JupiterinVirgo

Before I had my surgery, and during the majority of my weight loss, I spent a lot of time looking at other people's pictures so I could reassure myself that I too, could have the results I had hoped for. Well let me tell you my friends, you inspired me so much that I actually have done it!Still planning for my plastic surgery to remove my excess skin, but this is what 150+ pounds of weight loss looks like!

Before I had my surgery, and during the majority of my weight loss, I spent a lot of time looking at other people's pictures so I could reassure myself that I too, could have the results I had hoped for. Well let me tell you my friends, you inspired me so much that I actually have done it!Still planning for my plastic surgery to remove my excess skin, but this is what 150+ pounds of weight loss looks like!

Before I had my surgery, and during the majority of my weight loss, I spent a lot of time looking at other people's pictures so I could reassure myself that I too, could have the results I had hoped for. Well let me tell you my friends, you inspired me so much that I actually have done it!Still planning for my plastic surgery to remove my excess skin, but this is what 150+ pounds of weight loss looks like!

Before I had my surgery, and during the majority of my weight loss, I spent a lot of time looking at other people's pictures so I could reassure myself that I too, could have the results I had hoped for. Well let me tell you my friends, you inspired me so much that I actually have done it!Still planning for my plastic surgery to remove my excess skin, but this is what 150+ pounds of weight loss looks like!

Before I had my surgery, and during the majority of my weight loss, I spent a lot of time looking at other people's pictures so I could reassure myself that I too, could have the results I had hoped for. Well let me tell you my friends, you inspired me so much that I actually have done it!Still planning for my plastic surgery to remove my excess skin, but this is what 150+ pounds of weight loss looks like!

Before I had my surgery, and during the majority of my weight loss, I spent a lot of time looking at other people's pictures so I could reassure myself that I too, could have the results I had hoped for. Well let me tell you my friends, you inspired me so much that I actually have done it!Still planning for my plastic surgery to remove my excess skin, but this is what 150+ pounds of weight loss looks like!

Before I had my surgery, and during the majority of my weight loss, I spent a lot of time looking at other people's pictures so I could reassure myself that I too, could have the results I had hoped for. Well let me tell you my friends, you inspired me so much that I actually have done it!Still planning for my plastic surgery to remove my excess skin, but this is what 150+ pounds of weight loss looks like!

Before I had my surgery, and during the majority of my weight loss, I spent a lot of time looking at other people's pictures so I could reassure myself that I too, could have the results I had hoped for. Well let me tell you my friends, you inspired me so much that I actually have done it!Still planning for my plastic surgery to remove my excess skin, but this is what 150+ pounds of weight loss looks like!

Before I had my surgery, and during the majority of my weight loss, I spent a lot of time looking at other people's pictures so I could reassure myself that I too, could have the results I had hoped for. Well let me tell you my friends, you inspired me so much that I actually have done it!Still planning for my plastic surgery to remove my excess skin, but this is what 150+ pounds of weight loss looks like!

Your body needs time. The weight will come off. This is not an expensive diet; this is a massive physiological change to your digestive system. Your body is going to be different now.

It is nice to read a couple of positive reviews about this doctor. She piqued my interest a while back but then I read a very negative review about her, basically describing her practice to be run like some dirty clinic down a back alley way. I have no idea about the legitimacy of the review as I did not know the reviewer... knowing that some people write false reviews, I still was left with a feeling of alarm (the woman's post was very detailed). Probably because I was friendly with another patient who had a fabulous result with Cardenas. She ended up getting an infection and after that she changed her name from BubbleGumBooty to something else (I cannot recall) and stopped posting. So, it made me wonder about the first patient's claim of a dirty clinic.
Well, I don't know that I've provided help or not. Surely there are surgeons in the US whose patients have complications, too (I was one of them!). There are a number of reviews about Cardenas on RealSelf and I am sure you can PM some of those patients and get your questions answered.
Good luck with your decision.

That is definitely true of her. She "talked me down" from several possible procedures because she didn't think the results would be worth the money or the risk/recovery. A lot of surgeons would just want you go with more procedures or the more expensive options to try to get more money out of you.

After two day stay I am at home on my comfy couch. Pain was pretty bad and moving in and out of bed was excruciating. I did not want to use the stronger pain med and looking back it would have made a difference. Did not sleep at all first night and second night just dozed. Will get pics on soon of before and will get photos from surgeon at my first post op visit this week.

I suggest a nice tea with raw honey and cinnamon to help your belly heal. At least, that was what I did as soon as I got out of the hospital. I also smoked the old-fashioned way with no problems less than 48 hours post op.

This post moves me to tears. I am so close to being a normal weight, and I have been dreaming of having corrective plastic surgery on my body. And when you said you nearly cried when you saw your flat belly, I nearly cried! I'm really happy for you!

I had the sleeve, which is a less invasive surgery then the bypass at 320+ pounds. I'm less than two years out and I'm down 150 pounds, last I checked I weighed 165. I wish I had done this so much sooner in life. It gave me an entirely second chance!

Half of my bodyweight-not half of my extra weight-gone!

I couldn't get the approval for surgery until I quit smoking. I was still allowed nicotine cessation aids.

Surgery scared the crap out of me too. I always thought that bariatric surgery was a very extreme approach to weight loss. And then at some point I realized that my weight was so out of control that extreme measures were necessary to rectify the situation. I agonized for months and even after I made my decision to go for it all I wanted was for it to be over with.

Well let me tell you something: it was the best thing I ever did for myself in my entire adult life!

My take is it is important to start and get to a healthier weight to decide on a final goal.
I let my body decide because when I struggled to get the last 10 off , it came right back. Since it has been 10 years, I kinda get where my body wants to stay and what is comfortable for me
Yes I exercise, drink Water ( never with meals) and eat a lot of Protein.< /p>
I still occasionally get down those 10 lbs, but they then return in a couple of months. Repeat.
I just stay a size 10-12 and am so happy to never see 270+ again!
Good luck and let us know how you do

This is understandable.
The thing is that most people don't look sickly for long or just don't loose enough to be skeletal. Once people hit their nadir weight, things tend to even and shift. Just like @@JamieLogical said. Will you have loose skin, probably. It really isn't as bad as it may seem. I'm much happier with my saggy skin and being able to do more. Also a lot healthier.
Also sometimes people might tell you to stop loosing weight because
they are jealous,
not used to you being smaller,
not sure what a healthy weight looks like,
etc, etc, etc. The reasons go on and on.
The truth is that we are used to ourselves heavy. It just takes time for us and others to get used to us being skinny/skinnier. In time we can develop new identities about ourselves. That is really all it is. Learning to accept looking different.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using the BariatricPal App

I had the sleeve, which is a less invasive surgery then the bypass at 320+ pounds. I'm less than two years out and I'm down 150 pounds, last I checked I weighed 165. I wish I had done this so much sooner in life. It gave me an entirely second chance!

OMG you look incredible! I'm at 21 months and down over 150 pounds wondering if I should keep striving for further weight loss as I am already thinner than I've ever been as an adult, but after looking at your pictures I think I can go all the way!

I have a strong desire to update this post with new progress pictures! I look at that picture that I was so proud of that I took last summer and I have come such a long way! So here's a new one:

Thyroid and hormones! It is not about losing insulation.