mamamckinzie

So I make it thru the xray machine and stand on the mat where they pat you down. The TSA agent kept asking me what I had in my front pocket while jabbing me with her finger. I replied...."That would be my hip bone!" The lady standing next to me on her mat busted out laughing!!!!!!

ditto on the flushing out the tummy. We can only eat so much at a time. So you really want to utilize your new tummy to it's full potential and not flush it out with liquids.

I hope you decide not to smoke. I am so glad I quit 14 years ago. Not easy that's for sure! Please talk to your doctor and see if he needs to add/change your meds to help with the depression. Hang in there! Remember that you are also going thru hormone changes as you lose weight.

Put some socks on and move forward sista! It will be the best thing you ever did for yourself!

I know that feeling of fear of the unknown! My thoughts were "wow, if I fail at this too what am I going to do?" But the wonderful thing about VSG is it WILL NOT fail. It is the only tool that truly sets you up for success. NOT FAILURE! We know how to do our end of the deal with all the stupid diets we have been on! We just need not have the right tool for long term success. It is hard work but well worth the effort!

I wanted to tell all the August sleevers how proud I am of your choice to do VSG. For me personally it has been the best decision I have ever made. Although I had a low bmi (31) I was obese, I took 2 blood pressure pills that were very expensive. I have a rare liver disease so I can only take certain medications. My liver doctor told me that if I continue to gain weight it would compromise my chances of a liver transplant if I ever needed one. Wow! I was just shy of turning 50. Tried every single diet more than once. Even tried hypnosis. I excercised regularly. But I was always hungry, even after eating a large meal. The hunger monkey climbed onto my back in the last 5 years and just stayed there. Although I had fought with me my weight for the last 20 years there was a significant change in my hunger cues that became constant in the last 5. I have no idea why. So I looked into to Lapband and was not thrilled about the results. But fortunately during that research is when I learned about VSG. The first few weeks are tough at times but it has been so worth it in the end! You have begun the most brave and fantastic journey of your life! This tool WILL help you to succeed. It WILL NOT fail you if you stay on your doctor's reccomendations. Enjoy the journey...take progress pics (wish I would of done that) Wishing you all the best of luck!!!!!!

You might want to check out www.gastricsleeve.com and search Dr. Garcia on that board. There have been a couple people recently that have come back with infected incision sites. Not trying to scare or bad mouth anyone. Just happen to notice the posts when I was cruising thru the posts. Good luck!

Everyone is different and each surgery pain level is different too. For me the VSG surgery was not near as bad as my 2 seperate shoulder surgeries. Labor 1st time was terrible..2nd time better. I used the heating pad everyday for almost 2 weeks to help relieve gas pain on my left side. You can manage it and it will be over soon. Then you get to enjoy the best journey you have ever been on!

Welcome Sandra! Wow you have gone thru a lot to get where you are at today. I love your positive attitude thru it all! You are an inspiration on how to deal with life's blows. Best wishes to you in your journey! You will love the sleeve side of life!

Thanks everyone! I could not have mentally made it thru this journey without the love and support from everyone here! You guys are the best!!!!!

The thing I like best about the sleeve life is I am off the diet roller coaster! I eat pretty much what I want. It's just now since I do not have the cravings like I did before and the hunger monkey to contend with it is much easier to make the proper food choices. I get to use my head instead of my stomach when I choose what to eat. So I always try to do the Protein,Veggie,Fruit, Carb order when I eat. Plus it is wonderful to know that since I get full so fast I can just have a bite or two of a treat from time to time and not sabotage all my hard work! Now that it is has been a year I am much more confident that this is the right tool to rely on! It is always there for me!

I remember reading alot of other people's post when they had hit their 1 yr surgiversary and thinking to myself..."What will that be like for me?" Will I have been successful (finally) after so many failed attempts. I really did not have the emotional strength left anymore. I really had given up on weight loss by the time I discovered VSG. I have a rare liver disease called Primary Biliary Cirrhosis. The medicine I take to slow the disease progression down makes it challenging to lose weight. The disease also causes fatigue that resting does not alleviate. You just have to manage it. My hepatologist told me that if I continued to be obese that it would hurt my chances of a liver transplant if and when I ever needed one....yikes! My journey has not always been smooth. Nothing ever is I suppose. I still deal with diahrrea issues between the sleeve and the medicine I have to take but I can manage it. I have lost 74lbs and gone from a size 20 to 8 in jeans! Size XL in tops to S/M. My feet no longer hurt when I walk!!!!! I do not feel like I am embarrasing my teenage kids infront of their friends by having an obese Mom. My horse is probably alot happier not having to carry my big fat butt around anymore either! LOL! It so wonderful to no longer have the hunger Monkey screaming away on my back! That was sooo annoying! Too be able to calmly make food choices now is very liberating! I no longer have the cravings I used to. I WANT to eat good food! Really the sleeve life has been the best decision I have made for myself in a long,long time! So for all of you who are just starting out in a few months from now you too will get to post about how wonderful you feel a whole year later!

Looking fantastic! Love the new hair do! Super Cute! Keep on rocking that sleeve!!!!

Just kept following the doctor's plan. Used Myfitnesspal.com to log although I am not a everyday logger. Try to always follow the do not drink before/after and eat Protein,veggie,fruit,carb in that order.

I FEEL younger too!

Yep! The sleeved life is definately the way to go for me!!!!!

First pic was May 2009 at son's 8th grade grad. Not my heaviest which was 199. Second pic is July 2012 at 125lbs. Much happier!

Congrats to both of you! You will love the sleeved life!

I remember I had to go back to shakes for a few days when I started throwing up. I also had the doc script me some Zofran to help. I think I was at 4 weeks or so when that happen. I will go away but it was not much fun that's for sure! My tummy was still pretty swollen at the time.

Awesome job Cam! I felt like I was reading my own soon to be description of my surgiversary next month I too was a 16/18 (more like 20 cuz my clothes were pretty stretched and I would not buy new ones) now I am a 6 dress and a 8 in pants...wow! I enjoy clothes shopping for the first time in DECADES. No more dressing room meltdowns No more pain in my feet and knees. Just loving the new me!!!!

Hey AllStars! Hope everyone is doing well. Can you believe next month will be our 1 year surgiversary?! WoW! Remember all of us being excited and scared last year at this time? It has been an incredible journey and I am so thankful for all of you and my bariatric surgeon for giving my life back to me. I am in maintenance and loving it! I have not weighed 127lbs since I was in my early 20's. Still need to tighten up the skin but it will happen sooner or later.

Way to Go!!!! You have done outstanding!!!!!

My surgery date was Aug 1, 2011 and I weighed 199lbs with a doctor's goal of 140lbs and my personal goal was 135. I only had a 2 day preop so no problems there. The first 3 months were tough due to nausea and vomiting but I got past that. I averaged 10lbs a month the first 4 months. Excercised 3-4 times a week. Mostly walking but now I am starting some strength training. I do have loose skin on my tummy from being overweight and having 2 kids. I have "butt wrinkles & thigh wrinkles" and flabby underarms but I am working on reducing the loose skin. But I am 50 yr old so I do not expect to look like I am in my 20's lol! I try to always follow the protein first, then veggies,fruit,carb if I have room. I have wonderful restriction and have found this to be the best thing I have ever done for myself. I still have issues from diarrhea that I have to watch but that is also because of liver medication I have to take. I would recommend this procedure to anyone that wants to get off the diet merry go round and find the right tool for successful weightloss. I weighed in this morning at 128.8 and I am not "trying" to lose anymore. Very Happy! :D

there are alot of posts concerning both doctors on this board...poke around and read a few people's journeys