post-op results please?
I would DEFINATELY do it all again in a heartbeat! Yes, I have regained some, still overall SOO much healthier than I EVER was! Today, I even exercised a HOUR! lol, (On wii fit, yoga, etc.) I am also a MOMMY! And happily married. I dont think that would have ever been possible if I hadnt done the surgery, and still weighing over 400 pounds. Go for it. Like anything in life that is worth it, you will have highs and lows. Just keep on keeping on. :o) God bless us all!
~Cora Post op, of 11 1/2 YEARS....wow.
Dear Friends,
I am 13 years post-op RNY, and despite many ups and downs medically, I have maintained more than a 165 pound weight loss since my surgery. I worked very closely with my bariatric team throughout the entire process. I regularly follow-up with my surgeon, as he wants to stay in contact with his patients, not only to know how they are doing, but to also medically monitor very important blood levels. If it were not for one of my regularly scheduled appointments and blood tests, I would not have been diagnosed with Iron Defiency Anemia. This became a disabling condition until diagnosed. I am followed by a Hematologist and get iron infusions as indicated (usually an annual basis). When I had surgery, this phenomenon was a rare occurence because so few people had the surgery back in the day. Since my diagnosis, it has become widely accepted that one's ferretin must be checked on a regular basis to make sure you have adequate iron stores. My iron levels indicated they were fine, but I could barely walk to the mailbox, not function.
My life is 100% better and improved than life before surgery. Opportunities have opened for me that would never have been possible as a morbidly obese person. Never had I heard compliments from any man about my appearance. Just a few days ago a male friend and I that went to my 30th college reunion said to me, "Theresa, you are drop dead gorgeous! You looked stunning in that dress!", referring to a simple black dress with white polka dots I wore to dinner.
Am I 100% there with the confidence level? No, not really. I'm not sure I ever will be. 38 years of morbid obesity took a major toll on my self-esteem. However, I am 98%-99% there, which I think is pretty darn awesome. I feel good about myself. I see myself as a thin person, that was a long time in coming. I love the attention I get from other people that I missed out on during my teens, twenties and thirties. What I regret most is that this surgery wasn't available to me years earlier. I always wanted to have children. They never blessed my life. I guess I have been blessed in other ways, with a job that I love, a lovely home that I bought at 31 years old, and the companionship of my beloved Bichon Frise for 13.5 years.
This surgery revolutionized my life. I have my surgery team and myself to thank for that, as I never gave up on myself even when I was gravely ill with complications. I kept putting one foot in front of the order and following my team's recommendations. Good luck!
