this change. I don't know that anything could have prepared me for this. Just coming out of surgery I couldn't believe how much pain I was in. I was able to go home the following day. I have now been on water only for 6 days. I tried some clear chicken broth and also crystal light, but both made me nauseous. I am due to add protein shakes tomorrow. I knew that my eating habits were going to be permanently altered for the good, but I didn't anticipate such a drastic change. I am just wondering how other people felt when …

I am a 24 yr old girl from defiance ohio. And am wondering if anyone knows how to get the ball rolling to have the lapband done...I'm 5ft 1in and I weigh 240lbs. For my height I should only weigh 101 to 120. I have a handicapp son so being overweight is hard to do things with him.I have tried all kinds of diets and exersice and I eat healthy and little meals. When I was 16 I struggled with eating disorders. Now my kidneys are starting to not function and I have a lot of stomach ulcer. I have buckeye as my medical insurance. I just hope you guys can help me in the right direction.

I am a 24 yr old girl from defiance ohio. And am wondering if anyone knows how to get the ball rolling to have the lapband done...I'm 5ft 1in and I weigh 240lbs. For my height I should only weigh 101 to 120. I have a handicapp son so being overweight is hard to do things with him.I have tried all kinds of diets and exersice and I eat healthy and little meals. When I was 16 I struggled with eating disorders. Now my kidneys are starting to not function and I have a lot of stomach ulcer. I have buckeye as my medical insurance. I just hope you guys can help me in the right direction.

I am a newbie here and would love to visit and meet up with site users and new friends who have either had or will have Gastric Bypass Surgery. I was Scheduled for Surgery this month and then the Insurance Company decided I needed to do a 6 month Dr. Supervised Diet and Exercise course, after telling me in Aug it wasn't a requirement. Frustrated because I now must meet a new $3000.00 deductible. Anybody else run into this issue?

Hi my name Is Michael Gard I just have a few questions I was banded on the 16th I'm in my second week of post op diet and I've bin cheating. I feel really Bad about the hole thing first off it was thanks giving and I was about 5 days from surgery I take a few cookies instead of a shake, ok not to bad I walked 5 miles that day to work off the extra then like 2 days later I ate some oat meal witch one package seamed like alot but I ate the hole thing. I just needed to eat now I'm worried about band slippage being this early and I tried solid food I did chew a lot and it went down ok I'm just worried it will get lost and ill have to take more time off work to get it fi…

Hey guys first I wanna say congrats to all that have been banded you all are inspiration its amazing to see how far you can get with stregnth and alot of hard wk i hope to be there one day. A little about me my name is Sarah I am 23 frm Houston Tx. I am scheduled to be banded Friday Dec. 7 started my pre-op liquid diet yesterday.... I am so hungry i feel a little discourged and have even thought about throwing in the towel lol but i know it will all be well worth it... In your guys opinion what are the best liquids and protein shakes?? Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone, Can someone please help me, im fairly new to this site. I am 24 years old, have had my Gallbladder removed last year and diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic ovarian syndrome). Which makes you gain a lot of weight and on top of that its verrry difficult to get pregnant. i have tried dieting but that doesnt last long i always loose the weight but gain double of what i had lost. Ever since my gallbladder surgery i have gained a lot more. I have always been on the heavier side but not as much. Currently i am 220 pounds and my height is 5'1. I have doctors appointment on the 5th for a consultation for the lap band. I am kind of scared bc i have heard a lot of …

Hello! I am scheduled for surgery on June 5th. I am using Dr. McDaniel in Victoria,TX. I start the pre-op diet of 2 shakes and a high Protein meal with veggies starts on May 22nd..... I am very excited...and nervous. My biggest worry is the lack of energy after surgery. I have 3 young daughters - and we are very active. I know I will be constantly sipping Water...but I worry how long I will be "down" concerning our beach trips, camping, swimming, etc.... I have tried downloading a bunch of before pics...keep freezing up. I am really hoping to utilize this site for support! Hopefully I will make some new friends with similar experiences and we can help each othe…

After I take a larger than usual sip, or a bite of pudding or yogurt, I experience a squeezing, cramping quality pain in my sleeve area. It lasts only seconds and is not accompanied by nausea or vomiting, but it does take my breath away. Have any of you experienced this? I am three days post op. when does it stop?

So excited! Just got the approval I've been waiting for!! Doctor appt Dec 13th.and they will schedule the surgery!

Hello! I have endured my six months of counseling and weight loss visits....waiting on insurance approval. It's been a long six months, but posts on this forum have kept me motivated to continue! I look forward to gettnig to know everybody!

Was sleeved on 10/24.. Lost 20 lbs in 3 weeks and nothing since.., I'm very discouraged and depressed about this.. Is it normal? Getting my protein in almost everyday.. Any help or ideas?

Hey everyone I'm natasha, and I had a band with imbrication on 09/28/2012. I'm down 25 lbs since my surgery and a total of 67 lbs since january. I'm going thru one of the most stressful times of my life (divorce) so I did something I knew I could control and had the surgery. I've been doing great so far, and hopefully I will continue to do well despite the stress.

UPDATE: i weighed myself today (11.30.12) & im now 144lbs. down 1lb. ----------------------------------------------------- hey guys! im officially 24 days away from hitting my one year surgiversary and i cant believe it! i was sleeved dec 20th, 2011. im 5'1. i started at: weight: 273lbs bmi: 51.6 jean size: 18-24 (depending on stretch) i am now at: weight: 145lbs bmi: 27.4 jean size: 2-4 (depending on stretch) lost: 128lbs. my goal is to be 135lbs.

Hi. I am 4 days post op for VSG. I just found this forum & I am hoping that it will help. I am feeling very overwhelmed right now. I thought that I had prepared myself for this experience

Hey I'm new on this forum my name is desteney and I'm 21 years old. This is my story I'm 238-240 and I'm 5'2 I'm considering having the sleeve done. This is not my first rodeo. Last year around October I went to see the weight loss surgeon and he told me I didn't qualify for surgery my bmi was 39 at the time and I didn't have any co morbidities. I was so depressed when I left out his office I've done everything in my will power to loose weight I lost 30pounds gained it all back plus more. So here I am 238-240 bmi 43. I've been to the seminar and now I'm waiting to get insurance again to make my appointment to go see the dr. Fingers crossed this time!!!

Hello all - I've been MIA for a while. I'm trying to reconnect to the friends I had on my fitness pal!! For some reason my friend list was whiped clean! My userid is sunflwr76. Looking forward to reconnecting with you all!

This is all very exciting getting ready for the wls. I find it a little nerve wracking going for all these tests though. Thank god I have so many friends and family supporting me. I really didn't think everyone would be so supportive. What a wonderful feeling, I wish I did this years ago!

Hi all, I am new here! I was sleeved on August 14th 2012 in the Czech Republic. The NHS here wouldn’t look at me as I wasn’t big enough, and I had no comorbidities, but I have been obese for most of my adult life. Even when I was 18 and very sporty I was about 12 stone. I always kidded myself that I was big boned! Really I was just a terrible emotional eater and a pig. I never seemed to have an OFF button. food was always my crutch, and led to me getting bigger and bigger, until, at my biggest, I was 20st 4lb, and miserable. I couldn’t do much, getting out of bed was becoming an effort, and exercise was out of the question as it tired me out too much. So, I started lookin…

OK Ladies, Is anyone feeling like having sex, or have you had sex yet? Is it different? Do you feel sexy and up to it yet? I had WLS Oct. 15, 2012 and my scars are just about gone. So I think that I will be trying it very soon...

Hello , is it normal to get up and move around for a while and then get tired and have a lil back pain? I'm 6 out from surgery day ? On the bright side I slept great first whole night of sleep thank The Lord

Wow! So who knew the surgery would be so painful to recover!? I regretted having the sleeve the whole three days in the hospital but now home I feel much better. I'm still in a lot if pain but its getting less and less. I guess its not any help not being able to take any pain meds. I had to get of those hours after surgery because of bad reactions. I have some questions though and I hope being on a support site you all can help. I'm on full liquids and I was wondering if the bottled isopure is better than drinking the powder. Also, my chewable calcium has fructose in it. Is that bad? I was told that people don't feel hungry for like the first year but I have never lost my…

A year ago, I did a procedure that changed my life for the better. It gave me a new lease to live a long and healthy life. I wouldn't change anything thing about it. I have more energy and able to keep up with my kids and chuck. I still struggle at times when I am stressed but having my tool for success has stops me in my tracks. I am so thankful and greatful for all support. No words or appreciation can every express how I feel about you supporting and encouraging me. Thanks again and love ya. Hugs!!!

Hi All I haven't been on for a long time. Not sure how long, few years I think. My journey was going well until September 2011. I was down to 82kg from a starting weight of 118kg before surgery in 2010. I am now back to 102kg. I lost my Dad and Nana both from lung cancer only 6 months apart. My Dad in September 2011 and my Nana in March 2012. I found myself eating a lot of junk after this (as I usually do when I'm upset) but I think that I am slowly getting back on track. Hopeing to be online a bit more often. Well thanks for reading and hope everyone has good luck on their own journeys Amy

Can anybody confirm whether you are allowed to consume any alcohol ever again if you have a gastric bypass please, as my friends are telling me you can't? Kindest Regards <br />Lucii24<br />Sent From Samsung Galaxy SIII Using RNYTalk

Hi. I have been reading these boards for about a month now and have finally decided to become active and post. I am almost done with my 3 month pre op classes (kaiser requirement). I just turned 30 less than a week ago and my height at weight was 367. I have lost 22.5 lbs and still need 14 to go before I can qualify for surgery. I am lol poking for motivation and friends (none of my friends know I'm doing this surgery). I am using myfitnesspal same screen name. Please help support me and I will support you too!!

Hello I am having surgery on December 4th. I would like to see if anyone else is having surgery on December 4th at Silver Cross Hospital?

I am beginning my adventure on 12-03-12. It was scheduled for 02-12-13. I got a phone call from the scheduler, and they moved my date to Tuesday.

I was sleeved on 9/25... I am officially down 52lbs... this feels sooo good!!! Glad I was blessed 2 b able 2 have this done!!!! [ATTACH]6803[/ATTACH]

I was sleeved on November 28. I am doing okay. Taking pain meds and walking/sipping slowly. It went better than I expected. I am very tired and sore which I know is to be expected. Start full liquids tomorrow for 12 days. Had some chicken broth today which I enjoyed. Taking it one day at a time. Slow and steady wins the race and I plan on winning it Good luck to all of you. I am inspired by you everyday!

Hi I just had my surgery about 2 weeks ago so far no problems. Question is prior I suffered migraines horrible. Was wondering if anyone noticed a change in theirs if they had them prior to surgery?

The only pain I had was with the incision where the doctor removed my stomach. He looked at it the next day and said he may have stitched the muscles back together a little too tight but that he wouldn't really be able to tell until all the swelling when down. The indentation in my abdomen is awful and I can't bend down or turn sideways, forget about trying to lay down in a bed. I've had to sleep in a chair for 5 days. It hurts only in that one spot but after doing a little research I discovered that others have also had this problem after surgery and they say it usually goes away after 2 weeks. I do notice all the stiffness elsewhere has gone and I'm feeling much bette…

I am getting ready to start my gastric sleeve journey.

I got an email from my surgeon yesterday telling me that I've been cleared to schedule surgery. WooHoo!! I'm so excited! I am supposed to get a call from the office in the next couple weeks to schedule, however I am seeking a June date so that I can recover during my summer break (Im a school bus driver) and not take time off. My only other Drs order is to maintain my pre surgery goal weight until surgery...for me that will be 6 months! Ugh. Thankfully I will have time to recover from any holiday weight gain. I'm hoping that won't be an issue as I plan to be "good" other than on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day when I know the goodies will be hard to resist. LOL

Hi all, This morning I woke up and found a message from Alex (the founder of Vertical Sleeve Talk) in my inbox. It's been two years since I joined VST. What a jolt it was to remember that two short years ago I had just barely learned that a vertical sleeve procedure cut away part of your stomach. I had heard of the procedure, but I thought it was called vertical sleeve because they but a sleeve over your stomach instead of just a band. Getting that message reminded me of the fear and anxiety I had as I began to investigate having a procedure to help me get to a normal weight. I am 5'6" and weighed about 250 lbs. I was so uncomfortable, I worked out and had tried w…