sara.rn

Thanks for posting CGJ! I only need to work on food. You'd think it would be easy. I just need to suck it up and cut the crap. Ugh

"Happy tears" I should have said in the title......
So I had my sleeve surgery in Sept of 2013 and reached my initial goal pretty quickly, maybe in 10 months. Then I realized that my "dream goal" was within reach. So I pushed a little further and eventually reached my "dream goal" of 125 pounds, which is about 155 pounds lost. It's been a crazy journey and I couldn't have done it without entering therapy with an amazing therapist to deal with my "food issues" which really aren't "food issues" if you know what I mean.
Anyway, I was approved about 6 weeks ago for a abdominoplasty & panniculectomy and a quick week and a half or so later was in surgery. It's been a struggle since then because I don't think I was quite prepared for the difficult recovery. Or maybe I just wanted it so badly I dismissed what I was hearing. Anyway. All is good now.
I had my 1-month post-op check up yesterday and my surgeon cleared me to start running again (YAY...not that I feel that I could yet...but...YAY) and said he was super pleased with how my incision was healing. Up until this point I had dermabond tape over my incision and I had to keep it "dressed" (covered in bandages and taped up) with binder on top. Everytime I showered or changed my dressing I made it a point not to look in the mirror because I kind of wanted a big reveal, you know? So at the appointment he removed everything and said I was good to go. Side note: I will still wear my binder for a bit longer because he had a LOT of ab muscle repair to do and I still feel pretty weak and just weird in there because sometimes I can feel the internal stitches poking a bit according to him, "because I'm so thin"....which is SO strange to hear someone say about me. Weirdest ever.
Anyway....so I rushed home, ran up to my bedroom to the full length mirror, took off my clothes and stood in the mirror crying my eyes out. It's so freaking amazing not to have all of that extra hanging skin there reminding me of who I used to be, and how I used to basically abuse myself with food. I couldn't believe it was me I was looking at. Totally overcome with emotion. I will always have a faint scar, and I'm glad because I never want to completely forget where I was lest I go back, but what a mental change for me to have that "excess baggage" gone. For the first time I "feel" thin.
I'm not brave enough to post before/after pics yet. I want the scar to heal a bit more. The surgeon said he take the 'after" pic at the 3 month appointment, so maybe then I'll post them. But for now..... I'll let you all have a peek at my new little belly button. It used to be a freaking canyon.....seriously..... Just this alone is such a confidence booster and change.
this whole journey has just been freaking amazing and now i need to figure out how just to maintain. No losing, no gaining.....just stay put.

I am 3 years out and maintaining a major weight loss (I went from 308, got as low as 140 and am hanging out in the mid 150s right now).
Anyway, I have been having more trouble with hunger, cravings etc and I think it has alot to do with my boys living at home again so I have food in the house that calls my name (bread, potatoes, sometimes junk food) again. Also, I am steady dating someone and for reasons i cannot grasp, that seems to be fattening - well, I am not going out dancing and stuff as much as I used to. Final issue is that I am suffering some physical issues that have interferred with my working out so i thought it would be good to get a tune up with a good NUT.
I think we talked through a couple of areas of improvement - you guessed it going back to basics! I have gotten out of the habit of focusing on hydration for example. They are now saying 64-100 oz of Fluid consumed at least 30 minutes post meal.
She said i eat more quantity than she thinks a typical sleever should be able to eat. I don't measure, but I eat from a small side plate so i am not sure about that, but it is true i can eat a good sized salad etc.
Anyway, the thing I learned that i thought was very interesting is she had a model of the sleeve tummy which is shaped like a banana. the "stretch" receptors are at the bottom and the top of the sleeve. So, I always eat Protein first, but I don't always LITERALLY eat protein first. Example, a salad with salmon on it - i have the salmon chopped up into the salad. She has suggested that I eat at least half the salmon first, before any lettuce because that "dense protein" will hit that receptor much firmer and I will feel more satiated. So, LITERALLY eat protein first and then eat the veggies, greens etc. I think I used to do that quite carefully, but i eat a lot of mixed foods now (salad with meat in it, egg dish with veggies and low fat turkey sausage mixed in it etc). I will try this.
She also really recommends the mini meals every 3 hours - so 5 mini meals. She said that if you get overly hungry, you can often eat and then maybe 1-2 hours later you are hungry again (and repeat) - referred to it as the boomerang effect. I am not sure about this one, during the weight loss phase I ate 4 mini meals. I have done 5:2 and found that the fasting can reduce appetite (as well as other health benefits of fasting). I am skeptical on this one.
Since I am struggling a bit through the holidays, and no way am I successful at 5:2 right now, I am going to try following her advice.
So, 3 years out as of Dec 11 - and so very pleased with my results and life with a sleeve!

My current dilemma is whether or not to have an arm lift done. In August I had an abdominoplasty, breast lift & augmentation, and Lipo, which ended up being great- I am a fan of plastic surgery. In November I have a groin incision thigh lift scheduled, however I have been back and forth on the brachioplasty. I am afraid of the scars. Everything else I’ve had done can be hidden under a bathing suit, but those scars are not easily hidden and even with excellent scar therapy, they will be visible to some extent.
So, for those of you who have had an arm lift, do you regret it at all? Do you prefer having the scars over the wings?
I have always had fat arms….in college, when I was normal sized before I gained and lost a few hundred pounds over the course of 10 years, someone called me “the flying squirrel”, and my arms weren’t even that bad then! I am worried that I might be trading one cosmetic deformity for another and I don’t want to end up being even less attractive than I started out as! I know this sounds like I am insecure, but ok, I am, and I’m kind of shallow…I like feeling attractive. The thing is, I can’t decide if wings or scars are the lesser evil.
Also…one last thing. These will be the only scars that anyone can see. Very few people know I’ve had the other procedures done. For those of you who have had an arm lift, or plastic surgery that a lot of people know about, was anyone super judgey about it?
Thank-you for your thoughts!

Ok I finally have my plastic surgery scheduled for June 24th! I'm going to be having a full Tummy Tuck, breast lift with augmentation( he's going to run the incision along the side of my boob as well because I used to have side fat which is now hanging skin) and also getting my arms done! I'm soo excited and can't wait till the day comes!! This was a shock as I didn't know how I would be able to afford it... My 5 year anniversary was Tuesday and my husband gave me a card with the exact amount of money for the procedure in it and said go get your surgery honey !!! I cried I was soo happy!!

I was sleeved on 11/26, my starting wt 266, i'm now 180, down 86. My life has completely changed, I have so much energy and I'm enjoying doing things I've never been able to do. I've even signed up to run a half marathon in Feb 2014

I was sleeved on 11/26, my starting wt 266, i'm now 180, down 86. My life has completely changed, I have so much energy and I'm enjoying doing things I've never been able to do. I've even signed up to run a half marathon in Feb 2014

Being sad is totally normal, For me food was a major part of my life, after surgery I had to find new ways to make myself happy. 7 months out I enjoy getting out and doing fun things that I could never do before surgery. Whenever I feel sad, I put on a pair of preop jean and see how much I have really changed. It is so much fun to go shopping now, I have to work extra because I finally love to shop

I have lost 55. My weight loss has almost went to a halt for 2 mos but that is my own fault. Just started the gym a week ago so these pics should get better and better.

Just got a call from Dr Evanson's office. They just submitted my packet to the Insurance Company. YAY!
They said it could take up to two weeks to get a reaponse- i hope to hear before then.... Wish me luck!!

I got my surgery date.......June 7, 2013 at 11:00 am. Whoooo Hoooo!!!!

Hi I'm from Indy I had my surgery 5 months ago with Dr. Cacucci at St. Vincent. She was wonderful!!! So far I've lost 80lbs.

Hi I'm from Indy I had my surgery 5 months ago with Dr. Cacucci at St. Vincent. She was wonderful!!! So far I've lost 80lbs.

I have the same problem. My weight loss seems to slow down for a few days, then I loose. My weight really stalls when I work to many 12 hr night shifts in a row. Our NICU unit is the same, there is always food around from both staff and families. It really makes it hard.

Hi November Sleevers
My name is Sara, I'm a 32y/o nurse who will have surgery on Nov 26!!! I'm so excited to have surgery!!!

Hi November Sleevers
My name is Sara, I'm a 32y/o nurse who will have surgery on Nov 26!!! I'm so excited to have surgery!!!

Hi November Sleevers
My name is Sara, I'm a 32y/o nurse who will have surgery on Nov 26!!! I'm so excited to have surgery!!!