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I hate that my before picture looks like a mug shot. My mom made me take it the night before my surgery. I remember being cranky because frankly I was starving after my two week pre-op diet and because I normally avoided full body shots at all costs. Looking back now, I wish I would've taken more before pictures. I am 15 months post-op and I admit that the number on the scale isn't quite as low as I had originally wanted. As a 25 year old with no children, I look like I've had 10+ kids when I'm naked - so I always wear clothes. While I'm thankful beyond words that I had the opportunity to have this surgery, I feel a little disappointment. I prayed my whole life to be "skinny", I felt that this quality about myself is what kept me from being truly happy. If I were skinny, I could make a lot of friends and find a man who wasn't ashamed to be seen with me. Now I get more positive attention from men and more negative attention from women, mainly those whom themselves are currently overweight. Basically, the guys who previously wouldn't give me the time of day are suddenly more interested in what is under my clothes than what is inside my brain and the girls I would normally be drawn to befriend look at me like an outsider. I am terrified to put myself out there and date because inevitably the clothes must come off and I don't think I could bear that kind of rejection. To say it has been an adjustment is a massive understatement. I used to be the fat girl with the cute face that made people laugh... I got along with everyone because I could never say no or stand up for myself. I feel like the same person inside, but I don't want to be that girl anymore.

Sorry this turned out to be kind of ranty.

I just wanted to share my experience with those who are pre-op or considering. Be realistic with your expectations and goals. At first, the physical results will come fast and with little effort. The biggest obstacle is mental and there's no way to prepare yourself for that.

Much love to everyone!

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Thank you for Sharing your story . I find your story motivational and comforting as I'm going through a wad of emotions as I await my surgery date September 12. So thank you very much for sharing you look amazing keep up the good work !!!


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IMG_2368.thumb.JPG.37e97d197aed5f7aa085cf4256ea03c1.JPG
I hate that my before picture looks like a mug shot. My mom made me take it the night before my surgery. I remember being cranky because frankly I was starving after my two week pre-op diet and because I normally avoided full body shots at all costs. Looking back now, I wish I would've taken more before pictures. I am 15 months post-op and I admit that the number on the scale isn't quite as low as I had originally wanted. As a 25 year old with no children, I look like I've had 10+ kids when I'm naked - so I always wear clothes. While I'm thankful beyond words that I had the opportunity to have this surgery, I feel a little disappointment. I prayed my whole life to be "skinny", I felt that this quality about myself is what kept me from being truly happy. If I were skinny, I could make a lot of friends and find a man who wasn't ashamed to be seen with me. Now I get more positive attention from men and more negative attention from women, mainly those whom themselves are currently overweight. Basically, the guys who previously wouldn't give me the time of day are suddenly more interested in what is under my clothes than what is inside my brain and the girls I would normally be drawn to befriend look at me like an outsider. I am terrified to put myself out there and date because inevitably the clothes must come off and I don't think I could bear that kind of rejection. To say it has been an adjustment is a massive understatement. I used to be the fat girl with the cute face that made people laugh... I got along with everyone because I could never say no or stand up for myself. I feel like the same person inside, but I don't want to be that girl anymore.
Sorry this turned out to be kind of ranty.
I just wanted to share my experience with those who are pre-op or considering. Be realistic with your expectations and goals. At first, the physical results will come fast and with little effort. The biggest obstacle is mental and there's no way to prepare yourself for that.
Much love to everyone!



You are gorgeous (I LOVE that dress!) and you are Enough.


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They fix our stomachs and it is up to us to fix our brains.... The latter is soooo much harder! You will get there.





I love this


Band to SIPS/SA-DI/LOOP DS 8.8.17
HT: 5'6ish HW: 242 SW: 226 CW: 206 GW: Healthy

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Thank you for Sharing your story . I find your story motivational and comforting as I'm going through a wad of emotions as I await my surgery date September 12. So thank you very much for sharing you look amazing keep up the good work !!!





Thank you for your kind words. Good luck on your surgery!! You'll do great. Don't be shy with the pain meds hehe. But it's not that bad, really. I just remember sleeping a lot and hating the people who kept waking me up so I could drink liquids haha


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They fix our stomachs and it is up to us to fix our brains.... The latter is soooo much harder! You will get there. Finding the right person is hard and tedious. Be patient it will happen. Let your inner light shine!




You are so right!!! Sometimes I feel like my brain is even more crazy than before lol. Right now I'm dating someone who I know isn't for me... he knows it too. But we both kind of need each other to combat the loneliness. He's recently divorced.


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IMG_2368.thumb.JPG.37e97d197aed5f7aa085cf4256ea03c1.JPG
I hate that my before picture looks like a mug shot. My mom made me take it the night before my surgery. I remember being cranky because frankly I was starving after my two week pre-op diet and because I normally avoided full body shots at all costs. Looking back now, I wish I would've taken more before pictures. I am 15 months post-op and I admit that the number on the scale isn't quite as low as I had originally wanted. As a 25 year old with no children, I look like I've had 10+ kids when I'm naked - so I always wear clothes. While I'm thankful beyond words that I had the opportunity to have this surgery, I feel a little disappointment. I prayed my whole life to be "skinny", I felt that this quality about myself is what kept me from being truly happy. If I were skinny, I could make a lot of friends and find a man who wasn't ashamed to be seen with me. Now I get more positive attention from men and more negative attention from women, mainly those whom themselves are currently overweight. Basically, the guys who previously wouldn't give me the time of day are suddenly more interested in what is under my clothes than what is inside my brain and the girls I would normally be drawn to befriend look at me like an outsider. I am terrified to put myself out there and date because inevitably the clothes must come off and I don't think I could bear that kind of rejection. To say it has been an adjustment is a massive understatement. I used to be the fat girl with the cute face that made people laugh... I got along with everyone because I could never say no or stand up for myself. I feel like the same person inside, but I don't want to be that girl anymore.
Sorry this turned out to be kind of ranty.
I just wanted to share my experience with those who are pre-op or considering. Be realistic with your expectations and goals. At first, the physical results will come fast and with little effort. The biggest obstacle is mental and there's no way to prepare yourself for that.
Much love to everyone!




This is super inspiring, thank you! I'm going into surgery in just a few minutes :) im 26


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This is super inspiring, thank you! I'm going into surgery in just a few minutes [emoji4] im 26




Good luck!![emoji256]


Band to SIPS/SA-DI/LOOP DS 8.8.17
HT: 5'6ish HW: 242 SW: 226 CW: 206 GW: Healthy

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This is so amazing. I am currently 4 months post op and I hope one day I will be where you are. It's crazy because I still feel like I was before :/ but, I am down 102 pounds. What was your starting weight(if that's okay to ask!) I love this post and you look amazing!


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This is so amazing. I am currently 4 months post op and I hope one day I will be where you are. It's crazy because I still feel like I was before :/ but, I am down 102 pounds. What was your starting weight(if that's okay to ask!) I love this post and you look amazing!





That is amazing! How much of that did you lose pre-op? Thank you so much. After about 4 months I remember the loss slowed down quite a bit. Just keep getting your Protein and Water in and hang in there! Time totally flies, especially that first year. Every once in a while you will wake up and have lost 2 pant sizes it seems like. I kept my wardrobe small, bought clearance items and bought whatever I could find that was reasonably cute and in my size at goodwill. I was constantly running out of clothes that fit me appropriately. I still have a hard time tossing some of my old stuff, can't figure out if it's because I'm scared of seeing just how little clothes I have or I'm scared I might need them again.

Height: 5'5" HW: 280 SW: 268 CW:162


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    • Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
      I'm down 31 pounds since the day of surgery and 47 since my pre-op diet began, with that typical week long stall occurring at three weeks. I'm really starting to see some changes lately- some of my clothing is too big, some fits again. The most drastic changes I notice however are in my face. I've also noticed my endurance and flexibility increasing. I was really starting to be held up physically, and I'm so grateful that I'm seeing that turn around in such short order. 
      My general disposition lately is hopeful and motivated. The only thing that bugs me on a daily basis still is the way those supplements make my house smell. So stink! But I just bought a smell proof bag online that other people use to put their pot in. My house doesn't stink anymore. 
       
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    • BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
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    • BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
      · 0 replies
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    • ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
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    • BeanitoDiego

      Still purging all of the larger clothing. This morning, a shirt that I ADORED wearing ended up on top. Hard to let it go, but it was also hard to let go of those habits that also no longer serve my highest good. Onward and upward!
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