On March 6, I will be 4 years post op. I consider myself very lucky and very fortunate to have had the doctor I had and the success I had throughout my four year journey. God has blessed me well. For my success, thus far, my husband and children have given me a three week vacation beginning on Feb. 12, 2007 and ending on March 4, 2007. I will be going to New York, California and on a cruise to the Mexican Reveria. God, I can't wait. For the first time in my life I have all the prettiest clothes that one can imagine. Of course, it helped that I also turned 50 this year, so for my birthday, everyone knew about the cruise except me. Therefore, I received everything worthy of a fantastic vacation. Even my evening gowns were given to me as a gift. What a great prize for such success in my journey. I started out with a BMI of 63.2 now 31.3. My only problem is being around food all day and night. I have been in control of the food these past four years now it will be in plan view constantly. I know with God's help I will conquer this feeding frenzy if it occurs. Good luck to all of my fellow March 2003 friends.

Hi Tammy! I had my surgery march 2004. I'm down 120 pounds an loving it. wearing size 8 & 10 and loving that even more. the best thing is that i no longer need knee replacement surgery and my hips are fantastic for movements. i feel wonderfully healthy.this morning i went on line to check out my surgery date message room that i always go to and for some reason hit the wrong year. I do believe that the stars said i should see the 2003 room casue i have the same issue that you have! i lost a tremondous amount of hair. it was so thin I cryed but figured oh well I'll get a wig if i have to can't go backwards and really didn't want to go back to being almost 300 pounds. so I delt with the hair loss as best I could. all of a sudden it started to grow back. Then I had to deal with the curls!!!!! Never in my whole life did I have curly hair unless I went and paid big bucks for perms. even then they didn't get as curly as my hair is now. what a riot! the color has stayed pretty much the same other than a few grays but what the heck I'm saving a fortune in perms!!!! good luck and god bless, Pam

I too started at exactly 305! I got down to 139... I looked too thin, so I put on 10 pounds back on- on purpose, can you believe it! Not thinking though that all my clothes were an 8-10, dumb move! -now they don't fit...so I am trying to take off 10 pounds... not as easy as I thought it was. I am CRAVING carbs like CRAZY! that is my down fall, --I am not getting in the protein and I need it! If I lay off breads, flours and sugar it starts to come off, BUT the minute I eat it, back on it goes! Grrrr. I can only handle 10 grams of sugar at a time, which is great. My advise is stay away from the carbs as much as possible! You'll keep loosing for another 5 months or so! Took me a year to get to 139! I am now about 155 and I joined Weigh****chers just for the accountability. It's working, but slowly. P.S. Drink lots of water...yuk but it does work. Good luck! I'll be watching for your updates Tammy in Elgin

Catherine you are unbelievable you look so beautiful .. to have lost all this weight what an honor to see your pic.. Did u have the lapband or gastric done?? Keep up the good work you are doing you have become an insperation to me even if you are younger because when I lose my wt I will be wearing size 10 jeans.hahaha(joke between my daughter and I)she is a great support to me... May you live a beautiful life with your new you and family.. Warmly Rosa from Massaschusetts surgery date May 12, 2006 Springfield,Mass..

3-16-06 Well soon it will be my 3rd year anniversary.3-31-03 And YES I"D DO IT AGAIN. LOL This year I've had several plastic surgerys. In March I had lipo on my legs and hips.. That was to prepare my legs for an inner thigh lift later in the year. Then in July, I had my breasts done, and my arms redone.. I can't tell you, what a difference having my breasts did for my looks.. He removed 7 pounds, and lifted my nipples 14 inches. Thats right, he didn't remove my nipples.. he moved them into the keyhole pattern. He had told me that he would have to remove my nipples, then reattach them once he lifted my breasts. I asked him, if at all possible if he could keep from removing them. That I wanted to look as natural as possible. Well to my surprise, he was able to reconstruct my breasts, and move my nipple 14 inches to its new location.. Not only do I have all my feeling still, But the nipples get hard and soft, like normal nipples do.. I went from something like a 56 F or 60.F.. to a 36-38 D.. no implants.. nice and perky.. lol I'm very pleased. And Dr. Yaker redid my upper arms.. Dr. Burkett hadn't removed much skin the first time, and this time they are nice and firm.. Dr. Yakers magic touch. After that surgery, I had my inner thigh lift on Dec. 19th.. Along with that surgery I had my back side flanks done.. The part that hangs under the bra line on my back.. I now have a smooth back and waist. Unfortantly, I did have some problems with recovery from my thigh lift. I caught staph and streph infections..Made me very ill.. and I spent several weeks in the hospital .. My incisions had to be opened,, so to heal from the inside out. With the help of the wound vac**** (a wonderful invention) my incisions closed fairly fast. Alot faster than if I hadn't used the wound vac. By March 1st, I was ready for skin graphs. The skin was taken from my hip, and covered the open incisions on my legs.. The graphs took 100% on my wounds, and closed my wounds to keep bacteria out.. Of course the scars are terrible on my thighs.. But once my legs are completely well, and my immune system has had a chance to rebuild itself.. Then Dr. Yaker will remove the graphs and repair my thighs.. I expect that to be late summer. I now have a new respect for burn victims.. The graph site has been very painful. I've managed to keep my weight below 200. Usually 195.. I wont kid you, It hasnt been easy, since now I can eat the amounts of a normal person. If I over eat,, I still get sick and throw up. and certain foods still make me sick.. certain sugars, and greasy foods.. But I still love the taste of them.. Its a constant struggle with my brain.. I still want to get to 150.. and I feel sure I will achieve that goal someday.. I still have alot of work to do to get my body where Id like it.. I still need my hips and butt done.. Just I know now that I cant ru**** My immune system must be in tiptop shape. Ready to fight off infections that might try to invade me.. I'm wearing a size 16 now.. down from a size 64 top and a 60 pants. Anyway you look at it, that is alot of weight ive lost.. I'm very very happy with my surgery.. If I can help anyone or answer anyones questions.. Please write me.. "[email protected]"