Reviews you can trust, from real people like you.
How it works
- Our highly-trained Review Moderation team evaluates all reviews before they're published to ensure they're written by people like you and not a member of a doctor's office.
- This multi-step process takes up to 24 hours from review submission to publication.
- Doctors can't pay to have reviews removed or hidden.
- Reviews are only removed at the reviewer's request or if they violate our Terms of Service.
If you have questions or believe we should re-evaluate a published review, let us know.
Sort by:
*Treatment results may vary
Hello everyone, finally I had time to do my review...
Hello everyone, finally I had time to do my review. My name is Stephanie and I am 43 years old and I reside in Texas. Probably for the last 17 years I have struggled with my weight, I had the norplant put in and gained 67 pounds in no time with it. I had it removed a year later but the weight stayed around and some more pounds came later.
I have tried numerous diets along the way, lose a few then gain back later. Even though I have been over weight for some time now, I would not look at it as if I was that big but time has caught up with me. In 2010 I spoke with my doctor about surgery, he wrote my letter for insurance but I changed my mind and decided I did not want to take the risk. In August 2011, the scale said 297 lbs at the doctor's office, I literally started to cry saying i was not going to weigh 300 lbs. I joined Weight Watchers the next week and went for a whole year. I lost 40 pounds. I eventually got bored and stopped going. The 40 pounds stayed off for awhile but the last few months started creeping back on so I am almost back to where I started. The good thing is that I went to wieght watchers for 14 months and I was able to use the 12 months documentation for my surgery requirements and it was withing in two years so I had to work fast on getting in to see a bariatric surgeon to start the process. I researched the different surgeries and decided I would consider the gastric sleeve. I had my first consult on September 19, 2013 and Dr. Davis suggested that I have the bypass surgery instead because the sleeve was still new and he did not want me to come back five years later and ask him why didn't he suggest the bypass. Dr. Davis told me the ultimate decision was mine. When I left there I thought about changing to the bypass for about a week. After finding Realself and reading everyone's experience I decided I was going to stick with the sleeve due some arthritis issues in my knee. I hope I have made to right decision for me.
I am married and I have two sons I adore ages 20 and 9 and I want to be around to play with my future grandchildren. I will be getting my Master's Degree in May and would like to be thinner on my pictures than I was when I recieved my Bachelor's Degree. Photography is my hobby but I do not like to take pictures of myself. I am one to stay in my comfort zone most times but I am ready to do something wonderful for me. I am one who let criticisms get to me easily so I have not told anyone about the surgery but my husband and one co-worker(she had gastric in 90's and understand). I am not ready for people to try and talk me out of it or say negative things about the surgery. I will probably have to tell one of my sister's because I will need her to take care of my son while my husband is with me at the hospital.
Here is a little breakdown of my process:
9/19/13- Consultation ($40 copay)
9/30/13-Psychological ($55 copay)
10/2/13-2 hour Nutrition Class ($150)
10/8/13- Email that my surgery has been approved by my insurance
10/9/13-EKG, Stress, Cardiac clearance
10/17/13- Final Doctor's consult ($40 copay) surgery scheduled, yeah..
11/5/13- Pre-Op visit with Doctor and Pre-test with Hospital ( I will start my 2 week liquid diet on this day, $345 for vitamins and meal replacements, my doctor suggest Bariatric Advantage products.
My surgery date is scheduled for November 19, 2013..
I am presently weighing 288 lbs and I am 5'3 even though this clinic says I am 5'2..
I now have to get mentally ready because 31 days is not far off. Reading the blogs on this site has really been helping me process eeverything, everyone is so supportive.
I have tried numerous diets along the way, lose a few then gain back later. Even though I have been over weight for some time now, I would not look at it as if I was that big but time has caught up with me. In 2010 I spoke with my doctor about surgery, he wrote my letter for insurance but I changed my mind and decided I did not want to take the risk. In August 2011, the scale said 297 lbs at the doctor's office, I literally started to cry saying i was not going to weigh 300 lbs. I joined Weight Watchers the next week and went for a whole year. I lost 40 pounds. I eventually got bored and stopped going. The 40 pounds stayed off for awhile but the last few months started creeping back on so I am almost back to where I started. The good thing is that I went to wieght watchers for 14 months and I was able to use the 12 months documentation for my surgery requirements and it was withing in two years so I had to work fast on getting in to see a bariatric surgeon to start the process. I researched the different surgeries and decided I would consider the gastric sleeve. I had my first consult on September 19, 2013 and Dr. Davis suggested that I have the bypass surgery instead because the sleeve was still new and he did not want me to come back five years later and ask him why didn't he suggest the bypass. Dr. Davis told me the ultimate decision was mine. When I left there I thought about changing to the bypass for about a week. After finding Realself and reading everyone's experience I decided I was going to stick with the sleeve due some arthritis issues in my knee. I hope I have made to right decision for me.
I am married and I have two sons I adore ages 20 and 9 and I want to be around to play with my future grandchildren. I will be getting my Master's Degree in May and would like to be thinner on my pictures than I was when I recieved my Bachelor's Degree. Photography is my hobby but I do not like to take pictures of myself. I am one to stay in my comfort zone most times but I am ready to do something wonderful for me. I am one who let criticisms get to me easily so I have not told anyone about the surgery but my husband and one co-worker(she had gastric in 90's and understand). I am not ready for people to try and talk me out of it or say negative things about the surgery. I will probably have to tell one of my sister's because I will need her to take care of my son while my husband is with me at the hospital.
Here is a little breakdown of my process:
9/19/13- Consultation ($40 copay)
9/30/13-Psychological ($55 copay)
10/2/13-2 hour Nutrition Class ($150)
10/8/13- Email that my surgery has been approved by my insurance
10/9/13-EKG, Stress, Cardiac clearance
10/17/13- Final Doctor's consult ($40 copay) surgery scheduled, yeah..
11/5/13- Pre-Op visit with Doctor and Pre-test with Hospital ( I will start my 2 week liquid diet on this day, $345 for vitamins and meal replacements, my doctor suggest Bariatric Advantage products.
My surgery date is scheduled for November 19, 2013..
I am presently weighing 288 lbs and I am 5'3 even though this clinic says I am 5'2..
I now have to get mentally ready because 31 days is not far off. Reading the blogs on this site has really been helping me process eeverything, everyone is so supportive.
Night before pre-op
I had my last solid food dinner tonight. I will see my doctor tomorrow to pick up vitamins and protein supplements. I am getting nervous, hope I survive the liquid diet. I notice some people are allowed to eat jello and puddings but my doctor do not recommend those, I wish. I can have jello and sugar free pops the day before surgery which is all clear liquids. I am going to ask tomorrow can I at least have a liquid soup at least once a day.
2nd Day Pre-Op
My second day of pre-op, I am having a meltdown.. I'm having anxiety...keep me in your thoughts...
Provider Review