andreamy7

Sleeved 11/12/13 haha! Never even noticed that.
Before after pics. Started at 265 size 20/22. Sixe 2x shirt 42D bra.
Now 185.4, size 14, sometimes 12 pants. Size L shirt, 38D bra. Even my feet are a little smaller.
Hopefully these attchments work...

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@Butterfly...listen this is your personal journey. You do whatever you feel is right. You do not have to tell anyone if you don't want to. I was very selective about who knew and now I will tell anyone of my friends, but not co-workers. I don't want to deal with office gossip. Do what feels right. I understand keeping it underwraps but there is no need to feel shame-failing happens. Success will happen with sleeve-you will lose and keep it off. The treatment works. I was 265-size 20/22, 2x in Nov last yr. I am now 185 and a size 14, sometimes a 12 and a L size shirt. I put on old stuff sometimes and am amazed. I put on a suit I just bought in April just yesterday and my boyfriend had to pin my pants about 3 inches because I just continue to shrink down. It's nuts. I still feel like a chubby girl tho, Like mentally I have not lost the weight but physically its gone. Its intense and awesome and you will do well as the sleeve has changed my relationship with food-completely. It is still a struggle at times and I still try and stress eat, but can only fit in so much before I have the recognition to say hey stop eating this. Body full. And I stop eating! Whoa. Hahahahaha! It's awesome. Good luck!!

Yes. It took me longer tho, but still one was a huge milestone. It meant I had lost 66 lbs. It happened about 2 wks after my birthday and of course my goal was my bday so I missed it a bit, but am now at 185 and just refreshed my diet and went back to Protein Shakes 3 days a week to jump start. I have been better with my eating and my exercise. Just not a religion yet...my tiny tummy helps me not eat too much. So happy I did it. Congrats on getting close, keep up the good work to get there! $

Please contact your DR if you are vomiting. It's not good for you so early. Can cause problems. I did not vomit unless I was over eating. You can only eat 3 small bites (baby spoon size) at a time for now. Make sure you do Fluid separate from eating times. Like a pattern: 1/4 glass of Water, 1 hr later eat, 30 mins after more fluids...etc...sounds crazy but you cannot fit anything in your pouch anymore.

Take something from home that helps you relax. You won't sleep much post op, they keep waking you up for vitals and walking. You want to be walking the sooner you.walk the sooner you can go home. You won't have a lot of energy and the pain will not be bad until about day 3. Make sure to get everything you need post op before you go into surgery. Get some shakes, good ones. Try a few so you can have something around. Jello was great. Take enough time off work. Then get ready to clean out your closet cuz the weight flies off for the first 3 -4 months.

Take something from home that helps you relax. You won't sleep much post op, they keep waking you up for vitals and walking. You want to be walking the sooner you.walk the sooner you can go home. You won't have a lot of energy and the pain will not be bad until about day 3. Make sure to get everything you need post op before you go into surgery. Get some shakes, good ones. Try a few so you can have something around. Jello was great. Take enough time off work. Then get ready to clean out your closet cuz the weight flies off for the first 3 -4 months.

Take something from home that helps you relax. You won't sleep much post op, they keep waking you up for vitals and walking. You want to be walking the sooner you.walk the sooner you can go home. You won't have a lot of energy and the pain will not be bad until about day 3. Make sure to get everything you need post op before you go into surgery. Get some shakes, good ones. Try a few so you can have something around. Jello was great. Take enough time off work. Then get ready to clean out your closet cuz the weight flies off for the first 3 -4 months.

I am 6 months post op down 68 lbs. I think what helps is the following- #1-Only weigh once a wk, #2-Eat healthy and drink Water #3-Add in a little exercise (even just a 15-30 min walk every other day to start helps). #4-Be happy when you have had a big loss, but just understand you may not have a big loss the next week. #5-Set realistic goals, don't expect to drop 20 lbs every month, it starts off that high and then starts dailing back a bit so just be patient with yourself, play the long game. #6-change habits and recognize stress or emotional eating. #7-Keep a great attitude with how you are doing. Be kind to yourself through the process. It is hard to do!!

Depends on the provider. The Dr will usually be able to tell you or just call the receptionist or billing at your Dr and see what they say is the norm with that type of coverage. You could also call your rep at the insurance company and ask what the general hold ups are. My insurer was trying to make me wait 6 months but I knew she could waive it so I tried to convince her myself why I needed it done. I was approved a week later. I think she must have really heard me. Good luck!!

Take a deep breath, it goes by so fast. Make sure you walk post op and just keep as calm as you can.

8 months post op 103 pounds lighter

Wear it, you look awesome! So there is a little saggy skin-big deal. You look bkini ready to us, but it is all about how you feel. So, taoe a little cover up, but def sport the bikini. If you get self conciuos you have a little cover to help you feel better if needed... be brave! Conquer!! Lols

I am 6 months post op down 68 lbs. I think what helps is the following- #1-Only weigh once a wk, #2-Eat healthy and drink Water #3-Add in a little exercise (even just a 15-30 min walk every other day to start helps). #4-Be happy when you have had a big loss, but just understand you may not have a big loss the next week. #5-Set realistic goals, don't expect to drop 20 lbs every month, it starts off that high and then starts dailing back a bit so just be patient with yourself, play the long game. #6-change habits and recognize stress or emotional eating. #7-Keep a great attitude with how you are doing. Be kind to yourself through the process. It is hard to do!!

I have gone through phases where I really was able to eat again, like was really hungry and could eat way more than before.. I had to scale back a bit, I stopped losing as fast, but I still saw loss and I think once you get off Protein Shakes it helps since your body can prpcess 'real food' you will get more full faster and just remember things change so fast-every month is a little different. I am 6mos post op, lost of 68.5 lbs and counting. Very happy with results. Just hang in there. Sounds like you are tracking so that is good. Sometimes I listen to my body or try and hydrate more. When that hunger pain kicks in, try drinking instead of eating. Drink some Water, an iced tea or a soy milk or something that tricks your stomach to thinking that you ate. The hunger goes away and your body is more hydrated, it will adapt to it, just be patient and have a beverage to hold the hunger back. Good luck!

Hey
I have facing same problem seems before surgery that why I put on lots of weight but now my new sleeve won't allow me much to eat , sleeve helps me in great way , keep me in check & helps me to over come from emotional eating.

I hear ya. Heck, we all have setbacks, but our sleeves are a wonderful tool, indeed. Like you said, it will keep us in check… but only if we listen to it. And it seems like you are doing just that. It's probably one of the most important things throughout this whole process: awareness. Good for you!
Be well…

I have been emotionally eating today. Gee I wonder if it's because I am moving over 500 miles away, starting a new job with a new company and trying to pack up my life in less than 14 hours from now? I think moving stress has gotten to me. I went and got a slice nd I ate the whole thing but it made me so sick. Terribly dizzy, saliva starting going. No weird gut wrenching or acidic stuff just kind of like here ya go. 5 mins later felt fine. However, no more for me. I am done eating this evening. The dough really did me in. I think I got cocky and brave. Lol. I am glad my body now stops my bad behavior. It reminds me-hey you-yeah you-cut it out!! I am so much smaller and am shrinking fast. I still make mistakes, I am human, I mess up. I am food addicted. I love to eat when stressed and I love the chewing feeling. Weird right? This process has allowed me to start breaking this down for.myself. I was so out of touch with my feelings and eating that this keeps me in check and makes me try and undersrand why I am trying to eat for pleasure. I did not realize this before, I would never have identified the over eating as stress eating before surgery. I have a problem with food. I am still overcoming my tendency to emotionally eat. It feels really good though to know what is happening and to be aware of this now more than ever. I will be sure to try and eat better, and listen to my body more. This is part of the process to a better me, a smaller me.

I have been emotionally eating today. Gee I wonder if it's because I am moving over 500 miles away, starting a new job with a new company and trying to pack up my life in less than 14 hours from now? I think moving stress has gotten to me. I went and got a slice nd I ate the whole thing but it made me so sick. Terribly dizzy, saliva starting going. No weird gut wrenching or acidic stuff just kind of like here ya go. 5 mins later felt fine. However, no more for me. I am done eating this evening. The dough really did me in. I think I got cocky and brave. Lol. I am glad my body now stops my bad behavior. It reminds me-hey you-yeah you-cut it out!! I am so much smaller and am shrinking fast. I still make mistakes, I am human, I mess up. I am food addicted. I love to eat when stressed and I love the chewing feeling. Weird right? This process has allowed me to start breaking this down for.myself. I was so out of touch with my feelings and eating that this keeps me in check and makes me try and undersrand why I am trying to eat for pleasure. I did not realize this before, I would never have identified the over eating as stress eating before surgery. I have a problem with food. I am still overcoming my tendency to emotionally eat. It feels really good though to know what is happening and to be aware of this now more than ever. I will be sure to try and eat better, and listen to my body more. This is part of the process to a better me, a smaller me.

Congrats on your decision to move forward!! Just my opinion, but I would really suggest you take at least 12 days in a row off. I only did 8 days and I was still in pain and still (obviously) recovering from surgery. One of my staff that reports into me was like 'oh you are not in any shape to be here' and called me out on it, saying 'my boss needs to go home.' I was fatigued from the clear liquid and liquid diet. I could not get in enough Protein or Water so I felt weak like 'oh its 3p I need to lay down, now.' One day I drove home super tired went home,laid down around 2p and woke up at 10p. No joke. If you have to go back, maybe just do half days literally 4 hrs only for the first few days back. I will say, everyone is different and I did bounce back the following week. Just be aware that you may need to give yourself more time off, take care of yourself the healing process is super important to your success. Enjoy the process and do what you think is best, perhaps you are tougher than me!

Congrats on your decision to move forward!! Just my opinion, but I would really suggest you take at least 12 days in a row off. I only did 8 days and I was still in pain and still (obviously) recovering from surgery. One of my staff that reports into me was like 'oh you are not in any shape to be here' and called me out on it, saying 'my boss needs to go home.' I was fatigued from the clear liquid and liquid diet. I could not get in enough Protein or Water so I felt weak like 'oh its 3p I need to lay down, now.' One day I drove home super tired went home,laid down around 2p and woke up at 10p. No joke. If you have to go back, maybe just do half days literally 4 hrs only for the first few days back. I will say, everyone is different and I did bounce back the following week. Just be aware that you may need to give yourself more time off, take care of yourself the healing process is super important to your success. Enjoy the process and do what you think is best, perhaps you are tougher than me!

Thanks Seela, love your post. I hadn't thought of it that way and I have been losing pretty good. 5 months post op 55 lbs loss. I have only had a couple of stalls but I also am seeing some loose skin around my neck, I have lost a lot of fat from my face. If it doesn't tighten naturally I will have it dealt with at some point. Maybe it will tighten on it's own? I hope so! I need a stall it sounds like! I def agree that our bodies continue to change even when we are not losing per se.

How is your Protein and Water intake? Are you drinking soda or eating sugar or are you on plan? How much exercise are you doing? I know its hard, but go back to tracking your calorie intake and then measure if you can stand to drop 100 cals down from where you are eating now. Start doing Protein Shakes for Breakfast again or replace one meal with a shake. Do at least 2-3 20 min walks a week in a park or near your house. Exercise helped me through my last stall and since it worked so well, I am now trying to go to the gym twice a week, so far it's working but I am not much of a gym person so we shall see. I also think more water works as well. We all get stuck time to time. Work the plan--protein first, low carbs, water intake and walk or exercise to burn some extra calories. Keep trying, you can't give up and we all struggle to maintain loss, sometimes I just don't lose, even though I have been really good. I just try to go back to a smoothie and keep on trying to cut out the not good for me things. I do love crackers and froyo and sometimes that gets me into trouble. I still do not eat much bread, and try and keep the trigger foods out of.the house-not always easy!! At night I get cravings so I sip hot tea with a little sugar at night if I feel like snacking or if my body is trying to tell me I am hungry. Its a great way to fill up my pouch and trick it to think its full plus, I am getting in a lot of water in one sitting. Keep pushing through, this is what has worked for me. Don't give up, you have gone through so much for this!

Yeah we all stall. On my last stuck streak I went back to a smoothie/
Protein Shake in the AM and started going to work out more often. I got my boyfriend to start doing a rigorous hike once a week on the weekend and that made a difference and I started seeing loss again. I also stopped eating crackers and made sure I had Protein laden snacks-cheese sticks, beef Jerky. I think switching things up a bit reminds your body whats going on and adding physcial activity for me has been really great. I am not a gym person per se, I just look at it as part of the process to get down to where I want to be. I still ear froyo and a cookie sometimes though!! Down 55 lbs after 5 months...

I do think that this surgery is not for everyone. I was in shock post op as well but I bounced back much better than you did. I am sorry it was such a battle for you personally. I had more of the 'omg what did I do?' post op due to diet, the nausea and how I felt. I am fine, but at 6 months I sometimes experience incision pain and some days my pouch is so tight I can barely eat. I can eat in small doses though and am still learning how to control and yet work this crazy little pouch. I can see my old body coming back after starting exercise and I ordered a size 14 suit the other day and it fits like a glove-I was a 20/22. This is the reward, the complications and the eating changes are the risk. I still have not had a cheeseburger and fries since surgery almost 6 months ago....I don't think my body could handle it. I am so happy I did it, but the first 3 months were tough. Thanks for sharing your experience, I think it's good to go in knowing what you face after...

I am just hitting the 6 month mark. I have lost 54 lbs so far and did recently start adding in some exercise. I think the first couple of months are the hardest but also the time where the weight peels off. I still try and stress eat and that is my trigger to eat poorly but I cannot eat nearly as much as I used to. I have days where my pouch is really right and other days where I can drink 2 drinks and eat a small app for dinner-but this is really rare. I feel it works but you have to work too. It is a great tool, but you have to out it to work. I love walking and hiking again and am trying to get back into the gym, I am just not.that big on hamster like exercise so find something you like to do and it becomes easier to do it.