Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

Hello all! I am just starting the journey to surgery. I have gone to the info meeting and weighed in today.

Greetings all... new here and wanted to say Hi. Been 12 years since my gastric bypass and doing great. Pre surgery I was 377 lbs and am currently at 220 lbs in size 34 waist. I am finally having my skin removed off my abdomen on June 25th and am really excited as it should put me closer to my goal of 200lbs. The confidence having the surgery and the weight loss gave me the confidence to move on to RN from paramedic 6 years ago along with being promoted to Admitted RN Manager and advisor to our new bariatric department. Feel free to ask me anything about the surgery, side effects, regrets (none) :-) , or life since the surgery. Take care all and hang in there!

How did you decide on the lap band over gastric? After talking to my PCM I'm still on the fence on the two. I'm 5ft tall and 227 pounds. I've been struggling for 6 years now even more than ever with my weight. How was your recovery and surgery? How much better do you feel after getting the surgery? I need so much help deciding and don't know where to go after getting it narrowed to the two!lol TIA!!! Angela

I just wanted to stop by and say hi to everyone. I have been lurking around the site for a week or so now and I have seen and heard some wonderful things going on in this community. I have noticed a very close family - like setting of unique and diverse individuals and I love it. Everyone can have an opinion and people accept it and motivate and keep striving for what the ultimate goal is, a healthy life at a healthy weight. I am impressed and I hope I can be accepted among you to give and get experienced opinions and motivation. Thanks for reading and if you would like to be friends or get to know me better please drop by my page and give a hello! Thanks and have a Bless…

I was sleeved on June 20th and I 'think' I am hungry all the time! I don't really know what full feels like? Does chest discomfort mean your sleeve is full??? I get those feelings but my stomach is always growling. I am getting a minimum of 60 grams of protein and 50 ounces of water a day. I am still on liquids so I also eat jello, broth, and popsicles. I have even tried pudding and yogurt! I just feel confused because everyone told me they didn't even want to eat the first week!

Hi! My name is Sharon & I'm new to the site. I live in Texas (Dallas area) & am looking forward to meeting (online) new friends who are bypassers too. My surgery date is not scheduled as of yet but I'm looking at last August or early September!

Hello everyone how are you? I am new around here and I seem to like hanging out here a lot... I am Mexican and I will get my sleeve done here this year... I am a little nervous but super exited. How have your experiences been?

Hi. I'm new to this site and just made my decision today. After struggling with weight my whole life, and realizing that I will struggle for the rest of my life, I decided to stop struggling. I have generations of women in my family who have battled weight their whole lives. It is now time for transformation and change! The next few months will be filled with nutritionist appointments, insurance paperwork, doctor consultations, blood tests, butterflies (I'm sure) and then finally in August I will have surgery. I look forward to posting before and after pictures. Nice to meet everyone! Christi

Greetings ! My name is Princess and I am 19 years old as well as a sophomore in college ! I would really like to meet other people who have embarked on this journey OR who are going through the pre-op stages any help or advice will be greatly appreciated ! Thank you !

Hey guys sorry it took a while to update... My surgery this part Thursday went awesome! *other than having a really bad experience with a rude nurse who I ended up putting a complaint on... Things went Well, pain management was good, started to walk and for the first day able to keep ice chips and sips of Water down. Yesterday I had horrible lower back pain so Dr ordered an antiinflammatory med. REally helped! I was moving about like nothing:) IV was taken out yesterday evening...however I woke up this Am a little dehydrated, nausea, and headache. So my original time of discharge was pushed out a few hrs. I had so much loving support from family and friends it was aw…

I am 11 weeks post-op and just reached 40 pounds lost since my date of surgery weight. 60 pounds if you include pre-op diet. It seems like alot of videos and blogs say that at this time they have lost a good 20+ pounds more than me. Maybe I'm not doing all I could be? I do everything my surgeon has said. I'm just so afraid I'm not going to reach my goal weight in time. Im kinda wishing I should have had the duodenal switch.....they say it has greater weight loss outcomes, but there was no surgeon that performed that surgery here. Anyone else feel like its moving slow? And have you found any tips on maximizing weight loss. I have 100 pounds to go to not be " overweight". A…

Hi everyone. I went to my seminar on Saturday June 23rd and have my surgery consult on July 6th. I'm asking all the prayer warriors out there to keep me and all the other newbies in your prayers as we start this journey. I've actually been researching and considering this for a long time and now that I'm ready I'm very excited and also a little daunted by the whole process as each step brings me closer. Since my insurance doesn't cover the procedure and I am self pay, I don't have to jump through all the hoops the insurance companies seem to require, so hopefully once I pass the pre-op tests it won't take long to actually get a surgery date. This is a great site to get …

Hi all I was just banded 12hrs ago! So I'm wide awake at 2:40am (australian time) and thought this would be a welcome distraction. Am experiencing quite alot of pain in my left shoulder and only slight discomfort in my abdo area when I move. Have been experiencing severe heartburn and nausea which gets better with medication. So as I stated before, extremely new to this, still in hospital and just wondering if some of you could share some of your early experiences. Thanks.

for insurance? How far along are you? what's your story? I dont know if this will take off, but it'd be nice if we could use this as a place to encourage one another, discuss waht we are going through, etc. Wanna?

Aug. 8th

Hello Everyone! Im Angel and I am currently waiting for my surgery date. Im having my VSG converted to a RNY hopefully withing the next 2 weeks. In 2/2011 I had a nissen fundoplication (had 1/3 of my stomach folded to relieve severe acid reflux) and had the rest of my stomach cut into a vertical sleeve. After surgery, my reflux was cured and I lost some weight, but a few months later the reflux came back and hardly any weight came off (trusted me I have tried!) I am hoping that this surgery will cure my reflux and my weight problem once and for all! Im super scared about going under for the second time around but curious to see if I will finally get the results I need!…

Hello Everyone, I am fairly new to SleeveTalk.com. I had a Gastric Sleeve operation done in February 13 2012. It has been a journey, so far I have gone down from 225 to 167 which is amazing, however I am scared to death of food now. I usually go to counseling every week, which I am grateful for. I look at everything before I eat it and if it has too many carbs (or what I consider to many) I will not eat it, which means I limit myself way too much. I feel I have become weak and very cranky at times because my body is craving food. I spoke to my counselor today and she said it is a normal thing to go through. I want to work through it, but I have no idea what peopl…

HEllo everone!!! 2day is my 3rd day home! I have been well. I am still on my Clear liquids. My hubby and family/friends that come and visit have been very supportive. I am able to have homemade broth, sugar free jell-0, gatorade, and apple juice. My bowels started returning When Igot home Saturday. As expected,they were loose and dark. I swear I spent more time in the bathrooom that night! I got a call from the nurses to ask how things are going. It was good to know they were concerned and helpful. I mentioned the whole loose stools and they asked what I was drinking. after I explained I felt it was the apple juice, they told me I might have been experiencing my firs…

Hello, today is the 5th day after my surgery, other than the surgicial wounds , how do you know that the band is working? When dose the swelling go, and when can you expect to see changes on the scale?

Been on here all morning, and have learned a lot of informed info. I am 52, a smoker, 5 3, wgt 235, BMI 42. My consult is July 3rd, just wondering how long the consult process takes b4 a surgery date is given. Have talked to Champ VA they say they do cover surgery, My type A personality says lets do it. Mainly wanting 2 kno what tests to expect, and should I consult my primary doc.

Hi everyone, My name is Christy. On April 16, 2012 I had a Gastric Verticle Sleeve done. I made my decision to have it done based on the fact that I was 37 years old, a diabetic with sleep apnea and never had the energy to keep up with my 4 children. As a child and a teenager, I was average size and began to put on weight after my first child. I had been "morbidly obese" most of my adult life. I put the words morbidly obese in quotations because I never thought of myself that way until a doctor told me I was. I am 5'7" and weighed just under 300lbs. (298 to be exact). At my heaviest I was 327. Although the number was huge, in the mirror I knew I was fat, but morbidly o…

I work at a job that throws me out in the public quite often - I am seen by many in my community expecially in the summer months. I was sleeved in January and have since lost 66lbs - down a few sizes and feeling great. This past weekend I renewed a few friendships with some great people - I was amazed that most of them did not notice my weight loss at all.....they were just glad to see me as a person. I always thought my weight was the first thing people saw in me.............. Once again - the sleeve continues to teach me so much about myself!

Hi my name is Trinity and I'm 36 from Boise Id. I had my lap-band surgey april 21 2012 and have lost 53 pounds as of today.

So confused. My mind is so tired of going back and fourth between the 2. Looking for advice..

It just hit me today that I am no longer an emotional eater. Today, I learned that my sister and best friend in the world is going onto the heart transplant list--IF they consider her to be a good candidate for surviving it. She is beautiful--the picture of health and fitness--but chemo in her 20's destroyed her heart valves and she's been struggling with congestive heart failure. However, I realied this evening that for the first time in my life, I didn't even consider eating to ease my pain and worry. Amazing. What is different?? I got to my highest weight by eating every time I had an emotion, be it anger, sadness, or even excitement and happiness. I've work…

Hello Everyone, I had the Banded Plication (In addition to the Band the Plication is where the stomach is folded and sewn instead of the Gastric Sleeve, where it is completely removed, it is supposed to have the same result of the sleeve, which is more initial rapid weight loss, but it is less invasive and can be reversed if needed) on Friday, June 15, 2012 and I was terrified. I used this forum as a way not only to help me deal with my fears, but to also research some concerns that I had, and I must say that is was nice to read what some of you had to say. I just wanted to share a little of my journey in hopes that it may help someone else. At my Pre-op appointment on …

Thank you for the birthday wishes. Thought I'd take the opportunity to say that I had the band done in the summer of 2009, lost my targeted amount of weight in six months, gained just a smidgen back, but have maintained at a good weight for over two years. No complaints!

Elliot how do I get a password for the social groups

Hello everyone. My name is Bettina. I am 32 years old, a wife and mother of two. I have been big my entire life...and I'm just tired. There's really no other way to put it. Believe it or not, I'm tired of eating. Seems like my existence revolves around food, and I need to break that cycle. I'm actually looking forward to the liquid diet part...is that weird? LOL. I've only just begun the process for surgery, but my mind is made up. I am just waiting for my insurance coverage to begin so I can start my doctor supervised diet for 6 months. I do have a couple questions...has anyone ever lost so much weight during the supervised diet that you were no longer a candidate…

I've struggled with my weight my whole life (I'm 53). 15-20 pounds overweight in high school, then 30-40 pounds overweight in my 20's, then gradually creeping up to 75-80 pounds overweight. I've tried every diet known to man and now I'm ready to make this big step of surgery, but my insurance will not cover it. I want to take the $15,000 needed out of my 401K and my husband does not agree. In addition to wanting to look better for myself and my husband, I want to feel better. My back, legs and feet hurt all the time and I have no energy. Any idea on how I can convince my husband to support me with this decision? I'm pretty much to the point of doing it with or with…

Hello, Does anyone have Pacificare in California? I am trying to get the procedure approved through them and want to know if anyone has used them and gotten it approved. What was recommended and what steps were taken? Thanks !!!!

Just done my sleeve on 20june..need help

Excited but nervous! Surgery scheduled for June 29th. I've been struggling with dieting the past 15 years.

I was banded 2/2010, I have lost appx 25-30 lbs. Last Oct 2011 I had all the fluid taken out of my band because I was starting a new 12 week fitness challenge. I completed the callenge, did well, but since then I have gained weight! I have had a ton of personal stuff going on...my question is I know I have stretched my pouch out...do I go back and get a fill? Can I start over now that I have stretched it out or have I ruined it for myself?

Stumbled across this app for my iPhone!! I'm having surgery Monday morning and I'm excited!! Ready to start my new life. 6' 368lbs as of today......

I am anxiously waiting for my procedure. Per Medicaid I have to wait 9 months before they will pay for the sleeve. I have been a big boy my whole life. I was 6'2" in the sixth grade ad was right at 270 pounds. I am now 36 and I think I am close to 500 pounds I dont know for sure. No scales can weigh me. any advice on how to prepare myself for this will be greatly appreciated.

Well, 1 year ago today almost to the hour I had my surgery starting out at 271# @ 5'3". What an amazing journey this has been. I can honestly say that I am so glad I did this and how it has improve my quality of life in more ways than I can count. I am now just 10# from my final goal and while it would have been nice to be at goal by now, I am pleased with my progress of loosing 141# in this time. I have been buying thrift store clothes almost exclusively, which honestly isn't much different from my previous shopping habits. I have been able to find some incredible deals, nice clothes at rock bottom prices that nobody at work would even suspect. I have attached a p…

Hi. I've been reading the boards for a couple of weeks now, and thought it was time to introduce myself. My name is Kristal, and I've started the process of weight loss surgery. I met with my surgeon last week, and had my first appt with my PCP yesterday to start my 6mo supervised diet. I'm hoping to use this 6mos to focus on the habit changes I will need to make to be successful with my sleeve. My goals for this first month are 1.) to stop drinking anything at least 30 minutes before I eat and not drink anything until 30 minutes after I'm done, 2.) give up sodas (this won't be very hard because I normally only have 1-2 a week anyway), 3.) start chewing my food 20 times. …

Hi! I'm two weeks out from having my sleeve. I am kind of nervous/anxious, but excited about my potential better health and wellbeing. Can you tell me what protein powder/drink and/or vitamins you like best? I'm still shopping for those. Thanks!

So I got my sleeve June 12 i feel great never saw the scale move down so fast my starting weight was 350 now today down 25 lbs less then two weeks Omg this is the ****...

Hello, I am a female, 34 years old. I had my VSG surgery June 11, 2012 in St. John's, Newfoundland (Canada) by Dr. Pace. Like most of us, I have been up and down with my weight for most of my life. Always turning to food for comfort since I was a child living in foster homes for 5 years before my mother got my brother and I back. One particular foster home insisted that I only eat certain things and certain amounts because I could easily become over weight with my bone structure. True or not you should never say that to a child because years later she could end up 400 pounds. Not that I blame my weight on that only but that certainly played a great part in my turning to…

Am brand new here. Had laparoscopic RNY 4 weeks ago today. I live in Oregon, I am married and work full time. Looking forward to getting to know you all.

I am so excited for my first consult! I'm a little nervous as well ... I'm hoping for the best but always afraid that something will go wrong.

Am going home today. Surgery was Tiwsday morning and I will be on my way home shortly. Feeling pretty good and very excited to sleep in my own bed.

Hey! My name is Amber & I am a newbie. I am currently scheduled for surgery on Thursday. I'm nervous, scared, excited & happy... I started this journey 2 years ago @ 268lbs. I chickened out because I wasn't ready. I had no clue how to exercise, had no clue about nutrition & wasn't ready for the divorce from food. I lost 60lbs on my own but of course put 20 back on... I've got a dominant fat gene & anymore it's a struggle to lose weight. This surgery will be another tool to put in my toolbox. I'm weighing in at 220 going into this surgery. Sooooo scared of liver not being small enough, dying, losing too much weight, deficiencies, aweeee lawdy lawdy.... I…

I was sleeved on December 8, 2011 and I must say it has been rocky. Not even 8 weeks after my gallbladder had to come out. I thought I was ok until I started having trouble walking and my stomach, legs,and thighs went completly numb. My lady parts are numb as well as my breast so I had to get a attorney because they think something went wrong during the surgery. But, on a POSITIVE note I came from 412 to 311 in less tha 6 months. I'm praying that my walking goes back to 100% so I can finally hi8t the gym. I have a MRI scheduled fot Monday so we can figure out what this guy did..thanks for reading:)

Let me start by saying, this was the best option for me. I have crazy food allergies that prevented me from dieting( all fruits/veggies/seafood and soy). Exercising was difficult due to asthma and osteoporosis in both knees. This surgery, I believe, saved my life. I'm getting married April 21, 2013 and now I can look forward to dress shopping I have Dr. Suh and he's the best! No pain from the surgery itself (except gas pains). It's a little over two weeks post op and I'm down 25lbs! I'm on soft foods, but missing things like pizza and burgers and oh god steak! Everyday gets easier, so don't loose hope!

I am Joyce, from Pleasant Hill, MO ( near Kansas City ). I just turned 54 and finally have saved enough money, raised my two children ( now living on their own) and finally decided to do this just for ME. I have dieted on and off for almost 30 years, have been diabetic for almost 14 years and now starting to have joint pain issues. It is time for me to take control before things get worse. I have been married to a wonderful man for almost 30 years and he is my biggest supporter. I am self-pay, thanks to my wonderful insurance company, so I have chosen to have my surgery in Mexico by Dr. Alvarez. My husband will be making the trip with me there for my surgery. Sometimes…

Hi. My name is Ava I'm 21 and have a 5 month old Son. I will be having the bypass in 4 months. I lost my mom the day before I had my son unexpectedly. It's had a major toll on me I eat for everything. If I'm sad, happy, upset, alone. I'm starting my diet today. I want to lose 25lbs by next month. I will be working out for 1 1/2 hours each day and drinking protien shakes 3x daily for 2 weeks then 2 and dinner for the other 2. I'm really motivated because I also have my 9, 8, 6 and 2 year old sisters and brother. My 9 year old sister has downs and she's my motivation. I want to be able to get on the floor and help her when she has therapy. I also want to be able to run with…

i wanted to know the process of how long approximately it would take to get approved. If anyone has an answer to my question it will be greatly appreciated.