Weight Loss Surgery Directory

Before & After

There are currently no before and after photos for this member.

See these instructions if you wish to submit your own Before & After photos.
Goals

Weigh 160 pounds by May 1

1 Person
 in progress, 
0 People
 achieved this

Reach 170 (lose 26) pounds by January 1, 2010

0 People
 in progress, 
1 Person
 achieved this

lose 30 pounds

14 People
 in progress, 
6 People
 achieved this
Surgeon Testimonial

Michael A. Snyder
My first impression of Dr. Snyder is that he passionately wants to help obese people become healthy. That impression never changed. He gives you all the tools you need to be sucessful in his program, right down to employing a registered dietician and a notebook of things to expect, things to do to prepare, a shopping list of things to have on hand for after the surgery, a list of expectations as to what you should be doing after surgery to become healthy, and many more tabs.rnrnThe office staff was very helpful, although I sometimes had trouble getting calls back. I just had to be my own advocate and keep calling and leaving messages, and emailing when the calls didn't work.rnrnI didn't dislike anything at all about him. He is high energy, and sometimes that's a little intimidating to someone who is basically sedentary like me, but I hope that as the weight comes off, my energy levels will go up, too.rnrnHe demands execellence of himself, and he demands it of you, too. Make sure before you have your surgery that you KNOW what you are going into, and the side-effects you could experience because of it. Make sure you follow his eating suggestions BEFORE surgery so that you know how you'll eventually be eating after surgery. LOSE WEIGHT before surgery, it helps him be able to move around in your belly. He does address the risks of the surgery, both physical and emotional, and warns you that there will come a time you'll wonder \"why did I ever do this?\" I told him that time would never come.rnrnHis aftercare program is excellent. There are several different support groups you can attend at the hospital, and he requires visits to his office the week after surgery, then 3 weeks post-op, then 6 weeks post-op, and then again at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, and thereafter once a year. At the first 3 appointments, you also attend nutritional classes so you know what you can be eating and how to transition to the next steps.rnrnI would rate Dr. Snyder a 10, extremely competent, enthusiastic, personable, helpful (he even gives you his personal pager number in case you panic or have problems). And his bedside manner is great, along with his surgical competence.... both are wonderful!
Member Interests
  • Books & Literature - I LOVE to read, will read any genre, but tend to stick with particular authors
  • Cats - We've got 4 - all
  • Theater - I live near and LOVE the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and go often.
  • Music - Goddess music, and country-western
  • Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender - Lesbian
  • Beadwork - Goddess rosaries, earrings, and bracelets
  • Grandchildren - I've got 3, all boys, from 9 months to 5 1/2 years
  • Reading - Autobiographies, science fiction, historical fiction, comparative religion
  • Mind, Body and Spirit - I create ritual to implement change in my life, I also do spiritual healing

Erica Alikchihoo's Journey

Click Here To View

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.
I was always "lush" - "curvy" - no skinny-mini for me. I look back at pictures of myself, and I was NOT fat, but I was constantly TOLD I was overweight, and my parents constantly had me on "diets". I was 5'9" and weighed between 140 and 145 most of the time. But my relationship with my parents was not the best, and I ran away from home at age 16. Ended up being kidnapped, raped, beaten and held hostage until I believed that I deserved to be where I was. Took me nearly a year to get out of that situation, and only then because he killed two of my pets. I was so afraid of him that I left the state, made some bad decisions, ended up pregnant, and had to come back home to my Dad and Stepmom's. I had the baby, and then to prove to my...
Latest Surgery Support Comments

  • Comment by rasvin on 3/2/09 7:26 pm
    Congrats on your surgery!! Wishing you a speedy recovery can't wait to be a loser haha ;-)
  • Comment by Stacy S. on 3/2/09 2:13 pm
    Want to wish you the very best and I am sending warm thoughts and lots of prayers to you for an uneventful surgery and a very speedy recovery.
  • Comment by maggiesmiles on 3/2/09 7:54 am
    Congrats on your surgery!! Wishing you a speedy recovery and I can't wait to joing you on the loser's bench :)
Click here for the surgery support page

Womyn42's Blog
Womyn42's Blog


IT'S OFFICIAL!!!
on August 19, 2009 1:40 pm
 Okay, it's official!!!   As of 7:30 this morning, I am officially down ONE HUNDRED POUNDS!!  I'm thrilled to death, just tickled down to my very toes.  I never thought I'd lose this much weight.... and it's still coming off.  I have 37 more pounds to meet my surgeon's goal, and 57 if I want to meet my own goal.  But this is one heck of a good start!!

Love to everyone,
Erica

2 comments | Leave a comment.

I just have to tell SOMEONE!!
on August 5, 2009 10:05 am
About a month ago, I realized that all my 3X shirts were basically "falling off me".... so I ordered a whole new bunch of 1x shirts in pretty colors.  They should be able to last me a while, as I can tuck them in or belt them over my slacks.  One of the shirts is chocolate brown, and I didn't have a pair of pants that would go with it, but I really wanted to wear it.  So, off I took myself last week to WalMart to see what they had.  Since the last time I had a pair of women's pants on (see the "purple" pictures in my photo album) they were a size 24W, I figured that a 22W would be a good place to start.  So I got a couple of different styles of Khaki and chocolate brown slacks and tried them on..... waaaaaay too big.  Okay, so I take them back and get a size 20W.  Still way too big.  Hmmm.... a size 18W??  Well, they fit, but loosely, and I could tell I would shrink out of them in no time at all.  Shaking my head in disbelief, I went and found a couple of pairs of 16W and tried them on.  I couldn't believe it!!!  They fit.  A tiny bit snug, but with a little spandex or something in the material that made them hold their shape and move with me instead of cutting me in half.!!  I HAVEN'T WORN A SIZE 16 SINCE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL!!!  Now I understand that today's size 16 is like a size 20 when I was back in high school... but just the sound of it.... incredible and amazing.  I'm floating on air!
3 comments | Leave a comment.