Carlotta

Isn't the feeling great ..I love to shop for clothes..so ,I too ,am looking forward to my size 6 clothes one day. Congrats on your success and have fun in California.. Yes tx is still hot..I live in Houston.

Yes most of us are afraid.. But this a normal feeling. If there are surgery risks that u may have due to your current health condition..I am sure your dr will discuss this with u. All surgeries do have risks.. But before our sleeve..we r living our lives that is risky..high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high cholesterol... At least the sleeve gives us a way out to our current health risk.

I too have the band which will be removed same time as my sleeve surgery..having surgery on November 13.

Happy for you. ...I am also anxious too see if my insurance covers my sleeve.

Even though I will have surgery on Nov 13... It would seem that eating normal is not for our future.. Should we not keep the pouch small..we can add more calorie dense food to maintain but to go back eating let us say 8 oz of food would stress our sleeve and we would be back to square one. Is this how it works once u r at maintenance. Comments please!!!

I think it all depends how dense the food you eat is.. For example chicken or beef would take much more chews than cottage cheese..cause cottage cheese is less dense. As long as u chewed the food well enough to have practically nothing else to chew on..so don't worry about the number of chews too much..

Way to go....!!!

According to some of the responses on this thread..it is more how you comply with your eating program and following an exercise program than whether or not you were banded. From what I just read there is testimony you can reach your weight loss goals even if u were banded. I am looking forward to my revision on nov 13..... whether or not you were banded before.

How wonderful. Aren't grandchildren just so good to have..I have two myself. Congrats on your success,...

That is inspiring and hopeful to me that I r happy with your progress. My Surgery is nov 13. Please keep me posted on your journey.bv

Congrats on your success. You look so much younger ..looking goog and more importantly feeling good, I am sure.

Congrats on your achievement. You did well. Isn't it exciting for you to buy clothes that u thought would never fit you. I love to shop for clothes. Maybe in a year from now I will skirting a size 6....my surgery is nov 13...I have 70 pounds to lose.

Good for you..what a transformation..you gave me a good idea to take pics along the way. Keep up the good work. U will be at your goal soon. How tall r u. I saw that your goal weight is 115. I'm 5 feet 1 and will shoot for 130 pound goal.

You will do just fine.. Yres I feel. Just like u at times.. Taking deep breathes does help !

Review your health history, prior sugeries, current BMI, prior history of weight loss efforts., weight history, family health history. I also saw a film that showed how the bypass and sleeve will be performed. I am scheduled to meet with a dietician, psych eval, upper gi, EKG, lab work , and a nutritionist next week. My insurance does not require me to be on a 3 or 6 month diet program ..though I will put myself , with my nutritionist's help, on a one month pre op eating program to start sipping water, drinking protein shakes, etc. I hope to lose 10 pounds before the surgery.

Your message is very encouraging..to those who are just starting this journey.. Day of surgery is scheduled for nov 13, 2013. I will make a point to list all the feelings I have now, before I forget later on. It will remind not to want to come back to the way is it now. Less if I forget. When I wouldI lost weight before , I would not take the time to reflect on how far I had come or positive changes.. I would just eat my way back to where I am now. Your post has strongly reminded me on taking the time through my journey to reflect how far I have come, emotionally and physically., be grateful, appreciate the changes in my life..thanks for your reflection on where u r today. Congrats. Ps..I will be seeing an eating disorder psychologist pre and post op to help me with the emotional issues that I will ecperience.

That is November 13 th..

I live in Houston tx and having my surgery on 13...at methodist hospital. Can't wait..

It is so encouraging to hear that sleeverss are maintaining their weight and energy for several years. IMy scheduled surgery is November 13. I know I can lose weight..I did this for 40 years. However, I could not keep the weight off. I am exhausted for going on and off diets., mentally and physically. This is my last resort and I hear such positive results. Ii Know I have to depart from my comforting friend, Food, who has kept me from living my life fully. I plan on seeing a physiologist pre and post surgery . I know that my mindset must change to make this the last time on losing my excess weight. I don't plan to share this event with anyone except my husband. I don't want to hear judgements or someone watching for me to fail. (Which has happened in the past). This is my journey...I don't need to explain to someone of my whys. The hospital where I am having surgery has great resources, pre and post o, p. , workshops ,msmall group discussions and monthly forums. I know that the surgery is a Tool and I will have to safeguard my small stomach.. I am optimistic..however,kinda scared of having complications, which to me is normal feelings for any type of surgery. In the meantime, I am being patient and kind to myself. Have a great day.

I've been penciled in for nov 13th. I just tarted this process. The methodist hospital downtown has excellent resources for pre op snd especially post op. they have monthly meetings for people who hsve had gastric bypass and small group Meetings. They also have a 3 hour class before the surgery on what to expect the day of the surgery, post nutition, etc.. It is free to those who have surgery at methodist.. They have a wonderful Weight Management program. .r u having your surgery soon?

Dr Reardon from the Houston methodist hospital, downtown is going to perform my sleeve. He is t the. Downtown Methodist hospital. I was told he was a very good dr to perform bariatricpal surgery.

Concentrate on having fun,with excursions, dancing on the cruise ship , activities on and off the boat. Don't let food be your source of pleasure on the cruise. Go to the gym and do cardio exercise. Treat yourself to the spa..you will feel much better when return home from your vacation., without regrets. Also, keep away from the buffets, order room service for the things u can hsve rather than going to a buffet and seeing all that food. For the eveving ng meal, dress up., feel pretty and order what is on your eating protocol. Some cruise ships have d inner menus for those who want to watch their weight.. Heathly options.

Your journey is your journey , and hers is hers. You need to be firm with your wife and tell her u like yourself at this w,eight and that u will not go back to your old ways and put back weight on. Set boundaries with her ..you can make a choivce and don't let her comments bother you. Be firm and tell her you won't put up with her negative comments. This is an issue she needs to resolve for herself..don't try to figure why she is doing this.. Concentrate on keeping your health in check.

Noticed u had a lap band..any slippage prob..did u have surgery to remove band snd sleeve at same time. Congrats on your success. This is a good reminder that the scale is not the only tool that says u are making progress, I find that weighing too often can be discoraging when expectations fall short of reality. Just started process to get the sleeve surgery..however I have lots of fear since. I have the lapband, that did not work for me.. At my first meeting with my doc he did say that removing the lapband and having the sleeve puts me at greater risk..this made me very fearful to continue with the sleeve..but I am the end of the rope with yoyo dieting for the last 40 years. I will be 60. In January. Can you all give me encouraging words to relieve some of my fears. Thanks.

If u had a conversion from lapband to sleeve. Any difficulties with leaking. ?Also did u do procedures of removal of band to sleeve at same time. My dr suggests both at same time. He also indicated I have greater risk of leakage since I had the lap band. Please let me hear about your experiences. Thanks In addition my insurance does not require me to have a 3 or 6 month dieting before surgery. However, I would like to at least be on a diet similar to what is expected after the sleeve for one month. I think would help me with my lifestyle change that I need to make to be successful. Any of u did not have the 3-6. Month requirement and if so what did u do to prepare for life after the sleeve.