Malyss

Prior to my surgery, I made a support pillow for myself. It's about 16" long and about 9" wide at its widest point. Mine is stuffed quite firmly and provides a lot of support, but it would be bulky to pack in a suitcase.

I have my surgery on 02/22/12 and was out for 2 weeks before returning to my office job. I was maybe a little slower than I was before the surgery and had lifting limitations, but I was fine. After a few weeks, maybe a month or so, my energy level was back up to a good point.

My surgery was completed on 2/22/12, so I am about 8 months out. I had buyer's remorse for the first day or two, but things got better.
The good: I have not had any complications. Within the first week, I was able to cease taking my high blood pressure medicine. I gradually gained more energy. So far, I have lost 125lbs, which includes the 21 or so pounds lost in preparation for the surgery. I have scoliosis, and reducing my weight has helped tremendously to reduce my aches and pains. I feel great. I have more energy. I can walk and walk and walk before getting tired. I have discovered bones that I never "knew" that I had. My collar bones are more apparent and even my temples have more definition. I have gone from a size 26/28 to a size 18. I can now buy XL shirts and they fit nicely.
The bad: I am not a fan of the bagginess, but I hope that I will see some natural resolution to this. My inner thighs look like deflated balloons. Bowel movements can be challenging. I cannot always drink enough Water, which was a problem at times when my husband and I were out for long walks during the summer. I react violently to sugar. Granted, why would I even want one of the things that helped to contribute to my obesity, but who doesn't occasionally want a taste of a dessert? I have found that if I have sugar, I will tend to have massive mood swings. I may even become slightly lightheaded. I went overboard once and had a milkshake. An hour or so afterwards, I had a bad bout of diarrhea. At least I know now what I can do if I ever get really stopped up.
Overall: Having the surgery has been a life changing experience. I feel so different and so much healthier. I am about 62lbs away from my prescribed goal and I definitely feel as though I am going to make it this time.

My surgery was completed on 2/22/12, so I am about 8 months out. I had buyer's remorse for the first day or two, but things got better.
The good: I have not had any complications. Within the first week, I was able to cease taking my high blood pressure medicine. I gradually gained more energy. So far, I have lost 125lbs, which includes the 21 or so pounds lost in preparation for the surgery. I have scoliosis, and reducing my weight has helped tremendously to reduce my aches and pains. I feel great. I have more energy. I can walk and walk and walk before getting tired. I have discovered bones that I never "knew" that I had. My collar bones are more apparent and even my temples have more definition. I have gone from a size 26/28 to a size 18. I can now buy XL shirts and they fit nicely.
The bad: I am not a fan of the bagginess, but I hope that I will see some natural resolution to this. My inner thighs look like deflated balloons. Bowel movements can be challenging. I cannot always drink enough Water, which was a problem at times when my husband and I were out for long walks during the summer. I react violently to sugar. Granted, why would I even want one of the things that helped to contribute to my obesity, but who doesn't occasionally want a taste of a dessert? I have found that if I have sugar, I will tend to have massive mood swings. I may even become slightly lightheaded. I went overboard once and had a milkshake. An hour or so afterwards, I had a bad bout of diarrhea. At least I know now what I can do if I ever get really stopped up.
Overall: Having the surgery has been a life changing experience. I feel so different and so much healthier. I am about 62lbs away from my prescribed goal and I definitely feel as though I am going to make it this time.

I get what you're saying. It did seem a little odd to radically change a properly functioning organ. It seemed scary at first especially when some of the complications to the surgery can be so dire. It definitely seemed a bit odd, but I am about 8 months out from my surgery and I am glad that I did it. The capacity of my old stomach was just too big. The downsizing has helped dramatically.

today was an awesome day. My employer provides uniforms for us. I have had to switch sizes 2x since surgery. Our provider charges extra for more than 2 changes a year, so my work generally won't do it. Today, yet again, I asked for new sizes. I started the year at 56" waist, dropped to 50", dropped again to 46", and today, I asked fo 38". (woohoo btw) at first I was told the only way they would make the change would be if I covered the extra charge. However, my uniform lady told them that I was on a wellness program and that I may still need another by the end of the year and that I shouldn't be punished for getting healthy. My employer ate the charge, and congratulated me on my success so far. Banner day!
Btw, I will be 38 next month. When I graduated hs in '93, I wore a 38" waist. How sexy do I feel today! Started at 373, sleeved on June 5, currently a 236! 61 pounds from goal after only 5 months? Holy crap. I love life!

YES! I definitely have this issue from time to time. It almost feels as though I go through adjustment periods after enough losses have occurred. There have been times when even the comfiest of seats have not been enough to prevent me from feeling discomfort. There have been some killer car rides.
Right now, I think that I have adjusted to the current array of padding on my posterior.
At times, I wonder, "how can thin people stand sitting down?" But I guess that they're just used to it and it is different for those of us who are adjusting to having less padding. My mother-in-law is quite thin and has said that she has never had any pain. So, I really think that it is a matter of my body adjusting to the changes that it is experiencing. It will hopefully get better and better over time!

I am just a little over 6 months past my surgery date of 02/22/12 and I feel as though I am doing quite well. I started at 357lbs and am now down to about 242 lbs. Within the first week, I was off of my high blood pressure medicine. I have gone from a size 26 down to a size 18/20 at the moment. I have more energy and am capable of much more now. Knock on wood, I have not had any complications. My sleeve has been a wonderful addition to my life so far. I really feel quite glad that I went through with it.

Leaving Lane Bryant is a big milestone. I have gotten down to an XL shirt and size 18 pants and have been very excited to find that I can shop in other stores in the regular sections. Before my surgery, I was wearing size 26 clothes.
I think that I lost the weight just in time! The Lane Bryant at my mall recently closed and is being remodeled into a Red Robin (burger joint).

Friday. Weigh in day.
When I started this Quest I was 441lb, BMI was 56, waist was also a 56. Bodyfat? High at 52%. Work scrubs size 5XL
I climbed on the scale an looked down. After a few seconds it stopped and landed on 299lb. I yelled so loud my neighbor from downstairs knocked on my door. She asked if anything was wrong. "Everything was right" I told her. For the first time since I was 20 years old, I was under 300lb. I know I'm not at my goal but hot damn I can sure see it from here!!
299lb
36% BF
38 BMI
42" Waist
2XL Work scrubs
About 20lb lost was LBM. I never thought that 10.5 months from the date of surgery I'd be here. At just under 3.5lb/wk weight loss average, I feel pretty good. I still can't believe that I'm 299lb and still losing! There are weeks (sometimes 2-3 in a row) where I don't lose a single ounce. Sometimes I actually gained. One week I gained six pounds and thought I screwed something up. I'm now thinking about skin surgery. I look at myself and guesstimate that I have about 5-9lb of hanging skin. When I roll down past 20% BF then I'll get more serious about that.
You all here are so very wonderful. I don't post much now with work and school going on but I read about all the people here. Each of you inspired me, motivated me and gave me hope. I was assured that I didn't mess up my body with this surgery. Y'all are terrific!! Bless every last one of you!

I haven't read the whole post yet, but commented in preop on their version of this so I wanted to bring this over here:
Okay, I have to say this because I have seen this 3 times in a single week now. Using the word vajayjay really does not make something less offensive (if you are going to be offended by it) or more appropriate than using the actual word for it. Many of our mothers programmed us the word Vagina is inappropriate, which it is not. (Same goes for when you are at your doc ladies). My mom raised me calling it a "Suzy". Now every time I meet a girl with that name, I internally snicker. See, ruined!! Please don't be afraid to call it (and raise your children to call it) a vagina.

i was 323 when I had surgery and just hovering above 100 lbs lost. Im 44 years old and have been overweight (at least over 250 lbs) for over 10-13 years. I look like a melted candle in the upper arms and inner thighs. The triple d boobs are now a small double d and my butt feels like a deflated tire. I still need to lose about 82 more lbs. so who knows what I will look like by the end of it. that being said, I am off me blood pressure meds and my high cholesterol med. there's nothing that can replace how great that feels. I feel great, starting to workout with a personal trainer and loving life.

Prior to my surgery, I made a support pillow for myself. It's about 16" long and about 9" wide at its widest point. Mine is stuffed quite firmly and provides a lot of support, but it would be bulky to pack in a suitcase.

My surgeon has asked me to be in an ad for him! I was surprised and pleased. I have been interviewed by his ad agency, and the "shoot" will be later this month. I think it will be fun. There will be a video testimonial on his web site it may also be used in other ways.
It surprised me because I am not some tiny size 4 person like some people get to at goal- I am happy with my size 10's and 12's. I am also not a "spring chicken" - I turned 55 last Christmas. I really would like to get rid of some jiggly saggy skin and would like my waist to be 2-3" smaller - but neither of those are happening before the end of the month!
When everything is complete, I will post the link to the finished product.
I am absolutely a believer in Dr. Nick (or I wouldn't have picked him). I am NOT becoming a "Paid Spokesperson" for him, or anything like that. I am doing this for him because I am thrilled with the changes I have made in my life since the sleeve. If I can help someone in their desision process to get WLS, that's great.
So now the big question - what am I going to wear?

This is the rant and rave section so please don't flame me ...
Of all the words we use in this forum that are specific to being sleeved or common terms in weight-loss discussions, "lose" is probably the most often used.
To Lose - To be deprived of, or cease to have or retain.
Loose - Not firmly or tightly fixed in place.
It just drives me bonkers to see people constantly misspelling lose, "I can't wait to loose 100 lbs!" AAAARGH!!!! wrong. Clothes are loose, nuts and bolts are loose, a dog can get loose from his leash, but you LOSE weight, you will LOSE inches. It is called The Biggest LOSER, not the Biggest LOOSER. hello.

I ended up having one true food funeral before starting my liquid diet. The weekend before my liquid diet was to begin, my husband and I got together with friends and had sushi. It was nice. I ate enough, but not too much. It was a good "farewell for now" to the sushi. Someday, I'll have it again but in a different way.

Pretty good writing for the morning after!
Yes, that gas gets some folks. I understand that they balloon up your chest and belly area to give them room. Sometimes the gas goes to a shoulder for some reason. I never had a problem with it but a lot of folks do.
I had 2 surgeries close together; my gall bladder insisted on coming out 2 weeks before my sleeve surgery. Isn't that time displacement weird? I go to sleep and wake up, no sense of time passing. I always have something funny ready to say to the recovery room nurse. This time it was, "Was it a boy or a girl?"

I can only attest to having tried the Shirataki Tofu Noodles. They are serviceable, but do not expect them to have the same taste or texture as traditional Pasta. The texture is quite different.
Right out of the bag, they have an unusual aroma. Perhaps "odor" is a better word. They need to be rinsed a bit, dried off a little and then boiled for a little bit. Do a Google search to get a better idea of how to handle a package of these noodles. It's been a while since I've dabbled with them and my memory isn't so great. Adding or cooking them with a good sauce can help.
If you haven't tried them, then maybe get just 1 package and give it a try. I was able to locate the noodles in my favorite Asian market as well as my local Shop Rite.

This week, I'm really enjoying my pureed pork tenderloin. Over the weekend, I cooked the pork tenderloin in a crock pot with some Hoisin sauce, some sliced onions and some chili garlic sauce. It turned out really well.
I'm also pretty pleased with the homemade spaghetti sauce that I made over the weekend. My husband had been craving it for a while, so I gave in. The homemade stuff is just so good.

This week, I'm really enjoying my pureed pork tenderloin. Over the weekend, I cooked the pork tenderloin in a crock pot with some Hoisin sauce, some sliced onions and some chili garlic sauce. It turned out really well.
I'm also pretty pleased with the homemade spaghetti sauce that I made over the weekend. My husband had been craving it for a while, so I gave in. The homemade stuff is just so good.

Hey folks,
I know you'll probably not believe it 100%, but at some point you will step on the scale, and like a bolt from the blue you will be at goal - I promise you!
I had loads of horrid stalls, and for a long time would only lose weight 1 week in every 4 (stupid hormones!!). I never truly believed this could work for me, but even if it is slow and steady - YOU WILL WIN THIS!
I think with WLS we anticipate super fast results, if you had done 2 months of weight watchers, you'd be delighted with say a 10lb loss, but because some people will lose 30/40lb in a month on these boards, we diminish our own achievements if it is less than that.
Celebrate every day in which you feel healthier, every time you have to tighten a belt another notch, every time someone surprises you with a complement.
If you take the time to absorb them, those things can sustain you when the scale is stubborn, and one day soon you'll; step on the scale and dance like a crazy person because of the number being so small, and you'll be sorting the laundry and wonder whose those tiny jeans are, before realising they are yours - AND THEY FIT! And you'll be clothes shopping and realise there is no point rummaging at the back of the rail, because your little size is right up by the front, and you'll do something reckless and fun without even stopping to think if your weight should stop you (like playing on the kiddie swings at the park!). And you'll realise you are 'there'!
You absolutely WILL do all of these things, and most of them will happen when you are nowhere near your scale.
Good luck on your journies, and Celebrate every step that you can! xx

This Wednesday will be my 3 week anniversary. Today was the first day that I was able to get 64oz of Water in. So far, it's been a struggle to manage to drink enough. My water bottle is always near me and save for the pre-meal and post-meal periods when I am not to drink, I am generally sipping.
Protein hasn't been a problem for me. I'm currently in the puree stage and have been making purees from pork tenderloin, chicken thighs, and cauliflower. I basically turned the steamed cauliflower into "fauxtatoes" with the addition of a little bit of light cream cheese and some time spent in the food processor.

During my pre-surgery class, one of the presenters stressed the importance of our breathing exercises, coughing up what is in our lungs, and how having a pillow to hold can assist. One of my friends had heart surgery last year and had a heart-shaped pillow for such things. I decided that I wanted a stomach-shaped pillow to have with me, so I made one. I am a bit offbeat and combined the stomach pillow idea with Frankenstein, as I lightheartedly joke about how my new stomach will be a "Frankenstomach."

The pillow as a little bit of a rush job because I ended up putting the project off until a couple of nights ago. I'm still debating whether or not to add a stitch line on its forehead. I did make it two-sided, though. As you can see, one side is smiling. The other side now has a frowny face with black eyes for when I'm not feeling that great. (I haven't taken a picture of the frowny side yet.)
Given the pillow's size, it's more of a pre-surgery look rather than a post-surgery look. This pillow is nice and big and firm.

Congratulations! I'm glad that you're feeling better than how you felt starting out. I felt a little icky my first day or two and was having "buyer's remorse," but by the third day or so, I was feeling better for having had the surgery.
Best of luck with your recovery!

It's not been 2 weeks for me yet, but I'm feeling great. I think that my biggest struggle is trying to drink enough Water. It's hard to get 8 glasses in. I sip and sip as much as possible, but it's still a challenge. Otherwise, I'm great. I have no pain. I'm going back to work on Wednesday.