Nichelle

Thanks for posting. I go in with Dr Kelly this thursday May 10th & getting quite nervous now. But you inspirational story makes me feel so much better!

I want to be in your shoes in 1 year!

Well done & keep up the great work!

I wish you the best of luck and healthy recover with your surgery. Believe me I was nervous too and you should be. Your about to make a huge life changing decision and ITS WORTH IT!

You truly look phenomenal! Congratulations on your success! Any advice for people like myself who are just starting this journey

It will all come in time. Sometimes it feels like it is taking forever, but it is just what you said "a Journey". Enjoy every step and learn from it. The downs are what makes the ups feel so good.

Thank you all so much for your kind comments.

You look great. Congratulations. How often did you workout and what type of work out did you do? Also, did you have lose skin.

I just started slow and walked on a treadmill 3-4 days. It was no specific distance just as far as I could go in 20 min. All aspects gradually increase. First my time moved up 5 minutes at a time then I moved the speed and the incline. As it got easier I just increased my workout. Yes, I do have a lot of lose skin. Its just a reality. I had 280lbs on my body the skin had to cover it and no matter what its not all just going to snap back young or not. There isn' anything I would change though the skin is just a battle scar.

Well VST, here it is. I thought I would have so much more to write about when it came to and I probably do, but I want to go out and enjoy life its a beautiful day. My one year surgiversary is tomorrow. I couldn’t have imagined what life would be like a year from then and now that I am here today, I still can't believe where I was and where I am now. There are so many things that have changed for the good and a realization of so many things in my life that have come clear. The ride was fun, it wasn't always easy, it’s the best thing I have done for myself yet, it still takes work every day, and I wouldn't ever change my decision to have surgery. A of the simple things that have changed in my life:

*I can walk up a flight of stairs (and choose to now) without losing my breath

*I can jog nearly 3 miles

*I don't have a debate with myself whether I should get down on the floor to play with my niece because I can't get back up without some help of something to push off of (soon to have a nephew in just a few days!)

* I can shop in the regular section of all the clothing stores; Lost over 10 dress sizes and a shoe size

*I can see each side of a chair, noticed this in my car

*Seat belts fit without pulling them all the way out, haven't been on a plane since surgery, but I almost needed an extender on the flight I tightly squeezed it over my legs. Today I am sure that wouldn't be the case

*I have found a new love for cooking, gardening, and exercise

* I can see the pendant on my necklace that now hangs 2 or more inches lower

* I have lost 93 lbs AND counting, over 76 inches off my body (10 spots)

**I feel beautiful, healthy, and happy! I am ready for the future!

*** I feel normal; I have respect for myself and now so do others

This is a journey and this is only the beginning of the rest of my life. I still feel like I have more work to go to reach my own personal goals, but in my heart I felt (didn't believe) and in the eyes of my boyfriend and close friends I was always a winner. Now I can truthfully say I believe them and myself.

Thank you to my surgeon Dr. Ramos Kelly and to my wonderful coordinator Christi Beardon for making the process so simple. I want to also thank this site and the many of you that are a part of it that share your stories. I couldn't have done this without your support. Thank You!

Please feel free to check out my blog it has all my stats if you’re interested. Plus I have a gallery full of pictures from before all the way through to now. Here are a few. They are still shocking to me.

This was February 2011, 3 months before surgery

Before in San Diego exactly one year from today

Two days after surgery, shopping in Tijuana

Now....

11 Months

First ever swimsuit without boy shorts

Two Dresses I would have never worn before; well I've never worn a lot now I have a dozen

Congratulations, this was an amazing testimonial you shared. I love that you are doing something you like to get your workouts in and helping others. That's fab. Tattoos I see in my future also. Excited.

Great story, amazing pictures. Congratulations on the running its something I'm working on myself. WTG

I had VSG __11 months___ (days, weeks, months, years ) ago, and I've lost __90___ lbs.

When I started, my goal was to lose __122____ lbs, and I am __5'7__ tall.

I still feel like I can reach my goal just in due time. Currently I am about 6 weeks from my one year surgiversary and plan on reach 100lbs down. 1 year 100lbs I'm jumping for joy. All my stats are below as far as weight and goals.

Minaleigh: Hi stat twin, thank you for your response. Agreed the compliments now are better than thenot so beautiful compliments before. Yes, people will change the way they act around you unfortunately I believe we will soon just realize who true friends are. Keep up the good work your doing fabulous. Check out my blog if you like I have a pretty detailed sketch of my journey there.

Aussiegirl: Thanks for sharing and congratulations on 100lbs. That’s my very close next goal. I can relate to the comments I am getting about keep going, work hard you’ll get there. It’s like was it that bad. I know I am still over weight and yes I will keep going. I will battle with my food addiction for the rest of my life like most of us here. It’s funny how these people never said anything before now they seem to think they have all the answers and are willing to share them like I want to hear them after their pitty compliment. I don’t think either of us are ungrateful to hear that we are doing good and the motivation we are receiving it’s just like you want to tell that person thank you now let it be. I’ve been doing this on my own (or with whatever support, such as you great people) for the last …however long and I’ll keep doing it for me with or without that person. I’m so glad I have people that can relate.

BlackBerryJuice: I must admit with the body you have I would never have ever guessed it either. My skin underneath my shirt does not look as amazingly toned as yours. Although I know you have worked hard for the fantastic body you now have. Congratulations.

Gmanbat: Thank you for sharing. Your wife you said must be at the more receiving end than you, but that must be kind of hard to hear sometimes. When I’m with my fiancé I do just try to smile and thank you, but I can tell sometimes depending on the compliment he can be overwhelmed too. Its fine because you know how beautiful your wife is inside and out and as does mine.

Hello, I just wanted to say thank you real quick to everyone on here. I don't post a lot, but I do read these forums often. So thank you to all those who are willing to share their stories. I wanted to ask how some of you that are further along in your journey take all the new attention and amounts of compliments you get after your obvious, drastic change in your look. Here is the small, but very real problem I am having and don't know how to deal. To some I know I will sound obnoxious, but I really don't know how to take the attention. I don't want to sound like a snot or stuck up. I do know that at some point we all deal with this maybe more so than others or simply others may know how to handle it better. Either way I just want to ask for help without being judged and I know this is the right place to do it. My friends just don't understand.

I do appreciate the attention, but it has become WOW! It is almost everytime I turn around I am being reminded of how much weight I have lost or how great I look or what my big secret to weight loss is or the over the top dirty remarks about my new body which includes a new butt which is what I have been told.How do you deal with this new attention? I have always been bigger, even through highschool and never been overly outgoing. I wouldn't consider myself shy; however taking a compliment is a bigger thing than I imagined. So much so it has caused me stress at work. I won't lie I do work at a bar and understand that this is a place than one can be put on the spot for attention. Most of the time I smile, say thank you or answer some of what seems at times nosey questions and try and move on. Yet, there are those that want to continue even after I have assured them that I have a fiancee and am happily in a committed relationship. Sometimes, its not just the guys. Its all of it combined when in a single day at work I have talked to dozens of people that by the way I have seen or even served before that all of a sudden what to talk to me. Like I was invisible or not important before, because I am of what seems normal weight all of sudden they want to be my friend and I can't help how I feel when I think they are jerks for just now realizing I am a good human being. I am the same person on the inside as I was 11 months ago, maybe happier and that's why more people actually want to talk to me, but tell me how do you all deal with the new amount of attention you have been given.

Thanks for listening!

I agree this feeling is fantastic. It was my favorite thing early on. It still is great, I'm not saying that it isnt by no means. Yet, no throwing pity parties sometimes its so over whelming. Personally I work with the public and its an everyday thing now to constantly be reminded how much weight I have lost. People that knew me before that never talked to me all of sudden want to know all about how I'm doing and what I'm doing later. I thought I was invisble before. Now all of a sudden they care just doesn't seem fair as I am still the same person on the inside as I was 10 months ago. I truthfully don't know how to take it sometimes. Congratulations, on all your hard work. I promise the compliments will keep coming!

Don't want to go too deep in this as their are many on here that seem to already have a deep opinion on this specific issue. Just wanted to state I had my surgery with Dr. Kelly and I had a fantastic experience. He was a wonderful caring doctor. Make your own informed decisions and do your research. Coordinators are only there to help assist you in making arrangements. Only if interested, I personally went through successfullyslimmer.com with my coordinator being Chrisit Beardon. She was fabulous at getting the information I needed and was quick to respond not only to email, but I even had a direct phone line to her to. We still share emails monthly with my measurement details. Take your time, this site is to help you make a better informed decision not to sway you in either directions. Only you know what is right for you.

You look happy. Way to go, I think that's what we all want. Hope you had a great time on your vacay.

Beautiful picture with the kids. Congratulations!

Simply Amazing!

Congratulations, you look fabulous and have gained what many of us on here already. Just another inch in height. Walk with it girl!

I would recommend keeping the smaller clothes. You will be in them sooner than you think. Plus they are a great motivator to keep them around. Try them on seen how they fit, or dont fit, then put them away for a few months and you will be surprised on fast you get into them

Congratulations, thank you for sharing with all of us. Very inspirational story!

Okay, I won't lie. I have not been on a strict diet since month four. I really do eat pretty much whatever I want just in a much smaller portion. I do try to choose healthy, but there are those times when my friends want to go out and eat at the restaurants and I'm not not going. Love me some mexican and Pasta. Oh chips and salsa you are my weakness!

ive been exhausted for a week now due to the flu. This morning i picked up a 5 hour energy shot and chugged it down as fast as my sleeve would let me. I have had no caffeine nothing "bad" since my surgery but i just needed to get going, even though i know these arent good for me and who the hell really knows what exactly are in them.

I don't think you should feel bad about that. Those five hour energy's I believe are actually quite good when you are having a slow day. The biggest amount of what is in it is B12. Which is a metabolic Vitamin that most are reccommended to take after surgery anyways. I usually just try for a half of the 5 hour now since the surgery and it really does the trick when feeling groggy. Next time your out check the label it says everything that is in it and most are just vital Vitamins anyways. No sugar and like 8333% of B12, lol a good kick in the energy department. Try checking out some Vitamins at your local Walmart I always recommend a b12 for anyone that doesnt have the energy they wish they had, surgery or not.

I have to agree with the girls above. I actually remember feeling the same way. I was starving. I really felt like what the heck did I just do. Did I have my stomach removed or something else? Because I was truthfully extremely hungry. I reread some of my paper with details on the surgery and some forums here and they all say the same thing. It may not feel like heart burn, but the acid is causing what feels like hunger. Plus your probably still fighting your brain on how much food you think you should be eating. I'm sorry, but it will be like this for awhile. The hunger will pass try anyone of the above ppis they even have a equate brand that is a bit cheaper at Walmart then the rest. I am 10 months out and still take one everyday. Heartburn or not your have to take preventitive care to protect your new tummy. Good luck, it does get easier.

Horrible thread, yet evidence that the sleeve is just a tool. Please be kind to each other. Remember it takes time to heal you did just have major surgery. Also remember you didn't get to be big all of a sudden it was years and years of bad habits that you should learn to change. Fake or not fake this person is simply asking for help and understanding from us all who have at some point gone through a similar stage. Remember there is a healthier way to eat, that I would highly recommend you check into, but only if that is your choice. I will promise to you this one thing if it is meat you crave you will be able to eat it. Just possibly not this close out of surgery. I don't want to rub it in your face, but I went on a lovely dinner date this past weekend and was able to have a great piece of steak. Yes, in a smaller portion than normal. You will be able to eat anything you want sooner or later right. Forcing it though will only keep your bad eating habits at hand and that could sabatoge your life style change later on. The weight loss will stop or come to a stop and sooner than you think. Try to take advantage of the fantastic choice you have made to have your surgery. It is one you won't regret if you make the most of it. I wish you the best of luck.

P.S.

If you want to do it your way and want meat try a different kind. Maybe a softer summer sausage, some pepperoni, maybe some turkey Snacks, or even cornbeef, tis the season of the irish, is a bit easier than ground beef. This stage is only temporary believe me or not you will find out yourself in time.

P.P.S

Remember everyone is entilted to their opinion and that is simply what it is. Your opinion. We are free to all share how we feel on here, but remember this is the place many of us come for support. The good and the bad can be shared, but let's remember to be kind in our responses to each other. We all want the same thing here respectively.

You look fantastic! Don't feel like you should ever have to wait to share your success with us or anyone you feel comfortable with at this point we all know that each and every pound should be and they are a huge success. Congratulations keep up the hard work and you'll have even more to share. Way to go!

Best I have found by far are called Premier Protein. You can get them at any costco or online too I believe. They come in chocolate, vanilla, AND strawberry. They have 30g of Protein and 160calories. I truthfully think they taste great and are filling. You can drink them straight or I like to do them over ice or even blended with ice from something really cold when it gets warm outside. Also compared to many others I find these to be quite affordable (especially compared to the late night fast food stops I used to be doing). They are sold in 18 packs and about $25 each. Hope this helps.

If it gets you fired up, don't red it. Simple enough! After paying big money and having 85% of our stomachs taken out, I think we're entitled to complain and show some apprehenion about our stalls!

I'm so with you on this one!!! The topic titles are there for a reason, if you dont like reading about other's stalls, pass over them. This is a forum for all topics of VSG and stalls and complaing and horrible rants are part of it. Including your own post complaining about others complaining. If it offers them relief then by all means please rant and feel free to. Others want to know what others have gone through; good and BAD. Just my opinion.