Roll Call and Updates

Hi My name is April, I am still pre-op and just submitted my appeal to vocational rehab. I am on a high exercise/high protein diet i guess you would call it. Walking at least a mile a day. Not sure if I am loosing any weight or not. Anyway, Who is going to be in orlando in June, to have a blast with us.

I am heather and I am proud to say that I am 14 months post op and I am down 180 pounds. I work out 4-5 times a week and i enjoy my new physical life . I am 6 weeks away from a full body lift.

My name is Charlene and I hail from Melbourne, FL. Dr. Tenewitz performed my surgery on 3-11-2003. Since then I have lost 107 pounds and been at goal weight for about a year. My life and health has changed dramatically. I went from laying in bed on oxygen most of the day to working part-time and going to school for my real estate license. I had a hernia repair surgery in January of this year but that is the only complication that I have had. I can eat most foods but some things are still trial and error. I still occasionally eat too quickly and end up having to get it up. And I do on rare occasions dump if I overdo the sugar. I love clothes shopping now. It is so much more fun at a size 4-6 than it was at size 22. I am one of those people that have totally blossomed like a butterfly since this surgery. That is enough about me...next. Char

Hi, I am a Lurker mostly. My name is Beth, I yhad my surgery 11-20-03. I started out @ 281 lbs and wearing a size 24/26...probably bigger, but I refused to buy anything bigger. I am now 132lbs and wear 8 or 10, depending on how it is made. Life is great...I try to exercise, but I honestly do not do it like I should. I am trying harder though. I need to update my profile as we speak and my picture as well. I went to Key West recently to spend the week with my wonderful brothers, and they we all like..."I hear you voice, but when I turn to say something to you, i say to myself, that's not Beth, she's so skinny". Aren't they the best? Gotta love all three of them.......Have a great Day!!!! Hugs to all, Beth 281/132 @ goal and beyond

I mostly lurk on here, and just love this forum. It helped me decide on WLS. My name is Karen and I live in Central Florida. I hope to have a date from Dr. Kim's office by the beginning of next week. I have been researching WLS for almost two years, and now I'm anxious to get it done! My hobbies are making glass beads in the fire of a torch , reading, doing online research, and I also help out as staff on another forum for art. I pray that loosing weight will help me with the pain I am in 24 hours a day. I have seen so many of you talking about the pain relief with WL!! I want to thank everyone here on the forums for keeping your profiles updated, I can spend hours looking through them and the before/after picture section - so inspiring!! Cheers, K

Hello everyone! My name is Gail. I have been reachings WLS for over a year. I started at 427 lbs. I have been through all the hoops to have my surgery and got word last week that my insurance accepted my reguest. Unfortunitly I got very ill last month and ended up in the hospital. So I need to recover from that before I decide on a date. I updated my file with all of this last week when I got to come home from the hospital. I have worked at being good to myself and eating with better choices and I have lost 60 lbs. in the last 14 month of the learning about WLS. I hope more of you can make it to our Meet and Greet in May. Amy, when and where will we be meeting? I love talking to everyone and get very excited for you and your successes. IMP Gail

Hello Amy. You're right about the profile thing. I started mine back in 2002 and even forgot my sign-on! Anyway, I am at about 420 (no scale large enough to weigh me) and I'm certainly pre-op. I've been trying to get the surgery since 02' with no luck even after repeated appeals, voc rehab, etc. There may be a glimmer of light on the horizon though, hubby just got transfered and it seems there is a different health plan there and it just might have the surgery on it. I'm encouraged but after so many denials, its hard to get excited. I'm not just sitting around waiting for help, I'm actively trying to combat my obeisty by better food choices, exercise (treadmill and a form of martial art called Krav Maga) and an anti-depressant so that my weight doesn't keep me a prisoner indoors. Its helping but as well all know too well, its not a permanent solution without the assistance of WLS. Hopefully, someday if my prayers and efforts are rewarded and we can get a bit of luck! Thank you to everyone who posted, getting your updates and seeing your success is inspiring and encouraging. Its good to read the stories and see the happiness between the lines. In good health to you all!

Hi Everyone, My name is Kristin (MissKrissyK). I must admit I am a lurker!! I had my wls on 02/15/05. I am now down 44lbs. I lost 10lbs before surgery so I'm actually down 54lbs. I try to update my profile on a regular basis. wls is the best thing to happen to me. I feel like I have started my life all over again (when it comes to my weight) and I have a chance to do things the right way this time!! I just recently started walking 2 miles atlease 2 to 3 times a week, and plan on joining the gym soon.

Hey y'all. I am pre-op with Dr.Murr. I am suppose to be on my 3 week diet but I have no started it yet. I am battling bad depression and somedays don't even want to think about surgery. I am stil thinking about the lap-band more than the bypass. I meet with Dr.Murr in about a month to decide. I have trouble getting motivated due to back pain all the time. I also am sleepy all the time since I take neurontin for trigeminal neuralgia. I hope as each day goes by that somewhere I find the strength to get to the next. Kim

Hi Everyone! It is so refreshing reading about everyone's success and journey through this remarkable transformation! I am Kathy and I live in Zephyrhills, Florida. I am 39. I started my journey on 8/11/04 with Dr. Murr in Tampa and I was 330 lbs. I am a little more than 8 months out now and am down 133 pounds. Prior to my surgery I was insulin dependent, severe PCOS, arthritis and sleep apnea. I could not walk very far at all without hurting so bad my back would literally lock up. I have a 9 year old and 13 year old (both boys) and could never do anything with them! All of that has changed. I no longer take any meds, no longer have to sleep with that horrible mask on my face and I can walk and ride rollercoasters with my kids and so much more than I ever thought I could do! It has been life saving and life transforming and I would do it again in a heartbeat! The only thing I have had problems with is my image in the mirror, but Ibelieve a lot of us have had that and will continue to have that for a long time! You know what I mean! Looking in the mirror and finding it hard to believe that it is really you looking back! Out of old habits, I still go to the plus size dept when shoping and I actually laugh when I realize that nothing is going to fit me there now!