rdoactv

The photo at the top left is me at my heaviest (489lbs) and the photo on the bottom right hand corner is me today at my current weight of 260lbs.

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Wow. U brought tears to my eyes. I have a son, nearly 13. I dream of being able to do just this kind of thing with him. One of my main reasons for the surgery. Thank you for sharing. I hope someday, I will hear those words from him.

Hi out there,
What are you waiting for? If you are someone who is sitting on this board and you are reading ALL the postings and not saying anything—this is quite normal. I did that for a few months too.
I was trying to figure a few things out about weight loss surgery. Having WLS is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make. Right now you are slowly killing yourself with your fork!
What I learned once I started asking questions there are an enormous amount of helpful people on this board that helped me along the way and answers my hundreds of questions I had. You can NEVER ask too many questions OK.
Two of my mentors gave me an incredible amount of support from each of them and I am so blessed and thankful for their help, guidance and care and endless answers for all my questions. They supported me when I needed it, and just were amazing!
Ok here is my challenge for you “newbies” Please don’t give another day of your life away being fat and unhealthy. Start asking questions start the process of educating yourself and maybe set a date to have WLS. I had sleeve weight loss surgery 4 years ago by Dr. Aceves and lost 105 pounds and have kept it off. I have extreme amount of experience and I am more than willing to answer any and all of your questions. So get off the fence and start asking things that you are curious about.

Hugs,
Suzanne

Beautiful before and after! Very inspirational!

I was lounging on my living room floor when my husband noticed how flat my stomach is and that my pelvic bones and rib cage now stick up! I am 2.4 pounds from my personal goal and have already met my surgeons Ideal weight goal. Just thought I would share my nsv from yesterday! Here is one taken the morning of my surgery for comparison too... 234 to 137, size 20 to size 4/6. Woohooo!!!!

I celebrated my one year surgiversary on August 9th, I can't believe how fast this year has gone by. What a wonderful year it has been. When I started this process it seemed that 6 month class schedule that my insurance company required was the worst torture of time for me. Then the big day got here and I was on my way to becoming the new improved me. Now a year has gone by since that wonderful day and I am not only new and improved but the best me I have ever been. I am so happy with the results of my Sleeve. I have lost 47 pounds and am working on another 10 for my final goal. My doctor is so happy with my results and said I am actually 12 pounds below the original goal he had set for me, at this point. I know that my lose is smaller by comparision of some who had more to lose but being 4'10" tall and 180 lbs with major health issues this is a major accomplishment for me. I had tired all the diets out there and no success.
I have gone from a size 18 to a size 8, and once in a while even a size 6 depending on the brand of clothing.
I have become a major GoodWill Shopper. With losing so many sizes I refused to go to the stores and pay lots of money for things I wouldn't wear for long. Now that I have found so many wonderful clothes at GoodWill I plan to continue shopping there. It is amazing all the beautiful things I have found. I hope many of you are taking advantage of the same shopping "secret"...
I have found a whole new fun way of eating and a whole new way of life since having my sleeve. I enjoy so many things now that I hadn't figured I could do. Even just being able to walk up a hill is so exciting. I have a new confidence in myself and I know I show it in the way I am presenting myself to the world now.
Thank Heavens for my Sleeve and My wonderful Doctor, Dr.Michael Roller of Fort Collins Colorado; my family and friends and especially my fantastic husband who has been my rock thru this.
Having all of the participants at Sleeve Talk has been very incouraging. Thanks for being there with me durring this past year.

Hello fellow sleevers! Its my 3rd day out of surgery ( Aug 22 sleever) and I am feeling better. Some background info on me because I am not sure where to even start!
I am 30 years old from NJ/NYC. Around Feb I weighed a staggering 517lbs. I was walking around disney world in FL thinking, hey, where are all the people my size? I'd like to think Im the type of person who doesnt even know hes fat, until its too late. ( what do u mean this bar on the haunted mansion ride doesnt go down???). Around that time when I came home from FL I realized that while on my vacation I slept noticably better. I blamed me no longer drinking coffee and sugar as the reason I felt so great on vacation, and quickly lost 10lbs from this alone when I came home. One day while staying late at work ( an accident , as I am a bus driver ) a co worker walked by me. I couldn't recognize him at all! He explained to me all the details of his sleeve, and a few other of my co workers had gone with him. Not wanting to be rude, I said I would atleast check out the info. A few weeks pass, and I promise to atleast check out the seminar my dr was having. It was kind of funny looking back because it was at a local gym, the last place i wanted to be seen, let alone walking up to the info counter and asking hey "wheres the meeting for fat people ?" ( sorry to offend just at my weight i throw the term around). I remember thinking to myself, I hope i just have to ask where, and i get pointed to a room. As luck would have it, the lady was so busy she couldn't hear me and I had to ask 3 times. She wasnt really sure and had to call around to find out where it was, getting atleast 3 other people involved, at which point I wanted to run and hide in my car! Fast foward a bit, I found the place, met the surgeon and told him i would make an appointment if i thought I was serious. A week later I made the apointment which is kind of strange, I guess i went in thinking I was going to be bamboozled or tricked into, and left thinking man I WANT THIS!
My surgeon, Dr. R Sadek of Somerset NJ was fantastic. He told me I had to lose atleast 30lbs before the surgery to slim down the stomach area. At first I thought this was impossible. But I quickly lost 10lbs again. I purchased a treadmill and began chugging away 30-40 minutes a day, eating better and BOOM 30lbs! The worst part of the surgery for me , was the dreaded pre op diet. OMG. The crazy part is as you progress from full liquids, to clear only, you wish you were able to have some of the stuff you had on full liquid! About halfway into the 2 week liquid, I met my co worker again who confessed to me he had mcdonalds two days before his surgery. This was awful I thought! How could he? And it got to me. I wish I could sit here and say no I didnt cheat on my 2 week pre op. But I did. Honest here ? You bet. I had two slices of pizza. I didn't feel bad either about it too, but I knew I had to get back on track, and finished the last 6 days strong. My insurance, blue cross blue shield sent in the letter of approval literally days before the surgery but picked it up 100%. Infact the only thing they wouldn't pay for is for me to see a nutritionist. But they will be for my surgery? Go figure!
My surgery on Aug 22 was at Robert Wood Johnson in NJ. I have to admit everyone was so nice and friendly at the hospital. I guess its me being from NY always thinking people will rush or be angry with me? They couldn't find my vien in my arm using a sonagram, so they had to put a "central IV" in my neck. This was painful and had I known this I would have said NO! It was very messy without TMI or grossing anyone out but an IV in your neck is not very pleasant.
After waking up from my surgery, I felt terrible. I had to wait a bit to get pain killers because I was feeling nauseous and apparently you have to wait a bit if you feel this way. After I had my morphine I spent the rest of the day snoozing, off and on. ( and realizing I had a cathoder which kind of liked, kind of hated?). I was not allowed to drink anything till the Xray the next day. The next morning I had my x ray , no leaks, and was given an amazing amount of clear foods I could never eat . Bowl of chicke broth, Jello, ice tea, waterbottle, italian icee. I think I had about two sips of the tea and felt full. I could not believe it!
So, around 1pm, roughly 24 hours later I was given the OK to go home. I was pretty good, I mean I walked to the car myself and felt like someone punched me in the stomach, but I thought it would have been much worse. Pain killers for the win?
Yesterday ( first full day out of the hospital) I spent mostly sleeping on the couch watching cartoons and semi talking to people who called to check on me, until they realised I really couldnt pay attention. Day 3, I feel great. Im amazed how long it takes me to drink a cup of Water. I have no hunger at all, which I always thought was just plain BS when people say on this on boards, but I have no desire to eat at all. I don't mean this in a bad way of course, but looking around I can't wait to try some of the recipes you guys have posted, IE a pumpkin latte or bean cup cake recipe I saw posted!
So here I am, day 3 post op, feeling good. Started at 517 , 461 at surgery, and 456 right this second. I am Phillip. And I'm a sleever. =)

Once you know your date it sneaks up on you faster than you think.
Don't fret, it will be here before you know it!

Well, one step closer. I will be using my taxes to fill in the financial gap. I'll be headed to Mexico with Dr. Kelly 3/28/13. It's a long way off but at least I feel like I have something concrete to look forward to. Loser bench in sight, albiet be through a pair of binoculars. : )

Wow. U brought tears to my eyes. I have a son, nearly 13. I dream of being able to do just this kind of thing with him. One of my main reasons for the surgery. Thank you for sharing. I hope someday, I will hear those words from him.

I hit the 9 month mark last week and a friend sent me a picture she took of me after our morning run. It was so weird...I kept looking at the picture, thinking, "I almost look normal!!!"
This journey has been so amazing!! It hasn't been easy but it's been totally worth it!!! For more than 10 years I pondered the idea of WLS. I told myself over and over again that I "should be able to take the weight off on my own". I was one of those people that thought having surgery would be a cop out. I could not have been more wrong!! The initial stages of post op were torturous for me. I remember feeling like I was going crazy at about the 3 week mark. I just wanted to chew something and I wanted to kill my family!! LOL!! I had to mourn my love affair with food...probably the hardest thing ever.
Now that I'm past all that, I am here to say that my life is 1000 times improved and the NSV's are endless!! I can fit into a booth at any restaurant now!! I've stopped snoring and no longer have to wear a mouth guard in order for my partner to sleep!! I've completed a triathlon and am doing 2 more in the next 3 weeks!! My plantar faciitis is gone!! I can walk up a flight of stairs and I like it!! Shopping for clothes is fun again!! But the biggest NSV is that I finally feel like I have a "normal" relationship with food!! It no longer controls my life...I no longer live to eat, I eat to live.
So, here are my pics. The first one is from a cruise I went on in Nov 2010...I was at my heaviest weight and I was so uncomfortable!! In November of this year I'll be going on another cruise and I'll be exactly 1 year post op. I'm looking forward to taking the same picture!!

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!!!!!!

You look wonderful!

Not to step on toes here ladi, but I didnt want you to assume that diet would not be a focus post sleeve. Food won't be your life, but nutrition and choices will always play a roll. Pdx is highly active. A marathon runner in fact.. way to go Pd!! So he can afford a higher cal and carb intake and maintain goal. Reaching and staying at goal will always depend on what you take in and what you burn. The sleeve isn't magical, only a tool. Just wanted you to be informed of the other side since you're presleeve. I am too btw. An educated decision is best before making the leap to avoid regrets. : ) Best wishes and good luck. Correct me if my advice isnt sound post sleeves. : )

First of all, great replies! It just goes to show that this book and sex in general is a hot topic for all people, women, men, strong (sorry I spelled it wrong in the title....geez!) and those who are not strong in terms of feeling good about themselves. I posted it on my Sunday blog and here for three reasons:
One: to show that I see people write on the forum growing in so many ways, reading about the exciting changes not just to their body but their self confidence; that the weight loss journey impacts our sense of self in so many positive ways.
Two: to show that our sexual preferences have a million different aspects and whatever they are; conventional, different, extreme, making babies or pulling out the whip, as long as they are completely consensual between adults, then go for it! (I especially liked ouroborous' post).
Three: It is just a book, but I have to admit, it has gotten people thinking and talking, and hey, maybe opening up some erotic side that has been dormant in some and for that, OK. It's still poorly written and I wish Anastasia's character was more dynamic and interesting.
Thanks everyone for all the great posts!!!

Oh, I agree completely. **** shaming (and please be aware of the context of me using the word "****" here) is still terribly fashionable. God help you if you're a woman (of any orientation) with a strong libido.
I think things are changing. But maybe not fast enough...

Gotcha,I figured it out after I went back and reread...

Goodness! Can't we all just get along???? LOL

I'm only 2 months post op but doing great! Down 40lbs and hit onderland on July 31st! Yay me!! Stay strong everyone. Every pound is worth it! Love you all!

Awesome progress!! U look great!

rdoactv,
should have been a bit more clear and I am not sure I can explain it unless you too have lived it. For 30 years i was a smoker and when I quit, I spent the first year or so still focused on how long since my last smoke, how many days, I am not a smoker blah blah..even though I was not smoking my thoughts and energy were constantly focused on smoking or not smoking, after the third year I never thought about it anymore, days and weeks would pass I would not even recall I use to be a smoker..I want to get to that place with weight..Most of the time I make healthy choices, I exercise, I eat when hungry and I am no longer consumed with thoughts of food, eating or not eating or dieting. I hope that is possible with the sleeve.

And for me, it was a very scary thought at first to go over to Mexico. I guess because of the unknown and a lot of people putting doubt in my head. This forum has helped me a lot in making my decision! I can't wait until I can save up the money to get it done!