WLS Patient Personal Info

[wikkki]

Real name: Vicki

Geographical location: Alabama

Age: 45

Marital Status: Happy (single)

Children/Ages: 1 - male - 15 going on 30

Occupation: Glorified paper pusher

Pets: Gator Hawg Dawg (big ole yeller lab), Rosie Frawg Dawg (cocker/shitzu/lhasa mix), Smokie the Stupid (husky/lab mix), Sassy Marie (gray and white long hair cat - can't meow), Gateway (black and white spotted cat - explains the name, huh) and Lil-Bit (very tiny sealpoint cat)

Hobbies/Interests: Painting children's furniture (anything artsy), gardening, walking, home improvement (not really an interest - just an necessity)

Height: 5'3"

Eye/Hair Color: Blonde/Green

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: 5/9/02

Starting Weight: 321

Present Weight: 280

Goal Weight: 150-170

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Drinking the water and getting in enough protein.

Following any specific plan: WLS

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: So far this one actually works!

Anything else you would like to share with us: My personal goal is to lose 100 pounds total by Christmas. That should put me in a size 18/20. So far 41 pounds down in 2 months - I think I can do it.

E-mail: wikkki@aol.com

[jiffypop]

Real name: jane

Geographical location: northern new jersey

Age: 49

Marital Status: never married

Children/Ages: none

Occupation: medical writer and editor; currently Editorial Director of a company that does continuing medical education for MDs

Pets: a spoiled black cat

Hobbies/Interests: music, needlework, reading, swimming, hiking, birding

Height: 5'9"

Eye/Hair Color: brown/dark brown

Date of Surgery: January 29, 2002

Type of Surgery: Roux en Y gastric bypass

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: high school!!!!

Starting Weight: highest weight ever recorded: 506 in august, 2001

Weight at surgery: 409

Present Weight: 239 [down 267 since aug/sept 2001]

Goal Weight: 180 or so, although some docs think i should stop at around 200, but one doc wants me down at 150. we'll see!!!!

Biggest hurdle to overcome in managing after WLS: currently having trouble maintaining exercise and stamina


Anything else you would like to share with us:

i had the surgery not only because i was near death [really... a 5 week hospital stay plus 3 weeks in a nursing home learning how to walk again. it was awful!!], but also because i don't want to regain the weight!!

[debkay]

name: Debbie

location: Snellville, GA ('burb of Atlanta) I'm actually from the Northern Virginia area, we have lived in Ga for almost 10 years

age: 43

marital status: married 22 years on Friday July 19th

children/ages: Michael 21, Joey 20 in September, and my baby girl Laura 16

occupation: Stay at home Mom

pets: Charley, 3 year old mixed breed, my son adopted him from the pound, and Bubba our 9 year old long haired redneck cat.

Hobbies/Interests: I like to cross stitch, read, and when my weight is more under control I will garden. I'm a die hard Washington Redskins fan and I just love the Atlanta Braves!!

Height: Almost 5' 5"

eye/hair color: brown eyes, and highlighted hair

starting date of weightloss journey: my surgery was January 14th 2002.

starting weight: all time high was 360

present weight: 215

goal weight: not sure, when I walked down the aisle I weighed 200 pounds, I looked and felt good at that weight, but my surgeon says I will probably end up around 175.

anything else you would like to share with us: even tho I had severe complications from the surgery, I can now say it was worth it.

[ageoldie]

I dedided to jump in here with a combination of info on me and my DH ALvin. He's the one who had the actual surgery, but I have the "living with it" job.


name: Barbara (Alvin)

location: Both born & Breed in Dallas Texas

age: 55 (he's 5 days older!!!)

marital status: married 36 years in Jan.

children/ages: Michael 35, Mark 34, and one grandson Nathan age 4 (he's Mike's)

occupation: We own a business that sells parts for Mustangs. Our website is www.ageclassic.com

pets: We have 2 cats at home Odie and Oliver, and 2 cats at work Blacky and Smokey


Hobbies/Interests: We both like antiques, are involved in our Church, and love horsesracing. Myself personally, I consider my hobbies as weight loss and nutrition, needlework crafts, AVON and reading

Height: Almost 5' 6" for me 6'2" for Alvin

eye/hair color: brown eyes, and highlighted hair for me, brown hair , red hair gone dark for Alvin

starting date of weightloss journey: His surgery was April 19th 2002. and I started anew on 5/1/02

starting weight: on day of surgery his weight was 577. My previous weight that was "Official" was 293 for my pre-op exam for my knee replacement surgery on 2/1/02

present weight: his about 475, mine 263 as of Tuesday (on the same doctors scales as the 293)

goal weight: His is 250, mine is about 156

anything else you would like to share with us: Just that it's as difficult for the "caregiver" for the WLS patient as it is for the patient.(except I don't throw up

[debkay]

Anyone else care to join us???

Pretty please!!

Debbie

[Dawnajoy]

NAME: Dawna

AGE: 41

LOCATION: California

MARITAL STATUS: Divorced

CHILDREN: 17-year-old boy, 14-year-old girl, 12-year-old boy

PETS: 1-year-old black lab

OCCUPATION: Medical Transcription

HEIGHT: 5'4"

PREOP WEIGHT: 324

SURGERY DATE: 04/20/01

TYPE OF WLS: Duodenal switch

PRESENT WEIGHT: 170ish

THOUGHTS: I would have WLS again in a heartbeat. It is by far the best thing I ever did for myself. I am committed to exercise, vitamin supplementation and proper eating (healthy eating for DS postops). I am determined not to live my life as a smaller obese person but to really take the gift I have been given, and do the things I couldn't before. I feel re-born.

[MissMew]

Thoughht I'd introduce myself here even though I am still pre-op...

My name is Tammy, I am almost 31 years old (next month), married to a really great guy...we have two young boys (5 1/2 and 3) and live in Canada.

I am currently waiting for my first consultation with two different surgeons. Thie first surgeon does RNY, and my appt with him is Dec 2. The other surgeon does DS (which I'd prefer), and I am waiting for them to call with my first consult appointment...they book your consult and pre-op testing all on the same day if you are travelling a long distance (3-4 hours for me), so that is why I am waiting for this appointment. Most likely I will go with the second doctor, as his waiting times are a bit shorter...I am guestimating my consult will be in November and surgery around March...again, it is hard to say as many people have been trying to get in with this doctor recently. He had been "unheard of" until late, he was trying to keep quiet until he was able to change his practice to do only WLS, so many people didn't know about him.

Anyways, I can't wait to be on the other side. I want to be healthy again, to stop having so many problems related to my weight, to be able to exercise and run after my kids...well, you know all those reasons.

[DreamSmall]

Real name: Debbie

Geographical location: Pennsylvania

Age: 37

Marital Status: Married

Children/Ages: 2 boys ... 3 years and 10 years

Occupation: Stay at Home mom

Pets: A lab named Charlie, a pug named Mugsy, a cat named Slash and our most recent addition ... a small plastic aquarium of Sea Monkeys of which I have only named 2... Bruno and Chloe.

Hobbies/Interests: Writing in my journal, crafts, cross stitch and walking.

Height: 5'10"

Eye/Hair Color: Brown/Dark Brown

Type and date of WLS: Laproscopic Roux en Y performed on 2-19-2001

Starting Weight: 295

Present Weight: 187

Goal Weight: 160-170

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: Getting in protein and battling with Fat Debbie(she's the piece of me that wants to stay fat because it keeps us from dealing with real issues)

Following any specific plan: WLS, 1100 -1300 calories and walking daily... 5 miles at a pace of 4.5 MPH.

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: WLS definitely made things easier in the beginning and this time I have actually learned about myself and am making serious life changes.

Anything else you would like to share with us: My personal goals are to reach and maintain my goal weight while eating relatively normal and I want to be able to walk at a pace of 5 MPH which is 12 minutes a mile and right now I can only do a 13.4 minute mile. This surgery has been the best (physically) and the worse (mentally and emotionally) thing that I have ever done. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

E-mail: dreaming_small@hotmail.com

[jiffypop]

welcome to the new group, tammy and debbie... and please post often!!!

and tammy, i remember you from 100 pound. i didn't realize you were thinking about the surgery [or it didn't dawn on me!].

hope you'll keep us posted.

and debbie.. i'm really interested in support groups. do you have one? what's it like?

[debkay]

bump

[debkay]

Bump........AGAIN!!!!

[jiffypop]

with all you're doing these days, could you maybe find the time to turn this into a sticky????

thanks..

[Ruthxxx]

You mean I am a lurker? Consider it done.
Sorry I missed it yesterday - I was otherwise engaged.

[jiffypop]

you're the BOSS...

and very brave to be posting after your wrist surgery. thank you!!!!

[csbutton]

Real name: Amy

Geographical location: Washington

Age: 34

Marital Status: Married (11 years)

Children/Ages: Son-9yo, Son-6yo, Daughter 4-yo

Occupation: Web Designer, SAHM/WAHM, cheif cook and bottle washer

Pets: 1 Cat, calico and persian mix...

Hobbies/Interests: My family, community theatre (yes I can dance act and sing) Playing piano, working on my house

Height: 5'3"

Eye/Hair Color: Dark Brown

Starting Date of Weightloss Journey: Surgery date 12-18-02

Starting Weight: 262 was my heaviest (before surgery)

Present Weight: 223

Goal Weight: 150 (or even a size 14)

Biggest hurdle to overcome in weightloss: So far it's battling my will power (which is why I choose the Lap-Band, to help with this battle)

Following any specific plan: Lap-Band Surgery on Dec 8, 2002

What is different this time in your weight loss efforts than in the past: Perhaps because I am making a HUGE decisions not follow a fad diet but to do something more semi-permanent

Anything else you would like to share with us: I just want to be one of the 'normal sized' people. Not too thin, a size 14 would be nice.

E-mail: amy@nwtechdesign.com