decamom

When I was newly sleeved and eating solids, I often gave my self terrible chest pain from eating too fast. I went to a game store and bought a two minute egg timer. Hourglass type thing. I think it was$2.50. Then, I would take a bite and turn the timer over. When the sand had all gone to the bottom...time for another bite. This was a huge help and relief to me. Sometimes I took a bite, went and did something else and then came back to see if the sand was down yet! No more worries that I was eating too fast.
Living the dream!
Laura

I was sleeved in May 2011. I am down 65+ pounds and very happy with my sleeve. It is my best friend in the weight loss world! My liver numbers were just fine before I had surgery. Afterwards, they were off the charts. Over the last 6 months I have been getting my blood checked almost monthly to check on the downward progress. They have come down but are still elevated. My GI doc is concerned and I am having another ultrasound next week. Looking for sludge or stones or something. He said that if my numbers get to 120, he will want a biopsy. I am around 50-90 now . 20-40 is normal. The numbers have gone up in the past month Anyone else have any experience with this? I had my sleeve surgery and then 9 days later had to go back and have my gall bladder out. We think my issues may stem from medication injury as the anesthesia (twice) and then alot of vicodin (that didn't help my pain) may have overloaded my poor liver. I dont' drink now and never have been much of a drinker. Just curious if anyone else has had any issues similar to mine.
Thanks my sleevie friends!!
Living the dream,
Laura

I am one year out today...down 100 pounds, and have kept it off since I reached my goal on Dec. 31, 2011. I love my sleeve and wouldn't change a thing! I am so happy to be where I am instead of where I was.. Happy Surgiversary to ME!!!!!

I am one year out today...down 100 pounds, and have kept it off since I reached my goal on Dec. 31, 2011. I love my sleeve and wouldn't change a thing! I am so happy to be where I am instead of where I was.. Happy Surgiversary to ME!!!!!

I am one year out today...down 100 pounds, and have kept it off since I reached my goal on Dec. 31, 2011. I love my sleeve and wouldn't change a thing! I am so happy to be where I am instead of where I was.. Happy Surgiversary to ME!!!!!

I am one year out today...down 100 pounds, and have kept it off since I reached my goal on Dec. 31, 2011. I love my sleeve and wouldn't change a thing! I am so happy to be where I am instead of where I was.. Happy Surgiversary to ME!!!!!

I am one year out today...down 100 pounds, and have kept it off since I reached my goal on Dec. 31, 2011. I love my sleeve and wouldn't change a thing! I am so happy to be where I am instead of where I was.. Happy Surgiversary to ME!!!!!

I am one year out today...down 100 pounds, and have kept it off since I reached my goal on Dec. 31, 2011. I love my sleeve and wouldn't change a thing! I am so happy to be where I am instead of where I was.. Happy Surgiversary to ME!!!!!

Just totally hated it when I tried on my 18 year old skinny daughter's low rise jeans and they fit me so well she gave them to me...UGH...it was just awful! I am actually wearing them in my signature picture...isn't it just horrible?!
Living the Dream!!,
Laura

Just totally hated it when I tried on my 18 year old skinny daughter's low rise jeans and they fit me so well she gave them to me...UGH...it was just awful! I am actually wearing them in my signature picture...isn't it just horrible?!
Living the Dream!!,
Laura

Thank you so much everyone! I am wearing my 18 year old daughter's pants in the recent photo!!
Lisa821...I am 5'4" my weight loss had the usual stalls (nasty one at 3 weeks and then more later on.) I tried not to pay too much attention to them because I knew they would break eventually. Just like others have said, even when the scale didn't budge, I was losing inches and pant sizes. I go to the YMCA 4-6 times a week and do a Zumba class. I LOVE IT!!! It is so energetic and fun. I LOVE to dance and Zumba is a great fit for me. Sometimes I swim but not for aerobics. I do it for toning and relaxation. People in my Zumba classes have started asking me what I am doing to lose so much weight and telling me I am an inspiration to them! I always say that I am eating less and moving more. I don't feel it's necessary to tell my medical history to a stranger.
I have 11 children (birthed every single one of them!) and my kids are all so thrilled for me. I am so glad I had my sleeve!!!!
Living the dream,
Laura

When I first started this journey, my BMI was 40.7...just enough for surgery according to my insurance. Today I am at a "normal" BMI of 24.3!!! I am finally "normal" I love my sleeve!

February 2011 237 lbs
December 2011 141.5 lbs
What a difference a year makes!!!
Living the dream,
Laura

Great Question! My resolutions have always revolved around my weight. As I get closer to goal , I see my self falling back into bad habits. My sweet tooth was not removed when they took out most of my tummy. DARN!! I want to get control of that and watch the last of my bad habits die.
I want to get along better with my husband too. Because of my past, I see him as my adversary instead of my advocate. Makes our relationship pretty hard alot of the time.
A very happy and successful New Year to us all!!!,
Living the dream,
Laura

I have 6 beautiful, slim daughters. The other night, one of them came over with her boyfriend. She was wearing these low rise, stylish jeans. Really cute. Since I have lost weight, I can wear a size 6-8. Hers were a 7. She said, "Mom, you are so skinny! Try on my pants!" I did...and they fit! We were both so jazzed about it and she insisted that I keep them! I am now the proud owner of my first pair of jeans that aren't "Mom Jeans"! I can't describe the joy and thankfulness for my sleeve!!
Living the dream!
Laura

likeasulema...you made my day!!!!! I am 46! I dodn't have all my kids at once! They came along one at a time over 20 years...And I gained and lost and gained and lost with each and every pregnancy. Now that I got that part of me fixed (divorce and tubal ligation) I don't have to worry about the yo-yo pregnancy stuff anymore. In the past I could always lose the weight through very restrictive low calorie dieting and massive exercise. I could never keep it off though. My sleeve has changed all that! I am delighted to be where I am...you will get there too!
Living the dream,
Laura

Thank you so much everyone! I am wearing my 18 year old daughter's pants in the recent photo!!
Lisa821...I am 5'4" my weight loss had the usual stalls (nasty one at 3 weeks and then more later on.) I tried not to pay too much attention to them because I knew they would break eventually. Just like others have said, even when the scale didn't budge, I was losing inches and pant sizes. I go to the YMCA 4-6 times a week and do a Zumba class. I LOVE IT!!! It is so energetic and fun. I LOVE to dance and Zumba is a great fit for me. Sometimes I swim but not for aerobics. I do it for toning and relaxation. People in my Zumba classes have started asking me what I am doing to lose so much weight and telling me I am an inspiration to them! I always say that I am eating less and moving more. I don't feel it's necessary to tell my medical history to a stranger.
I have 11 children (birthed every single one of them!) and my kids are all so thrilled for me. I am so glad I had my sleeve!!!!
Living the dream,
Laura

When I first started this journey, my BMI was 40.7...just enough for surgery according to my insurance. Today I am at a "normal" BMI of 24.3!!! I am finally "normal" I love my sleeve!

February 2011 237 lbs
December 2011 141.5 lbs
What a difference a year makes!!!
Living the dream,
Laura

Thank you so much everyone! I am wearing my 18 year old daughter's pants in the recent photo!!
Lisa821...I am 5'4" my weight loss had the usual stalls (nasty one at 3 weeks and then more later on.) I tried not to pay too much attention to them because I knew they would break eventually. Just like others have said, even when the scale didn't budge, I was losing inches and pant sizes. I go to the YMCA 4-6 times a week and do a Zumba class. I LOVE IT!!! It is so energetic and fun. I LOVE to dance and Zumba is a great fit for me. Sometimes I swim but not for aerobics. I do it for toning and relaxation. People in my Zumba classes have started asking me what I am doing to lose so much weight and telling me I am an inspiration to them! I always say that I am eating less and moving more. I don't feel it's necessary to tell my medical history to a stranger.
I have 11 children (birthed every single one of them!) and my kids are all so thrilled for me. I am so glad I had my sleeve!!!!
Living the dream,
Laura

When I first started this journey, my BMI was 40.7...just enough for surgery according to my insurance. Today I am at a "normal" BMI of 24.3!!! I am finally "normal" I love my sleeve!

February 2011 237 lbs
December 2011 141.5 lbs
What a difference a year makes!!!
Living the dream,
Laura

I have 6 beautiful, slim daughters. The other night, one of them came over with her boyfriend. She was wearing these low rise, stylish jeans. Really cute. Since I have lost weight, I can wear a size 6-8. Hers were a 7. She said, "Mom, you are so skinny! Try on my pants!" I did...and they fit! We were both so jazzed about it and she insisted that I keep them! I am now the proud owner of my first pair of jeans that aren't "Mom Jeans"! I can't describe the joy and thankfulness for my sleeve!!
Living the dream!
Laura

Before I had surgery, I was wearing a tight size 20. I set a goal for myself that I wanted to wear a comfortably loose size 8. I also set my goal weight at 140. Well, I have been hovering around 148-147 for the last while but those 8's fit pretty nicely. Just for kicks, I tried on an old (VERY OLD!!) pair of size 6 pants today and guess what!!!!!! Yep! They fit! I wore them all day and was totally thrilled with my success. I had gotten on the scale this morning and was a bit frustrated that I still was hovering at the 148 level. Darn scale can really depress me. But when I tried on my 6's, just on a whim, and saw they fit...I was happy as can be! I love this sleeve!!!!!
Just had to share.
Living the dream,
Laura

So I am 6 months out and down 64 lbs. I have been sitting her for over three weeks... Am I done? I would like to lose 15-20 more but the scale is stuck. I admit I had a bad two weeks with not much exercise and eating lots of sweets but I have reigned in that monster and am back on track. Over those weeks I actually GAINED 2 pounds! I am mortified. Even though I have lost 64 lbs in 6 months, I feel fat and defeated. Even though I went from a tight size 20 to a loose 10 , I feel fat and defeated. I hate that my emotional well being is so tied up in that darn scale but it is what it is. Can anyone please give me some words of encouragement or advice. I have lost about 1/2 my hair. I don't want it to be in vain....
Living the dream but a bit down just now....
Laura

My hubby is very supportive and right after surgery he would ask if I minded if he ate in front of me. I thought this was very sweet but not necessary. I am the one with the weight issue, not him. I am the one who needed the surgery because I couldn't control my issue, not him. I don't want to be harsh here but I don't think it is right to make him suffer (his stomach is normal sized) with little or no eating in my presence just because I got sleeved. I encourage him to eat what ever he wants when I am around. We went to a great burger joint and he asked if it would bother me if he ate the burger in the car. I was very happy to have him do so as the smell was wonderful. I totally enjoyed the aroma and didn't feel I was being cheated at all.
I think that we as sleevers made this decision to have surgery for our health and well being. I do not think it is fair or right to put the weight of that onto our loved ones. Instead of focusing on what we cannot have (large amounts of tasty food) focus on what we can have like smaller waistlines, better health , less medications, more energy and longer, happier lives.
I apologize in advance if I am stepping on toes but I really feel it is unfair to our loved ones to make them feel bad for doing what they have always done. We are the ones who have changed and we did it on purpose.
Lovingly,
Laura