One year post op!

TennJenn · July 11, 2010

:lol0:I've gotten very bad about getting online lately, so I'm sorry I'm not around as much as I should be. July 7th was my one year surgiversary...thought I'd write a quick update.

It was a very difficult decision for me to have VSG. I didn't qualify for insurance to pay b/c my BMI wasn't high enough & I didn't have enough severe comorbidities. Once I finally decided that I did want to go ahead & self pay for the VSG, I started my research for a reputable, qualified surgeon at a price I could afford. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever believe I would go to MX for surgery! But that is where my research took me...and I couldn't be happier! Dr. Aceves is absolutely the best! My dh and I were both very pleased with our experience in Mexicali. I would recommend Dr. Aceves & his staff to anyone.

My highest weight pre-op was somewhere around 215 (hard to know for sure b/c I was always pregnant!:lol0:) My weight on the day of surgery was 201, so that is the weight I use as my starting weight. I am 5'4, so a weight of 201 gave me a BMI of 34.5. I had hypertension & severe edema...meds helped a little, but not that much as I still had high bp readings & swelling. Life was not fun. I was becoming depressed.

July 7, 2009 changed my life. Surgery went great...no complications & a pretty quick recovery. The first month post-op was a bitch! Hormones were crazy, no solid food,head hunger, etc... Thankfully, my dh was very supportive & somehow I managed to survive the dreaded first month. You know what? After that things got much easier each and every day. I progressed through the food stages & tried to follow the rules strictly. I didn't have any off limits foods...I allowed myself to have anything in moderation (even sweets). I listened to my body & my new tummy and avoided any foods that didn't sit well, then tried them again later. It has all worked so well for me. :thumbup1: I had a goal of 135 lbs...met that goal at 6 months!

Here I sit today one year post op & I couldn't be happier! I now weigh 118 lbs...I can't believe it, honestly! I'm actually trying very hard to not lose any more weight. I've had to add in more (small) meals throughout the day & I'm still losing very slowly. I'm okay with where I am now, but I don't want to get much lower. (Something I've never said before!:scared0::scared0:)

How has life changed? I am happier & much healthier. I came off all of my meds just days after surgery. I have normal bp readings now & have not had any edema since my surgery. It was like a miracle to me! I love to shop now...I actually bought 4 bathing suits for this summer! I am more confident when in a crowd of people.

My weight loss journey has caused me to re-evaluate my life & dh and I are making some changes. Thankfully, our marriage is better than ever! I'm considering going back to school to become an RN...something I NEVER would have considered before losing weight. DH is completely supportive of this endeavor & is trying to encourage me to get started asap. The downside of this is that I will no longer be homeschooling my children. We made the decision to place them back in school to allow me the time to attend classes during the day. I'm a bit sad about this, but I know they will adjust & do well.

As you can see, VSG was the best decision I've made. I would not go back & do anything differently. If you are just considering surgery, do your research & make sure you are 100% comfortable with your decision & your surgeon...then jump in with both feet! Good luck to all of you on your WLS journey. It's a life long journey & will not end simply b/c you've reached your goal weight. I learn something new every day & am reminded everyday just how lucky I am to have had the opportunity to have a normal life. We can all succeed...it just takes hard work, dedication, & faith. But the payoff is vast. :first:

cwalker · July 11, 2010

What a wonderful post, so inspiring. Did you have much skin sag issues? Good Luck !

TennJenn · July 11, 2010

What a wonderful post, so inspiring. Did you have much skin sag issues? Good Luck !

My skin issues are more related to my 4 pregnancies/c-sections. My arms & thighs are okay. My belly & boobs are the worst, but nothing like some others I've seen (no offense to anyone). While I'd love to have a Tummy Tuck & breast lift, it's not really necessary. Overall, I was very lucky. My dh says my tummy & boobs look like a normal woman's whose had 4 babies...not like someone who lost 80 pounds.

educationrulz · July 11, 2010

It's great to hear that you are doing so well Jenn. I keep trying to picture how I'll look and feel at one year out and it's just impossible. I feel like I'm trying to look in a crystal ball. But reading stories like yours gives me hope. It's also good to know that you don't feel like you're having to deny yourself of things to maintain your weightloss. I definitely didn't go into this to be on yet another diet.

Thanks again for the update and good luck with your new journey toward being an RN.