chilo1

I had 3 c-sections,with the last one especially I had no pain at all. So for me the sleeve was worse but just in the inmediate postop, I remember telling the surgeon when I was still half "out" that he lied to me saying that the c-section was worse! I have to say it was only the 1st couple of hours, and it was the pain of gas and tummy discomfort, not pain as in wound pain. I think I had it too easy with my c-sections and I would do the sleeve all over again, the pain isn't bad and the results are incredible!

sorry that was 2 mini caramel slices not 12!!!!!!!

OK so today overall was a bad day. It started out well, went to the gym 1 hour cardio I felt really good after. I has a poached egg and 1/4 of o piece of wholemeal bread toast. Lunch about 1/2 a cup of chicken salad (with a teaspoon of low fat mayo and 1 of low fat greek yoghurt) After noon I had 1 chocolate chip cookie, and 12 mini carale slices,i know i know, i shouldn't have done that, still in losing stage. Was out with the childre all afternoon came home starving. Had a few flakes of smoked salmon and a few spoonfulls of mashed potatoes, way to quickly and it all came back up again and I was sick, a horrible feeling of chest oppression and nausea, not nice at all. It might be TMI but just so others don't make my same mistake, always have healthy snacks that you can tolerate when you're out and about so as to 1) not eat fattening junk 2) not arrive home starving and eat too quickly! I won't be doing that again for sure!

leelee whereabouts in England are you? As I said the Spire hospitals are quite widespread in UK, my experience with them is great!

Hi Lisa! The first step is to go to your GP, see what they say and go from there. My GP referred me to a bariatric surgeon and although my BMI was below 40 and didn't have any major comorbidities, I did start having joint pain and Insuline reistance that would have gone on to full blown diabetes I'm sure. I then decided to go private because the waiting lista was massive, I would have to wait a bit more than a year to have the surgery. I went to a consultant of the Spire hospital, you can look them up they are all over England, and from seeing the consultant to the date of the operation I waited 6 weeks! Just ask if you want anymore details, I'll try and attach a Link of the hospitals. www.spirehealthcare.com/ Hope this helps good luck!

Yep my surgeon said pretty much the same, a window of 6-9 months. He also said that the average amount of weight loss is only 3/4 of excess weight, so if I am going to go strictly by the average I won't even bother in getting to target., but he said losing that 25% to get to target depends completely on me.Having said that and having a father and a husband who are surgeons, and being a doctor myself, I know that it is their duty to give us an average according to the statistics. So , as my husband put it, if a patient with prostate cancer asks him how long he will live after having the surgery to eliminate the cancer he says 5 years average. Many patients die before the 5 years many die at 10 years and some don't die at all. A lot of this depends on us, so just continue doing what you are doing and I'm sure you'll (we'll) make it!

I had my surgery in the summer, but my mum came from South America to look after them (and me) I agree with all the posts above, just let them get on with their normal life, school, sports etc if possible. I spoke to my girls about my surgery (12 and 10 years, baby 10 months!) didn't put across my worries, which as parents especially we all have I suppose. Just told them that I was getting my stomach made smaller (they know of my struggle w my weight and I don't want to pass my anxiety on to them) and that my main reason for doing this was to be healthy. They weren't that bothered or worried about the whole issue, distracted with my mum I guess! Now they can't believe how little I can eat! My weight has never been an issue for them, I am/was a low BMIer, so to speak, they do tell me now that I look good all the time which is great especially coming from my 12 yr old fashion consious daughter! You'll love your sleeve Mommyof2girls, and having daughter around is great, I have 3, best of luck for you!

I can't help laughing! Sorry, it's probably not at all funny for you but "entire post written in the bathroom" was just too funny! Hope you'rw better by now!

I'm sorry about your situation and one thing I read somewhere (if you want I can look for the article) were cases of sleeves stretching or not working as expected and being banded after the sleeve. I don't if you or your surgeon would consider this, the good thing being that if it didn't work you could take it out. How much weight do you still have to lose if you don't mind me asking?

Thats a fantastic feeling, keep going!!

MAybe the inches are coming off if not the pounds? Do you not have a way to contact your surgeon. I feel that your organism needs a good kick somehow to start losing again, I know you don't have many options out there, but maybe make some changes in what you're eating? Just a thought, it's confusing though that eating so little you're not losing though:confused1:

I get so excited now, specially the other day when I went to buy jeans, size 14 Uk!!!!!!!! Still excited! Tops still size 16 because I still have tummy issues, I guess I need to hit the gym more!

I do feel hungry, nor much though, and I'm satisfied with small amounts of food or a drink. For years my fulness signal hasn't worked, I did therapy with an eating disorder psychologist and she told me that so many decades of dieting and bingeing messed up my cues of when I felt hungry and when I felt full. For the first time in decades (I'm 41 now and started my first diet when i was 9!) I learned with this surgery when I'm really hungry (physical physiological hunger, not head hunger) and when I'm full. Full at first hurt like a chest oppression that mp8 mentioned, not nice. I have now learned the right amount to eat before feeling that uncomfortable fullness and I don't eat a bite more, it's not woth it! This is an incredible journey, the best of luck to you!

You have to have more than one reading in which the BP is high on different ocassions to be diagnosed with hypertension. White coat syndrome is when for some reason people get high readings because they are nervous/anxios when BP is taken by a health professional.

Tiffy, lovely and inspirational words as usual, your journey has been and still is incredible, all I can say is I admire your strength of character, you are lovely on the inside and outside!

You should let your doctor know, but their is no reason to cancel the surgery. The reason they put you on a low fat diest is to make the liver smaller so that it's easier to access the stomach. It shouldn't be a problem, but tell them just in case. Good luck for you tommorrow

I had my 1st night out since surgery last night(7 & 1/2 weeks out)! I bought a pair of jeans size 14 (UK-I'm still not sure how this translates in US size, I think it might be 12 US??) and i could fit into them!! So I wore them last night with a pair of black stilletos and a loosley fitted top (still have issues with my tummy) I felt good about myself like I haven't in a long time. People commented on how good I was looking and I even had 2 cosmo cocktails (I know empty calories but i did put them on my calorie tracker, it added 1000 calories with all my meals yesterday, so not that bad). I just wanted to share with you that it was so nice to feel "normal" again. I know that I still have a way to go (I'm half way to my target weight), but this night out was a special occassion. I don't go out very often, maybe once evry 2 or 3 months, so I won't be doing this often as I don't want to sabotage my weight loss. I didn't get drunk with the 2 cocktails which I was afraid of so it was good all round!

AniO said: Concrete bowels is so right! Hope it's not TMI, but this morning I covered my finger with some Saran Wrap and used it to apply some A&D ointment to my behind to help it come out more comfortably. It was a relief AniO: I had concrete bowls about a week out, had to do more than just apply ointment to help it out, I actually had to put surgical gloves on and some vaseline because it just wouldn't come out, sorry i think this IS TMI but as Jordien just said, once you've had kids nothing seems to be like TMI!!

Yep, I gained a few pounds after surgery (5 or 6) didn't weigh myself until a month after that though, just keep on doing what you've been told to do and hopefully the hunger will go away and the weight will come down, good luck!

Lovely words Anna, I can identify with a lot of what you are saying! Congratulations on you enormous success!

Mysparky:I completely understand your feelings. I've had my sleeve done 7 weeks ago and lost a total of 38 pounds (including the pre-op diet) which compared to some is slow but I'm really happy with it and so is my surgeon. I too love/loved the social bit and every aspect really of food. Preparing, eating with friends and family and specially my nibbles w drinks on weekend nights! At first I totally mourned food, even though I wasn't even hungry, I had mental hunger. Tonight is a bad night for some reason I feel hungry, the good thing is that I cannot physically overeat, so I'm looking for comfort on this forum! The positives outweigh the negatives big time, I'm feeling fantastic, more confident, healthier, more energy. Most of the time I'm fine and food isn't an issue, I just get on with it. You're right about what you say about your head and stomach, but I think thats why this option is a ggod one. I know that without my sleeve I would've given up w my diet one more time, and then slowly regain all and more. The idea is that it the 1st 6-9 months our heads get round and used to eating less, so by the time we can physically eat more we've already have our new good eating habits deeply ingrained in our brain! OK I could go on and on, but yes,you will have some hard times but the good times are some much more and so exciting! The best of luck in your journey, you will love your sleeve!

I too am obese with no co-morbidities YET. Well hopefully their won't be any because on on my way to a healthier thinner me. I know can understand where you are all coming from, I used to eat very healthily, or so I thought, now I realise just how MUCH i was eating! Obesity and healthy don't go together, because being obese we are at much higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes etc etc. But being skinny isn't synonymous of being healthy. A lot of skinny people can be alcoholics, drug addicts, so that's not healthy either! But I do agree w Emily Grace, we need to be honest with ourselves to be able to address our problems but as mommyoftwo says, obesity is a complicated and multifaceted disease, cause it is one, and it's not as simple as 1+1=2, that's why obesity is such a big problem! Good luck to all of you in your journey!

I eat oatmeal once in a while, my doctor recommends it, I can only have a bit though with quite a bit of milk, even though it has carbs they are slow releasing good carbs and give me a good boost of energy especially before going onto the gym. We all have stalls. I too got very discouraged, but went to surgeon's yesterday and in toal los 38 pounds, 27 of them lost since surgery in 7 weeks. I know it's a bit slower then most people, but as someone said before we are all different. I know I need to down my carbs to lose a bit quicker, I do find it hard though, Ilove milk, and a drink quite a bit, I also have indulged in a few lemosn sugar free cookies a couple of times, I'm definetly not buying them again!

Good luck to you MAry! To be honest this forum keeps me going, sometimes I feel like throwing in the towel but reading peoples day to day struggles and victories keep me positive and ambitous to reach my goal!

thanks eureka, I'll give it a try!