@DomLorenVSG

Happy Sleeversary ! Way to go on making this life choice. Hope you Celebrate in an awesome kinda way because you deserve it.

I was being wheeled into the operating room for the most life changing surgery I have ever had - my VSG.
I've lost over 170 pounds form my highest weight - that I know of, the last "official" weigh in I was 375 pounds and I KNOW I weighed more for a while after that, I was spiraling out of control and eating like a cow. I dreaded the scale so much I refused to weigh in, till I arranged off my VSG and started my self imposed 2 week pre-op diet.
Would I do it again? YOU BET! It's not been easy, it's not been pleasant at times but it HAS been WORTH IT.
If you have not had WLS surgery and are thinking about it, as I always state it's YOUR decision, but PLEASE, PLEASE make SOME decision. Do something about this killer obesity, even if it's just diet and exercise, please do SOMETHING. You WILL be better for it.
So I am going to Celebrate - by NOT eating something

I'm a collegiate swimmer/water polo player and my team and I have come to one conclusion- Sally Beauty Supply and it's Generic's line is a god send. Specifically we ALL use GVP Smoothing Serum - Compare To Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum, (http://www.sallybeauty.com/smoothing-serum/SBS-264130,default,pd.html?cm_vc=SEARCH) and several of their other off brand- they are just as good if not better and a fraction of the price. We have to wash our hair 2 to 3x's a day which is horrific and leave to seriously damaged/dry hair, these products can be found on any female at any time on our team
Here's some general ones we use too for shampoos and conditioners: http://www.sallybeauty.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-SA-Site/default/Search-Show?prefn1=brand&prefv1=GVP&start=0&sz=48

I used my BMI chart to figure out a healthy range and agreed that my first goal was the highest allowable by my BMI chart, then my doc said I could go lower and set a second goal that was literally the middle number between the lowest and highest allowed by the BMI. But visually my favorite tool is a site called www.mybodygallery.com . Nothing to bad, it's hundreds of women at every height, then classified by weight and shape. So I'm 5'9, I put in 5'9 at my ultimate goal weight and see what other real women look like at that weight. I actually looked at several different weight scales (they go on incriments of 10 lbs), I looked at someone 5'9 @ 125, 135, and 145 and finally decided my goal is 135 but I'd be happy to maintain at 145. It was a really good perspective tool to use.

Just wanted to say thanks to all of Dr A's patients. Your posts have been a comfort. After fighting my weight for 40 years I am scheduled for 1/19. Starting a pre-op diet now and working with PCP. He said the better shape and cleaner diet I have had before diet the better results and better recovery I will have. Good luck everybody!

I'm in Eagle Pass.... Rosie will be here at 7:20 a.m. A little nervous but more excited! ! Can't believe it's finally happening.... I will update when I can.

I'm a very busy mommy who works 50-60 hours a week. Of course I know I've lost weight but honestly I had no idea how heavy I was before or how much I lost until I just decided to do this side by side. I don't own a scale so not sure how much I weigh right now but I was down around 50 lbs last time I checked a couple weeks ago. WOWZERS I just thank God Almighty for finding a way for me to have this surgery. So THANKFUL! Made me cry looking at myself before...that picture was taken at my sisters graduation in May 2012, had my surgery August 2012, and the after photo was taken a couple days ago November 2012.

I might add, that I'm seriously considering having anymore serious surgies (i.e plastics or dental) in mexico. I'm totally sold.

My start weight was 228
My current weight is 121
My goal is 110
My current pic looks ridiculous but I put on my old college clubbing dress and it fit so I was excited. Lol.



This last one is how swollen my feet were every day... I have Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

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Hey Cool, my good friend had RnY (best support system to me other than hubby). She yo-yo dieted for years even losing 100+ once. When she did Weight Watchers everyone held her up as a hero. After WLS, she got more than a few negative comments. Her go to response now is that she changed her lifestyle (diet and exercise).
If people ask she tells them but she doesn't broadcast. Also once someone we hadn't seen in years asked her what happened (shock of seeing her thin), her response I'm still the same X, just 100 lbs lighter...so cute and quick come back. We all laughed!

Dlmeekie, I love your post. I'm pre-op and I can already see this happening with one of my friends. Fortunately, I could see the writting on the wall about our friendship a while ago and started making some distance. But it's sad to think that so many people judge us for being "fat" and then when we lose the weight we are judged by our own friends. This does seem to weed out those who really care about us for the right reasons.

The girls at work are in no way a problem now. I work in a company with a very conservative culture and although they are in my department, I do not work with them. So no issues now. It's just people here are very health conscious and while there has never been an outward word said, I am sure there is a bit of a hairy eyeball cast now and then at the big girl going bumba, bumba down the hall.
I have not told anyone except for 2 people (not in my department) the real reason for the surgery. They think I am having gallbladder surgery. I like a little bit of mystery...let them wonder what is happening. I mean, it's not like I am not coming back after two weeks weighing 120.

I completely agree with you. I've always been an athlete and I was in the Army and could eat a hardy diet and stay only slightly overweight, and teeter totter back and forth into a healthy BMI when I was required to. The problem was once I stopped working out my appetite was still there and I wasn't working out nearly as much, the weight didn't come on over night, maybe 3 to 4 lbs a month over the course of a few years that added to about a 50+ lbs weight gain. The bigger I got, the hungerier I was, allllll the time. Dr. Alavarez was my surgeon and he did diagnose me with a metabolic disorder just as you had mentioned. The bigger I got, the hungier I was, and I had complete insulin resistance and was even put on medications for it. After surgery my hunger went almost completely away, and now I have it but in the faintest form. Nothing like it was before- that by itself was life altering. I know how to eat healthy and workout, but my brain was always hungry and I was never on the same page with my body. Self control is mysterious to me- so much self control in other areas of my life, and yet I struggled so fiercely with my weight and controlling my eating habbits

I could easily consume a two cheesburger, large frie and large diet coke with a dessert from Mc Donalds and even squeeze in a couple of my son's uneaten chicken nuggets before surgery. I attempted 2 french fries and 2 chicken nuggets with Water the other day on the way to his soccer practice and nearly had to pull the car over to throw up. Too much carbs, and too much food period. I'm eating almost 20% of my former diet if not less. Healthy food choices are absolutely essential, but Portion Control is a huge factor as well. Even the food tastes different to me now- and I dislike it. Which is quite helpful because I no longer crave a lot of the crappy food I use to adore.

I could easily consume a two cheesburger, large frie and large diet coke with a dessert from Mc Donalds and even squeeze in a couple of my son's uneaten chicken nuggets before surgery. I attempted 2 french fries and 2 chicken nuggets with Water the other day on the way to his soccer practice and nearly had to pull the car over to throw up. Too much carbs, and too much food period. I'm eating almost 20% of my former diet if not less. Healthy food choices are absolutely essential, but Portion Control is a huge factor as well. Even the food tastes different to me now- and I dislike it. Which is quite helpful because I no longer crave a lot of the crappy food I use to adore.

Deep breathes, just make it through the next 24 hours one step at a time. Go to the store tonight, but don't over purchase, you can always go back for more if you need. It will allllll be okay, and clean your house a little everyday, no need to exhaust yourself the first day of the liquid diet!! Congrats on the bump up in dates!

I say this with a full heart and lots of warm and fuzzies- be careful. If the hot girls in your office are a problem now, they will be a bigger problem later. Make sure to really think about what you share and how you share this journey with them. I'm 13 weeks post op and doing fabulously, the problem is I did NOT get the positive feedback that everyone else in the forums have been getting. It's been a lot of back handed compliments, a lot of caddiness, and me having to cut a few "friendships" off. Two specifc girls were so comfortable wit me being the fat friend that they literally started every rumor imagineable about me and didn't hold back on humiliation or alienation. It hurt to my core. We want to visualize the end result in our head, that day we walk in looking amazing in heels and a nice pencil skirt and all eyes are on us and our huge smile.... but be weary, along with those stares and admiration comes jealousy in forms you've never seen or experienced before.
I chose to keep my wls private, and I am very thankful I did. The amount of judgement I've gotten thus far, is only a fraction of the flood of negativity had I been open about it. The only people I've opened up to about the surgery are my over weight friends that have noticed my substantial weight loss, and I tell them privately in an email or in person. I don't like when thin people who've never had weight problems pass judgment on obese people who chose surgery. It's counter productive and really just not useful since the deed is done. All I can say is, I'm healthy, and FABULOUS!
You will do great. You will lose this weight, keep it off, and start a whole new fabulous chapter to your life. You will love every minute of it, it will be a struggle but once it starts coming off- it will be allllll down hill. Get your game face on, but don't forget your helmet and padding because it's going to be a bumpy ride.

I say this with a full heart and lots of warm and fuzzies- be careful. If the hot girls in your office are a problem now, they will be a bigger problem later. Make sure to really think about what you share and how you share this journey with them. I'm 13 weeks post op and doing fabulously, the problem is I did NOT get the positive feedback that everyone else in the forums have been getting. It's been a lot of back handed compliments, a lot of caddiness, and me having to cut a few "friendships" off. Two specifc girls were so comfortable wit me being the fat friend that they literally started every rumor imagineable about me and didn't hold back on humiliation or alienation. It hurt to my core. We want to visualize the end result in our head, that day we walk in looking amazing in heels and a nice pencil skirt and all eyes are on us and our huge smile.... but be weary, along with those stares and admiration comes jealousy in forms you've never seen or experienced before.
I chose to keep my wls private, and I am very thankful I did. The amount of judgement I've gotten thus far, is only a fraction of the flood of negativity had I been open about it. The only people I've opened up to about the surgery are my over weight friends that have noticed my substantial weight loss, and I tell them privately in an email or in person. I don't like when thin people who've never had weight problems pass judgment on obese people who chose surgery. It's counter productive and really just not useful since the deed is done. All I can say is, I'm healthy, and FABULOUS!
You will do great. You will lose this weight, keep it off, and start a whole new fabulous chapter to your life. You will love every minute of it, it will be a struggle but once it starts coming off- it will be allllll down hill. Get your game face on, but don't forget your helmet and padding because it's going to be a bumpy ride.

I am having my surgery on Monday. I know it's going to be a totaly lifestyle change but I am so excited (for me and for all the other sleevesters with me this month!!) I can't wait for better health, dropping those pesky diabetes & HBP meds, and feeling really good. And yes, if I do say so myself, I am looking forward to (EVENTUALLY) giving the hot girls at work a run for their money!!

I will be sleeved by Dr Alvarez on 12/21... 35 days from today! Reading these glowing reviews gives me so much comfort. I have never had surgery before so I am nervous about everything-- the pain, the nausea, going under, coming out, the gas, the entire experience. At the same time I am ANXIOUS and just ready to get to post op already.
I think a great benefit is that I have been a lowcarber for years, lots of paleo eating as of late. I'm just flabbergasted at how I can eat so clean but still lose so little and feel like I am fighting for every single ounce and the SECOND I put something into my mouth that is off plan, i bloat up. Ridic! I'm ready for this! I'm ready for my good choices and hard work to actually produce some results.

Susie,
I got to meet live tennis and talk to her about my surgery experience. She is a great gal. So glad she is going to Dr. A for her surgery!

That's great DL, and u started with a lower bmi, what do u do for working out ??