AtlantaRed

I think it's hard for people to say of themselves. However, if you look at the big thread where people post before and after or before and during pics, most of their faces look wonderful! Suddenly their eyes and smiles are bigger (no longer smooshed with the chub)! It's at least a very different look than most bypass patient's. Maybe initially there is some deflation but I think it catches up some how. I was so happily surprised when I saw how great people's faces looked!
I think the bypass patient's often look sickly and hollow due to the malabsorption.
Maybe look through the galleries up at the top and see some progressions. I can't wait to have a nice big smile and pretty eyes that you can see!

Thank you so much AtlantaRed for doing such a great job on the December list! It's so neat to see the list grow and grow!

Tentatively set for Dec 30 have cleared all testing but an upper gi which is soon. 38yr old 5'1 260lbs
I too was always thin - at 12 weeks pregnant with my first child I was a mere 112lbs - I ended up gaining 68lbs. Lost most of it and 4 yrs later had my 2nd child gained a lot again didn't lose much after and 16 months later had my last child - the excess weight NEVER came off. I have contemplated WLS for years and finally just said "I'm doing it"
I actually should have had it back in October but my mom had such a hard time with it that I postponed it - i can happily say I now have her support and look forward to my surgery!!!

That reminds me of the dentist. It takes a lot to numb up my mouth. I dread going in that place. Well, here's to hoping they don't over or under do it! lol

I was also told December was popular because everyone is trying to get in before the new year = new deductible/out of pocket.
I would never be able to afford it if I had to wait until January.

I have had this 12/16 date since September, hopefully that means I'll be the first surgery in the morning! I must admit I am getting more excited everyday!

I was told December was pretty popular since some folks have time off - especially us folks in education. I give my last exam on 12/12 and don't need to be back in the classroom until 1/19. Hopefully that will be plenty of time to recuperate

12/16 for me too! It will come quick!

I'm excited to see there are so many in December. I sorta thought this group might be small with some not wanting to go through Christmas on soft or puréed food!

Hello all! I have been lurking for at least a month so I finally decided to join the group. I'm happy to be a fellow December sleever! My date is 12/16. I started the process in April and finished up the 6 month requirements with my PCP in Sept. Of course, there were some delays but insurance approval was received last week. I had to put off surgery till December because we already had a family vacation planned for Disney World during Thanksgiving week. Let the stress, anxiety, fun times begin!!!

I think it's hard for people to say of themselves. However, if you look at the big thread where people post before and after or before and during pics, most of their faces look wonderful! Suddenly their eyes and smiles are bigger (no longer smooshed with the chub)! It's at least a very different look than most bypass patient's. Maybe initially there is some deflation but I think it catches up some how. I was so happily surprised when I saw how great people's faces looked!
I think the bypass patient's often look sickly and hollow due to the malabsorption.
Maybe look through the galleries up at the top and see some progressions. I can't wait to have a nice big smile and pretty eyes that you can see!

December 20th in Orlando Florida

Just got approved for December 2nd, so excited!

Just had a call today from my 'nurse case manager' from the insurance company. Spent about 40 minutes on the phone with her...she was very nice, and informative. I think there was a question before about getting a flu shot, and she did recommend that I get my flu shot and pneumonia shot prior to surgery.
I'll make sure to get that done when I am at my pre-op appointment!

I can't wait to wear jeans and a cute t-shirt comfortably and actually look cute and not stuffed in!

I can't wait to wear jeans and a cute t-shirt comfortably and actually look cute and not stuffed in!

Tomorrow should have been my surgery date. I'd been very nervous - I thought I'd done enough prep reading these boards but a couple of days ago I got really scared that I didn't know what would happen after the ten year mark. What if there's massive nutrition deficiencies? I started reading bad stories - unsupportive stories - and was really nervous that I didn't prepare myself enough. I've had a lot of people question me doing this -my BMI is 40- thinking I should just do it the regular way and I'm taking the easy way out. There's no question this isn't the easy way out. I tell them its the effective way out. Despite my doubts, I was carefully getting ready for the surgery with my pre-op diet.
Then my car got hit on my way to work. It caused some painful whiplash in addition to damage to my car. This - two days before my surgery. I thought I should hold off until Friday, but the surgeons office said the next appointment wasn't until the end of November. I said I wanted to get feedback from my doctor before postponing the surgery. At the doctors office, he told me that he recommended me postpone this because the anesthesia involves a lot of neck manipulation which could hurt worse. I can't define my emotions. Can you have disappointment and relief at the same time? Suddenly I wanted pumpkin pie. 3 weeks was enough time for some pie.
It turns out my X-rays look okay...and now my neck doesn't hurt that bad.. I have everything with work arranged for my leave. My emotions and desires about this surgery crystalized. I want this now. I've prepared for this and I don't want to look back. I didn't eat any pie...but okay I had some Cereal. I mostly kept with my pre-op diet in hopes an earlier time would open up. I made an appointment Friday with a physical therapist and a slot opened up for my surgery on November 4th and I know I'm ready.

Here is mine I'm 10 months post op, my biggest at a size 24 and then at my smallest I have ever been, I wear a size 9 and the first time I've ever worn a dress :-)
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Edited to say: 1 month photos on page 5 of replies
Well, i went to Mexico to Dr Sauceda and had fairly extensive work done. I started with 7 drains and am now down to 1. I still have stitches in. So far, my results look great and I am very pleased, but it takes 2 months to see your final due to swelling etc. I still have a bit of a poochy tummy but I think it will be flat once the swelling goes down.

I was very pleased with the surgeon and his care team. I loved the 3 nights and 4 days of clinic supervised recovery - excellent pain management and nursing care. Then, I was released to a hotel were I was bandaged and checked daily by a nurse and the doctor visited each day as well. For me, this was the only way to do it as the level of care I needed post op was fairly high in the early days.

His way of doing anesthesia and working with a partner means he could do alot in one surgery safely... however, no joke - this was alot of surgery at once. I had the lower body lift, breast lift and augmentation, arms and "small" thigh lift. That means no incision down the inner thigh, just along the groin. My recovery has so far been textbook. I saw my PCP and she was overwhelmed with happiness at how good things look, the incisions look good, all signs so far are of excellent healing.
I am far from out of the woods though; complications can still happen so I am diligent about taking it easy (this is killing me as I am normally so active), getting in even extra Protein and wearing the compression garments from hades.

The surgery was NOT painful and the incisions have never really been worse then kind of sore. The very worst part is dealing with the tight garments, the forced inactivity and of course the drains. There are certainly discomforts.... of the 6 drains pulled so far, two of them hurt.

Taken today, two weeks out, I am sorta hiding the two drains still in the mons area:


These photos were recent, pre surgery. As you can see, I had worked out and had some "toning" under all that skin.


I will get better pics when that last drain comes out... it is quite literally a drag on my style!

To round this out, i decided to add a pre VSG photo so you get the gist of how much I have transformed!

Milk of Magnesia usually makes you go after a dose or two. Then MiraLAX daily. It is clear and dissolves into anything. It is safe to use long term.
Stool softeners draw Water into your stool but doesn't make you go. Once you get going, continue on the MiraLAX every day.

Hello!
I get my official date tomorrow, I am hoping for a date the first week of December. My starting weight is 285, with a BMI of 46. I am shooting for 135 as my goal weight. I am excited to be apart of this group!

I have just been wanting to get them all done as fast as possible. It didn't seem real until he called with my date The EGD was certainly interesting. I opted to not get sedated. They took several biopsies and I felt crampy for a few days after that. The process itself was more nerve wracking than uncomfortable

I know if someone told me I could have my surgery this Friday, I would be scared to death and start panicking but right now, I just can't wait!!
I've never been so excited for doctor visits! lol
I get to go Monday to my PCP and I know she will do the EKG and set me up with the EGD. Once that is done, I can pick my date!
Just can't wait to have that camera down my throat! lol (a sentence no one ever said!)

Yay! Congrats on finally getting your date! I'm so hoping for the day after you!
Welcome to our December's group! I think there are several on the 4th! I will add you to the list!