TinaMari

Ladies, Thanks for your response. I truly understand what your going through. If WLS is right for you, by all means go for it! I just wanted to target those individuals who did not put any thought into WLS and what it truly encompasses. Post-op is truly a journey but well worth it when necessary. Good luck to the both of you~!

So, I’ve read various posts about regretting the journey that sleevary (yes I’ve created a word) brings. However, do some of you fully regret being sleeved or are you impartial to it? For instance, my journey to sleevary was quick fast and in a hurry. I never considered having WLS. In fact, I was one of “those” individuals whom laughed at the very idea of WLS and even said “I’d never do that”. Until June 2011 hit and I was diagnosed with Diabetes. That is when I said I HAVE to take control of my health and weight and must be proactive about it. And proactive I was. I was dieting, exercising and losing weight. Until, my cousin told me about a WLS forum. I attended not thinking anything of it. And the surgeon announced the fact that WLS reversed diabetes. Instantly, I said “sign me up”. I did not hesitate nor did I think about it. My insurance had a short process – 3 months, and since I had a comorbid disease the doctor said I would be approved. I did my research and sure enough it was proven in the research that WLS fully reversed diabetes. So literally, less than three months from my first WLS forum, I was on an operating table getting sleeved. I did minimum research, I knew about the risks, but to me, being diabetes-free far outweighed any leaks or any other complications. July 17, 2012 I’m sleeved. Told no family members, coworkers or anyone and went through the recovery process by myself. Thankful to God, I had no complications (and still do not have any). It’s January 2013 and I’m down 91lbs thanks to my sleeve and exercise (I’ve been a gym rat). 91lbs Horray!! One would be ecstatic right!? I look good (like a new person), I feel good, and best of all I’m diabetes FREE. After all, that was my goal for sleevary… Right!? Absolutely. One would think I’d be living the high life, I’m no longer classified a “big girl” I don’t have to shop at Ashley Stewart or in the plus size section(s). I should be happy. Shouldn’t I!? Well, I’m not. And here’s why… I can barely eat. I throw up sometimes but it’s very minimal. I feel most foods going down my esophagus, and although it doesn’t hurt it is uncomfortable. I can’t enjoy basic foods anymore…! Am I miserable? Am I unhappy? Absolutely not. I was never a food junky. However, do I believe I should have and could have lost this 91lbs without being sleeved? Certainly!! So why did I do this to myself!? Why did I take away 85% of my stomach? And now I can’t even enjoy the simple things in life... I can’t go out to eat with friends or on a date to a restaurant with a cute guy or participate in work functions that involve food because it’s embarrassing to be full off of three bites and have everyone sit and stare and wonder what’s wrong with her!? There’s just so many “normal” things that you just cannot be a part of post sleevary -- like enjoying a full slice of pizza, or popcorn at the movie theater (granted NOW I can eat popcorn but a month ago forget about it, pizza not so much) or how about a bagel with cream cheese or a full sandwich (and I’m not talking about a gigantic 12in sub just a measly homemade sandwich with two slices of bread), or how about indulging in thanksgiving dinner or eating a snickers candy bar without feeling stuffed or eating more than 1 egg or to have to chew EVERYTHING to a paste-like consistency before you swallow. The list goes on… Two of my friends know about my sleeve, and one is overweight. She is so excited to be sleeved and I told her if you do not have any medical problems it is not worth everything that you are giving up. Sure, you are skinny but is it worth the basic joys of life!? To some it is. To others it is not. To me, a person formerly (I love that word) living with a horrid debilitating disease YES it’s worth it! With that being said, I DO NOT regret my sleeve. And I thank God that I have not and prayerfully will not in the future have any complications. I just caution those whom are out there to try to lose weight naturally (unless you have severe health problems) and truly think about whether the sleeve is worth you losing your basic liberties (whatever they maybe)…! But, I can and will say. I love my sleeve. I love my surgeon and I love God for allowing me to become insulin and finger prinking free! However, I do wish that I would have taken control of my health BEFORE I became diagnosed with diabetes. Had I had any inkling that I was even close to that diagnosis of that dreadful disease (and I don’t care what people say, IN MY OPINION, that disease is like being diagnosed with HIV it is just awful – don’t even get me started on how life altering living as a diabetic is and how depressed I was… Ugh!) I would have ran to the nearest gym and stopped all the ice cream and soda (because that’s all I used to eat) cold turkey!! All I am saying is… Think about it! Truly, sit down and think about whether being sleeved is right for YOU! If it is, WELCOME TO THE LOSERS BENCH!!! If it isn’t, WELCOME TO THE LOSERS BENCH ALSO!!! You can do whatever you put your mind too! Persevere and rise to the challenge. God Bless you all~!!!! I love my VST-Family. SmoochieS~! TinaMari – Sleeved & Loving It July 17, 2012 – Washington Hospital Center.

That's crazy. I ate a salad two weeks post op and I had no issues at all. In fact, the lettuce went down easier than other foods for me. Everyone is different. I've noticed that I haven't had half of the issues others have had on this forum. Hence of why I've had no food restrictions since Day 8 post op !

These aren't considered slider foods...? Slider foods as those that go down easy yet they lack nutrition. It varies for everyone but like someone else stated slider foods are: ice cream, milk shakes, potato chips, Cookies, cake, juices loaded with sugar, etc.

First off, let me say I LOVE the title of your post. lol. Anyway, that's a bunch of bull. The first dental office is fraudulent. They knew exactly what they were doing and how dare they accept payment on your behalf knowing damn well they haven't spoken to you. The audacity!!! Furthermore you need to submit a complaint to the better business bureau and tarnish their reputation by letting your story be heard on any and every website possible. That is absolutely unacceptable. I am pissed off for you. That dental office has balls the size of watermelons and lets not even mention the amount of time that has been wasted because of their incompetence!!! Bastards !

What kind of vitamin deficiency? I'm definitely going to have a talk with my doctor about this.

I'm having the exact same issues! I too noticed it when driving. When I'm on the highway, I can barely read the signs until I'm very close to it. I can't see a license plate number to save my life and I can't read street signs anymore. It's crazy. I wonder wth is going on! I'm guessing I'm going to have to get contacts. And yes, it is scary. I pray it gets better. Hopefully, this is all temporary!

Why don't you like condoms?

Oops. I mean this AM I was able to use one of my supplies!

Lol!! Thanks gals! Luckily I've always kept tampons and pads in my bathroom and glove compartment. I always thought about the "just in case" factor. Even though "it" never came! Lol. So this AM I was able to use one of my supplies. I have always with wings. Hope that's a good brand. We'll see. I wasn't sure how to put it on like which direction... There's a wider part that I figured should go towards the back and the smaller in the front. I hope that's right..? Lol. I'll look into the heating pads as well. I took Tylenol extra strength a few minutes ago. Hopefully it will work Bc these cramps are no joke. I planned on going shopping today but I don't want to walk around feeling like this. Your right this is a NSV! Whoohoo. And omg 72 days of bleeding. Sheesh! Your a trooper. I'm praying this doesn't last longer than 7 days. Lol. Thanks again!!!!

I like EAS as well. The only issue is the smaller bottles only have 17g of protein. I'd prefer to drink as little as possible and still get in my protein requirements. Has anyone ever tried premier protein shakes? They have 30g of protein in 1 11oz can. I really want to try it but I don't have a costco membership. Waah!

Why do u have to use two?

Hi ladies! Thursday, I started having these terrible stomach pains. I couldn't figure out what the problem was then I thought perhaps It's diarrhea. So I went to the bathroom and low and behold BAM it all came out like a ton of bricks. However, my stomach continued to have pain so I have in an out of the bathroom all day at work. I then started to worry Bc I knew something wasn't right. I looked up the leak signs and I didn't have any of those besides the stomach pains. So I figured it wasn't that. I continued to sit on the toilet and waste continued to come out. Then I realized. Omg I've felt this feeling before! But I couldn't remember what the feeling was. I just equated it to having terrible diarrhea. I knew I was backed up and havent gone #2 in quite a while. Yesterday I went to the bathroom and I wiped myself and saw blood on the toilet paper but still didn't think anything of it. My panties were dark so although I could tell there was something wet in them I couldn't see what color it was so I honestly thought I hadn't wiped myself good enough after going #2. I know tmi! Sorry. I took a shower and took some pepto bismol and stomach pains went away. 2AM this morning, I wake up to stomach pains. Which I realize are cramps! Again I'm still thinking I have To go #2 and it mus be stuck in my intestine so I planned on taking milk of magnesia this AM to wipe it out. I roll over deal with the pain and go to sleep. I wake up at 7AM. And I feel like I have to go urinate. I get up and as I'm walking to the bathroom I feel something comin out of my vagina. I start to panick thinking something is wrong with my kidney Bc I'm gettin ready to urinate on myself and I can't hold it. I reach the toilet pull my undies down and there it is..... The cycle!!! Omg. I can't believe I have my period. I've only had one period in my life and it was in jan of 2008. I have pcos and I'm 26 years old so i really don't know anything about this stuff. I was supposed to go on Bc to regulate it but I really didn't want to take it so I refused. Then my dr told me that I should reconsider Bc not having a period naturally isn't good for me and it can potentially cause cervical cancer and infertility. Fearful of becoming infertile i figured I would start Bc next year. I wanted to focus on losing weight this year and not have some pill hold me back. (I heard Bc could potentially make u gain weight). Plus I never wanted a period anyway. I found it and still find it to be disgusting. Lol. But if I have to go through this to be a mom I'm willing to do it. Anyway, I so happy I got my period. I was sleeved on July 17 and am 60lbs down. My sleeve has already reversed my diabetes and now it's working on my pcos!!! I'm so grateful. Glory to be to God. Thank you lord. I'm so happy to know that I am officially ovulating and shedding the lining or whatever the medical terminology is called. Lol. So my question is does anyone know the direct correlation between going #2 and your period? I swear I thought I was having a s*it attack. Lol. I love my sleeve! It's changing my life and reversing my health problems. Prayerfully it will do the same for YOU!! Thanks for "listening"!

I had surgery July 17th. Have only had 1 period in my entire life in Jan 2008. Was diagnosed with pcos. Period came yesterday!!! Ive never wanted a period so I never took my doctors advice and got on birth control. But then I started to worry when he told me I could potentially get cervical cancer and not having a period could cause infertility. The infertility part scared me the. Let Bc I do want to be a mother some day so I planned to get on Bc next year. I figured I would focus on losing weight first. But low and behold my period is here! I'm down 60lbs and it's here. My stomach is cramping and everything. Even though I hate this "process", I'm so excited to have had it come naturally because Really want to be a mom someday. Prayerfully, it won't last longer than 7 days and hopefully with continued weight loss I will be able to reverse this terrible pcos! Ugh. Btw: I'm 26.

Thanks Everyone! I am extremely backed up. I haven't gone in over a week and I took the stool softener (colace) last week. Im popping gas x but it's not really working. I just sat on the toilet and I felt something trying to come out but it won't. Ugh!! I can't sit on the toilet all day. So I think I may have no choice but to try the fiber option someone suggested. I hope it gets better. I didn't know you shouldn't go more than two days without a BM! I'll keep that in mind. Thanks again!

SO yesterday when I got to work my stomach started to cramp. I ignored it but then it got bad. So I was a bit worried when i realized I felt this kind of feeling before. It's the same kind of feeling I had before surgery when I needed to go #2. Now ive barely been going #2 since surgery. Doc said to take a stool softener. Did it and it was crazyyyyyy. Now I've literally been on the toilet since yesterday!!! My stomach hurts. It goes back and forth from hurting to not hurting well it aches. But i dont feel like I have anymore waste left in me. Im sitting on the toilet just waiting and I can't pass gas either. What can I take to cure my aching tummy? Could this be a sign of a leak? Help!

Say whaaaaat!! Your sleeve was only 18k!!? I had my sleeve done at the Washington Hospital Center in July... Hospital bill came in the mail and I almost fainted... $46,000.00!! Can't recall the exact figure. Thank God for insurance. Are you seeing a doctor in the DMV for plastics?

Who is your insurance carrier? Pleaseeeeeeeee say BCBS federal!!! lol.

My friend did medifast and she looks phenomenal!!! It has the same concept as nutrisystem.

Fish fish fish! Salads also work well for me at restaurants. Of course there can't be a bunch on ingridients added to it but overall, lettuce goes down way easier than other food items. I have the same issues with certain foods getting stuck in the top of my throat. I'm forced to throw them up as well. Good luck to you! I hope you enjoy your vacation~!

Personally, I do NOT think it will be a dead give-away. A lot of people do not even have the thought of WLS on their brains. I only told 3 people. And those 3 people were apart of my "home nursing" team. My family does not even know. Including my own mother. My co-workers are not snotty but they love to gossip and I knew darn well that telling anyone I even had surgey would be a gamble. Of course my supervisor knew I was out for surgery but she didn't know what kind of surgery. You DO NOT have to disclose the type of surgery your having to your HR dept. It is your privacy. As long as you have the proper documentation from your doctor you should have no issues with taking the time off. Everyone was wondering what I was doing during my two weeks of "vacation" and I just said relaxing. Again, it's none of their business! I had surgery on July 17th and I'm down 58lbs. I've only had a couple of people come up to me and say "you've lost a lot of weight". Of course they ask what kind of plan I'm on and I keep it simple... Lots of exercise, high Protein, low carb diet. Like someone else said, that is not lying. Your just skipping a "minor" detail. lol. It is what it is. As far as going out to eat in the car... Unnecessary to me. Why should you inconvience yourself like that!? First off, that's going to get old and secondly it's going to draw attention to yourself. Who REALLY does that!!? Not a lot of people. What you can do is choose to eat lunch at a later time or at a time when a lot of people aren't in the kitchen area or whereever you eat. When I came back to work, I was still on my liquid diet. In fact I rolled up to work with bottles of Clear Liquids. Noone said anything and I didn't bring attention to myself. I sipped sipped sipped and called it a day! Whatever eating stage your on, it's just not that serious to go hide in a corner and eat. Your eventually going to be eating regular foods just smaller portions. For the time being you can eat whereever whenever and just say your on a liquid diet or whatever kind of diet. After all, if all they see you eating is applesauce or apple juice their going to think you lost the weight by being on a crash diet. I think if your the type of person who goes to work to work and is not there to make friends and spread your business (there's lot of women at my job who do this) for extra attention you should not feel obligated to tell anyone anything about your personal decisions. It's personal and if you do not feel comfortable or do not want to hear negative comments or be the topic of discussion you should hold your head up high and continue to keep YOUR SECRET!!! Good luck to you!