Kathy, I'm glad you got your disability on the first try. I did too. Glad you are feeling better. Sorry about the hearing loss. Hopefully you can get hearing aides to help. Depression sucks too.

Yvonne

Hi Kathy. You are such a strong woman and good for you ! I'm sure when you're well enough you will whip those 20. Thanks so much for the encouragement. Will keep you posted!! Ellen

Hi Ellie!

I had my sleeve done in October 2015 and had no problems whatsoever. However, I did work hard the 9 months prior to surgery to make sure I was in the best condition I could be.

I worked with a dietician for 6 months and dropped 75 pounds. I was 350 when I started my journey & 275 when I got on the operating table. I had been walking everyday and was up to about 30-45 minutes prior to surgery. And I cut down on eating out and sugar.

I had/have chronic a-fib, HBP, sleep apnea, pre-diabetes and severe fatigue prior to the surgery. My knees killed me. I still have afib, but the sleep apnea is gone as well as the pre-diabetes. The fatigue was due to the weight, afib, meds & other factors so I still deal with that.

I got down to 230 and goal was 225. I would go up & down about 5 pounds based on how much I ate & exercised. Unfortunately I became seriously ill this past year and could not exercise. I couldn't do much of anything so I began eating and have gained back 20 pounds. But I hope I can get it off once I am released from medical care next month.

I would do this again in a heartbeat. I was worried about having the surgery at 58...especially w/the heart condition, but it was SO easy. Even if you had any problems with recovery I think you would be glad you did it in the long run.

Best of luck!

Come back and let us know how it went!

Kathy

Hi Yvonne!

Tried to reply via my phone days ago, but I needed my password to get in & couldn't remember it! am my laptop now.

That I cool about going kayaking! I never considered it while obese, and now I just don't have the energy despite my love for water sports! So good for you!

I don't like going to public places by myself, either, but it doesn't bother me as much as it did when I was younger.

So sorry about your SIL...I read the obit & didn't realize she was my age. I remember having trouble staying on course with my meal plans when my baby brother died a couple weeks after my WLS. I can understand the struggle!

I also miss ppl posting here regularly. The board was SO active! Not sure why some ppl have not come back...

I had good news yesterday. I got approved for my SSDI. It was my 1st try & got approved in 6 months. Plus, my monthly benefits are about $400 more than I had estimated. Now we can relax instead of waiting until I turned 61 in a couple years.

I don't know if they approved me for just one disabling condition or all reported as I have not gotten the detailed approval letter. My hearing loss is really bad so I think it was probably bc of that and the depression it has caused me. I have become very depressed the past several months since getting so sick in March and not being able to do anything I wanted or needed to. My heart condition already makes me fatigued & the illness just made everything worse. And then not being able to hear ppl just isolates you..ugh!

Anyhow, I am almost fully recovered from my illness. I have a colonoscopy this week & then one last surgery and I am good. I found a place who does deeply discounted hearing aids based on income so will apply for them...can't afford 2k or more per ear! And we can live fairly comfortably with my disability income.

So life goes in cycles and I hope I am leaving the past couple years behind!

Hope we hear from some others!

I'm 68 this month and am scheduled for vertical sleeve on 9/26/2017. I must admit being both excited and quite afraid. I don't know if my age will make the surgery more difficult or the recovery longer. Any help from someone in my age group that has had the surgery would be wonderful. Thanks in advance for your posts.