staciime

I had the gastric sleeve done by Dr Jensen on November 26 2013 love her and loving my sleeve! I had no complications and an so happy with my results so far

Pain = none at all
So little pain I went grocery shopping them remembered I had just got out of hospital and should not be carrying potatoes home - Had to call my son to come get me to make sure I didnt damage myself (and I had breast reduction at same time and still no pain)
My only suggestion would be to put things in kitchen etc lower down - You don't wanna stretch up alot - Hafta be careful of your incisions (unlike I was as I am bad lol)
You are supposed to keep your scars out of the sun for a year, as the sun can make the scar change colour or something. I would make sure I had an overshirt etc - And have clothes that don't go over your head to put them on for a while, just ones that do up in front.... Luckily I trained my daughter to do my Bra up at the time lol, my compression garment could be done up in front and back (combined garment for breast reduction and arm surgery)
Using bathroom = All ok, lol
before = (Hope these pics show)

Just after =

and later =

I was left with a red line for a long time - Now (4yrs later) it is just a white flat line, wider than I would have liked but - I am still very happy :-)
Looked everywhere for later pics - They have gone AWOL - These two are in May 2012 (Two years after) So are even flatter now - Just haven't takes pics in aaaaaaages...
One thing I did remember lookng back at these pics that I did not know then is - Keep your micropore tape on these scars for 10-12 weeks - your Doc may tell you not to - But - After having 5 Ops now I know that the ones where I kept the micropore tape on the scar for 10-12 weeks - Those scars are finer and flatter - I believe the tape supports the skin until it is healed all the way through and the scar does not stretch. I wish I had know this trick in the first few ops...


*EDIT*
OK - We just took some pics though only on my phone as cameras battery not charged....
These pics are taken 4 years and 2mths post Brachioplasty... Which was done at end of April 2010...

And the best ones = It shows you that you will always see the scar but it is pale... And put in a place where you would hafta be putting your arms in a certain position to actually see it..... I can only see it in certain lights, and to be honest when I compare the heartbreak I had when a photo was taken of myself and two friends and my arm was all hanging and twice the size of my friends - This is just amazing and I am happy :-)


I do hope that my utter babble and rubbish helps in some way...

You can answer, "Either is fine with me.", when asked, "Would you like a table or a booth?"

You spend and entire 2 1/2 mile run holding up one side of your pants or another, because by the time you realized hey were gonna shake right off your butt, it was too late to turn around and go back home.

Hello all November sleevers!! I am soo stoked with my decision to get sleeved!! it has been 3 months now since my surgery and I could not be happier with my results
Surgery date was 11/26
HW 327
SW 290
CW 232!!
thats 95 lbs all together lost whoop whoop!! 37 lost during preop diet and 58 lost since surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!! and to top it all off I am finally able to see some results!!! I cant believe how long it took my head to wrap around my bodys' changes!! I went from a size 26 pants to now wearing a 21!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE my sleeve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My starting weight was 545 September 2013, 471 weigh in a week before surgery on 11/13/13... Today I am 379. This has been amazing. Still a long way to go, but doing fantastic.

Hey all- Dooter here. I haven't been on here in a while, but this thought has been plaguing me, and I need to get it out. -Let me preface this discussion by saying I am GLAD I had the sleeve surgery, and I would not change it for the world. I had NO complications and I lost 102 pounds in eight months, and for that I am grateful. I needed to do that quickly for my own sanity and health. HOWEVER- that said-
DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT think for one teeny tiny minute that having surgery and dumping a bunch of weight is going to fix your head and the behavior that got you here. Not gonna happen. During the "honeymoon" period where you can sneeze off five pounds at a time and you're never hungry after your teaspoon of food, you can't imagine EVER returning to old feelings and desires. I am here to tell you that it sneaks back in a little at a time. A taste here, a taste there... "oh look. I've gained a pound. well, that was salty food, I'll just drink more Water tomorrow." HORSE HOCKEY!!!! That's where it starts. Your old head trips creep in. Hiding food. Eating junk now, figuring you'll just shape up "next week" or "tomorrow." Tomorrow never happens and you've gained 30 pounds back. Yes. With your itty bitty stomach, you have gained 30 pounds back. It can happen. Or worse, you gain it all back. That can happen too.
The reason I am writing this and being to harsh about it is that you are a person who is considering, or who has gone through a MAJOR life changing surgery. SO CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!!! Be vigilant. come out of that honeymoon with your armor on! You WILL stop losing at one point and your body will begin to fight you as mine has. The diet my surgeon gave me no longer works at this point in the game, as my metabolism is stuck in cold molasses and it has taken a personal trainer/dietitian to get it moving again, and it is majorly hard work and painful and distasteful at times, but I have another 100 lbs to lose AFTER the 30 lb regain is gone.
​Have somebody close to you hold you accountable for exercising and eating right. Splatter it all over Facebook if you have to (I did) so you'll have MANY people holding you accountable! Do what you have to do to reach your goal. Don't settle for less and don't eat crap. And don't think that surgery is the final solution. It's a tool that will get you halfway there. The rest is up to YOU and no one else. Thank you. That is all.

Two previously supportive coworkers tag-teamed me with their opinions today. Came out of nowhere. I figured it would happen at some point, but I'm still frustrated. Oh well - I was falling asleep and now I've been annoyed awake...at least I'll be productive the rest of the day.
This was all the usual stuff. Just eat 1500 - no, 1800 calories. Eat every 2 hours. Low carb. No, no carb. No carb is good. Don't waste the money on surgery. Eat broccoli and boiled chicken. After surgery you'll have to diet, why not do it now? Blah blah blah and some more blah.
One of them is my size, getting larger, and in denial about it. Stuffs herself into her clothes like a sausage in a casing and won't admit to being over 200 pounds. She goes through wild swings. One day you can offer her something and she goes off the deep end at you about how she's on a diet and isn't eating crap like that - the next day she's stuffing rolls and M&M's in her piehole hand over fist.
The other one, I'm very proud of - she's about a size 4 now and used to be >250 pounds, and did it via the "boiled chicken" method with boot camps twice per day. Good for her. But her way isn't the only way, and being on the other end of a lecture from a sanctimonious ex-fatty who thinks her answers are the only answers is not my idea of a fun way to spend the afternoon.
I'm having this surgery because I'm 36 and 300 pounds. I've been fat my entire life. My knees hurt. My feet hurt. My blood pressure is poorly controlled. I want babies before I'm too old to raise them. I. Don't. Want. To. Die. And anyone who thinks they're going to talk me out of doing something to save my life can kiss my fat a$$ for as long as I still have it.
Rant, over.

Fiddleman, Me and my adorable hubby were sleeved together after looking at 10 years of wls seminars for the sake of his health and morbid obesity. Thank God for the sleeve, and due to asthma, HBP, diabetes, I qualified for the surgery also, and decided it was do or die or I would lose my husband. Not joking. I decided I could be the leader. He was nervous. We could not be happier! God is good. We have been married 21 years and I want to squeeze in another 50 years with the most precious man on earth. Wishing you years of good health and happiness!

Hello All
To cut a very long story short;
My surgery was performed on the 20th Feb 2014 and I was to have a Gastric Bypass. My surgeon found issues which would prevent the Bypass, therefore he chose to perform a Sleeve instead...I was devastated when I found out, so disappointed!
Now, I am over the moon, i love my sleeve! I am 47 lbs down - long way to go, but bring it on.
Good luck to you all.
Nobby

I'm trying to get an idea of where I might be in five months, where are you at now if you started at 300 and are five seven?

Hello! I am 4 1/2 months but I am "5,7" but when I started I was 397 now I am 308 down so far 89 pounds. My surgery was November 20 2013

Love this article!

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http://www.nbcnews.com/#/health/health-news/after-huge-weight-loss-sagging-skin-remains-n44481
Hi Everyone
Just thought I would share the above article with everyone...

Today I wore one of my favorite pair of jeans to work (which are a size 20) and when I came home I took my dog for a walk. It's pretty mild here right now and all the snow is melting so there were a lot of puddles and the bottom of my pants got wet. When I came home, I was looking for a dry pair of jeans and tried on a pair of my girlfriend's size 16 jeans, and they fit..... and looked good. I might not give them back to her!

I'm getting toward the end of my journey, and it's funny how things are so different from the inside looking out. I've realized through this journey that while each NSV and every mini goal met is significant and praise worthy, the most significant loss I had was the first 30-40 for me. It was when I hit the middle of those numbers that I realized that I WAS doing this! I AM going to succeed!! I CAN keep losing this weight!! It was the true marker for me and the green light to realize that my body was changing, I was shrinking and it was the first and probably the biggest boost to my confidence that I've had this entire journey.
That being said, the first 30-40 lbs of my loss was probably the most insignificant to those around me and who saw me on a daily basis. It was enough for them to see that I'd lost 'some' weight, but let's face it when you're as big as we all are/were a 30-40 lb loss LOOKS like maybe 10-15 to the untrained eye. I don't even think my first 30 I went down a pant size yet! Hardly anyone noticed those first blocks of weight when they were shed, but I knew. I noticed, and I was proud!!
Now, as I'm battling my last 40-30 pounds it seems really insignificant, I've already battled away over 100 lbs of loss, what is 30 or 40 more? It's nothing! BUT! To those that are outside looking in, I think this is the MOST significant 30-40 pounds. In my last 10 pounds of loss I've had more compliments, comments, people noticing how small I've gotten. They marvel and wonder aloud 'How much more are you going to lose?!'. It's funny how that flip is switched. For me to say 'Oh, just 30' now the looks are of shock and awe! When I lost my first 30, those who asked how much I had lost and I told 'Oh, just 30' very excited and bubbly, they'd respond with maybe a glance and an over the shoulder 'Oh, that's good...'. It's funny how people perceive those who are going through a change.
Ultimately, I'm proud of every last pound, every last inch. This transformation has been amazing! I'm not the fastest loser, but I'm not giving up!! I'm going to do it! I'm going to reach my goal, and I know each and everyone of us can and will!!

Plugging along here . Very pleased with the sleeve as a tool and feel like slow loss is good loss as my personal goal (though not yet truly in focus) is not too far away. (I have been concentrating on retaining muscle/Lean Body Mass and I think I've been successful.) (I weigh 159 today with 30% body fat. When I weighed 159 7 years ago, my body fat percentage was 36%.) I think my personal goal will be an in-shape 148 lbs which should take me off the line between two clothing sizes (10/12)and a BMI of 23 or so.
Most important thing, of course, is that my Blood Pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar are all blessed-ly normal!
Congrats and best wishes to all - so great to hear all the gratitude and upbeat news on here

They're actually too big to bunch right now. I need new panties, hopefully not from Lane Bryant.

oops sorry for the double post...I guess I got trigger happy LOL

Hello all November sleevers!! I am soo stoked with my decision to get sleeved!! it has been 3 months now since my surgery and I could not be happier with my results
Surgery date was 11/26
HW 327
SW 290
CW 232!!
thats 95 lbs all together lost whoop whoop!! 37 lost during preop diet and 58 lost since surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!! and to top it all off I am finally able to see some results!!! I cant believe how long it took my head to wrap around my bodys' changes!! I went from a size 26 pants to now wearing a 21!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE my sleeve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello all November sleevers!! I am soo stoked with my decision to get sleeved!! it has been 3 months now since my surgery and I could not be happier with my results
Surgery date was 11/26
HW 327
SW 290
CW 232!!
thats 95 lbs all together lost whoop whoop!! 37 lost during preop diet and 58 lost since surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!! and to top it all off I am finally able to see some results!!! I cant believe how long it took my head to wrap around my bodys' changes!! I went from a size 26 pants to now wearing a 21!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE my sleeve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You guys don't know how encouraging this thread is! I was really beating myself up thinking I was a slow loser until I read everyone else's progress. I feel like I'm normal now! Down 46lbs. Preop weight 208 sw 200 cw 162. Surgery was 11/6/13 and I'm 5'2".

Last Sunday I weighed 204. Today 197!!! Woohoo!!!!! I was beginning to fear I would never weigh less than 200 lbs again. That means I lost 7lbs in one week. I know for some of y'all that is no big deal, but for me it is amazing! I began my journey with a month long stall. My average rate of loss is 5 lbs a month with 2-3 lbs a week if its a losing week. I am over the moon! I just wanted to say keep following the plan and things do work out!

Well I finally did it... I am under 250!! I have a whole new wardrobe. I had bins of clothes in various sizes so don't have to buy anything until I am in single digits! I can actually wrap a towel around myself when I get out of the shower and it covers me!! It is all so exciting! I finally had my ankle surgery on 2/3, I am still in fracture boot for another couple weeks and up to 12 weeks of therapy but I am ready to work out.
Had my 3 month follow up and he said I am doing great and is very happy with not only my progress but also I can tolerate just about anything and my energy level is through the roof!
Loving it!