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This is something I've been considering myself. I always thought I need to be at my goal of 160 before I considered it, but I'm at 179 now and there does seem to be an awful lot of skin down there. I don't think mine would be as much as 15lbs, but I'm no expert! I'm thinking about at least consulting a surgeon to price it up etc. Be interested to know other people's experiences

Guys, Thanks for all your lovely comments. You're all so kind. You had me almost welling up! Couldn't have done it without all the support found here on this forum. As regards how I did it, I guess I can only say that for the first time in my life I've been good to myself instead of treating my body badly. I just eat plenty of high Protein foods and veggies, with the odd Protein shake to add to that too. I try to keep on having lots of Water and taking my Vitamins. I low carbed it earlier in my journey, but have increased them slightly now. I still don't cook/order things like potatoes, Pasta and rice though as they really make me uncomfortably full. I've tracked my food on MyFitnessPal since the early days through the app and the site and I've found this really helps. On the exercise front, I walk EVERYWHERE and have done from early out of surgery. I used to catch the bus for a 100m walk. Now I walk miles and miles every day to work, to go meet friends, to get my shopping etc... Anything to save a fare! It's a great way to get moving. I go to the gym every now and then. I've also recently taken up a bit of running and am aiming for a 5K in March. The best advice I can give is just keep going. The journey can be rough but the pay off is so amazing. Love, Lex

Hey guys, Just thought I'd give an update on the weekend of my one year surgi-versary. I've lost 122lbs since surgery and 188lbs in total. Without a doubt, the best year of my life so far :smile1: Lex x :smile1:

Hi guys, Hope you're all doing well. I just thought I'd post some recent photos of myself now I've reached the wonderful one-derland! I'm currently 198lbs, down from a heaviest of 376lbs. I lost 66lbs with a gastric balloon before getting my sleeve in February 2011 at a weight of 310lbs. I'm so happy with my loss on the sleeve of 112lbs in ten months. :smile1: I'm down from a US size 32 to a US size 12 (UK size 16). I honestly haven't been this size since I was like 14 years old! At ten months out, things do sometimes seem to be getting harder. The weight loss is still coming but has slowed and I've contended with being able to eat more and the odd stall, not to mention people telling me I've 'lost enough weight now'. No way. I'm not stopping til I get to my goal of 160lbs and a healthy weight. I'm not going to settle for being kept in the 'fat friend zone' any more! Have a nice weekend, Lex

So glad other people are having this problem. I thought it was just me! Reading your posts has really helped. I was starting to second guess myself and what I believe is right for me. I'm sick of people telling me I "don't have another 50lbs to lose" and that I'd be "skin and bones" if I did. Once again, these comments all come from people at healthy weights. And that's all I want for myself: to be a healthy weight. I'm tall and my goal weight of 160lbs will only JUST be within the healthy weight range for my height. I could understand the concern if I was telling people that I wanted to be 120lbs at 5'8 but I'm not! I suppose I should take some of it as a compliment because people think I'm like 20 to 30lbs less than I actually am. The way I look at it is I know me better than anyone else. I know what's good for my health. Despite my family telling me I'm "a big girl" and I don't need to lose any more weight, I know that I'm actually not. I was never one of those people who got fat and round equally all over. My weight hung off me in big rolls and really stood out: an indicator that actually I don't have a naturally curvy frame. I was just fat! All I've ever wanted is to be a normal weight. I've never, ever been done it even as a child so it's frustrating that people want to stand in the way of that. To the OP - just do you. You didn't go through all of this to hold back because of other people's issues. As a side note, I just realised I have no overweight friends. I guess I always shied away from fellow overweight people because their issues hit just too close to home for me. Go figure! x

I use soy in my protein shakes, but couldn't imagine drinking it on it's own. It has a REALLY weird strong flavour. It's nothing like normal milk. It's sort of... beany? LOL, I can't even describe it. But it's all good when blended up with the shake flavourings!

I notoriously have no sense of style, but I've transformed from being that 'dress for comfort' girl to the type of woman who won't go out unless I'm wearing jewellery, a full face of make up and well-fitted clothes! Never thought that'd happen. I've experimented with a few different styles (now the options are open to me) but am settling into a more 'classic' smart casual look I guess. I'm quickly learning what styles flatter me. I'm a slave to v-necks and skinny jeans! Also, I wore a dress for the first time since I was a child last week. Me: in a dress! And instead of feeling uncomfortable, I absolutely loved it. Who knew there was a girly girl in here all along?! You all will have so much fun with it. Though there have been some faux pas already let me tell you. Easy to get carried away just because it fits!

In an instant. For me, there was only one place I was going without this surgery and it wasn't going to end well.

Hey, Not wanting to get drawn into anything, but thought I'd share my experiences. I used to love those McDonald's caramel sundaes. I got one at about 5 months out from surgery, just for a taste more than anything. After just a few spoonfuls it made me feel pretty queasy. It was way too sweet and sickly tasting and didn't sit well on my stomach at all. This is coming from someone with a pretty 'hardy' sleeve too! I think it's because I was tough on myself at the beginning about not eating anything remotely 'bad' for me, so when I do come to try junk food Snacks that I used to eat by the bucketload, I really notice how sweet or greasy or fatty they taste. I think the longer you stay away from something, the more you lose the taste for it, and I believe this is especially true with the sensitivity of the sleeve. I just thought I'd give my two cents' worth for you to consider going forward with your journey. Enjoy the glory weight loss days! PS. I really wouldn't worry about not getting your calories in so soon out. I could hardly get in any calories at all for weeks and weeks afterwards, as much as I tried. I think most people on here will tell you the same thing too. I'm 7 months out now and I still struggle sometimes to get above 1,000 a day. It didn't impede my weight loss or health in any way. Just concentrate on making yourself feel well and doing the best for you.

You didn't fail - you just hit a road bump! And let me tell you, I've been hitting them all week. I just ate way too much ice cream that I didn't even want but it was just calling out to me and then it made me feel like crap afterwards. I guess we learn from these things. It makes me want to make sure I put the damn stuff in the garbage before I'm tempted next time! You with me? I'm looking on towards a new week of no sugar and no white carbs to get back to where I need to be. x

I had this too. Disappeared after a couple of months. I was convinced it was a divot from where the missing piece of stomach had been!

I got a bra on the day after surgery as I HATE that feeling of having boobs flopping around. I had an incision on the high sternum too, but this was well covered and small so the front of the bra rested on it and caused no pain at all. Having my boobs resting on my stomach loose was WAY worse. This is total TMI, but when I first got out of bed a few hours post surgery I had nothing on but a gown and I had to lift them off of my stomach (what with all the sweat and blood stains) to even get standing. It was so much more painful!

I've been militant on getting 75 to 80+ protein a day, but still my hair loss started at about three months and continues to this day. Sometimes whole handfuls just come out. I lose a lot when brushing and washing. I've always had thick hair and been a 'shedder' but this is unreal. I've recently started on Biotin, but I guess it's just one of those things. As long as I don't get a bald spot, I can ride it out for now!