Hello,

My name is Steph. I just turned 38 on the 1st. I have 3 kiddos 10 and 13 year old boys and a 16 year old daughter.

As a kiddo and a teenager I was always very VERY thin. Then somewhere between 19 and 22 I gained almost 75 pounds. In October of 2010 I was 36 years old and 368 pounds. I have tried every diet known to man and I would lose then immediately gain even more. I was so depressed and was starting to "fee" old and fat.

I was having a lot of issues with GERD and was in constant pain.

I went on a "fairly" gluten free diet and started dropping a lot of weight with little to no effort. I also started looking into Lap Band.

I started a new job (with insurance that covers the surgery...THANK GOODNESS)

The spring of 2011 I was down to 320 pounds, but stalled.

I started going to MyNewStart (which I can not recommend) I spent 5 month working with them before they dropped me from the program with no explanation as to why... I had done EVERYTHING that I was supposed to do and had almost completed all of the requirements for my insurance company (they required a 6 month supervised diet)

I was heart broken. I started looking for new surgeons. I found out that once a surgeon drops you it makes the rest in the area leary of taking you on. Even if no reason was given.

Then when I thought all hope was lost I found MyNewSelf at DesPeres Hospital in St.Louis (my hometown) and called Dr. Minkins office.

He got me in and less than 2 months later I was having surgery. He was very honest with me and I with him.

I am a smoker (actively trying to quit) I think that was one of the reasons it was hard to find a surgeon. I also have sleep apnea which increases my risks during surgery.

I had a 3 day full liquid diet...not bad at all.

Surgery was uneventful and went without complication.

The 1st 12 hours I had intense pain in my shoulders. Getting up and walking was really the only thing that helped that.

The rest of day 1 and all of day 2 were in all honesty the most painful time of my life (and I have had 3 c-sections and my gall bladder removed) I am now on day 3 and I have to admit at some point last night it just got better.

If I have to deal with 2 days of intense pain to have a lifetime to be healthier it was worth it.

Oh and when I woke up I was down 16 pounds from the morning of surgery!

Wow! Sounds like your perserverance is paying off. I am so glad your pain is getting better. I've had these surgeries that I thought would be quick recoveries end up keeping me down for 2 weeks! I pray that's not the case with mine.

I begin my liquid diet soon and will be sleeved on the 28th. You should join the group of us who've had surgery in March. :-)

Congratulations Stephanie

I have a lapband which has stopped working. I will get my lapband removed and my sleeve on May 3. I am really excited but nervous.

Keep us posted on your progress

Congrats to you! Sounds like you have been through a lot. Now you have a new begiinning.

Congrats on your surgery and welcome to the loser's bench!

first and foremost, congrats on making the biggest lifestyle change of your life. Yes, it will be hard but it will worth it. The pain the beginning is temporary but the lifestyle change will be permanently satisfy with every step.

Keep your eyes on the prize and enjoy the ride... It may have its ups and downs but ask anyone 3months down the line, the ups start to outweigh the downs in EVERY sense!

GD LUCK ON YOUR NEW JOURNEY!