MoniqueA97

Ive been "lurking" on this forum for weeks, and I appreciate all of the input from all of the great people out there. I have been through it all trying to decide on the right procedure. At first I was all about the lap band, but through lots of research I've decided on the sleeve, and mine is scheduled for three days after christmas. I'm 5'10 male and weigh 256. Ive had a lot of trouble with my weight over the last 5 years or so. Oh, and I happen to be a doctor.
I guess the thing that is bothering me the most is the fact that I have always had a very large appetite, and I simply can't fathom the change that is supposed to happen there and I can't quite get my mind around the change that my surgeon is saying will happen after the surgery. I can't seem to imagine a time where food is no longer a driving force in my life?
So my first question is this : for all people that have had the sleeve at least three months, are you finding that your changed relationship with the way you think about food - is this at all a source of sadness in your life? Do you look at what other people are eating and wish that you could go back to enjoying food like that (and occasionally in those quantities?) Do you sit down to a restarant meal with friends or family and wish that you didn't have to eat in such a "wierd" manner that surely must draw attention to you? Do other people find that the way you eat now is strange? Does it in any way affect your dining experience? The way my surgeon says it, it's like a switch goes off, and food just simply is not as important to you as it once was. He told me it's like trying to tell a guy (sorry if this is crass, ladies) that after a surgery he is simply just not going to be nearly as interested in sex any more - it's such a natural part of our lives and thought processes, that you simply cannot prepare for how your mind changes after the surgery. He says that you simply wake up after the operation a different person when it comes to food. Do you guys find this to be accurate? I know that was actually a lot of questions, but I have not seen these types of subjects on this forum.
The most important preop question of all in my opinion is,
For all of you who have had the surgery at least 6 months ago, would you really, truly do it all over again?

For me this is somewhere that I have not been in 29 years!!!!
THIS MORNING................ 199.8!!!!!!!
Thank you so much Sleeve, I could not have done it without you!!!

I love the nsvs! This truly is the best thing I've done for myself! I remember this time last year just feeling so defeated by my weight and so so very scared to do this sugery! I'm so glad god gave me the strength to finally go through with it! It's crazy what a huge difference just a year makes!

Good for you!
I love the biscuit comment lol
I'm almost 8 weeks out and these are my NSVs:
knee and ankle pain is gone
back doesn't hurt
I sleep through the night without getting up to go to the bathroom two or three times
jeans that I've had for a year, that used to fit like leggins, actually fit like jeans!
I also can't wait to add new things to this list

Lost 130 pounds
Height- 5'9
Pre op- 305
Right now- 170
Goal- 160
Age- 27
Wearing a size 10 pants and medium shirt
Weigh less then my husband
Wore high heels all night
I can wear sexy lingerie with out feeling like a pooped open biscuit can!
O yes all the cute cloths!
I can move around so much easier
No more pcos so when I'm ready to have a baby I won't worry about not getting pregant!
Getting my social life back
Feeling pretty again
Sex is so much more fun now that I can get in different positions ????
I'm sure there are tons more just can't think of them right now! I'm so glad I did this for myself best thing I have ever done!
Feel free to share your wonderful nsvs!!!

I'm not telling anyone. Just my husband knows. My kids are 5 and 8 and I don't want to scare them. I'm not close with my family and I hardly speak to them as it is, so that's that.
I may tell certain friends down the line, but we'll see. For now, there's no reason for them to know.

I am selective about who I tell and I feel that this is my right and that no one is entitled to know every detail of my life unless I'm comfortable sharing it. There is nothing wrong with you assuming the same right. I agree that you can't untell someone and I'm glad I didn't tell everyone because I know how hard this is and if I decide that I'm going to tell someone, I am going to tell them the whole thing including how hard the process was and this is (and I seriously may strangle someone who tells me it's easy). Prior to my surgery though, the smallest group of people knew because I'd made my decision and I didn't need anyone's judgments one way or the other.

My husband knows, and that is it for now. When I am officially approved, I will tell my mother. I am almost 40, and I do not want to hear anyone's comments good or bad. My mom will be mad and worried, but I have to tell her as I will need her to watch my kids the day of surgery.

I haven't had surgery, doing all my pre-op testing...Terrible mistake I made was telling my older sister that is also overweight and suffering from hbp about the vsl ...No support, all she did was scream and yell over the phone...She said yhat surgery is not an option ... Also spoke to one of my sister-in-law and she just gave me all the complication and problem that can happen...smh,like seriously I don't know this!! I told my husband and he supports me...With that said Keep it to yourself!

I did exactly that, I told my wife and no one else. For some reason almost everything I do is picked apart incessantly by members of my family and I KNEW I HAD to do this and did not want to put up with he hassle or arguments. We have no kids so there was no issue there.
When I told them post-op they were all mad, despite them all being overweight and familiar with the issues of obesity, my sister had also had a duodenal switch bypass herself and lost and regained most of her weight.
Do what YOU want to do, this is YOUR decision.

My philosophy on telling something like this is that if you feel you made the wrong choice by not telling then you can always tell someone later on when you're 100% sure that your ready, but you can never "untell" someone.

It's your business. I haven't told a lot of people because I don't want gossip. It's my business. I'm working hard with my diet. You have to do what's best for you.

No one knows your family and your situation better than you do. If you feel like telling them would be a mistake, then it probably is. There are some people in my family I have chosen to tell, and others I have not. This is my personal journey, and I only want positive people involved.

I had a hernia repair and a duodenal polyp removed and scar tissue removed during surgery. This is true, this is also what I told everyone. My parents and husband and son know that I also had the sleeve. I worked very hard pre-op and lost 10 pounds a month during the pre approval phase. By the time I had surgery and afterwards, everyone was used to the fact that I was shrinking.
You are on a high Protein, low carb diet, if you are following the plan now by charting your food, Water, and doing what you are suppose to be doing pre-surgery, there is no reason you have to tell anyone you do not want to tell. There's a good chance you will find out before surgery that you will also have a hernia repaired. It seems to me that a lot of us end up having it. Most people find out during the pre-op that there is a hernia and that gets taken care of during surgery.
The truth doesn't always set you free, sometimes the truth allows others to be judgmental and causes too much stress. You do what makes you feel comfortable.

I appreciate the support. As someone who has not been sleeved yet, this is exactly why I visit this site - it helps take away some of the anxiety for a procedure that is permanent but so necessary. Thank you!

My boobs are very saggy and much smaller than they were pre-surgery. My vaginal area isn't noticeably saggy. My butt is saggy. It is all rather unappealing but I looked terrible naked when I was fat too. At least now I look good in my clothes. My husband used to love my big boobs and hasn't complained once about my new body. He will take the ability to, pardon me, bend me like a pretzel over the way my body used to be.

Before and after :-) best decision of my life!!

It depends on a few things, like insurance requirements, etc.
If you lose a bit Before, you will be healthier for surgery and lower the risk if complications.
I'm trying to retrain my brain about food before surgery. I want to get used to eating consciously, smaller portions and because I'm hungry, not because I'm experiencing emotions. I'm also trying I NEVER have seconds. It's just unhealthy. I'm also learning that it REALLY DIES take 15 minutes for your brain to realize your hunger is satisfied.
I think that I would be setting myself up for depression if I waited until after surgery to make any changes at all. It would be too rude of an awakening for me

First pics are from the night before surgery 3/12/12 and the middle pics are from August I believe, and the 3rd pics are from last week. 260lbs-182 lbs so far!

I cannot believe it, I'm one year out from my sleeve surgery. I remember my doctor told me this would happen. Last night I moved my SIZE 6 dress pants into my closet!!!! Even though my doctor said it would happen, that I would get down this small, in the back of my mind I had my doubts. But I'm here! I did it and according to my doctor, I'm not finished. He says I should/WILL get down one more size into a 4. Absolutely, freaking, fantastic!!!

Well tomorrow will be one year to the day and I have to say that I am a new gal, I was not expecting the results that I have had. I feel wonderful and would not change anything that I have done. i waited a while to have this done debating on if this was right for me. I deliberated would this be right and I now which I had not waited on this. I started out over 300 lbs. when I got the process started. I had my surgery and started loosing. I have changed lifestyle choices on food and exercise. I have not been one to count all the Protein and calories etc. but I have made choice on how I eat and this is the best way I have done this. I exercise on a regular bases now and it is not the hard workout but enough to get the blood flowing. I can officially say that I am half the woman I was. I have lost exactly one half of what I weighed when I started this process. If you have reservation or trying to decide about this surgery I would highly recommend it to all who need a new start on life. I have been given a new chance ...

ok if anyone has been reading my postings it shows how down ive been about my new stomach and my success. well i spoke to my nut today and told her whats been going on and she looked at my stats and said i am doing great. she says the average weight loss for sleeve is 30lbs in 3 months and im down 29lbs in 2 months. she also said to hide the scale because i obess with it daily.
so for those that feel like it aint working, its working. i feel so much better now that i spoke to her.
also i know we are here to support each other but some folks can be very judgemental and thats not cool. no one here is perfect and to come down on someone here is not nice. its cool to suggest and give positive advice but some ppl here are like police patrol. so before you are quick to judge anyone think about where you came from and ask yourself have you had any struggles, some ppl vent here because they have no one else to talk to and the last thing a person needs is someone judgeing them. i just wanted to say that.

This surgery amazes me everyday. I am almost 70

[ATTACH]6354[/ATTACH]
pounds down and feeling great. My three week stall did not even phase me bc of the great advice I have received from this forum. Over halfway to my goal

i will admit when i first got this surgery i complained real bad i cried so bad u can even look here in the forum i had a horrible rant but this is for all the people with regrets its so worth is i was sleeved sept 24th and today im so happy my knees don't hurt i have so much energy im off my cholesterol medicine i have a ways to go but ill get there i thank god for this chance please rely on god to guide u threw this time because yes its hard i love u guys everybody keep up the good work