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I went zip-lining today and loved it!! It was a blast. There was also an ariel obstacle course which was super challenging but fun too!!
It is so amazing to do things now without all my weight holding me back. I have been setting mini non weight related goals and zip lining was one of mine!! Every time I do something out of my comfort zone I am amazed at the freedom this surgery has given me!!!
Then to top the day off I had a wonderful dinner with friends and family, then a trip to Ulta, Sephora, and Bare Minerals- scored some free stuff!!
It was my birthday and it was oh so happy!!
What else has everyone else done that they never thought they would do prior to surgery?

My procedure was 14 months ago.
My starting BMI was 36.
My current BMI is 22
I have no regrets and am so happy with my decision. Have my health and my life back.

There is a forum on here that has a lot of information about costs, but I can't ever seem to find the link.
My costs were roughly:
Brachioplasty- 8K
Tummy tuck- 12K
Breast lift and augment- 8K
Posterior body lift with auto augment- 8K
Groin incision thigh lift- 7k
Lipo- each area $1800
Full recovery time varies. I was working fll days at my desk within 5 days after surgery each time. My arms really took a good 8 months to feel like they were healed, although I was back to working out in 6 weeks. Boobs and tummy full recovery was 6-8 weeks, but I was walking 10 miles by day 8 and was fully functional within the first few days after surgery. My worst surgery was the posterior body lift, my last one. I ended up with two infections, a wound separation, and a gaping hole in my back, which all in all took a full 6 months after surgery to be healed to a point where I no longer needed to bandage anything. That particular surgery was a b*tch, but knowing the results even if I had known how long it would take to heal I would do it all over again.
Scars are scars...mine are very minimal and fading quickly. I am only really bothered by the brachioplasty ones since they are the only ones you can see in normal clothing. They are also fading and will be very light within a year or two.
Overall satisfaction with outcome- I love it. Sure there are days I wish I hadn't had to go through a small luxury car cost in plastic surgery and almost a full year of combined recovery, but then I put on all of the clothing I could never have worn without having all my extra flab cut off and it makes it worth it. I am a big fan of my new body and I largely have my plastic surgeon to thank for it.

This is a great post...
I'm going to reply...
But I'm going to word it correctly so that it makes absolute sense...
Give me a while...

When do we put the past to rest? I feel like I'm living in this state of "I'm going to wake up and this will have been a dream".
I'm afraid to let my fat self go. I want to fully move on into the present and future as my new self. A part of me is afraid I can't do this. Like I have to hold on to her because she's either going to come back, and I shouldn't get too comfortable, or she's my legacy and I need to wear her like a chain around my neck, or she's a me that's died and part of me misses her.
Do I just miss the life I lived while I was her? So much happened in that life. She was real.
Now I sound like I have split personalities.
Is there a point that one can just let it go? I'm tired of talking about it, thinking about it. I feel like I'm living in the past. I think that may be one of the reasons I'm struggling with entering maintianence because I can't let my old self go.
Does enough time eventually go by that we just move on? Do we get comfortable? Does the fear or regaining ever go away?
I don't want to live in a shadow of what I used to do and look like forever.

Mine is still noisy at times. If it's while I'm talking with someone and they notice it, I just shush it, apologize, maybe laugh, and carry on. It's no big deal.

I golf, and honestly couldn't imagine swinging a club at full force/speed/rotation at 2 weeks post op.
Maybe physically you wouldn't do any damage...(I question that)...but take it easy. You use your core a lot to golf. You are still healing.
For example, if your doc said no heaving lifting for 6 weeks, I'd put it in that category.
Just my opinion :-)
Hit'em straight!!

That very rude comment towards @@proudgrammy was totally uncalled for and the very height of disrespect. There isn't a more supportive person on this forum than she.

Mine is still noisy at times. If it's while I'm talking with someone and they notice it, I just shush it, apologize, maybe laugh, and carry on. It's no big deal.

I thought I knew about nutrition, even though I may have chose to ignore it at times. I think part of the problem is that over the course of my life, the goal posts kept moving (eat this, not that..don't you know that's not good for you any more?).
I've said a number of times now to folks, it's taken me 51 years to learn how to eat right. Thank heaven for my sleeve ...and the nutrional guidance I've gotten. I "get it" now.

I thought I'd posted here on my first surgiversary (August 2015), but apparently not!
I reached my goal of 150 pounds 8.5 months post-op. Since then I've slowly lost another 10 pounds for a grand total of 95 pounds lost.
The difference that VSG surgery and my hard work has made in my life is enormous and all positive: Recovered mobility, energy, strength, enthusiasm for life, no knee pain, and a very relieved husband (who was so worried about me over a year ago).
My agoraphobia is completely gone. I've rejoined the land of the living in every way. I wear size 8s and 6s. I look and feel 20 years younger.
For those of you who wonder if WLS can help you, please consider it seriously. It literally has saved my life.

Surgery date 8/19/2014 329lbs August 2015 200lbs

Today is my surgiversary - one year ago today I was in an operating room in Tijuana Mexico with Dr Cabrera (and his side-kick at the time Dr Carlos who said HE himself was the BEST surgeon) starting my weight loss journey to new health! I am so thankful for my 3 friends who went ahead of me and shared their experiences with me and now 7 friends who have gone after me to have the same surgery (3 went to MBC because, in part, of me and my journey!). This was a long and prayerful decision that I made together with God and I couldn’t be happier. Just before surgery I was at 312 lbs and now I am stuck at 200.4. Yep still haven’t hit onederland its been slow and steady – however…. I just stepped out of my comfort zone and joined a Boxing Gym and I have great expectations over the next few months of not only reaching my personal goal weight of 180 but going a long way to eliminate my bat wings and weak stomach muscles! LOL I only wish I had done years ago! At 312 lbs I was so sedentary, wouldnt and couldn’t do fun things with my family (bad back, bad ankles, bad knees and bad attitude) and I never allowed anyone to take my picture… I virtually wrote myself out of my family history as there are NO pictures of me for years! Now Im down front of all family pictures making up for lost time! Don’t wait – just do it! Its not easy but its so worth it! Thank you MBC for my new beginnings! And thank you to my husband for all his love and support no matter what my weight!

I am almost there, lol. ONE pound to reach goal. On the one hand, I have those thoughts that it still won't happen - that it's as close as I'll get, and then I have thoughts of it's not enough, I still need to lose more.
Man, at nearly a year out this is still a head game!

The change in energy has been amazing. It wasn't right away for me. I was 51 at the time of surgery. The first few months I felt a little tired. I'm sure I was adjusting and still healing.

Then slowly that all changed. Can't say exactly when. It's not like someone flipped a switch. But I can say at over a year out and now almost 53, I feel like I'm in my 20's.

Best. Thing. Ever.

The change in energy has been amazing. It wasn't right away for me. I was 51 at the time of surgery. The first few months I felt a little tired. I'm sure I was adjusting and still healing.

Then slowly that all changed. Can't say exactly when. It's not like someone flipped a switch. But I can say at over a year out and now almost 53, I feel like I'm in my 20's.

Best. Thing. Ever.

Guess I'm old school, lol. "Dating" was all about getting to know each other, way before the intimate stuff. So he'd know about your insecurity(ies).
Man I'm old !! ????
But I agree - any man worthy of you, it won't matter.

If you date divorced guys who have children it won't be anything we have not seen before. Remember, if you live long enough, gravity always wins.

Just a quick update - my letter showed up from BCBS. They approved the panni and one night stay. Gulp! It's getting real !!

Just a quick update - my letter showed up from BCBS. They approved the panni and one night stay. Gulp! It's getting real !!

Almost through season one of Longmire. I'm hooked!

I still hit Starbucks once in a while. Not as much as I used to. I just try to be smart about it.
Usually have an iced coffee...those cold brews are great. The skinny vanilla lattes are yum, and have a good amount of Protein too.
I just stay away from the high calorie, sugary stuff. Just like any place else.

My worst post-op memory was bad nausea. I was sick for at least 24 hours. They kept trying different meds to stop it. Either what was causing it (the anesthesia) worked its way through my system or they finally found the right anti-nausea med. I don't know. But I was finally ok some time on day 2. It earned me a second nights stay.
I had no gas pains, unless they were there while I was miserable and throwing up...I didn't notice Honestly, if it weren't for the reaction to the anesthesia it would have been a walk in the park.
I then had some bad stomach pains the first week. Diagnosed with acid reflux. That's been the only "complication" from my surgery. I'll take it. Considering I lived on Tums prior...I probably had it all along.
Eating, drinking, meeting my Fluid and Protein requirements - these were never an issue.

you look awesome!
I'm heading to LV next month for my bday with my hubby. Can't wait.
Have fun!!!

So I am headed to Vegas next week with my hubby and I thought, you know what....I want a more-sexy, less-mom bikini for this trip. SO I went out on a limb and ordered one from Victoria's Secret that I would normally never, ever think about wearing, let alone, buy, let alone post a picture of me in it.
But then today I was looking back through some old beach vacation pictures and I couldn't find one single picture of myself in a bathing suit or with my kids at all. Through 4 summers worth of pictures that I got through, I found ONE. One single picture and I'm trying desperately to hide behind my kids. It made me so incredibly sad because I remember so clearly what that was like. Can I just say, it is freaking amazing and freeing to be able to feel good in my skin and not feel the need to pull a kid in front of me when the camera is around.
Here is the ONE single picture I could find, along with the quick snapshot of the new bikini for Vegas. :-) (Don't mind my scar sheets from my TT sticking out...this wasn't a picture I intended to share), as well as one snapped this summer at the beach. I also did a side-by-side comparison of myself in basically the same "at the beach with my daughter's" pose. Just thought I'd put this out there for anyone on the fence about the journey or the process. It works if you stick to it!!!!!
*** PS be kind. I know that I am not perfect. I still have saggy legs and arms. It's a work in process!***