Doug100

@@andrew.t.ames@gmail.com
you are doing a great job
91 lbs down!!!!
great achievement
many of us struggle at one time or another through our journey
in a weird way i think a few problems can be good
you appreciate success all the more
(but, if you have no problems you are aces too!!!)
ummmm
great pic
i can get rid of my hubby tonight
are you busy??
keep up the good job for the rest of your healthier, happier, longer life
I know you will
kathy
congrats

I had pain for 5 1/2 weeks, quite a lot of pain and I am no wimp. Not sure what happened with me but I am good now. Everyone is different but "most" people seem to feel well after a week or so. Best of luck to you.

Relax and breathe.... This will be the only a step in time on your way to good health. In a years time go back and read your post again and remark on how good you feel and healthy you are.

I used flintstone with Iron right out of the hospital.

I was 170 pounds overweight and I thought I had tried everything. I had a LAP-BAND for 11 years, during which I lost and regained 130 pounds. The LAPBAND was ready to do its' job, but I was not ready to do mine. This is the story of how I embraced, life, living, healthy food and exercise, and finally shed 170 pounds 8 years into my LAPBAND journey. From needing a "walker" to climbing America's tallest mountain in 2 years, this is my story.


Food was my way of comforting myself and relieving stress for as far back into my childhood as I can remember. There was alcohol and violence in my childhood home and I needed comfort. There was no human source for it so I created a source for it.

Food "hugged me" and made me feel safer. In an environment with stressors beyond my control. I had a small something I could easily access to sooth myself. It was my mind deciding what to eat for comfort and it was my hand lifting the food to my mouth. I was in the driver's seat regarding something in my life and body, even if I wasn't safe in my home. Food was my best friend, provided comfort and gave me a way to manage even a small part of my life.

By my teens, my chubby appearance morphed into actually being significantly overweight. At the age of 12, I jumped from a women's size 12 to size 18 and never looked back. By the age of 20, soon after my mother's death, I was a size 26 and 330 pounds. In my 30s, I lost 130 pounds too rapidly and much of my hair by binging and purging and in my 40s, I again lost 130 pounds after LAP-BAND Weight Loss Surgery in 2003.

But because I had not done the emotional, internal work on my relationship with food and childhood trauma, my food addiction shifted to liquid calories I could easily pass through the LAP-BAND, which is common. At this time, for the first time in my life, I developed an alcohol problem and my dinner each night was a six pack of "vodka coolers" followed by a pint of low-fat ice cream for dessert.

Nutrition was the last thought on my mind and my focus was on comfort calories that could pass through "the band." By 2006, all the weight I lost was back. I also continued to eat solid foods that would force me to vomit and caused my esophagus to become distended. When a LAP-BAND patient doesn't respect the "full" signals the body sends to the brain and continues to eat, the esophagus becomes a storage place for excess food and the esophagus stretches. This made the LAP-BAND useless and while it is still in my body, it no longer functions properly.

At the same time, during the last 20 years, I developed back problems from bulging discs related to the weight I was carrying. I began using opiates under a doctor's supervision to combat pain and muscle spasms in my back and in my knees that resulted in five knee surgeries. At first, I viewed the opiates as a wonderful tool as they relieved or masked some of the pain and also provided an emotional high. Soon I was using the opiates for emotional reasons more than for pain and as my tolerance for them grew, I needed larger doses to get the same effect. Then I needed to graduate to a stronger form of opiate and that is when, 10 years ago, I began taking Oxycodone and OxyContin around the clock along with Flexeril for muscle spasms.

Sitting for long periods became unbearable and I was forced to leave my career as a Court Paralegal and qualified for "permanent disability." I cried as I left the hearing in which I was declared disabled. I didn't want to be disabled but felt it must be true for a judge to decide it was. It was 2010 and I believed my life was essentially over. At 50 years old I was simply waiting to slowly die. I believed all my happy days were behind me.

When my doctor suggested I try yoga before we take the drastic step of implanting electrodes in my spine for the pain, I began attending a very gentle yoga class for people with disabilities. Slowly, over a two year period, I began to build stronger core muscles which made the back spasms less severe and less frequent.

But I continued to take the opiates because by then I had an emotional and chemical dependence on them. During this time, I was diagnosed with sleep Apnea which was caused by the opiates and excess weight. Opiates disrupt the brains signals to the lungs and suppress the respiratory drive.

On top of this - physical pain, addiction and emotional unhappiness - I was also caring for my father with Alzheimer's. Although in a safe and loving group home, I still felt responsible for my father's well-being and comfort. I was his only family within 3000 miles. As so often happens when caring for a loved-one, we stop caring for ourselves in every sense.

Soon after my father's death in 2012, I developed pneumonia because my breathing became so inconsistent that my lungs filled with Fluid. I realized at that point I needed to change everything about my life including losing the weight and decreasing, even eliminating, my use of opiates or else I would die. At that moment, in the hospital in 2012, the desire to live was sparked in me by the threat of death!

After leaving the hospital, for 60 days, I detoxed and experienced cold sweats, tremors and anxiety as the opiates slowly left my bloodstream. Once I was drug-free, I began making small, sustainable changes to my diet and gradually increasing amounts of movement. (Yes, that means exercise!) Over the following 18 months, my weight dropped from a high of 333 pounds down to 185. As a 6'3" tall woman this is a healthy, lean weight for me.

In 2013, I decided then to give myself the gift of nearly full-body plastic surgery. Since I was already severely overweight in my teens, at a time of life when many young girls look their best and enjoy being pretty, I decided "it is never too late to have a happy childhood." During an 11-hour surgery, 13 pounds of skin was removed from my abdomen, buttocks, back, chest and under arms. For the first time since the age of 12, no part of my belly and buttocks continue to jiggle when I stop walking, no part of me droops and my thighs do not rub together. The Sleep Apnea is gone and I now climb mountains instead of grabbing railings to pull myself up stairs! But the hardest mountain I've ever climbed was a "metaphorical mountain" in those first few weeks of starting to change my relationships with food and drugs, as well as beginning to move.

I am enjoying a lovely renaissance in a healthy, lean, strong and coincidentally beautiful body. However, this transformation has not been about beauty. My goals are continued health and a desire to live with passion, and about choosing to do more than survive. I am driven from an internal source to live a vibrant, full life of joy so I can continue to enjoy the love of family and friends and so they needn't lose me to obesity and addiction.

This photo (above) was taken on the highest mountain in the 48 contiguous United States, Mount Whitney. After 10 hours of climbing 6,134 feet to an elevation of 14,508 feet covering 11 miles, I summited at 2:00 pm and like every part of my weight-loss, fitness and "reclamation of life" journey, I did it!

Yet, like during every aspect of my journey I had partners. My partners knew the lay of the land, my strength and challenges. I surrounded myself with people who knew how to help me get where I wanted to go. Physical and mental health professionals who coached me to express my full potential. What mountains will you climb in your life and who will help you get there? Build your team, including here at BariatricPal, and there is no "mountain" you cannot climb!

This sounds like head hunger and you could choose to make better choices. Listen to the others here. Get some help if you can from a nutritionist. You are liable to have more medical problems if you continue.

I tell people the truth for the most part.. I'm 60 years old and if there is someone that will say something ridiculous to me concerning my health, I know it already and don't need to deal with them.

Best decision I ever made after getting married. My life is on track. My healthcare costs have gone way down. My outlook is great. And it saved my life as the cardiologist found an Abdominal Aortic Aneurism that was non symptomatic. 12.5 cm. largest one the surgeon had ever seen on a "live" patient.

I guess I am a big mouth cause I told/tell everybody! lol. I could care less what other people think - if they think I am taking the "easy" way out or if they think I am crazy for doing surgery for any reason..Its none of their business. Besides - I dont hang out with people who dont support me anyway. I am blessed to have great coworkers, family and friends. With that being said, people have shown concern over surgery just because as with any surgery it carries risks - I have already had 4 abdominal surgeries so my risk is higher just by statistics..My mother also died during an operation so that is brought up sometimes. Other than that I answer questions when I am asked about the process - I find most people are curious about recovery time and diet info more than anything else...

This one lady said to me "Oh you took the easy way out huh"
I said "ya just like your brother did with his liver transplant"
My best friend is and always has been 185lbs at 6'2" i was 440lbs at 6'2" & when we where 15yrs old (22yrs ago lol) i can remember him eatting 12 SLICES OF pizza & almost a 2litter of soda in about a 2hr period... i had 2 slices and WATER!!! Yet i was 300lbs at that time... obesity is a disease that you were predisposed to. The people who might criticise and ridicule you are uneducated and we do our brothers and sisters who are thinking of having the surgery a disservice by not educating those that may judge.
When lifelong skinny people hear my story 99% are swayed from their bias beliefs that we are just lazy and they just might encourage someone they know to the miracles of modern science ...
Say it loud and proud!

I read an interesting perspective. Do diabetics take the easy way out using insulin? Do heart patients take the easy way out with mess and surgery instead of diet and exercise ?

I remember reading one of those etiquette experts give advice on how to handle nosy or mean spirited (said as if well-intentioned) comments and questions and I think it works in a lot of situations: Look at them with mild surprise, count to three in your head and then say "I'm sorry, what did you say?" and when they repeat it say slowly "That's what I thought you said." and change the subject. If they persist then I'd just tell them that my doctor and I made a health decision and although they're certainly entitled to their opinion, it doesn't really factor into my views on my own health and well being and then end the conversation.
Luckily, I haven't had anyone be so awful to me. (Yet)

A bit snarky back but I think it would do the trick: Look closely at the corner of their mouth and sweetly say,"Excuse me, but there is a tiny bit of BS left on your lip."

I haven't experienced it either yet, but that's not to say I won't. I would challenge them to live like they're sleeved for a week. I'd put a sleeved persons portion of food and 80oz of Water in front of them and tell them to survive on 3 meals that size per day and drink all the fluids in a day, then have them ride my 8 miles every night with me, tell them to get up and go to the gym in the morning with me, and have them do it for a week straight, then ask them how "easy" that was.

I haven't had anyone actually make that crack to me, but my comeback would be "Sure, it's the easy way out. Much easier than dying from the complications of obesity I was experiencing!"

It is not a come back but I always say " follow me to the gym every morning at 5:00am and then tell me it is an easy way out". The sleeve is a tool that provides a restriction that aids in the weight loss and keeping it off. You have to dedicate to a lifestyle change as far as eating properly and exercising. I do not let anything anyone says bother me, I did this for my health and I am healthier now than I have been since my teen years. It looks like you are well on your way, let your results speak for themselves.

This has been a fantastic journey for me. I'm sure the butterflies will increase as you get closer. Keep your eye on the prize!

This has been a fantastic journey for me. I'm sure the butterflies will increase as you get closer. Keep your eye on the prize!

Carissa one thing I can say walk right after your surgery. Walk walk so you won't have lots of pain from the gas they put to blow up our tummies.. Good luck during your surgery. I had mine on July 16th and down 15 pounds already.

This sounds like head hunger and you could choose to make better choices. Listen to the others here. Get some help if you can from a nutritionist. You are liable to have more medical problems if you continue.

Good luck! You will get there. I have knee issues that kept me from walking. Now is better but the arthritis is still there so I ride an exercise bike. Try a recumbent if you can't do the upright. Or swimming. Peace Out.

Best of luck to you! I had the other problem with Drs office not letting me past the gate keeper.

Thanks so much!

Nice before and after pics. You have it right!

Sounds like you have a great start on a new life! Remember, this is "OUR" time, and no one can take it from us. We are getting the tools to make us healthy for life.