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Before & After
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* move mouse over the picture to see “after” photo
See these instructions if you wish to submit your own Before & After photos. Surgeon Testimonial Todd Eibes, M.D., F.A.C.S. I had my consult with Dr. Eibes today and everything went well. He said that when they do the open RNY that he will remove my gall bladder also. I am very excited and modivated about the surgery but now I just have to wait for the insurance approval. I pray it doesnt take forever. Member Interests
Latest Surgery Support Comments
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My Story 10-22-02 I would like to be able to wear my old clothes again. I gained 95 pounds in the past year. I have always been on the heavy side ever since Junior high school. I remember my sister telling me that we were going to shop for school clothes in the husky section for me and I was only in 5th grade. I have tried every diet you could imagine and then some. Its ridiculous all the money I spent of losing weight but then gaining it back and then some. Its a darn shame that people judge you by how much you weigh. I have isolated myself from family and friends and I really don't like anything about myself right now. Pretty depressing!!! This is why I am on 2 anti-depressants right now and an anxiety pill. Everyday I think about doing the unthinkable with my life but I actually couldnt go through with it. I go tomorrow to my PCP to see if the will refer me to Dr. David Coster. Ooops I forgot to tell you about myself. I am 29, single, no children, I weigh 275 and I moved to Iowa in July 2002 from Fort Worth, Texas. My boyfriend got out of the Marine Corps and we moved back to where his family is and I was able to get my job transferred up here but in Sept they closed our office (just my luck). And my most precious dog (I rescued her from the streets and abuse) passed away on Aug 13, 2002. It seems as though i am having bad luck up here and I think about moving back to TX all the time. I have no friends here either. Oh well...I will get through this with the power of the good Lord standing by me. 10-23-02 Went to my PCP to have me referred to Dr. Coster but I couldnt get in with him until Feb 2003 so I have a consultation with Dr. Eibes in the same office on Nov 13th. I am so excited just to get the consult. I have BC/BS PPO and I am praying everyday that it will be approved and I am hoping I can have the surgery before the end of this year. I have tried everything this year to lose the weight that I started to gain last Aug 2001. I got pneumonia and bronchitus in July 2001 (and had this for 3 months) which the Dr said no working out or anything like that. I figured I would have pneumonia for maybe two weeks then I could go back to the gym but I had it for 3 months. This is when I started to put the weight on b/c I was working out 4-5 times a week with my fiance who is a Marine and his friends. I weighed then 180 and thick but very toned, heck some of the guys wanted me to enter in some weightlifting competitions but I didn't. Here is what I used to look like and I want to look like this again with this surgery. I was so happy and alive then and would not be embarassed to go anywhere. http://briefcase.yahoo.com/cowgrlnfw . I lifted weights all the time until i got sick then everything went downhill. I didnt want to go back to the gym b/c I didnt want anyone to see that I had put on 15 pounds. I was embarassed. I wish to this day that I would have gone back. I now weigh 275 so in one year I put on 95 pounds. I am so ashamed and I have isolated myself from family and friends. I want this surgery so I can have my life back again and be happy and healthy. I have been on blood pressure medication for 2 years now and I am on 2 different kinds of anti-depressants b/c I am so depressed for gaining this weight. At this point, I hate to look in the mirror, I hate to go outside fear that someone will see me and make a comment about my weight. No one is supposed to live like this! 11-1-02 I am so very anxious for my consult to get here, only 12 more days. All I keep thinking about is I pray my insurance (BC/BS PPO, I am on there COBRA plan b/c I am unemployed - our office closed down so I thought this would be a great time to get this surgery done) will approve this. If anyone reads this, please let me know if you have the same insurance and had the WLS, please email me. I have read from people on this website that they had theirs approved. I also dont want to wait a month to get this approved either. See I told y'all I was very anxious. I am also worried about how much I will have to pay before the surgery. I pray that I can have the surgery before the year is over. ARRGGHHHH the wait is killing me. 11-8-02 Only 5 more days until I have my first consultation with Dr. Eibes. I am so very ready to have a life again and go out in public with confidence. I need my self esteem back again too. I hope Dr. Eibes will be my angel in making my life better. I cry every night b/c I am worried my insurance will not cover the surgery. I know I sound so selfish, but this is my last hope I don't have any other choices. Please Lord hear my prayers. 11-13-02 I had my consult with Dr. Eibes today and everything went well. He said that when they do the open RNY that he will remove my gall bladder also. I am very excited and modivated about the surgery but now I just have to wait for the insurance approval. I pray it doesnt take forever. My mom will be coming from PA to stay with me while I am in the hospital and at home for a little while. God bless her. She knows how depressed I get with my weight and she is there when I need to cry on her shoulder too. I LOVE YOU MOM!!!! And the waiting begins on the insurance approval... 11-15-02 Talked to BC/BS and someone from Dr. Eibes office is to fax them the letter today. 11-16-02 I am still waiting.... I have been very emotional all night crying... I have no idea why but it just seems like the thing to do. I just want my life back and this surgery will do that for me. I pray everyday that my insurance will approve this. 11-17-02 Still waiting on insurance approval.... 11-18-02 I called BC/BS today and they STILL HAVE NOT received the letter from Dr. Eibes' office. I called Dr. Eibes office to speak with there insurance person and she is off today. ARGHHHH!!!! I am so frustrated right now, I could just SCREAM!!!! 11-20-02 BC/BS finally received Dr. EIbes' letter after one week of them trying to fax it to BC/BS. Waiting on approval... 11-26-02 Still waiting on approval... I have been worrying myself sick waiting for insurance approval. I want so much to have this surgery by the end of the year bc my deductable is met, plus I want to have this ASAP. Everyday it seems as if I get more depressed even though I try not to but I keep thinking that with my luck I will be denied approval but somedays I try to keep my head up about this. I am so very ready and waiting to get this surgery done. I am sick of feeling the way I do. I mean I am 29 and I have to catch my breath just from climbing my stairs at home. I wish my feet and back didn't hurt anymore. I want to feel pretty again and look half decent in my clothes. I feel that when I leave the house (which is only to go to the grocery store), everyone looks at me like why can't she lose weight or gosh she keeps gaining weight. I just feel down right lousy about myself. Please BC/BS come through for me. 11-27-02 Can't sleep of course, what else is knew. It seems I have not been getting a good nights sleep in awhile. My nerves are shot from me worrying about this. If you havent noticed I am a major worry wart. I called BC/BS today to see if maybe my approval had gone through but nothing. They said it went to the Medical Board on 11-20-02, I told the woman (who was super nice DeVonna) I am very anxious and impatient about this and I apologized for calling twice a week. I keep praying day and night that I get approved. I know you have alot more people that need your help more than I do but please Lord hear my prayers. Why is it that I find myself crying about this all the time? I think I cry for the fear of being denied approval...denied a new life and denied to live again. And the waiting is killing me. 12-1-02 What a weekend it has been. I cried everyday this weekend but then again what else is new. I cried b/c I want this surgery so bad that the wait is killing me. I keep telling myself that the surgeons office IS going to call me this week to make my surgery appointment. Please GOD hear me, please!!! I am planning on driving back to PA to be with my family during the holidays since my boyfriends family could care less about me. I have no family and friends up here in Iowa. I want to be with people that love and care about me. So, I am praying I can get my surgery before christmas and stay in PA for a couple of weeks to recoup. It has taken alot of my mothers coaxing for me to go see my family b/c I told her I feel ashamed, embarassed and humiliated b/c I let myself get this way with my weight. And of course the unconditionally mothers love comes out. My mother tells me that they dont care what I look like and they want to spend time with me. She says all the right words that I need to hear to make me feel better. I feel like I am putting her through h*ll with my weight. 12-2-02 OK OK OK The waiting is killing me!!! I find myself carrying my cell phone with me everywhere including the bathroom, I dont want to miss the call from the surgeons office telling me that I am approved (I am trying to be confident with the insurance approval) and schedule my surgery. ARRGGGHHH Please call me darn it!!! I called the surgeons office today and spoke with Brenda and she said for me to call BC/BS to make sure they got all the info b/c we were having problems before faxing to BC/BS. Brenda also said that they do still have openings for the month of December. I was like YAAA-HOOO!!! Please BC/BS approve me!!! 12-13-02 I am on my way to see my family in Pennsylvania, so I can be with them during the holidays b/c at this point I dont think I will get approved before the year end. I just found out that come January 1, 2003 my insurance will change to United Healthcare and they are harder at getting approval for surgery. 12-16-02 I called my HR department at my old job and explained my situation that I was trying to get approval before the new year and the HR person I spoke with said she will email the supervisor at BC/BS. And would you believe I got a call at lunch time from the surgeons office that I WAS APPROVED!!! WOOOOHOOOO!!! But the surgeons office needed the approval letter faxed to them ASAP and BC/BS said they wouldnt fax it so I got on the phone and spoke with the higher ups and said I have got to have this letter faxed bc I dont have time for y'all to mail it. And they faxed it then next morning to the surgeons office. Thank you God, Thank you God!!! You answered my prayers!! 12-17-02 The surgeons office called and they gave me a surgery date of December 26th. What a wonderful christmas present to give myself and for the new year. The nurse said that I would need to make an appointment with my PCP to get a physical and I would have to have my pre-op tests also. I called my PCP and thank goodness she could get me in on Dec 19th b/c she was going to be on vacation christmas week. And I scheduled my pre-op testing for Dec 20th. Gosh, everything is moving so very fast now. I am so excited and my attitude has changed so much for the better. I am looking forward to this surgery. 12-18-02 Me and my mom left Pennsylvania for Iowa. It took us about 15 hours drive to get here but we made it. And I am so happy she will be here with me through all of this, she is an awesome supporter and is standing by me 110%. She wasn't so sure at first when I told her about the operation but after I sent her some web pages with info her mind changed. 12-19-02 We got to IA at 1:30 in the morning and I could not wait to hit the bed. I had my physical today in the afternoon and everything was great. 12-20-02 Had my pre-op testing today (blood work, EKG, chest x-rays, talking to the dietician and with administration). I will talk to the anesthesiologist the day of surgery. Everyone at Grinnell Regional Medical Center was so very very nice. They were in no hurry at all and when I went to each station to have work done they were greeting me at the door now how awesome is that, there was no wait. I just could not get over there professionalism and caring attitude. I guess I am just used to people being not so very nice to me. I still think and will always think this, that people treat obese people so differently than thinner people. I also had to pay 10% of the surgeons fee and the assistants fee today which was $420.00. Not bad at all. I will get billed for the hospital and anesthia later which I think will total $2110.00 and they will let you make payments which is awesome. I am going to have my mom take a before picture and some pictures after surgery and my incision and post them as soon as I can. 12-25-02 Only one more day until surgery and I am so very excited. My mom and I are going to Olive Garden for my last meal. I will get their soup and salad, I love their Toscana soup, its awesome. After my stay in the hospital I will be going to PA to stay with my parents, since I have no support here in Iowa from my boyfriend and his family, which is pretty pathetic. His family only lives 3 blocks from me and I havent heard from them in months. Sooo for the last 3 months it has just been me and my dog diamond. I have no one to talk to here but I call mom and my bestest friend Debbie in Texas when I am feeling blue or I have to talk to them about something I found out my boyfriend has done. I cannot trust him anymore. I have found out that he has talked sexually to girls on the internet and I have their instant messages to prove it, he has called several adult chat lines on the phone and he spends my money like he grows on trees. He has also met some women on the net. He drives truck and never send money home to pay the bills. I am sick and tired of being depressed and supporting his a*s for the past year. Sorry I will stop rambling but I had to get that off my chest. And I finally made up my mind and have decided to seperate from my fiance. It is for the best and he understands. Since we started dating, everything has went downhill for me. Weight gain, low self esteem, depression, isolating myself from friends and family, thinking of committing suicide everyday since my weight gain. I want to be happy like I was before and be outgoing and not afraid to go out in public. This surgery is my new beginning to a new life and I can't wait to get started. My family and friends are behind me 110%. I will be moving back to Texas and getting my old job back in a couple of months. I miss Texas so much and my friends too, especially since I dont have any here in Iowa. I know weigh 290 but I am going by what my scale says at home since I have not been to a doctor since my surgery. Tomorrow is the BIG DAY!!! WOOOHOOOO!!! 3-18-03 Gosh, I have not posted in forever and ever. Before I go on I want everyone to know that I am doing ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!! I no longer think about suicide. I am off my blood pressure medicine and my 2 depression medicines and my xanax. I now weigh 225 pounds and wear size 20. THis was the best thing I ever did in my entire life. I am starting to feel beautiful again and I am working on getting back my self esteem. Do you believe I actually go out with my girlfriends and go shopping to. I am not embarassed like I was when I weighed 300+. I have no more back pain and my feet don't kill me like they used to. I am pain free. I moved back to FORT WORTH, TEXAS in February 2003 and I got my old job back and I am loving life again. I left my ex-boyfriend and left him in Iowa. It feels so wonderful to be back in Texas. I would like to say so many Thank you's to my Mother and Father and the rest of my family for all of there wonderful support and to my bestest friend Debbie who was always there to lend an ear when I needed her. I want to also Thank my relatives who sent me cards and all their prayers. Thank you to the good Lord above for answering my prayers for this surgery! If I didn't have all of you in my life I honestly don't think I would be here today. I would have ended it months ago. There are not enough words to say how much I appreciate each and every one of you who helped me through my new life journey. I love you !!! 03-20-03 I have got to make an appointment with a doctor here in Fort Worth sometime soon. I havent had insurance since right after my surgery. I just started my old job but won't have benefits until July 1, 2003. ARRGHHH I cannot wait that long. I guess I will make the appointment and pay full price for the doctor appointment. Last night my best friend and I went and got some mexican food take out. Bad idea... I ate to much and about 20 minutes after eating I was in the bathroom dry heaving my guts out but I didn't throw up. I swear I thought i was going to die. I wish this dry heaving would stop soon. I will ask the doctor abotu this when I goto my appointment. 3-21-03 I was coming home from work to day and I started getting sick again. ARRGGHHH I almost had my roomie take me to the emergency room even though I dont have medical coverage yet with my company and this won't kick in until July 1. I called Dr Eibes' office and told them about my dry heaves and they said that I need to have my esphogus dialated so I don't get sick anymore. 3-25-03 I exercised for the first time in forever last night. I lifted weights and walked on the treadmill for 15 minutes. I felt wonderful and I think I will walk 20 minutes tonight. I have contacted BC/BS about getting medical insurance until mine at work kicks in. I am waiting to hear back from them. March is not a good month for me I hardly lost anything. I told my best friend Debbie that her and I are going to go to Billy Bobs on May 17th to see Trace Adkins and I am going to fit into my Rockie jeans which are a size 15. This gives me almost 2 months to lose 30-35 more pounds. I can do it b/c I started exercising!!! WOOHOOO I love the new me. 3-30-03 The month of March has not really been a good month for me with weight lose so I am going to make it up in April. My goal will be to lose 15 pounds this month and that will bring me to 209 pounds. I have finally added my pic on here and I want to add some more of me at my 1 month and 2 month and 3 months post op. I think I will have to make my own web page to do this. 4-11-03 I went to see Dr. John Alexander of North Dallas, TX yesterday to see about my dry heaves. I don't have my medical insurance until July 1. So I had to fork out $205 for the appointment. ARRGHHH oh well. He said that he will have to stick a scope down my throat to see if I will need my esophogus dialated. He said more than likely I will need the procedure done. I am scheduling it for the first week in July so I dont have to suffer through getting the dry heaves and stomach pain anymore. I have sent my before photo and my now photo and i am waiting for them to be added on here. I can't see a difference but everyone else can. I guess I will always see myself as 290 pounds even though I know weigh 220. 4-24-03 Well I think I finally figured out what is giving that bad abdominal pain. Its my ZINC vitamin. I know sounds silly but I talked to post ops and they had the same reaction. Plus my doc prescribed me some liquid Vicodin for the pain. I was trying on some of my old clothes last night and I put on a pair of Size 16 shorts, I couldn't believe it. WOOHOOO I am on my way. I can get into all of my size 18 pants and clothes right now. ANd if I lose 10 more pounds I can fit into my Rockie Jeans. This surgery was awesome. I am still lifting weights and hoping to be able to bench press 160 soon. This is what I used to bench press when I was lifting before at the gym before my ex made me quit the gym b/c of his jealousy. I feel as though I should be walking more and more b/c my hips are so hard to lose and they just hang there, I will probably have to get that extra skin and the extra skin on my thighs removed sometime soon. 5-8-03 I can now get on my Rockie Jeans which was one of my goals. They are really tight but I can button them. I thought I would never see the day that I would fit into them again. I still thank God for answering my prayers for this surgery. I have not had any abdominal pain since I stopped taking my zinc vitamin. I don't get hungry anymore at all. But I know I have to eat something. 5-13-03 My hair is falling out like crazy, it has been for the last month. I even started taking 2500mg of Biotin 3 months before my surgery and it still didnt help. I have thick hair to begin with but I can tell at the top its thinning out a little bit. I am moving to an apartment complex that has a fitness center in it. WOOHOO I am moving on the 16th. I am very excited about that and can't wait to start working out on a regular basis. 6-26-03 My hair has finally stopped falling out like crazy. Thank goodness. I feel wonderful and feel as though I look great. My hips and some fat on my thighs just hangs there and I think I will have to do something about that soon. People are still noticing my weight loss and I love it. It makes me feel so darn good, even though at times I feel like I still weigh 290 but I am sure this normal. Just added a recent pic and they should have it up real soon. Also, my medical insurance kicks in on July 1st. I have United Healthcare PPO.... I hope they will approve my skin removal. Its mostly on my thighs and hips and butt. My arms I can live with because I have been lifting weights alot and my arms can wait. I may need some off my tummy too. But I still would do the surgery all over again in a heartbeat. 09-15-03 Guess I need to update more often. I am having the time of my life ....finally again. I love life and I am so happy with the new me. I actually dont think I will need any lifts or tucks bc the loose skin is disappearing. Even the clothes that I wore before I started to put the weight on are now getting to big on me. I need to purchase some size 13 Rockies (jeans). My size 16 shorts are all to big for me now too. My scar is still there and not fading all that great but I dont care at all. I am just happy to still be alive, and to think last year at this time I was thinking of killing myself. God has something in store for me ... yet I am not sure what that is yet. But I am enjoying my life now and enjoying the people around me. I am still off of all of my depression meds and my high blood pressure meds. My blood pressure has been normal since my surgery. I will need to update my pic now since I am at 184 now. WOOHOOO 9-22-03 I bought my first pair of size 13 Rockie Jeans on Saturday!!! WOOHOOO I havent worn size 13 in forever and ever.... I think since i was in junior high. 10-14-03 I am still at 184 which is fine with me bc I never ever felt so darn wonderful about myself. WOW did i just say that... never thought I would ever hear myself say that. I have been dating some but nothing serious. Its awesome to have men compliment me. When a year ago I wouldnt be caught dead going out of the house and now look at me. I am no longer a home body either. I go out all the time with my girlfriends and we have a blast. I also joined a gym yesterday.. and there are some hottie's in there WOOHOO I am so excited about my new life. I will also be going to Las Vegas in December for the National Finals Rodeo. And I dont even have to worry about having my hips stick out in to the other person's seat. I think I will have to get a thigh lift and some skin off my hips and butt and probably my tummy. Unless, working out with tighten it but I think its so stretched out it wont go back. I pray insurance will cover it. 05-24-04 WOWSERS I havent updated for awhile.... I have been 180 since September and havent gained a pound untiljust recently I put on 7 pounds. Not sure if its muscle or fat. I have been working out 4-5 times a week including lifting weights (biceps flexed are 14 inches) and also taking boxing lessons... I am trying to make myself believe its muscle but i am scared to death about the extra poundage. MAY 20th I was APPROVED for my TUMMY TUCK through Dr. John Alexander in Dallas (he also does the gastric bypass surgeries). I have UNITED HEALTHCARE PPO now and they approved it even though it took 6 weeks of review. I have to pay the surgeon upfront $1000.00 for his fee and insurance covers the rest. I posted some updated pics but they are not up on here yet. I also am starting to hate my body again and feel like i weigh 300 plus pounds again bc i hate my extra skin and the drooping of my hips. I have come along way and I refuse to give up now... I will just work harder at the gym but no matter what I can get rid of the skin unless its surgically removed. My next thing i want to get done is my hips and thighs. 06-11-04 Scared to death about my tummy tuck surgery on June 30th. Happy birthday to me on July 6th..OUCHers what a painful bday this will be. My loving mother, who i adore with all my heart and could never ask for a better mother than her, is coming to stay with me for a month.... God love her she has lupus and was diagnosed a month after my GB surgery. She and my daddy stand behind me 110% on this surgery and all that I do bc they know how responsible and determined I am. I made out my Will today ..just in case which i had to do when i had gastric bypass... I cried. I am more scared of the TT surgery than I was the GB surgery...bc i am now afraid of dying when i wasnt afraid of dying before. My friends tell me i am obsessed with my body and I think I am...guess I just want to be called HOT one day. LOL I am hoping to get my thighs lifted and some lyposuction (in the fall) to get rid of the rest of my extra skin that i have muscle underneath. I still think its a shame that people judge and treat you different when you are not obese. And people ignore and look at you funny when you are obese...its a terrible thing. Sometimes I see morbidly obese people and want to tell them about gastric bypass but do not dare to humilate them. I wish every obese person could get this surgery. I still look in the mirror and see a 300+ pound person standing there... some days i feel great about my body and somedays I hate it. 7-8-04 I had my tummy tuck on June 30th and everything went great although i had a fever of 102 the day after my surgery. I made it through it. My tummy is flat and i have no love handles, i have 76 staples and not sure how many stitches bc they are on the inside which make up my new belly button. So my tattoo and belly button ring are gone but will be getting my belly button peirced again and it shouldnt be as painful as the first bc that area is still numb. I still have my drain tubes in and will be getting those out on July 13th. I am going back to work on July 12th too. Mom and my best friend Debbie and Robert(a really good friend) was there when I got out of the operating room. Mom was crying bc i was all pale and looked dead...mom thinks they brought me back to my room to quick and should have let me in the recovery room a little while more. Went to the docs on July 6th (my 31st birthday) and doc said everything looks great and that i dont need anymore cosmetic surgery. He said I dont need a thigh lift either but I told him I am still getting my ass and thighs lyposuctioned very soon. I am still very self consious of my hips..i hate them!!! Also, I am not in as much pain as everyone has wrote and claimed on here. I guess I have a high tolerance to pain but I am hardly in pain even though i was cut from one backside check to the other. They gave me Hydrocodine for pain but i am also taking Bromelain for swelling and Arnica Montana for trauma and bruising...these are herbs. I have only one bruise and you would think i would have alot more but i dont. The nurses in the OR pulled my skin so tight that when they took the tape off it pulled some of my skin off.. i have 2...4 inch boo-boos that ripped my skin off and i am taking care of those with hydrogene peroxide and triple ointment. Remember I have no feeling in my tummy area so the hydrogen peroxide doesnt hurt. I am also wearing a binder and prob will be for another month. I need to go rest. 07-21-04 I feel awesome after my tummy tuck!!! I can now wear skin tight shirts again and I dont have any rolls LOL. I love it. I went out this past weekend and bought 10 little shirts...size medium too. Couldnt wait to get the drain tubes and 76 staples out and got those out on July 13th. I am not wearing a binder anymore either. After that I felt alot better bc nothing was pulling but I do have a little seperation where my smiley face and the up and down stitches meet but i have steri-stripes on that and it is closing...i had the same problem with my gastric bypass incision too. I have heard bad and good things about Dr. A doing TT's...and I must say he did an OUTSTANDING job on me. Heck, the incision is very thin...not like my gastric bypass scar which was 1/4 thick...YUCK!!! Woohoo i love the new flat tummy i have...its awesome.. i still have very minimal swelling too and no pain. 03-18-05 Holy smokes has the time gone by and i havent updated on here. I just received a call from my older sister (who is in college) saying that she got a great score on the speech she did on my gastric bypass and mentioned that some people from her classes would be reading this....well i of course broke down and cried bc i was so moved and touched by her giving the speech and by her teacher for letting her students get a chance to read my journal...and to definitely learn about this surgery and how it changes peoples lives. No one else in my family or other relatives have had this surgery...i was the first. I noticed I have not updated since my tummy tuck and i have received several emails from TMB (Texas Message Board on here) about my TT and asking how everything was and how i liked the surgeon that did it. I emailed them my before and after TT pics and they decided to have Dr. Alexander do there TT's. I am still numb from my TT surgery in the front tummy area which is normal and could be numb for up to a year. My tummy is still flat and i have no rolls when i sit down either. I have an occasional pain spell in my abdominal area from the TT but it goes away. I still will not wear shorts bc the skin on my thighs just hangs there and is not very pretty so i wont be wearing any daisy dukes anytime soon LOL I wear compression garment shorts when i wear a dress or skirt (which comes to myknees) bc of my thighs have a mind of there own so the compression garment shorts will keep the skin in place. I dont wear the compression garment shorts with jeans bc the jeans themselves hold everything in...thank goodness for ROCKIES (western jeans). I am maintaining from 170 to 176 and fighting food addiction on a daily basis and the grazing monster UGH!!! Most people that have WLS (WeightLoss Surgery) think this is a permanent solution to a lifelong problem....NEWS FLASH...its NOT. Its a temporary solution and a tool that we as WLS patients have to use wisely or else we WILL gain our weight back or some of our weight back. Since having the WLS i have become anemic and lacktose intolerant. Sugar kills me and makes me dump...most of the time. I canhave maybe 3 cookies a day if that. I cant even have 2% milk bc it contains sugar...this makes me have a tummy ache. I take 18-20 vitamins a day (4 calcium, 2 iron, 2 vit c, 2 b12, 1 biotin, 1 folic acid, 2 multi-vitmain, 2 bromelain, 2 B-100 complex vits), drink 4-5 protein shakes a day (made with water), 64oz of water (which i can count the water i use for my protein shakes), plus i mix a spoonful of Benefiber with my shakes and exercise is a MUST. I can only take certain vitamins bc my body only absorbs certain ones (I can only absorb calcium citrate, iron-i can only absorb ferrous fumerate, b-12 sublingual only) and I can only use Whey Protein bc its also better absorbed into my body. Food only stays in my small pouch for maybe 5 minutes. I have to get my blood levels and a dexascan (bone scan) done every 6 months to make sure the vitamins are doing there thing...and i dont have any bone loss. My iron was really low so i started taking 2 iron a day with vit C for better absorbtion plus i have to take more fiber bc iron makes you constipated BLAH My personal life has totally done a 360!!! I am so freakin happy i could just explode. I never thought i would ever say that. I met a man last August and we have been dating ever since. He is a Irving Police Officer and also a USAF Commander (Captain) of a security squadron in San Antonio...he does the reserve thing and hopefully wont have to go overseas anytime soon. I never in a million years thought i would be happy again or ever meet a man that treats me the way a woman should be treated. He knows about my gastric bypass and tummy tuck and even though i am still self conscious about my anchor looking tummy tuck scar...he doesnt care bc he loves me for me. I still to this day thank God for saving my life. You never know low until you have been there and i still cant believe that almost 2.5 years ago i was thinking of killing myself bc i was so depressed about myself and i tried everything to lose the weight and couldnt...and this led to me drinking alcohol to ease the pain and to just get to sleep. God has blessed me with friends, family and a boyfriend that loves me for me. I still hear people cackling about obese people and it still saddens me. Why does society treat obese people differently...this just irritates me to no end. I was at the gym the other day in a weightlifting class and there were obese people walking past the window and this women said "why is it that fat people only walk past the gym window and never come in" WELL i heard this and nearly came unglued!!! Pissed me the heck off that people dont have a freakin clue what heavy people go through. (Do they think being obese is so much damn fun. DO they think constant back, leg, neck, and foot pain is fun or only having one outfit to go out in public is fun or even getting the courage to even go out in public is fun....HELL no its not.) So i piped up and said i used to be one of those fat people...well that shut her up. I have seen her several times since then and she ignores me. I was freakin livid and had to go take my frustrations out on the boxing bag. Its so unfair the way society treats obese people and I know some people reading this have made comments about obese people without even knowing what they are going through in life. Being obese is not fun, it hurts to hear the "FAT" comments and snickers to the point where we go home and cry...i have heard it all my life (thunder thighs, fatty, jiggles...i heard it all). I only remember the bad things people say about me but i very rarely remember the good things people say. It affects us psychologically for the rest of our lives (some WLS patients see a psychologist bc they are still dealing with the comments and the sudden weightloss) and I am still dealing with comments people made even when i was in high school. People dont realize that the "FAT" comments HURT us, we have feelings to and we hurt like everyone else does so please please please the next time you see an obese person and want to make a comment and snicker at them...just remember we are human too and what you say hurts us and you dont know what we are going through. OBESITY is a disease and FOOD is an addiction!!!! Just like smoking, drugs and alcohol are. Whew!!! Sorry to ramble!!! Anyway, i love talking about the surgeries I have had done and helping other people and answering their questions. I will always have a special place in my heart for obese people bc i have not forgotten where i used to be and I am just considered overweight now and not morbidly obese at 310. I have also started going to some DFW and Fort Worth WLS Support Group Meetings which has been helping me deal with all this. I still sometimes see myself as 310 and some days i feel really good about myself. When i have slacked off at going to the gym ...this is when i start feeling 310 again. So I get my butt to the gym pronto!!! I love the meetings bc its so good to be with pre ops and post ops. I have learned that there are people our there that have gone through the same thing i have gone through. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at cowgrlnfw@yahoo.com I have my profile on here so other pre-ops, post-ops or their friends and family can read this....if i can help one person out there then having my personal journal on here was worth it and i do know i have helped several people bc they have gone through or will go through some of the same experiences i have gone through. 04-25-05 Joined 24-Hour Fitness ...WOOOHOOO 04-27-05 I am at 180 and gained 10 pounds in the last 5 months bc my dumbass hasnt been to the gym like a good little girl should be doing. I went yesterday and lost 1 pound so as my friend Julie Hedges http://www.juliehedges.info/ said exercise it a MUST. She also put me on her Hot WLS Babes page. WOOHOO You must check out her page and i am almost done reading her 180 page journal...she also is dealing with the food demons like most post ops do. We as WLS patients have got to freakin realize this surgery is only a TOOL and we have to maintain it bc we CAN GAIN it all back or some if we are not careful. I am prime example...i put 10 pounds on last year (from working out and boxing even if it was muscle i was still pissed that i gained it) and lost it and now i am in the same boat and i know i can lose it....its all up to me bc i do not want to be OBESE again. I am still overweight but i can live with that. My ass is in the gym all this week and next...I have to go to my boyfriends family reunion in AUgust in Jackson Hole, Wyoming so i want to get my arms toned and my legs well....not sure i can get those puppies toned bc of the skin...YUCK!!! 05-04-05 I am still at 180. I joined TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) yesterday so i can weigh in every week and keep on track again and get to goal at 165 so i have 15 pounds to lose and I want to lose this my August. I know I can do with the right diet and eating more veggies and cut back on the carbs and more exercise..I WILL DO IT!!! I am also looking into Plastic Surgery now for my thighs, butt and some lipo on the saddle bags. I will more than likely finacne all this. I figured its just like buying a new car except I will bve buying a new body that i can be proud of and finally be able to wear shorts and actually wear a bikini in public. I am fighting my food addictions daily and it is so hard. yesterday i didnt have any sugar free chocolate. Put I have been on a mixed nut and trail mix/ nuts kick lately. 05-20-05 Went to see Dr. Fred Hackney, plastic surgeon in Dallas. He wants to do a full body lift and medial thigh lift..both will be seperate surgeries. THey are also going to turn it into the insurance company (United Healthcare)bc it is reconstructive surgery and is not considered cosmetic. 05-24-05 Put this email on the OH TMB and on another group. OK everyone...I got good and bad reviews about this. Before WLS I had been on adipex back in the mid 90s and kept the 80 pounds off that i lost for 7 years...then got into a bad relationship with a man that brought me down and i gained the weight back. I kept it off for 7 years which i think was excellent. I know all about what adipex can do and the side effects too. So dont send me articles to read about it and the bad effects it has. So today i started taking the adipex again to lose the 15 pounds i need to ...to get to goal. My eating habits didnt change but they got better and i started exercising again and the pounds WERE NOT coming off.....everyone is different. Most of the negative reviews I got were from WLS patients that were already AT GOAL. I received private emails from women that had the WLS and stalled at there weightloss and needed something to help them loss the rest and were on adipex and have made it to goal and have maintained it too...all were under there gastric bypass doctors supervision. They are doctors so i think they know what they are doing especially those that have been gastric bypass docs for years. This is only for one month and I see no problem with it....I will just work harder to maintain once i get to 165. Thank you all that responded and for the encouragement too. Please do not send me hateful emails and keep them to yourselves but if you have some encouragement to give me then I am all ears. Sorry if I offended anyone with this email. I just want people to know that there are other alternatives when you cant get those last few pounds off...its your choice. Maybe I made the right choice or maybe I didnt.... Michele 310/180/165 06-02-05 WOOHOOO I am on the losing side of things again...since last Tuesday (10 days) I have lost 8 pounds on adipex diet pills that my gastric bypass doc put me on for one month to get to goal. I feel so much better about losing again. I know its only 8 pounds but i actually feel alive again and feel better about myself. I felt like a failure bc i gained 10 pounds back. UGH I am headed to San Antonio tomorrow with my boyfriend for his Air Force Reserve drill weekend. I have never been to san antonio before and cant wait to see the Alamo and Riverwalk. WOOHOOO 08-08-05 FINALLY got approved for my Medial Thigh Lift (inner thigh lift) with Dr. Hackney the plastic surgeon...WOOHOOO After getting approved with Dr. Alexander I asked UHC to switch surgeons and they did. Now I am still waiting to hear about the LBL (lower body lift). I am trying to get this done at the end of this month. I have wanted this next step in my journey done so badly...I hate looking in the mirror and seeing the hanging skin....UGH Cant wait for this skin to be gone and i can live a normal life without the rashes. Its me again...Just got a call from Jodi from Dr. Hackneys office and she has me scheduled for the medial thigh lift for 8-30-05. My mom is already down here taking care of my aunt after her surgery so my mom will stay a few extra weeks with me after surgery bc i will definitely need her. I know this will be harder and more painful than the tummy tuck. 12-26-02..290# (surgery day) Size 26/28 to 30/32 01-02-03..265# (down 25 pounds -25) 1 week 01-09-03..260# (down 30 pounds -5) 2 weeks 01-16-03..254# (down 36 pounds -6) 3 weeks 01-23-03..250# (down 40 pounds -4) 4 weeks 01-30-03..244# (down 46 pounds -6) 5 weeks 1 month mark 02-06-03..244# (down 46 pounds -0) 6 weeks 02-13-03..240# (down 50 pounds -4) 7 weeks 02-20-03..I drove to IA to get my things from storage and move back to TX 8 weeks 02-27-03..231# (down 59 pounds -9) 9 weeks 2 month mark 03-06-03..231# (down 59 pounds -0) 10 weeks 03-13-03..229# (down 61 pounds -2) 11 weeks SIZE 20 WOOHOOO!!! 03-20-03..225# (down 65 pounds -4) 12 weeks 03-27-03..224# (down 66 pounds -1) 13 weeks 3 month mark 04-03-03..221# (down 69 pounds -3) 14 weeks 04-10-03..220# (down 70 pounds -1) 15 weeks 04-17-03..215# (down 75 pounds -5) 16 weeks 04-24-03..215# (down 75 pounds -0) 17 weeks 4 month mark SIZE 18 05-01-03..211# (down 79 pounds -4) 18 weeks I can get my size 16's on...WOOHOO 05-08-03..206# (down 84 pounds -5) 19 weeks 05-15-03..205# (down 85 pounds -1) 20 weeks 05-22-03..205# (down 85 pounds -0) 21 weeks 05-29-03..205# (down 85 pounds -0) 22 weeks 5 month mark size 16 06-05-03..205# (down 85 pounds -0) 23 weeks 06-26-03..199# (down 91 pounds -6) 26 weeks 6 month mark I can now wear ALL of my old clothes that I wore before I started to gain weight. 09-15-03..184# (down 106 pounds -15) 9 months post op Size 14 or some 15's 12-01-03..180# 05-25-04..187# Gained 7 pounds...praying its from working out religiously, lifting weights and boxing 06-30-04..TUMMY TUCK!!! 07-21-04..180# again WOOHOOO 08-17-04..172# not sure why i am losing guess it was bcof the TT 09-13-04..170# 03-18-05..between 170 and 176# still wearing size 14 to 15 bc my darn thighs have so much loose skin on them...in the process of getting my thighs lifted and the skin removed. 04-27-05..180 What the heck is going on??? Dont worry i know what it is...i havent been to the gym in 3 months and starting going again yesterday!!! 05-24-05..184 started taking Adipex the diet pill for one month under gastric bypass docs supervision 06-02-05..176 08-08-05..175-176 JULY 2008....REVISION ...weighed in at 190 Due to jejeunal diverticulum... which is a second pouch growing on the pouch that was created for me in 12-26-02. The second pouch was would get food caught in it and cause me to be sick in teh stomach to where I would have to go dry heave to work the food out of the second stomach into my normal pouch. I had gained about 20 pounds over the years. MARCH 2009...WEIGHT 150-155 I added new photos. I have hanging skin on my thighs and hips but I can live with it. I no longer have to wear compression garments which is fantastic!!! This is the lowest weight I can ever remember myself being. AUGUST 2010...WEIGHT still at 150-155 I can wear size 8-10 now. I amstill exercising and looking into joining a gym back here in Jtown. Yes I have moved back home to PA from TX this past June. |
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