From the time I was 15yrs. old until I was 29yrs. old I weighed 98 lbs. I was always hippie but back then I had an 18in. waist. Then I started having children and all hell broke loose. For the last 30yrs. I have weighed well over 200 lbs. (close to 300) I am only 4'9-3/4" tall (I use to be 5' tall - but have shrunk since high school...lol) :crying: Over the yrs. my knees got really bad and ended up getting a full knee replacement on both. My doctors told me repeatedly that I MUST lose weight, as the knee replacements would not last long plus I have a heart condition and they were concerned about that as well and of course I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and told that I was border line for diabetes. I have tried many diets, excersise programs etc. with no success. My family doctor then suggested that I have the Gastric ByPass. I went to see the surgeon he recommended & attended the seminar that I was instructed to attend. I read all the material on the LapBand, Gastric ByPass & the Sleeve. I discussed it with my doctor & we both agreed that the Sleeve would be the best way for me to go. After talking to my surgeon about my feelings of this surgery, he too agreed that the sleeve was best. My surgeon's name is Dr. Hawasli of St. John's Hospital on Moross Rd. in Detroit, Michigan. However, due to fact that I am on Medicare, I had to have my surgery done at Harper Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. It has now been 1-1/2 yrs. since my surgery and I must say that I feel like a new woman. I can now cross my legs when sitting down, I can go up and down stairs like a normal, healthy person and have not used my sleep apnea machine since the surgery. So far to date I have lost 100 lbs. I still have approx. 30 lbs. more to lose (which seems to be hard to do right now) but I will not give up and I will do it. :scared0:

Congratulations on getting your life back and on your fabulous weight loss. I'll be having 2 total knee replacements in Sept. and am not looking forward to the pain and rehab but AM looking forward to getting back my independence. The pain and limited range of motion is placing too many restrictions on me. Thank you so much for posting.

Awesomes......slow and steady wins the race! You will get there!

Elizabethsew! Depends alot on your surgeon for your total knee replacements. When I had the 1st one done (the right) I was told I would be in the hosp. for 3-4 days. Ended up being in there for 15 days and in the most excruciating pain I could have ever imagined. From there I was transported to a nursing home where I was given PT 3 times a day and was in a wheel chair up until about 12 days before I was sent home. I was in the nursing home for 31 days. When left there I was using a walker and continued PT 3 times a week which took me 8 wks before I was able to walk with a cane. Walked with a cane for 2 mos., then needed no assistance. But during all this time I was on pain killers as I still had pain. It took close to a year before I was pain free. When I was told 3yrs. later that I had to have my left knee done, I sat in the doctors office and cried. This was a different doctor, and I explained all that I had gone thru with my right knee. He held my hand and asured me that it would not be like that. He told me that if I was in that kind of pain, I would be allowed to curse at him and kick him in the butt. Well, let me tell you! 3 wks after the surgery I walked into his office (no assistance what so ever) and gave him the biggest hug and called him my "Guardian Angel" I was walking with a walker 2 days after surgery, was going up & downstairs 3 days after surgery and within 3 wks. was walking with no assistance and no pain. One thing he told me the day of my surgery in order to avoid the terrible pain afterwards was to have SADDLE BLOCK. Believe me...that was beautiful. Discuss that with your doctor. Be sure to let me know how it all turns out.

Molly

Hi Molly! Thanks for sharing your story. It is so inspiring to read about people and how the sleeve is changing lives.

Elizabethsew! Depends alot on your surgeon for your total knee replacements. When I had the 1st one done (the right) I was told I would be in the hosp. for 3-4 days. Ended up being in there for 15 days and in the most excruciating pain I could have ever imagined. From there I was transported to a nursing home where I was given PT 3 times a day and was in a wheel chair up until about 12 days before I was sent home. I was in the nursing home for 31 days. When left there I was using a walker and continued PT 3 times a week which took me 8 wks before I was able to walk with a cane. Walked with a cane for 2 mos., then needed no assistance. But during all this time I was on pain killers as I still had pain. It took close to a year before I was pain free. When I was told 3yrs. later that I had to have my left knee done, I sat in the doctors office and cried. This was a different doctor, and I explained all that I had gone thru with my right knee. He held my hand and asured me that it would not be like that. He told me that if I was in that kind of pain, I would be allowed to curse at him and kick him in the butt. Well, let me tell you! 3 wks after the surgery I walked into his office (no assistance what so ever) and gave him the biggest hug and called him my "Guardian Angel" I was walking with a walker 2 days after surgery, was going up & downstairs 3 days after surgery and within 3 wks. was walking with no assistance and no pain. One thing he told me the day of my surgery in order to avoid the terrible pain afterwards was to have SADDLE BLOCK. Believe me...that was beautiful. Discuss that with your doctor. Be sure to let me know how it all turns out.

Molly

I am so happy that the second knee surgery was nothing like the FIRST one... you poor woman!

Mine are being replaced a week apart in one hospitalization and yes, I will be getting a saddle block for both surgeries. I got was is hopefully my last shots of cortisone to both knees yesterday so I can keep going until Sept. I'm not looking forward to the surgeries but I have no choice at this point and want my mobility back and the pain gone. To see how well you've done inspires me.

Heyas fellow Michigander. Way to go! I have my surgery on August 3 at Hurley in Flint, but am looking forward to the wonderful change in life as well.

Thank you for posting your story -- I am looking at bilateral knee replacements down the road (sooner than later I think) and it's nice to know how others have done -- I am so sorry you had a such an awful first experience and I will definitely be talking to my surgeon in depth when the time arrives for me to face that situation.

I was sleeved on December 7, 2010 by Dr. Hawasli at Beaumont-Grosse Pointe! He is a eally good doctor and Denise has to be the best Nut in the area. I had many complications (nothing to do with this doc) and this team has been so supportive. If I had to do all over again I would choose him!

BTW I am down 78 pounds!