gotamakeachange

Today is my two year anniversary and I feel absolutely wonderful. This has been one of the best decisions I ever made. It has been a blessing to live my life healthy. I have maintained my weight in this past year only to gain approximately 4 pounds. I currently weigh 136 pounds. I am soooo happy with my success. sorry I attached the picture twice. [ATTACH]7318[/ATTACH] [attachment=73ATTACH]7318[/ATTACH]

I lost 95 pounds and I reached that at 11 months out.

[ATTACH]7324[/ATTACH] Sorry lets try it again [ATTACH]7325[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]7326[/ATTACH]

One year ago today was the beginning of the rest of my life. The past year has been an absolute blessing. I have truly enjoyed everyday of my journey and I am still in total bliss with my sleeve. This has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I feel absolutely wonderful. I have not felt this good in more than a decade. Of course the weight loss has done wonders for my self esteem and self image. It feels wonderful to have people constantly telling you how good you look and being able to receive it because it is true. I love my life. I love how I feel. I really like how I look. Everything is going really great. I have not had one complication. I could not have asked for a better experience.

My BMI is 24.8 and that means that I am considered a normal weight. It is so surreal. I am no longer obese or even overweight. This is the first time that I have been a normal weight in more than 15 years. I am 10 months out and only 5 pounds from my personal goal. My mind still plays tricks on me and I dont see myself as small as everyone seems to believe that I am, but I am totally stoked about my results. It is still really mind blowing to think that one year ago today I was 89 pounds heavier. That is crazy. I truly love my sleeve and I have enjoyed my journey thus far and I am looking forward to what the future will bring.

I think most of us have stretch marks considering we have lost so much weight (I also know people who have stretch marks on their breast and they have not lost the weight we have). I say embrace the good with the bad. I have stretch marks on my arms and breast, but that does not keep me from looking fabulous in a sleevless dress or shirt. Work your new look

It is so wonderful that you are sharing this precious moment in your life with all of us. You still look great.

I am seven months out and I have noticed additional hair shedding, but not a lot. It started about 3 months out and continues now. But again it is not a lot just additional shedding.

My five year old told me I dont look fat with my clothes on anymore, just when I take my clothes off. Gotta love her honesty

I will tell anyone and everyone that ask how I lost the weight that I had WLS. I use it as a testimony of the decision I made to improve my health. Most people have not even heard about the vertical sleeve so I am helping to educate people about the different surgery options other than gastric bypass. One of my co-workers decided to get the sleeve partially because she saw my success and knowledge of the procedure. We are a visual being and need a physical image of what we are researching and reading about. So for quite a few people around me I am that image and Im happy that I am not only able to help myself, but I am helping others also.

Such a blessing

You look amazing. Good to see the hard work definitely pays off. Congrats!

That's great! Congratulations, I can't wait until I can join you at goal weight

I think you should research your question on a MD website and then do what is best for you. I recently did some researching and most of the plastic surgeons said they would prefer you wait until after you are done having children to have a tummy tuck because you may ruin the results of the tummy tuck and need a revision. If you are that unhappy with the way your body is looking I would suggest you do what is best for you and then worry about the rest later. I am definitely considering it, though I have children I am not sure if I am done, as I am not married and not even in a relationship. Bottom line is we have to do what is best for us as individuals.

Happy Anniversary , I also wish you a wonderful pregnancy and a healthy, happy baby. Keep up the good work and updates, as you can see we absolutely love them.

Looking good , keep up the good work.

I had surgery with Dr. Kerry Kole at St. John Providence Hospital in Madison Heights. I really like Dr. Kole and think that he saved me a lot of heart ache and pain by telling me not to get the lap band as I requested, but to look into the vertical sleeve. You can google Dr. Kerry Kole and look at his stats, they are not updated, but he has been doing bariatric surgeries for quite some time. I have BCBS PPO and I was approved in a couple of hours, I do have high blood pressure, but that is the only co-morbidity I had, so I agree with Nancy and would call your insurance company for specifics regarding your policy. I would also speak with the insurance consultant that works with whichever surgeon you choose. I have not had any complications and I am 5 months out, I absolutely love my sleeve.

I am another one that weighs myself everyday, twice a day. I dont think that I am obsessed, but it is interesting to me to see the varying numbers sometimes between morning and night. My morning weight is the weight I use to keep track of my weightloss. My relationship with the scale has been so negative for so many years it's nice to see how our relationship is improving considering the numbers are going down.

Congratulations, children are such a joy and blessing.

I was sleeved in December with a BMI of 40. My BMI is currently 29, which makes me no longer obese, but overweight . I am only four months out so I totally expect to get to a normal BMI.

Congratulations on obtaining your goal. I hope to join you in the overweight category soon.

Ok as I stated in a prior post I have gained 6 pounds in one week and I think that I am retaining water. How can I get the water off? As I stated before I am trying not to panic, but I am beginning to get real nervous. I did not go through all of this to gain this much weight back and I still have quite a bit of weight to lose. I feel the old fat disappointment feelings coming on. I really hope someone can help me.

It was definitely Water weight. My surgeon gave me the refill for my blood pressure prescription last month and he did not add the water pill component that I was on prior. I went to my PCP and she said I definitely have to have the water pill or I will definitely retain water. So I have lost all of my water weight plus 3 pounds. Im back on the losing end.

I personally use my surgery as a testimony of what I decided to do to improve my health. So I will tell anyone who ask me what am I doing to lose weight. Since my surgery there have been at least 5 people that have been interested in researching the surgery due to seeing my progress so far. I do not care about people saying or thinking negative things about me or my decision. It is not their life to live or save, it's mine and Im going to do what I feel is right for me to do it. Be proud of yourself and your sleeve.

I had my surgery on December 20, 2010 and I was out doing last minute Christmas shopping on December 24, 2010. I did not go back to work until January 5 due to the holidays and my job being closed however I could have went back after a week. A week out I was still a little tired at points, but I do not do any lifting and I do not have to walk alot.