LilMissDiva Irene

I'm open to help, assist, butt kick, pat you on the back... all that. I absolutely believe in this tool with all my heart! It has done for me what I couldn't do for myself nor even the lap band was able to do for me either. It was the best find and I can't say enough how it's given me my life back!!! I won't say I know everything, because I DON'T! But in my career I always say, if I don't know the answer - someone else does. I'd like to open the discussion for anyone who needs someone to listen or to answer those millions of questions that come with this life altering surgery. Blessings to all!!! Your dreams are at your doorstep now with the VSG.

It always brings me such joy to watch everyone's amazing progress. I feel their joy, their pain, their elations and their satisfaction upon reaching goal because I've been there! I am such a big supporter of the sleeve because what it has done for me in my life... sometimes I feel like a human billboard for it. It's ok, I believe in it!!! Wishing you a speedy recovery on the 5th!!

Great job on the 5 Lbs!!! Wow!!! I lost in the stairstep fashion. I would gain about 2 Lbs during my TOM week. The next week I'd lose it but stay the same until the week just before TOM where I'd lose massive amounts. Sometimes even up to 12 to 15 Lbs (when I was much heavier). Before my plastic surgeries I was losing about a pound a week. I'm going to get back to that as soon as I'm healed up. HTH

Whooohoooo!!! You are now LESS than one month away from your big day!! I'm sooo excited for you!!! :Banane57: You are thinking right in trying to incorporate more healthy solutions as events to do with your friends. Kudos to you! I know how it is when any event with family or friends revolve around good food. I've always been the same way. However now that you're changing, the habits must change with you. Note one thing, this doesn't have to be forever. Just for the next year or so while you are on your losing phase, and while you won't be able to eat much anyhow. In time, at goal your sleeve will likely be at capacity and you will once again enjoy fanciful and fun meals with your family and friends. The blessing of the sleeve though is, it will still be FAR LESS consumption had you a normal stomach. You are completely normal in your thoughts... no worries. :smile1: Here's to the next month!!! When do you start your pre-op diet?

Absolutely yes! I noticed that the more water I was drinking, the more the weight was coming off. It is a real energy booster too. Staying well hydrated and I feel full of good energy and health. Bonus too, it's excellent for the skin! I've been lucky in that my skin has bounced back well, considering I've lost over 150 Lbs.

Heya Mike, welcome to the Vertical Sleeve forums!!! For me, I've always been a good Water drinker. Matter of fact I really love just plain water. I can leave the crystal lights or other drinks by the wayside. I have to force myself to drink the Powerade Zeros when I need the electrolytes, I just rather have water. I think it's just a matter of getting used to it. 64 oz is for me the bare minimum per day. I absolutely will force myself to drink up until I get to 64 oz toward the end of the day if I realize I've neglected my intake, which is pretty rare. I really like to get no less than 80 oz and prefer 128 oz which is one gallon. In my losing phase I definitely remain around 1 gallon per day. Hang in there! Please note it will be VERY difficult if you are in the majority just post op to get 64 oz in. I wasn't even able to do it until about a month out. I struggled a lot, just now it's normal though. Do your best and you'll be a-ok!

Hi there! Welcome to VST posting side. Wishing you the very best in your journey - you will be SO glad you had this done. I'm over the moon with my sleeve!!! It keeps me in check when my brain won't. LOL Looking forward to following your journey, please keep us all updated!!

!!!!! WOWWWW !!!!! HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!!! This is truly truly amazing - you are a rock star!!!

Yayyyy you!!! Welcome to the Century Club!!!

Welcome to VST :smile1: It does sound like you have a case for you to bypass the 6 month insurance guideline. I wish the very best for you, and much health to you in your future. Having the sleeve was by far the best choice I've ever made, I don't regret one single thing about it. I don't even regret the little bit of buyers remorse I had in the very beginning. It has made me who I am at this very moment - and I quite like who I've become. Read up and plenty, there are so many stories here you wouldn't believe. The sleeve has worked for thousands upon thousands of souls!

It sounds like you and I are built very similar. I have issues too being much smaller than the weight on the scale suggests. I threw all that out the window a long time ago! I'm 5'7 and right now my scale is 175 Lbs. Yet, I'm wearing sizes Small and smaller - and sizes 6-8. I can even fit some 4's though they are tight. I can imagine how small I'll be once my lipo's are completely healed. I'm working on size 0!!! I'm thinking my lipos will get me to 2-4 so I'll need to lose maybe another 10 Lbs. So far with the results I'm about right. Congrats on your successes!!! I think you've done super duper... and for what it's worth you are AT GOAL! Blessings to you and cheers to the new you!

This is exactly what I've ever heard. 25g and 30g first thing in the morning. However I've never really done a whole lot of research on it so I can't say for sure. I've always stuck to the 25g rule simply because if it is true I really don't need the extra calories anyway.

Here's the link to the "buddies/mentors" section: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/17-vsg-buddiesmentors/ Just click on the "start new topic" button HTH

I'm so excited for all of you!!! I love my sleeve, and I know you will as well!!! Whoohoo!!

Personally I don't think anything really more is needed. You STILL have your sleeve, and I don't believe it was stretched out more than it really ever could be. Have you tried the yogurt volume test? You pack your sleeve with as much yogurt as you can as quickly as you can and judge exactly how much volume your sleeve can really hold that way. I'm thinking it's not as big as you might believe. Could it be you are grazing too? You fill your sleeve then wait an hour or a little longer and fill it again? That is something we always have to look out for because doing this you will eat far more calories in the day than you are burning, of course leading to weight gain. Also, slider foods being high in fat and bad carbohydrates will lead a sleever to gain weight. The unfortunate things about these "cheats" are that no weight loss surgery will ever stop this. Only our brains will. Likely you need to just start over. Perhaps with your very next meal promise to do the right thing, pick healthy Snacks and wait at least 3 hours before each time you eat. The first few days will be tough, but once you get those cravings out of your system you should be good to go. Watch your volumes too.. definitely don't go over 3 quarter cups at any one time. Blessings and I hope you can get back on track quickly. For me, winter (Holidays) has always been the toughest time of year for me. I cannot walk or do any activities outside for it's too cold and I tend to eat foods that aren't the best for me. We are all in this together!

JoJo the feelings you have are perfectly normal and majority of everyone that has had this surgery felt some apprehension prior. You are having a very major surgery and is going to change so much of your life - of course you'll have strong feelings about it. It's just good to talk it out like you did now, and the feeling of normalcy will help all bring this into perspective. I had a little bit of this, but I can tell you this, I'm sooo glad I did it today. Having the sleeve gave me my life back!!! Thanksgiving was such an incredible freeing feeling yesterday as I was only able to eat a very little bit - so once I was finish, I wasn't in a food drunken stupor I was available to chatter with my family. It made my Holiday BETTER!!! Last Thanksgiving wasn't as good of course because I couldn't eat much at all... but this time it was probably the best T-giving I've ever had, and it's my favorite of all the Holidays. Stay strong and focused!! It is ALL WORTH IT!!!

Well that's what we're here for... that listening ear (or in this case, eyes... lol). I hope this setback resolves quickly for you and you find yourself back on the mend. BIG HUGS!!!

That's great to hear! Welcome to the losers bench! Keep healing well and drinking plenty of fluid. Getting a lot of sleep helps to heal quicker too. Blessings!

Thin and absolutely beautiful!! OMG - you look so amazing. Happy Happy Birthday to you too!! And um, you could tell us you're 34 and I'd believe it. (((hugs)))

This is just one of those subjects that hide under the rug. It comes up from time to time, but I love talking about it - because this is a real and credible phenomenon. I admit things have changed for me DRASTICALLY at work. I'm not saying I had it bad at work at all before, but seriously I'm given a lot more respect and free will. I'm given charge over others and trusted I'm going to do a good job. I also get a lot more kudos for hard work and job well done whereas before I'd save each email I got because they were so few and far between (I liked to read them...lol). I'm also invited to a lot more work conventions and am looked more to as someone who has the answers. Funny thing, I've always had them I just was never thought of as the one who did. More and more people like coming to talk to me now and men are a lot more courteous to me as well. Like, they'll let me vacate the elevator first or walk in the door first too. It never dawned on me until now, but I rarely got that before. I know one thing is true though, I'm partly responsible for the shift in attention. I'm sure "I" have a lot to do with it in that I seem more open whereas before I might have come off as a bit standoffish. I won't lie, I hated being fat!! I didn't feel good about myself. It's hard to admit that, because for me I always liked to appear stronger than I was. It was a defense mechanism I learned when I was very young to protect myself. But now that I've lost all the weight, my self esteem has risen maybe by a million points! I'm sure lots will think I shouldn't have been that way, but it's the truth. One thing I've learned is that I can never escape from the truth. It will be interesting to see others points of view on this subject. Well wishes on your surgery!! You're having it on my Birthday!! Whooot! :cheers2:

Thanks Becca, sometimes I forget this little fact. :smile1: It's just amazing what this sleeve does for us!

Wow!!! Are you sure you read that label right? Like, it wasn't an 18 instead of 28 right? Anyhow, I admit the sleeve has saved me on so many occassions. It's just so nice to recognize this and realize I made the right choice! Great!!

Well, I can tell you this - I'm working on my 15th month out and I'm still able to lose weight. :wink1: I don't know why some Dr's like to force that kind of scare tactic on their patients. I'm sure he has his reasons, but I've always preferred to be the exception rather than the rule! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi MsLady! It's nice to see you're doing well! Yes, I felt that chest pain too - it's quite normal. Mine lasted a few weeks even after they removed the drain. Make sure you take a deep breath when they remove it. It feels weird... LOL You're doing great! You are in excellent hands too!

Wow, excellent advice! I can't add much more - except that if you won't change the habit of grazing, you'll likely have issues down the line. That is a way to cheat the sleeve and though you will more than likely post much better weight loss results than you did with your band ( I know I was previously banded ) once you get over a certain thresh hold, its much easier to graze and eat more. That said, I used to be a grazer too when I was banded. I think when it's hard to eat like with the band, your brain goes a little crazy and convinces you to eat unhealthy. I was able to break this habit, so it is possible. :smile1: HTH