Long time since I've posted! I gained some weight - got up to 218. (My top weight was 370). I have been walking on the treadmill and trying to eat right. I am now at 184 pounds and trying to get BACK to 157 :)

Hi everyone! It's been awhile since I posted. I got off track, and fell back in to some old habits. I gained 37 pounds and feel miserable. I now weigh 195. I am back on track though - eating protein, fruits, vegs, staying away from sugar, flour, grains, and walking on my treadmill. I am determined to get back down to 158 lbs, or hopefully to 150. God bless everyone, hope everyone who wants the surgery gets it and does great, and for those who have had it, may you lose your weight and keep it off, God bless you!
Gina

Hi everyone!

it's been 2 years and 5 months since my RNY WLS - wow how time flies! My top weight was 369. I went down to 158, but just couldn't seem to stay there. I am now at 173 pounds (I'm 5'8" tall). I would like to get down to 150, but wow, I have to eat like a bird to do it. It seems like if I eat a "normal" amount of food (normal for someone who had WLS) I seem to hover at 173-175.

Anyway, doing well. Have met a wonderful man, and am engaged! He is Italian-American and is a widower. He has 2 girls, ages 10 and 12. I am so happy we met!

Hope all of you are doing well, god bless everyone here on OH!
Gina

Just a quick update. I am at my so-far lowest weight of 163 lbs. and am so happy about that! I recently have had 2 people, when I mentioned to them that I had WLS and used to be heavy, tell me, "really? I would have never guessed, you look like someone whose never been overweight in their life."

That felt so good to hear that.... (of course they couldn't see my excess skin when I'm naked, haha!) but wow, the ultimate recognition of how far I've come......

Anyway, hope all are doing well and god bless you all!

Gina

Impact of Weight Loss Surgery on Type 2 Diabetes

Evidence that weight-loss surgery can resolve type 2 diabetes continues to mount. A major analysis of over 100 studies showed that 77% of patients showed dramatic results from surgery—they exhibited no signs of diabetes and they could stop diabetes treatment (insulin, medications) entirely. When study results included both “improved” diabetes—meaning that less treatment was needed—and resolved diabetes, the number rose to 86% of patients.

Why does weight-loss surgery have this impact?
There may be several reasons. Weight reduction alone cannot account for diabetes resolution, since diabetes often improves very soon after surgery, long before weight is lost. Decreased caloric intake, which occurs with both gastric bypass and gastric band procedures, changes the way the body processes glucose. And there may be additional mechanisms unique to bypass procedures. Experts suggest that in rerouting the top part of the intestines, bypass surgeries alter the production of hormones that enhance insulin secretion and sensitivity. Such mechanisms may explain why bypass surgeries have higher diabetes resolution rates than banded procedures. 

Improvements in pre-diabetes
Patients with impaired glucose tolerance—which can be part of pre-diabetes—showed improvement after weight-loss surgery.

Rapid results
For some patients, diabetes was resolved almost immediately, within days of surgery. Others saw blood sugar levels begin to fall soon after surgery, becoming normal within a year.

Better diabetes results with bypass vs. band
Different types of weight-loss procedures have different degrees of impact on type 2 diabetes. Gastric bypass surgery resolved diabetes in 84% of patients, whereas gastric band procedures resolved it in 73%.

ADA recommendations
The American Diabetes Association now includes weight-loss surgery in its recommendations for some individuals with type 2 diabetes.

 

 

 

Hi everyone,

it's been awhile since I posted.... Just let me say again how much I value and appreciate every single person here on this web site! People here inspired me and tirelessly encouraged me and answered numerous questions for me - thank you!

I am doing well! I have now lost 137 pounds since my surgery on 02/01/2008. I have lost 199 pounds from my original highest-ever weight. I am now 171 pounds and am hoping to lose another 15 - but even if I stay around 170, that is great. I am 5'8" tall and wearing a size 6/8/10 (depending on the clothing and manufacturer) and I am very happy with that!

My husband and I have divorced. It was and is a painful thing, but I feel I made the right decision. I am happy to say we are still friends.....

I am now doing so many things and going places I never went to when I was obese and it feels great! I have been going to the beach, walking on the boardwalk, going to museums, movies, parks, and so on and just loving it!

I made a new friend who is going to have Gastric Bypass and I am proud to be his "weight loss surgery buddy!" He is the sweetest, kindest person and is always doing for others! His name is Michael and his username here is Tigerinexile.

Here is best wishes and hugs and thanks to everyone here!
Gina

Hi everyone,

just a quick update - I am doing well over all - my weight loss picked up a little, but now seems to be slowing down again.
I am now 13 months and 1 week post-op and am at 186 pounds. I am tall  -  5'8," which helps distribute my weight better. I am now comfortably wearing a size 8-10, occasionally a 12 depending on the manufacturer. Some shirts still don't fit in the uper arms, but that has not been a major problem. I bought 2 pairs of jeans in size 8. One Mossimo brand from Target and one in Riders brand at Wal-Mart. They are not excessively tight, just frm-fittig like you would exp[ect jeas to be... I can zip them and snap them without having to lay down on the bed, so I think they fit!  Wow, I am now wearing some high heels now, 2 or 3 inches and man, I am like 5'10 or 5'11 with heels - I love it!
Wishing everyone love, peace and health!
Gina

ONE YEAR, WOW! Well, I have lost 116 pounds in one year! I started at 308 and am now 192, (I am 5'8" tall). (My highest weight years back was 370). The day of surgery 02/01/2008 I was 308 pounds and a size 28. I am now a comfortable size 10 - 12! I no longer have to buy "wide" shoes! I feel GOOD! I feel "human"! I no longer am the fattest person in the room when I walk in some place. I am no longer the fattest person at my job, ( I actually was)!  I no longer have high blood pressure, borderline diabetes, stress urinary incontinence, knee pain, foot pain, shortness of breath. I can easily get up and down from a chair or the bed. I can easily bend over and pick something up or tie my shoes. Easily buckle any seatbelt or fit in any chair or seat. One of my personal favorites: on the BMI chart, I have went from "Super Obese", to "Obese", to "Overweight", WOW!
I am just so thankful for this surgery...

I am hoping to lose another 20 - 30 pounds....
Thanks to everyone here for their support, kind words, encouragement, friendship, and kinship!
Gina  

I have weighed myself the last several days to be sure - and I am now at 199.4 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, I haven't weighed less then 250 for the last 20 years! In 1995 my top weight was 369. When I had the Revision from stomach stapling to Gastric Bypass this last February, I weighed 308. Now 199! Man do I feel gooooooooooooood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am comfortably wearing a size 14 jeans, and can put on a pair of size 12 jeans and zip them up, but they are tight. I am wearing a size 12/14 shirt. Some shirts fit everywhere except for the upper-arms if they're not a stretchy shirt. That is my biggest problem is the upper arms..... I can wear a good bra, panty girdle and jeans or pants to look nice dressed, but there is no way to hide my upper arms! I am thinking of having plastic surgery on them. But I really do not want to do that. Fortunately, my stomach doesn't have the hanging "apron" of skin. My stomach does pooch-out some, but not too bad. And a good bra works wonders...... (I'm rambling here)....but man, I don't want to have upper arm surgery -ouch!!!! A woman at work had her upper arms done and her breasts, (she had Gastric Bypass too) and like 8 or 9 months later, she still has tenderness and numbness in her upper arms, (but damn she looks good). Mu husband says he doesn't want me to put myself through it. My boss at work, who is a Neurologist, says don't do it, that I look great just how I am..... So, I dunno.........
Anyway, woo-hoo and thank God for being down to 199! My weight loss has slowed down alot in the last 2 months, but it is still trickling along..... I have NOT been exercising, which is part of the problem, but I have been doing well with eating, besides a few no-nos here and there.... I bought some "chicken selects" from McDonald's the other day, thinking, "ok, these are not too-too bad, they are chicken"....well.....WRONG! I went to their website, and the Chicken Selects 5 piece (chicken only, no meal) has 660 calories for 5 pieces and like, I forget, I think it was something like 80 grams of fat and 32 carbs or something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will NOT be buying those again! Gosh darn it! I just need to stick to simple foods, as always...... That's the best way!
199! 199! 199! 199! 199! 199!

I am so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have now lost 100 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Well, technically, I've lost 161 pounds total, if we go back to my highest weight in 1995, but I've now lost 100 since having my Revision from Stomach Stapling to GastricBypass on 02/01/2008). I just can not believe it! Damn, life is good! Thank GOD!!!!!!!
I wish every single obese person on planet earth had the chance and opportunity to have weight loss surgery if they wanted it; every obese person deserves this blessing!!!!!!  God bless!

Gina