flowerbibi

Hi everyone! My name is Natalie, 29yrs old from Canada. I am 1-month post op Roux En Y as of today. I have always struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember and tried so many diets I've lost count. This was a "last-chance" as my doctor puts it as I started developing health issues due to my obesity such as sleep apnea and hypertension. I decided to do something about it when my weight hit 394lbs, I cried...infact wept as I always vowed I would never let myself get that big.
Since surgery on November 19th I have lost 32lbs and for a total loss since October 8th of 50lbs. It hasn't been easy but my mom always says to me in patois "if Yuh waan good Yuh nose haffi run". Which translates to if you want something bad enough you have to be willing to endure the hardships and pain. Not just the rosey stuff. Hope to make lasting friendships here as we embark on the journey

Before/ during (posted in another thread previously)

Creating a new thread because the other one has gotten really long.
So, here are my before and currents to keep the topic moving.

Current as of last week:

I did it!
48 hours removed from my Sleeve Gastrectomy surgery, and I honestly don't know how much more smoothly it could have gone.
I had nerves up until they wheeled me in, but when I became conscious again, I was shocked at how good I felt. Sore, for sure, in the stomach, but certainly manageable. The scars from the laproscopic surgery (There were five of them) were so small they were covered each by little bits of surgical tape. When my chest hair grows back, the scars wouldn't even be visible if they never healed!
I had two 60 second session of dry heaves, but no vomiting, no acid, no nothing. Started walking a couple hours after the surgery with NO problems (although the sore stomach made it a little slower getting up and down, the actual walking was no problem).
I tried to just sleep and walk as much as I could the first day.
Day two brought the gas pains, which actually were worse than any of the surgical pain. They came on hard and sharp, and lasted anywhere from 2-5 seconds. I understand this is normal, but thought that since my first day was so trouble-free that I might not have to deal with them. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. The gas pains came and went during the night last night, but while uncomfortable, it certainly wasn't awful.
Long story short: If I could guarantee my initial recovery story for anyone else getting the surgery, a LOT of people's worries would be put to rest.
I know that this is a life-long game, and I just came out of the chute, but I can tell you that my procedure and initial recovery experience has been VERY positive. We'll see where it goes from here!

who would have thought??

3 years ago, a scared little (big) rabbit had WLS

i was scared about the unknown - what to expect in my future

i crept down 105 lbs/GOAL in one year
past two years fluctuating/maintaining 3-5 lbs
at times i have weighed a "little" more

honesty, confession is good for the sole
i'm not perfect, welllll actually
i do graze sometimes
or eat more than i should during the day
i don't enjoy not drinking while eating
i don't always get my 64 oz of Water
i don't exercise
but............
i don't weigh 235 lbs anymore

many wonderful things have been going on in my new life
my health is wonderful
this "sexy at 60" looks pretty HOT!!

we built a beautiful new house last year but.............
I don't hide in the house anymore
i find reasons to leave the house
drive here there and everywhere
love running errands
of course clothes shopping toooooo!!!
I do volunteer work
(I would never have put myself "out" amongst people pre WLS)
my confidence, happiness have gone through the roof
many other things i can't think of
(my memory hasn't improved )

with the "assistance" of the sleeve - my new world is amazing
that is my story and i'm stick' to it!!!

my wishes/thought/hopes
that everyone in the "world"/especially my fellow sleevers
be as happy as i am today - for the rest of your healthier, happier, longer, life

kathy
congrats to me

I haven't had any issues with dumping and I am 7 weeks post op. But then again I am following my docs orders to the letter.
I am to afraid to eat or try anything I'm not suppse to. LOL On one hand I am afraid it will hurt me or my stomach and I will feel sick and then on the other hand I am afraid it will not and I will eat more of it
So for now I am working my tool to the best of my ability. I want to get the most bang for my buck (just an expression my insurance covered my surgery) in the first 6months that I can. Cause I know after that it will come off slowly and I have quite a bit left to lose.
Good Luck and don't make yourself crazy. I was like that before my surgery but within the first week post op I realized I was doing just fine, and now I am just enjoying the weight coming off and all my added energy, oh and wearing jeans comfortably for a change.

I just read your article- the author is a bit of a cry baby who is in the absolute minority of people. First, this surgery is no more risky than if you were the same size you are now getting your gallbladder removed. It's a very straightforward procedure using laparoscopic tools, so your risk for infection is minimal and if you have a good doctor, your risk for everything else is also pretty minimal. If you are obese, any surgery is a risk, but the number of people who die or have major complications during this surgery is not very high- you're more likely to die in a car accident on the way to the hospital.
As for dumping, I am a lucky person who gets portions of the dumping syndrome and I would still get the surgery all over again. I do not have the uncontrollable bowel movements that he notes, but sometimes if I eat the wrong food I start to get hot, my skin flushes, my heart beats fast, and I end up barfing. Sometimes I just barf for no apparent reason because my sleeve decided that today it was not going to like something that yesterday it had no problem with. The major symptoms of dumping for me are pretty much limited to when I eat something that has too much sugar or too much fat. Example, melty cheese and melty chocolate don't tend to go over very well. This is ok with me because the whole point of the surgery was so that I don't eat stuff that makes me fat anymore. I can have a few bites of everything without getting sick and in the end, that's all I really need.
So, keep reading your articles....and then when you get surgery you will, like most of us, laugh a little when you think about how freaked out you were and how happy you are that you went for the surgery anyway.

There is already a huge long thread dedicated to before and afters.. but it is such a fun topic I don't mind repeating!!
This is what losing 150 pounds does for you! A girlfriend of mine said the sweetest thing "I didn't know you had a teenage daughter"...LOL. I do feel like I look younger being trimmer.
Taken within the last few weeks

This was taken in December i believe - I think I was 20# away from goal,back when I was a bit curvier. I was feeling pretty good, but, I like how I look better now even if my T&A disappeared since this photo was taken.

This is my before picture at over 300#. I don't have much to say about it but I KEEP looking at my befores to remind myself how far I have come.

The photo at the top left is me at my heaviest (489lbs) and the photo on the bottom right hand corner is me today at my current weight of 260lbs.

One month tomorrow. 20 pounds down.

Today's makes 8 months since I was sleeved I started at 213 and am now 143. I am currently in the maintenance phase

I am a few days shy of the two month mark... i am down 76 pounds so far