The Journey of a Lifetime (My story 8 months post)

[LaceSleeve 76]

Hello everyone! I just thought I would stop by the forums and post my story since I haven't posted anything in the forums in a while, and since I took new after photos last night, I figured maybe it was time to post my story, in short version of course. If you have any questions feel free to PM me, I might not be able to get to replying on the forum Here we go...

Starting weight and BMI: 298lbs/41BMI (5'11''...tall girl)

I started looking into weight loss surgery when I was 20 years old, firstly researching it on my own...eventually going to informational meetings and talking to different people who have been through the experience or work in a profession that deal with the different surgeries. At first I was looking into the LapBand surgery, so I started my mandatory steps in order for my insurance to approve of my request. This took me one year to complete, when I sent my request into my insurance I was denied due to where I wanted to get the surgery done not being a "Center of Excellence". So I was forced to travel to a new place about 2 hours from my home where there was a place my insurance would accept. My first seminar at this hospital is when I changed my mind from having the LapBand to the Gastric Sleeve. I chose to change my mind because the information that was given about all three surgeries just showed me that the Gastric Sleeve was the best option for me.

After I changed my mind I was forced (by my insurance) to re due all of my mandatory requirements in order to be approved, but they also added on 6 months of supervised weight loss this time. So long story short it took me about another year or so to get all my requirements redone. Finally on November 25 2012 I was at my final meeting with my surgeon and I got my date Dec 4 2012 (3 days after my 23 Birthday)...I finally got the date I was working for, for almost 3 years!!

Surgery day came and went, I spent 3 nights in the hospital, they asked if I wanted to stay one more day due to pain I was having, but I decided to go home. The first month was difficult, I have a post op liquid diet of 3 weeks, with mushy food by the 4th week...so on and so forth. During this time I had to deal with a number of Christmas parties and New Years eve parties...it was hard, but I followed my doctors instructions to the word.

Over the next few months I was back on my full foods with difficulty with certain foods (I still have this difficulties, but it isn't a big deal. Hard times with pastas and breads). I suffered from a few horrible stalls (4 in total), but I worked through them. My doctor told me that his goal for me was 200lbs. 5.5 months post op I reached my doctors goal, but my personal goal was 180, so I kept working. I joined a gym only 1 month out of surgery and was going 3-4 days a week for 2 hours at a time, until sadly I had to give up my gym membership due to back issues. This just made me work a lot harder on my diet. 7.5 months post op I reached my personal goal of 180lbs!!!

Story short details...I went through so much to finally get approved...I felt like quitting so many times, yes I got frustrated, procrastinated a bit due to my spirits being low, but I stuck with it and finished all of my requirements. 2-3 years of hell, frustration and I wont lie...a lot of depression. After surgery I struggled with stalls, and my stomach not taking to solid foods as quickly as others do. It wasn't easy, I won't lie, it was a lot of working sticking with a healthy diet and a regular workout program. In the end (8 months later)..am I happy I did it? YES!!! I am so happy I stuck with the frustration and depression. Do I have any regrets? NONE! I would do this again and again if I have to. It has changed my life so much in the small period I have been on this journey. I use to have high blood pressure, I don't have to deal with that anymore. I have a blood disorder (genetic) and it has helped with that as well which wasn't really expected! Not to mention my confidence and my feeling of self worth has been greatly improved!!I have one more big thing to accomplish...which is go back to the amusement park that I was kicked off of a ride for being to big...and go and ride that ride FIRST then go on everything else this will be completed October 12, I have my tickets, I wont lie, I am a bit nervous (why? I don't know) but I am excited to see my improvement in that sense.

To everyone working on getting approved...all I have to say is keep up with it, even if it gets frustrating and you really want to quit...just keep looking towards the finish line, because trust me...it is WORTH that frustration, stress and possible depression. If I had to do it all over, I would do another 3 years of appointments and requirements if I had to. I couldn't be more thankful for the journey I have been through. But it wasn't easy, the surgery didn't do everything for me...it was a lot of work and stress, but still worth it

Todays weight and BMI : 179lbs/ 25BMI!!! (5'11'')

[Healthiernewme 81]

Wow... what an awesome success story... congrats:)

[NMJG 1,266]

Thanks for posting, very inspirational

[SueJH 205]

Great job! Thanks for telling us about your journey!

[inmatchesout 3]

Good job & thanks for sharing. Can you tell me more about your "stalls"? What caused them? How'd you over come them?

Lynne

[LaceSleeve 76]

Good job & thanks for sharing. Can you tell me more about your "stalls"? What caused them? How'd you over come them?

Lynne

I am not sure exactly what caused the stalls. But as my dietician told me before my journey started, if a stall happens that usually increasing your calorie intake, even by just a little bit, will help the scale start moving again. So every time I hit a stall I would just slowly increase my calories or get more Protein and usually it helped my stalls pass

[southernsoul 773]

So proud of you & all you have accomplished. Your life is wide open to all kinds of wonderful new possibilities, so enjoy every minute of it!

[LilRed🔥Mama 99]

Thank you for sharing. You look amazing!!!!

[mytime2shine 229]

Awesome story!

Thanks for sharing