Before & After Lap-Band Revision to VSG with Kelly, losing 125lbs!
September 26, 2017Why I Decided to Have WLS
I was a normal weight throughout my childhood but by my early 20’s I was diagnosed with asthma. I was placed on very high dosages of steroids and my weight ballooned to my highest weight of 255 pounds. I continued to struggle with trying to keep my asthma under control and trying every diet, any new weight loss fad and even hypnosis. As my 40th birthday approached, I finally decided... enough! That's when my weight loss surgery began.
Before and After Lap-Band Revision to VSG with Kelly
Total Weight Loss: 125 pounds
Surgery Type: Lap-Band in July 2010, Revision to Vertical Sleeve in November 2012
Surgeons: Dr. Ajay Goyal and Dr. Glenn Forrester
My Surgery and Post-Op Life
On July 12, 2010, I had Lap Band surgery at New Jersey Bariatric Center with Dr. Ajay Goyal. I had success and lost 75 pounds. I worked out daily with a personal trainer but I started to get a lot of hanging skin. I had worked so hard to lose the weight and it was a struggle to work out with all the loose skin. I made the decision in 2011 to have plastic surgery (tummy tuck and liposuction) to have it removed.
Fast forward to November 2012. I started to have issues with my Lap Band. It was determined that my Band had shifted and I needed revision surgery.
I revised to a Vertical Gastric Sleeve. Dr. Glenn Forester performed my revisional surgery. I was very happy with my original weight loss, but I ended up losing an additional 50 pounds for my total weight loss at 125 pounds. The physical transformation has been wonderful. In the beginning, it was an adjustment to eat the proper proportions so I didn't get "one more bite syndrome" of getting that feeling of stuck food or even worse I would get sick.
I am celebrating 7 years’ post-surgery and my tool is still working.
My only regret is not doing it sooner. It truly was the best decision I have ever made. I am happy and healthy and I feel 20 years younger. I have the ability to do things I hadn’t been able to most of my adult life and that is an amazing feeling. This is not the easy way out that many people have said to me over the years. In fact, it’s a lifelong challenge to make the right decisions every day.
My love for Disney World is well known, and prior to my weight loss, I would only visit once a year. I couldn’t get around the park without being exhausted and in pain, fitting on rides was embarrassing because people would stare at me wondering if the belt or harness would fit. I couldn't go shopping for cute t-shirts or any Disney clothing because it didn't exist for a plus sized woman. Now, I go on Disney trips an average of four to five times a year. I can do anything such as the rope drop to watching fireworks because my energy is high. I am excited that I literally feel like a kid again. It has been amazing and now I shop at all the stores on Main Street USA.
Milestones and NSV's
In 2012, I joined Team in Training which fund raises for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I spent six months training every morning and after work to run/walk my first half marathon on the hills of San Francisco. I crossed the finish line and had the medal placed around my neck. It was the most satisfying moment of accomplishment I have ever experienced.
It has been a wonderful opportunity to be able to help others as they embark on their journey. I have been a proud ambassador for our practice for over five years. I get to speak at the seminars and share my experience.
I am a strong advocate for the procedure and have helped many of my friends go through the process. I am so proud of them as they begin their own journey to a happy and healthy lifestyle. ObesityHelp.com gives you the resources to see that you aren’t alone. I found out that I wasn’t the only one out there that needed revision surgery and I could gain knowledge from other people’s experiences.
Share Your Before & After Success!
Celebrate your own Before & After WLS Success, milestones, non-scale victories, and inspire others! The OH team wants to hear from you to share your weight loss surgery journey. Visit our Before & After Submission page for details.
