Surely you are someone outside of your surgery and struggles with our weight. You have interests and dislikes and families- jobs and hobbies. And honestly- yes it is exciting to have this stool and to be on the journey- but hasn't there been enough focus all our lives on just our weight?

I know VST is dedicated to our VSG stories, but I sort of think that who we are makes our VSG surgeries that much more meaningful.

So I'll go first...

I'm Danielle. I'm 27 and I have three sisters and one nephew. I am unmarried and have no children. I work full time running the office for a respiratory company. This semester I am also attending college full time via online classes. I'm now also trying to squeeze in going to the gym three times a week.

I suffer from PCOS and had this surgery to help increase my chances of having a family of my own one day.

I am a TOTAL girly girl! I love the color pink, I like Hello Kitty the way others like Betty Boop or Tinkerbell, and I HATE HATE HATE spiders! I'm not much of an outdoorsie person- my idea of roughing it is five girls and one bathroom. That being said I do love to garden and can't wait for spring.

I love anything to do with 16th century european history and am a total fanatical nut when it comes to Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I. My favorite movie and book of allllllllll time is Gone With the Wind. I love watching old movies with my mom- our favorites are Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, anything with Doris Day and the Tammy movies. We also make a point of watching A League of Their Own together whenever it is on tv. I'm close with my Dad but sometimes I feel like we don't have anything in common.

Prior to surgery I loved home cooked food! (Along with chinese and pizza hut haha) I still enjoy cooking for my family (One sister, my parents and I all live together for economic reasons) and resumed cooking them meals within a few days of coming home from the hospital. I have a dog, she is a chihuahua/yorkie mix. Her name is Gypsy and well... she is sort of a monster!! I <3 her tho!

Now it's your turn!! Tell us who you are!

Wow somewhat similar stories hope you are doing well God bless meet my surgeon on this Thursday 10/2/14. So excited HOPE to communicate with you more

Being abused, molested and struggling all my life with disappointment can no longer be my excuse for weighing in at a whopping 385 pounds. My problem is food and how my I enjoy eating it. Thank you Jesus that I finally realize it before my body shuts down with heart attack or stroke. Amen. Can't wait to get to know you all and follow your walk with this enemy called obesity.

Hello Im Kitty Bowers my surgery is coming up in January.so I have alot to learn.thanks for letting me join.????

Hello all,

My name is Adam. I am 35, married with 2 daughters, 4 and 1. I have always been big. I played O-Line in high school and college. I was 300-330 during that time period. After I got married I eventually gained 10 pounds a year until I hit 409. Everything started to hurt. I wanted to enjoy my life with my kids and wife. I felt horrible not being able to ride roller coasters with my wife and Water slides with my daughter. I decided I needed to be healthy for my kids and wife. They need their father. I was sleeved last friday, the 26th of September by Dr. Scott at Des Peres. So far it has been easy. I walked 6 times that day. The gas in the back was a little uncomfortable, but I took no pain meds, had had a little softball to roll on my back to help move the gas around. It is Wed, Oct. 1 and I am already down 11 pounds since surgery. Beef broth and G2 gatorade, and muscle tech Protein have been my go to drinks. I look forward to learning with everyone and enjoying my life. I want to live the life God intended for me, and I know you do to.

Hello all,

My name is Adam. I am 35, married with 2 daughters, 4 and 1. I have always been big. I played O-Line in high school and college. I was 300-330 during that time period. After I got married I eventually gained 10 pounds a year until I hit 409. Everything started to hurt. I wanted to enjoy my life with my kids and wife. I felt horrible not being able to ride roller coasters with my wife and Water slides with my daughter. I decided I needed to be healthy for my kids and wife. They need their father. I was sleeved last friday, the 26th of September by Dr. Scott at Des Peres. So far it has been easy. I walked 6 times that day. The gas in the back was a little uncomfortable, but I took no pain meds, had had a little softball to roll on my back to help move the gas around. It is Wed, Oct. 1 and I am already down 11 pounds since surgery. Beef broth and G2 gatorade, and muscle tech Protein have been my go to drinks. I look forward to learning with everyone and enjoying my life. I want to live the life God intended for me, and I know you do to.

congrats on the new life you will do great

Ok, so I have sat down to write this about a dozen times. Not really into sharing stuff

about myself, but I know this is a helpful part of the process. So here goes.

My name is Patrick and I'm a 43 year old male. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in March 2012. Never really

had any health issues but I was very overweight. At the time I was 415 lbs. When I found

out I had diabetes, I was put on Lantus and Metformin. (that stuff is bad juju) I tried

varying my dosages, splitting up the pills to take several times a day.. you get the

picture. I couldn't tolerate it.

I went on a low carb diet, cut out sodas (LOVE Mt.Dew) and started walking. I lost 30 lbs,

brought my a1c from 10.6 to 6.9 in 3 months!

BUT, I got lazy and in a year, it was back up to 11.8.

I started taking Invokana and Victoza and have been on it for a year, but my a1c is

holding at 8.4. SO...

I was advised by my Doctor to look into the Gastric Sleeve. He gave me the name of a

surgeon and I made an appointment to see him, but it won't be until Dec.

From what I have read here, and many online sources, it seems like the way to go.

But I'll be honest, I'm scared.

I know it will be up to me to continue a healthy lifestyle after my surgery (gonna be hard) but I have a

wife and 2 kids to motivate me. I have a great support group in my family and friends.

Hopefully here too.

My name is Irene and I'm a 57 year old divorced woman who lives with her mother. My younger brother lived with her and he died about 3 years ago and wanted me to live with her since my 3 daughters were now married and on their own. It's been tough. In 2009 when he was diagnosed with cancer in March, within 6 months I gained 30 lbs. I gain weight very quickly!! I went up to 291 lbs. I'm 5'2" - you can imagine!! End of Sept 2009 I joined FA - a 12 step program and lost 145 lbs relatively quickly and kept it off. However, things fell apart for me when my brother died in Aug 2011, my daughter had gotten married in May 2011, the oldest daughter was going to marry at the end of the year and my youngest baby was moving into her dad's house with her boyfriend (they married in 2013 at Disney World!). I had the Empty Nest Syndrome really bad!!

At the first wedding May 2011, I was a size 6 and at the last wedding, Feb 2013, a size 22. I feel ashamed. I feel like a failure. I've thought of WLS for years and was concerned about altering myself with bypass surgery. I hadn't heard many positive things about the lap band. Recently I heard about the sleeve and that sounds like a good fit for me. My youngest had the surgery done in May 2014 and has been very successful with it. My oldest will have it done in Nov 2014. My middle daughter is obese; so is my mother, my sister and both brothers. My father was an alcoholic (I learned that alcoholic fathers tend to have obese daughters...).

I have Kaiser insurance. I love the 6 month wait because I feel I need time to prove to myself that I can commit. I want to gradually accept the changes. In the past (I've been dieting on and off since I was 17 yrs old), I would have paid out of pocket to have it next month (or sooner); now I know that's addictive behavior for me. I want this experience to be different. I want this to be the final diet.

My middle and youngest daughters, their husbands and I joined the YMCA at end of Jan 2014 and I've gone to exercise at least 4 times a week to mostly 5 - 6 days a week. I don't see it as a chore or something I have to do. I see it as movement and "recess" - I look forward to going. I love doing it with my daughters because we enjoy each other's company. When I have a tough day at work, I just picture myself in the pool. We do deep Water treading. I'm not a swimmer. I get quite a workout doing that, the elliptical and I was doing belly dancing once a week but my weight really prevented me from enjoying it. I look forward to getting the weight off and joining the girls! I also tried yoga and was not quite limber enough. Still, I want to try again as soon as possible.

I babysit my great-nephew (my dead brother's grandchild) every Sat since he was 4 months old (he's 17 months old now) and chase him all day - no TV on my watch! I laugh all day with him, hardly have time to eat and enjoy life when I'm with him. I get quite a workout playing - the best way to do it, in my book!!

So I began my journey in Aug 2014 by attending meetings. I've met with the Nutritionist. I already have sleep Apnea and have the machine to bring with me to surgery. I am having trouble with the diet I'm supposed to be on right now; I feel resentment about following a diet!!! I feel like I'd better hurry up and have a "last meal" - of whatever junk I want to get in. I hope this is temporary because I'm supposed to be losing weight... I also fear that I "can't" do it. I want to be motivated, I want to just DO IT - and then I fall apart. I'm going to work closer with the Nutritionist and see how they can help me. I know this is a long entry, but if you have read this far, do you have any suggestions?

I do hope I can get on track - this forum has been inspirational for me so far!

Me: 45 year-old who started getting fat at 41! Yep...gained 41 plus pounds after moving back to Memphis, and I could not stand myself. Kept losing and gaining the same 20 pounds, and some of its friends. Body is getting older - joints, feet hurt after attempts to exercise. Prednisone & cortisone shots galore! I also did not recognize myself anymore. The extra weight started causing other, more mortifying changes with my body, and it was literally freaking out hormonally. Just yuck! It was time to push the plate of barbecue away, and say no to that third specialty martini. Time to stop the fat and deterioration in its tracks, reevaluate my life and career, and grab my health back!

Edited October 2, 201411 yr by OnePhatWhoDat

Way to go Adam. You're well on your way. And Bariatric Pal is such a great source for information and support! Congratulations. I had my surgery August 27. Things are going good and I feel great. Just started eating solid foods with no problems. Have no cravings for things I totally thought I couldn't give up...bread, donuts, cake, potato chips, fried chicken...all my pre-op favorites. I don't even miss my daily doses of Diet Coke.

It will just get easier and easier for you. Good luck and welcome to the journey!

Hello all,

My name is Adam. I am 35, married with 2 daughters, 4 and 1. I have always been big. I played O-Line in high school and college. I was 300-330 during that time period. After I got married I eventually gained 10 pounds a year until I hit 409. Everything started to hurt. I wanted to enjoy my life with my kids and wife. I felt horrible not being able to ride roller coasters with my wife and Water slides with my daughter. I decided I needed to be healthy for my kids and wife. They need their father. I was sleeved last friday, the 26th of September by Dr. Scott at Des Peres. So far it has been easy. I walked 6 times that day. The gas in the back was a little uncomfortable, but I took no pain meds, had had a little softball to roll on my back to help move the gas around. It is Wed, Oct. 1 and I am already down 11 pounds since surgery. Beef broth and G2 gatorade, and muscle tech Protein have been my go to drinks. I look forward to learning with everyone and enjoying my life. I want to live the life God intended for me, and I know you do to.

Any April 8 2013

My story is that I haven't always been a big girl. I was average in high school & even got to the thin side when I was in the Army. In my late 20's I quit smoking & polycystic ovary syndrome slapped me upside my head. The weight came on quickly. My heaviest was 250. I am now 233.

I am choosing surgery because I am tired of living in a body that I don't feel is mine. I see my 12-year-old son (who has always been fit) getting chubby and I see the toll it has taken on his self esteem. I now take him to the gym with me and we are exploring healthy foods together. I look forward to teaching him how to be healthy rather than how to be overweight. My surgery is scheduled for 11/17/14.

@@ireneg It might help to realize that the pounds that you lose during THIS diet won't be coming back

Also, as a practical matter, if you gain even a few pounds during the diet phase, your insurance can use that as an excuse to deny you coverage for your surgery.

Even if you don't lose much, do your very, very best not to gain anything at least. You can do this!!!

Thank you, Woo Woo! I went to Celebrate Recovery and found the support truly miraculous. I have 2 days of really great compliance to the Nutritionist diet. I appreciate too, your reminder that if I gain weight, my insurance can deny me coverage. That is true!! I don't know for sure they will, but they can put off my surgery.

Thank you for your support - I really appreciate your note!

So having trouble responding sorry I have been reading all your amazing stories and hear all your support. Thank you love this website and I am so grateful for you all of you. Went to Dr Fri it sucked after green lights for three months the surgeon said no lose 75 lbs first that is a lot thought I was gonna pass out. But I understand I don't want complications or it failed so I had to cry and then just get mad so I can get focused and buckle down so I will need all of you and I am here for you

Adam loved hearing your story hope your doing well this week keep me posted