CreoleVSGGirl

Thanks! I hope to have as much success as you!

Before

3 1/2 months later

Started 235 currently at 182

Thanks! I hope to have as much success as you!

I don't have any after pics yet...I just got cleared on the 29th. But I have alllll my before pics! Soon I'll be able to post here too. I've been looking at this thread for hours! Im so motivated by all of you!

You look GREAT! What did you do to make such amazing progress?

My before and after . 13 months out

I'm almost 19 months out - 293 to 175

Hey all! I haven't posted since the very early days out...I was sleeved on 10/2/13 at 273 pounds. I reached goal in 9.5 months which was 159 pounds which would put me at a normal bmi. At about 8 months post op I started running. That was a game changer! I have since completed a triathlon, a 5k, 2 10ks, 4 half marathons, and on January 25th, 2015 I became a marathoner! I went on to lose and additional 20 pounds and I've been maintaining 20 pounds below goal ever since. From a size 22/24 to a size 2/4. I eat clean and train hard! I am really living my best life now!

For me it was realizing how big I really was, as an 18 year old 5'8" girl I shouldn't weigh more then my 6'4" 50 year old father

I have a few things that led me towards thinking about the surgery...
1)I want to be a professional photographer (portraits, weddings etc), and feel like showing up fat, hiking up and down to photo sites, carrying all my camera gear, being out of breath, would be unprofessional.
2)Also, I still enjoy non-profit forms of photography, including macro (close up of small items), which has me getting up and down from the ground a lot, which is tougher to do at 285lbs.
3)I am tired of the lose/gain/lose/gain game
4)Mentally I feel so much younger and more energetic than my fat body lets me be (I am 40, but feel 10+ years younger, mentally). I would like my inner self and my outter self to match.
But the BIG one...the FINAL straw was a good friend who had VGS.....she posted a picture of herself on Facebook, and at first I honestly didn't recognize her (to be fair, she had also coloured her hair). She lives far away, and I hadn't seen her in 2 years or so, but knew she had the surgery about 1 year previous. So I went back through her pictures. I found one taken right after she got home from surgery (she had hers done in Mexico). It turns out the new picture and the old picture I remembered were taken 1 year apart....to the day. It was UNREAL what 130lbs gone looked like on her. I started asking her questions about her surgery, her recovery, etc. She told me she literally has 3x the energy she had before surgery, and that she would ABSOLUTELY do it again....in a heartbeat. She is the only person I have told that I am planning to do this, except my husband. I am self pay, and I want everything lined up, and a date booked before I make it common knowledge.

Before surgery and 1 month out today

I'm sooooooooo excited and ready to be on the loser side! Thanks for the kind words. It definitely was a hard decision to make. I'm glad I did! I can tell my daughter has already starting taking notice to the healthy practices that I've been doing. She told me she way proud of me...that made me cry. It felt so good to hear those words from her. I'm just happy to be here right now!

Hello everyone. I'm Cryss and I'm new to the site. I'm in the beginning stages of WLS and I've chosen the VSG. I've done the initial seminar, consultation, initial dietician visit, I've been told how much to lose and now I'm on the diet plan that my dietician gave me.
I made this decision at the suggestion of my endocrinologist. After getting some blood work done...he didn't like what he saw.
I'm overweight, duh lol. My BMI is really high. I started thinking about how I've been struggling with my weight pretty much my whole life but DEFINITELY after the birth of my daughter. That was 15 years ago. I thought about not being around for my daughter.
So I made the choice to do this! Im still struggling with feeling disappointed in myself for not being able to do this on my own. But there's nothing wrong with admitting to yourself that you need help! And well...I need help!
My PAC that works with the surgeon at the hospital that I'm getting the procedure done at said if all goes well with all my blood work, I'm looking at 10 weeks!
I'm really REALLY trying to stick to the diet that I've been given. I was told to lose between 10-20 lbs. I've only been on the diet since 5/18 so I'm pretty sure I haven't lost any weight but I'm more working on sticking to what I need to be doing.
I don't have to tell y'all that this is HARD! But it'll be worth it in the end.
I'm scared....I've never had any kind of major surgery before. But I'm SUPER excited! I'm looking forward to starting a healthier and better part of my life!
So now a little about me!
I'm Crystal but my friends call me Cryss. I hope to make new friends here...some that understand what I'm going through. I have one 15 year old daughter. She's the most amazing child! And resilient! She still smiles despite A LOT that she's been through.
I'm born and raised in New Orleans! I work in healthcare. I've been a pharmacy tech for 12 years. I would like to go to school for dental hygiene or even dentistry. Maybe one day...
I'm just happy to be here and be at this point in my life!

Back pain and serious knee pain whenever I walk. I was just dealing with these things and ignoring them. I had most of my life been the fat girl that was healthy. No HBP, diabetes, high cholesterol...nothing. Well that came to an end when I had blood work done last month. My endocrinologist sat me down and explained all the results and what then mean :-( I have a 15 year old daughter (that's very healthy, active and always has been at a normal weight) and all I could think about was not being here for her and my boyfriend. He asked if I had ever considered WLS. I had but not seriously. I was still in that denial state of "I can do it myself". I couldn't imagine her being alone. She already lost her father. I HAVE to be here!!!
So here I am!
I've completed my 1st seminar, initial comsultation, 1st dietician visit and I'm working on allllll the other things the hospital and my insurance requires. I'm on my way!

Thank you for your kind words! I can't wait to be back in single digit clothes sizes again! I appreciate finding this site. I haven't told many ppl about this. Not that I'm ashamed...not at all! But I don't need the criticism right now at all! Not when I'm trying to make up my mind as it is.
Well I've already done that! Lol

Hello everyone. I'm Cryss and I'm new to the site. I'm in the beginning stages of WLS and I've chosen the VSG. I've done the initial seminar, consultation, initial dietician visit, I've been told how much to lose and now I'm on the diet plan that my dietician gave me.
I made this decision at the suggestion of my endocrinologist. After getting some blood work done...he didn't like what he saw.
I'm overweight, duh lol. My BMI is really high. I started thinking about how I've been struggling with my weight pretty much my whole life but DEFINITELY after the birth of my daughter. That was 15 years ago. I thought about not being around for my daughter.
So I made the choice to do this! Im still struggling with feeling disappointed in myself for not being able to do this on my own. But there's nothing wrong with admitting to yourself that you need help! And well...I need help!
My PAC that works with the surgeon at the hospital that I'm getting the procedure done at said if all goes well with all my blood work, I'm looking at 10 weeks!
I'm really REALLY trying to stick to the diet that I've been given. I was told to lose between 10-20 lbs. I've only been on the diet since 5/18 so I'm pretty sure I haven't lost any weight but I'm more working on sticking to what I need to be doing.
I don't have to tell y'all that this is HARD! But it'll be worth it in the end.
I'm scared....I've never had any kind of major surgery before. But I'm SUPER excited! I'm looking forward to starting a healthier and better part of my life!
So now a little about me!
I'm Crystal but my friends call me Cryss. I hope to make new friends here...some that understand what I'm going through. I have one 15 year old daughter. She's the most amazing child! And resilient! She still smiles despite A LOT that she's been through.
I'm born and raised in New Orleans! I work in healthcare. I've been a pharmacy tech for 12 years. I would like to go to school for dental hygiene or even dentistry. Maybe one day...
I'm just happy to be here and be at this point in my life!

I'm just about as far into my process as you were when you posted this. We're even the same height and weight! I have my 1st psych eval on May 29th. My insurance doesn't require a whole bunch of things but the facility that I'm required to have to surgery at does. The hospital I work at is also the location that I'm required to have it done at ???? and I'm not happy about that. I just don't want my whole department in my business. Anyway...they told me upfront that I'd have a bunch of appts, several dietician appts, a psych test and the eval with the dr. I'm just trying to concentrate on following the diet that I was given. I have to lose 10-20 lbs before. It's HARD! Like you said...obviously we don't have the best eating habits. You're not a failure! You're taking steps towards being a better you!
ETA: I didn't see your last comment. Congrats on being cleared for surgery!

Back pain and serious knee pain whenever I walk. I was just dealing with these things and ignoring them. I had most of my life been the fat girl that was healthy. No HBP, diabetes, high cholesterol...nothing. Well that came to an end when I had blood work done last month. My endocrinologist sat me down and explained all the results and what then mean :-( I have a 15 year old daughter (that's very healthy, active and always has been at a normal weight) and all I could think about was not being here for her and my boyfriend. He asked if I had ever considered WLS. I had but not seriously. I was still in that denial state of "I can do it myself". I couldn't imagine her being alone. She already lost her father. I HAVE to be here!!!
So here I am!
I've completed my 1st seminar, initial comsultation, 1st dietician visit and I'm working on allllll the other things the hospital and my insurance requires. I'm on my way!

Thank you for your kind words! I can't wait to be back in single digit clothes sizes again! I appreciate finding this site. I haven't told many ppl about this. Not that I'm ashamed...not at all! But I don't need the criticism right now at all! Not when I'm trying to make up my mind as it is.
Well I've already done that! Lol

Welcome! It is scary thinking about all the changes headed your way. It's no joyride that's for sure. But it's ok and the results you get will put a big smile on your face. Over all I think the benefits of WLS far outweigh any unpleasantness you come across. Don't be scared of the surgery itself. You'll do great.
Oh - and there will come a day when you go to buy some new clothes and they don't come from the plus section. It's awesome, almost surreal, and worth every minute of the anxiety you currently feel.
Lots of folks will be here to give you support and answer questions. Congratulations on your decision!

I would like to post this, have been waiting and wanting to write this:
My surgery was March 30, 2015. Including my pre-diet to date I have lost 43.5 lbs for which I am thrilled and feel like a new person with no more than 20 more lbs. to lose to hit target. My point is that pre-surgery I had goals and desires and I am traveling later next week to see my family. Travel formerly presented issues like:
Sweating and getting breathless lugging suitcases, etc.
Feeling squashed in airline seats
Feeling fat in anything I wore
Dreading clothes shopping excursions
Overeating the wonderful meals we create
Feeling hot all the time when others are comfortable as cucumbers
Tire easily
NOW:
I can sprint and carry things with the best of them effortlessly
Will have plenty of room in the airline seat and be comfortable
Cross my legs with ease and comfort
Feel great in my clothes that are loose and look forward to shopping
While shopping, ask for an item of clothes I try on in a smaller size
Eating my smaller portions, thoroughly enjoying it and not craving more
I wake early, get out to walk briskly and with joy
Feeling happy and generous of spirit
Proud of myself and at peace
Sleeve surgery is the best decision I ever made and am grateful for the gift of health and happiness.

Back pain and serious knee pain whenever I walk. I was just dealing with these things and ignoring them. I had most of my life been the fat girl that was healthy. No HBP, diabetes, high cholesterol...nothing. Well that came to an end when I had blood work done last month. My endocrinologist sat me down and explained all the results and what then mean :-( I have a 15 year old daughter (that's very healthy, active and always has been at a normal weight) and all I could think about was not being here for her and my boyfriend. He asked if I had ever considered WLS. I had but not seriously. I was still in that denial state of "I can do it myself". I couldn't imagine her being alone. She already lost her father. I HAVE to be here!!!
So here I am!
I've completed my 1st seminar, initial comsultation, 1st dietician visit and I'm working on allllll the other things the hospital and my insurance requires. I'm on my way!