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WLS Before, Now and After Photos!
- Thread starter Mini
- Start date
wannabeslimagain
saying goodbye to my fat
here are my 2 before and after pics the one in the pink jumper was taken November 2009 the day before my op and the one in the silver top was taken Saturday September 2010.
janijan121
New Member
wow just been looking at all the pics on here. you all look amazing after surgery and have done so well. im having the band fitted soon. got my post op appointemnt on 20th jan 2011.
i was wondering how people managed with the excess skin? xx
i was wondering how people managed with the excess skin? xx
Benrese
New Member
Hi all,
I am still a new kid to this site. I am now 4 years out.
I've lost over 200 lbs and am actually still working on getting used to having a new body.
I still deal with all the issues which were present before my surgery-as you know we had tummy surgery and not head surgery.
I say it often and it's my motto-it's not the fact that we fall down, because we WILL fall down. We are human. It's what we do after we fall down that really counts!!
The most important area of work i have ahead has to do with acceptance. Acceptance of this body and this "me". We can so easily forget where we came from. The fact that I could not get up unassisted. The fact that I could only walk a short time without being desperately out of breath.
Even after 4 years-I still make room for what I call my "ghost fat". This means I may go sit on the sofa next to someone and sit VERY far away-thinking I will need all that space for my bum!
But that bum is now-as they say behind me!
I have read many posts over the years and I have found that nearly all of us have some hurts to deal with. One thing professionals are still learning and I have NO doubt they will figure out one day-is that you do not get to be as large as some of us were and be unscathed by the shear trauma of it.
I believe we must give some respect to where we were and how very hard we worked and how we suffered. Our dear bodies certainly did the best it could and we need to honour that if we can.
So-I have this body. This body is not like the bodies I see in magazines at all. I have loose skin and it can be uncomfortable. On a bad day-I can really focus on that...until I snap out of it and remember I could not even tie a shoelace four years ago! Perspective is everything.
One of the things I still do struggle with is isolation. I still get a bit anxious being out and about-some of us indeed will have been traumatized whilst we were very large. However-I work each day to break out of that old thinking.
I moved from California to England two years ago-and I am still working on making friends! LOL! Well-baby steps right?!
And finally-
We need each other. Who better to hold a hand out than that same hand who had to reach for help before. It takes one-to know one. I am grateful for sites like this where we can find an understanding soul no matter day or night.
Thanks for reading my ramble and now off to read more about all of you!!
I am still a new kid to this site. I am now 4 years out.
I've lost over 200 lbs and am actually still working on getting used to having a new body.
I still deal with all the issues which were present before my surgery-as you know we had tummy surgery and not head surgery.
I say it often and it's my motto-it's not the fact that we fall down, because we WILL fall down. We are human. It's what we do after we fall down that really counts!!
The most important area of work i have ahead has to do with acceptance. Acceptance of this body and this "me". We can so easily forget where we came from. The fact that I could not get up unassisted. The fact that I could only walk a short time without being desperately out of breath.
Even after 4 years-I still make room for what I call my "ghost fat". This means I may go sit on the sofa next to someone and sit VERY far away-thinking I will need all that space for my bum!
But that bum is now-as they say behind me! I have read many posts over the years and I have found that nearly all of us have some hurts to deal with. One thing professionals are still learning and I have NO doubt they will figure out one day-is that you do not get to be as large as some of us were and be unscathed by the shear trauma of it.
I believe we must give some respect to where we were and how very hard we worked and how we suffered. Our dear bodies certainly did the best it could and we need to honour that if we can.
So-I have this body. This body is not like the bodies I see in magazines at all. I have loose skin and it can be uncomfortable. On a bad day-I can really focus on that...until I snap out of it and remember I could not even tie a shoelace four years ago! Perspective is everything.
One of the things I still do struggle with is isolation. I still get a bit anxious being out and about-some of us indeed will have been traumatized whilst we were very large. However-I work each day to break out of that old thinking.
I moved from California to England two years ago-and I am still working on making friends! LOL! Well-baby steps right?!
And finally-
We need each other. Who better to hold a hand out than that same hand who had to reach for help before. It takes one-to know one. I am grateful for sites like this where we can find an understanding soul no matter day or night.
Thanks for reading my ramble and now off to read more about all of you!!
Attachments
j.u.s.t.l.i.z.
Runs Srh Support Group
Fantastic !!! well done x
BlueDiamond
New Member
emma-louise
my new life!!
Oh my,
You look fantastic x
You look fantastic x
blueeyes
Active Member
Benrese,
you've accomplished a heck of a lot and should be so so proud of yourself. You inspire me and I am grateful that you joined this site dear x
I agree that this is a journey with many an obstacle. When you're pre-op, in the UK at least, the wait is usually long and painful and it seems like forever till you get your op and your special day is here. Little did I realise that this was just the beginning. Don't get me wrong, I'll be eternally grateful to my team and the NHS for having had this operation, but the hard work is with me now, for the time being and probably for most of my life. There is the new lifestyle, new diet/nutrition, and then there are the often not mentioned issues with body image, self confidence, isolation, relationship changes due to the change in the body and so on and so forth.
This forum is a helping hand at any time of day, there is always someone here with open arms or to answer questions and offer a sympathetic ear - for that I am grateful.
Looking forward to hearing more about your journey. There aren't that many users here that are 4 years out of surgery. Congratulations to you and well done!
you've accomplished a heck of a lot and should be so so proud of yourself. You inspire me and I am grateful that you joined this site dear x
I agree that this is a journey with many an obstacle. When you're pre-op, in the UK at least, the wait is usually long and painful and it seems like forever till you get your op and your special day is here. Little did I realise that this was just the beginning. Don't get me wrong, I'll be eternally grateful to my team and the NHS for having had this operation, but the hard work is with me now, for the time being and probably for most of my life. There is the new lifestyle, new diet/nutrition, and then there are the often not mentioned issues with body image, self confidence, isolation, relationship changes due to the change in the body and so on and so forth.
This forum is a helping hand at any time of day, there is always someone here with open arms or to answer questions and offer a sympathetic ear - for that I am grateful.
Looking forward to hearing more about your journey. There aren't that many users here that are 4 years out of surgery. Congratulations to you and well done!
Benrese
New Member
Hi Blueeyes!
Thank you very much for the lovely post!! You have a wonderful attitude-which tells me you are already a success!
I really think it should be a rule that all surgeons tell their WLS patients "You will struggle again. There will be a day where you want to eat like you did in the past and it will require much effort on your part".
Although that is not what any of us would want to hear-I believe it is true. Now-we may NEVER have to struggle like we did before surgery-but many of us have and WILL struggle. The good news is that we will have a tool-as you mentioned-to fall back on.
Falling back on our tool does not mean it works on it's own. Just because you have a car, full on petrol, great tyres and fabulous brakes does not mean it can drive itself! As a matter of fact-once again..it is ALL on the driver!! It's how we operate that vehicle.
Certainly-having all the best tools makes the ride much better-but it does not make the ride happen without a GOOD driver.
Thanks again for the lovely welcome!
Thank you very much for the lovely post!! You have a wonderful attitude-which tells me you are already a success!
I really think it should be a rule that all surgeons tell their WLS patients "You will struggle again. There will be a day where you want to eat like you did in the past and it will require much effort on your part".
Although that is not what any of us would want to hear-I believe it is true. Now-we may NEVER have to struggle like we did before surgery-but many of us have and WILL struggle. The good news is that we will have a tool-as you mentioned-to fall back on.
Falling back on our tool does not mean it works on it's own. Just because you have a car, full on petrol, great tyres and fabulous brakes does not mean it can drive itself! As a matter of fact-once again..it is ALL on the driver!! It's how we operate that vehicle.
Certainly-having all the best tools makes the ride much better-but it does not make the ride happen without a GOOD driver.
Thanks again for the lovely welcome!Benrese - you look amazing. Well done hun! and I agree with what the others have said - it's great having someone so far out from their op and seeing that they're still maintaining. I think particularly for me as I was watching a youtube video of a lady who had a gastric bypass, and 3 years later, put on most of the weight she'd lost. It was really disheartening as I'm now 4 days post-op, and I don't like to think I went through something so drastic that might not actually work.
Sorry to put a damper on things - I'll now look to you for inspiration
Sorry to put a damper on things - I'll now look to you for inspiration
Benrese
New Member
Hi Zarafa!
You didn't put a damper at all! You are being honest and your concerns are important. See the post I just wrote-about us driving our "car"
I think most of us have a fear of failing. And I also think many of us may not have trust in ourselves. There is so much that will change for you and you will do just FINE!
It's all about what you do. It's very simple and very difficult all in the same step. If you follow your food plan and the rules which are time/tested and true-you WILL succeed.
The odds are in your favour!! Your little body will be going through so much in the next few months. Be gentle with it and try and feed your mind some kind and inspirational info!
We have loads of support here-so we won't have to be alone!
You didn't put a damper at all! You are being honest and your concerns are important. See the post I just wrote-about us driving our "car"
I think most of us have a fear of failing. And I also think many of us may not have trust in ourselves. There is so much that will change for you and you will do just FINE!
It's all about what you do. It's very simple and very difficult all in the same step. If you follow your food plan and the rules which are time/tested and true-you WILL succeed.
The odds are in your favour!! Your little body will be going through so much in the next few months. Be gentle with it and try and feed your mind some kind and inspirational info!
We have loads of support here-so we won't have to be alone!
Benrese - you look amazing. Well done hun! and I agree with what the others have said - it's great having someone so far out from their op and seeing that they're still maintaining. I think particularly for me as I was watching a youtube video of a lady who had a gastric bypass, and 3 years later, put on most of the weight she'd lost. It was really disheartening as I'm now 4 days post-op, and I don't like to think I went through something so drastic that might not actually work.
Sorry to put a damper on things - I'll now look to you for inspiration
branmelis773
New Member
Amazing picture! Good job! I too am inspired by your story!
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