christy38

Thanks everyone for your advice. Yes it a very hard decision that only I can make. I want to be healthy and live a long life . getting this surgery is a risk but staying obese is an eve bigger risk. I want to exercise but I have pain on my heels pain at times in my back, knees. It's just a mess and I know I'll start the gym today and tomorrow ill have to stop due to some pain some where. I know my boyfriend just wants me to be able to keep my stomach the way it is and is very scared I won't ever be able to eat normal again. I know that's his concern.

I saw dr choi on December 20th and she answered a lot of my questions and gave me lots of advice also while I was sitting outside waitig to be called I spoke with patients of dr choi who assured me I was with one of the best surgeons. They said she has excellent bedside manners and I don't doubt it one bit. A lot of people who are on here have had their surgery with dr vali and say his the best. I don't know but all I can say is almost all the bariatric surgeons at montifiore have great feed back . So next week is my first appointment with weight management and I think I have to go 4 months before getting approved by CIGNA. Still scared and worried what I'm getting myself into and not knowing the out come is 100 times more scary. Keep me posted and I hope to bump into u sometime at the hospital!

This might be a stupid question but is it inside of you? Like around your abdomen? Ugh I just hate not knowing how bad the pain after surgery can be , so scared

Hey I'm from chelsea NY (downtown manhattan) and am in the process of getting surgery at montifiore with Dr. choi. Best of luck to all

I'm about to start my 4 month weight loss management and I'm having doubts AGAIN which is normal but I'm Having lots of talk with my boyfriend and he doesn't feel this is the way out. He feels I should commit to a diet and exercise and just sees me as being lazy and not wanting to put the extra time for exercise. It's easy for him to say but I have so much going on , work , kids , bills, body aches , PMs, hiatal hernia, reflux , GERD etc! I'm 38 years old 5'3 and 320 pounds.

What is that? Does it hurt? How uncomfortable is it? I've never had surgery and I'm curious because I see everyone not liking "THE DRAIN"! Lol

Thanks so much for all your advices and experiences. As you can see the clock is ticking for me. I had 4 children already oldest is 21 youngest 16 so I have kids already but I'm engaged to be married for a second time and my fiancé doesn't have kids so we're kinda trying to figure out when it would be the perfect time to have a baby. I think I'm going to try and lose weight on my own being that I've never really tried to go on a diet , just been negative all around about exercising and I've changed my eating habits and it doesn't seen to help too much unless I put in some hard core exercise. I'm intimidated by heart rate raising while exercising and kinda scared I might have a heart attack. It's so overwhelming not knowing what to to but something tells me I just give myself a chance before making such a drastic decision like VSG surgery.

I'm 38 years old 5'3 and 320 pounds . I'm thinking of having a baby and I'm kinda confused between having it before or after the surgery. I have a small hiatal hernia and reflux . Any advice?

Does VSG make you go do #2 more then before surgery? Lol

Oh wow. I was wondering if I should try it. I've heard it's a great diet. Don't know how good the food tastes but I'm hoping I can lose the weight with medi fast. I can maintain it after I lose it but I dot know if its the better thing to do

Has anyone lost weight on it before and how much weight did they lose?

I suffer from GERD/reflux and am terrified of what will happen and how bad it can get after surgery. Has anyone had a very severe GERD or reflux before surgery and has seen a great improvement after this surgery?

Has anyone tried medi fast. Diet?

Amen!

Hoping everything went well ...

Good luck! My prayers are with you! May you have a safe and speedy recovery.. God bless and tell us all about your experience!

Oh yes! It definitely helped but one question... Did you ever have a moment before surgery when you thought.. Why can't I just lose the weight naturally? On my own?

Thanks so much for the advice and I am researching ALOT! Can anyone tell me how they came to a final decision? I'm afraid of doing all the research and still have doubts..

I meant that I ask myself the same questions over ad over ..

Pics please

Yes orientation was oct 26th of 2012 and my first appointment with surgeon was on dec 20th of 2012 now I have to start my 4 month weight management for insurance and I would say by August of this year I should have a surgery date or have had surgery. It's just all overwhelming and I can't and don't know what to do. Getting rid of a part of my body which I was born with is one of my biggest concerns and despite wanting to look and feel better I can't stop worrying .. Am I making the right decision?

I'm 38 years old . 5'3 and 320 pounds. No I haven't really tried or committed myself to diet but I have changed the way I eat and eat lots more veggies , sweets here and there but even with that chance I see no weight loss , only get to lose 12 pounds then next month I'm back up 15 pounds . It's discouraging . I don't exercise much because I'm scared I might get a heart attack. I don't feel as strong as I did 7 years ago so I try to just change the way I eat but it doesn't seem to help. I mean I lose ten pounds but I'm up next month again. I also have this jiggly thing that happens from time to time and its something that feels very weird. It feels like gas but at the same time it feels like I'm out of breath from 2-3 seconds and I have to move a certain way to feel better . Do t know if its sow thing to do with my hernia and GERD cause at times it happens when I eat. Something or when I'm walking fast or out of breath. Sometimes it feels it happens and then I have a bowl movement. It's just weird and scares me at the same time. Will this happen after surgery ? Will this get fixed? Is it the hernia ? Is it not ? It's like I'm trapped!

I'm in the process of getting WLS and I start my 4 months weight management visits the 30th of this month and I'm having big time doubts and lots of worries . I have a hiatal hernia and GERD and afraid what the results might be if I go through with this surgery. Will I feel worse ? What if I have an under lining condition that wasn't found before surgery? What if ? What if? I know it's normal to feel this way but I feel that all these worries are going to make me back away from all this surgery process. Don't know if I should just give my body a chance to lose it on its own and get medi fast meals and see how that goes . Can't exercise too much cause I get kinda scared when my heart beat raises so much . It's just like I'm trapped and can't come to a decision. Help!!!!

Before and after pics for encouragement

Again thanks so much for your advice and information.. Your great best of luck on your journey , so glad your on the flip side , post pics! Lol