ObesityHelp

Weight Loss Surgery Directory

By Location By Map

Lovely Lady O.
Buffalo, NY, USA
Post Op - BMI: 49.3
Surgery Type: RNY
Member ID: M1080990053
Surgeon: Alan Posner, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Click here for Lovely Lady's surgery support page
Click here for the 04/2004 Reunion Page
Click here to print Lovely Lady's cards
(You can print your own cards, and if you're good at it,
you can help print cards for your friends as well!)

Hi my name is Alanna & I am a African-American female who has been heavy all my life and after many attempts - like everyone else- of weight loss I have opted to do the drastric. I hope to be able to find supports especially in my area to help deal with the after effects of surgery.

WEIGHT CHART
pre-op~ 315lbs MD scale
pre-surgery~ 309lbs (-6lbs) MD scale
post-op~ 1 week 299lbs (-16lbs) MD scale
post-op~ 1 month 270lbs (-35lbs) MD scale
post-op~ 2 months 264lbs (-51lbs) MD scale
post-op~ 3 months 244lbs (-71lbs) MD scale
post-op~ 4 months 237.5 (-77.5lbs) My scale
post-op~ 5 months 230 (-85lbs) MD scale
post-op~ 6 months 221.5 (-94lbs) MD scale
post-op~ 7 months 216.5 (-99lbs) My scale
post-op~ 10 months 207.3 (-108.2lbs) My scale
post op~ 1 year 206.5 (-109) MD scale

2004

5/8/04 ~ I have been home a little over a week. Initially when I came home I was in pain when changing positions but now there is almost no pain YEAH!!! Ive lost 16lbs my fisrt week and am now on pureed foods and have started exersizing again tho I do get tired afterwards and usually nap. Im not good on updating like many others are so feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions ;)

6/11/04 ~ At my 1 month followup 5/27 I lost 35lbs I was very happy I could not see it but could tell from my clothes, but Ive always been that way in that I couldnt see my weight loss my husband says he can see it so I trust him. Ive had a slight setback in that I can only have liquids and only 2 bites of pureed food as I was having a lot of vomiting, my MD ran lots of tests but there was no problem with the hook ups, but he said he had to over sew me so its taking longer to stretch and be able to accomdate food. Its a bit frustrating but I have a supportive and loving family which does help alot as well as the support from OH. My stomach is VERY LOUD and Im a bit worried about returning to work but I guess they and I will just have to deal :) Well thats all for now.

7/24/04 ~ Ive been having some problems lately with food and sometimes I even get scared to drink more than water or juice and water as Ive had a hard time with my shakes at times. Its so frustrating Dr. Posner is going to do a scope on me this coming Tues. to see whats going on in my stomach then I have my 3 month F/U with him on Wed. so hopefully Ill have the results in and all will be better than what Im thinking. Ill update after my appt. on how things went.

7/29/04 ~ Well the results are in I do have sticture which Dr. Posner will have to open with a balloon. This will probably be done next week when I have a weekend off from the Hospital. The only bright point is that I have lost 71 lbs. and now weigh 244 I just skipped over the 250s which is what I expected to weigh. Dr. Posner said the stricture is abt the size of a q-tip stick and that explains my trouble keeping food down, Im glad to finally have an answer - even if its not what I wanted to hear. Thr pocedure for the stricture should only keep me out 2 days barring any complications. Dr. Posner said he'll want to see me more frequently for a while to see how Im adjusting. Im going to have to go shopping soon to get clothes for my cruise in Nov. since none to wear currently. I'll keep you updated to my progress after the stricture is opened.

8/12/04 ~ On 8/5/04 Dr. Posner opened my stricture wide enough to fit the scope. He said it took 3 balloons to open to the size he felt it should have alredy been open to. I was on liquids for a couple days, then pureed for a couple days, and if I could tolerate the pureed then I could go to chewing. Well I have been eating whole foods since Mon. without any problems THANK GOD!!!! So I drink my protein shake for brakfast then eat a reasonable lunch and dinner. Ive gotten a lot of recipes off the site and found some crockpot recipes - since I dont like to cook ;) So far my husband ahs liked what Ive cooked which is good otherwise hed have to fend for himself lol. Ill try to update soon :)

8/24/04 ~ So far eating has been going OK Ive thrown up a few times since the dilitation I just hope I dont have to go thru it again but we will see. I havent been good at excersizing which is something I need to get better at to help with the weight loss but I still HATE excersize altho I know its a necessary evil - haha. I also know either way I will need PS bcz of how my body was at jump. NOW for the real DRAMA - my hair is falling out in droves and making me CRAZY. I was never really vain about my hair but now that its coming out Im FREAKIN which doesnt help either. I started biotin 5000mcg Sun. Im praying to God that it will help, Im also getting my hair cut & Ive never really had short hair so we will see. My hair is longish, fine, but full so others probably cant see the loss but when I wash & then comb it its like a HUGE wad fell out so Ive been wearing it up so not to put pull on it. Ill try and update soon :)

9/10/04 ~ Things have been going fairly well with food since the dilitation, but there have been a few vomiting episodes so I still have to watch what I eat. Eating now seems like a chore, I have to chew, chew, chew, chew and really focus on what Im doing. I still have to work on the eating & drinking thing I still dont think I get enough fluids but I do try. Ill update after my MD appt I was thinking that I may need another dilitation since I still throw up but we will see what Dr. Posner has to say. I write soon.

9/17/04 ~ Had a quick appt with my MD yesterday and he feels everything is going well. Says I need to exercize more esp. with weights as I losing fat & muscle. I told him I was working on that trying to get back into a routine as I hate exercize!!!! That has not changed. He also said that my weight will be slowing down - kinda scary but @ the same time I feel lighter at this weight. Im still trying to find a system for eating enough protein & drinking enough liquids (was never a big drinker prior to surgery). I found out recently that my pouch doesnt like too much hot sauce I can have some but not as much as before :-( Thats all I have for now, gotta go exercize ;-)

10/11/04 ~ I havent updated in a while as not too much to report. Im working on excersizing more including weights. I STILL HATE EXCERSIZE!!!!!!!! But since it is a necessary evil Im doing it anyway. I see Dr. Posner @ the end of the month so I will have an update on my weight then & see if Dr. Posner notices a difference since Ive been working out more. I cant wait until my cruise next month, which is another reason for uping the excersize I bought clothes in a smaller size & I need to be able to get my FAT A$$ THIGHS & LEGS into them. I will update again@ the end of the month :-)

10/31/01 ~ WELL I am now officially obese weighing in @ 221.5 on Friday. I just found out that my initial weight was 315.5 somehow I blocked out that 1/2lb probably as I was soooo stunned to be @315 to begin with. I was honest with Dr. Posner about eating sugar & not dumping he told me not to test my sugar limit & I said I now know its all about moderation. Dr. Posner & I had a good talk about my progress which he says is phenominal. He also says the less weight you have to lose the slower your body will be to lose it. He doesnt have a goal weight for me rather specific guidelines for where my BMI & body fat % should be. I could be 170lbs with a good BMI & body fat % - due to muscle- & he would be happy with that or I could be 140lbs with bad BMI & body fat % & he would be unhappy. My personal goal is to just be out of plus size clothing. Dr. Posner says due to my height & depending on bone structure my weight range is 145 -170lbs & he wanted me to be in a size somewhere in the range of 6 & 12. I told him that a 6 seemed too small to me. People keep telling me not to lose too much weight because I might look sick - as some people do after wls - I just tell them my body will stop on its own. I get a little tired of hearing that - Im sure its because they have never seen me thin but then f*$k neither have I. I started gaining weight around 9yo so I have no frame of reference of what too thin may be or my ideal weight. I have 2 mini goals 1 - to be a member of the century club by Thanksgiving & 2 - to be 200 or under by Christmas.. Since Ive been doing better with excersizing I think these are goals that I can achieve but @ the same time Im not going to make myself crazy over it. Dr. Posner said that my BMI & body fat % went down almost 10 points since my last visit probably due to my starting to excersize again. Eating is going fairly well - found out the hard way me & french fries dont get along. My cruise is in a couple weeks & so excited. Went shopping for a swim suit tried on a bunch & put together a cute tankini - had to be skirted as I cant stand my big a$$ thighs & legs but @ the same time I dont know these people. Most of the clothes I bought fit except fot 1 pair of capris but Im not going to worry about that. What I am worried about is if the clothes I took to the tailors will be done in time as she said to check with her on the 12th of Nov & the cruise is the 14th so thats cutting it close but I had to wait until I was close to the cruise date so the weight change wouldnt be that big. I must have diarhea of the fingers today as I usually dont type the much :-) This is my longest post to date. I will update again after the cruise & probaly after I weight myself toward the end of the month as thats when my surgery was. Type to ya later LOL

11/24/04 ~ Well Im back from my cruise. The weather wasnt perfect but it was better than Bflo. It was sad that I couldnt eat as much as I would have liked & my diet SUCKED I was very bad in not following the rules so I have to get back on the protein & water train. I weighed myself yesterday and surprisingly lost a few pounds. Im almost a member of the century club - 1 lbs will do it. Maybe after Thanksgiving I will break my own rule & weigh myself & say a prayer. Im cooking alot for the holiday probably more cooking than Ive done in the last 6 months :-) yall know Im more an eater than a cook LOL Well Gotta get back to work - Type at yall later.

3/11/05 ~ Well I havent posted in a good LOONNGG while so I decided to give those interested an update. The holidays went well no issues except I couldnt eat as much as I wanted but hey theres always leftovers LOL. My weight loss has slowed down but its my fault as Im eating tttooo much junk - cause unfortuatly I can - & I havent been excersizing because as yall all know I still HATE HATE HATE it but Im currently trying to get back in the scheme of things as my doctor wants me to gain some muscle. Still working on getting enough protein & water & its still a struggle but I havent given up yet. Theres really nothing else to say EXCEPT ~~~ IM FINALLY PART OF THE CENTURY CLUB~~~ YEAH FOR ME!!! Well I will type at yall later;-)

3/19/05 ~ Well I started having abdominal paim back in January which brought me to the ER. Dr. Posner had them run a meriad of tests and nothing could be found. Well I continued to have pain but it wasnt constant as it was originally and it became a little duller. Even after the pain had stopped I wasnt able to sleep laying down as it hurt too much after a while. Evetually I wasnt having any more pain & I was able to sleep normally. Then this past Sunday I got the pain again WORSE than it was intially I thought I would fall as my legs felt so weak. I would go from hot to cold. Again I went to the ER & a GI series of xrays showed nothing & the pain med I took @ my parents house may have finally kicked in as the pain did resolve. Dr. Posner, who I was unable to reach as the pain was so bad & I couldnt hold on the phone for the service any longer, told me next time call him immediately or the hospital to call him the second I arrive in the ER - WHAT A GREAT DOCTOR!!!- Dr. Posner had me do another ultrasound & the answer is I have Gall Stones. Finally an answer -not one I like but better to have one than not. He now wants to take out my Gall Bladder when Im ready. Not sure if Im ready, I also want to know how many gall stones I have left as maybe surgery may not be necessary but who knows??? I will update yall later :0)

4/29/05 ~ Well Im finally a year out & have lost a little over 100lbs. I feel great & have no issues except I really need to watch what I eat as Dr. Posner is concerned that I could gain the weight back again if Im not careful. Which I am being more of since I was slipping in using this tool appropiatly. Im very proud of my weight loss & so are my husband & family :) One thing that does irritate me is that people keep telling me Ive lost enough & if I lose any more weight I will look like a crack head - which is hard to believe since Im still in the 200lb range. I really dont want to lose much more myself but COME ON a crack head?????? Im getting back into excersize & its OOOKKK but Im pushing through with doing it. I will have my gall bladder removed next Fri 5/6 so wish me well as I go under the knife AGAIN :( Nothing really left to say but I will type at yall ASAP ;)

5/14/05 ~ Well I had my gall bladder out 5/6 & Dr. Posner was able to use 3 old incision areas & I only got 1 new scar. Im already back to work as I dont have the time & diability pays NOTHING so I cant afford it. I still have a little discomfort but its not as bad as it was. I will see Dr. Posner Wed for follow up. The excersize I was attempting to do has now been put on hold & I will have to try to get back into some sort of routine when Im completely healed. Well thats all folks - type @ yall later.

Future Update

Page Spruced up by 9-04-04
If you'd like your profile spruced up
write to one of the HTML Volunteer’s here:

Member Interests:

Books & Literature - Like to read Black literature

Family & Friends - Close to my family, love my friends and always seeking new ones

Fitness & Exercise - ONLY because I have too :)

Travel - I love to travel hopefully with weight reduction it will be easier

Black American - I'm Bi-Racial and I LOVES my peoples

Organizations - A Lovely Lady of AKA ;-)

Married - To a wonderfully supportive man

Jazz - along with R&B, Old School, and some Reggae

Shopping - what woman does't LOVE to shop!!!!!!!

Click here to see interests of other ObesityHelp members.

Surgeon Info:
Surgeon: Alan Posner, M.D., F.A.C.S.
My first impression was Dr. Posner was very honest & pulled no punches. He talked very openly about the risks & benefits of WLS & which one may be right for you. He even wants you to start excersizing now to get in the habit for after surgery. Dr. Posner also has you read and start the South Beach Diet as he says that is how you will have to eat after the surgery- it's not really that hard to follow =). His staff is very friendly from the few times I have dealt with them. Dr. Posner said he wanted to meet my husband before the surgery to explain the risks, benefits, & to answer any questions or concerns. He also wanted to exxplain some other the problems emotionally & phyically that I would go through after the surgery. Overall I'd say that Dr. Posner is a great guy.
Insurer Info:
IHA
I was actually kind of lucky in that I didn't have to deal with them directly the staff @Dr. Posner's office did. But that was after I initially tried to get a MD out of network - Dr. Carauana- Then IHA called me to let me know of an in network MD and the rest is history.