courtines

I don't think that anyone goes into this without some fears or doubts. I was scared and had doubts up until the minute they put me on the operating table. When I woke up, I was groggy enough to think that I could still change my mind! One of my biggest ones was that I would be the only person on the planet that it didn't work for. The decision to have surgery isn't really the big question. It is about the decision to make a MAJOR life change for the rest of your life.

I was sleeved at St John Oakland Hospital by Dr. Mushabir Sabir. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about him and his office. They continue to be freaking amazing.

Um... wow.
Some people actually, seriously have no business opening their mouths. Ever.
I don't even know what to say. What has not already been said that's left? I know this, I've been reading this board for 2 years now, and you are one of the top losers I've seen. 95 Lbs. in 5 months... that is INCREDIBLE. Then to have someone you entrust with their opinion tell you its not, is such a tragedy. I think this nurse needs to be reported. That is my honest opinion. She has no empathy, sympathy, whatever for the emotionally delicate situation bariatric patients are in. That IMO is doing a great disservice to everyone that walks through your surgeons doors.
Listen to me and everyone else here, this nurse has no clue what she's talking about. YOU my dear are really sincerely doing a most fantastic job with your weight loss. DO NOT ever... EVER.. let anyone tell you otherwise, because that simply is untrue.
Regarding the whole honeymoon phase argument - I can't tell you how much I really hate this. Yes it is true you will lose the most and the fastest in the very beginning. Yes, its because your sleeve is super small and you can only ingest so much. Yes, your sleeve will let up and you will begin to be able to eat more, meaning you will be able to up your calories. The only thing you have to do to remedy this is just keep ensuring you are burning much more calories than you are taking in.
I am 15 months out. My sleeve is still extremely restrictive. I'm not even really trying all that hard and I'm STILL losing weight!
THE SLEEVE DOES NOT COME WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE ATTACHED!! It is a PERMANENT restrictive procedure. You will have your banana tummy forever. How you use it is up to you... just don't allow others to control your actions. She does NOT deserve your attention to the point where you'd sabotage all your incredible efforts. She's just a miserable, mean lady who has zero compassion... Don't let her take this away from you, please.

I had more problems with my PCPs office than I did with my surgeon's office, however my process was extremely fast. I would wait until after you talk with your surgeon and insurance coordinator before I made any decisions to go elsewhere. I am also a fan of instant gratification, but my process went so quickly that I felt like I didn't have time to change my mind!
There are a lot of differences in insurance requirements, but I would think that your large amount of comorbidities will work in your favor. Hang in there. Ask lots of questions and get your insurance coordinator to give you a list of what you need to do for them to be able to send your case to insurance for approval. I actually left my initial consultation appointment and made my appointments with my PCP and the psychologist before I left the parking lot at the surgeons office.

I think what happens here is most people who are researching this surgery tend to overlook the bad side effects others post. Not saying it's what they should do at all (because they absolutely SHOULD NOT overlook the bad...), but I'm sure it happens more often than not.

Also, when someone is relatively new here, they don't tend to navigate to many parts of the board. They will tend to stick to either the Pre-Op section where they read about others experiences on what they are going through at the time, or the success stories to validate they are making the right choice. I do think you did many people a great service by pointing out that EVERYONE Pre-Op really should read all threads in the Post-Op section. It is VITAL to know exactly what to expect in the first 4-6 weeks after surgery.

The Wonders of Surgeries who post they had zero pain, are up and doing their construction jobs after a weekend of rest and can eat normally again without issue are maybe 1 in a million!! The rest of us didn't have an easy go of it. We struggled to get *anything* in for weeks after surgery, we had pain, we were badly fatigued, we dealt with nausea and vomiting, and some of us even went through much worse. However what you won't find much of here is anyone at least 6 months post op who doesn't wish they had this done! Yes, I'm sure they are out there but they sure aren't posting in this forum. I've been to other WLS websites and when they describe the Sleeve at least 6 months post op, you don't see much regret there either... so... is it THIS website or is it just that the Sleeve is a really great WLS? Hmmm...

I suggest the OP pose this question to ALL WLS websites asking this question and get feedback from all corners of the WLS Sleeve World. Your answer will be similar to what we report here... if they are less than 2 months post op you will find several who are NOT happy, maybe more often than not. But those who are many months out you will be hard pressed to find ANY who regret their decision.

I don't think that anyone goes into this without some fears or doubts. I was scared and had doubts up until the minute they put me on the operating table. When I woke up, I was groggy enough to think that I could still change my mind! One of my biggest ones was that I would be the only person on the planet that it didn't work for. The decision to have surgery isn't really the big question. It is about the decision to make a MAJOR life change for the rest of your life.

I am not quite three weeks out and I have definitely had my moments where I wondered what I had done to myself. My first couple days home from the hospital were pretty rough. However, I am a little more than 25 lbs down (including my 1 week preop diet) and I know in my heart that I would not have been able to do that without the surgery. There is a period of adjustment, but it is necessary.
If you know in your heart that you want to do this, don't let anyone stop you. Keep a response in your back pocket to be able to quickly respond to those who are negative. I had to tell someone that I wouldn't let someone cut the majority of my stomach out just because I am lazy. Some people don't get it and aren't going to get it, regardless of what you tell them.

Patrice... first let me say I'm so sorry to hear about your loss, as well as your daughters. Big big ((((hugs))))!!!!!

I've always felt a kinship with you and I feel very sad to hear about all of this. I want to tell you this - and I have to emphasize it, so forgive me. YOU!!! ARE!!! NOT!!! ALONE!!! Girl, do you have any idea how much I've struggled for the past decade with my weight? My first WLS was a total, miserable, EPIC FAIL!!! I was also over 300 Lbs at one point... and with the lap band got myself all the way down to 227 Lbs. Yes, I still remember the exact weight because when I started going back up that number started being illuminated in my head like a GIANT NEON SIGN!

Well all that is over and done with, but not before gaining nearly every pound back that I'd lost with my band. I got back up to within 2 Lbs of my surgery weight. Sooo sad!!! I had to fix it though. Me and no one else. I did revise to the sleeve and I made a huge promise to myself that I WON'T do that again! I had to get myself together the best way I knew how, and that's exactly what I did.

That said, if it weren't for the sleeve I don't care how many promises I've made to myself... I'd still be fat today.

You my friend have such a WONDERFUL tool inside you. Use it!!! Look at it this way, if you didn't have your sleeve - how much weight do you think you could have gained in your time of grief? And yes, it's ok to grieve for the man who you have your precious child with. But... you said so yourself, he died from a preventable disease. Don't let that be you... your daughter has no one else now. She's counting on you to use that tool you have and get back to being healthy and being the Mom she deserves. Your future husband deserves you to be the best Wife you can be. YOU DESERVE to be the best of any woman you can be!!!

It's time to start really considering all the reason TO GET BACK ON TRACK rather than any reasons to keep going down the road you are going.

I say all of this out of nothing but wanting the best for you! Because THAT is what YOU deserve.

Things to do:

Get back to the gym. Starting now... eat the sleever way. Protein first, veggies second. 60g Protein per day and no less than 64 oz fluids per day. Never forget ALL the reasons YOU SHOULD keep doing #1 and #2. I'm here for you. I can't say I know what you're going through, but I sincerely sympathize. I care!!! But I also want you to succeed, because I KNOW YOU CAN! Question is, don't you? I hope so.

I had to tell someone that I wouldn't be having surgery if I could do it on my own. I wouldn't risk going under anesthesia for the first time and I wouldn't ask someone to remove the majority of my stomach if I was capable of doing it on my own.
The best thing that I have learned is to not care one way or the other what people think about it. I am doing it for my health and so I can live to see my kid grow up. If other people don't like it, they are entitled to their opinion, but it doesn't really matter to me.