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Thank you for sharing this information! This is very helpful. When I was living in NC I researched surgeons there but didn't find any that I felt would provide the results that I was looking for, just based on reviews that I had seen on their websites. I completed some very minimal research for surgeons within the US as well. I am excited about losing the rest of the weight and having skin surgery in the future. When I had my breast consult completed last year, the surgeon that I spoke with told me that ultimately I would need to also consider if I wanted to have any future surgeries before or after I have children because pregnancy can affect the results. However, I feel like because my skin has been stretched out from weight loss/gain over the years repetitively (especially in my abdomen area) if I were to get the skin removal surgery on my abdomen before I have children it will make a significant difference because the elasticity within the skin on will be reset to a certain degree, and there will not be as much stretching/sagging afterward. The breast surgeon that I completed the consult with told me that pregnancy could potentially cause my breast to become raised and plumper. He also recommended breast implants and provided me with the side effects and other recommendations that come with that surgery. I will definitely research the surgeons you have recommended to see which one will be the best option for me financially and will go from there. Thanks again for all of your help!

Is there a specific surgeon that anyone would recommend? Also, is it better to have multiple procedures completed at once, versus having one procedure completed at a time? I am just thinking about the cost financially and the cost that is associated with having multiple procedures completed previously before. I had a breast consult done completed last year and plan to have another consult done to talk about my stomach area but want to loose the remaining weight first (20-30 pounds). Thanks for your recommendations!

I’m from North Carolina and had my weight loss surgery in Charlotte. My surgeons name is Dr. Kuwada.

It is inspiring to hear that you are walking your dog 5 miles! That is a goal, for sure! Yes, kidney stones and gallstones are the absolute worst. Sometimes, I wish I still had my galbladder because I feel like it would aid with digestion more, but it is what it is at this point. Keep up the great work! I pray that your pain subsides or completely goes away in the near future. I know that can be completely exhausting.

I am two years post op (Gastric Bypass > Route En Y) and I do not regret my decision. I have lost almost 100 pounds and went from a size 16 to a size 4/6. It definitely has been a journey overall, but having the surgery for me put me back in control over my life. It forced me to identify the root/cause of why I was overweight and as I result I sought help mentally/and physically which has changed me forever. Granted, I still have moments where I do ask myself the same question just because I haven’t reached my target/goal weight and I have struggled with remaining consistent with exercise, getting enough fluids in (water) and having excess sagging skin. The ideal image after weight loss surgery that you may see on social media is not applicable for everyone’s situation because each person is different. I have found that theses images that are portrayed are sometimes helpful, but also can be hurtful because the content shared may not be 100% truthful. I am not sure if this is something that you have found to be challenging but for me it has been, because sometimes people on social media portray that sagging skin was completely tightened by exercise when it reality they had skin surgery to remove excess skin; for example. I have also found that after making such a great change, the people who said they supported me, have now began to ostracize me because they are envious, spiteful and refuse to acknowledge that change is necessary to be able to live a fulfilling life. Had I had known, that having weight loss surgery would reveal true intent of others as well, I would have had the weight loss surgery sooner! Regardless, I had the surgery for me, so that I can live freely! Being 2 years post op, I know only take vitamins and 1 maintenance drug to assist with some mental issues that I am still struggling with but besides that all of the health issues/conditions that I faced before have subsided. I also have identified specific food intolerances which I try to stay away from and I’m constantly reminding myself to slow down when eating to prevent indigestion and reflux. I do not eat or use dairy products because I have an dairy allergy/intolerance which existed before the surgery. I also do not have a galbladder, so I there are some foods my body doesn’t digest well. I primarily foods that are dairy free, gluten free, Non-GMO and have either low sugar content/low sodium content. I had a stomach ulcer last year; as a result of having the surgery and as a result I was hospitalized for a week. From my understanding it is common for weight loss surgery patients to have this issue post op. I also had kidney stones last year as well, which was a extremely painful ordeal, but I made it through. Even with all of the challenges that I have faced, I am still grateful that I had the surgery! Sharing my story with others has been liberating, freeing, and inspiring experience and has influenced multiple people to make decisions towards their own weight loss and one person even had weight loss surgery, as well. Overall, I hope that you don’t regret your weight loss surgery decision, because it’s your life and you live it the way you want to live it! I hope that reflecting on how far you have came will increase your inspiration and motivation, because having weight loss surgery is only half the battle. I start over almost everyday, but I refuse to go back to where I came from. I wish you nothing but the best in life and congratulations on your successful journey!