Penpen

Thank you so much for posting your success! You are of great encouragement! When I think of successes like yours, I can't wait for surgery but when I think of what will actually be done to my stomach and how major it is...I want to run the other direction. This forum serves a lot of purposes but I think one of the biggest, is the encouragement to move forward. Thanks and Congrats!!!!

I'm not sleeved yet but have read soooo many post on this forum. You all have so much good input...even ones like myself that haven't been sleeved yet! So I have a question... What exactly does restriction feel like? Does it just feel like you are full? Or does it feel like your stomach is going to bust open? Does it hurt?

Awesome!! You're an inspiration to me! It must feel wonderful. I hope to be in your shoes soon.

Sounds like many good reasons to me! As for me, I have a few health problems but nothing serious yet. But my emotional health has been horrible. And I think your emotional health is just as important as your physical health. I've lost 50, 60, 70 lbs. at different times in my life. It would take forever and always be a painful journey watching everyone around me eat and drink whatever they wanted and never exercise but still be thin. The last couple of years I thought I was going through a mid-life crisis....that's if women go through them...I don't know. I wanted to lose the weight but was so depressed about doing it. I didn't want to go through it again. Lose and then gain back what you lost plus an extra 20-40 lbs. on top of that. I WAS DONE!!! My husband has always said, "you know how to lose weight, you've done it before and you felt great." I told him about a month ago, that I wasn't going to try anymore ... that it was a battle that I would never win. That's when he suggested having this surgery or the bypass done. I was in total shock because a little over a year ago, I was approved to do the lap band and he said absolutely not....and I just kind of started going down hill from there. He's very supportive but just didn't feel like the lap band was a safe option (and I'm thankful he felt that way...I think I would have regretted it.) plus a man he worked with had it done and never lost a pound. I thought my husband was completely against any kind of surgery. He's even tried to diet with me....we would both fail at it! So, I'm not really sure what made him decide he was okay with this but I'm so thankful!

WoW!!!! You look sooo awesome!!! I can't wait to get sleeved, hopefully sometime this summer! I can feel your excitement! You go girl! This soooo motivates me! I've even been itching to start doing the full, blown liquid diet but am waiting for my date. Well, okay, I started one a day today just so I wouldn't go into total shock when my doc says, "Let's do it!!"

yAy!!!

So excited for both of you and 2Sweetnsugarland! I'll say a prayer for all of you. I only have a brother but I do have a sister-in-law that I definitely consider my sis! I love her to pieces!!! She is considering doing this too. It's a hard decision for the both of us but how I would love to take this journey with her. I'm so happy for y'all!

You look awesome! You can definitely tell! Keep it up! Also, thank you for posting your feelings. I haven't had surgery yet but have feared that I might get depressed with the long term liquid diet. I just went to see my surgeon yesterday for the first time(actually, second time...first real doc appointment). He said that I will need to lose 15 lbs. before surgery. Though, we have to wait to see what insurance will cover and she if there are any requirements to be met before they set my date. In the mean time, I decided that I would kind of start using the Protein shakes atleast once a day to get used to them, so I'm not in total shock when the time comes. I just drank my first shake and it wasn't too bad. I normally drink Slim Fast in the morning and prefer the liquid vs. food thing (in the morning, anyways). So hopefully, I will see the light at the end of the tunnel. I will keep your post close to remind myself that this part of it is not forever. Thank you once again for letting all of us know your thoughts and feelings. This forum is the best!

Thank you for responding...very much appreciated!

Thank you all for your responses! I'm totally okay with that. I was just curious! I just want to be healthier and happier but it would be nice to see my knee caps too at some point. I will take whatever the good Lord gives me!

Thank you Renee! My husband and I asked so many questions. Poor doctor...did not know he was going to face us that day! Ha! And I've thought of more questions to ask since yesterday. He told me to call if I had more, so I will probably do so real soon. I think he's the right surgeon. We left with a really good feeling about him.

Hi there fellow Texans! I'm just east of Dallas. Haven't had surgery yet but am waiting to see if my insurance co approves. Hopefully I'll be in your boat soon. So nice to meet you.

Yes, I can't wait either!! I think emotional health is just as important as physical. I think that it's terrible that we are judged based on our weight alone. I have had lots of people tell me it's what's on the inside that counts but that's really not how a lot of people feel...I've been treated differently, looked at differently, and even had family members make jokes about my weight to my face. I'm 37 and wish that the sleeve had been available yrs ago. I decided a few months ago that I wasn't even going to try anymore. So many times I've lost weight ... So many times, I've gained all back plus some! I was done!!! Then my hubby mentioned that a lady at his work had the bypass done and had lost over 100 lbs. That maybe we should look into it. Of course, I'm not interested in the bypass but the sleeve, yes. So here I am...making friends with people I have so much incommon with. There's not many that I know that I can freely talk about this with. My wonderful sister-in-law completely understands so she's a source of encouragement for me. My hubby too. But it's awesome to come into this forum w people that have had the surgery or are in the beginnings of their journey.

Welcome Hanna!! I'm new too! Your feelings about yourself, sound far to familiar. My story is a little different but I know how you are feeling. I disgust myself and I try to hide from the world!! I just had my first appointment with my surgeon today and it went well. I'm excited to know that I or all of us, have the chance to be healthier and prettier. That we can stop hiding from the world!

There's no way that I let this surgeon operate on me...money back or not. And yes, HIM operating may result in death!!! NO WAY!! RUN AWAY FROM HIM!!!

This will be my first appointment with a surgeon tomorrow. What questions should I ask to not only try to see the whole picture of what I'm getting myself into but to also make sure he's the right surgeon for me? Thanks for all advice.

Okay, I haven't had surgery yet but have a silly question. I'm a pair shaped person with big legs. In the past when I'd lose, I'd lose up top first...boobs always seem to go away the fastest. My bottom half, mainly my legs never seemed to thin down as much. In fact, I always could have stood to lose a little more in the legs only. Is there anyone else out there that has had the same problem and did this surgery/diet with high protiens change the way you lost on your legs?

Just beautiful!!!

So sorry Gabriella! I haven't had surgery yet but have an appointment with a surgeon on Wednesday. I'm going to really think through this. I've been looking for people who've had complications but for the most part, some have complications but not like what you've had. Mostly what you hear about are the very positive happenings after surgery. These are the things that need to be heard. I have been more scared for the long term what ifs. This is a reminder that this is very serious. I'm scared to death of this surgery and just not sure anymore. Thanks for telling your story.

My hubby's cousin had that done ... roughly 15-16 years ago. The week my hubby and I got married ... a little over 10 years ago... she died because she all the sudden had bleeding in the area they had operated on years before and they couldn't stop it. Unexplained...just happened. So scary!!! This was one of the reasons my hubby has been against any kind of bariatric surgery. Just recently he has started to support it and is now trying to help me research it and such. The sleeve isn't like that surgery and I don't think it is as dangerous.

I haven't had it done myself but am going to the seminar tonight with hubby. I have been researching it for a while. I was actually thinking about the same thing here the last couple of weeks and started a history search. I found a few sites that talked about where the sleeve actually derived from. Then, this morning I found some very interesting information. From what I understand ... and by the way, I don't know for sure that it is true... England has been doing the sleeve since the year 2000. So I have been trying to find information on their research and results. I'm having a hard time though. Also, trying to find a forum of some sort of some of the people that had their surgery done in those earlier years to see what type of complications they may have had or are having now being years out. Anyways, here's one site I found that kind of talks about it. If anyone else finds any information or insight from actual patients, please shout it out. I'm so scared for the future! I see great things happening 1-2 years out for everyone but what about 10 years. I don't want to find out the hard way but I still want to do this! Ugghhh, such a hard decision. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/199162.php Okay, I just tried to do another search and it actually led me back to our forum: Tiffykins actually posted some really wonderful links regarding just what you are asking. She posted it on Feb. 2, 2010. Here's where you need to go. I think I'm going to check this out right now. <li class="first breadcrumb">Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG) Surgery Forum<li class="breadcrumb "> Vertical Sleeve Talk Community Center<li class="breadcrumb "> Research & Statistics 2 & 3 yr out Sleeve Experiences + Research links on VSG Thank you Tiffykins!!!! I didn't know that was out there. Great info!!!

Dr. Nick! Yes, I've heard of him and was even interested in him but I'm not sure my insurance will cover him.

Amber, Thank you for the info and the link. I went to there and read through it. That makes perfect sense and it feels good to know that if that were the reason for hair loss that it would eventually grow back.

Wow! Thank you again! What great information. I'm definitely going to get that book. My sister in law has a good friend that had the VS done last June and had a problem with hair loss. My sil says she went by the book on everything and still lost some hair. Now I'm wondering if it was the lack of the right type of protien. I'm going to run this past my her. Just out of curiosity, who was your surgeon and is he/she in Texas? I think I've found a really good one but I like to stay informed and make sure I'm choosing the right person. It's not easy placing my life changing procedure in someone's hands. I want to make sure it's the right hands.

Thank you so much for chiming in here! It sounds like the surgery isn't your last stop either. I never really thought about the fact that every single year I go and have blood work done (what my general doc calls a physical) to test levels of everything. So if something was low, it would be caught before it got out of hand hopefully. It sounds like your tummy still absorbs everything you need. So if I'm understanding right, you may not be able to take in the volume of food it would take to get the nutrients you need and that is why you supplement. While you are supplementing, your body is actually absorbing most if not too much, right? I already take Vitamins most days just because they do make me feel a little more alive. Why do some people lose their hair? I know it has to do with protien but is it their body simply not absorbing accurately or is it that they are not taking in enough? Also, is the high protien just while you're losing weight so fast or is it for the rest of your life?