LBD

I can totally relate- it's a weird mix of emotions. I am elated that I am going to put a stop to this- to reach a healthy weight once and for all, but I am also ashamed and disappointed in myself. Not just for failing at dieting for the past thirty years, but after my botched attempt at gastric bypass surgery, I swore that that experience would be my wake up call to finally do it. Well, surprise, I didn't and here I am finishing up my pre op stuff for the second time around. So from my friends and family that knew and were understandably horrified by what happened before, I am getting mixed reactions. The first reaction is always a look of fear which fades to concern. Eventually everyone has chosen to support my decision... I feel grateful, but I haven't spoken to my oldest son yet. He's twelve and I really don't want to scare him. He knows what happened before because he's seen my scars and has asked about them. I am sad that I'll need to let him know that I'm trying WLS again, which will definitely scare him, no matter how I explain it. As far as what I'll need to say publicly after I lose a lot, I think I would say that I chose to make a major change in my life... And didn't give up.

Ruptured Aorta. A very rare (and obviously serious) surgical error. Recovery from that surgery was rough because I had an upper respiratory infection and was coughing and sneezing with this huge incision/dozens of staples in my gut! 8 days in the hospital...NOT fun. I never had the gastric bypass then, (2007). With the help of this forum, I've managed to muster some strength, reason and objectivity and will get the VSG in the next month or two. Again, not meaning to scare anyone, I would just say that it's important to be in a hospital where there are other specialists available- as in my case, I needed a vascular surgeon to repair and graft the artery.

Oh yeah, I know! I have been trying to lose weight since the age of 12, when I weighed 142 lbs. Yo yo dieting & now at 44 I am twice that weight. In 2007, I made the decision to have gastric bypass, but unfortunately a surgical mistake derailed my plans to have the surgery, and I almost lost my life. After recovering from that debacle, I never thought I would attempt WLS again. Then in 2010, my amazing vivacious and otherwise very healthy mother, aged 75, was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. I was her caregiver during her last five months until she passed away on May 8, 2011 on Mother's Day. To say this time was brutal would be an understatement and I tried to keep things as normal for my kids as possible throughout her illness and after, but the truth is that my health was not a priority. i was exhausted, traumatized & now I'm 35 lbs heavier than when I went in for the failed gastric bypass a few years ago. Aside from all the negatives that go with being obese, being at this weight greatly increases my chances of developing cancer, and I just can't put my boys through that. Am I scared to go under the knife again? Hell yes, but that fear pales in comparison to developing cancer, living the rest of my life like this or leaving my children motherless because I was too scared to make a change. I suddenly realized that the decision I made in 2007 was the right one for me and I have to try again. Almost done jumping through the pre-op hoops and I AM READY!!! Bring it ON!!!!

Well, my initials are LBD & I certainly plan on wearing an LBD next year sometime for the first time ever, really!

It almost makes me want to cry when I see all of these before and after successes! You have just changed your life- congratulations!!! Hope to be able to say the same for myself in 2014.

And really, not fair to try to belittle someone when their coming to such a point of joy in their life! No one is trying to convert anyone here. We are all different people coming from different places with WLS in common. Let's Celebrate this person's huge success and not be sarcastic to someone who is here for support, not sarcasm. Really...

Oh yeah, I know! I have been trying to lose weight since the age of 12, when I weighed 142 lbs. Yo yo dieting & now at 44 I am twice that weight. In 2007, I made the decision to have gastric bypass, but unfortunately a surgical mistake derailed my plans to have the surgery, and I almost lost my life. After recovering from that debacle, I never thought I would attempt WLS again. Then in 2010, my amazing vivacious and otherwise very healthy mother, aged 75, was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. I was her caregiver during her last five months until she passed away on May 8, 2011 on Mother's Day. To say this time was brutal would be an understatement and I tried to keep things as normal for my kids as possible throughout her illness and after, but the truth is that my health was not a priority. i was exhausted, traumatized & now I'm 35 lbs heavier than when I went in for the failed gastric bypass a few years ago. Aside from all the negatives that go with being obese, being at this weight greatly increases my chances of developing cancer, and I just can't put my boys through that. Am I scared to go under the knife again? Hell yes, but that fear pales in comparison to developing cancer, living the rest of my life like this or leaving my children motherless because I was too scared to make a change. I suddenly realized that the decision I made in 2007 was the right one for me and I have to try again. Almost done jumping through the pre-op hoops and I AM READY!!! Bring it ON!!!!

I am grateful that God has blessed doctors with the talent and expertise to help people like myself who need help to lead healthier lives. Some may feel differently, but there is a higher power at work in our lives whether we choose to believe it or not. Thankfully, sounds like you are feeling healthy, happy, free & grateful, which is an amazing thing!!!!

Not shallow and superficial at all... When you don't know what it feels like for so much of your life, it will just feel incredible to be happy when you can look in the mirror and smile. My surgery should happen in September or October and I get waves of excitement to think that things could change so much in several month's time. I plan on buying a full length mirror... Maybe two, haha!

Not shallow and superficial at all... When you don't know what it feels like for so much of your life, it will just feel incredible to be happy when you can look in the mirror and smile. My surgery should happen in September or October and I get waves of excitement to think that things could change so much in several month's time. I plan on buying a full length mirror... Maybe two, haha!

Oh yeah, I know! I have been trying to lose weight since the age of 12, when I weighed 142 lbs. Yo yo dieting & now at 44 I am twice that weight. In 2007, I made the decision to have gastric bypass, but unfortunately a surgical mistake derailed my plans to have the surgery, and I almost lost my life. After recovering from that debacle, I never thought I would attempt WLS again. Then in 2010, my amazing vivacious and otherwise very healthy mother, aged 75, was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. I was her caregiver during her last five months until she passed away on May 8, 2011 on Mother's Day. To say this time was brutal would be an understatement and I tried to keep things as normal for my kids as possible throughout her illness and after, but the truth is that my health was not a priority. i was exhausted, traumatized & now I'm 35 lbs heavier than when I went in for the failed gastric bypass a few years ago. Aside from all the negatives that go with being obese, being at this weight greatly increases my chances of developing cancer, and I just can't put my boys through that. Am I scared to go under the knife again? Hell yes, but that fear pales in comparison to developing cancer, living the rest of my life like this or leaving my children motherless because I was too scared to make a change. I suddenly realized that the decision I made in 2007 was the right one for me and I have to try again. Almost done jumping through the pre-op hoops and I AM READY!!! Bring it ON!!!!

Oh yeah, I know! I have been trying to lose weight since the age of 12, when I weighed 142 lbs. Yo yo dieting & now at 44 I am twice that weight. In 2007, I made the decision to have gastric bypass, but unfortunately a surgical mistake derailed my plans to have the surgery, and I almost lost my life. After recovering from that debacle, I never thought I would attempt WLS again. Then in 2010, my amazing vivacious and otherwise very healthy mother, aged 75, was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. I was her caregiver during her last five months until she passed away on May 8, 2011 on Mother's Day. To say this time was brutal would be an understatement and I tried to keep things as normal for my kids as possible throughout her illness and after, but the truth is that my health was not a priority. i was exhausted, traumatized & now I'm 35 lbs heavier than when I went in for the failed gastric bypass a few years ago. Aside from all the negatives that go with being obese, being at this weight greatly increases my chances of developing cancer, and I just can't put my boys through that. Am I scared to go under the knife again? Hell yes, but that fear pales in comparison to developing cancer, living the rest of my life like this or leaving my children motherless because I was too scared to make a change. I suddenly realized that the decision I made in 2007 was the right one for me and I have to try again. Almost done jumping through the pre-op hoops and I AM READY!!! Bring it ON!!!!

Just met with my nutritionist today and depending how far out you are, (like in the clear liquid phase,) she said to dilute to a 1 to 1 ratio of Water to Isopure. I guess that's one way to get it in. Other than that I plan on having plenty of Mio or crystal light on hand, or I know that I'll never drink it. I also just plan on having that handy wherever I go, never leaving the house without it. We'll see how I do post op, considering I am notoriously bad about my water intake.... 64 ounces of tiny sips= lots of sipping!!!

Hi, I am pre-op but have made Protein Shakes as a Meal Replacement from time to time... Now I have no real clue if this would work or if it would sit well, but it is more like a yummy shake than anything else. I happen to have a really great blender (Oster brand) that makes great frozen drinks. I peel & break up bananas & freeze them in a plastic bag. I use 1 scoop vanilla Pure Protein Powder, 1/2c Water, 1/2 c low fat milk, 1 frozen banana, 1 t Peanut Butter. Yummy, but I'll report back after a few weeks of them, lol!

Thanks for the advice! Will update after my first appointment.

Wow, thanks very much! Maybe when I go there, they may chose to start me out slow. I'm hoping that they won't take the "you don't need the surgery, just exercise" approach.... I wonder how they respond to people who chose to have WLS?

It's pretty sad, but so true... People are so superficial. I know I am treated differently and I know that look that people give me when I walk by... not fun and it's actually pretty sad that I got so used to it. I am looking forward to just feeling light & not feeling so tired so I can do more, losing the lbs and aches and pains AND not experiencing those kind of "looks" anymore. Clothes!!! It's been so many years since I've been able to buy normal clothes that I WANT to buy- cannot wait for that. Sorry to hear about your situation with your friends... Obviously, they felt threatened and jealousy is tough to get over, but that's on them. Congratulations on your success & new life!

As I mentioned in a thread I started the other day, this is the second time around for me. I'm meeting with a new doctor after the first doctor who operated on me in 2006 ruptured my aorta during the laparoscopy. Because it became an emergency situation I never got the gastric bypass surgery. Never thought I would try this again but even a near death experience wasn't enough to help me to stick to a plan long enough to take off the weight. food has always been my drug of choice and I see this second time around as my rock bottom, and self imposed intervention. Just realized lately that I needed it then & still do. Personally, I know that I need not to have a choice in order to succeed. For example, I had tried several times to quit smoking over the years and the only time I really did what's when I found out I was pregnant for the firs time 12 years ago. So going forward I know that this structure will be hard but I am committed to do what I need to do for a healthy life, and will get all the help I will need (medical/therapy) to make this work, because it just has to.... Grateful for an online community like this!!!!

Wow, I'm 44, in planning stages... I hope to post pictures like that in a year's time! You look fantastic- can you put into words how you feel now??

That is crazy though, considering you only have 10-12 units of blood in your body in the first place.. Hope you are feeling much better!

Wow! It sounds like we are both lucky to be here. I had lost the same amount of blood during my first WLS years ago, but that happened during the laparoscopic procedure. Did they say where the blood was coming from? My aorta was cut and they repaired it with a graft- didn't they open you up to find the origin of the bleed? The problem with the laparoscopy is that to some extent it it a blind procedure and apparently my anatomy was "different", whatever that means. Stories like ours are very rare but they do happen, and even great doctors screw up... He had no idea- but it is his job to make sure you are ok!!! Mistakes like this remind me that it's so important to be in a good hospital where there are other physicians around, like vascular surgeons who can step in in an emergency situation. So sorry to hear this happened to you!!!

As I mentioned in a thread I started the other day, this is the second time around for me. I'm meeting with a new doctor after the first doctor who operated on me in 2006 ruptured my aorta during the laparoscopy. Because it became an emergency situation I never got the gastric bypass surgery. Never thought I would try this again but even a near death experience wasn't enough to help me to stick to a plan long enough to take off the weight. food has always been my drug of choice and I see this second time around as my rock bottom, and self imposed intervention. Just realized lately that I needed it then & still do. Personally, I know that I need not to have a choice in order to succeed. For example, I had tried several times to quit smoking over the years and the only time I really did what's when I found out I was pregnant for the firs time 12 years ago. So going forward I know that this structure will be hard but I am committed to do what I need to do for a healthy life, and will get all the help I will need (medical/therapy) to make this work, because it just has to.... Grateful for an online community like this!!!!

Hello! I have to say this is the first time I've ever posted anything related to my medical history online, but this looks like the place to do it. Six years ago, a year after giving birth to my second child, I was about 275 lbs & decided to have gastric bypass surgery. The surgeon that performed it was well known & head of the department of a great hospital. Unfortunately, when performing the laparoscopic portion of the surgery, my doctor pierced my aorta, so I began bleeding internally. No blood pressure and I lost 6 or 7 units of blood. The surgeon opened me up & stopped the bleeding. Luckily, a very talented vascular surgeon happened to be there & was able to graft the artery. I was very lucky to survive this at all, but needless to say, I didn't get the surgery I had hoped for and went though hell recovering with a 15" incision. Now it's 6 years later and I'm heavier than I was and feeling much worse and meeting with another surgeon in a couple of weeks. Trying to be brave here and hope that it's worth the risk... again. I know I need it desperately, and with any luck lightening will not strike me twice. Wondering if I should go for the sleeve. Any thoughts?