2 1/2 Years out after Sleeve

[Suzannesh 376]

It is never too late in life to consider having WLS (Weight Loss Surgery). I was 63 years old when I had the surgery. I never had a weight problem until after having two children. And then I seemed to struggle with being overweight for years. I now know all the reason why, I became less active, and ate more than I should have. I have tried most of the diets that you have tried, some with success and most no success. But, I would always manage to gain the weight back because I NEVER changed my lifestyle. My top weight was 235 lbs and I am 5’3” tall. My body hurt, my back ached and I had a pain in my leg that felt like I had a hot poker burning me most of the time. So I must have had a high tolerance for pain. Because I remained fat for many years.

I worked with a friend and noticed that she had lost weight, so I started asking her questions. Then she told me about going to Dr. Aceves, MD in Mexicali during the summer. She is a nurse and I really trusted what she was telling me. She directed me to his Web Site and then to the Yahoo Support Group site. I researched WLS (Weight Loss Surgery) for about 6 months before I made a choice. I sat and watched the people on the Yahoo Support Group and never said much for quite sometime. I read all their postings and was getting a lot of information. Now I have learned that is pretty normal for newbie’s to sit and watch for awhile. Then I was sure I wanted to have WLS and my choice was VGS –referred to as the “Sleeve.” So that is the start of my Weight loss journey.

I just didn’t wake up one morning and say “oh in October 2008 I am going to have WLS.” I went through a process of getting here. I believe you have to have your “head” in the right place for this to be successful. I felt awful, I hated my body, and I wanted to be healthy again. If I walked very long my back and leg would hurt. I knew my head was in the right place, when I put myself ahead of everyone else. So many of us are care takers of everyone else and we come so far down on the list of taking care of ourselves. Be prepared for the opposition that you may face from your own family and friends when you tell them that you want to go to Mexico and have weight loss surgery. I believe that we really need to educate them so that they know exactly what we are doing and how safe it is. But this is about YOU and NO one else. You have to be willing to stand up for yourself; you have earned the right to do this. Believe in yourself enough and want this enough to be successful. You also can go and not tell them what you are doing. This is entirely up to you. You can bring a family member or a friend with you too if you feel you want someone to come along with you. Your room will be big enough for them to stay in it. They have some nice sofa’s that your family member or friend can sleep on. I went alone and was just fine. I also went back in April 2009 with a friend of mine who had Weight Loss Surgery after seeing how I was doing. She is at her goal now too, and is just as happy and thrilled as I am with the results.

About 5 years ago I met and fell in love with the most wonderful man. I had been single for 18 years. He is an amazing man and loved me for just who I was—overweight. It didn’t matter to him that I was fat. He has been very supportive and encouraging every step of they way. I can’t begin to tell you all the beautiful and wonderful comments that he gave me then and NOW. I had the surgery because I wanted to become healthy and wanted the opportunity to spend the rest of my life with Bob. Bob could have cared less if I had this surgery, it was my choice. Bob and I were married May 29, 2010 in Cannon Beach, Oregon on the beach.

My weight loss journey has been incredible, and I have learned so many things about myself. food is no longer my driving force. I eat to live not live to eat! When I eat, I actually think about putting good and healthy foods into my (new) 65 yr old body! What a thought. When I am eating I now look for the Protein first because I try to make sure I get 70 grams of Protein per day and then my veggies and some fruit each day. I started keeping track on line what I was actually putting in my body so I would have some idea of the number of calories I was eating each day. I started an exercise program which was just walking and to this day I do some kind of exercise at least 5 days a week. It is mostly walking. I was the person who HATED to exercise and now I actually look forward to getting up early and go walking with some of my friends. Bob and I are very active people so we are always doing all kinds of walking.

I never imagined what life would be like almost 2 years later. And the new clothes that I have purchased since I am a size 8 or 10 depending on who makes the clothing. I see people who haven’t seen me in sometime almost walk right past me because they don’t recognize me. Then they figure out it is me and want to know how I lost all this weight. I have had them ask me if I have been ill and I always give them a big NO! I am more than happy to educate them about the “Sleeve” weight loss surgery. I am very proud of taking control of my life. There is NO shame in making the choice to have weight loss surgery; it takes more courage to have the surgery than to keep failing at all the diets you have tried. This is not a miracle cure where the weight just melts off you. It takes effort on your part to take this new tool you have been given (a new small stomach that only holds 6 to 8 oz) and eat healthy and exercise, but it is going to work and you will be able to maintain your weight loss because you have changed your lifestyle. I never consider myself on a diet, but that I have made a lifestyle change that is going to add years to my life. I am healthy now for the first time in many years. I am not afraid anymore that I will regain this weight. I know that it will never happen because of my restriction I have with a smaller stomach and my lifestyle change that is so easy to do day in and day out. I NEVER feel deprived when it comes to food. I listen to my head when it “says no more food I am full.” I know that I need to stop eating and it is OK to not clean your plate and it is OK to toss the food out.

There are so many things to be thankful for. The first thing I am so thankful for is Dr. Aceves; there aren’t not enough adjectives to describe this wonderful gifted doctor. Dr. Aceves genuinely cares about each patient he takes care of. Dr. Aceves will answer all your questions until you are comfortable with what he is telling you. Dr. Aceves is such a talented surgeon, and if I lived closer he would be my Primary Care Physician. Dr. Aceves is down to earth, very kind, intelligent, and honest with you. You will receive the most wonderful care from Dr. Aceves and his team of doctors and nurses. Dr. Aceves comes into your room several times a day and checks on you after your surgery—where in the US will a doctor do this? Most of the staff speaks excellent English. Almater Hospital is the cleanest hospital I have ever been in. They are cleaning 24-7. The hospitals in the US could take some lessons from this private hospital in Mexicali. I would go back to Dr. Aceves in a heartbeat for anything!

I still am shocked when someone calls me skinny—I thought who me skinny—no way? But, it was me they were calling skinny. This is something that you have to learn to get used to hearing. People treat you differently when you are thin. This is so unfair. We are just like everyone else when we are fat and the skinny people just don’t get it.

I am so thankful for my great healthy. I only take about ¼ of the medication I used to take when I was fat. That is because I have become so healthy and I make the choice to eat healthy. Now I won’t tell you that I haven’t had and cake, Cookies or ice cream since I had Weight Loss Surgery. I have, but in small tiny amounts and not all the time. My body now craves good healthy protein; fresh veggies fixed how you want them, and a small amount of fruit. You need to watch the types of carbs that you are going to eat and keep track of what you are eating when you first start your journey in weight loss. There are quite a few places on the Internet that you can write down and track what you are eating to make sure you are keeping your calories at about 800 per day. The best part of about this weight loss surgery is that I NEVER feel hungry. Your mind tries to play tricks on you. So you have to stop and have a talk with yourself. Do I really need to eat or do I just want to eat because that is part of my old bad habits? In the past I really ate large amounts of food all in one meal. We also are given large plates of food when we go out to eat. NONE of us need to eat this much food and that is why we got fat and stayed fat. Now I eat small amounts of food, and I am satisfied and feel great. When we go out to dinner now Bob and I share one meal. We as a society also eat too fast—I feel like I used to inhale my food and really not enjoy it. I took large amounts of food and shoveled it in my mouth and inhaled it. Now I take small tiny bites and chew it a lot.

Weight Loss Surgery really has changed my entire life and it is all for the better. Weight Loss Surgery is a life changing event. Hold on to your hats because this is going to be the ride of your life. You will NEVER have one regret. You will only wish you would have done this years before. I think it was the best thing I could have ever done for myself. I am extremely impressed with the entire experience. Dr. Aceves’s patient coordinator Nina has always been very prompt, informative, and courteous with her replies. She is there for any question that you may have. I think this lady works 24 hours a day, because I always received an answer back right away. Nina is awesome and gives you so much support and help before you go and after your surgery too. DO NOT have any fears about going to Mexico, It is VERY safe in Mexicali and they ALL take such great care of you along your Weight Loss journey. I think we all have the wrong idea of what Health Care is like in Mexico, until we go there an experience it ourselves. It is far superior over anything that they have in the United States.

I feel so much better and I would like to say I feel 20 years younger. Life is fabulous, and I did this for ME and NO one else. I know I will never be fat again in my life. I thanked Dr. Aceves for what he did for me and he said “I only gave you the tool to achieve your Weight Loss, give yourself the credit for making it work.” I still want to say Dr. Aceves you are the BEST!

[Luanne 32]

SUZANNE, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY: YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION!!!

[Rev Me Up! 75]

Wow!! Thank so much for sharing your story. I am a Dr. Aceves patient too and I second everything you said about him, his staff, and his facility.

Most importantly, congratulations on your new life! It is wonderful to hear more stories from people who are further along down the road with respect the their surgery.

Here's wishing you health and happiness in all your future endeavors!

Lara

[swizzly 901]

Thanks for telling your story -- and congratulations on being such a success!! I hope I can be like you two years from now.

[meggiep 57]

Thank you thank you thank you as I face my surgery I am so worried about whether it will work for me- you have really helped me.

[coops 1,790]

Suzanesh,

what an amazing story, and told so well.

Congratulations on reaching your goal and maintaining the new you! It is good to hear from long timers with positive stories, sorta gives me more faith in my decision... not that I regret it because I don't ... I suppose it is like a comfort blanket knowing that life remains good with a 'mature' sleeve!!

[Suzannesh 376]

SUZANNE, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY: YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION!!!

Thanks for your comments, My mission is life is to pay it forward, and to let people know that they can have all the things they want in life, and if being healthy, losing the weight are some of the things they want, then I am here to answer questions, share my adventure and help them in any way I can. I am all about educating people to the fact this Dr. Aceves is an excellent doctor and he will give you the tool you need to achieve your goals. It does take work and effort on your part but if I can do it at my age, then you can too. We all need help and support during our weight loss, so I am here for anyone that needs it.

Hugs, and take care,

Suzanne

[Suzannesh 376]

Thank you thank you thank you as I face my surgery I am so worried about whether it will work for me- you have really helped me.

You are going to be so happy that you are doing something that is going to change your entire life forever--and ALL FOR THE BETTER. You will never have any regrets. Just remember I am out here for any questions that you may have along the way. The closer you get the more emotions and feeling you are going to have. You are going to Dr. Aceves I hope--because he is the only one that I would trust to do this surgery. If I lived closer I would make him my primary care doctor. Everything you have heard and read about him are ALL true. He and his staff are wonderful!!

I just want you to hear what I am going to say. The first molnth after surgery is the hardest month you will ever do--just tell yourself that you can do anything for 30 days. It is boring and you will be in the early stages of retraining your "OLD" brain a lot of new things. Your brain will try to play "head games." Trust me it is hard to not want to listen to the to the old brain. I remember thinking to myself "what in the world did I do to myself???" you will question what you did before and after. You will morn the loss of food--that is normal too--most of us all have done that. Your entire life is changing, but all for the good and better. I do not have one regret at all for having this surgery done. This is one of those life changing events that you will wished you would have done this sooner.

You have to put a lot of effort into eating healthy small amounts of food. You should do some form of exercise too. I love to walk and so that works for me.

Please know that I am here for you for support and any fears or questions you will have. My goal is to help other though this, and be able to make a difference in their life if I can. Everything you feel in the next few weeks is really normal. We have all felt all the things you are feeling, from being excited, scared, happy, second guessing yourself.

I am here ask anything you can think of.

Hugs,

Suzanne Beaty,

Eugene, OR

Sleeved 10/21/2008

Starting weight 225 Weight now 120

[Suzannesh 376]

Suzanesh,

what an amazing story, and told so well.

Congratulations on reaching your goal and maintaining the new you! It is good to hear from long timers with positive stories, sorta gives me more faith in my decision... not that I regret it because I don't ... I suppose it is like a comfort blanket knowing that life remains good with a 'mature' sleeve!!

Life is great and yours will keep getting better. Just remember I am here for support and any questions that you may have along the way. I am glad that what I said had helped anyone on this board.

Take care and hugs and congratulations on your life changing journey.

Suzanne

[Suzannesh 376]

Thanks for telling your story -- and congratulations on being such a success!! I hope I can be like you two years from now.

Hey without a doubt, you will be just like me. And the first time someone calls you "skinny" you will look around and think are they really talking about me? Those are the moments you will remember. Or how people treated you when you were fat and how different they treat you now.

I am glad you enjoyed my story, it means a lot that I can help or change things for other too.

Hugs,

Suzanne

Just remember I am always her for any questions that you might have.

[Suzannesh 376]

SUZANNE, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY: YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION!!!

Hey thanks, that was very nice of you to say. If you need help or have any qustions I am here for you.

Hugs, and take care,

Suzanne

[iegal 460]

Thank you for all of your words of encouragement along with an update. Now I know what my goal will be and where I will be in 2 years continuing for the rest of my life. Hugs to you and congratulations on taking charge of your life!

[Suzannesh 376]

Thank you for all of your words of encouragement along with an update. Now I know what my goal will be and where I will be in 2 years continuing for the rest of my life. Hugs to you and congratulations on taking charge of your life!

Hi, I am thrilled that you now have a new goal. You can do anything you want in life because you have made the lifestyle change. Congratulations to you.

Hugs,

Suzanne

[mzcj 0]

Thank you, I was trying to find something about long term after the sleeve, I was getting scaird that those people had died or something. I am gettting my sleeve April 26th

[Suzannesh 376]

Thank you, I was trying to find something about long term after the sleeve, I was getting scaird that those people had died or something. I am gettting my sleeve April 26th

Hi,

No, we just keep getting better as time goes on. It has been 2 1/12 years for me and I feel so GREAT each day. I am healthy, happy, not on all the medication I used to take. I know without a doubt that I will ALWAYS maintain this weight loss and it is so easy to do. It did take making a life style change in how I ate. I evercise more now because it is easy and I feel good. NEVER give up on weight loss. This is the way to go. If you have any questions feel free to ask away. I am like an open book when it comes to WLS and Dr. Aceves--he is the best,

Hugs,

Suzanne