Sleeved&Hopeful

Yay! That's always good to lose weight even before surgery! Take that to the bank :-)

I have talked to three people who got the vertical sleeve through the military. They get put on a waiting list for their surgery date after the pre op process.

Nice photos! You were lovely before and of course you are lovely now. Looking good and toned in your present bday pic!

What an amazing journey! To finish off your one year surgiversary with a marathon is truly inspiring. Congratulations on doing so well and on doing what you need to do to be healthy and happy. I love how you said you were more than just a mom and a wife but you were also finding "YOU" too! You can have your own identity too and feeling good in your skin is so important. Bless you!

Oh dear, I can relate to you very much. I have had some of the same disordered eating in lifetime. In my early to mid 20's, I went through bouts of bulimia and food restriction would could also be called anorexia I suppose. I never considered it that because I was never really skinny. The funny thing is-I wasn't fat to begin with.I was a size 12 when I started binging and purging at 20 years old because I thought I was too fat. I lost a bit of weight doing that because I was purging a LOT. Then I would start binging and purging in such a way that I wasn't purging all of my food and so i began to gain weight. Then started a cycle of severe calorie restriction along with yellowjackets (those contained ephedra at the time). I was eating about 500 calories a day max and swallowing those pills like they were candy. I got down to a size 8 and thought I was in heaven. I suffered a lot to get to that size 8. Then I gave birth to my second daughter, and I was a size 12 again. I freaked out and started taking pills again but couldn't do the calorie restriction anymore. I gained weight and then gained even more weight after I quit smoking and swore I wouldn't be bulimic anymore. My husband got laid off from a job and I just gave up on everything. I ate like a horse and was in a severe depression. I am glad I didn't turn to bulimia or anorexia but it was very sad. I ate my way up to over 200 lbs even with working out 2 hours a day. Fast forward a couple of years and find out I'm diabetic. I wasn't even that big when I found out I was diabetic. THAT was my wake up call. I began eating high Protein and lost some weight but realized I wasn't able to lose enough weight to be in a good place with my diabetes. I finally decided on surgery. I hadn't binged or purged in a couple of years and I hadn't gone back to severe calorie restriction because I knew that wreaked havoc on my mind and soul. I wanted to do this the healthy way and chose surgery. I am only a little over a month out, but it was a life saver. I didn't want to go back to bulimia, or severe calorie restriction and pills! I also didn't want to stay overweight anymore. Those of us who have had eating disorders know that it's a tough battle to overcome. The sleeve has definitely helped me keep my mind off of food and to eat healthy in a smart, HEALTHY way. I love that I can eat some fish or some tuna and feel satisfied and I don't have the urge to purge. I am eating healthy, small amounts and losing weight the right way. Although I haven't binged and purged in over 2 years, the thoughts would occasionally creep in before surgery and I really thought I might be headed back in that direction. I am so happy that I got the sleeve and I want to eat like a healthy, regular person for the rest of my life! I have 2 incentives--I don't want to go back to having a full on eating disorder, and I don't want to live with diabetes. Eating healthy really DOES affect my life in so many ways just like it affects all of us on here. Putting diabetes in remission is so important to me that I will forever eat healthy and putting my eating disorders in remission is just as important to me too. Cheers to you for changing your life and putting your health above all. The pain of feeling fat, or out of control with food can turn someone into a hermit and a depressed, sad person. I don't want to be in that spot and I know you don't either. Keep living healthy and remember you are putting your eating disordered past IN THE PAST and putting in remission--or thereby eliminating it--by staying true to your new permanent lifestyle with the help of the sleeve. Just remember--WE ARE WORTH IT ! Sincerely, Misty

Absolutely fantastic! Keep up the good work!

Yes drink as much water as you can. I am having a similar issue. I was sleeved on 2/3 and I am feeling NO HUNGER for the first time since surgery. I am definitely wondering what that is all about. It seems like just now the hunger hormone is finally going away! That's so strange because I've felt hunger (yes physical hunger where my tummy rumbles and I have that empty hungry feeling) all the way up until this point. I'm hoping it stays that way. However, your problems sounds more severe. I am ok with drinking my fluids. Drink water water and more water and please take your vitamins

I did fine on a 3 and a half hour flight 3 days post op. I had to make sure to sip plenty of water though or I am pretty sure I would have gotten sick.

Oh goodness I am sorry you are having trouble. I had my husband take out the stitches for me. He used scissors and tweezers too. There are some good videos on youtube about removing stitches that might help. The other advice in this thread is good too.

Congratulations SkinnyCow! Bet you are loving having that band out of you and enjoying restriction from the sleeve!

Hi Mina! I had abdominal liposuction (smart lipo) this summer of upper and lower abs. It was before I decided to get gastric sleeve but I was so sick of looking at my tummy. They did mine under local anesthesia. I could feel a bit of the awkwardness and poking while he was doing it. I didn't hurt after surgery but I did feel really weird for a couple of weeks. That strange numbness was so awkward. I have to say that my results were really good. He took off about 6 lbs of fat and it made a big difference. I dropped about 5 inches in my waist! It made a big difference in how my pants fit and also when I looked in the mirror. I hope your results are as pleasing as you want them to be. I really think that most people are satisfied but some people say they have unslightly lumps or other problems. I have been happy with my results. Best of luck to you.

Your health changes are remarkable! Your weight loss is amazing. Congratulations on your phenomenal success

That is just sad. I can almost guarantee you they don't want you going to the support groups because of the word getting out about cheaper surgery options. They don't want to lose business. As far as turning you down as a patient, I think that is their choice BUT being rude and angry about it is just terrible. Many doctors forget about caring for the patient and only care about their pocketbooks. It's really a huge shame! I have met a doctor recently who had terrible bedside manners and I paid him a lot of money! So I can only imagine how he would have treated me if I would have come to him for questions after a surgery he did not do. He probably would have been a total tool. Doctors really forget about the human connection.It is obvious!

That's great! My starting size is a 16 and now they are literally falling off of me 1 month post op and need to buy some 14's. I have some 12's from years ago but they won't fit for a while. I can't wait to buy a size 10! That is amazing! I hope to be as successful as you.

Good luck and wish you all the best. I've never heard of sleeve and plication mixed together either. I have heard of either plication or the sleeve. Personally, I feel that getting the sleeve is much better than plication. I read a report that the percentage of failures of weight loss after plication is quite a bit higher than the sleeve. Yes, definitely ask the questions. You are spending your money and investing your life in this procedure and you want the best ! Of course if you decide on this procedure it is your body and your life. I have seen some people who are happy with plication. If there is a combined procedure, I'd be very interested in hearing more about it because I've never heard of it. And God bless you for your service and for your husband's service! I was an army wife before my husband got out and I know how stressful that lifestyle can be! Best wishes!

I think you will be very happy with the surgery! Congratulations on choosing to get the sleeve and start anew!

Wow you are half the size you used to be! Or more! Great job and i'm sure your family is proud.

Congrats on your weight loss success! Lovely !

DS is the Duodenal Switch. http://www.dsfacts.com/duodenal-switch-procedure.html

Congrats! Flying home from San Diego was smooth except when I had to take a small plane from Dallas to the local small airport. Those little planes are so loud and a little scary lol. I am very happy for you. I didn't personally use Dr. Aceves as my budget wouldn't allow it, but I've heard amazing things about him. I am so glad you haven't had many problems or pain. It makes this journey much better when you don't have to stress about being in pain.

You know I read on a study that many people continue to lose another 10-15% on average in the second year of surgery. So really there is still hope for sure if you use the stats. Also, just using your own mind and motivation. You still don't have a 60 oz stomach. You still can't eat as much as before surgery and you probably never will. Use that tool and lose that weight. I know you can do it. I am a lower BMI like you and I am only 1 month out and I hope to reach goal by year 1 however, if I don't, I will keep working on it until I get where I need to be. A death in the family is very hard and that can very well explain some of your weight loss stall. I don't know anyone who wouldn't react very hard to something like that. Best of luck to you and yes please stay in touch. Sleevers who are over a year out often stop contributing to the community and that lack of insight is really sad. We need your input more than you know and appreciate it immensely.

That is a great idea! So glad to hear that you are close to goal and feeling much better about life in general. You look like a new healthier and happier person and that is amazing!

So far no regrets. I had horrible acid reflux and heartburn the first 2 weeks but since taking prilosec and antacid tablets I have not had any problems. I only threw up once after eating eggs and cottage cheese. Haven't eaten eggs since then! That is so far the only really unpleasant thing I've had. I have been really lucky in that drinking fluids has been easy for me. I have been drinking more than the recommended amount.

Congrats on your sleeve surgery! Wishing you all of the best!

Congratulations on your surgery! So glad to hear you had a good experience at the facility and with the surgery.