BigDaddyJoe

I just need to add another reply, because I didn't want to keep seeing that last reply show up at the top of my subscribed posts on my VST app anymore, LOL

I thought I wouldn't want to tell anyone. I only told a few people beforehand, and got tired of hearing "but you're not THAT big", or "you could do it yourself", so I stopped telling people. A few days after surgery, I woke up at 5 am, and it was bothering me that I had lied to people about why I wouldn't be around for a week, and would be lying to people if they asked how I was losing weight. So I typed up a long note explaining what I did and why I did it, what the surgery is, why I chose it over other surgeries, how I was doing, etc., and posted it on Facebook. I got a ton of support. Now, if anyone asks, I'm honest about it, and actually enjoy talking about it. I haven't gotten any negative comments, and have gotten a lot of questions because people are curious. I'm glad I decided to talk about it, but it was a very personal decision and I understand not everyone will make that same decision.

First of all, nice MINI Cooper! I had a chili red/white '03 Cooper that I had to get rid of when the third kid was on the way. Now I have a True Blue/White '12 Cooper Countryman, and love it. As far as your concerns, they are valid. Your whole relationship with food will change. I no longer enjoy eating, I do it because I need to. This is a double-edged sword. On one hand, sometimes it gets me down that I can no longer go to buffets and enjoy large meals like I did before. On the other hand, it is because of this that I have lost 80 lbs in 4 months, gotten off blood pressure medication, cured my sleep apnea, have a ton more energy, am in 34 jeans for the first time in 17 or 18 years (and probably will be in 32's soon!). I couldn't have done it by myself. I've been able to lose weight doing various diets, but was never able to sustain it. There have been times in this journey where I know I would have sabotaged myself in the past, but the sleeve wouldn't let me. For example, I was in a stall for a couple weeks, and feeling down, and just wanted Taco Bell. I got Taco Bell, and was able to eat half of a soft taco. Hardly sabotage. Before, I would have just kept eating. I say to go for it. I don't regret it. It will be an adjustment, for sure, but one for the better.

Well, I didn't let myself think that I couldn't do it. Not doing it wasn't an option, as far as I was concerned. I know people who didn't even do the pre op diet, and went out to Red Lobster the night before surgery. Needless to say, these people have not done too well with the surgery, because they obviously weren't prepared mentally to do the things they needed to do to make it work.

First of all, nice MINI Cooper! I had a chili red/white '03 Cooper that I had to get rid of when the third kid was on the way. Now I have a True Blue/White '12 Cooper Countryman, and love it. As far as your concerns, they are valid. Your whole relationship with food will change. I no longer enjoy eating, I do it because I need to. This is a double-edged sword. On one hand, sometimes it gets me down that I can no longer go to buffets and enjoy large meals like I did before. On the other hand, it is because of this that I have lost 80 lbs in 4 months, gotten off blood pressure medication, cured my sleep apnea, have a ton more energy, am in 34 jeans for the first time in 17 or 18 years (and probably will be in 32's soon!). I couldn't have done it by myself. I've been able to lose weight doing various diets, but was never able to sustain it. There have been times in this journey where I know I would have sabotaged myself in the past, but the sleeve wouldn't let me. For example, I was in a stall for a couple weeks, and feeling down, and just wanted Taco Bell. I got Taco Bell, and was able to eat half of a soft taco. Hardly sabotage. Before, I would have just kept eating. I say to go for it. I don't regret it. It will be an adjustment, for sure, but one for the better.

Thanks. We are just waiting for doctors to be ready.

Ok people. I've just read this entire thread, and came to the following conclusion: spending pages attacking someone's comments you deem to be judgmental is JUST as judgmental as you think those comments may be. If people would just give their own advice, and not comment on someone else's, no matter how you feel about it, it wouldn't turn into a flame war. Just my 2 cents.

Ok people. I've just read this entire thread, and came to the following conclusion: spending pages attacking someone's comments you deem to be judgmental is JUST as judgmental as you think those comments may be. If people would just give their own advice, and not comment on someone else's, no matter how you feel about it, it wouldn't turn into a flame war. Just my 2 cents.

Laura-ven has never been brought up in the chat room while I been on till last night. She was also in the chat room. She also answered a question from someone in the chat room.
Along the lines of people talking about other in the chat room is pretty much un true. Do we talk about some posts on the forum? Yes we do. my opinion and others opinions will not always see eye to eye.
Like Joe said above if you don't like my opinion or opinions of others skip them and move on. The people that want to argue about the opinion of someone else are the ones causing the issue. I posted my opinion and that was it. I didn't come back and post till I started feeling attacked because of my opinion. When I respond to the people attacking my opinion I did not attack the person but tried to explain my reasoning of my opinion.
We are all adults with our own opinions and outlook on different things. Just because you don't agree with what people say doesn't mean they are attacking you. I am blunt and very honest and open person. I don't tiptoe around peoples feelings. If they post a question I will answer it how I see it. Some people might find my answer rude or take it as I am attacking someone but I am not. That is your opinion about my post. Thats like me saying you are attacking me because you bought a red car and I hate red cars.
Yes do agree that a few posts were worse than others but thats my opinion. You don't see me going crazy about it.
Again my opinion. you don't need to agree with it and thats fine. But that isn't going to stop people for voicing their opinion.

Ok people. I've just read this entire thread, and came to the following conclusion: spending pages attacking someone's comments you deem to be judgmental is JUST as judgmental as you think those comments may be. If people would just give their own advice, and not comment on someone else's, no matter how you feel about it, it wouldn't turn into a flame war. Just my 2 cents.

Ok people. I've just read this entire thread, and came to the following conclusion: spending pages attacking someone's comments you deem to be judgmental is JUST as judgmental as you think those comments may be. If people would just give their own advice, and not comment on someone else's, no matter how you feel about it, it wouldn't turn into a flame war. Just my 2 cents.

Ok people. I've just read this entire thread, and came to the following conclusion: spending pages attacking someone's comments you deem to be judgmental is JUST as judgmental as you think those comments may be. If people would just give their own advice, and not comment on someone else's, no matter how you feel about it, it wouldn't turn into a flame war. Just my 2 cents.

Ok people. I've just read this entire thread, and came to the following conclusion: spending pages attacking someone's comments you deem to be judgmental is JUST as judgmental as you think those comments may be. If people would just give their own advice, and not comment on someone else's, no matter how you feel about it, it wouldn't turn into a flame war. Just my 2 cents.

Will, you've lost in record time. Why do you keep thinking you're going to fail? Probably because you have so many times in the past. Make this time different. Use this tool that is the sleeve to get the most out of it. Don't set yourself up for failure. Don't stress about the future, live in the present. Deal with what you have control over. None of us knows what the future holds. Hell, the entire US economy could crash at any time, and the paper in our pockets could be as worthless as Monopoly money, and we'd ALL be jobless. Focus on what you can control, and take it by the reins, and you can get through anything.

Ok people. I've just read this entire thread, and came to the following conclusion: spending pages attacking someone's comments you deem to be judgmental is JUST as judgmental as you think those comments may be. If people would just give their own advice, and not comment on someone else's, no matter how you feel about it, it wouldn't turn into a flame war. Just my 2 cents.

Will, you've lost in record time. Why do you keep thinking you're going to fail? Probably because you have so many times in the past. Make this time different. Use this tool that is the sleeve to get the most out of it. Don't set yourself up for failure. Don't stress about the future, live in the present. Deal with what you have control over. None of us knows what the future holds. Hell, the entire US economy could crash at any time, and the paper in our pockets could be as worthless as Monopoly money, and we'd ALL be jobless. Focus on what you can control, and take it by the reins, and you can get through anything.

And let's leave it to those responding to posts to decide what support and advice they will give and then leave it up to the OP to decide what they will listen to. We do not need to leave it up to the self appointed forum police to dictate to the rest of us.

Great job! I'm also a March sleever - was sleeved on March 8.
My stats:
Starting weight - 274 lbs
Current weight - 180 lbs
I am 10 lbs below my surgeon's goal, and trying to stop losing with varying degrees of success.
I'm attaching my before and after picture here. The after shot was from about a month ago, I'm actually 10 lbs less than that now.
Are you a member of the March Sleevers Facebook group? I created the group for a bunch of us March sleevers that were talking in a thread on here a while back. There are currently 117 members, and it's great to see people's progress who are in a similar point in their journey. It is a 'secret' group, meaning you have to be invited, and none of your friends can see your posts or even that you're a member. If you're not a member, message me your email address and I'll get an invite out to you.

The answer for me was - no.

Well, the sleeve is just a tool, it doesn't address your mental issues, and why you eat when you aren't hungry, etc.. That being said, I find I no longer really care about food, so it is much easier to concentrate on eating the right things. It has become very routine for me at this point (6 months out). I pretty much eat by the clock, 3 small meals a day, with some Snacks (cheese sticks, nuts, etc) in between the meals.

I understand fearing the unknown, but in this case, embrace it! I was sleeved 6 months ago yesterday, and I can't tell you all the positive changes this has made in my life. I am actually about 10 lbs under my doctor's goal right now. I am off blood pressure medication. I have no more GERD. I have no more sleep apnea. I no longer get winded going up a flight of stairs. I can keep up with my kids. And, I look better. I didn't tell many people about the surgery beforehand, out of fear of what they would say. I wasn't going to tell people afterwards either. However, a few days after surgery, and I woke up at 5 am and it weighed heavily on my mind. I didn't feel comfortable lying to people. I decided to come clean. Write then, at 5 am, I started writing a long letter that I posted as a note on Facebook. I explained what I had done, what the surgery is, what it isn't, why I did it, how I was feeling. I ended the letter with a warning to people who would possibly be thinking of saying something negative or cracks jokes, not to do it, it wouldn't be taken lightly. I've had nothing but positive reactions from people, saying they were proud of me for taking responsibility for my health. I get questions, because people are curious about things, and I don't mind answering them. This has been one of the best decisions I've ever made, and I have absolutely no regrets. If you're interested in reading the letter I wrote, it is in my blog on this site, one of the earlier postings. Good luck to you!

I'm 6 months out and still get it sometimes. It really depends on how low your carb intake is.

I haven't held on to any of my fat clothes, got rid of 3 garbage bags full of clothes a couple months ago, and have been accumulating a pile of get rid of clothes as I pull them out of the closet and try them on and decide they look ridiculous. I had some skinnier clothes in the attic that I'm glad I had saved. I do still have my kilt from my bagpipe band, that could count as my fat clothes. I am going to need to have it altered, so I won't have it as a reminder after that.

I haven't held on to any of my fat clothes, got rid of 3 garbage bags full of clothes a couple months ago, and have been accumulating a pile of get rid of clothes as I pull them out of the closet and try them on and decide they look ridiculous. I had some skinnier clothes in the attic that I'm glad I had saved. I do still have my kilt from my bagpipe band, that could count as my fat clothes. I am going to need to have it altered, so I won't have it as a reminder after that.

I haven't held on to any of my fat clothes, got rid of 3 garbage bags full of clothes a couple months ago, and have been accumulating a pile of get rid of clothes as I pull them out of the closet and try them on and decide they look ridiculous. I had some skinnier clothes in the attic that I'm glad I had saved. I do still have my kilt from my bagpipe band, that could count as my fat clothes. I am going to need to have it altered, so I won't have it as a reminder after that.