Lisa's Hope

Congratulations! Hope I will breeze through as well! Keep us informed on how you are doing.

You'll do great! Congratulations.... Let us know how you're doing. Both of you!

Congratulations! I hope my journey will be as good as yours.

I don't have my surgery date yet but I'm self pay and I am conserned about some to the same things too. I think everyone before surgery goes through this! It's scary and there are alot of what ifs.... I'm sure you will do fine though and be so happy your went through with it. Good Luck!

So awesome! Congratulations!

Praying you have an easy surgery and recovery! Good Luck! God Bless!

Congratulations!! I can't wait to get to where you are. I'm sooooo scared and I keep going back and forth about the surgery. It helps so much when I read post like yours!

After reading this article, it makes me want to tell my surgeon to go bigger with my sleeve. I can't stand the thought of vomiting all the time and being nauseous or having a leak or stricture. I know there aren't any guarantees but seems that everything I read, bigger sleeve is better.

I asked my surgeon this question and he said he doesn't use a bougie but a tube of some sort to measure the exact size of a 38fr bougie. He said anything smaller could cause problems with strictures and leaks. I've not had surgery yet but I was hoping he would measure at least to a 38fr when I asked him because I had already read about complications with smaller bougie sizes.

Wow! You guys have done so well! Congratulations! I can't imagine being 180 or below. The way I feel now, just so low. I think I'm at my bottom. I weigh more than I ever have even at 9 months pregnant with my daughter. Reading your stories is SOOOOO inspirational to me. I'm still waiting to have the surgery. I'm hoping it will be at the end of may or the first of June. I have to be self pay so I don't have to wait as long as some. I would gladly though, if my insurance would consider it but they won't. Did you guys have any problems after surgery? I don't know if you know anything about this, but do you know the size of your sleeve? Some surgeons use "bougies" to size the sleeve. Seems the ones that use larger ones, the patients don't have as many problems. My surgeon will use a 38fr and they are sized from 28fr to 42fr. Just curious...

I'm in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Pretty close to Anna, IL. If you don't mind me asking, where did you have your surgery and who was your surgeon?? I hope you feel better soon. I've not had my surgery as of yet so I was just curious who your surgeon was and how the surgery went?

If you start smoking again, you could give yourself life threating complications. You aren't out of the woods as far a leaks and strictures that could develope from scar tissue. I know how hard it is. I smoked for awhile and have been smoke free for 10 years. Do it for yourself... Don't start back!

What is the "super sleeve"? I assume that it is bigger than most? BTW, you look amazing!

Congratulations! Thats awesome!

I do have HBP and I was just diagnosed with borderline diabetes. I know it will only get worse. I've lost and gain back 100 pounds 5 times in my life. I can't keep it off no matter what. Now I have no thyroid due to hyperthyroidism. I had to it destroyed with radiation because it would eventually have killed me. So now I'm on synthroid for the rest of my life and am hypothyroid. Weight just crept back on me after that procedure. Fifty pounds in 4 months. It will still be a challenge for me even with the surgery but I know I need this and all of your comments help me so much. Thank you. I admire your courage. My surgery should be at the end of May or the 1st of June. I really don't want to chicken out.. LOL

I like that last statement. So true! Congratulations on your weight loss!! That's amazing. My negative side always seems to take over. I'm not scared of the surgery. I've had several before. I know it is more the complications after if they happen because I'm self pay and I think. "oh Lord, what is something happens and no one will take care of me because I can't afford it and insurance won't pay because they didn't pay for the surgery to begin with.??"... That kind of thinking consumes me. Thank you though. Getting these positive comments helps me so much!! I love this forum and love reading all of the success stories of the people who have made it. God Bless!

Oh my gosh! I can't get over how much your story sounds like mine. My insurance will not pay for this surgery either. My husband's employer pays 1200.00 month premium and it's excluded. Soooo unfair! I feel exactly like you did about the quilt of spending so much money on myself and quilty about not being able to do this on my own. All I can say is I'm so glad you posted this today. I know I don't know you but I feel I've found someone who understands EXACTLY how I feel. I know God puts people in our lives either in person or via internet (lol) for a reason. Thank you!

Thanks for posting this Amber. I've been struggling with my decison for a few days now about wheather or not to have the surgery. After reading your post and understanding and feeling all of those same things that you wrote about has convinced me that I really have to get this surgery and stop thinking and wondering if I will have complications. "JUST DO IT!!" Right?? Thanks again Amber I needed to read this. Congratulations on your weight loss!! I hope to be where you are, on the losers bench very soon. God Bless!!

When I met Dr. Wagner in 2008, I thought he was very nice. He has a lot of experience from what I've read. I had to stop surgery in 2008 when I was going to use him because of my TSH level and being diagnosed with hyperthroidism. The reason I chose Dr. Follwell is because he is associated with Des Peres Hospital. After meeting him, I really like him alot. I've not heard any negative comments about Dr. Wagner. I'm sure he will be great for you. He has done a lot of procedures.

I've been reading tonight about the risks involved with this prodedure and I'm beginning to talk myself out of it little by little. The thought of a leak, abscess, rupture, bleeding, or stricture scares me to DEATH! I think... well... is losing weight really worth the risk of having any of these like threating complications?? I keep going back to the thought that I will probably be one of those people with a complication. I wish I could be more positive!! I need this surgery so badly. I do know that all of the problems I have now are going to kill me eventually. I get VERY ANGRY with myself for not being able to do this on my own. Why can't I?? Why can't I be "normal"? Naturally thin? I'm sure everyone on this forum has asked themselves this question many many times. Seems "we" have to go to extreme measures to get healthy. Or what we define as healthy. But is it really? After removing 85 percent of the stomach, can you be healthy? Seems I can't find the answer to that question any where. I need to convince myself this is worth it. I know there are no guarantees. No one can tell me that I will make it to the other side unscaved, without , or complications. I wish there were guarantees in life but there aren't. I like to say I admire all you who have gone through this surgery. I admire your courage and strength. I hope I can convince myself and have the courage to go through with it. I want to be on the losers bench. On the other side.......

It's wonderful to hear how well you are doing. Congratulations!

You guys are so blessed to have an insurance plan that will cover your surgery. Our insurance through our employer has an exclusion. I have pay 17,000 out of pocket. I get nauseous thinking about it. All of our savings everything I'm using for this surgery and if something goes wrong, I don't know how we will pay for it. I just have faith in GOD and try not to worry. I know that I have to have this surgery and I know there isn't any other way. It is such a shame when the premium for insurance is 1200.00 a month and they can exclude anyway. I have co mordibities. HBP and borderline diabetic. Just can't understand why??

Congratulations!!

I know there are a lot of successful people that do this program but for me I lost 25 pounds in 6 months and gained it right back. I've actually tried it a couple of times. Unfortunately, didn't work for me. I'm sure this was due to "me" and not the program. I know it is very expensive. I've spent so much money over the years on every program there is out there only to gain back every ounce. Good luck in whatever you choose.

That is strange! Seems the band would be almost as large as the pouch. I'm sure it has gotten bigger, but still..