Before & After VSG – Sleeve with Felicheeks
December 6, 2016Celebrating Felicheeks' Before & After VSG Journey!
I went to my doctor in January of 2015 when I realized I was gaining more weight. I could no longer lose it due to my multiple chronic illnesses. My doctor referred me to a weight loss surgeon.
Starting in February of 2015, I had to learn how to live a whole new lifestyle of eating right with clean, healthy food, nothing processed, boxed, canned, no sugar, no salt, no gluten...and I had to exercise. I couldn't do just regular exercise, I had to figure out what would work for ME as I have multiple sclerosis. If I get heated up, I will go into a flare and get sick so I tried many different things before I finally fell in love with water fitness.
I also walk twice a day, about 2 miles on good days, but not when I started. At first, I'd be lucky if I got to the end of my yard. As I continued to walk, I progressed further.
I had to lose 20 pounds on my own before the doctors would consider me for weight loss surgery because it is just a tool NOT a solution. When people learn that I've had weight loss surgery, they think I took the easy way out. NO WAY! They wanted me to start living the way I'm going to be living for the rest of my life - BEFORE my surgery and get used to it. I did it!
Before & After VSG - Sleeve
OH Username: Felicheeks
Total Weight Loss: 100 pounds
Surgical Procedure: VSG
Surgery Date: 5/4/2015
Surgeon's Name: Dr. Sanjoy Dutta
My surgery (VSG) Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy was in May, and I've lost 100 pounds which was my weight loss goal. The hard part will be maintaining for the rest of my life.
I feel great when my pain is not kicking my butt. I no longer have diabetes, sleep apnea, and my chronic fatigue is going away and I now have tons of energy. I will always have (MS) multiple sclerosis for the rest of my life but not as a fat woman with all that extra weight.
My fibromyalgia hasn't really gone away. I still ache every day and have arthritis but not as bad because I'm not carrying all that extra weight.
I lost my mom and sister to health-related obesity illnesses and I was determined to stop the cycle in my family with ME! My adult children, grandchildren, father, and husband are all eating healthy and exercising because what I'm doing is rubbing off on them!
For my before photo for this article, I was very unhappy weighing 265 pounds. For my after photo, I'm at my goal weight of 165, less than one week before my 1-year surgerversary!
Special Milestones
I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2011, but surviving the symptoms since 2006. It takes a long time for anyone to actually get diagnosed with MS. My multiple chronic health conditions have been tough on my family. I have two adult daughters so it has been extra tough for them to understand why I can't work, have energy, feel good and have a regular life like most 47-year-old women.
Nearly two years ago, my oldest daughter who is now 30 was diagnosed with MS after having the same symptoms as I have for about a year. The saying "you don't get it...til YOU GET IT" is true. All of a sudden she understood. She was diagnosed with the same type of MS that I have which is RRMS.
I was her biggest cheerleader and advocate. We both decided to create a "team" called "T.Marie's 510 Strutters" (my daughter's name) and raise awareness for our friends, family and loved ones while paying it forward by raising money to find a cure for our disease.
We created a team of 36 friends, family, and co-workers raised over $1,500 in 2015 and $4,000 in 2016 walking a 5k at the San Francisco MS Walk! The most emotional and profound moment of this year was walking through the finish line hand in hand with my daughter who shares this nasty disease with me. We are warrior princesses!
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.
