Wow, every time I watch the Discovery Health channel and I see the morbidly obese and they have had these various kinds of bariatric surgeries, they lose 200 lbs or so, they look like different people, and they all go "oh wow, I should have done this years ago". And then many of them have the second part (taking off excess skin). I personally know several people who have had this surgery.

My friend Diane had the first of these over 30 years ago when they first came out. She weighed over 500 lbs. When I next saw her she was down 200 and I could barely recognize her. She did not want to have the excess skin removed because she wanted to have children (and she was told that if she had a tummy tuck, she could not become pregnant. She eventually married, had a baby and gained back all the weight and then some.

I have a cousin John, and he and his girlfriend both had the operation. John lost 100 lbs. His girlfriend did not lose any. Now how can that be?? I asked him and he said "sometimes it doesn't work on everybody". Can this be true??

And Alan has a cousin who had this operation and he's been in and out of hospitals with complications ever since.

I guess when you are over 500 lbs this operation can be life saving, but no one tells you about after -effects such as neuropathy. I wouldn't wish that on anybody!!!

So Roxie, I hope things turn around for you. I really do. You sound like a sweetheart!!!

Melody