I am Catherine. I am new to this bored, and scared and nervous and happy, and pretty much any emotion you can have all at the same time I have recently started my journey of weight loss surgery. Right now, I am meeting with the dietitian and the mental health professionals and the like. Next month, I will be able to schedule my next appointment with the surgeon. I am currently 451 lbs, and down four pounds since my initial visit. Anyone else starting their journey? Anyone been there and have success. Anyone been there and failed?

1 hour ago, Bombshellkitten said:

I am Catherine. I am new to this bored, and scared and nervous and happy, and pretty much any emotion you can have all at the same time I have recently started my journey of weight loss surgery. Right now, I am meeting with the dietitian and the mental health professionals and the like. Next month, I will be able to schedule my next appointment with the surgeon. I am currently 451 lbs, and down four pounds since my initial visit. Anyone else starting their journey? Anyone been there and have success. Anyone been there and failed?

I started my journey at 425 and 15 months post op I am down to 263. I'm very happy with that..my biggest issue now is all the extra skin. I have an awful time with rashes and boils in areas where there is so much skin..i. getting ready to have a total hip replacement surgery in 6 weeks so w/o this pain I should be able to finish my journey..Dr's say extra skin is at least 50 lbs so my goal is lose another 50 and then the skin removal.

I started my journey at 425 and 15 months post op I am down to 263. I'm very happy with that..my biggest issue now is all the extra skin. I have an awful time with rashes and boils in areas where there is so much skin..i. getting ready to have a total hip replacement surgery in 6 weeks so w/o this pain I should be able to finish my journey..Dr's say extra skin is at least 50 lbs so my goal is lose another 50 and then the skin removal.

Do you regret the surgery?

I did not start as high as you, my highest was probably 380 at some point.

I weigh around 185 now and I am very happy with my weight loss so far.

I too have a lot of loose skin but the more weight I lose the easier it is to manage. Even with the loose skin this body is a lot better than my old body because this body grants me an entirely different, rich and full life.

I am not sure which surgery you are considering. If I was your weight I would consider the DS. It is the most weight loss period

I started my journey weighing 497 pounds. Following 2 weight loss programs I lost on my own and through exercise down to 317. At that weight I had the sleeve done in Jan 2016. That helped me get down to 210 and now I am only 30 pounds away from my goal. You have to follow the high protein, low carb program you are given, exercise when the Dr says it is ok to do so and have the right frame of mind. I have not regretted the surgery at all. You can do this! Many have been your weight and lost. I found that going to support groups, joining forums like this and the special forums for higher weight losss on this site and a lot of other weight loss sites and private facebook groups to be very helpful with encouragement and support.

I worked hard to get this weight off and with all the excess skin hanging the hard work doesn't show, so if my insurance pays for those surgeries I am getting them done as well. One month ago I had the first of four excess skin removal surgeries. I didn't regret that surgery either. In the Fall I hope to have the excess skin on my tummy removed.

Congrats on taking the first steps to a healthier you!

One of your first decisions to make is which surgery. Please don't do the lap band. Just cross that one off your list right away. The Roux-en-Y bypass (RNY, or simply bypass), the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (sleeve), or Duodenal Switch (DS).

You might qualify for any of the three, your surgeon will likely point you in a direction based on your circumstances or his own expertise (be careful of the latter, because you want the right surgery for YOU, not just what he's selling). There are tons of threads on the board about how to choose a procedure. Look around, and have fun during the research phase. You don't have to make a decision right away either. (But you might as well start looking early so you have time to really get comfortable with the idea of whichever you choose).

All three have similar post-op diets and recovery phases. The main differences are the long-term complications, statistics, and vitamin requirements. (The DS also has higher goals for protein and fat intakes.)

Good luck!

Congrats on taking the first steps to a healthier you!
One of your first decisions to make is which surgery. Please don't do the lap band. Just cross that one off your list right away. The Roux-en-Y bypass (RNY, or simply bypass), the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (sleeve), or Duodenal Switch (DS).
You might qualify for any of the three, your surgeon will likely point you in a direction based on your circumstances or his own expertise (be careful of the latter, because you want the right surgery for YOU, not just what he's selling). There are tons of threads on the board about how to choose a procedure. Look around, and have fun during the research phase. You don't have to make a decision right away either. (But you might as well start looking early so you have time to really get comfortable with the idea of whichever you choose).
All three have similar post-op diets and recovery phases. The main differences are the long-term complications, statistics, and vitamin requirements. (The DS also has higher goals for protein and fat intakes.)
Good luck!

Thank you... the surgeon suggested the sleeve, but I am leaning more towards rny. I am worried about long term though. I am 27, may still want children in the future and nervous if it will make it so I can't or hurt future babies. Plus, I worry a lot so I am nervous for such a big decision :/