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Jan 17, 2020, 01:13 AM
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Member Since: Dec 2018
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 6,008
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I had to look for before and after pictures of myself today and I put all the pieces together about my weight loss journey.
I am not trying to brag I just wanted to share something I uncovered. I had gastric bypass in 07'. I was told it was a tool and it is. I follow pretty strong guidelines and I know 5 women that all had the surgery after me that have gained the weight back plus some. I wanted to share these photos in part because I am proud but also to highlight weight loss surgery success and how I managed to maintain. WLS isnt for everyone. I had the roux n y in 2007 and at that time it was very hard to get the insurance to cover it and I had to see a doctor and follow his guidelines for 6 months prior to the surgery. I opted for this permanent surgery because i felt like if they were going in, might as well be the only time. I know the gastric sleeve is very popular now but its not something I wanted.
At the time, the paperwork was very involved so when I signed it all I was agreeing to following a specific eating style and to take supplements for the rest of my life. Also to not get pregnant for two years but that didnt apply to me because I had my children already.
Today I had to contact my old surgeon and his wife remembered me and asked how I was doing. When I told her about the maintained weight loss, etc she asked if I would email her pictures. The good thing is all those pictures were forever stuck on an abandoned mac of ours and I was told they were lost for good. Then I found a computer guy willing to look at it and he was able to pull everything from that computer and put it on a hard drive for me, and this was in December. So I plugged in the drive and took a walk down memory lane looking for the old me.
I chose three pictures of before and two after. I sent them to her and she called back amazed and told me that his group has support meetings that are mandatory for pre-surgery and post surgery and also are there for people that still need support regarding WLS. She asked me if I would be interested in being a guest because i have 13 years of of maintained weight loss and so many people apparently gain the weight back. She said they have had to do many revision surgeries which was something I didnt know existed.
The next phase for me would be getting a tummy tuck. I am fortunate that I was young when I had the surgery and do not have the skin issues that many people have but I still have about 10lbs of looser abdominal skin. They have doctors they work with and she is going to mail me the paperwork they have.
I started out at 301lbs and have kept all 127 lbs off with a 15lb fluctuation that they believe is due to perimenopause. I am working to shed that gained weight and hopefully when I get my hormones straightened out I will have an easier time of it. If anyone has any wls specific questions please ask. Also I do not want anyone to think I am being a jerk or braggart. I am just really proud and thought if anyone was out there thinking of surgery that I would share my story.
This was taken at christmas a month before my surgery
This was taken the morning of my surgery at 301lbs.
This was a picture taken a couple of years post op of all my kids in my pants
This past summer at a wedding with my husband
Last winter at a wedding
My current profile picture taken about a month or so ago
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"I carried a watermelon?"
President of the no F's given society.
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