Members Please Introduce Yourself here:
Replies
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Hi my name is Sarah from upstate NY/Canadian Border.I am 30 years old. I am in the process of getting gastric bypass within the next few months or so. I do not have a surgery date but I have several health issues.. We want children & I want a healthy life.. so here I am. I am currently doing between 1200-1400 calories and exercising 4x per week plus I quit smoking on January 1st. Add me as a friend. I am so glad to have this tool to help me get my life back!
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Congrats on quitting smoking!0
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Hi
I'm Angela, I'm still pre op. I'm scheduled for march 21. Friend me, I need the support
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Hi! My name is Lynn. I had my Lap Band Surgery in June 2009. My highest weight was 205.I lost 12 pounds before surgery. In the next few months, I lost another 12 pounds and then the weight lost stopped. In January of 2010, I joined MFP and over the next six months I lost another 18 pounds. Again, the weight lost stalled. I joined a new gym and got back on track. Slowly the weight came off until I finally reached 134 pounds 2 years after surgery. I stopped logging back in June, to see if I could maintain, and I was able to get to132 just before Christmas for a total loss of 73 pounds. I did gain 2 of those pounds back. but I'm bound and determined that I'm gonna get them off. I just had abdominal surgery last week to remove some of the excess skin. I have pretty much been going to the gym 5-7 days a week and I am now off exercise for 6 weeks. That scares me! I am hoping that I will at least get the ok to do some outdoor walking soon.0
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I've heard that getting PS can speed up your metabolism and a lot of people lose weight after. So I suspect you'll be fine.0
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Hello, My name is Jay, am 35 and live in Milton Keynes, UK.
Had had my gastric sleeve done on 29 July 2011. I have lost 48lbs since the surgery.
All together i have lost 112LB from the first day i walked into my Doctor's office to ask for help. On that day(cant remember date), i weighed in at 179.9KG/395LB..0 -
Hi WLS group members! This is my first group post so here it goes! My name is Debbie, I am a 49 (ok, almost 50) year old with a hubby of going on 5 years, a 27 year old son who is married and I have degenerative osteoarthritis and have had both knees replaced, spinal fusion and both ends of my spine, 4 shoulder surgeries and I think you get the point. I am also battling some pretty severe depression as I lost my mom right before Christmas in 2010, then last Aug I lost my oldest son who was the father to my only grandchild - Zachary Lee. Aaron's wife is not speaking to me now and won't let me see my grandson (it's been 5 months now and he is 21 months old, and I raised him the first 16 months). I quit smoking back in October and in the middle of all of this and the 22 pills a day I am on, I find out I am pre-diabetic so now it's time to get going on the weight loss again! My first month with the clinics pre surgery group and I gained 4 1/2 pounds doing 1800 calories a day and 80 mg of meat protein. So now they have cut me back to 1200 calories.
I am really glad I found this group! I have about 150 or more to get rid of and the timing is just all wrong but with some help, I know I will get through this, get my surgery done and start a new way of living and thinking about food. So that's about enough as I see my huge post! LOL0 -
Hi Everyone! This is my first post so I will try to not mess it up too much. I’m 27 years old almost 28 and have been married to my hubby for 3 years almost 4 and together for over 7 years. I have pretty much been overweight my entire life and finally decided I needed a change. I always struggled to lose weight and keep it off. So on August 29 2011 I had WLS I had the sleeve. It has been the best decision I have ever made! A little over 5 months have passed and I have lost 97lbs, I would like to lose another 40-50lbs which would put at about 150lbs I'm 5'9 by the way. I feel so much better than I ever have before and look better too! I get compliments all the time which I struggle with because I'm used to being the invisible fat chick but I'm trying to learn to enjoy it. I still feel like I struggle everyday with my food demons and this weight loss battle is more than just eating healthy and exercising the biggest battle is in my head and wanting to eat the way I used to even though I know better. I'm glad I found a group of people who really know what I'm going through.
Happy weight loss journey to everyone!!0 -
Hi! My name is Julianne. I'm 32, married for 8 yrs, mother of 2 and thinking about a possible 3rd.
I've been overweight my entire life. I think the smallest was a size 12/14 as a freshman in HS, about 190-200 pounds.
After college, at 5'11" and 275 pounds (size 22), I joined WW & started exercising. I lost about 70 pounds. Then I met my husband & all my dieting & exercising slowly disappeared.
Now I'm 297, size 22. I'm starting to consider WLS seriously. Sometimes I feel like I'm taking the easy way out in going the surgical route. Like I should be self-disciplined enough to do this on my own. It's just overwhelming to look at the big picture of losing almost 150 pounds! I've been making positive changes in my health over the past 2 years, but yo yo with the same 10 pounds. I even joined a gym in September. I worked out hard on the elliptical for 30 mins. 4-5 times/week and strength trained 2-3 times/week, and didn't lose a single pound.
I'm considering the sleeve surgery. My worries are about the extra skin, perforation/leakage, and not being disciplined enough AFTER surgery to maintain the weight loss. At night, I tend to eat emotionally, and binge until I'm uncomfortable. We just moved to NC in March 2011, and I haven't made any friends yet. This is my 1st time being a stay-at-home mom, and money is (always)an issue.
I think that's about it! LOL0 -
Hi! My name is Julianne. I'm 32, married for 8 yrs, mother of 2 and thinking about a possible 3rd.
I've been overweight my entire life. I think the smallest was a size 12/14 as a freshman in HS, about 190-200 pounds.
After college, at 5'11" and 275 pounds (size 22), I joined WW & started exercising. I lost about 70 pounds. Then I met my husband & all my dieting & exercising slowly disappeared.
Now I'm 297, size 22. I'm starting to consider WLS seriously. Sometimes I feel like I'm taking the easy way out in going the surgical route. Like I should be self-disciplined enough to do this on my own. It's just overwhelming to look at the big picture of losing almost 150 pounds! I've been making positive changes in my health over the past 2 years, but yo yo with the same 10 pounds. I even joined a gym in September. I worked out hard on the elliptical for 30 mins. 4-5 times/week and strength trained 2-3 times/week, and didn't lose a single pound.
Hi Julianne,
Please understand that WLS is NOT the easy way out. There are just as many failures as success stories. It is your determination and will power that will get you to your goal. You certainly will lose weight in the beginning with WLS, but getting to your goal will take hard work. WLS is a tool to be used that may help it be just a bit easier to achieve your goal. I had the lab band well over 2 years ago. It took me 2 years-- 11/2 of those using MFP- to get within 2 pounds of my goal. I have now managed to maintain, and have just recently had abdominoplasty to remove the excess skin. During this time, I have watched my calorie intake AND gone to the gym 5-7 days a week.
With that being said, I know that without having my band as a tool to help me reduce the amount of food that I was eating, and help with those night time cravings and binges, I would not have been successful. I had gone to WW before and lost 50 pounds, and then gained it all back. Why did I gain it back? Who knows. I just needed some other type of support.
Just know that whatever avenue you choose, it won't be easy,but it can be done!
I'm considering the sleeve surgery. My worries are about the extra skin, perforation/leakage, and not being disciplined enough AFTER surgery to maintain the weight loss. At night, I tend to eat emotionally, and binge until I'm uncomfortable. We just moved to NC in March 2011, and I haven't made any friends yet. This is my 1st time being a stay-at-home mom, and money is (always)an issue.
I think that's about it! LOL0 -
Oops! I put that in the wrong place.
Hi Julianne,
Please understand that WLS is NOT the easy way out. There are just as many failures as success stories. It is your determination and will power that will get you to your goal. You certainly will lose weight in the beginning with WLS, but getting to your goal will take hard work. WLS is a tool to be used that may help it be just a bit easier to achieve your goal. I had the lab band well over 2 years ago. It took me 2 years-- 11/2 of those using MFP- to get within 2 pounds of my goal. I have now managed to maintain, and have just recently had abdominoplasty to remove the excess skin. During this time, I have watched my calorie intake AND gone to the gym 5-7 days a week.
With that being said, I know that without having my band as a tool to help me reduce the amount of food that I was eating, and help with those night time cravings and binges, I would not have been successful. I had gone to WW before and lost 50 pounds, and then gained it all back. Why did I gain it back? Who knows. I just needed some other type of support.
Just know that whatever avenue you choose, it won't be easy,but it can be done!0 -
And even if it is easy, what's wrong with that? If you had cancer would you pick a treatment that worked 70% of the time and was easy over one that worked 1%of the time and was hard? I know what I'd pick! I want the one that works!
And WLS does work, if you let it. Even if you don't get to goal, you will lose a lot of weight and be able to keep most of it off. You can't say that about diets because we've all been on them and we've all lost some weight and we've all gained it all back. Some of us have done this multiple times!0 -
New to the group and MFP....looking for others who are having the same challenges as I am.
I am Marilyn; a 40+ year old at home parent to two teens who had RNY gastric bypass surgery over TEN years ago. For the most part, I maintain my 110 pound loss pretty well....but then, I start to FORGET I had WLS and do silly things like abandon my exercise program, eat chocolate in front of the TV at the rate of 1/2 bag of kisses a day and well, you know where that leads! I've recently gained 20 pounds and want to get it OFF before it becomes 40/60/80 or more.
To those just starting I want to say IT CAN BE DONE; but it isn't magic! You still have to follow a healthy eating plan and exercise in order to maintain. Don't let ONE SINGLE DAY go by without thinking of the sacrifice you made to get the WLS and get healthy. That is my BEST advice.....DON'T FORGET!0 -
Hello WLS Group,
Last year I was scheduled for Lap Band and I dropped 40 Lbs. using MFP so I decided to put it on hold well I gained back 15 lbs. I have decided to do Gastric Bypass to help me kick start it . My surgery is scheduled March 7 at Magee UPMC in Pittsburgh. Of course I'm excited and nervous. I'm looking for suport and maybe some ideals to help with the liquid diet and what to do . Best Protien drink? What kind of multivitamin? I see the nutritionalist on Feb 15. Any suggestions welcome thanks.I am 352 I was as high as 377 I would love to be 180. Thanks again Toothfairyy0 -
sheen161, so hows the loss going ?0
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Hi I'm Angie, I had my surgery in 2004, had a regain over the last 6 years or so. Going to get back on track!0
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Hello WLS Group,
Last year I was scheduled for Lap Band and I dropped 40 Lbs. using MFP so I decided to put it on hold well I gained back 15 lbs. I have decided to do Gastric Bypass to help me kick start it . My surgery is scheduled March 7 at Magee UPMC in Pittsburgh. Of course I'm excited and nervous. I'm looking for suport and maybe some ideals to help with the liquid diet and what to do . Best Protien drink? What kind of multivitamin? I see the nutritionalist on Feb 15. Any suggestions welcome thanks.I am 352 I was as high as 377 I would love to be 180. Thanks again Toothfairyy
Congrats Toothfairyy on making a decision to be all you can be for you and your family!! I will be praying for an unevental surgery next month!! I am so happy for you and cheers to a new beginning for you!:drinker:0 -
2003 rather.Hi I'm Angie, I had my surgery in 2004, had a regain over the last 6 years or so. Going to get back on track!0 -
Hello WLS Group,
Last year I was scheduled for Lap Band and I dropped 40 Lbs. using MFP so I decided to put it on hold well I gained back 15 lbs. I have decided to do Gastric Bypass to help me kick start it . My surgery is scheduled March 7 at Magee UPMC in Pittsburgh. Of course I'm excited and nervous. I'm looking for suport and maybe some ideals to help with the liquid diet and what to do . Best Protien drink? What kind of multivitamin? I see the nutritionalist on Feb 15. Any suggestions welcome thanks.I am 352 I was as high as 377 I would love to be 180. Thanks again Toothfairyy
Congrats on the surgery date!
I can't imagine waiting a month for the surgery I had about a week and a half notice. They usually schedule two weeks out at my hospital, but they squeezed me in before the end of the year. This timeframe will give you time to prepare. I felt like a crazy person, trying to get my work and homelife in order before the surgery. I'm a worrier, so the longer wait would have been more crazy-making than the rush.
Which surgery are you having? Roux-en-Y? Sleeve?
I don't have a "real" protein shake. I use Carnation Instant Breakfast Essentials (no sugar added), because the real protein shakes are too...well, too something. I don't know what it is about them, but I still vomit when I drink one. Does make it more work to get in enough protein, since I get about 13 grams per shake (with the milk) and can get 30 grams with a true protein shake.
Congrats on the weight you have lost/kept off. That in itself is a victory! Don't let your doctor/surgeon forget about that. Mine likes to say "oooh, you've lost 37 pounds!". He means, post-op. I point out that, INCLUDING pre-op, I've lost 57. Pre-op and post-op are struggles in their own way. One doesn't outrank the other. Everything counts.0 -
Hey everyone!
My name is Michelle. I'm 33, a wife and mother of two who works full time in retail sales. I am in the pre-op steps of having RNY surgery. I hope to have the surgery before fall of 2012. I joined mfp today to track my required 3 month diet. I am hoping that entering in the food I eat and the exercise I complete on a daily basis will allow me to focus on my goal which is to have surgery and be able to lose weight and no longer be an insulin pump dependent diabetic.0 -
Hey Everyone,
My name is Lara, I just turned 40 in November, I am from California, and I had the gastric bypass surgery in San Diego 10 years ago this month. I was 230 at my height but I am only 5 ft 3.5 so that was huge for me. My husband and I met (craigslist is awesome!!) in January and he actually was worried and tried to talk me out of it, I had the surgery in February right after we met. We got married pretty quickly (try 4 months) in May after we met because he is Danish and would have had to leave the US.
I had a hard time after the surgery for quite some time but the weight came off fast and that made me so happy. I often threw up water but the surgery was one of the best things I had ever done for myself. Finally I felt full like a normal person because before the surgery I was a bottomless pit and was never satiated. I married my husband on the 4th of May and that was also pretty much the best decision I have ever made. He is a good good man and has never made any demands one way or the other as far as my weight was concerned. Pure unconditional love!! 10 years this May and still going strong!!
So, about a little less than a year after the surgery I decided that I wanted babies really badly. I knew it could screw up everything but my clock was ticking so I went for it. Our first marriage was in Vegas with Elvis and our second marriage was in Greece the same day a year later. I had my dress custom made and it was so beautiful. I was 2 months pregnant the second time we got married. I never reached my goal of 125 before I got pregnant.
So, 3 children later and going up and down in weight, I am now about 20 pounds from normal weight and 35 lbs from my goal. I would love to have 15 pounds to play with so that I will NEVER be considered overweight again. This is the last time I am going to have to lose this much weight. I didn't pay more than 20,000 dollars to gain all my weight back. About a year ago I gave up my biggest weakness which was bread and anything with gluten in it. I have been slowly losing from the moment of making that decision. I now see gluten as poison. This was also a very good decision because I am addicted, and cannot use moderation where bread and pasta are concerned and it makes me super tired. Taking gluten away has taken all processed foods, most sauces, cookies, pasta, bread, cakes out of my diet. It was a huuuge step but I do not really miss it now that it is gone. I have been re teaching myself how to love veggies and healthy foods ever since. Now when I crave something to eat, it is only healthy stuff.
So, joining mfp has been really exciting to me because unlike every other diet I have been on, this time I am sure I will succeed because I no longer eat crappy food. Maintenance will be no problem, the problem will be getting it off because I am now 40 and it is not easy as you get older. Actually it has never been easy for me and this is the one battle I have never been able to win. I am completely ready to win it now. I want so desperately to be happy in my own body and to not wish I was in someone elses. Now I am exercising like I have never done before. The inches are melting away but the pounds are a different story but I am in it for the long haul. Really looking forward to being proud to be me. I am a classically trained singer so it is really important that I feel good about myself and my body while performing.
Here's to being 40 and fab instead of 40 and flab!!0 -
Oh and I admire you all for taking your health into your hands. If you are pre surgery think very seriously about removing your biggest weakness be it sugar or bread or whatever it is, right after your surgery. Never touch it again. You can gain your weight back and as you see here, a lot of people do because they go back to the way they ate before. Change your brain when it is possible to do so and not after you put all the crappy food back into your diets and get addicted all over again. Do it while you are not craving anything after your surgery. Then it will be easier to give it up. Otherwise it is super hard. Hang in there, it is not an easy road to take but a very important one. I am very happy I did it!! You can't put a price on feeling like a normal person.0
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Hi! I am 28 yrs old. I had the RNY on 1/16/12. I am amazed at how easy my recovery was. It was nothing compared to my gallbladder surgery lat year. I am just about a month out, and am enjoying soft food. I lost about 18lbs before surgery and since surgery I've lost almost 15lbs. I got back to work on Monday. I am a respiratory therapist and I work 12 hr shifts so it should be interesting making sure I'm getting all my water and protein in when I am working. I look forward to getting to know you all.0
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Hi! My name is Debbie and I have enjoyed reading a lot of the posts here. I am wanting to get the bypass surgery, I have about 150 pounds or so to lose, but my problem right now is I am disabled so exercise isn't a very good option just yet (I do what I can, when I can), I have started all of the meetings and stuff they make you do before and I have at least another 4 1/2 months to wait. My surgeon and I decided that lap band isn't really going to work for me as I now (for many months now) don't eat nearly enough - I have no appetite and when I do, I find I ignore it a lot and I don't eat very much at a time so my metabolism is way out of whack!! But now the insurance company says they will only cover the lap band. Does anyone know if there is any way around this? My BMI is almost 50 so I need to do something soon. Any advice would be greatly appreciated please!0
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First of all, with your issues, you should look into the Duodenal Switch as it's more powerful than RnY and the malabsorption doesn't fade away like it does with bypass. (If your surgeon doesn't do it, he won't tell you about it and may even give out misinformation about it. The best place to research it is: www.dsfacts.com.)
As for insurance, if you can get them to approve you for one WLS type, you can usually get them to give you the one you want but you have to be willing to fight hard for it. Your state may have a department whose job it is to make the insurance companies play fair too and they can help you.
What does their bariatric policy say? That's a good starting place.0 -
Hello WLS Group,
Last year I was scheduled for Lap Band and I dropped 40 Lbs. using MFP so I decided to put it on hold well I gained back 15 lbs. I have decided to do Gastric Bypass to help me kick start it . My surgery is scheduled March 7 at Magee UPMC in Pittsburgh. Of course I'm excited and nervous. I'm looking for suport and maybe some ideals to help with the liquid diet and what to do . Best Protien drink? What kind of multivitamin? I see the nutritionalist on Feb 15. Any suggestions welcome thanks.I am 352 I was as high as 377 I would love to be 180. Thanks again Toothfairyy
Congrats Toothfairyy on making a decision to be all you can be for you and your family!! I will be praying for an unevental surgery next month!! I am so happy for you and cheers to a new beginning for you!:drinker:0 -
Surgery date is coming I,m happy yet nervous. March 7 is my date. I,m so scared of dissapointing myself and others . what if I dont loose enough? what if I gain it and more back? what if I cant figure out what I', to eat on the liquid diet? I know relax it will be ok .
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Surgery date is coming I,m happy yet nervous. March 7 is my date. I,m so scared of dissapointing myself and others . what if I dont loose enough? what if I gain it and more back? what if I cant figure out what I', to eat on the liquid diet? I know relax it will be ok .
thanks
The most important thing to remember is: YOU are in charge...not your appetite or the things that have led you to where you are today weight-wise. So, get that mind whipped into shape and let the body know who is in charge. Start with this:
1. Instead of: "I,m so scared of dissapointing myself and others" change your thinking to: "I'm so excited about this new journey and the new body that I am going to have. I am going to be my own best friend and others will look at me as their inspiration"
2. Instead of: "what if I dont loose enough? what if I gain it and more back?" Change your thinking to: I'm going to lose all the weight my doctor and I have determined I need to lose in order to hit my goal weight. I will, along the way: learn to cook good foods for myself; only have healthy foods in my home; eat all things in moderation; respect the second chance I've been given at having a healthy body and normal weight; make lifestyle changes relative to eating and exercise that will help me maintain my weight loss; stay in contact with my doctor and do what he/she and the nutritionist say. With this plan in mind, I WILL be a huge success.
3. As for the liquid diet, it's just for a short time. I hated it and almost starved the three weeks I was on it, but damnit, I'd do it all over again to be the person I am today.
In my heart, I can tell you want this and though I don't know you, I understand where you are mentally with this issue---you're at a point where surgery seems like the last resort and you're ready to do it to be a better you. I've been there, done that, would make the same decision again and wish you the best! YOU can do this!0 -
Just found this Group. I had lap band surgery in August 2011 and am currently down 67# (mfp says 65 but is off by 2#). It has been a very eye opening 6 months and I still believe it has been the best decision I have ever made. I am a 47 yr old mom of 3 (27, 22, and 19). My starting weight was 380#. My goal weight is 165. I know i can do this now that I have this tool.
I have the greatest Surgeon, Dr. McDonald at Baptist Metabolic Surgery Center in Nashville, TN. I look forward to learning from all of you.0 -
Just found this Group. I had lap band surgery in August 2011 and am currently down 67# (mfp says 65 but is off by 2#). It has been a very eye opening 6 months and I still believe it has been the best decision I have ever made. I am a 47 yr old mom of 3 (27, 22, and 19). My starting weight was 380#. My goal weight is 165. I know i can do this now that I have this tool.
I have the greatest Surgeon, Dr. McDonald at Baptist Metabolic Surgery Center in Nashville, TN. I look forward to learning from all of you.
Welcome! You are well on your way to your goal. You have come to the right place for support. My lap band surgery was June 2009. It"s been a long road but the journey has been well worth it.0
