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3 years post op

shelleymarie

New Member
Hi All.

I'm just coming up to 3 years post op and I wanted to share some recent pics with you guys. For those who don't know me when I was big I was 26 stone, couldn't walk, couldn't fit in a bath and couldn't stand long enough to shower so had to wash myself on a towel in my bed. I spent most of my time in bed and ordering huge amounts of food. With my health problems, high blood pressure and chronic back pain from the strain on me. My waist was bigger than my height! I was miserable and used food to try and comfort me and all it did was make things worse. I could lose weight easily but keeping it off was impossible for me.

After the surgery I went on to lose 17 stone. It hasn't been easy as I've had a lot of obstacles along the way, including cross addiction from food to alcohol (be careful with drink post op, don't make the same mistakes as me and ignore the warnings from the professionals) but I don't drink now for over a year and I see my self as in recovery from both a food and drink problem. I went private so didn't have to go through the testing and trials you get on the NHS. I believe if I had I might have had the counselling I needed to try and avoid the cross addiction but I wouldn't change anything now because if I hadn't had the problems I did I never would have met the most wonderful man. I couldn't stand to be in a relationship when I was big because I hated myself so much I couldn't believe anyone would be able to love me. Next month we would have been together a year and I cannot tell you how happy he makes me and how much I love him. This will sound soppy but I just didn't know you could love someone this much and do so in a way where you wouldn't change each other for the world. I love him as he is, flaws and all and I'm so blessed that he feels the same. He is 21 years older than me but it makes absolutely no difference to us as we see each other as we are and he is absolutely gorgeous inside and out (I could talk about him for hours so I better stop now lol).

Since losing the weight I'm am so active and have very few health problems but I do have some deficiencies - folic acid, b12 and Vitamin D but I'm being treated with supplements and generally feel well all the time. I haven't gone back to work again because I'm a carer for my mum but I can actually look after her properly now. I have to be active and eat well or I can gain weight very quickly. I lost a bit too much last summer when I fell in love and went down to a size 6, people around me started to say I was looking a bit gaunt so I gained a bit over Christmas but wasn't comfortable so went down again but I'm a size 10 now - sometimes an 8 and sometimes a 12 depending of the fit of the clothes or the shop. I do have a lot of excess skin and would love a full body lift but I'd never be able to afford it and my doctor won't talk about referring me for plastics whilst my weight is bouncing about a bit. I seem to do that around the same 5lbs and I wonder if I it will ever change. I'm thinking about writing my story and selling it to a magazine so I could at least get some money to put towards getting my arms done because that's the place I'm most self concious of in public and I would love to be able to wear sleeveless tops with confidence but in the mean time I work hard at improving my self confidence and I'm doing things to try and improve it. Like next Friday I'm doing a photo shoot that I won some money towards. I get a make over and then get to dress up in 1950's clothes. I will share the pics when I get them. I'm so nervous but a bit excited too.

Anyway if anyone has any questions feel free to ask. I always say that this journey is far from easy but if you work hard with your tool, you get a chance at being reborn. I like to share my pictures now because it helps me remember how far I've come and I absolutely loved before and after pics before my surgery as it gave me hope for the future. You can absolutely do this too if you put in the work. Thanks for all the support from this site and the people on it as I couldn't have done it alone :)
 

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shelleymarie

New Member
Some after pics.
 

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shelleymarie

New Member
Last couple. Who knew I'd ever not mind my picture being taken or I could where nice clothes, including dresses and denim very short shorts!!! It was hard to wear them as I felt so self concious but peoples responses was lovely. I never dared dream this could happen or I could ever be happy :)
 

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Toddshar35

Member
Wow wow wow! You look amazing! What an achievement and such an inspiring story. I have my surgery in 7 weeks and I hope I can achieve the results you have :)
 

ladilindy

Active Member
Wow you look absolutely amazing, congratulations on your weight loss, you have lost an entire ME!!!!

Lynn x
 

los in it

Well-Known Member
I am flipping speechless you look incredible! I would never have put the before& after you together it's like viewing 2different people! Thank you for sharing your story
 

Tules

Member
Amazing! You look soooo different. You obviously and deservedly feel better too. You look beautiful and deserve the happiness with your new beau. He is lucky...
 

siana58

New Member
How inspirational this is, and its great timing, was having a bad day with the.munchies. not any more, you have turned those feelings around for me,thanks!
 

Lilacglittergirl

Fit and fantastic!
Great to hear from you again Shelley! You look fantastic - and one heck of an incredible journey. Unbelievable that it is the same person. Keep loving life and having fun - I am sure you will xx
 

Butterfly_lady

Well-Known Member
Looking amazing your zest for life shines through xx
 

Crystalrainbow

Well-Known Member
Sweetheart you ooze happiness, health and youth WTG and congrats !! its so lovely to hear the happy ever afters.... this wls lark certainly is like a 'rebirth' no wonder you found the love of your life.....learning to love ourselves first is deffo key..... Well done sweetheart you are a true inspiration :) get that weight stable and go for the final piece of the puzzle or YES sell your story .....you DO look amazing as you are but BUT if it helps cement the cycle GO FOR IT x x x x

Thanks for sharing x x x
 

kurstywursty

Active Member
Thank you for sharing this. Please keep posting. I often wonder where you successful guys get the motivation and perseverance to keep going. I am so struggling and wonder deep down if I just don't want it bad enough ;-(
 

Yvessa

Well-Known Member
It always astounds me Shelley, you have had one of the most difficult journeys I have known and you have come out of it so strong. So proud of you.
 

~Alison~

Member
Just stumbled across your pictures and had to rely and say you look like a different person, you look amazing. Well done to you.
 

shelleymarie

New Member
Thank you everyone. So much. You don't know how much I appreciate the support and encouragement I received from this forum and the friends I have made on here. It hasn't been easy and sometimes I play that down because the memories are painful but I have a real opportunity at life now and I'm so happy I have someone to share that with. I do try to pop in here and post now and then but time is factor when you're a full time carer but I've just found out about a course designed for carers in my area that might mean I can get some extra support or even respite, something I've not really had before.

I'm so excited and nervous for this photo shoot next week but luckily the people doing it are very aware of the skin problems and have got ideas to work around it. I have to have pictures to be able to see myself as I am because in my head I believe I still look about 17 stone and my image in mirrors is distorted in my mind. It's only comparison pictures I can really see it. Like the other day my partner parked really close to another car and I panicked about getting out but in truth I had loads of room. I do wonder if I will my head will ever catch up with my body.

Thank you again :)
 

paulam

Active Member
Hi Shelleymarie

Just came across your post and you have done so well. Please give us an update soon and let us know where you are at. I am only just starting this journey and it was very interesting reading about cross addiction. something I never knew about so thank you for the insight.
 
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