Hello Guys,

Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm mrsdawsondn and I've come to the conclusion to bear down and get serious about my life and weight in 2005 and 2006. I reached my all time high in 2005 of 280 and started weight watchers and got down to 250. Stopped weight watchers and went up to 305 and was diagnosed in the prediabetic stage of my weight although I'd always been healthy even overweight. Never had any issues with high blood pressure, cholestoral, or any other weight related diseases. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid after I had my son in 2000 and my weight was on a steady climb no matter what I did.. Well diabetes is heavily run in my fathers side of the family and having to care for a diabetic grandmother pretty my scared the mess out of me when I got the warning about prediabetic stages so I began to work out. I ran I journal-ed, I weighed, measured inches, and I found the balance between what works for me and what doesn't, i lost 85 lbs and got down to 238. In 2007 I lost my job it was outsourced overseas and the ministry that I was a part of in church had issues so of course i turned to my only comfort...food. over the process of becoming disgusted with myself and kicking into gear, and falling off of the wagon with every diet known to may I yoyo-ed my way up to 340lbs. As of July of 2011 I couldn't take it anymore....I prayed really hard about it and said I was gonna get lapband surgery. I teeter tottered with this as I always felt like getting the surgery was giving up but in the greater scope of things yoyoing up and down was like giving up too. In November of 2011 I went to a seminar for WLS and found out about my options. Met with the doctor and dietician and we placed the order with my health insurance for the surgery. Then the doctor was urging the sleeve instead of the lapband but I was dead set. The health insurance provider ordered me to get on a 6 month supervised diet before approving me for surgery. I went to a personal trainer as well as did the supervised diet and instead of losing weight I began gaining (the beautiful cycle of hypothyroid). After 6 months I have been approved and had to get down to 315 lbs to get my presurgery date, That was in June of 2012. I haved been struggling to get this weight down to 315 but as of last week I really had my come to Jesus moment and as well my best friend had the sleeve back in september and getting an eye witness account of her highs lows struggles and dedication to the process made it all real for me and see the post surgery life actually had me a little nervous but after more prayer I'm ready. My weight is down to 319 right now (thank God) and I have 5 more lbs to lose to schedule surgery and do the pre-op diet. I came here for support, inspiration, and community. I'm tired of the cycle and the yoyo and the struggles associated with this disease Obesity and I'm ready to do the right thing and get off of the roller coaster for good.

Thanks for your ears guys. Please feel free to introduce yourselves..

Good to meet you! I too have struggled with my weight most of my life. I am at my highest weight (except when I was pregnant I hit the big 300) now I am at 270. I have gained 20 of the last pounds since may of this year. Since my mom passed away. I can really feel the weight taking a toll on me. I have absolutely no energy, I have recently developed high blood pressure and am pre diabetic. I just feel completely miserable all the time. After struggling the past couple of year financially my husband found a great job with great health insurance. So I decided to finally do something for myself and get the sleeve. I have met with the surgeon and have my first meeting with the dietitian on Monday yea! I can't wait to get it done and over with. You got do it for yourself and no body else.

Glad to see you are taking the big step of regaining control of your life for good.

My name is Christine. I decided in December of 2012 that I wanted to do the sleeve. I, like you, have been on a roller coaster, yo-yo ride on my weight my entire life. My first memory of being neavy was about 10 years old. Lost it all when I was 15.. and stayed pretty small until about 18 when I got on birth control. I gained 70 pounds in a year ( the norplant) had that removed after 1 year, and dropped about 40 pounds of that weight in about 5 weeks, and became pregnant with my first child. I gained over 50 pounds with that pregnancy.. and 8 months after giving birth, I got pregnant again, barely had lost the weight from the first pregnancy. I managed to loose all that weight and then some after my 2nd child, about 9 months later.. I was all the way down to 40, 20 pounds lighter than my pre-pregnancies weight. I struggled with that weight and bounced around between 140 - 170 for a few years.. and then from 2000 - 2002, I ballooned to 233 pounds. I was miserable. I carried that weight about 3 years.. and in 2005 I did a combination of the adkins and south beach diet and dropped 70 pounds again.. and looked and felt great. And once I tried to incorporate other foods in my diet, I quickly lossed control again and by 2011 I was back up to 241 pounds.

I am so onboard to have a perminant tool in place to assist me in loosing this weight for good and keeping it off, I am 39 years old, I have a lot of life to live, and I want to feel good living it!

Thanks guys for the intros it's great to meet people that understand your journey yanno. I've been skinny most of my life I gained the excess weight and was diagnosed with hypothyroid at 22 years old and have struggled ever since it's been 12 long years of ups and downs. Glad to know there are others out there that understand.

Hi, nice to meet you. You and I have a lot in common, I was diagnosed Hypothyroid 15 years ago. In 4 months I gained 60 pounds. I was put on medication and started working out and I was able to get it off. Prior to that I was at a good weight. I always wanted to get 10-15 pounds off, but I was a healthy weight. I got pregnant with my 3rd child, never gained more than 28 pounds with all three pregnancies. Well when you are pregnant and on thyroid they have to increase the dose. After the baby is born they are supposed to test you and lower you back down to pre-pregnancy. I learned this after the fact, my Doctor didn't do that. I was so sick! I felt like I was dying and they couldn't figure out why. TWO years of this!!! I changed insurance, got a new team of doctors and the Endocrinologist said I was taking more than double the meds. i was supposed to be. I blew out my thyroid completely! It put me into Hashimotoes Disease, It's when your antibodies are constantly attacking your thyroid. This has gone on for 10 years now!!! I have gained 80 pounds in 10 years. They can't regulate my meds so I have gained 3-6 pounds every 3 months off and on over the 10 years. So, I know how you feel!! It's been such a battle!!

10 months getting ready going through all the proper requirements to have the surgery. Finally!!! Sleeve is November 28th. I'm so ready!! Best of luck to you. Sorry so long but I know how hard it is...

Wow.. that is terrible about the physicians over looking your med dosage. I'm sorry . Congrats on November 28 surgery date I bet you are excited. I started out this past December planning for surgery in January 2013. I knew I was going to have a full year with 5 teenagers here, always always something going on to take focus away from myself. But I was determained to get the ball rolling, and plan, plan plan.. I am a planner, and do well when everything is mapped out, and organied.. so it hasn't been stressful at all to this point. Everything has worked out as planned, the nutrion appointments, counselor (extra of those because I lost my mom this May) neuropsych, labs, 6 month Dr monitored weight loss visits.. and the approval took just a couple weeks. So I am able to finish out the hear with my pre-op testing and visit with the internest, and the nutrician class and the nurse visit. With all that and a couple birthdays this month, Thanksgiving and Christmas, it will be here before I know it.

I have started a little book with things I have, things I need, tips from previous sleevers, foot recipies and shake ideas etc, I will have a work out plan in there eventually and mini goals.. after I meet with the nurse and nutrician class on the 30th of this month. I am so ready, and so excited to begin this next chapter of my life.

Hi, my name is Gaye. I have been overweight all my life, I have 4 sisters that are all skinny and have never had a weight problem! I was always depressed, didn't want to go out much, but when u weigh 334 lbs there is not many places to go and feel comfortable.

I knew that I had to do something about my weight, so I dieted and lost 30 and gained 40, lost 50 and gained 75 and so on and so on! Then in August of 2011 my husbands niece died of a massive heart attack on her 40th birthday! It scared me so bad cause I was way bigger than she was and I was 46 yrs old.

So I started looking into WLS, we had a lady who attended a meeting at our church and I didn't know her, or I thought I didn't, I knew her before she lost almost 100 lbs and it was just like The Lord hit me over the head and said "here's your way out".

Fast forward to June 18, 2012, I went into surgery weighing 314 lbs (334 before starting pre op diet) and its been downhill from there, 4 1/2 months post op and I'm down 90 lbs as of this morning! I almost wanna cry every day at my reflection in the mirror, I'm so amazed at how the sleeve works!

WOW you guys thank you so much for this inspiration I really needed it!!!Glad I logged on today.

Welcome