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weight reduction surgery

Roletha lost 120 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Roletha lost 120 pounds with weight loss surgery.  She has successfully used surgery as a tool and developed a healthy lifestyle to help her keep the pounds off.  Here is what she shared with us:

“Hello, I lost 120 lbs after Gastric Bypass surgery in 2008. I have successfully kept the weight off. I exercise 4 or more days a week, eat healthy and daily remind myself it can always come back. The surgery was only a tool.  The rest of the hard work was and still is up to me. I changed what is in my head not just my body.  My weight today is 147 pounds.   My goal is to get back down to 140 pounds!

I eat small portions…lots of fruit, veggies and drink lots of water.  I occasionally have wine or mixed drink but that’s rare.  No bread or fried foods. I run from cake, cookies, chips, soda and drink nothing that has high fructose corn syrup. Bought a Nutribullet and I’m loving the smoothies.

My advice to others: Put your health FIRST.  Hit the gym regularly.  Remember to use portion control.  If you need support, join a program like Weight Watchers.  I WW joined just for the goal of seeing my weight go down weekly. Change your mind it will change your body!

Roletha weight loss success story

LaToya lost nearly 70 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Let’s show some BWLW lost to LaToya.  She’s lost about 70 pounds with vertical gastric weight loss surgery to fight diabetes and high blood pressure. Here is what she shared about her weight loss journey:

Hello my name is LaToya and I would love to share my story with you all and hopefully others. I’m 27 years old and always struggled with my weight since I was a child. My turning point was last year after going for a routine appointment and examination with my Gynecologist, who noticed the darkness of my skin and tested me for diabetes. A week later I received the phone call I dreaded.  I was diabetic. The test revealed I had an A1C of 8.3 and fasting blood level of 130, which is too high. That was the saddest day of my life because 4 years prior my family and I laid my grandmother to rest due to complications of being a diabetic for years. Prior to the diagnosis I was already on meds for high blood pressure which runs on both sides of my family. Also, prior to the added diabetes diagnosis, months earlier I had gone to a seminar and decided to under go weight loss surgery. I was tired of struggling and I was too young.  I had to much life to live. On February 25,2013, I went in to have Vertical Gastric Surgery. It was exactly what I needed. I’m no longer on meds for blood pressure or diabetes. I’m down nearly 70 pounds in 7 1/2 months and I feel GREAT! I’m 30 lbs away from my goal and hope to be there before this year ends. I work out faithfully 4-5 days a week, drinks tons of water, and take in lots of protein. After the surgery, I’m now only able to eat a certain amount of food. I have to get in lots of protein and of course fruits and veggies. I cut back on bad carbs and I don’t drink any sodas. I started incorporating a lot of cardio, strength training, and lifting weights. This transformation has been AMAZING and I don’t regret under going surgery to get to this place. The surgery is an aid, but I still have to do the work by exercising and eating healthier. I hope that my story can inspire others.

Latoya weight loss photos Latoya weight loss story

Arresha lost 176 pounds with the REALIZE® Band

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Let’s show some BWLW love to Arresha!  She lost 176 pounds with weight loss surgery.  That is almost half of her original body weight.  She had the REALIZE® Adjustable Gastric Band surgery.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss:

“My name is Arresha.  I am a army retired spouse with 4 small children at 31 years young.  I started this weight loss journey on November 14th 2011. I was 343 pounds and had been that way for a few years before. Nothing was helping. I was depressed was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. I decided I needed to do something about it for me, for my children and my husband.  I was really overweight.

So, I had weightloss surgery.  I got the REALIZE® Adjustable Gastric Band. My doctor told me I would only lose 70 pounds in 3 years, but the band is truely only a too. You have to put in work, be motivated and dedicated. I had to change my eating habits to 6 small meals a day. I can’t eat bread or drink soda.  I hardly have caffeine and only eat lean meats. I walk for exercise and do sports with my children. My life has changed tremendously. After having 3 girls (less than 2 years apart for 2 of them and the other child 3-4 years apart) it was rough. All my pregnancies were high risk because of my weight. I also had high blood pressure and was unable to play with my kids because I was so tired all the time. Now I can run without being tired.  I have energy and I feel blessed to have gone from 343 lbs to 167 lbs. It truly has been a journey!  My advice: the band or weight loss surgery is only a tool. Tou have to be motivated and dedicated to lose weight. You are forced to change your eating habits with surgery but don’t get discouraged.  Just keep going. It’s a long journey.  Stick with it and the results will be awesome.”

Arresha weight loss surgery

LaTanya lost 140 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Latanya wrote in to us to share her story.  She had gastric bypass surgery and has lost 140 pounds.  Here is what she shared about losing the pounds and changing her lifestyle:

“Hello my name Latanya.  My starting weight was 380 pounds. I have been on every diet known to man. On December 23, 2011, I had gastric bypass weight loss surgery. With diet and exercise, I have lost a total of 140 pounds today. I have learned that this way of healthy living is now my lifestyle.

My motivation for my weight loss was health reasons. My doctor told me that I needed to start taking high blood pressure medication. I knew in my heart that I didn’t want to be on medication for the rest of my life. I joined the local YMCA in my town.  It took a total of one year for me to lose 140 pounds. I have changed my eating habits by not bringing junk food into my house. I workout six day a week to stay heathy. I also belong to plus size social club where I am the wellness coordinator.  There, I share healthy ideas and workout to my sisters, but not in a pushy way.”

Latanya weight loss photos

What is Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery?

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gastricsleeveWith gastric sleeve weight loss surgery, the stomach is reshaped to create a narrow, tube-like “sleeve,” rather than its original gourd-like shape. This reshaping helps to reduce the size of the stomach and allows you to feel fuller faster.  It also changes the amount of food that it is possible for you to eat at any given time because there is little expansion room available to accommodate overeating.

Who is it for?

Gastric sleeve weight loss surgery is no longer considered an investigational or experimental procedure. It is a widely accepted procedure for patients who cannot tolerate other forms of weight loss surgery, such as lap banding, stomach stapling or gastric bypass. Typically, these patients have health conditions that would make the other procedures more dangerous, or are too morbidly obese to tolerate the surgery. Gastric sleeve weight loss surgery is easier to tolerate because it is done laproscopically through small incisions.

Special Considerations

Many doctors will require that a patient enter therapy or a weight management clinic before being considered for the surgery. A common requirement is that the patient takes off 10 to 20-percent of the weight themselves through diet and exercise before the surgery will be scheduled. There are two reasons for these special considerations. The first is that weight loss from the gastric sleeve procedure is much slower than with other procedures, yet the diet is more restrictive. This can cause a great deal of emotional stress. The second consideration is that without being able to maintain the proper diet, the weight will return but not usually before causing complications for you.

The other consideration that is different for all is whether insurance will cover it.  Each person is different and not all insurance plans will even consider paying for the procedure.

What to expect with Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery

Gastric sleeve weight loss surgery is an inpatient procedure and takes about an hour to perform. The average stay in the hospital after the surgery is two to three days and it can take about six weeks after that before you are considered fully recovered. While you are recovering you will have to take great care with how you move so as not to strain or herniate yourself in the area that had the surgery. You will also have to play strict attention to what you are eating. Most people follow a very strict liquid diet to keep their nutrition up but avoid putting solid foods into their stomach until it heals. After your stomach has healed, the diet can be very restrictive in amounts and types as well to promote weight loss.  Following doctor’s orders is a must!

The Risks of Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery

While the gastric sleeve is considered by doctors to be a safe procedure, no invasive procedure is 100% safe. There are risks involved with gastric sleeve weight loss surgery that can occur during the surgery, and after. The main risks while in surgery include:

  • Infection
  • Perforation of stomach or intestines
  • Adverse reaction to Anesthesia
  • Bleeding
  • Cardiac Arrest
  • Blood Clot
  • Pulmonary Issues

After you have had the surgery performed there are several other possible risks. Some of them can develop into life threatening conditions.

  • Surgery related complications post surgery
  • Liver and Kidney failure
  • Stroke
  • Hypertension
  • Hepatitis
  • Depression
  • Social anxiety disorders
  • Eating disorders

Talk to your doctor about any increased risk they perceive for you. Family history, current support systems and overall health will play a huge role in determining the risk level and deciding what are the best steps to take to keep you safe.

Keeping the Weight Off after Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery

Unfortunately, many people gain the weight they lost back within the first two years following gastric sleeve weight loss surgery. The problem does not lie in the gastric sleeve being ineffective, but in the aftercare planning for continuing the weight loss. No weight loss surgery is going to change your dietary or wellness habits that contributed to the weight gain in the first place. Unless you commit to a serious program of transforming your relationship with food, exercise habits and self-care habits you can easily gain back everything. One thing that will help is to follow the dietary restrictions you will be discharged with after the gastric sleeve weight loss surgery. Then immediately start to keep a food journal in which you track your diet, lifestyle habits and weight change. By getting in the habit of taking charge of your life, you can get the weight off and keep it off.

Brandy lost 175 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Let’s show some love to Brandy.  She lost 175 pounds over the course of 2 years with weight reduction surgery and changing her lifestyle habits.  Here is what she shared with us about her journey to greater wellness:

Hello, my name Brandy.  I was 410 pounds at my heaviest weight.  I decided to have the gastric bypass on may 26, 2011.  I am now at 235 pounds. I have lost a total 0f 175 in two years.

I am a native of Mobile, Al where I currently reside. I decided to lose weight with my mother Mary McDonald in mind as my inspiration. My family medical history was a nightmare; diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, etc. I was 410 pounds after I had my second child and began to have pre-symptoms of diabetes (pre-diabetes). I watched my mother take insulin shots all my life, so I didn’t want to go down that road. Therefore, I decided to look into the gastric bypass surgery.  Several woman I worked with had the surgery done and where looking great.  It was the hardest thing I have ever done for myself!

I didn’t want to go through all the medical problems my mother had to go through. Unfortunately, I lost my mother to her 8th Heart attack on July 14th 2013. For anyone trying to loss weight, who is truly serious about a life change, I would say that for me the surgery was the best decision to me. Every aspect of your life has to change, from eating right to keeping up a with an exercise routine. I would not change my decision for nothing in the world!

Brandy weight loss surgery photos

Chantal lost 114 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Let’s show some love to Chantal!  She lost 114 pounds with gastric sleeve weight loss surgery.  Here is what she shared with us:

Doing seven days of cardio and strength training classes at the gym and burning no less then 900 calories before I left the gym was STILL not working for me. After countless efforts and hard work that seemed pointless, I opted to have sleeve gastrectomy weight reduction surgery on July 2, 2012. With that and still doing my current 7 day workouts, consisting of a 3.7 mile walk, doing 440 alternating lunges and squats, 440 military crunches, & 440 alternating push-ups/arm dips, I went from 287 pounds to 173 pounds. I found the tool that worked for me. My diet consists of 80-100g of protein per day, along with all the veggies I can eat and half my weight in terms of ounces of water.

My motivation was and still is to be the best me that I can be so that I may live a long life and see my children grow into adults. My advice to others is to find the right foods and workout that work for and look good on you because everyone’s body is different.  What may work for one person may be an Epic fail for you!

This is my story, I am human, I am real, I am truth. Find what works for u and just go with it  Carpe Diem! “Be phenomenal or be forgotten”~E.T

weight loss journey

What are the Dangers of Gastric Weight Loss Surgery?

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weight loss surgeryWeight loss surgery is not for everyone.  We celebrate the stories of black women who have used weight loss surgery as a tool on this site because we believe that it is a viable option for many people and that they are under a doctors care.  We also assume that they were aware of all of the risks and potential complications involved with weight reduction surgery.  For many, the risks out weight the benefits and they are blessed to have successful surgeries.  For others, that is not the case.  It is a very personal choice.

Anyone considering weight loss surgery of any kind should seek out ALL information available from their doctors and other medical professionals about the risks, including death.  I’m not a medical professional but I’m going to present in this article an overview of information that I’ve gathered to get you started.

There are extreme benefits to surgery.  There are also serious risks associated with weight loss surgery, and the dangers are very important to understand.  While the serious dangers of weight loss surgery do not necessarily have a high chance of occurring, when they do occur they can be debilitating and life threatening. There are also some risks that are not life threatening, but problematic and they are equally important to know.

I’m going to focus on the 2 most common procedures – The gastric sleeve and gastric bypass?

The two most common types of weight loss surgery are the gastric sleeve and the gastric bypass. With the sleeve (also known as sleeve gastrectomy), a portion of the stomach is removed to reduce its size. This will result in making you feel full faster to encourage weight loss. With gastric bypass surgery, a section of the stomach and sometimes the intestine are reshaped to change how food is processed through the body. Neither is without danger, and both are irreversible procedures, which are the reasons why there is much to consider before going ahead with weight loss surgery.

Potential Life-Threatening Dangers of Weight Loss Surgery

  • Surgical – The surgical dangers of weight loss surgery are the same for either type of procedure. There is the risk of infection, perforation, blood clots, and having a reaction to the anesthesia to name a few. There are a few rare cases of death occurring during bariatric surgery. There is also a high risk of lung and cardiac problems occurring, mostly due to the nature of the anesthesia.
  • Pulmonary and Cardiovascular – During and after surgery, there is a risk of lung collapse or the lungs filling with fluid. There is also a risk of a stroke caused by an embolism or blood clot along with blood clots forming elsewhere in the body. You can also experience a cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat. The dangers of weight loss surgery also include an elevated risk for a heart attack.
  • Liver and Kidneys – Weight loss surgery also puts you at risk for kidney and liver failure, plus Hepatitis which can then go on to develop into cirrhosis.

Potential Complications of Weight Loss Surgery

There are several possible complications that can come from having weight loss surgery.  While these issues ma not be life threatening when they begin, can create complications that are.  Here are some examples:

  • Depression – Post surgical depression can be common after weight loss surgery.
  • Anorexia Nervosa/Bulimia – Post surgical patients may develop either of these eating disorders or both together. Without proper treatment, each of the disorders may be fatal.
  • Hypoglycemia – An erratic processing of insulin and blood sugar can also result as a permanent change to the body’s metabolism.
  • Reactive Hypoglycemia – If a situation called “dumping” occurs during surgery or directly after, in which food moves too quickly through the system, it is called dumping. This can lead to a condition called reactive hypoglycemia which is similar to hypoglycemia but includes an adrenal disorder as well.
  • Sleeve leakage, Internal leakage
  • Nausea
  • Chronic Pain
  • Digestive issues associated with the stomach and intestines
  • Infections
  • Hernia
  • Hemorrhage

Are the Dangers of Weight Loss Surgery worth it?

Every procedure comes with a set of worst case scenarios for how things can go wrong. Weight reduction surgery is no exception. That there are risks does not mean that it should be avoided all together. However, there are certain realities about weight loss surgery that should be considered before risking the possible dangers of having it done.

  1. Weight loss surgery is meant for people who are morbidly obese. This means they are in excess of 100 lbs. overweight and their weight is creating life threatening conditions. Anyone who is less than 100lbs overweight is generally discouraged from surgery as there are still other, less invasive and expensive interventions to try.  Exceptions are sometimes made for serious health issues, like diabetes and high blood pressure.
  2. Weight loss surgery by itself does not make you a healthy weight. You may lose significant weight with surgery, but not all of the weight.  You may lose too much weight and deal with “wasting”.  You may lose weight in the beginning  but then gain the weight back due to eating habits.  It is the start of a long journey to get to a healthy body that you have to commit to.
  3. Some people regain weight they have lost lost within one year of the surgery. They regain the weight because they never examined how they became overweight and made the necessary changes to their life style to keep the weight off.  No matter how good the plan is that your receive from your health care provider and surgeon…if you are not ready to follow that plan and change you lifestyle, it’s possible that you can experience weight gain.  Proper diet and adequate exercise are the only way to maintain a healthy weight, but you have to deal with emotional and situational issues, as well as your past.  Follow doctor’s orders and work to create a lifestyle that keeps you healthy and happy.

If you are considering the dangers of weight loss surgery, talk to your doctor about how real the risks are for you.  Make the most informed decision you can.

Denine lost 150 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Let’s show some Black Women Losing Weight Love to Denine.  She lost 150 pounds with gastric bypass weight loss surgery.  She feels like she has a second chance at life.  Here is what she shared with us:

“A little over a year ago, on July 24, 2012, I decided to make a change of life decision.  I decided that I wanted to live to see my grand children and possible some great grands as well.  I had gastric bypass weight reduction surgery performed. My beginning weight was 362 pounds.  I am now 212 pounds  I have lost a total of 150 pounds.  Making the choice to have weight loss surgery forced me to change the way I eat.  I also changed the way I think about life. Adding exercising to my weekly routine helped too.  I feel great and no longer do I suffer with sleep apnea.  I am not tired all the time.  I went from a size 26 to a size 12. My eating habits: I cut back on carbs. Now, I drink only water and my portion size has decreased.  My weight loss goal is to get to 180 pounds.  I do exercise 3 times a week.  I would not change the decision that I made.  Event though it was not an easy journey, it was well worth it. God gave me a second chance at life. I thank him everyday and I don’t take it for granted.  I stay committed to living a healthier life every day.”

Denine weight loss

Gina Tracey lost 132 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Let’s show some Black Women Losing Weight love to Gina Tracey.  She lost 132 pounds with gastric bypass weight loss surgery.  Here is what she shared about losing weight:

Hi, my name is Tracey and I’m from Ft. Lauderdale. I had gastric bypass weight reduction surgery on August 17, 2012 and I’ve lost 132 pounds within the year.   Having surgery was one of better decisions I’ve made, after trying so many other things to lose weight. I feel better than ever at 46 years old. Your BWLW Facebook page is truly an inspiration and I’m glad to see so many women making a change in their lives.

My starting weight was 300 pounds. I now weigh 168 pounds. My motivation to lose the weight was imaging myself at the size I use to be in high school. Once the nutritional classes I took after surgery taught me that eating the right combination of foods and eating several small amounts throughout the day would change my life, my life did change. Protein is the key to successful weight loss after gastric bypass surgery. When I eat my meals now, protein and veggies are my first priority. I am now working with a personal trainer for my toning process.  God Bless

Gina gastric bypass