Who Are You?

[Grace818 13]

I'm Grace. I'm in my 50s , have T2D and a BMI of 36.

I have 5 children ranging in age from 14-27. I have one beautiful granddaughter. I have my own business, a wonderful family, good friends. My faith is important to me. I love to read, spend time with my family, plan vacations.

I just got my surgery date for October and it's like a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm scared and excited all at the same time.

[starwars 3]

Do you know breathtaking

[Addawn 81]

oooo my turn! I am Andrea, I am a 50-year old married (4 years) woman with a 20 year old son (Rah VMI!). I am a professional who has worked for Law Enforcement for the past 28-years...and looking forward to retiring in 5! I suffer from severe Ulcerative Colitis, about 25 years ago I was put on extremely high amounts of steroids for a long period of time, I gained 130 lbs. I have managed to lose 40 even 50 lbs at some points but was generally put back on steroids and gained it back plus more. I finally was given different drugs and was able to purse a surgical weight loss option. At this point, my journey continues....

[JustBeth13 35]

Hi all! I am 56 years old, wife, mother (of 2 college-age kids), dental office manager, Episcopal deacon, and sick of my weight. Sick of pain in my knees and feet. Sick of missing out on so much that I want to do in life.

I've struggled my whole life long. Lots of dieting, lots of weight loss and then weight gain. The frustrating thing is that every time I lose weight it finds me again, AND it brings friends with it! So I was only 15 pounds overweight the first time I went on a diet when I was 15 years old. Now I'm 150 pounds overweight!

I started thinking seriously about WLS more than a year ago when my husband and I met with a retirement planner and his first question was, "Tell me what you want your retirement to be like." I had a million ideas - all of which involved me fitting into airplane seats and hiking all over exotic locales. I was in so much pain (knees and feet) I realized that, unless I made a signifiant life change, in 7 -10 years I wouldn't be hiking exotic trails but I'd be in a wheelchair!

I spent six months working out with a trainer and watching my eating (tracking every bite, etc.) and only lost 10 lbs! Seemed like I was going to be fat forever. Then, one day, my daughter finally came clean with me and tearfully told me how worried she was that she was going to miss out on having a mom for important events in her life - like college graduation, wedding, children. I realized I had to do something drastic or she would be right.

I had VSG on June 2, 2015 at Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) in Portland, Oregon, after having completed the 3-month medically-supervised diet required by my insurance company (lost 17lbs in the process!).

So far, I'm doing well - 63 lbs gone from my highest to now, 40 since surgery. I feel AMAZING - knee pain is gone! I keep thinking, "If I feel this good now, IMAGINE how I'm going to feel at goal!!" Can't wait to experience that because exotic locales are waiting!!

[SweetPotato 142]

I'm Rena. 35, single, NorCal with 2 fur babies. I have PCOS and hypothyroidism (like many people in here). 10 lbs and a meeting with the psych away from scheduling surgery:)

I have a Master's in Clinical Psychology and am 2/3 of the way done with my doctorate. I am in my third year of clinical practica and it's awesome! I get to provide therapy to clients in populations that have a high need for services. I also do volunteer work as an HIV test counselor on the weekends (not EVERY weekend) and help to teach/mentor new test counselors at the clinic in beginning counseling/motivational interviewing/stages of change, harm reduction and intimate partner violence. I love karaoke and reading, though doctorate programs kinda limit the amount of time one has for pleasurable activities...

Edited August 19, 2015 by Rena H

[Anna Montana84 15]

Love this thread! My name is Anna, I'm 31 years old, from the good ol' garden state. I am single, no kids or husband, and taking this time to really work on myself. My ballooning weight has been a lifelong struggle for me. food was never a source of survival for me, instead it became a potent drug. I struggled with BED for a long time, and finally sought out help. I wanted a long term solution for a healthier way of life, and the sleeve made sense. It seemed as though it was the perfect tool to really get me motivated. I work as a nurse in an ambulatory setting, and was able to get feedback from individuals who have gone through with WLS. Every single person said it was the best decision they have ever made. I then talked to my insurance company, and surprisingly was covered 100%. I'm still new, only 4 days post op, but im looking forward to going on this journey. Best of luck to everyone, and lots of love!

[Wassef 15]

Hello all, I got new to this forum, and found the idea interesting to share our experience with other people.

I'm 35 years old, Mexican / Lebanese living in Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately for me, I carry the obesity from my mother side, and during my youth I struggled much to keep in Shape and maintain my ideal weight. I became a marathon runner, I finished the 42 Km run 4 times, a lot of gym, and was able to maintain my weight on the 180th LBS.

Unfortunately later on, I came to Saudi arabia, and my weight started to increase little by little until I reached 286 LBS. Here in Saudi Arabia, you have nothing to do except eating, your fun activity will include having a monster table of whatever unhealthy food you can find.

Blood pressure, back problems, knee problem, and I'm only 35. It really hit me that I'm really going in the wrong way. I started a lot of diets, but I always manage to regain all lost weight in just a couple of weeks. It was not about diet, it was all about changing your life style, which was hard for me! WHAT CAN I SAY, I LOVE food

In my last vacation to Lebanon, 3 accidents with extremely high blood pressure reaching 190 Mmhg along with a ligament injury to my right knee due to stairs climbing, I thought it was time to take some drastic measures.

August 10th I went for a VSG operation, which went smooth. Second day I was walking around, little bit of gazes, pain controlled. Third days went outside the house and had a long walk, it was exciting that all my worries about the operation where not in the place, I expected a lot of pain and nausea, but I'm actually okay. The best part, NO HUNGER. Spending the whole day with few liquids and not feeling hungry, when I previously used to bulge a Family Bucket of KFC fried chicken and still feeling hungry.

Now it's my 10th day post my operation, and I'm really excited that I have already lost around 17 LBS, and I'm still going on. Feeling lighter, more energetic. My Blood pressure already dropped dramatically from and average of 140 MmHg to 110 MmHg.

I feel great.

Edited August 20, 2015 by Wassef

[FFDoc180 2]

I'm Doc, 45y.o. Male, married with 2 young ladies & a boy. I'm actually just on my 4th day out of having Gastric Sleeve and doing very well considering. I'll get to the "considering" part in a minute or so. All I can say is the last few months jumping through the hoops that is needed for the surgery for my case anyway couldn't have gone fast enough. So anyone that is nervous or scared, I always say that is good to be a bit nervous or scared if you prefer. It wouldn't be human nature otherwise. My starting weight was 288 & last weigh in yesterday was 260.

My entire journey started back in 2001 when I injured at work for a second time as a Corrections Sergeant working our Intake Dept...

The first injury I suffered 2 bulging disc & I was never healed from that when the second injury occurred & herniated the same disc. I ended up having 3 back surgeries, 2 of which were spinal fusions. According to Work. Comp. I just liked getting operated on. OH YES I LOVE LAYING IN HOSPITAL BEDS WITH ALMOST A CONSTANT MORPHINE INFUSION BEING PUMPED INTO ME!!! Anyway before my injuries I was a typical thriving male that was also a headstrong fearless volunteer fire fighter that worked out in the gym 4 out of 6days of the week with other hobbies including working on automobiles, hunting, fishing, going to NASCAR races, riding dirt-bikes & many more things. I was probably in the best shape of my life at a weight of 180lbs.

After the back surgeries ended up failing I had an intrathecal morphine pump implanted into abdomen which will probably remain for the rest of my life. Remember the part about me "liking" having surgery so much. This helped tremendously & gave me some quality of life back, but this wasn't implanted until 2009. By this time from inactivity my weight started its climb. With the pump & the other drugs they had me on was just a recipe for obesity. I had a PCP prescribe weight loss meds & I reacted to those very well & was on my way back down. That was until his nurse said to him he's been on these for a while you should take him off of them. I don't know, someone correct me if I'm wrong but who's the one with the higher degree. That was the last time I would see anything lower than 225lbs. & that lower mark just kept go higher & higher. I had since switched from that doctor & found a new one that worked closely with my Bariatric Dr. anyway.

Dr. Dash is awesome, she always called me her healthiest BIG GUY she has in her care. So after my Mothers sudden passing 2 yrs. ago that's when the SH$T started to get REAL. Dr. Dash put me on a stricter diet which I followed, but one thing kept holding me back. My GOD forsaken knees. I need double knee replacements, but I have to wait 18yrs. to have them done. Now just remember I have omitted a lot from my story already so there's things that occurred throughout my journey. Since then I have had a procedure on each knee called nerve ablations done with radio frequencies which was very successful until about a few weeks ago when the nerves started coming back in. It seems as though I will need them done again which is normal. That was done by DNA Pain Center, Dr. Yesh Navalgund. That was my "CONSIDERING" part I'm think I'm the 1st from JRMC Bariatric Unit that was not able get up & move about freely after surgery because my knees being so bad something called Pseudo Gout settled in my R knee. It's very painful & is quickly treatable, but takes time for swelling to go down. I just wanted to finish my story with my Dr.'s info because from beginning until now they have been Totally Awesome!!!

Dr. Tunc O. Aksehirli from Jefferson Hills Surgical Specialist & all his support staff including Coordinator Megan Skovranko RN, Melissa Bova PA-C, Nutrition Specialist Mark Davis RD & LDN and I don't want to leave out the 3 amazing nurses from the unit Judy, Lindsey & Jackie. I hope that you take the time to read my journey & if you're fortunate to either be from SWPA or you travel into the state for their care, it's well worth it. However I know there are so many other doctors out there that are probably just as good & I'm not bashing them. So please I don't want any other of my fellow Bariatric recipients to take offense to my opinions I've stated regarding doctors or their care. Thanks

Edited August 21, 2015 by FFDoc180

[skyjones 40]

My name is Doretha. I have 7 children I'm a homemaker. I want to go back to school I'm 32yrs old. I love cooking feeding the homeless and just taking care of ppl I live in Detroit Mi. It's not as bad as ppl think or put out there. I want new friends because since I've gained weight I lost a lot of ppl in my like because I don't like to do anything n I'll be having surgery in November I'll be sleeve thank God. I have a total of 11 brothers and 9 sisters. I have 4 niece's and 6 nephew's. Thanks for reading

[Half of Bri 115]

Hi all ???? I am Brianna, I'm 30, married to the love of my life for the past 5 years and have a beautiful daughter who will turn 13 next month. We have 3 dogs (Layla, Kelsie & Piper), 3 goats (Ellie, Anabelle Joy & Mavis) 6 rabbits (Blossom, Thumper & her four nameless babies), and a 4-month old indoor micropig named Ruby who has my heart! I absolutely LOVE animals, just to state the obvious.

I've worked from home as Logistics Coordinator for a consulting company owned by my parents for nearly 10 years, and also run my own (online) handcrafted home & body business which I founded in 2012. I became a licensed esthetician in 2009 and am currently in school to earn my aromatherapy certification as well. In a few years when my parents retire my brother and I will begin running the consulting company, but my passion is and always will be skin care, so I have no plans to abandon that dream. Ideally I would love to create my own skin care line to add to the soaps, lotions, etc. I create now.

I've been struggling with my weight since I was 17, which is the age I was when my high school boyfriend of three years and I had our daughter. I gained 70 lbs during my pregnancy, and began binge eating to numb myself from our very unhealthy relationship and the reality of being pregnant with a child when I was still a child myself. We always had a rocky relationship but after our daughter was born he began physically abusing me. We stayed together for a total of 6 years, though he never seemed to care much about our daughter and never really helped out at all. When my daughter was about 15 months old I finally broke it off with him but he began stalking me at work and calling constantly while I was there to the point that management had to ban him from the building. One night I got off of work around 11PM, and as I walked to my care alone in the dark he was standing there next to my drivers side door. He was crying and begging me to talk and after trying my best to tell him now wasn't the time I finally gave in thinking if I get it over with I can go home to my baby. To make a long story short, I was held against my will and abused mentally, physically, and sexually. When I finally was able to go home, I walked into the house around 2AM to my mom and aunt who were dialing the phone to call the police. I snapped at them when they questioned me about where I was and just went to my bedroom and cried and never told a soul. I developed horrible depression, anxiety and PTSD. My family, my daughter and I moved 1,000 miles away in 2004 so I could start over, even tho I never told them any details of what happened.

I began counseling, met my husband in 2007, got married in 2010, and in 2012 he adopted our daughter. He is just the best thing that ever could have happened to us!

My weight was still an issue though and in August 2012 I was all set to have my VSG when two weeks before surgery I found out I had blood clots in my leg and both lungs, which was putting a strain on my heart. I was hospitalized and had to cancel my surgery until everything was under control... I was devastated!

Since then I've made a commitment to really getting answers for health problems I've been to scared to acknowledge, which has included diagnoses of PCOS, Fibromyalgia, and sleep Apnea.

I work out 3-4 days a week and eat a relatively healthy diet, but I'm on a ton of medication and the weight just hasn't come off and stayed that way. I just began the process towards having VSG again about a month ago. I don't have a surgery date yet but I'm excited to close this chapter and let go of all of this physical baggage.

Edited August 21, 2015 by Half_of_Bri

[cmhueto 167]

@@Dooter, hey I was homeschooled/Christian schooled from 1-12; and am now starting to homeschool my first grader. It's an adventure! Any tips?! I saw that u were a ballooner! I got to go to my first albuquerque balloon fest a couple years ago, it was amazing, we're going back this year, just me and my kiddo, hopefully I'll be much lighter by then so I can run around with him better.

I'm 40, Christian, mom of energetic 6 year old, and p/t RN. Living currently in Tijuana working in San Diego. I had the sleeve because I saw my son becoming sedentary like me, I want to be active and be able to get out ands play with him more. That's about it!

Edited August 21, 2015 by cmhueto

[1ntrov3gan 1]

6 words

Ethical-Vegan

Geek

Loyal

Empathetic

Eclectic

Social-Introvert

These 6 words best describe who I am and what I represent. I'll tell you one thing, this has been one hell of an adventure and it's only begun. I had the surgery back in 2013 and the last few years have been quite rough but things are turning around. My passions are animals and our environment. Trying to save both. I am here for something special. I will know when I find her ....

If you need tips, recipes, motivation or just information about anything feel free to hit me up with a message. I have probably experienced everything that comes with GB, both the good and the bad. Thanks

Edited August 24, 2015 by 1ntrov3gan

[RetroGirl 210]

I'm so glad this thread exist. As much as we are all focused on weight loss, there is a person behind every single ticker here, and a story that goes with them.

I love salsa!

I work in an NGO as an equality coach. I believe in equality.

I’ve got a sharp sense of humour that some people find sarcastic, but I don’t think it’s mean.

I’m Polish and I live in Poland.

I am a vegeterian, but because of the surgery I put it on hold for a while. Hopefully not to long!

[sineadorebellion 19]

Hello all! So happy to have discovered this forum. My name is Lisa, I'm 31 and live in South Texas. I'm in the middle of my sleeve journey. I spoke the insurance company today and found out I was approved! So now to wait until Tuesday to schedule a date with my surgeons office, because of the holiday weekend. I've struggled with my weight, and subsequently my confidence for many years now. My depression can be crippling and I'm really hoping that among the health benefits, I really do start to feel better about myself.

It's been quite a year. At the beginning I took up kickboxing and now have earned my yellow belt. I train 4-6 days a week, and really hope post surgery to get into shape enough to rejoin MMA. I tried it a while back but at my weight was hard to find partners to grapple with.

So excited to have found this forum! Wishing everyone well in their journeys.

[notgonnabelikemymom 12]

Hello! I am Cathryn and I live in Georgia, USA! I've lived here all my life. I am married (for 7 years now!) and we have a five year old daughter who just started kindergarten this year!

I am a 29 year old stay-at-home-mom currently (though that may change) and we have three pets: Magic (cat), Pixie (cat), and Tien Tien Chen (dog). Tien Tien is a Shi T'zu.

I love to sew and have made several dresses for my daughter. It's harder to sew for myself because of pattern alterations needed and I guess I'm just much more picky than she is! I also love to read and I'm tickled to death that my girl is SO CLOSE to reading on her own! It's the second greatest gift I can give her (can anyone guess the first?).

Thanks for reading about me!