sfernandez2828

Congratulations to you! You look amazing! Loved your story. What an awesome journey this is! I will be 10 months post op on the 28th of this month. I've gone from 309lbs to 168lbs and a size 26/28 to a size 10. It's amazing all the things we can do now. I did a 5k for the first time ever a couple weeks ago and I couldn't believe how easy it was. Now I'm going to do a half marathon in April and eventually I want to do a full marathon.

I hated shopping before surgery and now I love it a little too much lol. In the beginning, I only shopped at thrift stores because I knew the clothes wouldn't fit for very long. I will be 10 months post op on the 28th of this month. I have gone from a size 26/28 to a size 10. I'm so glad I decided to have the surgery even though just about everyone I knew was so against it. Best decision I have ever made for myself! Congratulations to you!

Hope your surgery date stays the same. It's definitely a frustrating process. Hang in there! You'll be having your surgery before you know it!

Sleeved 12/28/2011 Beginning weight: 309lbs Weight at surgery: 284 lbs Height: 5'4" Size: 26/28 Current weight: 168lbs Current size: 10/12 depending on the brand

Thank you! It's definitely been a lot of hard work. A lot of people told me that the surgery was taking the easy way out, but it's not. You still gave to do the work. I do excercise at least 1 hour a day, sometimes 2 depending on the day, 5 days a week. I keep track of my foods with the my fitness pal app and I make sure I get my vitamins and protein in everyday. I also make sure to drink at least 64oz of water everyday. I do hit stalls every now and they typically last anywhere from 1-3 weeks. The closer I get to my goal though, the harder each pound is. I'm trying to reach my goal weight by my 1 year sleeversary, but if I don't make it, I will still be proud of what I've done and accomplished during this first year.

Glad your surgery went well and you're doing good! I too gained weight in the hospital, but it's from all the fluids they pump in you. It will be gone in no time. Wishing you the best and keep us posted on your progress!

Congratulations, you look great. I'm 9 months post op. What is your goal weight if you don't mind me asking? I'm 5'4" and my goal weight is 150, but my dr wants me to get down to 140. I'm really close to my goal weight. I'm at 168 right now and I started at 309 (I was 284 when I had the surgery). Congratulations again, you look fabulous!

Congratulations Gail! Deciding to have the surgery was the best decision I've made for myself in a long time. The surgery saved my life in more ways than just my weight. I was sleeved on 12-28-2011 and have lost a total of 140 lbs since beginning my journey. I didn't find this forum until about a month ago. I wish I would have found it when I first started. I wish you the best and be sure to keep us posted!

Hello, my name is Sara and I have finally decided to share my VSG story. I had the VSG procedure on 12/28/2011 and I have my 9 month post op check up next week. I was 309lbs when I went to have a consultation appointment with my surgeon back in September 2011. I always considered myself as healthy except for my weight because I didn't have any comorbideties. What really got me wanting to do something about my weight was when my husband was in a motorcycle accident (June 2011) and he was diagnosed with diabetes. While in the hospital and dealing with his diagnosis, he turned to me and said "if any one should have diabetes, it should be you, not me". He's 6'1" and weighs about 225 and I am 5'4" and I weighed 309. That comment he made was the final straw. I was finally going to do something about my weight and knew surgery was my only option because I had tried to do it on my own so many times before and failed. I waited until he was all healed up from his accident and on my birthday (September 1) I called Dr Castro's office and set up the appointment that would ultimately change my life forever. I was was very fortunate to have such great insurance because I only had to do 3 month nutrition class before they would approve my surgery. The dr did have me also do a psychiatric evaluation, but that was all I had to do. A week before I finished the 3 month nutrition class, my dr's office went ahead and submitted my case to my insurance and that next week they had the approval and I had my surgery date and had to go in the next day for the pre op appointment and start my pre op liquid diet. I remember the day of the surgery like it was yesterday. I was so scared because I had never had any surgeries before and I have 4 boys and was so worried that something would go wrong and they would be left without a mother. I have never had any broken bones or anything. The dr and his team came and talked to me and got me to relax and I don't remember much after getting in the OR and them getting me situated on the operating table. I was up and walking just 4 hours after surgery and have been moving ever since. I've lost a total of 135 lbs and my current weight is 174 lbs. I've gone from a size 26/28 to a 10/12 in just 9 short months. It has been such an amazing journey and I'm so proud of how far I've come and all the work I have done. For once in my life, I finally have some self esteem and my life is changing everyday for the better. I just got a promotion at work which has allowed me to finally afford to hire a lawyer so I can finally file for a divorce. I won't go into a lot of details, but the marriage has been very bad for a long time. I always stayed because I never thought I could do any better. Now I finally believe I deserve to be treated better and I actually love myself enough to finally let go of all the bad stuff and do what's best for me and my boys. I'm excited to see where I'll be at my 1 year anniversary (which is only 3 months away). I only have 34lbs.to go to reach my goal weight. The surgery saved my life in more than just my weight. It was the best decision I have ever made for myself! Sorry for the long story and thank you for taking the time to read it!

I went on a cruise at 9 weeks post op and had a fabulous time. It was a 7 day cruise to the caribbean and by the time it was time to go on the cruise, I was down almost 50lbs, so I had to go buy new clothes for the cruise because nothing I had fit. I was already eating regular food so that wasn't a big deal and they have just about anything you want and you can find healthy options. I was the only one in our group of 4 that lost weight while on the cruise. Everyone else I was with gained about 20lbs. Just make sure to have water with you where you go to stay hydrated. Good luck to you and hope you have a fabulous time on your cruise.

These are the before and after pictures I described in an above comment. My drs office was supposed to email me the pictures that they have, but I haven't received them yet.

[ATTACH]5338[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]5339[/ATTACH]

My phone finally allowed me to add a before and after picture on my profile if you all want to go see them. I've been trying to add them all week. The before picture was me at my heaviest weight of 309 and I took it for the last time I auditioned for the biggest loser. The after picture was taken about 2 months ago when I finally got below 200lbs. I think I was 195 when it was taken.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to read my story and for all of the positive feed back! I wish I would have found this forum sooner so I would have felt like I had more support through the journey. I'm glad I'm inspiring others and it makes me feel good. Especially since I always felt so bad about myself until recently. Please feel free to add me as a friend or message me. Thank you again everyone! You all have touched my heart!

I did a liquid diet of 5 protein shakes a day and some soups occasionally and lost almost 25 lbs in 2 weeks. You can do it!

I can imagine how frustrating that is, but the end of the 3 months will be here before you know it and you'll be having your surgery. Good luck on your journey!

My soon to be ex husband still lives at the house so he takes the boys to school and picks them up. I just got the promotion this week and my new pay hasn't goner into effect yet, so I haven't served him with divorce papers yet, but he knows it's coming. I'm sure my routine will probably change once he doesn't live with me anymore, but I'll figure something out.

Congratulations to you and good luck on your journey! A typical day for me is get up at 5am and do a quick 30 minute cardio excercise of some sort, then take my Vitamins and get ready for work. Before I leave, I make a Protein drink with the nectar Protein powder and drink that on the way to work (I have a 45min-1 hour commute). Have either some Cereal or oatmeal for Breakfast usually around 7:30 or so. Have a light snack around 10am (usually either yogurt, string cheese, trail mix, or fruit). Have lunch around 12:30, usually leftovers from dinner the night before. Then another snack around 3pm (usually something with some carbs and protein like fruit and 2 tbsp of Peanut Butter or cottage cheese and some fruit). I hi to the gym for about 1 1/2 hours after work and do another hour of cardio and 1/2 hour of weights. Make another Protein Drink with the nectar protein for the ride home. Get home clean a little bit or play a sport with the boys outside, make dinner (usually either chicken, turkey or fish for the protein and will have a vegetable & carb of some sort). Get the boys ready for bed and then watch a little tv and relax for a bit. That's a typical day for me. You can feel free to message me if you have anymore questions.

Good luck to you today, and I'll be thinking about you! Hope you have a speedy recovery! Remember to walk, walk, walk and sip, sip, sip. Wishing you the best!

I can definitely see a difference. Congratulations on losing 100lbs! Can't wait to see pictures when you lose the next hundred! I, too, struggled (and sometimes still do) with seeing the weightloss, but everyone else around me could definitely see it. Then one day I was walking by a glass window and saw my reflection and I almost couldn't believe it was me that I was seeing. Congrats again and keep up the good work!

It's amazing how much we transform throughout this process. What an amazing story and thanks for sharing. I wish I would have found this forum when I first started the process almost a year ago, but I just found it a couple of weeks ago. I love reading other peoples experiences. I'm 9 months post op on the 28th. I have changed drastically in so many ways it astounds me when I think back at how I was before the surgery. I look forward to reading more of your successes and keep up the awesome work you're doing! What an amazing journey this is!

How awesome! I love him and his staff! I recommend him to anyone who tells me they're thinking about having WLS. I had my surgery at Forrest Park Medical Center. I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers that everything goes as planned and you have a speedy recovery. Keep me posted on how you're doing and feel free to send me a message if you ever have any questions or just want to talk.

Thank you! Yes, that's him. Are you a patient with him as well?