Profile: Ginny B Surgery: Post Op Jessup, PA, USA Personal Comments I have my firt appt with Dr.Peters on April 18th, 2002. We have exchanged emails and talked on the phone. I am sure he will find me a suitable person for the surgery. I hope so anyway. I will let you all know how it goes. I have Blue Cross and Blue Shield and don't forsee this being a big deal getting it approved as they already pre-approved me and paid for a breast reduction that was needed. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I take this journey. 4/18/02 Had my first appt with Dr.Peters today and I was very happy with the appt. He is a true caring Doctor and just what I have been looking for. He was straight forward and to the point. He gave me the choice to chose 1 of 3 surgeries and at this pt I am leaning toward a OPEN/RYN. I have my second appt with him on May 16th. What a long wait but hey....good things come to those who wait,huh? I am looking forward to seeing him again to get the ball rolling. The waiting is the worst part of this whole thing. I emailed a few of Dr.Peters patients to see what surgery they chose and why. I just want to be sure I am chosing the right surgery for me. I figure if I am going to do this I need to be 100% sure and know all there is to about what I am getting into. I will write more after my second visit with him. 4/26/02 Wow....I was hoping and praying to get in earlier to see Dr.P and it happened. Last night Robbie called to ask me if I could come on Thursday at 1pm for my 2nd appt. I told her darn right I can. I just know that this is the right choice for me....I want so much to be healthier and to stop taking all these darn meds every day. Dr.P said that is a goal of his for me as well. :) Well...the next step is the dreaded wait for insurance approval and I think it won't be too long since when I had to have pre-approval for my breast reduction it only took them 5 days for that one...so here is a speedy approval. 5/23/02 Well....good news.I finally got a date...July 8th is the day I will be passing over to the new me. I am very excited and looking forward to the new me. I have an EDG test and a appt with a nutritionist on June 11 and my Pre-Admissions tests done on June 27th. I am very excited but also very nervous about this whole thing..I think the closer it gets the worst I will be but for now I try not to think about it. I am looking now into protein shakes and vitamins for after surgery so I am totally prepared when the time comes. 7/19/02 8 days post-op and doing pretty well. I have lost 16 lbs to date and things are just somedays better than others. I go to get my staples and tube out on Thursday and I can't wait as sleeping as been a big no-no due to comfort. :( I am doing well and just taking things one day at a time. 10/18/02 Wow its almost going to be 4 months since I had surgery and things are going well. I am down to 217lbs as of today and have not been in a size 20 in over 10 yrs. Its feels great and everyone is saying how great I look. I am feeling ok and my 3 month check up with labs were all ok. I am glad things are going ok. I still am not really hungry and think this was the best choice I could of made to lose this weight once and for all. I am too see a nutritionist locally on Nov 1 and hope that she will see me like every three months for lab checks. 12/08/02 5 months post-op today and things are going rather well. I had Wendy's chili and it stayed down. Thats a HUGE plus for me as I have not been eating enough. I am wearing a size 16 jeans and today weighed 191 lbs.....woohoo.....I have not been this thin in over 10 yrs and it feels great. 03/29/03 9 months post-op in about a week. WOW!!! I lost 125lbs putting me at 158 and losing still. I am into a size 12 some 10's....god it feels so freaking GREAT. I feel good most of the time. I also know the things I would be eating if I didn't have this surgery. This tool is the best thing I ever did for myself. I know that without it I would be over 400lbs and gaining. WLS has changed alot about my life but mostly I am finally thin....a longed for thing since childhood :) My my my....I am roller coaster bound this summer and looking forward to it all. Not only have things in the weightloss area improved in my life but in my job life as well, I got a promotion using the extra bought of confidence to help. :) The thin person is out....so look out!!! All is well....protein was a bit low on my last labs but I try each day to eat as much protein as I can. I eat about 3 mini meals a day and three mini snacks I call them. My caloric intake by mouth ranges in about 600-800 calories a day. I see a nutritionst every three months as well as Dr.Peters....so far so good in all areas. 4/14/03 Gosh how long as it been since surgery...o yeh about 9 months....I have now lost well....ready for this...142lbs....I can wear a size 10.....look out..my goal is 8...I have about 20-25 lbs left to lose to get to my goal. I am aiming for this summer as I am going to my 10 yr class reunion in August....look out mama!!! :) Everything has been going ok. I am tired some days but other than that eating is a process to live now and I have subbed my eating with exercise. I have used my tool to help me gain self control back..I will always have a eating disorder no matter what...the real choice now is living with the disorder CONTROLLED. This is where the JOURNEY truly is beginning for me. Take care everyone. ::Stat:: as of today....15lbs...size 12 shorts, meduim shirt and.....7 ring. Tah Tah! 8/20/03 HI everyone!!! Its been over a yr now..and what a year its been. I will be having plastic surgery on my tummy and arms Sept 4th and I just can't wait. I have had some bad times this year but its been bearable,well except when I had the flu...look out when you get that. Well...things have changed not only on the on my outside but the inside as well. I am looking for a new job and all. Not much to report just my stats for now. WEIGHT: 138LBS CLTH SZ: 8 PETITE GOAL....135 BY 9/4 AND TO BE A SZ 4 AFTER SURGERY!!! 9/25/03 Well..today has been 3 wks since Plastic surgery and good lord its been rough. The pain is defiently more than I thought it would be, I have this burning pain in my arms and my belly is all itchy at this point. I went for my check up today and everything is well except my suit is getting too big they want me to get a 3rd one...its needed for the skin to form well and I still have to wear it for 3 more wks...so I am going to see about this panty gridle at Jc Penny or Sears tomorrow and they wear my top garment with those. :) I am down to 135lbs and hope to lose some more as the swelling goes down in the next few wks as they say the swelling can last for 6-8 wks....so we will see. So far I am ok about what I see but the results will be not total for some months to come and as I tone up I think everything will fall into place. Well..thats all for now. 02/06/04 5 months since plastic surgery and all my goals so far have been met and I can't complain about that. My arms look good and my stomach is ok, I guess. I will not see the final results they say for one year. 2/26/04 Wow...I am almost 2 years post op and I never thought I would have changed so much in all ways. I never knew mentally how much I would change as well as the outside of me. Lately I have been very reflective on surgery and the reasons I chose to have it to begin with. I don't have any regrets but I wish I would of had more support these past few months. I just ended my 5 year relationship and alot of it was that now I am a NEW person and not the person she fell in love with. Its been hard to deal with stress without eating as now I know how to push the limits and thats exactly what I find myself doing...using food once again to heal the pain. I am going to get back involved in the local support group and try to attend Dr.P's when I can. My stats as of today: 132lbs and wearing a size 6 :) 6/1/04 Well in one month it will be 2 yrs since surgery and boy has the time went fast, I have been the same weight now for about 4-5 months and my eating is pretty much like a normal person accept in smaller quanities. I have met alot of people and had some friends ungo surgery with Dr. Peters and they are just as happy with their results as I am. I still in a size 8 and my weight ranges from 132-138 lbs and thats ok with me, I don't work out as much as I should and I don't eat as much as I should but my labs have been fine and I have been the same for these months now, I just moved and started a new job so once everything is settled I plan to join a gym or the local ymca. I have never regretted surgery and hope that this has length my life to some degree, atleast I hope so. I now can look at myself in the mirror and see some proudness in the great thing I have done for me...I am not proud that I had to have WLS but I am glad that I did...the only days that I regret having it are the rough days when I can't find another coping skill besides eating....which you do have to find. I hope that atleast someone finds the way like I did and learns that settling for things in your life is not the you want or should live your life....go for what you want and go for it now. 8/3/04 Well...its been abit over 2 years now and I have been ok overall. I have gained some lbs back but been maintaining it over the past three months, I have noticed when I am emotional I have been turning to eating more and I am tring to get that before it gets me. I have been maintaining weight at about 145ish but would like to get back down to about 135 lbs. I am thinking about joining the ymca and doing cycling it seems I have been keeping the weight in my thighs and hips and I hate that but it won't ever go away so I am just going to have to learn to live with what I have been dealt with. I guess if I have any advice or tips for people wanting to have surgery it would be this: KNOW THAT SURGERY DOES NOT CURE ALL YOUR PROBLEMS. KNOW THAT YOU SHOULD SEEK SOME SORT OF PSYCHATRIC HELP AND TEACH YOURSELF NEW EATING PATTERNS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. SURGERY HAS HELPED ME IN MORE WAYS THEN I WOULD EVER IMANGED BUT I NOW HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS ON MY OWN INSTEAD OF TURNING TO FOOD FOR HELP. ITS ALOT HARDER THAN I EVER IMANGED BUT WITH THE RIGHT MIND SET I CAN DO IT. I HAVE RECOMMENDED DR.PETERS TO A FEW PEOPLE AND ALL HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL SO FAR....ITS ALL INDIVIDUALLY DONE...NO ONE PERSON WILL HAVE SAME RESULTS BUT THE SUPPORT YOU NEED IS THE SAME, EVEN TWO YEARS OUT...I NEED THE SUPPORT. 8-25-04 Well....there is alot to say as I am turning a few co workers now onto weightloss surgery. I told my friend that I will be here for her thru it all but to remember that each person's experience is and will be different. I am still doing well and joined the ymca and have been taking spinning there and love it. I am still maintaining at about 148 ish and I am ok with that, I want to see the 130's before the December so I am watching what I eat extra carefully now.:) 12-05-04 Hi everyone, I am still doing rather well but have been having bad pains in my stomach off and on now for about 2 weeks. I had a bad attack last night but it went away after about 2 hours. I am gonna call Dr.P tomorrow just to make sure I am ok. I am leaning toward "ULCER" but I will have to wait and see. Its time for BLOOD WORK and the last time it wasn't so hot as my IRON was low and so was my VITAMIN C so lets hope its back up there now. I don't want to be sick and espically during the holidays. Other wise I am ok and my I have lost some weight an now am back down to about 142 and thats ok....I think my weight willl be in the 138-145 range for life and you know what? I LOVE THAT AND I AM HAPPY WITH THAT. I now am healthier, THINNER , but most of all...I now can look at myself in the mirror and like what I see and be able to love me for me :) Take care everyone and I will let you know if I have an ULCER! HAPPY HOILIDAYS TO ALL!!! 12/12/04 Well...I went to see Dr.Peters on Thursday and I am having a EGD done on Tuesday at Mercy and I am not so thrilled about it but I need to see what the heck is wrong with me. :( He gave me two meds to help me incase it is a ulcer but so far...I don't feel any better at all. I will have to wait and see what the results are but he said if its adhesions he would have to open me up....I DON'T WANT THAT AT ALL...I DONT WANT ANY MORE SURGERIES. :( I will let you know what happens ASAP!! Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers and hope for the best. 3/28/05 Geez, its been awhile since I have posted and I was sure to let you all know the results of the pains and tests. Well...nothing was ever found out about the pains so I just live with them and they come a few times a week off and on. I had some labs done and the only thing that was bad was my IRON WAS EXTREMELY LOW but I should of known as I don't really eat meat....well I don't really eat at all anymore. I am now almost 3 years out of surgery and losing weight again. I am now down to about 128lbs and I looked at myself in the mirror this morning and for the first time since before surgery I felt AWFUL about what was starring back at me....I can see my bones in my neck and shoulders sticking out and my ribs are there...no fat no skin, JUST RIBS!!!! God...I never imanged to hear these words but my family and friends told me over the EASTER holiday that I am looking sick and TOO THIN....TOO THIN??? Is that possible in my world??? I am beginning to wonder.....well...all is ok really just was checking in. STATS: 138 LBS SIZE JEANS:8-10 Feel tired alot and just not like myself!! :( 7/8/2005 THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!! Wow, today is "3" years since I had surgery and I can't hardly believe it!! I must say I wasn't too sure where I would be at this point so far out of surgery but all is still going pretty well for me...I am at my lowest weight ever and have been maintaining that for almost 3 or 4 months now and I am very very very happy about that and my labs have been fine except that my iron remains to be low but other than that I have been well and not even much more than a cold this year. :) I have seen alot of people have surgery and not be as sucessful as myself and I wonder what has made me be more than others but I havent figured that out yet at all....I do know that I promised myself when I had the surgery that I WOULD LISTEN AND DO WHATEVER DR.P WANTED ME TO DO AND I WOULD FOLLOW MY NEW HEALTHY EATING PLAN TO THE T. I am well and wouldn't change a thing about having surgery. I would say that I know this surgery isn't for everyone and that you have to be ready to change the rest of your life FOREVER. Well...best of luck to all the newbies and please feel free to email me anytime. STATS: "3" YEARS OUT TODAY!! WEIGHT: 136 LBS JEAN SZ: 6-8 ****UPDATE***** Today is 3-16-06 Well its been along time since I updated or made note to my page so I thought I would drop in and say whats up today. All is going rather well, just now getting over the AWFUL flu that u all know lasts much longer and much more awful after having the surgery that ever before. I am still eating well and still staying thin. My stats as of today are: Weight- 121 lbs Jeans Sz- 4 I have been pretty healthy except for the first time since surgery in Jan I got a LOW B12 count and now will get shots once a month and I now for the fact that I have NEVER and will never be a BIG meat eater an NOW ANEMIC and have some serious LOW iron to deal with. Two things that only I can control and will have to watch as I didnt much before. I am well and still waiting to hear from anyone who wants to talk with someone who is not a newbie anymore..I can hardly believe that in Jan it will be 4 years since surgery...my how time flies by. Take care all!!! Surgeon Info: William S. Peters (Peckville, PA) Dr.Peters and Robbie These are the two sweetest people who you want to take care of you for a journey like this. Robbie knows her stuff and she is always so cheerful even when she is sick. :) Dr.P is to the point but very much into whatever you have to say. He says he will be there for me 24-7 after surgery...that sure makes me feel alot better and I just can't wait to show my new self off to others and make Dr.P proud of the new me. Insurer Info: Blue Cross/Blue Shield My insurance company has been nothing but kind and fast about there services.