glezgirl
I had surgery in Portland, OR with Dr. Welker on April 7, 2000. I had the duodenal switch and couldn't be happier with the results. To date I have lost 110 pounds and I'm 7.5 months post op and only have 63 pounds to go!!
2/16/01 - I am now 10 months post-op and I have lost a total of 126 pounds. The weightloss has been slow these past few months, but I haven't really hit a platuea until now. I am working out 5 days a week...getting stronger and feeling more energetic. I recently found out that I have an incision hernia that will eventually need to be repaired. My hope is to have a tummy tuck at the same time.
4/5/01 - I will be one-year post-op in two days. I have lost a total of 140 pounds and currently weigh 165. I am totally thrilled that I am now wearing a size 12. At the end of May I will be preparing to get insurance approval for a panneculectomy. I will have my hernia(s) repaired at the same time. Dr. Ediger in Boise, ID will be doing both surgeries. He would like me to lose an additional 15 pounds before then and said that I can expect to lose between 15-20 pounds once the extra fat is removed during the pann. I'm so excited about the thought of actually having a flat stomach!!
7/2/01 - I am almost 15 months post-op and I currently weigh 151 pounds, for a total loss of 154 pounds. I'm less than 1/2 the woman I used to be! I still haven't had my hernia repair, but am schedule to have it on July 20th. I have decided to have an actual plastic surgeon do my tummy tuck because I want the best results possible. The plastic surgeon, Dr. Griffths will also do the hernia repair.
7/9/01 - BC/BS has approved my tummy tuck...deemed it medically necessary. I'll be bouncing quarters off my stomach by the end of July!
8/18/01 - On July 20th I had my tummy tuck, along with a incisional hernia repair and a partial hysterectomy. During the TT, 6-7 pounds of fat/flesh was removed and today I'm happy to say my tummy is flat for the first time in my life. I was in the hosptial for only 3 days and will be home recovering until the first week of September. I now weigh 137 pounds, which puts me only 2 pounds away from my goal and I now wear a size 10. I'm thrilled with the results.
10/12/01 - I am now 18 months post-op and have lost a total of 173 pounds, currently weighing in at 132 lbs. I am now wearing a size 8. Yah! I'm in the single digits! Now that I have surpassed my goal, my goal has now changed. I'm hoping to get to 125 pounds and then stop losing. I don't think I'll have any problems reaching that goal.
10/18/01 - Went shopping for new jeans and found that I actually bypassed the size 8's and I'm now wearing a size 5/6. How great is that?! Skinny Bitch, indeed!
4/18/03 - Well, it has been 3 years now since my surgery and I must say that it has brought many changes, along with the obvious weight loss. I moved to Florida last spring, got a divorce and now I am engaged to be married this coming June. In the past year or so, I have gained approximately 15-20 pounds. I am unhappy with the weight gain, though I do realize many people will gain up to 20 pounds after they reach their lowest weight. I am working on take off the extra pounds and to get back into my size 4 jeans. My overall health is good, I suffer from absolutely no co-morbidities, I'm more active and adventurous and looking forward to many new life experiences.
4/8/05 - Five years have passed since my surgery and I am still half the woman I used to be. I have had my fair share of food challenges along with some weight gain, but let me just say that these challenges are not road blocks. I realized that the foods that were causing the weight gain were complex carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta and potatoes and I eat very limited amount of them, not eliminated them, but limited them. Since doing so, I have dropped 25 pounds and I'm back down to a size 6. It's that simple. Learn what works for your body. Follow the guidelines that you were taught and let this surgery work for you, not against you. It took me two years to realize this, but I finally have found the answers that work for me. At 5 years post-op I continue life with no co-morbidities. I'm healthy and strong and feel blessed to have safely made this journey to the other side.
4/9/07 - I am 7 years post-op and life is good. No complaints.