Look@meitsEmily

I hate to say it but I'm glad to read some negativity - it all was seeming too good to be true! Lol (joke) They are so dumb for giving u guys bad customer service and support, knowing full well that we have this site to air our good & bad experiences! I was with ALM and now moved to R4C ... And I'm about 3.5 weeks away from my surgery and Alma has been great so far. Does everyone have to pay the full amount before surgery? I've paid $500 deposit - I thought we could pay the balance after (read it somewhere?) I'd much rather pay after so they work harder to help and support me. Thanks for letting us know your experiences girls ????

For us...

This is a bit of a carry over from another topic I am participating in, but the conversation we were all having made me very curious. I would like to see how much of a factor having faith in God matters to those who have had the surgery or are in the process of having the surgery.
Personally, my having this surgery is totally dependant on my faith in God and His will for my life. I have been praying and seeking God on this issue since I first started looking into it. Throughout the process there have been open doors that I have taken as signs that it is ok for me to proceed. Of course the biggest one will be insurance approval and if I wind up not getting approved, then I will not press the issue.I want to make sure that this is something God wants for my life, not just something that I am deciding because I want to. I put my complete faith and trust in God and I know that He will guide me through this journey.
Just wanted to see what other people think about this issue.
While I expect that everyone has a right to their own opinion, I respectfully ask everyone please do not turn this into a God bashing session!
For myself and others, God has a lot to do with the decision to have this surgery.
Thanks!

If the hunger hormone is removed do you truly never experience hunger ever?

That is false, you can and will experience hunger, as well as have to deal with anything you ever dealt with before. You wull have a new tool – your sleeve- but you will still hav eto deal with the habits, triggers, etc.
Morbid obesity is a disease, you need to be prepared to fight it for the rest of your life.

Yes still have cravings, and you will have to deal with what causes those cravings – get real info and do real research. The online info is good, but often passed from person to person, much like most mainstream media today. You have to discern the reputable information.

3.people vary on when/if they give up shakes. The food process is a variable that is most constant in that it isn’t – read through here and understand you could be in any range given – make sure you are OK with that.

All my doctor required was a well rounded multivitamin, and extra b Vitamins – but very regular blood testing.


It varies and depends on what you call regular foods – do you mean go back to your old ways??? Old foods but in “moderation” – this will you make you a dead game sport…you will eventually regain, in my opinion, unless you are ready to let the old habits go – and habits include poor food choices.


Of course you can eat anything within moderation, if:

Your stomach tolerates it, you really, truly don’t mind going back into old habits and setting yourself up to gain it back.
Don’t take this wrong but if you are looking for a cure all, and think this will be easy it is not – it is the hardest thing you will ever do, perhaps other than go on being fat. For me it is harder than being fat, but I will continue to do it because:
I had a disease, I was fat. It perpetuated other conditions – some made it worse, some it made worse, and it spiraled. I had bad habits, I used my metabolism disorder give me more excuses, I let my aches and pains slow me down when they should not have – and it spirals more – I waited until I was ready, which is the most positive thing I did – waited until I was ready, and that took 10 years. I wish so much I had been ready before but I was not.
Be sure you are prepared, take the time to make sure you are ready on the inside, and that you can do this alone, because I have (majority-wise) observed negative spouses and family ot be a huge obstacle. I had support but it was still hard.
I do wish you luck, strength and hope…Namaste.

I am on day 2 of being sleeved. I'm not in pain it's more of a discomfort if this continues I feel I will be good. Still waiting to have the leak test so nothing but ice chips right now. I don't feel hungry at all wondering if that's the sleeve working or me just not thinking about eating. Yesterday was rough I was vomiting and nauseous the entire night. Today I'm fine just ready to get out an start losing this weight. Praying for 10/18 sleevers and everyone after I will save you guys a seat on the loser bench

Today is my day two. I am on shakes for 2 weeks. I seriously thought I was going to die yesterday. I ate a reduced fat string cheese stick and half of a chicken breast. I figured good Protein was better than whatever else I would eat. Today has been better but its hard! Good luck to you and keep the faith. Its hard but just think of the results we are going to have.

Emily! I was the same way I think it was the reality of "this is it". And everywhere I went, I'd see McDonald's, etc. and think to myself "never again". I was starving! (Or so I thought)
But I'm happy to say that I made it and I'm currently in my hospital bed having been sleeved Monday night. You will make it as well. Keep the faith.
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Thank you everyone... the P.A. actually made me feel so good and confident in my decision. I am at the hospital now for my blood work and ekg... its just so real. I look forward to the new me!

I am sitting in my doctors office waiting on his P.A. for my pre op and cant help but think I am crazy!!! This is way too extreme! I can be fat and happy... but I have high cholesterol and am infertile and surgery will fix that but still ... They are cutting out my stomach! What am I doing?! OMG!!! I am freaking out!

Thank you everyone... the P.A. actually made me feel so good and confident in my decision. I am at the hospital now for my blood work and ekg... its just so real. I look forward to the new me!

I am sitting in my doctors office waiting on his P.A. for my pre op and cant help but think I am crazy!!! This is way too extreme! I can be fat and happy... but I have high cholesterol and am infertile and surgery will fix that but still ... They are cutting out my stomach! What am I doing?! OMG!!! I am freaking out!

I am also scheduled for 730 am.... I imagine the fear is common.... Your kids will appreciate you being around to see them grow up.

I'm thankful that everyone has had a mostly smooth road so far. Hope the second-half octo-sleevers a safe journey to the losers bench!

Me too Chris! I am so excited, nervous, anxious, scared, happy, and terrified! I am so nervous about 2 weeks worth of Protein shakes!

This year has been the best of my life: last November I was obese, I had VSG with Dr. Kelly and after a few stalls, the weight starting melting off with the help of personal training and watching the content of my food! The love of my life proposed to me, and we got married in what was absolutely my dream wedding. I am more impressed with the man I married every day, and more in love and happy.
I am now at a BMI of 20 and I am actually modeling for fitness oriented shoots (I am on the muscular side now, holy moly!).
The unexpected experience I've felt creep over me in the past couple months: depression, a sense of lack of joy, a sense of something "missing". It's taken me months of feeling like I must be incredibly unappreciative or deeply unhappy with something in my subconcious, until a few days ago a light bulb went off: I am no longer able to use food as a sense of pleasure or accomplishment. It used to be that every meal I ate changed my mood- I would intently look forward to meals throughout the day, plan them in my head, then immediately feel guilty when those meals turned out to be 1000+ calorie indulgences. On the flip side, I would feel a sense of anxious accomplishment when I'd manage to get through a day eating light healthy meals (anxious because I never felt full control of staying on that "diet", and I'd manage to break it every time). I'm sure others can relate.
Now that I realize all this, it is so obvious to me why I was feeling something missing. It has finally set in for me that food is no longer a source of emotional roller coaster feelings of joy, despair, achievement, indulgence..now food is certainly something I may look forward to, but it does not rule my feelings anymore, and I find that after VSG I have a MUCH easier time simply saying "no" to the bad foods. I've also noticed feeling "full" does not have the same physical feeling, and I think this is likely an association for me that keeps that old feeling of indulgence and guilt away. Now getting full actually makes me sweaty, I feel like something is in my throat, and I get a little flustered.it is no longer a relaxing feeling like it once was.
I share this not to show off how fabulous I am with my tiny BMI, or sound like an unappreciative princess. I share this because I feel like others probably have and will go through this feeling of accepting this change in their life. When I read through "cross over addictions" I think some of the root issues are quite related to my experience. I believe my system of self reward is finding balance at this point, it's the best way I can describe it. I think you can go through these feelings at any stage of weight loss, but I certainly think getting to this stable point has actually fueled this sense of loss for me, oddly enough. In a weird way, I feel like my subconscious misses the chaos of that relationship with food! I certainly don't, and I hope others can benefit and relate.

To know about my operation is a priviledge I grant to those I deem worthy. I am under no obligation to tell. I run my own mouth and my own life and form my own self image which, by the way, in no way hinges on anyone's opinion but mine and God's.
I did my research, said my prayers, and took my chances. It turned out good.
If someone expresses opposition to how I lost weight they can expect my respectful attention but they need not expect me to express shame.
There is no shame.
I am proud of my decisive action and for taking responsibility for my life.

I am on my way to hospital aaaahhhhhh !!

Hello everyone. Time is quickly approaching for my big day. I will be sleeved on Tuesday, the 9th. I am really getting nervous now. So far I have made it through my liquid diet without cheating. Never thought I would be able to go 10 days without solid food but it really wasn't too bad.
I wish you all good luck and much success in your weight loss goals.

Hello everyone, just checking in from my hospital bed. Surgery went really really well! I'm so glad I did this. I went in at 1130. A few mins before I had a good cry but the nurses and doctors talked me through it. Went into the OR and my surgeon said "just relax and have a good sleep". They had trouble finding a vein for IV but they found one. Then they put a mask on with oxygen and soon the medicine. When I woke up around 3 in the recovery room all I remember saying is "I'm gonna puke I'm gonna puke". But the amazing nurses were on top of my nausea and pain. To be honest, the nausea was a bigger concern for me than the pain. Pain is very minimal. I would say 3/10. I have 8 incisions. Have been in an out of sleep but its good. My parents, brothers and boyfriend came in as soon as the surgeon called them and visited for a bit. Got up for my first walk at 8 which was nice. Incisions bled as I was getting up but again, the nurse was on top of it. I hope the next few days/weeks are as easy as this. Hope all of the other octosleevers an oct 2 sleevers had an experience as smooth as mine

Good luck! Continue praying!

stalls can and will happen probably earlier than I would hope and for longer than I can stand but it's COMPLETELY normal. The weight I have lost to said point I will never regain again the weight I lose after said stall breaks I will never regain again. I may lose slow, the slow lbs I lose I will never regain again. All I have to do is stick to my plan and embrace the tool I've been given, every ounce of weight I lose from my surgery date forward is gone... Forever.. It really is that simple!
I realize some tweaks may need to be made, as in life your going to have to be flexible find what works best... everybody's body is different and I plan to learn to work in harmony with mine