Hello Scottie, I'm an end of Feb gal, so I still have a chance to reach my one year goal. Only 7 more pounds until the century mark. To tell the truth, as fun as it will be to have my weight loss in the tripple digits, I feel normal now. I can fit in seats, booths, fair rides, and shop for clothes just about anywhere (I'm cheap though, so mostly at thrift stores). We have this holiday holdout challenge, thing, at my work, where you try to loose at least 5 lbs over the holidays. Last year I did it and earned $20. This year I decided not to do it, cause I felt like I would be cheating with my new "tool". I guess sometimes I'm too honest for my own good. LOL I still have a stretch until I get to my pie in the sky dream of being 150lbs, but I'm happy where I am. Here's to being happy! Gosh

I'm sorry you are still having troubles. Honestly, if I were not feeling so healthy right now, I'd have big regrets, too. I don't much care about all the weight loss [I'm not going to lie and say it isn't nice], I did this for my health and if I wasn't healthy I'd be scared. I also remember back in the beginning when I was having all my problems [which are admittedly not nearly as bad as yours] it was hard not to get blue. I have to believe that this too shall pass for you. You've had two big surgeries in a matter of a month, and 3 in the past year, give yourself - body and mind - time to recover before you make yourself crazy about what-ifs. {hugs}

Hey Elisa, Can you believe it's only a few days until we hit the year mark? I've only got 7 more pounds to reach the century mark! I'm sorry you're having second thoughts. I thought I would like the look of a thinner me, no more double *****ute clothes, able to fit in to places and social situations I never have before.... Before I had this surgery I had a laundry list of medical problems and no motivation or hope of seeing an end to them. It was when I was trying to get pregnant, and couldn't, that I knew I had to do something, and make a major change in my life, if I expected to enjoy motherhood the second time around. Now after years of being too fat to cycle without medical intervention, I cycle normally. No more blood pressure problems, IBS, BP, Cholesterol, Liver, etc. I still have achy joints from my arthritis, but not nearly as bad as I used to have. Instead of a "can't to" attitude, it's "can do" all the way! My plan, personally, is to have another kid before the eggs get too old. I'm 33 and plan to concieve next year. That will give my body plenty of chance to heal & recover from my 2 surgeries last year, as well as my budget time to bounce back, lol. I never went into this surgery planning on being the next American bathing beauty. I knew my skin would sag and my boobs would be totally tubular, but hey, I can fit into cuter clothes, I'm not as afraid to join in, in social situations, I still have a double chin, and I don't like the look of my thinner body. Oh well, as they say, the surgery is on my digestive system, not my mental processes. Having my son changed my life completly. My perspectives in life and love and how I felt and dealt with those around me. If you want a child in your life, then go for it! If you're too afraid of what a child would do to your body then have one not of your body. There are many children out there in need of a good home. This is one of the options I was considering before WLS, and is still a posibility if I continue to have fertility issues when I'm ready to try again. Unlike children of the body, you can choose if you want a boy or a girl, when you choose a child of the heart. I was a nursing assistant for five years. I took care of many old people. Thin, fat, it didn't matter, everything sags, even "a" cups. The biggest difference I saw in the elderly population was family. Those that had never had children, or did not have a close relationship with their children were horrible, lonley, miserable people to deal with, but those with children, in loving, healthy relationships, were wonderful to be around and tended to lead a happy life all the way to the end. Sorry to get up on my soap box. I just feel that quality of life is a real issue. You have to choose for yourself what the meaning of quality of life is, not me. If having a child would not fulfill you, then don't do it, but if the thought of a sticky, dirty, smelly kid, with a huge smile on their face, just for you, does it, then don't worry about the cosmetics, have the kid. We have the added benefit of our tool to help us get back down to a normal size, that others don't have. Do what you can to make your life happier, and eliminate that which does not. Enjoy the journey, Gosh

Elisa, I can totally relate. I thought i'd want another baby now that I had WLS, however, I don't. I have a girl whose 6 and I knew going into WLS, I was more likely to not want another child. I am ok with this decision. I look around and see babies everywhere, but it doesn't kick in my maternal instinct. This is the first time I've been thinner too and i worry about getting fat again. Life is hard enough at our house, to add another child would be wreckless. I had this amazing surgery that was all paid for by insurance. I still have my life and my life problems, except I traded one set of problems for new ones. I had an older mom, I was 30 when she said good bye and went to heaven. I hated having an older mom, I vowed I'd never repeat it. I have also decided 35 will be the last year I consider having a baby. I have 14 months left and feel no desire for a baby. My friend is having a baby next month, I totally have no baby envy. I don't even look at baby stuff at the stores. If you are truely destined to have a baby, it will all happen. I couldn't think of anything else when I got married in 1999. I wouldn't change a thing, except husbands career change. Did you see Oprah yesterday about working moms? Jen

I'm sorry to hear about what your going through. You know, you can find another surgeon to "fix" your 1st surgeons mistakes. I found my surgeon after reading a post on the main forum about how he "fixed" another doctors RNY. The lady who posted was butchered by her first surgeon, and she needed a revision. She searched to find the best (not the nearest, but the best) surgeon that she could find, and she went to my surgeon even though he was over 2 hours away in another state (she lived in CT and he is in NY). Anyway, she raved about how my surgeon fixed her RNY, and she posted a rave review about him. Needless to say, I went to him for a 2nd opinion about surgery and ended up having him perform the DS on me. If your not happy with your surgeon find another doctor to do your follow up, you don't have to let your 1st surgeon know, but you can put out "feelers" pretty easily on OH's forums to find a different surgeon. (your state forum would be a good place to start). As for what would I do differently, it's funny you ask this question. I've asked it to myself over and over again this past few weeks as I near my 1 year anniversary. I think if I had to do it over again, I'd probably not have done anything different Although if I was to have surgery today, I would have had just the VSG instead of the full DS. They offered to do the VSG on me 1st and the intestinal rerouting 6 months later. I choose to just have the full surgery at one time, because in the mind set i was in at that time, I didn't think I'd ever be able to lose weight. The DS truly saved my life, and I don't think I could have done as well with any other surgery, but taking suppliments everyday is a bit of a drag. Again at the time I had surgery, the DS was the only option for me, and I wouldn't change it, but if I had the mindset I have now (where I know I can eat right and exercise), I'd just have had the VSG and waited to see if I needed the intestinal rerouting. I hope that makes sense. Other then that, there is nothing I would have done differently. Scott