Gastric Bypass Has Changed my Life!!!!! I Am Finally Living! - Washington, DC

I wanted to give everyone an update!!!!!

I'm still doing well and continue to keep the weight off! I swear 2017 just flew past by and I didn't realize that I had not posted in a while!!

Overall, my blood work and vitamin levels are great. I am naughty and forget to take my vitamins sometimes. I just put an alarm on my phone now and I'm taking them everyday. I suffer from ADHD, so having reminders is very helpful to me.

I do have thinning hair (one spot) but I had this prior to surgery. I just started taking biotin and I'm going to see a specialist soon. It's all due to my PCOS (hormonal issues from even before surgery).

My scars from my breast lift/augmentation look amazing! These are almost fading. I might post them, I just dont want my co-workers stumbles across these. The arm lift scars are pretty amazing too the top is barely noticeable but more towards the elbow that's where it shows. I will go see the surgeon about a revision. Other surgeons have told me they are fantastic, but I'm very OCD.

I am having a brazilian butt lift (BBL) done on 1/16/2018. I didn't want to do the full body lift because I didn't want a scar behind my back. So doing a Brazilian butt lift helps to plump the booty and not look saggy and this would help to not have the full 360 body lift. After the BBL, I will have an extended tummy tuck and then finally the thigh lift. This year is going to be full of expenses :( I also want the the fleur di lis tummy tuck (up line going across your tummy). This helps to cinch your waist and get rid of all the excess skin. My doctor is worried because I haven't had any children and might need an additional tummy tuck if I have kids. I will have another tummy tuck if I ever decide to have children. I just wont feel complete until all of this is done. I feel so much better that I have lost weight, but excess skin is just terrible. I feel bigger with it and I just want it gone now.

There are days that I'm bad with food and some that are good. I am not perfect, but I re-route myself if I get side tracked. I somehow survived the holidays with food-- but had a lot of wine hahaha.

Also, people magazine online, published my weight loss story. I was contacted regarding it and couldn't believe they wanted to share my story with the world.A lot of people gave positive feed back and some gave negative feed back about my choice of having surgery instead of doing it naturally. This really pissed me off but it made me realized that there will always be ignorant people in the world. Made me realize, I should be glad I wasn't narrow minded and part of the ignorant closed minded group LOL. Weight loss, regardless of how it was achieved (natural or through surgery), should be celebrated.

Also, I realized that there are not many books on real stories of gastric bypass. I've decided to start writing a book. I don't know if anyone would be interested, but I intend of publishing it through Amazon myself if no publishing company wants it buhahaha. I want to help others that are going through this or will go through this. I remember having surgery in 2014 and most of the books were repetitive or outdated and dint have progress pictures... Oh yes or they pretended to be a pillar of perfection. So I want to do something different. hey- at least this will prevent me from going out to bars or restaurants haha..

Anyway, here are some more pictures!!!

Wow!!!!!!!! It official has been over two years since I had gastric bypass (November 17, 2014). I never thought time would go so quickly. I can still remember the day I walked passed the weight loss clinic at Sibley. I was going for a gyno appointment at the hospital and as I walked into the office, I turned my head and saw the weight loss clinic sign at the end of the hospital corridor. I swear it felt like God himself was dropping hints at me and this was his final call to me to finally do something about my health. That was the exact moment that completely changed my life – when I saw the sign. Also, earlier that year, I had sinus surgery and now I was getting ready to have a tumor removed from one of my ovaries. My endocrinologist had just told me there was nothing else she could do for me. I could barely walk and my feet hurt every time I woke up in the morning. I was sick…..literally sick…You know, I never thought I would get emotional regarding my struggle or what I have been through, but as I am writing, I am overcome with the need to cry. It’s weird. Maybe it is mourning the old me.

Now for those that haven’t had surgery and are afraid, please note that this was the BEST decision of my life. I have never regretted going forward with surgery. Again, it was the BEST thing that could’ve happened to me AND my family. Now my mother doesn’t have to worry about me dropping dead from a heart attack anymore. Poor thing can’t call me anymore telling me that she’s worried that I’m going to need insulin or that she has nightmares where I die. Instead, now she calls me to make sure I am home safe. I have to remind her that I am 30 and not a kid anymore. Hahaha.

Also, as much as I hate to admit, I think the six months of nutritional counseling prior to surgery really helped me get ready for the surgery. I hated waiting six months to do the surgery, but it was really for the best. So for those going through the process, hang in there and if you can stick to it for six months, you can stick to is for the rest of your life. I know if I would’ve had surgery a couple years prior to 2014, I probably wouldn’t have been mentally ready.

As for any sort of regret. My only regrets is all the money I spent on food and my stretch marks. I wish I had a body free of stretch marks, but hey even my skinny sister has stretchmarks—my only consolation hahaha

This has definitely been a journey for me. The “old” me was worried I would not recognize the “new” me. Instead, it is the “new” me that doesn’t recognize the “old” me. I look at older pictures and I can’t even recall looking like that. It’s like looking at a stranger. I still feel like I am the same person and I feel like myself, but those older pictures is what reminders me that the “old” me is no longer in existence and I am a new person and the “Old” me is certainly dead. Hmmmm maybe I should burn an old picture and put the ashes in an urn. HHAHAHA. Okay I know I have a weird sense of humor hahahah

Now weight wise, I have been good. I've stabilized between 140-142. I wanted to drop more weight, but I really haven’t tried hard to lose more. I need to get back to the gym and cut out happy hour LOL. I still get on the scale at least twice a week. It might seem obsessive, but I get on the scale weekly to make sure I don’t gain weight. It’s fine to not lose, but I am vigilant about not gaining weight, specially after traveling/vacationing/holidays. I just joined a new gym and moved into an apartment that has a small gym as well, so it will be easier to work out now and my work life is not as hectic anymore. So I am hopefully, I will probably be 130 in a couple of months. I’m also signing up with a personal trainer. I told him I need to build a booty. LOL

As far as any complications, nothing really but the dumping syndrome. Which actually is a good thing, since I feel like it prevents me from ever pigging out or having bad food (sugary). I can’t even do a scoop of full ice cream sometimes. Oh god and eating a whole cupcake?? it is definitely a killer. So I just take a few bites here and there.

Oh yes, and I had an arm lift and a breast lift/augmentation in Jan 2016- need to make a review for that one.

Anyway, I am writing a mini novel to you guys, so I’m going to stop now. hahah

It's been a little over a year now (one year and almost a month) and I'm down to 139!! I'm doing low carb again and losing more. I'm hoping to reach 125.

So far, everything is good, except that I cannot tolerate desserts. A lot of sugary dessert will definitely give me dumping syndrome now :(