Trixie2012

Hello Everyone,
I haven't posted here in a while, work has just been crazy lately. Anyhow.... I recently came back from a business trip/vacation and I have several NSVs that I would like to share just as an encouragement to anyone still thinking about getting sleeved.
Last year, I shared on here I had a couple terrible experience flying to Milwaukee and Jamaica. Just being a big guy, I was never comfortable riding a plane, asking for a seat belt extender, not being able to place the tray table down, etc.
Well...that certainly has changed.
A few NSVs...
I was able to fit comfortably into my airplane seat. (And I noticed a difference in the people I sat by. No one gave me that...."Oh my... don't sit by me" look that you get as a big person walking down the aisle.

I not only didn't need to ask for a seat belt extender, but I was able to place the tray table all the way down, and had a lot of slack left over from the seat belt. (I didn't show it on the outside, but on the inside.... I know I shed some tears. I spent the whole flight reflecting on the terrible experiences I've had in the past and how blessed I was to have this opportunity.)

At my conference, there were festivities during the night with live music and dancing....I couldn't believe the amount of offers I had to dance. It was unbelieveable... I had great time.... and I didn't feel like the fat guy on the outside of the "in crowd."

After my business conference in Orlando last week, I stayed for few days and visited the Disney and Universal theme parks. A huge NSV for me is that I fit on every single ride that I went on. Even the ones I would never think I could fit onto.... I FIT.

Finally, I saw several co-workers that I haven't seen in a while at the conference... and I received so many compliments. It was awesome!

Well.... I'm sure I could think of some more... but these are what comes to mind right away. I still have a ways to go...but the sleeve has definitely given me a fighting chance at being happy and healthy for the remainder of my life.
A couple pics below.
*Downtown Miami - 2/21/2013 - Down 80 LBS - 5 Months Post Op
*Pre-Op in July of 2012
*NSV Picture - Airplane Flight - Tray Table Down, Magazine & juice, and Seat Belt Room Still Left

Sleeved Oct 5 2012 down 71 lbs since day of surgery! I'm loving it!
Sent from my iPhone using VST

OCC is phenomenal !! Staff was great. Dr Ortiz is wonderful and cute! I was sleeves yesterday and I am now at the hotel. Everything went great. Except for the collicky pains to the drain site and the burping... All and all great experience.

sitting here waiting to board my flight home. All is well, feel really good. Alma and Ready4Achange arw great. Dr. Garcia, is a very skilled amd caring surgeon, Dr. Luna is awesome, Melissa is awesome, Dr. Paola, Dr. Zavalza, and Samuel the driver down the nursing staff and the great staff at,the Marriott....everybody is entitled to their opinion, but If I had to do anything different, I wouldnt. I was 100% safe at all times and treated like a star! My pain level is zero right now! I was cared for to the max. I would only want to stay at Marriott after passing by the other hotels, like lucerna and others ive seen on the blog....you have a nurse at all times, you hit that button and they are there within 30 seconds, they stay on top of pain management. the first leak test is horrendous, but I passed and kindly asked the tech for the trash can to throw up, the only time I ever did..the methylene blue was far less horrible as the first leak tesy,, which I passed too. my advice would be to rest, rest rest and drink gatorade when allowed for the electrolytes.. I honestly did not feel up to shopping, I wanted to take advantage of rest...besides the beds at marriott feel like melted butter loaded with extra fluffy pillows! The bath gels are yummy! There are some HBO channels and others in English and a whole lot of CSI, also watched Scandel in English, first batch of chicken broth wasnt good, but those there after was yummy to my new tummy!. I NOT hungry at,all even passing by all,these delectable food spots....I,am not in pain, just a little soreness but even that has subsided. and by the way, I crossed back over with the birth certificate and id...no problems......

9 days post op.
14 lbs lost since day of surgery
14 lbs lost during pre op diet
=28 lb total
Wow! So exciting!

I was just getting around after my 9 am surgery. The minute I woke up, I thought (and said out loud) what in the heck did I just do to myself? I was in so much pain and so so thirsty. A friend had told me - even if you don't feel like it - get up and walk. That's what I did, almost non stop. I was ready to feel better and go home. Each day got easier and easier, I tracked everything I put in my mouth. Everything. It made me feel like I had some control over what I was going through.
Over time I started getting compliments, you look great or wow you've lost some weight. I look back now and yes, I had lost weight. What I think was so noticeable though was I was smiling - a lot. I didn't ever see my self as unhappy pre-surgery, but I was. I can admit it now. How could I not be? Who is happy with themselves at 368 pounds??
Today I still believe - 1 year later that I made the absolute best decision of my life. Not because I can shop at any store (but I can and its fun!!!) or that I don't have to worry about how the chairs will be wherever I go. It's because I feel great and I'm healthy. I'm happy and I am becoming the person I've always wanted to be. I wouldn't change a thing.
HW: 368
Pre: 368
Height: 5'6
Today: 204

Day two, so far so good. Not much pain at all. Lots of ice packs and waiting. Bandages have to stay on until Thurday so have to wait and see. Will report when the new me is unveiled.

As you do your due diligence in researching whether a WLS procedure is right for you, please be sure to research the complications and talk to your surgeon about them, too. I am not going to quote an absolute percentage, but I do know that for the sleeve, it is under 3%. Iggy fell into that 3% and I read through a lot of her posts during her recovery. It was truly heartbreaking and I am so thankful she is recovering and remaining a member of VST, if for no other reason than to remind folks researching the sleeve to do their homework and know the complications. My surgeon had less than a 1% complication rate, so be sure to ask them, too. And not just leaks right after the surgery, you need to ask them about complications with their patients 2,4,6 ... months out as that is when some of the issues present themselves.
I am not a risk taker by any means, but i was willing to take on the <3% complication rate and believe I would be able to get through whatever it would be. I had <3% chance of a complication, but I had a 100% chance of complications from being morbidly obese. I needed a change with my relationship with food and the sleeve has helped me do this.
I love my sleeve and wouldn't change a thing.

My goal was 150lbs ... I am now 148lbs!! Wow! ! I still can't believe it !! I never thought I wud be this small again ever in my life! !
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This is me yesterday! I love my sleeve its the best thing I cudve ever done! !
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using VST

Just some Sunday morning humor....me with bad hair and no make up, but I figure y'all are like a second family....
Here is someone I have not seen in many years.....my collar bone...
I love it....
I am happy to see her again.....
I have missed her!
Try not to laugh at the pic to much...but just the fact that I don't need to hoist my computer up overhead to take an angled down pic to hide my double chins is another non scale victory for me!
I find something each and every day to be proud of myself for......
the way I fit in a chair, the fact my wedding ring is sitting in my jewelry box waiting to be resized beacuse it's falling off, crossing my legs so easily and lady like, clothes shopping, roomy large shirts (thinking about a medium here folks.....seriously!) and just my quality of life!
I LOVE this life - and while I considered myself to be fairly happy at my biggest, it was nothing like I feel now.
Quit lurking and go do it! Yes - it was scary the day of surgery! Who wouldn't be scared!! But it is so worth it!!! I want to shout it off a mountain top!!! Go for it! It is amazing!!!! Pics are about 4 months apart......

8 MONTHS LATER... 85 less

Today is 7 months since I had my VSG! I weigh 201 (dang it - wanted ONEderland!!) and am wearing 12/14 bottoms and large tops. I feel great and think I look pretty good! I eat well, but still haven't started my exercise routine....I will, I will! My skin has tightened up nicely and my hair has quit falling out and there is lots of new regrowth. I was never BALD - but it DID thin!
Never been in pain, never thrwon up, never felt bad. All my blood work is great and I can't wait to see where I am at 1 year! My doc thinks 170......wow...I was like 15 last time I weighed that! I am smaller than when I graduated high school!
Anywone still on the fence, send me a message! More than happy to share my experience! ssmonte72@yahoo.com
Best thing I have ever done for myself!
Pre-diet weight 307
Day of surgery 292
Today 201
YEEHAWW!!!!!

Hi all!
Just wanted to share with ya'll an update on me. I'm currently 10 months out and my only regret is not having done this years ago!! I feel so great about my progress and am just about 35 lbs from my goal. I have pretty much stuck to the program, I am not as good about taking Vitamins as I should be, but I know it. However, labs at 9 months were great! So I guess I can't be too hard on myself. I'll go ahead and post before and afters so you can see where I came from and where I am now. Please don't hesitate to ask questions, this site was so helpful to me at the beginning...
HW: 368 lbs 2/20/12
CW: 215 lbs 12/18/12
Goal: 180 lbs

sleeved 3/22/12, H 5'4, SW 217, GW 132, CW

Nine months out, started at BMI of 39-something, almost 40. Originally set my goal at 150, then as I rapidly lost weight, felt that 150 would be just too thin and revised my goal to 160. My surgeon's office agreed with 160 as a good goal for me.
Yesterday I had my nine month checkup, and I weighed 166 on my home scale in jammies, 165 on the office scale fully clothed. I am really happy with my current weight. I do have loose skin and a small belly pooch because of it. If I had a Tummy Tuck, I am certain I would be at 160, but I'm not sure yet if I will take that step. If I do, it will be in a year or so.
Meanwhile, I think I have lost to the point I want to be! I fear that instead of my pooch getting smaller, my legs will just get skinnier and my butt will just get flatter! Husband and friends agree, as did the physician's assistant yesterday, it's time to stop losing! I go in Thursday morning for a Base Metabolic Rate to determine how many calories needed per day to maintain current weight.
Wow! It has really been a quick and easy journey! I have been so blessed to have sailed through the surgery, to never have hit a stall, to be able to eat almost anything I want and in portions larger than most can eat. I still truly love to cook and serve food, and I still truly enjoy food!
Life is just too good! Santa came to see me too! First time in a long time that I don't outweigh Santa!!

Sent from my iPhone using VST

WOW, I just came from my 1st follow up visit since I had my gastric sleeve surgery on 11-19-12. I can proudly say that im not considered morbidly obese" anymore. Im down "36lbs". I feel great and just got had my post op diet adjusted. This is the best decision I made. I actually decided to have the surgery after my wife had it in April 2012. I told her that she wasnt going to go thru this alone. Shes over 60lbs down now. I know this is a lifestyle change, but to do this with the one I love is just making us grow closer together and making the change eaiser for both of us. Im looking forward to the time that we go out to dinner and find out that 1 appetizer fills us both up lol. I wish everyone that has this proceedure all the best. Pictures to follow soon.

In what other human endeavor is taking "the hard way out" better just because it is harder? Do you program your Garmin to take the hardest route, the one more likely to result in you not getting to your destination, because it is "more noble"?
Thinking is hard for those that hate to do it. Even if the sleeve was the easy way out, which it is not, calling it the easy way out without any logic, argument, or justification and out of pure prejudice is the easy way out!

Both of these are before


These are after.. I was sleeve 8/22. Keep it up y'all! It's really worth it.

Before in pink. One month in black and white.

Well, I went friday for my 1 month check up & to my surprise....I am down 40lbs since my pre-surgery weight Needless to say...I was quite happy!! I have no limitations on exercise now so I am starting the gym today. Ive been walking a mile a day but can do weights & more cardio now. I just wanted to share the good news. )

...and I don't mean the temperature!
OK, this will sound like bragging, and it IS a little, but remember where I'm coming from: I had been obese my WHOLE LIFE. I first had to wear size 38 jeans in junior high school. And now I'm wearing size 34, bordering on size 33.
I was at the gym this morning -- it was arms day, biceps, forearms, trapezius, and deltoids (shoulders) -- and was working out HARD. I was looking in the mirror to check my form, and suddenly I thought -- who IS this guy? I realized that I'm looking... well... A-MAZ-ING! I mean I'm 42, so I don't look like a kid; I have laugh lines on my face, and (when I don't shave my head) a little gray around my temples. But my shoulders are broad and muscular (amazing what deltoid workouts will do, guys; wanna look broad-shouldered and thick through the chest? WORK. ON. YOUR. SHOULDERS!). My chest is just slabs of flat, hard muscle. My forearms literally RIPPLE with muscle when I move my fingers. My legs are turning into little tree trunks, and a lot of HARD work on my glutes (butt) has rescued me from the dreaded "white guy ass" -- I am getting a nice, muscular butt. I still don't like my midsection; the remaining flab and loose skin are all there, but sometimes when I move and the light is right, you can see my rectus abdominis quite clearly. Another term for rectus abdominis? SIX PACK! ME! A SIX PACK!
I wished I could have taken a picture to show you, but I'm not THAT vain; I don't bring my camera to the gym with me
I have to compare and contrast this with just two years ago, when my face was lost in a SEA of chins. My legs were big, but it was all just flabby, jello-y fat. My arms were big... with fat. They JIGGLED. And my midsection... oh dear god, what a train wreck; I had to wear size 3XL shirts just to avoid too much plumber's crack! I couldn't walk 200 yards without being tired. My feet hurt all the time. Men treated me with scorn, and to women I was simply invisible.
Now, men often do submissive body language (you know, hunched a little shoulders and eyes down) or challenging, threatened (puffed up chest, swagger, frightened/"tough" glare) body language. The one thing they don't do is scorn me. And women... well, as often as not, women have a sort of "hungry" look in their eyes when they're looking at me. I've even caught women out with their husbands/boyfriends "checking me out" and then looking away, embarrassed when I smile at them.
Am I bragging? Yes, I am. But this is all so bloody new to me. I'm a hunk! I have to avoid turning into a vain douchebag (and this obviously borders on douchebaggery already), but I figured that "Gastric Sleeve Surgery Success Stories" was the place to put this bragging if anything was.
Two years ago, I was obese, depressed, hated my body, sore, sick, tired, a clear "beta male," invisible to women, and probably on a fast track to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, or some other form of slow, painful death.
Now? I'm fit -- within 2% of my "normal" body weight according to the height/weight charts. I can run several MILES without running out of steam or injuring myself. I lift weights nearly every day. I am happy, healthy, have a strong libido, a good sex life, and I *like* what I see when I look in the mirror. I would NEVER have believed it possible two years ago if you'd asked me. NEVER.
And, while I'll take credit for eating right and going to the gym/doing other physical activities regularly, the weight loss and health I owe completely, 100% to the sleeve.
THANK YOU, SLEEVE. Getting the surgery was the single best decision I've ever made. It saved my life, literally -- it's given me a whole new me, one that I never would have believed I could be.
Thank you, sleeve.

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I cant believe how much ive lost in my face. I had to share my excitement!! :-)

This must be the night for "Booth or Table" NSVs!! Hooray!!
7 months ago, I went to this pizza place here in Albuquerque, and the only place to sit was a teeny tiny booth for 2. I reluctantly sat there with my husband, and I had to SQUUUEEEEEEZE myself into it, and then it was hard to eat because the table was pressing me in half and I was hanging out in the aisle. I cried in frustration and embarrassment. I told him at the time I was going to come back in six months and make that booth my B***H!!
Well, here's my B***H:

Take THAT booth!!

I am going to try this, hopefully it works! I had my sleeve surgery November 29th, 2010. The first pictures are at my highest when I got married (I love my husband, he has loved me no matter what size!), around 260ish lbs. The second are the day of my surgery, 220ish lbs. The last pictures are at my current weight, 135-137lbs (I LOVE my hormones, I LOVE my hormones). There are 2 standing in my old jeans and I fit in 1 leg (1 is me AND my daughter in my jeans). There is also a picture of my biggest jeans (size 22), and my new jeans (size 4..I wear a size 4-6). I never dreamed I would ever be this size or weigh in the 130's. I honestly never thought I would even reach goal because I had tried and failed so many times in my life. I hope these pictures are inspiration that, if you let it, the sleeve is an amazing tool! And I hope it inspires the slower losers too! It took me 18 months to reach my goal weight of 140lbs, and I have even lost a few more pounds in the last couple of months. So don't get discouraged if you don't lose all your weight in the first 6 months. If you make the changes you need to make to have a healthy life, it will happen!