I had my WLS on 8/2/02 and have dropped a total of 189lbs since surgery and a total of 260 before surgery! I no longer have diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and have GAINED a ton in the self esteem dept.! I am loving life like I never knew I could and am now looking forward to the next stage in my life - Plastic Surgery. I am awaiting insurance approval any day now and I have plans to travel to Brazil later this year for everything that my insurance company won't pay for. I am soooooooo excited!!! For those out there who have not yet begun their journey you are about to imbark on a "Fantastic journey" like nothing you've ever even dreamt about. Keep your head high and keep smiling and you'll be the beautiful butterfly that you've always wanted to be Kathy P

Congratulations to you on such a wonderful job! I'm working on the last 11 pounds myself. Every time I've been stuck at a plateau, the ONLY thing that broke it for me was to change up the exercise routine... like increasing the walking. But it is the last stubborn 10-11 pounds that are not cooperating for me either. If you hear of a secret, would you let me know too? Good luck, and keep up the good work! Linda

SHELIA I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH I AM GOING TO HAVE THE SURGERY BUT I HAVE GOT TO FILL OUT THE PAPER WORK SO I CAN GET THIS ON THE BALL I AM ALSO A PEPSI DRINKER AND I HAVE SWITCHED TO DIET PEPSI ONCED YOU SWITCH DONT GO BACK TO SWEET DRINKS GO COLD TURKEY IT WILL TASTE TERRIBLE AT FIRST BUT I HAVE LOST A FEW POUNDS BY6 JUST DRINKING DIET DRINKS. GOOD LUCK AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO EMAIL ME YOU CAN DO SO AT [email protected] I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.I WILL KEEP YOU IN MY PRAYERS. MELINDA HOWELL

MY Dr has suggested the surgery because of med problems. arthritis chronic back pain etc. I have done all paper work on his end waiting for referall call looking forward to it. I wear 22 and some of them are tight. I have a daughter who is a size 1-3 she once said she wished she could wear my clothes ( because I have so many and she so few) I said I wished too but in her size not mine. as I read these stories it does seem possible!!!!!!!!! and I am so looking forward to it Nola

hi sheila, i am 33yrs old and i had my surgery 1yr, 2 months, and 2 days ago, and i would do it all over again....i weighed 319lbs when i had the surgery, and now i'm down to between 145-150lbs....i'm 5'9", and i was in a 26/28 clothes, and now i'm in an 8.....i feel great....i haven't had any major problems, but if i did it all over again, i would have listened to my surgeon better from the beginning, when it comes to my vitamins and eating habits....because now, i can eat almost anything again....i'm scared to try fast food (big mac's, whoppers, etc.), but i can now eat pizza, steak, all the good stuff, but just not a whole lot of it.....as far as your pop, they tell you not to drink it, but i drink mountain dew, dr. pepper, and there are still a lot of diet soda's that i drink, also.....i can also eat sugar again, but some of it upsets my stomach....now, at the beginning, i was not able to eat any of this stuff, so the first 6-7 months are the worst, but i promise it gets better....i was scared to try alot of the stuff until then......sometimes, i wish never would have tried them...lol..........the only meds you really will have to take for life are your vitamins, unless you develop other problems, like i am now taking pills for my stomach(nexium), and sometimes pain pills for, what they think is wrong with me, is adhesions, from the surgery, which is just scar tissue.....but if you do decide to have this surgery, good luck!!!!!!! jenny