Who Are You?

[Sparkle777 4]

I'm Michelle...I'm Steve's wife and Gaby's mom. I work full time outside the home and have an active family life, due primarily to the fact that my 11 year-old is into EVERYTHING. Soccer...band...the school play...school government...accelerated learning program....you get the picture. And...I forgot to mention that Gaby and I both play roller derby too.

I've been "heavy" all my life. I use the quotation marks because when I was young, I wasn't fat, but I sure thought I was! Because of the way I carry my weight (mostly in my boobs and belly), I was made to think my body wasn't right. Oh what I would give to be that "fat" today!

Like many of us here, I have tried every diet in the book, with varied levels of success. One common theme is that I've NEVER hit my goal weight...EVER!!! That and the weight and a little more always finds its way back onto my person. I haven't been under 200 pounds since I was in my 20's (almost 20 years ago). After my mom was sleeved last year, I didn't think this would be the thing for me. As I struggled more and more, and saw her successes...I started to think maybe it was the right tool for me.

I went to the overview class and then asked my doctor for a referral. With my long history of obesity and newly diagnosed sleep apnea, she agreed that a referral was warranted. I've now been to my orientation class and seen the Nurse Practitioner...I meet the surgeon and take a lifestyle and nutrition class next week. My psych eval is scheduled for November 20th. I'm hoping for surgery by the end of the year, but I know that it will happen in due time.

I'm looking forward to interacting with this forum more and the start of my new, healthier, more active life!

[Barb5000 2]

Hi, I decided to tell my story prior to surgery. I am a mother of 3. I married straight out of college and had my first child 10 years later but proceeded to have another child two years later and another a year after that. I had always been on the thin side and lost the baby weight...eventually. Then came menopause and then a lengthy, costly, emotional four year divorce. And I packed on 80 pounds. I love feeling full and it really doesn't matter to me how that happens or what foods I eat. I was a business owner, lost that in the divorce. I am a special ed teacher and love it! My two boys are in college and m daughter will follow in September. I rescued two dogs to help my children through the divorce and now they are leaving me with them lol. I just sold my beautiful, big house of 23 years and will be renting a very small two bedroom place. I am so excited to be moving on to my new life and really want to begin it by being healthy. Losing weight and exercising and focusing on my mental and physical health are my priority now. I hope this surgery helps me to do that!

[Barb5000 2]

I am Amber. I am married to my wonderful husband and have a 14 year old daughter. I am a nurse on a surgical unit in Lakeland, FL. I have been heavy since I was in 4th grade. I am the only heavy person in my family, I mean the ONLY one.

I feel like my weight has always held me back from life. I didn't go to my senior prom because I felt like I was to heavy to look good in a dress, and have always steered clear of family events because I didn't want my skinny family whispering about how much weight I have gained.

I had a lap band place in 2008 and lost about 40lbs. After I got married I gained it all back plus another 20lbs. I had the lap band removed in May and had the sleeve 2 days ago. I am on Clear Liquids for another day and pretty miserable. I have had quite a bit of pain, especially gas pains. Hoping it will get better soon. I am excited to start my journey.

good luck in your recovery! I would be interested in hearing about how you are feeling each day. I am so nervous about going through it. Did you get the one incision laparoscopic surgery?

[michellemartin961 29]

My name is Michelle. I'm 53 coming up on 54 next month. I had my sleeve 5/26/15 with a HW 250, SW 232, CW 190, and GW 125-135.

I'm a divorced mother of 2 who have given me 10 grandchildren between them. I've been divorced 20 years and left the marriage weighing in at 115 but according to the ex was still too fat! Through the years and several failed relationships I packed on 135 pounds. I was a chunky child and my weight yo-yo'd through the years into adulthood.

I became a nurse in my 40's and even became engaged last year which ended 4 months later. Needles to say my life has had its ups and downs but my decision to have the sleeve done came a bit over a year after my daughter had her's done. She went from 219 to 130 in about 8 months. I'm so proud of her!!!!!

Now I am with a man who is my true soulmate! This relationship has its own trials as he is in New York and I'm in Texas. He flies out here every 2 months and will retire 1/2017. He loves me the way I am but is very supportive of my weight loss goals if it's what makes me happy.

To those still in the process of approval don't sell yourself short....this decision is difficult but so very worth it in the long run! I wish I had done it sooner but to be honest it wouldn't have been for me back then but to make others happy with my appearance. Now it's for me, my health, and that's what truly matters.

I wish each of you the best of luck in your own journey!

Edited October 25, 2015 by michellemartin961

[o00 494]

Hi all,

I'm 38 single and was sleeved on 10/12/15. I am from Bay Area in California. Surgery and recovery was painless and without complications thanks to the skillful surgeons and the wonderful team of medical staff at the hospital.

Edited November 4, 2015 by dusky goddess

[hoquiamjules 0]

Hello out there....My name is Julie. I just had the VSG surgery on 10/29. Lots of learning going on here. I live out here in southwest Washington State and had my surgery up at CHI St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way, WA. Other than the 2+ hour drive home the day after, it has gone pretty well. My biggest adjustment so far is not the quantity (not hungry) but the slowness of the eating. This is really something I am having to work at. My whole life I have been a fast eater and a guzzler. It is a new way of doing things for me and I know it will get easier. Anyway, I live near the Pacific Ocean with my husband and our two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers (who love to go to the beach). I haven't been walking them since my surgery (but I have been walking!) because the younger one still has some puppy in her and she likes to jump up and I don't want to get hurt while I am recovering.

I am in my 50's and have been either dieting or feeling badly about myself for not-dieting since I was 14 years old. I finally got to the point where I felt that was my best option, given increasing health issues related to my weight.

I am enjoying reading your posts and learning what I can that I can apply to my own journey.

[angellynn76 1]

Hi, my name is Patty and I am 39. I have 5 kids ages 21-13 and a beautiful 10 month old granddaughter. I have been married to my best friend for almost 21 years. I am lucky enough to be able to be a stay at home mom, which I love! I had gastric sleeve surgery done on July 7 2015. It has been a life changer for me. I feel so much better and healthier. I have about 45 pounds to go to reach my goal but I am getting there. This has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I gained a lot of my weight after being diagnosed with several medical problems and finally decided enough was enough and had to do something about it. Thankfully I have a very supportive family who has encouraged me the entire way.

Edited November 10, 2015 by angellynn76

[sleevemom43013 54]

I am ashley, a 27 year old married mom of a rambunctious 2 year old girl. I am obsessed with singing and my family. I have always lived within a 10 mile radius of my first home where my parents still reside. I have 2 cats and a chihuahua/rat terrier mix whom I love but she makes me crazy. I have struggled with my weight my entire life and am blessed my husband loves me through it all. He's into "thick girls" but is quickly realizing that my new me can be just as exciting I want to start dancing and doing gymnastics (nothing serious just the idea of a cartwheel excites me lol) and my biggest goal in the end is to own a little black dress, although red sounds fun too haha but aside it all, I want to be healthy and be comfortable and happy in my new body!!!

[knoxvegas 22]

Hello everyone! I'm 39 years old and married for 18 years. I have two children, 13 and 8. I have been on every diet known to man over the past 20 years. Cookie diet, Jenny Craig, WW, diet pills, etc. You name it and I'm sure I've tried it! Tons of money down the drain. I have lost weight over the years, but could NEVER keep it off. So, I am very hopeful that this surgery will be perfect for me. Surgery scheduled for December 15. I'm 5'4" and 220lbs. I work in Oncology and reside in Knoxville, TN. My goal is to be fabulous at 40! ????

[Jenny82 6]

Hi All, I'm Jenny and 32 yrs old, and live in the PNW. Happily married for almost five years. I'm a SAHM. We have a 1 yr old, 2 yr old and an almost 5 yr old. All boys. I just got the sleeve last Thursday (nov. 12). I'm having a hard time. But I'm sure it will get better with time. I started my pre op weighting in at 263. Today I stepped on the scale and I was 250. Im really excited to start this journey and get healthy for myself and my family.

Edited November 16, 2015 by Jenny82

[karen091866 120]

Hello, everyone!

My name is Karen..I'm a Native Texan, living out on the Pacific NW Coast in Monroe,WA..

I've been a nurse since 1993 - I have 2 adult sons, ages 28 and 25. My husband, Kevin & I have been married since 2000.

Like the majority of those sharing here on this thread, I have yo-yo dieted most of my life...I've taken Meridia, Wellbutrin, Phen-Phen...Xenical...the endless list of diets that offered temporary successes. I've got a closet filled with clothes ranging from size 8 to 2XL right now. For several years, I would refuse to weigh in @ medical appointments, telling the person checking me in, "I already know...I already know" -- Which is not completely true, but close. I knew that I could no longer wear my favorite Rockie Mountain jeans...I knew that I wouldn't DARE wear the crocheted halter top that I loved anymore (surely not looking like I did NOW, anyways)---and I knew that every single nightgown I owned was a size XL...and that I had my own selection of colorful beach towels to dry off with after showering...because they were extra large...and I could cover everything in the event that someone should ever accidentally open the door when I was getting dressed after showering.

I finally took the most courageous step of my life back in January of 2015...while awaiting for my MD to enter the room for an appointment, I sneaked up onto the scale--and definitely was made aware that I "definitely DIDN'T know" just how out of control my struggle with my weight had gotten. The first words I spoke when my provider entered the room were, "I think it's time for a referral to a bariatric specialist" - and he made the referral without hesitation. - Things had arrived at a point I was not willing to live with..and medical issues such as menopuase and hypothyroidism (and the medications that come along with them) certainly weren't helping matters---So it was time for ME to reclaim ME!!

Like many of you, I was required to navigate 6 consecutive months of supervised Nutritional / Dietician visits, and of course, have the psychiatric evaluation before being approved for surgery. I think that the psychiatric eval was likely the most 'eye-opening piece' of the journey towards surgery, in that the psychologist made me identify the origins of my dysfunctional relationship with food--which when I was forced to, I openly admitted, began at age 11 - when my parents were separated. Throughout school, I wasn't one of the kids that ever got picked for sports teams first - no need to go into why. I haven't worn a two piece bathing suit since I was probably 4 years old (and only remember that because of family pictures) - I've been taunted..as an adult, being called such things as "Double Trouble" by people that I wouldn't give the time of day to...which makes the cruelty of their comments sting even more...knowing that I have literally NOTHING to say to them---but that is what they choose to yell out to me when given the opportunity.

Well-- NO MORE! I have DONE my 6 months of Nutritionist visits! I have DONE my psych eval! I have RECEIVED my letter of approval! I have completed my presurgical liquid diet! I have chugged my bottle of Mag Citrate....and my Sugery date is TOMORROW, 11/19/15... and from this point moving forward, I have RECLAIMED my life & there is no stopping me now!

Thank you all for being a source of pre-op support....I hope to be posting frequent updates on other threads and MASTERING the SLEEVE! -- I've got this!

Edited November 18, 2015 by karen091866

[bellabloom 2,467]

I'm Bella and I'm a 35 year old single mother of two. My kids are 3 and 6.

I'm 5'6 and weigh 118 right now. My start weight before surgery was 245.

For a living I'm a photographer although I am transitioning into teaching high school. It's been a wish of mine to be a teacher as long as I can remember.

I live in California near the beach! I'm lucky.

I've always struggled with my weight. My mom put me on diets starting age 11, because although I was a normal weight she was worried I was eating too much and would gain. This and an unstable childhood environment set me up for emotional eating and insecurity.

I had very disordered eating all through college. Binge eating followed by crash dieting. For about 6 months I even became bulimic. I was a normal weight, about 150-160 pounds but it was always so hard to stay there.

When I got pregnant the first time I gained 100 pounds because I binge ate. I was very unhappy in my marriage and it was the first time is 15 years I wasn't on a diet. After that I got some eating disorder therapy and learned to maintain my weight but I was very unhappy with it.

I gained another 40 over the next 5 years and had another baby, which really took a toll on my body.

I decided to have bariatric surgery because I had really bad back pain and lost all hope in dieting. I was still an occasional binge eater and hoped it would stop that behavior. I was also newly divorced and wanted a new start.

I had gastric bypass dec 4 2014. The surgery went well at first but then I had some complications. I ended up having it reversed and changed to a gastric sleeve.

After my sleeve I developed a severe stricture and could only eat Water broth and cheese for 6 months without throwing up. I threw up everything, even smoothies and Soup. I finally got in with a new surgeon (my first one was horrible) and he dialiated my structure and made things a lot better.

I still have a small stricture and have to be very careful when I eat. It can be pretty painful for me to eat and I have to go super slow and chew and chew. For awhile I was so traumatized I would throw up if even the slightest thing got stuck but I'm working last that now.

Because of al this I've lost weight extremely fast and surpassed my goal weight. I'm struggling with upping my calories because I am very afraid of gaining weight back after everything I've been through.

I'm actually seeking eating disorder therapy now because my experiences have triggered a lot of difficult emotions in me and it's been really hard to stop losing weight. I'm finding maintenance to be the hardest part of this.

Inspite of all of this I would do my surgery again in a heart beat. I love my thin body and I feel so much better physically than I did when I was overweight. I love the control I have over what I eat and that I can't binge anymore. I do have my issues to face still and I need to find balance but I know I'm close to where I want to be, and I could never have been happy or healthy at my prior weight.

My confidence and joy is high now and my self love is getting better everyday. I'm in a place where I can grow in a positive direction and build upon, and that's a wonderful feeling.

That's my story!! And here I am

Before:

Now:

[heidikate 49]

Dusky

Where in the Bay Area are you?

I'm going to be sleeved in Fremont

[o00 494]

Dusky

Where in the Bay Area are you?

I'm going to be sleeved in Fremont

Please check your message.

[newmebithebypass 713]

My name is Jessica and I'm 24 and in Baltimore MD. My battle with weight started when my mom died when I was 7 I remember that's when the depression and bipolar kicked in. I've gotten my mental health mostly under control but in desperate need of therapy for my past abuse history and food issues. Also I am getting gastric sleeve done once these dietician visits are up in February. I truly can't wait because I am newly married and want to enjoy my husband and our life