emily_0192010

I *love* this thread!! It is so inspiring and it never fails to make me smile I can't wait to add some of my own!

I *love* this thread!! It is so inspiring and it never fails to make me smile I can't wait to add some of my own!

I *love* this thread!! It is so inspiring and it never fails to make me smile I can't wait to add some of my own!

I didn't read all of the posts above so hopefully i'm repeating anything. I don't think it really matters. Every surgeon is different. Say you have two surgeons who both use the 32. One surgeon might make it a "tight" 32 where he staples as close to the bougie as he can, while the other uses it more as a guide. The size of your stomach also depends on YOU. If you are tall you're stomach is more likely to be longer... so you're sleeve will be a bit bigger.
Also, the difference between them is literally millimeters. Someone posted a picture a long time ago that showed the size, and it was the difference between a pencil, a pen, and a thin highlighter or something like that.
My surgeon used a 42. He explained though that he makes a "tight" 42 where he goes right up against the bougie and then he over-sews as well. I am 8 months out and I can eat 2-3 oz of Protein.
I don't think it makes a significant when it comes to the amount you lose. Each person is individual. I highly suggest you go with your gut. Go with the surgeon that makes you feel the most safe and comfortable.

I *love* this thread!! It is so inspiring and it never fails to make me smile I can't wait to add some of my own!

I *love* this thread!! It is so inspiring and it never fails to make me smile I can't wait to add some of my own!

I *love* this thread!! It is so inspiring and it never fails to make me smile I can't wait to add some of my own!

The liver really does shrink considerably with a low-carb diet in a short amount of time. My surgeon explained that when our body consumes carbs, it first goes to the liver. When the liver is "full" it is THEN converted into stored fats. The opposite is true as well. When our body needs carbs, it takes it from the liver storage first before it touches the stored. SO, if you aren't adding carbs into your diet your liver will shrink because your body will use up all the stored carbs in the liver. I actually did low-carb for four months before my surgery and my surgeon said that my liver was "tiny and perfect"... about the only thing that can be said was tiny about me lol!
Shrinking the liver is important because it makes it easier for the surgeon to get to your stomach. In really big people the liver can completely cover the stomach. When it is easy for the surgeon there are less chances of complications. I know some surgeon's don't bother with the pre-op diet. I'm not sure if they are just exceedingly confident in their skills or they don't think it will help enough to make a difference, but I was very glad I went through with mine in the end.

I *love* this thread!! It is so inspiring and it never fails to make me smile I can't wait to add some of my own!

I am currently a size 6 and I am still 20 ish pounds away from being at my personal goal weight. It is well within a healthy BMI range, so why not continue? Why stop just because I am in a size 6. Heck yeah I want to be 4 or maybe a 2 (as long as I'm still healthy!).
The thing I've learned though, is that even though I may be wearing the same number as other people who wear a six... my body is very different. I could not get away wearing anything "trashy" right now. I have skin. Lots of it. More than I need for sure! And that isn't going to magically go away. Yes I'm smaller, but I do not have the same body as some size 6 lady who was never overweight.
I am so happy that I can look cute, but truly, what I gain the most happiness from are the things I am able to do now. I can run with my baby sister (she's 6) and I can go all day without wanting to nap, etc.
I was borderline diabetic pre-surgery. I am thrilled to say I don't have to worry about that anymore! I hoot and holler every day when I think about that

I am currently a size 6 and I am still 20 ish pounds away from being at my personal goal weight. It is well within a healthy BMI range, so why not continue? Why stop just because I am in a size 6. Heck yeah I want to be 4 or maybe a 2 (as long as I'm still healthy!).
The thing I've learned though, is that even though I may be wearing the same number as other people who wear a six... my body is very different. I could not get away wearing anything "trashy" right now. I have skin. Lots of it. More than I need for sure! And that isn't going to magically go away. Yes I'm smaller, but I do not have the same body as some size 6 lady who was never overweight.
I am so happy that I can look cute, but truly, what I gain the most happiness from are the things I am able to do now. I can run with my baby sister (she's 6) and I can go all day without wanting to nap, etc.
I was borderline diabetic pre-surgery. I am thrilled to say I don't have to worry about that anymore! I hoot and holler every day when I think about that

Hello! No, I didn't go through Novus Centers. I went to a Seminar at Memorial (I live fairly close to it) and I was happy with the surgeon there. I have heard good things about Dr. Webb though! Congrats I can't wait to be sleeved!

I asked my surgeon this... he said that he tries to find a good middle ground in each patient. He said the trend is to go as small as possible but he finds that this makes patients much more sick at the beginning and that they have trouble getting down anything, which can lead to vomiting which then leads to leaks. So, he said that the stomach was about the size of his index finger.
Also, everyone on here talks about surgeons using bougies. I know that my doctor uses an endoscope instead... and that helps him look for leaks before the surgery is over.

Hello I don't have any pics right here and I'm not "done" yet. I am 5'2". I also lost 40 pre-op. I am now a total of 115 lbs down. I went from 262 to 147. Does that help? And there are tons of us shorties on here

Hello I don't have any pics right here and I'm not "done" yet. I am 5'2". I also lost 40 pre-op. I am now a total of 115 lbs down. I went from 262 to 147. Does that help? And there are tons of us shorties on here

A neighbor recently moved out and gave us a bunch of dishes (plus a lot of junk :/) that she didn't want anymore... I was over-the-moon because she brought a bunch of tiny bowls that will be perfect post-sleeve I have already started to look through our cabinet to see what we are going to need.. and I don't even have a date yet!

I am a year out now. For the first few months I didn't do much except walking and regular daily running around. I was already losing fairly steadily and at the end of the day i didn't feel like I should add it in.
Two months ago I started weight training, following the New Rules of Lifting for Women, and I LOVE IT!!! I have had to work very hard to increase the amount I eat (I am still at 1000 cals max), focusing on Protein. I do not think I could have done this a few months ago to be honest. When I don't get my max amount of food, I can tell when I am in the gym. It just isn't as great of a workout.
I currently weight lift 3 times a week. Each exercise day is a full body workout that lasts from an hour to two hours depending on which one I am doing.
About once or twice a week I will add in some cardio, but I prefer "high intensity interval training" over just plain running/etc. Basically I jog for a few mins, then I walk, then I jog, then I walk, etc.

I am a year out now. For the first few months I didn't do much except walking and regular daily running around. I was already losing fairly steadily and at the end of the day i didn't feel like I should add it in.
Two months ago I started weight training, following the New Rules of Lifting for Women, and I LOVE IT!!! I have had to work very hard to increase the amount I eat (I am still at 1000 cals max), focusing on Protein. I do not think I could have done this a few months ago to be honest. When I don't get my max amount of food, I can tell when I am in the gym. It just isn't as great of a workout.
I currently weight lift 3 times a week. Each exercise day is a full body workout that lasts from an hour to two hours depending on which one I am doing.
About once or twice a week I will add in some cardio, but I prefer "high intensity interval training" over just plain running/etc. Basically I jog for a few mins, then I walk, then I jog, then I walk, etc.

The one thing that is guaranteed to take you life at some point is your weight. It may not be tomorrow, or in a few years, but it WILL steal years off of your life. I was at a seminar this week (went with a family member) and the new STATs on the sleeve are amazing. The surgery itself is safer than having your gallbladder removed. The complication rates are extremely low. The anesthesia risk is there, of course, but it would be if you were getting your wisdom teeth removed or having a c-section, etc.
You are allowed to be scared, of course, everyone is at some point in this process. You have to make sure you are 100% confident in your surgeon, talk the anesthesiologist too (you may have to request that). Follow your pre-op and post op instructions to the letter. This might be considered to be an "elective" surgery, but realistically is is not. You need this to gain control over your life. To be healthy and to remain healthy for your boys.
(((hugs))) You are going to do great!

The one thing that is guaranteed to take you life at some point is your weight. It may not be tomorrow, or in a few years, but it WILL steal years off of your life. I was at a seminar this week (went with a family member) and the new STATs on the sleeve are amazing. The surgery itself is safer than having your gallbladder removed. The complication rates are extremely low. The anesthesia risk is there, of course, but it would be if you were getting your wisdom teeth removed or having a c-section, etc.
You are allowed to be scared, of course, everyone is at some point in this process. You have to make sure you are 100% confident in your surgeon, talk the anesthesiologist too (you may have to request that). Follow your pre-op and post op instructions to the letter. This might be considered to be an "elective" surgery, but realistically is is not. You need this to gain control over your life. To be healthy and to remain healthy for your boys.
(((hugs))) You are going to do great!

The one thing that is guaranteed to take you life at some point is your weight. It may not be tomorrow, or in a few years, but it WILL steal years off of your life. I was at a seminar this week (went with a family member) and the new STATs on the sleeve are amazing. The surgery itself is safer than having your gallbladder removed. The complication rates are extremely low. The anesthesia risk is there, of course, but it would be if you were getting your wisdom teeth removed or having a c-section, etc.
You are allowed to be scared, of course, everyone is at some point in this process. You have to make sure you are 100% confident in your surgeon, talk the anesthesiologist too (you may have to request that). Follow your pre-op and post op instructions to the letter. This might be considered to be an "elective" surgery, but realistically is is not. You need this to gain control over your life. To be healthy and to remain healthy for your boys.
(((hugs))) You are going to do great!

Protein shakes CAN be really confusing!! This is what you should consider...
1) How many grams of Protein are you aiming for? I aim for a minimum of 20g protein per serving.
2) How many carbs are you limited to? I choose low carb so I aim for under 10 per serving. Ideally under 6g.
3) Do you want a shake with added Vitamins? These are great! GNC sells some in a premade shake that fit all of my requirements.
4) Type of protein. After a year of trial and error and research I have come to the conclusion that 100% whey protein is the best. It is absorbed the most effectively. But, it is only "best", really any source of protein is "good".
5)Price. Some Protein drinks have better quality protein than others. I have learned that it can make a difference, but you have to do what you have to do. I cannot afford the expensive ones, though I have learned to save and buy my protein in powder form, in bulk.
6) Taste preference. There are some Protein Drinks that I just cannot get down. For me, I have learned that these are any shake that contains soy, and then some random ones that I don't understand (like muscle milk lol).
For post-op I would suggest staying away from the slimfat/atkins type of shakes. I don't think you will get the protein you need. Also, they are pretty expensive if you look at cost per serving!

The one thing that is guaranteed to take you life at some point is your weight. It may not be tomorrow, or in a few years, but it WILL steal years off of your life. I was at a seminar this week (went with a family member) and the new STATs on the sleeve are amazing. The surgery itself is safer than having your gallbladder removed. The complication rates are extremely low. The anesthesia risk is there, of course, but it would be if you were getting your wisdom teeth removed or having a c-section, etc.
You are allowed to be scared, of course, everyone is at some point in this process. You have to make sure you are 100% confident in your surgeon, talk the anesthesiologist too (you may have to request that). Follow your pre-op and post op instructions to the letter. This might be considered to be an "elective" surgery, but realistically is is not. You need this to gain control over your life. To be healthy and to remain healthy for your boys.
(((hugs))) You are going to do great!

Sounds like you are doing wonderful!! Day 2 was the hard day for me. Great job on the drinking well, that is always the toughest part! Welcome to the Loser's Bench

Hello to all my fellow sleevers and future sleevers
Today marks my one year surgiversary! I cannot believe that I am this point already! Since beginning my journey I have lost 129lbs. I went from a size 24 jean to a size 4. I am in a "normal" BMI. I have had plenty more “ups” then “downs” and I can confidently say that this was the best decision I have ever, and will ever, make. I would do it again in a heartbeat if I could. I recently started weight lifting and even though my weight loss has drastically slowed down I am losing body fat and my shape is shifting as well.
Tonight I spent some time at a seminar and they were presenting some new research data surrounding the sleeve. I am thrilled! The stats concerning weight loss at the year mark, and three year marks are showing equal if not better than the by-pass. I am thrilled that I (as well as all of you) had the foresight to stick with our guts (tee hee) and chose this surgery. I have learned a lot as well, not just about health and fitness but how to handle situations in life as well. I am currently in the process of switching surgeons; mine left the practice he was working in and I am not comfortable with the other partner. I was chosen as the “patient of the month” for September for their office and I wrote a testimonial for them. It’s a little bit long, but I figured you can always skip it if you would like
I cannot say when my weight started to be a problem; it was just always there. I was always overweight, always on the chubby side as a kid and as a young teen. In high school my weight simply was not on the forefront of my mind. I had the birth of my sister and then a year later my mother was in the hospital for an extended time. I had other things to focus on. I was not completely oblivious that I was overweight; I had tried various diets ever since middle school but of course they never worked. It was my reflection that shocked me into realizing just how out of control my weight had become. At the mall one day I noticed the reflection of a very large woman in the glass. I noticed her size compared to the others around her. Then she moved when I moved and I realized that it was me. I did not recognize myself and that realization shocked me.
Being overweight had never really affected me before. I was the bookworm, not the athlete. My weight didn’t stop me from reading. My weight didn’t stop me from learning. It didn’t stop me from hanging out with my friends or babysitting. It didn’t stop me from doing the things I loved. I just never grew to love the physical side of life. People’s opinions about the way I looked never mattered to me. Because my weight never stopped me, I didn’t really ever care. Not deeply at least.
My reflection though, that hurt me. I found myself caring. I found myself caring a lot. I am a smart person. I knew that it could not possibly be healthy to be that big. I knew that I was only doing damage to myself. I started asking myself questions. “How can I be a role model to my sister when I didn’t take care of myself?” I realized that I was slowly but surely taking away my own dreams.
During all the yo-yo’ing I did in my teens I had thought about weight loss surgery. Being the over-analytical person I am, I researched it and the cons always outweighed the pros and I never went past the research part. At the time my reasons were valid. I didn’t have the money. I didn’t have insurance. I wasn’t old enough. It was too drastic. I was healthy just overweight. I was too busy with school. The list could go on. But then it changed. Everything worked. It mattered now. I had no reason not to go for it.
When I started my physician supervised weight loss I was at the highest I had ever been. I may have been able to say that I was reasonably healthy, but I would not have been able to say that in five or ten years. That was when my motto “here’s to starting my twenties out right” started. I didn’t want to wait until I had those problems, until it was so far out of control I would have lost everything. I wanted to start really living my life. And I did. I don’t hold myself back and limit myself to my books anymore. I run, I play, I smile more, I laugh more.
I’ve known all along that the surgery is just one tool that I am using to help achieve a healthy, fit body. My weight loss journey is not over; it might never be over. But with my sleeve, along with my support team and my family I know that I will continue to be successful, happy and healthy.
Thank you especially to everyone on VST... this was my rock during the first few months and I continually lean back on here when I need support and encouragement!

I'm going to add new pics soon, just realized they are still all on my phone :tongue2: