POSTED UNDER Gastric Sleeve Surgery REVIEWS
Gastric Sleeve 1 Yr Post Op! Best Life Decision EVER!!!! -New Philadelphia, PA
ORIGINAL POST
Hello All: I was invited into this forum by...
WORTH IT
Hello All: I was invited into this forum by someone who commented on another post. I am new to realself. I started visiting the site when I begin to research Plastic Surgery options for my excess skin.
A little about myself, I am 31 year old from the 215 area. I am 1 year post op of Gastric Sleeve. My journey begin when a friend of mine secrectly has surgery and shared details later as she begin to drastically drop weight. I then started to entertain the idea of WLS, which I had never before. As far as I can think back, I have always struggled with my weight. The highest weight that I have recorded with my PCP is 300lbs.
In Summer 2011, after much research I picked a surgeon and started the WLS process. I completed all test required and was at the end of my 3 month weight management which was required by my insurance. Upon scheduling my final procedure before scheduling my surgery date, to my suprise I found out that I was pregnant! PREGNANT ME? NO WAY!!! lol I thought at that point it was a sign that maybe the surgery was not for me. I went through with my pregnancy, in May 2012 I delivered a healthy baby girl. I pondered if I should call to find out if and how I should continue with the surgery process. I finally made the decision to. When I called I found out that I only had to complete what was not done and restart the three month weight management that was initially required by insurance. (It expired at 6 months) Sure no problem as I was determined to be a healthy mom for my new daughter. The weight management program did not require much, just a phone call each month with the nutritionist. Now that everything was done, I now had to wait for the insurance company to approve. I GOT APPROVED IN NO TIME!!!! Wooohooo I was scared and excited in no time. Still out on maternity leave (I took 6 months off with my daughter) I was eager to have the surgery done before returning to work in November. My original surgeron was only scheduling well into december. I was disappointed! I went all this way to not be able to have the surgery because I couldn't afford to take more time off. Sigh! Talking to the surgery coordinator she says, " I have a cancellation, but its with the other surgeon" I will take it. So on August 25, 2012 I arrived for Surgery! Nervous, NOPE! Not at all. I was so excited to be starting this new journey. Not knowing what to even expect! I was diving head first. Said a prayer and left it all in GOD's hands.
I can't say that this process has extremely hard for me. But it could also be the reason that I have not reached my goal of 175, because I'm so laid back about it. My highest weight was 300, My surgery weight was 275, and my current weight goes between 198-203 daily. I will be at goal by the time may get here which is when I am planning to have plastic surgery done. I am overall satisfied with my results. I consider myself to be a very slow loser but that's okay with me. Being in some of the facebook weight loss groups I use to really get down about my slow progress, on the scale every morning, and really beating myself up! NOT ANYMORE. This is a life style change for me.
Please feel free to ask any questions. Thanks for allowing me to share. I am sure I left somethings out but will add later. I will also add a few before and after pictures as well.
A little about myself, I am 31 year old from the 215 area. I am 1 year post op of Gastric Sleeve. My journey begin when a friend of mine secrectly has surgery and shared details later as she begin to drastically drop weight. I then started to entertain the idea of WLS, which I had never before. As far as I can think back, I have always struggled with my weight. The highest weight that I have recorded with my PCP is 300lbs.
In Summer 2011, after much research I picked a surgeon and started the WLS process. I completed all test required and was at the end of my 3 month weight management which was required by my insurance. Upon scheduling my final procedure before scheduling my surgery date, to my suprise I found out that I was pregnant! PREGNANT ME? NO WAY!!! lol I thought at that point it was a sign that maybe the surgery was not for me. I went through with my pregnancy, in May 2012 I delivered a healthy baby girl. I pondered if I should call to find out if and how I should continue with the surgery process. I finally made the decision to. When I called I found out that I only had to complete what was not done and restart the three month weight management that was initially required by insurance. (It expired at 6 months) Sure no problem as I was determined to be a healthy mom for my new daughter. The weight management program did not require much, just a phone call each month with the nutritionist. Now that everything was done, I now had to wait for the insurance company to approve. I GOT APPROVED IN NO TIME!!!! Wooohooo I was scared and excited in no time. Still out on maternity leave (I took 6 months off with my daughter) I was eager to have the surgery done before returning to work in November. My original surgeron was only scheduling well into december. I was disappointed! I went all this way to not be able to have the surgery because I couldn't afford to take more time off. Sigh! Talking to the surgery coordinator she says, " I have a cancellation, but its with the other surgeon" I will take it. So on August 25, 2012 I arrived for Surgery! Nervous, NOPE! Not at all. I was so excited to be starting this new journey. Not knowing what to even expect! I was diving head first. Said a prayer and left it all in GOD's hands.
I can't say that this process has extremely hard for me. But it could also be the reason that I have not reached my goal of 175, because I'm so laid back about it. My highest weight was 300, My surgery weight was 275, and my current weight goes between 198-203 daily. I will be at goal by the time may get here which is when I am planning to have plastic surgery done. I am overall satisfied with my results. I consider myself to be a very slow loser but that's okay with me. Being in some of the facebook weight loss groups I use to really get down about my slow progress, on the scale every morning, and really beating myself up! NOT ANYMORE. This is a life style change for me.
Please feel free to ask any questions. Thanks for allowing me to share. I am sure I left somethings out but will add later. I will also add a few before and after pictures as well.
newbootybabe620's provider
UPDATED FROM newbootybabe620
1 year post
photos
I wanted to share some of my before and after pics with you all.
Replies (19)
December 27, 2013
Yay for you! Congrats on your weight loss, I really enjoy reading other peoples stories!
December 29, 2013
KristiC, Thank you! It's interesting to read so many stories and journeys that you have also traveled. You don't realixe how much people relate until you read their story. Thanks again and Happy New Year!
December 27, 2013
Congratulations and thank you for sharing! You look awesome and you've done really well!
How much do you eat now, at each meal?
How much do you eat now, at each meal?
December 29, 2013
Kirsty I eat about a cup of food when I sit down for a serving. I try to consume my protein first then move on to my veggies and starch. Thank you so much. Thank you for inviting me over to this forum.
December 29, 2013
Thanks for sharing! I'm not up to eating a cup of food at a serving yet, but I'm only about 14 weeks out. It's great to have people like you though, that have gone before us and can share your wisdom! ;-)
December 30, 2013
Congrats and thanks for sharing! You seem like your you doing well, and from the pics makes me a little more excited. I was just sleeved on 12-12-13 but loss is good but the eating is problematic.
December 30, 2013
Congrats on your surgery hun, How are you feeling! I still get excited when I see other progress as well. This has truely been the best thing I've done (besides my daughter). Now I am looking forward to plastics. which is currently scheduled for May. You will lose so fast at the beginning but it will slow down and you will hit stalls. It's hard to get use to the new way of eating. Trust me, I am still struggling with it as well. I have to teach myself all over again to eat slow, eat my protein first, and stop when I am full. It's a mind thing!!! But we have come so far from where we use to be and the determination to never go back is what keeps up moving forward! Good luck with you journey.
December 30, 2013
I feel really good had no complications, never took the Vicodin only liquid Tylenol for the 1st 3 days home. Due to the holiday shopping I was getting plenty if walking in I'm down 24 pds from surgery can't believe how fast that came off! Now just trying to be good with the soft diet any suggestions?
January 1, 2014
Hi newbootybabe, Now that you are several months out can you give me some heads up on your journey like how do you react to eating now, are you throwing up, does your tummy still bubble, and how hard is it to maintain the loss? What are some of the things you do to keep your weight loss on track? I have emailed or messaged so many WLS Veterans on here and other sites but it seems once they hit goal or close to it they stop commenting or returning message request. I'm looking for help and support for the part of the journey I have not come to yet. The close I get to goal the more I'm struggling to maintain loss, to control appetite and cravings, to control the amount of food I can eat. I was order by my pain mgt doctor to stop working out a few months ago because of a bad car accident and now I'm not sure if I can even motivate myself again to hit the gym and start running again like I use to. Please anything you can tell me will help. thanks in advance and Happy New Year and Happy New You!
January 1, 2014
Body Rock, I am 15months out and down 100lbs. I am not going to say that it's easy but I've definitely treated it that way! I haven't had ANY issues, some of the things that I do struggle with is eating to fast and laying down to quickly after eating! I have consumed carbs back into my diet which I believe has slowed down my weightloss. I havent reached goal yet, I am 25lbs away and Just two days ago i started going back to the gym after maybe 6 months. Are you on any Face book wls groups. they are always very supportive. My craving as out of control but when I want chocolate, I have chocolate. If I want to be good. I'll have sugar free chocolate pudding, if I want to be bad I have a good ole piece of chocolate. I said that this go round that I am going to really try to stick to what I need to do to reach goal. I have been maintaining at 200lbs for a little while now. I hope this helps. Thanks for your comment!
January 1, 2014
Also I am about at a cup of food per serving. sometimes I force my self and end of being sick.
January 1, 2014
Hi NewBootyBabe620, Thank you so much for responding. You have done good with seems to be little trouble. I can't save I don't feel sick because I do often after eating still. I think I'm about a 1/2 to a little more than half a cup of food now. Sometimes for breakfast I can eat a whole small banana when I could only eat about 1/2 a few months ago. I too have to have a piece of chocolate at least once or twice a month, when that craving hit's I go to the store get a chocolate bar and at the register I ask someone or the person checking me out to have the rest if I open it right there in front of them and I take a small piece and give them the rest. They are always caught off guard but happy to take free candy. Keep up the good work and let's hit goal in the next few months! Smiles Lisa
January 6, 2014
Hey...I'm from Philly also...u look great
....my sleeve is scheduled in 10 day...I'm excited for my transformation... but I am a lil nervous...but like u...I prayed on it and gave it to God I've been loosing about alb a day since I've started my 2 week liquid/vegetable diet...but my question to u is did u tell everyone... like family and friends and come workers..u were having surgery??
May 20, 2014
I know it's been a while but I wanted to check in with you and see how it's going. I'm due to be sleeved and reviews like yours have really helped me. Is 175 where you want to end up? I haven't really thought of an end goal weight, did it help you to do it like that or did you set mini targets too?
June 16, 2014
Great Job! And NEVER let any one else "define" you! Set YOUR own goals, don't let distractions, and other people's expectations get you down, and BE who you want to be! Doc and his staff at my surgery location (Journey Lite out of Cincinnati) had set up a loose "goal" of 207 lb for me (I started the whole process close to 400 lbs, on the day of my surgery (my "new" birthday) 3/12/2012, I was at 327). I reached 207 in no time flat (less than 6 months), and at that point IT suddenly dawned upon me that I, and I alone, controlled where and when this little ride was going to stop :)
Now, I hover between 155-160, depending upon what I have eaten, and how long I spend at the gym !!! I AM in the best shape of my life right now at 51- even better than when I was 21 and running around in my Marine Corp uniform...
Enjoy your new life, but never forget the lessons learned by your old self- stay positive and upbeat!! As stupid as it sounds, just keeping a smile and a good attitude as your default demeanor is 98% of the battle!! Now, GO LIVE!
June 27, 2014
Jeff, do you have a weight loss review? I think you'd have a lot of insight for the rest of us just starting out, you've done brilliantly, what a buzz to be in better shape at 51 than 21. Wow!
June 28, 2014
Yes, just click on my profile. I think the sleeve is a tool. Its still up to the person using that tool to use it right!! And REALLY WANT IT....for yourself, and no one else!! There is only ONE person spend 100% of their time with u, and that is you!! Learn to be happy with you; then the being happy with others will follow all by itself!!!
UPDATED FROM newbootybabe620
1 year post
Pictures to compare my progress.
Hey girls... so since surgery I've been feeling great about my body and it really changes every day. I've been in my stage 2 faja for about a week or so and I'm already on the last set of hooks. My back still aches a little but that's getting better by the day as well. I take pictures almost every day. I stand on the mirror and just look at my body. I am so in love with my results. I can't say it enough but I couldn't have picked a better surgeon. Fatima Almonte was everything that I needed. Her and her staff are simply amazing. So loving and caring. Compassionate for their patients. Since I've been home I talk to them via whatsapp at least twice a week if not more. I've had my 5th massage which is like heaven. I go to my next this Saturday and when i tell you the masseuse hands are the best. I fall alseep every time. Yesterday I decided to take updated pics and compare them to my preop and 3 week post photos. My mouth dropped. So I decided to share.
Replies (3)
June 27, 2014
If that's slow losing I'll take it!! We all compare ourselves to each other but it's pointless really, you've done this for you and by yourself, and look at the rewards! You look fantastic. I'm so pleased you wrote a review, it helps those of us just starting out so much.
August 20, 2014
I can't tell you how much I appreciated your story. I'm in my second month of supervised medical weight loss so stories like yours keep me going!! And I agree with another post - if that is slow loosing - bring it on!! You look fantastic!
Replies (10)