biginjapan

I've been celebrating little milestones with a new piece of make up that I've been wanting.
I hit my first BIG milestone of losing 100 lbs right before Christmas, and celebrated by starting my tattoo! It's in my profile photo, my phoenix. I go back in 2-3 weeks for the colour to be added.

Thank you!! You're going to be so excited about life again!!

Wow - you have some really beautiful photos, and your story is an inspiration to all who are nervous about getting this done. We all only have one life to live - as many people have said throughout the years, it's not the things that you did do that you'll regret, it's the things you didn't do. I'm having my surgery done two weeks from tomorrow, and while I wished I had done it earlier, I'm going to live my life to the fullest from this point onwards.

Another sleever having surgery in Mexico in February! (The 9th to be exact). I felt that time would never come and now it seems like my pre-op diet is almost upon me!

Wow - you have some really beautiful photos, and your story is an inspiration to all who are nervous about getting this done. We all only have one life to live - as many people have said throughout the years, it's not the things that you did do that you'll regret, it's the things you didn't do. I'm having my surgery done two weeks from tomorrow, and while I wished I had done it earlier, I'm going to live my life to the fullest from this point onwards.

I'm on the 9th Riah! So close but feels like forever to get here!
Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

The statistics were against me. I went to the hospital completely unsure if I would have the courage to go through with my surgery, and terrified I would die. No one... I promise you, NO ONE, ever wanted to have bariatric surgery less than I. I was an emotional food addict whose life had shrunk so much that food was my entire social life. I weighed 367.8 pounds, had out of control diabetes, and could no longer walk across my own kitchen on most days. I needed both knees replaced and my doctor refused to do it until I lost a lot of weight.
The night before my surgery I was alone in the house and I sobbed a funeral dirge for my best friend, food. I was certain I would lose my mind without it.
My friends, are you hesitating?? Struggling? Regretting?? If you can stay with me, read on.
I will tell you that after the first month there hasn't been one day in five years that I haven't thought, "I never could have done this before."
My journey has been difficult, and you will have your struggles, too. The first year, I cared for and buried my beloved sister--my "person" in this world--who died in my arms. The second year, I had my right knee replaced. The third year, my left knee. My weight loss stalled, but I never gave up. The fourth year, my father died and right afterwards, my husband almost died and needed months of nursing.
I didn't tell you all that to whine. I told you in order to try to put some context to my life, because in spite of all that sorrow and pain, I am filled with joy. I have taken back my life, and you can, too.
When I came out of my surgery, I vowed that having taken the drastic step of altering my body, I was going to be all in. I have honored that vow.
I had to learn to walk again. Now I am a landscape, wedding and portrait photographer.
I had to accept that I couldn't go on vacation and eat like the old me without gaining back weight it took me months to lose. Now I usually drop a couple of pounds on vacation, and I have one thing every day that I really want. To eat, that is!! I get to have experiences instead of food now!
I had to accept that carbs are not part of my daily eating. But I have learned to actually prefer zucchini spaghetti!!
Most importantly, I learned that no one will ever abuse me again. And that includes me.
I learned that emotional eating may feel like self care, but it is self destruction, and self destruction and self preservation can never exist side by side.
Last year, I photographed the cliffs of Maine, the mountains of West Virginia (going by rope down to the waterfalls), beaches in the Carolinas, and so many other things. (Check out my stuff at mlwolfephotos.com if you are inclined!).
I could babble on and on...
Today, I am at my lowest weight in 34 years. I have not met my weight loss goal. I'm still just over 200 pounds--a weight many people begin this journey at!! It may take me a year, but I'll get there.
On January 1st I turned 60, and I cried. A lot. I didn't cry because I was 60. I cried because I wasted so many years... My 30s... My 40s...half my 50s. I cannot get them back. But I have what's left, and I will cherish each breath.
So, I lost much of my stomach. I lost 153 pounds. I gained the world.
I wish that for each and every one of you! May you work to make all your dreams come true!
Attaching a few pics, not just of what I look(ed) like, but of who I am!!!

I stopped drinking soda during my 1 week pre-op liquid diet. I was a big soda drinker too....I LOVE Dr. Pepper. I really thought it was going to be so hard on me to no longer drink it after my surgery, but shockingly, I don't miss it at all. I am so grateful because man is that a lot of sugar and empty calories! Its so strange for me to even think that I haven't had a soda in 5 months! But soooo worth it!

hello all-
new to this site... okay so im a 24 year old female from NY & ive been struggling with my weight for what feels like forever.. okay, since I was 11.. practically forever though. ive been on every diet you could imagine and even had the lap band put in back in 2011.. 5 years later and got it removed because all it was doing was making me sick. truth be told- I was 18 at the time of the procedure and my whole self wasn't in it. I wasn't mentally prepared and I didn't realize that I still had to put in work.. when you're young you don't really listen to what others say and that's obviously where I went wrong. now im getting the sleeve done in hopefully 2 weeks.. if not- gotta wait til march...
my reason for writing this is because im tired. not only physically but emotionally too. im used to the stares. im used to the name calling. im used to being treated differently because of my weight. but you never really get used to feeling alone in a crowded room. no one understands!! I try to explain it to them but unless you're 300+ pounds youll never understand. one of my friends is overweight but not nearly as big as me. so she doesn't understand how it feels when im in a "bad" mood. I cant help but feel the way I do. I know that if I was at a normal weight I wouldn't be so angry all the time. im mostly angry at myself for allowing myself to get this way.angry at others for judging me and angry at my friends for not understanding. but how could they? I guess what im asking of you all is to just be there for me. to support me through the start of my journey.. or the next chapter of it. i need people who get it. im ready more than ever.. both physically and mentally. i would love a chance to get to know you all...
im angela btw

Hw 115kgs
Sw 105kgs
Cw 71 kgs
Sent from my iPhone

I was warned about this but now it is so obvious people are hating on me for having success with weight loss. I have a friend who is always trying new diets and asking me to join her. I always politely decline. I have lost about 43 lbs and she looks about the same. I can see her looking me up and down and making comments about me not eating my food. I haven't brought myself to tell very many people about my surgery. I am not sure what is holding me back. My husband, daughter, parents, and best friend know. I plan to eventually let people know but I am just not quite ready yet.......????

My date is set for 2/14. Happy valentine's day to me. I have an 8 day preop diet.
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my first post. I have been lurking but nervous to "come out" of my little place. Feb 12th. Learning so much from these boards. thank you

I'll be going a little earlier than you - my sleeve is scheduled for Feb. 9th with Dr. Cabrera. Like you, I'm keeping my surgery private from everyone, although I may be more public about it afterwards. I guess you could say I had some emotional anxiety between choosing to get the surgery and actually booking a date. That took 6 months because I could not figure out who I wanted, but really, it was just a stalling technique. Now that I'm less than 3 weeks out I feel impatient to have it done already! I'm sure though, that I'll be a bundle of nerves in the days leading up to surgery.
I haven't joined any Facebook groups either, specifically because of privacy reasons. However, I use this site for advice and support and so far it's been good to me.

I'd like to get a tattoo too, but since I'll probably need plastics down the road I want to wait until that's done before I do any permanent inking.

Today is a great day!! I am down 50 pounds since August and 37 pounds since surgery on 11/22/16! Also, I am in the 240s! I can't recall the last time that I was that low. My BMI is in the 39 range which is the first time under 40 in forever! Great day!

I imagine that you'll be fine. Just make sure you pack ample Protein Snacks and Protein Powder so that you can meet your goals even when you are on the road (and so that you can make good decisions when your good food choices are limited).
I went on a 3.5 week tour of SE Asia at about 3 months post-op. It was fine. I just wish I had taken more protein powder because the no-carb variety was no where to be found over there.
Good luck!

....why didn't I do this sooner?
I am starting to really see some results in the way I look and feel. Belly starting to decrease in size.

I flew a week after surgery...12 hour flight. Not my ideal situation, but would have costed a small fortune to change the ticket. I ordered a wheelchair assist and so glad I did. My hubby handled all the suitcases and was such a hero. Also wore support stockings, stayed hydrated and got up a lot.

Hi Walter,
I haven't had my surgery yet, so you can take this with a grain of salt if you wish.
The odds of you losing weight (and keeping it off) the so-called "natural" way is almost zero. A lot of people say you have a less than 5% chance of keeping the weight off non-surgically, but I've read other studies were the odds were worse than that - 0.015% for women, and for men it's closer to 0.001% (sorry, I can't find the study now, but I'll try to look for it). The human body, for whatever reason, will fight you tooth and nail to stay fat, if you are obese. The best book I've read so far about this is by Dr. Robert Lustig, called Fat Chance. If you prefer YouTube, my favourite videos about all things related to bariatric surgery are by Dr. Matthew Weiner. He explains things very well. You might also want to watch this HBO special, called The Weight of the Nation. If you want to see the effects of how bariatric surgery can help obese people, there's a great series out of the UK also on YouTube called Fat Doctor which focuses on real people struggling with obesity, and doesn't have the Jerry Springer-like feel of some of the U.S.-based shows.
You say you are worried about the surgery, but honestly, for most people, the odds of anything happening to you are about the same as having gall bladder surgery or an appendectomy. And those are pretty routine surgeries. But remember - if you stay the weight that you are, any surgery will be a risk, as it is for all people who struggle with obesity. You listed quite a number of conditions that you suffer from -- two questions to ask yourself is, 1) do you want to keep suffering from them and know that they will only get worse with time? and 2) what odds are better for you, in terms of being around for your family - staying morbidly obese, or having the surgery and be given a real chance to not only lose weight, but to keep it off? Sorry to be blunt, but there it is.
Is this a big decision? Of course it is. Could there be complications? Yes, but that's true of any surgery. However, I think most people who have had the surgery will say it was the best decision they ever made, and that they wish they had done it sooner. For whatever reason, sleeve or bypass (not lapband, which few surgeons do anymore do to low success rates and other problems) "resets" the body in many ways - within 24 hours to a few weeks to a few months after surgery, people may no longer be diabetic, get off high blood pressure or cholesterol meds, have no hunger to fight against (some forever, but most regain some sort of hunger pangs within a year and a half of surgery), and there can be major changes to your metabolism. Your taste buds will probably change, and you may find that certain foods that you used to like will no longer appeal to you after you've had surgery. Of course, there can be some negative side effects too, like food restrictions and gerd and dumping syndrome, needing gall bladder surgery, some depression (immediately after surgery, but I haven't come across any long-term stats about that), and sometimes addiction transfer (for example, changing your food addiction to something like alcohol addiction).

I would really recommend to write down a list of all your concerns and talk about them with your surgeon. Finding a therapist would probably also help. I don't know where you are (I'm assuming the U.S.) so if you have insurance I'm sure you'll have to jump through a few hoops in order to qualify for the surgery, but that can be a good thing, as it gives you time to deal with your fears/concerns before having the surgery.
Whenever I get worried about anything, my motto is: think of the solution, not the problem. I find it really helps to get my mind out of the self-defeating loop that will make the problem seem bigger than it is. In this case, I think educating yourself about the surgery, about anesthesia, etc. will help you feel better (or not) about having the surgery done. Good luck.

I'll be going a little earlier than you - my sleeve is scheduled for Feb. 9th with Dr. Cabrera. Like you, I'm keeping my surgery private from everyone, although I may be more public about it afterwards. I guess you could say I had some emotional anxiety between choosing to get the surgery and actually booking a date. That took 6 months because I could not figure out who I wanted, but really, it was just a stalling technique. Now that I'm less than 3 weeks out I feel impatient to have it done already! I'm sure though, that I'll be a bundle of nerves in the days leading up to surgery.
I haven't joined any Facebook groups either, specifically because of privacy reasons. However, I use this site for advice and support and so far it's been good to me.

Good morning from Amsterdam....I'm an American but I was a relatively early sleever; was sleeved in 2011 in Germany; so I am going on 5 years out. I am 63 so I was 58 when I was sleeved. I lost 87 lbs in the first year (and kept a blog every Sunday and turned it into a book called Queen of Crop). I reached my goal weight and kept it off until just about 6 months ago. About year 2 I found I could eat anything and everything but I still watched what I ate and I was on a regular exercise program. My life changed dramatically and I loved the feeling of being a normal sized person. Last year, some of my old habits started coming back; snacking, eating sweets and drinking a glass or two of wine most nights. A few lbs kept creeping in and now I am 10 lbs over goal. All of this is because I have gotten to relaxed with my eating; my exercise is still good. So I just this weekend bought the book, The 5 Day Pouch Test and will start it in the next few days once I get prepared. So for me, being one of the veterans of this surgery, it was THE best thing I ever did, and still is. But like all normal weight people, you have to be smart about what you put in your mouth. And I simply got too lazy. So long term: it has been fabulous and I will get this weight off; should never have let it get to 10 lbs. My own doing....looking forward to feeling that honeymoon restriction again. Like everyone says, IT'S A TOOL...BUT A POWERFUL ONE. I probably should write a Queen of Crop 2....what a life I have had in the last 5 years!!!! WOW

First post on this site. My sleeve surgery date is Feb. 22 in Mexico with Dr. Alvarez at Endobariatric. Anyone else going to be there then? Or can anyone vouch for him or have any negative reviews to share? I feel pretty confident from everything I've read and seen, but it always helps to get a firsthand opinion. Well, it's still the internet, so I guess I can't trust everything I read, but I assume if you're vouching for him in response to my post that you're not a paid reviewer!
I'm posting because I could really use a support network -- I haven't told anyone except my boyfriend and my sister. My sister found out because I stupidly joined a support group on FB that I thought was private (it was a closed group), but FB asked her if she was interested in joining it and showed that I was already a member. She called me in a panic and I couldn't lie. I'm pretty pissed, because Lord knows who else on FB saw that I was in that group. Anyway, I'm staying off of FB and seeking support here, because it's more private. I might share that I had surgery afterward, but I just don't want uneducated accusations about taking the easy way out and extra projected anxiety about Mexican surgical complications thrown at me before surgery. I'm already anxious for this huge lifestyle change I'm about to make as it is!
My starting BMI is 42.5. I'm 32 years old and from Seattle, WA. Please say "hi" if you know this surgery is the right thing for your health, but you still have some emotional anxiety around it like I do. I'll be a great cheerleader and friend for you, as well! As far as I know, no one I know has ever had weight loss surgery, so I'm totally alone in this. My boyfriend who is a nurse and was a medic in the Air Force (so has extensive American-based healthcare experience), while supportive of me getting this surgery, is upset that I am going to Mexico to do it. He refuses to research Medical Tourism or Dr. Alvarez to see how common and safe it is. He's still going with me, but he hasn't been totally supportive, so I could use some friends who won't judge my decision.

Just joined this site. Surgery date is February 8th! So excited to get this journey started and find support!!!
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I need to take pictures and look at them too. I was still questioning why or when/what made the changes in my life to get to where I'm at today. LIke you, it's very hard to hear morbidly obese. I had the same thought process about it. My husband told me today, "that's the past, this is now. Stop comparing yourself to the 'used to be'." I'm basically going to have to create a whole new me, not just the physical, but the mental too.