AvaFern

So, almost 2.5 years at goal, it finally dawned on me that I need to move the seat up in the car. I've been stretching my leg to reach the pedal and hunching over to reach the steering wheel for more than 2.5 years. Yesterday, the lightbulb went off. With nearly 120 lbs. gone, I'm not so padded on the back side and I have to move the seat up to compensate. Doh! Much more comfortable driving now.
Lynda

I am at about 85 pounds down and I was not very happy with the girls either. I have an augment and lift scheduled for the end of this month. I wasn't sure if I wanted to have implants or not, but they apparently help round things out at the top of the breast, while a lift does not. Ultimately the surgery is not much more expensive to have the implants included at the time of the lift, so I figured...why not.
Also, my doctor works with a lot of reconstruction breast cancer patients and he assured me that detection with implants placed under the pectoral muscles is no more likely to miss breast cancer than would be the case without augmentation.
Good luck to you!

I can say with certainty that the post-op diet would not have worked without the surgery. I have only been successful because I cannot physically eat anymore than a certain amount. There have been times where I've had a bad day and I really just wanted to sit down with some junk in front of the tv and pig out. With the sleeve, that isn't possible and I tend to get super sick when I eat more than I should or anything extra fatty or sugarey. In the past I could easily eat all of these things so there was no control in place. If you are going to technically follow the diet to the letter, never eat more than you're supposed to, or anything that is off the diet...then yes, the surgery really doesn't matter. I think most of our problem is though that we can't eat that small amount of food without having the surgical tool in place and the surgery ended up being a kind of last resort.

When I started this journey, I was determined to win yet dreaded my lowest weight reached after multiple failed diets which was 241lbs. I had reached that weight at least 3 times over the last 6 years only to balloon back up +50lbs. Well yesterday, I weighed in at 237 and it felt so surreal as I had only dreamt of being in the 230s. Now that it's become a reality, I am stunned, happy and slightly nervous but I know this tool is working and I am determined. I still have 62lbs to reach my first goal weight but am super happy to have lost the 55 so far in less than 3 months. The best thing that could have happened. My lab work came in with great results last week: pre diabetes - gone; blood sugar - normal; cholesterol - down to normal....and the list goes on. Happy Sunday to all!

I had my surgery on 9/9/13 (a Monday) and was back to work on 9/16/13 the following Monday. I also worked at home for about 10 hours the Sunday after surgery, and about 3-5 hours Thurs, Fri, and Sat. Lol, I even wrote a report in the hospital on Wednesday and although it turned out ok, I would not reccommend that! I was kind of high on pain killers at the time. I didn't take any pain meds after I was at home on Wednesday night and mentally I was completely fine to work Thursday morning from home. I had no issues physically returning to my desk job the week after surgery, so you should be fine. Good luck in your recovery!

Have you tried another plasma donation center? I donated plasma in college to supplement my income and I was paid the same no matter how much I donated. I fluctuated right around that 150lb mark, so some weeks I'd be under it and donate less and sometimes I'd be over it and donate more, but the price I was paid was always the same.

I drink while I eat and I haven't had any issues. I really tried to not drink and eat at the same time and this lasted maybe a month. Ultimately, maybe you will have better results if you follow the rules to the letter, but not being able to sip something while I eat for the rest of my life wasn't something I was willing to give up and it's worked out ok for me.
That being said, my doctor told me that the reason was that Fluid flushes food through your sleeve faster so you will be able to eat more, sooner, than would be the case if your food was allowed to digest without the help of extra Fluid.< /p>

I am scheduled for a Tummy Tuck (and a few other surgeries at the same time) in a month. I was also concerned about the recovery time although from what I understand if you have a good surgeon you should be back to normal within 4-6 weeks. Have you checked out realself.com? They have a lot of valuable information on that site and it will help you choose a surgeon that is highly rated.

Loving the new me

I can say with certainty that the post-op diet would not have worked without the surgery. I have only been successful because I cannot physically eat anymore than a certain amount. There have been times where I've had a bad day and I really just wanted to sit down with some junk in front of the tv and pig out. With the sleeve, that isn't possible and I tend to get super sick when I eat more than I should or anything extra fatty or sugarey. In the past I could easily eat all of these things so there was no control in place. If you are going to technically follow the diet to the letter, never eat more than you're supposed to, or anything that is off the diet...then yes, the surgery really doesn't matter. I think most of our problem is though that we can't eat that small amount of food without having the surgical tool in place and the surgery ended up being a kind of last resort.

I am scheduled for a Tummy Tuck (and a few other surgeries at the same time) in a month. I was also concerned about the recovery time although from what I understand if you have a good surgeon you should be back to normal within 4-6 weeks. Have you checked out realself.com? They have a lot of valuable information on that site and it will help you choose a surgeon that is highly rated.

I had this problem right after surgery and someone gave me the good idea to use "I'm taking antibiotics and I'm afraid of mixing them with booze" as an excuse for why I didn't drink. Really, people shouldn't ask about your food or drink habits, but your friends will and if you want to keep your sleeve a secret, you have every right to. I didn't tell anyone about my surgery until it was over and now, almost a year out, only my three best friends know. So, whenever I am out to dinner with someone else, sometimes they comment on the fact that I don't eat much, but I just say...."I thought I was starving and I guess I ate to much earlier today!" or something like that. Just smile, answer quickly, and change the subject...even if they don't believe you, most people are tactful enough to move on and mind their own business.

I had this problem right after surgery and someone gave me the good idea to use "I'm taking antibiotics and I'm afraid of mixing them with booze" as an excuse for why I didn't drink. Really, people shouldn't ask about your food or drink habits, but your friends will and if you want to keep your sleeve a secret, you have every right to. I didn't tell anyone about my surgery until it was over and now, almost a year out, only my three best friends know. So, whenever I am out to dinner with someone else, sometimes they comment on the fact that I don't eat much, but I just say...."I thought I was starving and I guess I ate to much earlier today!" or something like that. Just smile, answer quickly, and change the subject...even if they don't believe you, most people are tactful enough to move on and mind their own business.

I had this problem right after surgery and someone gave me the good idea to use "I'm taking antibiotics and I'm afraid of mixing them with booze" as an excuse for why I didn't drink. Really, people shouldn't ask about your food or drink habits, but your friends will and if you want to keep your sleeve a secret, you have every right to. I didn't tell anyone about my surgery until it was over and now, almost a year out, only my three best friends know. So, whenever I am out to dinner with someone else, sometimes they comment on the fact that I don't eat much, but I just say...."I thought I was starving and I guess I ate to much earlier today!" or something like that. Just smile, answer quickly, and change the subject...even if they don't believe you, most people are tactful enough to move on and mind their own business.

Well, I'm about a week and a half away from my one year surgery anniversary. My starting weight was 387 pounds. When I got on the scales this morning for my weekly weigh in an whala the scale told me that I weighed 196 pounds. That's 200 pounds in about one year. I am so stoked. I went for years being obese, adding more and more co morbidities, adding more drugs, for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiomyopathy, kidney disease and not to mention chronic back pain and COPD. Now with one year in my sights, literally all of these problems are either gone or remission.
I am so thankful for my surgical team, my wife and children and the support of my co workers for my success.
I wish you all continued success in your weight loss journey.
Mark, Edmond Ok

I wanted to do something special to Celebrate having lost 100lbs. What better way to proclaim the accomplishment than with a photoshoot? The soil actually weighed 94lbs, but close enough. I'm so happy with how it turned out!

This is my first vacation since my VSG, and I'm just surprised at how comfortable I feel- comfortable walking around (my feet don't hurt, I can keep up without getting out of breath), I feel comfortable in a swimsuit (really, I walked around all day in my bathing suit without feeling the least bit self-conscious), and best of all I feel comfortable being in photos --- I feel like a normal person! LOL
Here's one from Vero Beach,FL.. And heading to Disney in a few days!!! AND I WILL BE ABLE TO FIT IN ALL THE RIDES!!!!!!!!!!!

On a July 15th 2013 I walked into my hospital, shaking and scared and almost changed my mind. I cried and sobbed and 2 nurses held my hand and assured me that this was the right choice for me. That I had come too far to give up now! The date of my surgery I weighed 343 lbs. My highest weight was 350. Today I weigh 199 lbs!! Woooohooooo I am so happy to be able to run and play with my 2 beautiful children and to finally be comfortable in my own skin again!!

I also don't really see food as something to enjoy anymore, which is partly because I'm just not very hungry often and partly that I was lucky and ended up with a sleeve that makes me super sick anytime I eat sugar, cheese, or anything overly fatty. I used to LOVE bakery items and ice cream, and now I can have a bite or two and be completely uninterested in finishing it. I would really rather eat a few good bites of steak or chicken now than anything that is overly bad for me. I still like cooking because others enjoy it, but it doesn't really have the same draw for me since half the food I like making is really not something I can eat anyway.

I'm a fan of depo. I've been on it for years, both before and after surgery. Depo does not make you gain weight- eating makes you gain weight. If anything depo may increase your appetite, but I honestly do not notice a difference. I have been fat and I have been thin and I've taken depo the entire time. I'm 9 months out from surgery so I'm about to take my third shot after the sleeve and I have had no issues.
If you're taking it to make your period regular though, it won't do that. I haven't had a time of the month in years and as long as you stay on it, most women I know don't ever have a period. If you're planning on having children soon, it can take up to a year after you stop taking depo for your cycle to be normal enough to conceive, longer if you've been on it awhile. Also, take a Calcium supplement as it tends to interrupt the way your body absorbs Calcium.
Overall, it's been great for me because it's something I only have to remember every 3 months, I inject myself with it, it's free now from your pharmacy with a prescription (the only part of the Obamacare process that didn't make my private insurance more expensive), and you don't have to worry about dealing with a period. If you are looking for regularity tho, depo will not help with that at all and if you don't want to spend a year or more waiting for your cycle to go back to something resembling normal after you stop using depo, it may not be the option for you.

I also lost about 60-70 pounds before anyone commented on it! Sometimes people wait to say anything to be completely sure that you're actually losing weight so that they don't accidentally offend you. Congrats on doing so well!

That's very high. I have a breast lift and augmentation, full Tummy Tuck, and Lipo on my thighs, lower back, and flanks scheduled for next month and it cost 20K for one of the top doctors in FL. Keep looking- you will absolutely find something more realistic. My TT price alone was about 12K before adding in the discounts for multiple surgeries.

I also lost about 60-70 pounds before anyone commented on it! Sometimes people wait to say anything to be completely sure that you're actually losing weight so that they don't accidentally offend you. Congrats on doing so well!

This was a great post. I currently have a breast lift and augmentation, fully Tummy Tuck, and Lipo on my thighs, back, and flanks scheduled, however everyday my thought is...are you really worth 20k? I feel really selfish in a sense because "wasting" that much money on myself seems kind of ridiculous, especially since I'm now a healthy weight and I don't really have a ton of extra skin- it's mostly for the sake of vanity. I also feel like there are so many people who have to have surgery for health purposes and they can't afford it, while here I am blowing the cost of a decent new car on surgery that I don't even remotely need. Am I worth it is very much a question running through my head. I'm glad other people have found that it was worth the cost.

I am 10 months out and I have lost 82 pounds...so, not much more than you! It's just a process. I will hopefully be very close to goal by my 1 year surgiversary and hopefully you will be to. I just have to remind myself that it's a marathon and not a sprint and everyday you get closer to the new person that you're going to become! Good luck!