Amy M.
01/19/2006: I attended the Patient Information Session for weight loss surgery tonight and found out about this site from my packet of information that I was given. I wanted to set up my profile and share the story of my journey. My story begins like many others I have read on this site many a late night. I am 41 years old and have had trouble with my weight all my life. I am 5' 6" and weigh 245 pounds which gives me a BMI of 39.4. I have lost and gained more weight than I care to remember. Over the years I have developed a weight-related medical problem here, another one there, and I decided it was time to take a more aggressive approach to losing this weight other than just diet and exercise which just seemed to quit working for me any longer. I have obstructive sleep apnea and have been wearing a CPAP successfully for over a year now (and I must admit those things will change your life for the better if you have sleep apnea!), high cholesterol which I cannot treat because I had a reaction to the "statin" drugs, the absolutely wonderful and fun condition of stress urinary incontinence, terrible GERD, and I just plain don't feel well anymore. I have been learning about WLS for about five years now. A couple of co-workers and a family member had it and have all been very successful and pleased. I have watched all the specials on television about it like 20/20, Dateline, 48 Hours, etc. And, I have done hours and hours of research online like most have I'm sure who are interested in this journey. I feel very good about my decision to pursue WLS and have the support of my partner, family and friends. Don't get me wrong, they're all apprehensive about it as the surgery does have it's risks, more than usual surgery I believe, but they know if I continue down the path I'm on currently I may not live as long as any of us would like for me to. All that is left in my family are my brother, sister and a small handful of cousins on either side. Our family medical history is not a good one and all the more reason to get myself in better shape. Of the three of us I'm the heaviest and the most likely to have a heart attack with my comorbidities. I feel emotionally I am very prepared for this journey. I have the support of all my loved ones and a will and determination to fight for a long and healthier life. I know in my heart I can do this and I am ready!
02/10/2006: Well, I had my appointment today for my six-month followup with my PCP and I was going to talk to her about having bariatric surgery. My sister went with me because she is very concerned about the risks involved with this type of surgery and wanted to hear what my doctor had to say (which is also her doctor too). I was totally shocked when my doctor was all for it! I had reached an all-time high with my weight at this visit at 241 pounds. She has been my doctor for about six years now and she sees my health problems getting worse as my weight climbs up each year. I was just amazed by her encouragement and positive reaction and so was my sister. After the appointment her fears were allayed and I was ecstatic. While I was there my doctor ordered the thyroid function study and bone density test that is required when you turn your packet in to the surgeon's office. I felt like I had my doctor's blessing and I was on my way!
03/17/2006: Today I turned my packet in to my surgeon's office. I'm so excited!! Every step makes it more official and more real. I have never answered so many questions about myself! They really want your "whole" history along with your family's. That's a good thing though...I'd rather feel like they're very thorough than not. This is a very serious operation and a life changing event and every little factor should be considered. When I turned my packet in Dr. Mitchell's secretary Chris, who is absolutely wonderful, made my appointment for the next Patient Education Class. She also told me I would be getting phone calls soon regarding my other appointments I would need to complete to qualify for their bariatric program. Those appointments will be determined by my health history and current medical conditions. They want everything checked out and okayed before you have the procedure and I'm fine with that. I can't wait to get the ball rolling on these appointments!!
04/05/2006: I had my cardiology appointment today and it went great! Because no one in my "immediate" family had ever had a heart attack I didn't have to undergo a stress test. I was very happy about that. They did an EKG on me and then the cardiologist did a very in depth history and a very good physical and said everything looked good. He asked me every question in the book and I felt confident that he knew my history completely. I saw Dr. Cavros at Pinehurst Cardiology Consultants and he was wonderful. Very personable and professional. The nurse was great too. So, that's one more step completed along my journey. All of my appointments were scheduled within the week of turning my packet in...pretty quick! No one believes in wasting time that's for sure! I'm glad they don't too!
04/06/2006: I attended the Patient Education Class tonight hosted by Dr. Mitchell's PA, the bariatric nutritionist, and a physical therapist. It was a very informative class and I learned so much. The only thing I'm a little nervous about is going off of caffeine because I'm a coffee junkie!! They covered a lot of information and we each got a nice notebook with helpful instructions with preop and postop guidelines. It's good to have something to refer to when you have questions. The PA covered everything from how we need to prepare our bodies for the procedure and every step afterwards through recovery. The physical therapist stressed how important it was to start exercising even if it's only a little to get your body in the swing of it because exercise is a big part of Dr. Mitchell's postop program. He really encourages activity postop. Luckily I've been going to a local gym for about eight months now. They say it helps your recovery go better too if you've been exercising prior to surgery. We shall see...I certainly hope it does!
05/05/2006: Well I had my psych evaluation followup appointment today and it went well. The therapist I saw was very easy to talk to. We covered quite a bit of background in that visit and it was really freeing talking to someone about some of the issues from my past. My test that I had taken on the first visit showed I had no major problems...I was just defensive and hey I can live with that. We talked about that a bit and in going over my history she concluded that a large part of that had to do with the way I grew up. I'm very glad that is behind me now and she gave me 100% approval for the surgery. She said I was an excellent candidate with realistic expectations and a very good understanding of how my life would change after surgery. My last preop requirement is an EGD and I'll update after I have that done.
05/17/2006: I had my EGD today. My insurance requires the test before they give approval for the WLS. It wasn't too bad, but I remember it. The medication they give you is supposed to have an amnestic effect but it didn't quite work that well for me. My bariatric surgeon, Dr. Mitchell, was the one who performed the EGD. I guess he wants to do it himself so he can check out what he's going to be working with in the near future! He found a gastric polyp that he removed and sent for pathology, did a CLO test to check for H. pylori, and found a small hiatal hernia. He said not to worry about the polyp, they are almost always benign so I feel good about that. He told me if I had H. pylori he would prescribe two weeks' worth of antibiotics and that would take care of it. I asked him about my hernia and would it need to be repaired at the time of my WLS and he said no. Because it was small and would probably correct itself after I lost weight he would not undertake repairing it. I'm glad because I wouldn't want to be recovering from two things! I'm all set now, I just wait for the results of the CLO test and then to hear from my insurance company for approval or denial. Wish me luck!!
05/19/2006: I heard from Dr. Mitchell's office today and my CLO test was negative for H. pylori and my gastric polyp was benign!! Woohoo!! Now his secretary Chris will submit everything to my insurance for approval next week and we'll see what they say. She seems confident that I will be approved but I'm afraid to relax about it just yet. I want to hear it officially! Call me paranoid, but I don't want to get my hopes up and then be let down. Keeping my fingers (and toes) crossed until I hear!
05/26/2006: I've been APPROVED!!! Yay! Chris in Dr. Mitchell's office e-mailed me today at work and told me she had verbal approval from my insurance company for my WLS. It's official! I'm going to be a "loser" as of 07/06/2006. I can't believe it....I'm so excited and relieved. It'll be here before I know it too! My only other appointment is 06/21/2006 for preadmission lab work and interview at the hospital and my surgeon's office for preop history and physical that same day. I'll update and let everyone know how that went.
06/21/2006: I went for all of my preop stuff today. It took about 2 hours at the hospital. They got three vials of blood, did an EKG, chest x-ray, blood gas (hope to never have one of those again!), and also did my preop interview. I had just enough time to make it over to my surgeon's office after I finished up at the hospital. I had a very nice chat with a lady in the waiting room who was 3 months postop from RNY by Dr. Mitchell. She was super nice and talked to me about what to expect and offered to answer any questions I had for her. That was a great experience...hearing it from a postop to me is the best source! They called me back for my appointment and I was supposed to have lost 10 pounds which I had gained since the Patient Information Session in January. Well, I had lost only 6 pounds but 4 pounds of it was fat so Dr. Mitchell was okay with that. He went over everything with me again, did a preop history and physical, and answered any questions I had. He is the best! I checked out with Chris, his secretary, who is a delight. She gave me a hug and said she knew I would do great. I got my bowel prep for the night before surgery (oh boy can't wait to experience that!!) and I was set. It was a very busy day but my final step towards my surgery day!
07/02/2006: Well, I am five days away from my surgery and so excited! My family and friends have been asking me if I'm nervous. I'm not nervous at all, just feeling a little rushed because there is so much I want to get done before my surgery day. I guess most people feel that way. I'm cleaning the house like a mad woman because I know I will be limited after I get home from the hospital. I'm a neat freak so it will drive me crazy if it's not spic and span. Work will be crazy the next couple of days until I leave, I'll be trying to get as caught up as I can there as well. I have a feeling these next five days are going to fly by!
07/10/2006: I made it!!! I'm officially a LOSER now!! Woohoo! Well I must say the surgery was a bit harder than I had anticipated it would be. I couldn't believe how sore I was when I woke up in my room afterwards. Dr. Mitchell was able to do it laparoscopically which was a real blessing, but boy is it still sore! Not to mention the G-tube and Blake drain are sort of cumbersome. The day after my surgery I started having dry heaves and diarrhea. Dr. M thinks I may have contracted a stomach bug...bad timing indeed! Dry heaves are no fun when you have puncture wounds in your belly!! I actually think it may have worked some of the soreness out though...LOL! The nurses on the unit where the bariatric patients go were wonderful. I've never been in an ICU setting so I wasn't used to all the attention you get. Because of my stomach bug I stayed an extra day and came home late this afternoon. It's so good to be at home. I'm going to rest in my own bed now!! Thanks to all the well wishers who sent me e-mails before my surgery date. It meant so much to me!
07/17/2006: Well, I've been home a week now and I have had good days and bad days, but each day gets a little better. I'm supposed to have my Blake drain removed on Tuesday 7/25 but am trying to get an earlier appointment for this coming Thursday or Friday 7/20 or 7/21 since I will be 14 days postop then. That's the weirdest feeling thing...I can actually feel it in my belly, mainly when I'm getting up from sleeping or laying down to sleep. I am so ready for it to go! I am able to get my protein and fluid requirements in each day but it sure takes a lot of planning and forethought. I'm walking around and around and around inside the house because it has been way too hot for me outdoors, today the heat index is over 105 here! I have had family visit on several occasions which has been really nice and lots of phone calls. I'm so glad the hardest part is behind me and I'm on the mend. Better days are definitely ahead. My family keeps telling me they can see I have lost weight already. I don't feel as though I have but I don't really check myself out in the mirror a lot either. The ragged hair and no makeup is enough to scare the pajamas off of me!! I'll update in a few days...hopefully Blake drain free!!!
07/21/2006: I got my Blake drain out today...thank God!! One less thing to have to fool with everyday. It was a breeze...I didn't feel a single thing. They did inform me though that the G tube was a different story. I'm really nervous about getting that pulled but it's got to be done so I shouldn't fret too much over it. It hurts all the time, so I know whatever pain I have when they pull it, it will be short-lived and I'll have no more irritation/pain from the tube itself anymore. I did lose 13 pounds in two weeks of which 4 pounds was water which is not a good thing. I was told to increase my daily fluid intake up to 100 ounces minimum with the aid of my G tube and then the following week try to get all that in by mouth. Boy, that's going to be a challenge without the G tube but I've got to do it because I want the tube out! I go on 08/02/2006 to have it pulled so I want to be in good shape fluid wise by then. The nutritionist said I'm following everything to the letter and she was pleased with my food journal notes. I have graduated from pureed foods and am so happy about that. I was really getting bored with the pureed foods. I just have to really chew now...but it's well worth the variety! I'm feeling better each day. The only real complaint/discomfort I have now is from the G tube, but as long as I take my pain medication it is tolerable and I'm able to move pretty freely. I'll just stay on it until that thing comes out. Well, that's it for now. I'll update after my next appointment.
08/02/2006: Well I got my G tube out and boy did that hurt for 90 seconds!! But, it was all over after that I felt no more pain and actually felt a lot of relief having that tube out of me. I bled pretty bad for a couple of hours but that stopped, and that night I had the best night's sleep since before the surgery. It was wonderful! I had lost a total of 18 pounds since the morning of my surgery and only 1 pound of water since my last visit, so all was good with that. I don't have to go back to follow up until October! I can't believe it. They all said I was doing fantastic and to keep up the good work. I was so happy to have that tube out I went shopping!!
09/07/2006: Time flies after the surgery and it's so easy to forget about updating your profile. Since I don't go back to Dr. Mitchell's office until October I'm using my home scales and going by my weight before I started my preop diet of 245 pounds. As of this morning I have lost 52 pounds!!! I weighed 193 and I have dropped almost two sizes!! I can't believe how the weight just seems to fall off. It's simply amazing. And the biggest difference in me is I never get hungry...EVER. I eat everything I'm supposed to each day and get in all my fluid requirements, but it's only because I know I have to for my health. What a huge difference compared to me before surgery. Dr. Mitchell was right when he told me I would forget to eat. I feel the best I have felt in 20 years. My energy level has gone way up and I can walk now without gasping for air. It's such a great feeling. This surgery was the absolute best thing I could have ever done for myself.
01/06/2007: Happy New Year to everyone!! It's been six months today since my surgery and I can't begin to express how much my life has changed for the better. I had my six-month follow up with Dr. Mitchell's PA Brett on Wednesday 01/05/2007 and he said he couldn't be more pleased with my progress. They did my first postop blood work panel while I was there (8 vials of blood...whew!) and I'm hoping everything looks just fine with it. I feel like it will since I'm eating like I'm supposed to and taking my bariatric vitamins religiously. I have lost a total of 94 pounds and have gone from a size 26W to 16 Misses/XL. It's truly amazing to me how well this surgery works if you just follow the instructions from your surgeon and dietitian. You literally melt away! The best benefit of all though is how much better I feel. I can perform physical activities now without feeling like I need to stop and call 911 for oxygen!!! My self confidence has improved and I see changes in every facet of my life as a result. I've been terribly busy at work and have not updated my profile as often as I would like to have done, but I promise to get some updated pictures on here soon. When I look at my preop picture I can hardly believe that was me! I still do not get hungry and I have no cravings for things I shouldn't be eating. I have not had a carbonated drink or sugar since before my surgery and don't miss it a bit. The holidays were sure different because my family focuses on food so much, but this year I personally focused more on fellowship and being with loved ones which was a very nice change for me. I ate until I was full and felt fine afterwards. I tell my friends and family that my "love affair" with food is over. It just doesn't have the same appeal to me anymore. I am so enjoying my coffee every day again too! That was the hardest for me to go without. The first cup was pure bliss! I have had three episodes of vomiting and each time it was after eating a little too much broccoli. I've finally learned my limit with that. I had also experienced some light-headedness but Brett and the nutritionist said it was because I needed to up my carbs which they advised I do in the form of an extra serving of fruit and/or veggie each day. I have done this and it has taken care of the problem thank goodness. I also had one episode of dumping which was from sugar free frozen yogurt and come to find out it was loaded with sugar alcohols which can cause the same reaction as real sugar. I've decided to stick with my sugar free fruit popsicles instead!! That was a scary terrible feeling and will sure cause an aversion to what made it occur! That's about it in a nut shell since I last updated. I go back for another checkup in three more months so I will definitely update after that visit.
03/07/2007: Well, I had my appointment today for my 9-month checkup and it went very well. Dr. Mitchell was very impressed with the progress I have made and discussed where I wanted to end up weight-wise. I weighed 140 and I wanted my goal to be 130-135. He said he thought that was completely acceptable and that I should have no trouble getting there. I have lost a total of 105 pounds of which 80% was fat. I sure had a lot of fat on this frame!! They did blood work this visit to the tune of 8 vials to check all of my levels. I won't hear back from that for a couple of weeks but I expect it will be normal as I have been getting in all of my protein and fluid each day and being diligent with my vitamins, so there is no reason for it not to be. I haven't had any more episodes of throwing up since I learned to listen to my body a little better. I'm still not having any cravings except for roasted peanuts in the shell. Weird...but that's the only thing I crave. I eat a handful everyday and do well with them now. No more dumping episodes either thank God...that is the worst feeling ever!
Well, I go back for my 1 year anniversary appointment in July and hopefully I will be at goal then and we can talk about how to maintain my weight and when to proceed with a plastic surgery referral. I will check back in on my anniversary!
07/06/2007: Woohoo! One-year since my big day! I reflected a lot on that day and how I felt lying in the hospital bed (what I could remember of that first day with all the drugs in my system). I was lying there wondering what the heck had I done and was it really worth it. Now I can say with 1000% certainty that yes it was! The first month was really tough but once I got past it everything went smoothly and the time has flown by. It was the best thing I could have ever done for myself and I am so happy I decided to go through with it. I don't miss one thing about my "old" life. I'm having too much fun and enjoying this "new" one to have time to miss anything. The best feeling of all is being able to eat and stop and not feel miserable afterwards or guilty. I'm still sticking to my diet plan exactly as instructed by my bariatric nutritionist and not feeling deprived at all. As I no longer obsess over food, it's just easy to follow a better way of eating. All of my lab work from my 9-month appointment came back completely normal and they told me that was a result of following instructions well and doing what I was supposed to do. I have my one-year anniversary appointment with my surgeon on 07/11/2007 so I will update after that visit to let everyone know what was said. I think they do blood work again at that one too!
07/11/2007: I had my 1 year anniversary appointment today and it went fantastic. I have lost a total of 120 pounds, of which 85% was fat. My BMI is now 20 which is right in the middle of the normal range and I am thrilled with that. We did discuss plastic surgery. Brett, my surgeon's PA told me they like for you to have maintained your weight for 4-6 months and then they will schedule you for the plastic surgery appointment. I need a tummy tuck and breast lift with implants and I'll be good to go. I can hide my excess skin really well with a waist cincher but I'd like to not have to wear that every day for the rest of my life. Not to mention my breasts are just sad...just down right sad! I wear underwire bras and they keep sliding out from underneath the underwire. It's the weirdest thing! Can't wait to get all of that taken care of. The surgeons will be able to do both procedures at one time so I will only have to be out of work once which is great. I believe I have to take 6 weeks off and I know I'll be one big pain from my neck to my knees but I don't care because the end result will all be worth it. It will be the icing on my cake (sorry about the food analogy).
A couple of friends of mine have a swimming pool and I have to say that buying a bathing suit this summer was fun for the first time in my life. It's the first time I put one on and didn't feel self-conscious about the way I looked. That was pretty freeing. Another thing that is pretty amazing is seeing people I haven't run into for a while and actually speaking to them and they don't know who I am! I don't feel as though I look that different but I guess I do. I went from wearing a 24W / 3X to an 8 / M. Still can't believe that. I look at pants in stores and hold them up and think, "they won't fit me, they're too small" but I put them on and they do or they're a little loose. I'm still adjusting to this huge transformation. I think it takes the mind a while to catch up to what the body has done!
I expect all of my lab work to come back normal again as I have been diligent with my diet and vitamin regimen. The only thing I get is occasional leg cramps in my calves at night which can be really aggravating, so I may be a little low in my potassium but if I have to take a supplement I will gladly...those cramps can be worrisome!
Well, I hope everyone has a great rest of their summer and I will update again before too much time passes by.
April 20, 2008: Well, since my last entry I can report that my lab work did come back normal, so the leg cramps were not a result of low potassium. Brett my surgeon's PA recommended that I increase my fluid intake which I did and that has taken care of the issue.
I have since had my 18 month follow up and had the usual panel of blood work. Everything came back perfectly normal. In my mind that is a direct reflection of following the bariatric postop regimen of daily vitamins and good menu planning. I'm still doing very well and am maintaining my weight at 120 pounds, following doctor's/nutritionist's recommendations. That is the key to success I believe.
I am planning on having plastic surgery hopefully by the end of this year, beginning of next at the latest. My 2 year follow up appointment will be in July and I will mention this to Brett/Dr. Mitchell. There is an excellent plastic surgeon here locally and I will be setting up a consult with him this fall. I called his office and spoke with his patient counselor and got a ton of information on costs, recovery time, etc. All of the procedures I am interested in can be done in their office which is great. The costs were very reasonable as well. I am so excited about completing the last phase of my transformation. I won't say completing this journey because I believe the journey itself is never over...every day is a part of it, making sure I am following instructions given to me by my surgeon and nutritionist, being accountable for the way I eat and making conscious, healthy choices including regular exercise.
I can eat larger portions than I used to and I allow myself eat a little more, but still weigh and measure all of my food. I also keep track of my protein intake daily because it's too easy to get busy and not get enough in for the day. I have had a couple of pretty bad dumping episodes this month as a result of experimenting with "no sugar added" snack items. The sugar alcohols were the culprit I believe so I won't be doing that again. That has got to be the worst feeling ever! I just stick to the few snack items that I know will work for me because variety is not worth the risk of dumping...eeekkk!!
I am still so happy with my results and the biggest payoff continues to be how good I feel, emotionally and physically. I will update again after my 2 year visit to keep everyone posted.
Happy Spring/Summer everybody!
05/30/2008: Well, an unexpected update. I had to have urgent surgery last week. I saw my surgeon for the second time in the past 2 months regarding pain around my belly button, nausea and a few episodes of vomiting. Needless to say I was quite alarmed when I realized I had lost about 4 pounds since the beginning of the month. My surgeon was afraid I had a hernia which he explained can be a side effect of RNY surgery. He didn't want to mess around so admitted me last Wednesday and performed an exploratory laparoscopy the next morning. Turns out I didn't have a hernia, thank goodness, but they did take down my G tube site and that seems to have been what the problem was. Honestly, after having my bariatric surgery, this was a piece of cake!! I was hardly sore at all when I woke up in the recovery room. So far I have not had any of the problems I was having prior to the laparoscopy and my doctor said I would be able to get the 4 pounds back in a couple or so months.
08/24/2009: Well, to say I've been slack is truly an understatement!! I just had my 3-year anniversary followup appointment...totally skipped over year 2 huh?! Oh well, I'm here now checking in so that's better than nothing I guess.
All of my blood work returned completely normal. I have maintained my 125 pound weight loss for 3 years now. I am currently at 120 pounds, down from my preop highest weight of 245 pounds. I still feel wonderful...the best I've ever felt in my life. Yes, I would still do this all over again if I had to. It has been so worth it. I continue to share my story with people in my life who are interested in pursuing this weight loss path and ask me questions about my personal journey.
I, unfortunately, have not been able to have my plastic surgery yet. I was really hoping to have completed all stages of my procedures and be totally healed up by now, but priorities have changed. We will be putting our house on the market this fall and honestly, as much as I'd love to have a flat tummy and new boobs, a new house is higher on the list. Who knows, maybe the plastic surgery will happen sooner than I hope! I'm not even putting a timeline on it because with the housing market like it is there is no telling when this will be buttoned up.
My bariatric surgeon's Nurse Practitioner said she was proud of my progress and commitment to the program and said if Dr. Mitchell needed a "poster child" for bariatric surgery she would give him my name!! To me that was the biggest compliment she could've paid me. Three years out and I still use a measuring cup and scales. I've just come so far and I never want to undo what I've accomplished. It's too easy to lose track and allow old bad habits to creep in...so I continue to keep myself aware of how much I'm eating and drinking so I don't have too little or too much. Extremes in either direction are harmful.
I don't have anything else to update on...just that I'm still a very happy bariatric patient, 3 years later.
10/09/2011: Shame, shame, shame on me for not having posted in forever!! Time flies as they say. Let's see....what's new. Well, my bariatric surgeon who I dearly love has relocated to another state so I was referred to another excellent surgeon in a nearby city. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked him. They have a very good bariatric program. My appointment for my yearly follow up was in July of this year (my surgery was 07/06/2006) and all of my lab work was normal. I need to go back and see the bariatric nutritionist as their office recommends that at the yearly checkup as well, so I will get that done within the next month or so.
I am still maintaining my goal weight of around 120 (usually 115-120). At just over 5 years out I still measure food from time to time to make sure I keep things in check. Such a creature of habit, I know what foods work for me and stick with those. I have not had sugar since my surgery, no alcohol or carbonated beverages either. I don't do potatoes, beans, rice, corn, pasta or bread. It just makes my tummy feel too uncomfortable after I eat it so I avoid it. I have found a whole grain flat bread that I like and can eat with melted cheese and I can finally have 2-3 small slices of Newman's Own white pizza that I'm very excited about. That's my wonderful world of grains! I get plenty of variety and never feel like I'm going without or being limited. When people ask me don't I miss birthday cake or waffles, etc. - I simply tell them that type of food could never taste as good as "this" feels, and that it is only on my lips and in my mouth for a few seconds and that "this" is forever.
I hope you all have a wonderful fall and joy-filled holidays!!
07/08/2012: Hi everyone! I can hardly believe I hit my 6 year mark this past Friday, 7/6/2012!! I thankfully have continued to maintain my weight loss of 125 pounds and stay within a 5-pound window (115-120). I can honestly say that I attribute all of my success to a commitment of lifestyle change and mindfulness. You have to be mindful of what you eat, how you eat and why you eat, each and everyday for success. I work among several people who have had bariatric surgery, some before mine and some after. Sadly, most have not maintained their weight loss and some have not even reached their goals. Being exposed to this helps me see how important commitment is...without that, it simply will not work. As I have written in may previous posts, this surgery is just one of many tools and all must utilized for the desired outcome. For those reading this post who are just beginning their journey as well those who are postop, I wish you all success and happiness. This surgery and lifestyle change can give you a whole new world! Good luck and God bless.
