LilMissDiva Irene

What you are experiencing is VERY normal. I went through it before my banding, as well as countless others before their surgeries. I didn't really indulge as much pre-sleeve though. The band if anything taught me a great deal of life lessons, even though I did lose and gained all my weight back. It taught me truly that getting WLS is NOT a death sentence when it comes to food. You will absolutely still be able to eventually enjoy all your favorite foods again. Just not nearly in the same quantity. And that is OK too, because once that happens you will see it's not about QUANTITY anymore - but about QUALITY. The few tiny bites of your delectable will give you the same (if not more) satisfaction than it did when you used to scarf it all down in a few minutes time. Be good to yourself and remember, the weight you can lose pre surgery is only going to get you closer to your finish line once you are sleeved. We're all in this together, and throught it all - the most valuable lesson you are soon to learn is that we need to get a real "healthy" relationship with food. It's never to early to start.

Hi there onediva! All the best on your new journey!! Welcome to the club, and soon you will see that you have every reason in the world to be on top of the moon! As far as supplements, if you are in the majority you will discover that your taste will change after surgery. It's the most bizarre thing. One suggestion I could give you is that you should get the "samples" online of many different types. That way you will find out what your liking is. What you like now probably won't be the same once you have your surgery. I really enjoyed the unjury after surgery - so that might be a sample you'd like to try. All the best!!!

Wow Sarah!!! You are truly phenomal!! Good on you for accepting that we live in a real world, where it is OK to enjoy the Holidays with our families. Except, with a tiny sleeve, it's just not all that easy to eat even tantamount to what we would have pre-sleeve. Then once Christmas is over, IT'S OVER! Time to get back to losing and doing the right things. I am super happy for you!! I'm sure your family truly meant their compliments. You have lost a lot of weight already, and I'm positive they notice. Just roll with it lady, and enjoy your moment. You have gone through a lot to get to where you are, and being proud of that makes the journey all the more enjoyable! Congratulations to you on all of your success to date - and may you continue!!

THANK YOU ALL!!! You all are so sweet!! Hey s4m, that would be great to be able to say you lost 100 Lbs!! I'm with you for support, I definitely know you can do it! Becca, today is your big day - wishing you well and a speedy recovery! You will soon see, the sleeve is where it's at!! You won't be sorry at all that you did this (at least after you get through your first month... ) Julia, Kimmes - I'm so glad I'm not recognizable from before... ugh! I did not feel good about me or at all back then. I really think I could have been quite depressed, and now I've been feeling so high on life. It is ABSOLUTELY the best thing I've ever done for myself!! I'd do it again a million times over! Thank you!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hopefully I will be able to start posting some great scale numbers soon! However, I think my body is shrinking much more than the scale is letting on. I know I've already posted this several times, but I just feel so incredible about it. This weekend I was doing my monthly clothing fitting. I have so many clothes that I've hung on to over the many years going up and down in sizes. Well I have some clothes going way back to about 1990. I tried on a pair of pants that I haven't worn since I was about 18 years old. That was the time I started to gain massive amounts of weight. They are a size 14, and when I picked them up they looked so tiny. I was curious to see how well they might already be fitting on me. I did try to put them on several times over the years and at one point I couldn't even get them up above my huge knees. Well... I was able to fit them well above my thighs and rear. I couldn't believe it!! It reached around to around my belly button but couldn't get the button. So, I'm actually almost there!!! I felt like a kid in High School again!!! That is quite possibly the best I've felt about my weight loss yet... like I said - this is the MOST FUN I've had while losing weight! Not only that I was able to lay to rest about 8 pairs of pants for being too big now. There are even some 18's in that pile... Wow!!! I was able to move about 5 pair pants into my "fitting" side too. Life's soooo great!!! To all those newly sleeved... it WILL happen!! You just have to be patient with yourself and your sleeve. Once you are healed and the weight loss starts happening, you will see - this REALLY DOES WORK!!! And for it to be the Holidays and I'm STILL losing??? You can't beat that!!!

Cherice, as always - WAY TO GO!!! ie, I think it's a normal human behavior. You know, its Christmas - and I'm sure any other day you are on target. So you had a cookie, no big deal. The big deal is where you go from there. Do you continue to eat the cookies every day, or do you move on from enjoying Christmas to getting back on track? Don't even worry about that!! I also just did some purges in my closet. I'm fitting more and more clothes now in mine. It's just amazing!!! Once a month I go through all my clothes I couldn't quite fit last month, and even though I don't feel I've lost a whole lot lately my body seems to be shrinking a lot. I fit size 18 a bit large now, and 16's fit perfect. I'm starting to break into some of my 14's even. I've had a size 14 that I haven't fitted in for over 20 years!!!! I can now get them over my hips and butt, but I still can't quite button them so I'm getting there!!! It's just awesome!!!

Hi Nirguna, thanks for checking in! Wow that is amazing!!! Keep up the great job and you will be at goal in a blink of an eye!!! Happy Boxing Day!!

I think pretty much most of my family know I had the surgery, however not everyone does. It does get a little weird not to say I had surgery, because I'm not really the type to do that. I just don't really tell anyone at work. They can be so judgemental and annoying!!! They hold no credence in my real day to day life, so if they don't know I don't care. It's ok though - when that time comes just be honest and tell them why you didn't say anything either. No worries, I'm sure they will all be happy for you regardless - BIG HUGS!!!

Wow s4m you are really dropping right now!! You have a really good shot at PASSING your goal!!!

It's ok y'all... I'm going to start up a new challenge for Valentines Day once our NYD challenge is up. I won't make my goal either, but I'm ok and I feel great and know I did really REALLY well. I'm actually feeling I'll end up closer than I ever imagined. I will however set a goal I know is VERY acheivable for VD.

Amen and TOTALLY agree with Tiffy. Find another surgeon and ASAP!! Regarding your friend, well - to each his or her own, ya know? You don't have to listen to negativity either - so IMO just lay it on the line. If she is a true friend, she will support you no matter what...

Welcome Jessi!!! All the very best to you as you begin your journey. Keep reading around and just know that we will be here with the click of a mouse.

Actually its funny you mention this, because for the last week or so I've been feeling sharp pains in my EX-port area too. It's a little scary because that is how it would be painful when my port was still there. I hated it, and it was one of the many reasons I hated my band and couldn't wait to have the darn thing taken out. However with the band it was constant and super annoying. This is only very random, few and far between - so it's livable. I hope it goes away, for both our sakes!!

((((Hugs)))) You will feel better soon, promise. Vent here anytime, that's what we are all here for. Hang in there, and get as much rest as you can. Stay comfortable - this time is for your healing as well as well mental state. This surgery really can take a lot out of you, just continue to get well.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!! XOXO Carrie, you know it girl! Soon, and I'm REALLY looking forward to it!!!! Lila, I draw inspiration from ALL of you!! We are all needing a little TLC sometimes, and I'm so thankful for this place - and all the wonderful folks who post here! NotFat - Sorry I know its a little confusing... I was 272 on Sleeve day and I'm 235 now so since sleeving I've lost 37. However at my very highest I've lost 94!! I'm very close to the Century club now...

I take generic omeprazole (Prilosec). I've found works excellent for me. I'm always finding them on sale at Rite Aid, Walgreens or CVS. I got some the other day 42 pills for about 15 bucks plus a 5 dollars off coupon.

I think that since it's the breasts only it's probably ok to get them larger and not have to wait the year long period. I believe that rule mostly applies to tummy tucks, arm lifts - that sort of thing. I say make your appointment. You can always change your mind up to the point of surgery. Cheers on the new boobs!!! I'm going DD status too when I get mine.

Glad to hear you are doing well cwalker!! Congrats on your success so far!! thin, love the outlook - I totally agree with the goal thing. I just have one to keep me working toward something, but if I feel comfy at a higher weight and I'm good and healthy I may just take a low key approach then.

I'm so with you on this CandyGirl!! OMW we had a Nacho bar at work today... everything looked so amazing and smelled fantastic!! I had some meat, refried Beans, a tiny bit of nacho sauce and sour cream, green onions, tomatoes and olives. NO CHIPS!!! Ughhhh!!! Everyone had heaping huge plates full and I felt like such a ditz... but everyone knows I'm doing Protein only ( ) so I got away with it. LOL I really felt left out though, but I figure it will all be worth it when summer comes around and I'll be wearing tiny clothes and dressing to the 9's!!! It will be better I agree when everyone else is doing their little diets to get off the Holiday pounds. Can't wait.

Hey Everyone!! Well, it's been over three months since I revised from band to sleeve. I just thought it is time for a new set of pictures. I think it's a really good idea to keep record of how things are going and I prefer to do it about every month. I would say 10 Lbs, but ya know - with the sleeve that could be every 10 days! LOL So, the Brown sweater is me at my heaviest 330 The Pink Shirt is me at about 300 The Blue Dress is me gained all my weight back after being banded at 280 And The black shirts is me today at 235... Yippeeee!!! I feel AWESOME!! I'm rolling right along and I can't say that I've ever had more fun losing weight. This surgery was plain and simply a miracle for me in which I'm thankful DAILY that it was created. Also, thank you to everyone here for providing such an awesome place to share the good times and the not so good times. You all have been amazing to me, and watching you all melt away keeps me fighting to do the same. Hugs!!!!

Yayyy!!! I just saw it, THANK YOU!!!!

Welcome!!! I always love to see some new posters around, as our family grows we get ever tighter and tighter here I am also a revision from band to sleeve. If I had to go over it again, I never would have even given the band a second thought to be perfectly honest. It is much too easy to cheat and way to hard to lose with it. I never found the elusive "sweet spot" that so many rave about and ended up feeling defeated and like a total failure. Ever since being sleeved, and going in this with a whole different view than when I was banded, I know I'll be successful in the end! I'm not losing as fast as many here, but I Celebrate every pound and am enjoying the differences already! I'm fitting clothes I haven't fitted in since I was first banded, and now those same clothes are starting to fit a little loose!!! Yeah!!! Very soon I will be wearing clothes even smaller and I'm very close to my "Less than my lowest band weight" goal!! Enjoy your time here. Everyone is always very helpful and supportive. You will likely learn more here from those of us who are already sleeved, and many others here who are at goal, than you will from your own Doctor! That is because we are the ones going through the real experience. However, it is always best to follow your Surgeons advice if you are ever conflicted. All the best to you, and I believe you will do excellent!! I love my sleeve!!!

Yes, I'm a Christmas celebrater (is that even a word? LOL) as well! My brother and his Wife are hosting our Family dinner, so that's what we'll be doing this year. It will be great! On New Year we're cooking up our annual Black Eye Peas (yum!!) and some crab... (double yum!!) I've had all my shopping done since Black Friday pretty much, with the exception of a few extra gifts bought here and there, so I'm ready to party! We're going to have a wonderful time!!! My favorite times are just enjoying family time and being together. Mini, wow - that sounds delicious!! I just might have to make some and try a bite... hehe

Hi Rizz! Yes, I *must* have it all mapped out. I notice that when I just leave it up to chance, I'll usually just not do it, or won't work as hard when I do. This keeps me motivated and doing what I'm supposed to. I also tweak it monthly so if I can do more, or longer I'm adding it. I post in on my wall in my workout room, and now I've decided to place a wall calendar next to it. I'm going to write on my calendar that I have done all my workouts - so I can look back and see my progress!! I also take all Holidays off, so I'll know if I have a free day coming up. Good luck!!!

Merry Christmas to you too my friend!!! Yes! I'm already wanting to start a new challenge thread now, but nah... I'll wait. LOL!!!

Awesome!!!! Just seeing that 2 in front of the BMI... has to be the BEST feeling!!!