hrhlaurie

The bad for me was learning how to eat at the right speed and right quantity as the dynamics constantly changed during the first 6 months. Lots of sliming and some throwing up during those early months. It was also hard determining what types of food your sleeve could handle after 1 month when most transition into solids. I never had trouble with eating and drinking at the same time. After 6 months, my sleeve chilled out a bit and became more accepting g of most foods. Today @18 months there is hardly anything my sleeve will reject except too large a quantity.
The good for me was no more high blood pressure (been 110 / 70 for several months now), no more sleep apnea (disappeared during first month), no more pre-diabetic conditions and a much fuller life with my family in terms of quality time and activities. food is no longer the boss of me and I have learned how to eat as an active athletic person of ideal weight.

Bad: Stopping to check myself out in every mirror I pass.
Good: Stopping to check myself out in every mirror I pass.
True story!

Here's a couple:
1. Not drinking while I'm eating (big one)
2. Listening to others tell me I wasn't "big enough" for WLS
3. Getting funny looks at places like Olive Garden when my hubby orders the "Tour of Italy" and I get a skewer of shrimp or something equally miniscule lol
4. Trying to keep my pants up (yet stubbornly refusing to buy new ones until I absolutely HAVE to -- Goodwill is my favorite shopping mecca now)
5. BIGGEST ONE: STALLS (have already been through two -- one at week 3 and one that I came out of Saturday that lasted 5 WEEKS!)
6. Feeling like I should have lost MORE by now...though I do know my rate of loss of still very good, the stalls contribute to this feeling
7. Constipation (though I have found some "cures" for that)

The first fews days of dry heaving, not being able to drink a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g., feeling groggy, weak, sick, tired, yeast infection (yikes).
Now I need to add that I'm 16 days post op and I feel really good. So really the misery was short lived, I'm losing weight and feeling great. No point in dwelling on the bad stuff when there's a pot of gold on the way to the end of the rainbow. ya know?

Hi, I'm new to the process and just 3 months into my required 6 mos of weight loss visits with my PCP. I have a list of the requirements from insurance and was pre-approved. I was assigned a bariatric weight-loss case manager and will complete all requirements on the list. I assumed approval was routine and provided if all of the boxes are checked. Have some of you found that it is more arbitrary? Should I add this to the list of things I worry about?

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Here are mine. Still have twenty lbs to go!

This is after (nearly 6 months) down 110 pds

Ok. So here are mine so far and I guess you could I'm done (because I have been at the weight for a while now).

I'm doing this from my phone so I hope this works. If not there are a couple on my profile. Before and almost half way.

I LOVE seeing everyone's before, during and after pics!
I've been updating this as I go. I just did it the other day because I felt discouraged over very little weight loss recently but I can tell in the face picture that my body is changing. The difference between the second and third image is only about 7-8 lbs but obviously there are still other changes going on too. The last pic in both is from Friday, down almost 90 but plenty more to go. 

This is my before (282) and picture(175) still have about 20 pounds to go! I am almost 15 months postop.. So far total lost 109 pounds!

A a current photo (I am not done yet, still in progress). The horse I am riding is on the smaller side compared to what I am used to.
My before photo is of me just standing. I will be honest, it is hard for me to look at that photo, but it is a good reminder of where I never want to go again.

I have "Before" and "Almost Halfway" pics....

Today makes 4 months that this journey started and I'm happy to say I'm down 77lbs. I've been experiencing hair loss which I'm not happy about but the good thing is I have thick hair. Still struggling to get in enough Protein but I'm working on it. Overall I'm happy and everyone around me has been supportive. Here's a few pics.

Many people can not get their Insurance to cover the procedure (if they have insurance at all); surgery is much cheaper in foreign countries such as Mexico.

Was sleeved 5 months ago. I had a BMI of 36, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, arthritis in my hips, and knees about to give out. I was a size 20 XXL. Everything exhausted me. I'm 53 and felt every inch my age.
Today I'm a BMI of 25.9 - almost normal. I wear a size 10/12. Went from 3 blood pressure meds to one. Arthritis is nearly gone and knees are great. Trigycerides and cholesterol are excellent. Blood sugar is terrific. Energy levels are excellent, can even bike and do weight training now (ok, not well, but I'm doing it lol). I'm not hot all the time. For me it was the right decision. It was very hard, this is not a walk in the park. I have had to completely change my eating habits, but I'm really ok with it. For the first time I feel like my hard work paid off and will continue to pay off if I use this wonderful tool to its full extent. I am terrified of gaining the weight back, but I feel like I have a really good chance of keeping it off for life this time, thanks to my sleeve.
I'm just over 30 lbs from goal. I lose slow (be prepared for that - not everyone is a fast loser), but I couldn't be happier. I did have terrible throat issues the first 3 months, so hard to swallow, but that's gone now. Remember there is risk with this surgery. You may be the 99% that has no trouble or you may be the 1%. Prepare yourself for either case.

This is a very personal decision and one I did not make lightly. In fact, the morning of my procedure I almost backed out because I was so nervous about possible complications. I was very fortunate...I have had absolutely no problems from surgery and am now 7 months out and down 76 pounds. It was the BEST decision I have ever made. I was a borderline diabetic, with joint issues, sleep apnea and borderline high blood pressure. Now I no longer need my cpap equipment because my sleep apnea has disappeared, sugar and bp are back to normal and my joints are a lot happier. This is the first time I have lost weight and see light at the end of the tunnel to be able to keep it off. If you should decide to do this, make sure your mind is set, you follow your doctor's directions exactly (even if others are posting that they have done things and had no problems) and learn to eat as they suggest and get your exercise in. The benefits are well worth it...

Rae, for 10 years my husband and attended seminars on every kind of weight loss surgery, different doctors and hospitals. We know a lot of people who have had different surgeries. My husband's health really worsened in 10 years, but until the sleeve came along and was covered by our insurance, he was not willing to take that step and I sure did not push him. It is a big decision, especially as our health went downhill with diabetes, HBP, asthma, and age. In the past year I qualified for the sleeve and I am so glad. I saw nothing but doom and gloom for us without this surgery.
Our doctor - we loved from the get-go!!! Some of his staff who assisted him at the first seminar, told us he had done the sleeve on them. Everything combined, we knew the sleeve was right for us. We are both less than 2 months post op, and life is wonderful. Our only regret is that we could not have had the sleeve 10 years ago!
We do not feel like we had surgery. We feel great. No pain once we came home from the hospital. No issues. I am off the med Metformin for diabetes. My husband's issues with diabetes and HBP are much better, we are off a few more meds.
I love not having that constant feeling of being hungry!!!!!!!! It was like my stomach kept telling me to feed it. Thank God that feeling is no more! Best of luck in your decision. Linda

Im 8 months out I have coffee everyday since one month post-op my doc told me its ok if my tummy can tolerate it but to watch the cream sugar in it

I'll be 2 years out in April and I have been enjoying my coffee, iced coffee and iced tea pretty much since a week post-op... No issues whatsoever... Different Dr's give different advice.... My surgeon did not have anything against coffee. I didn't have this surgery to NEVER have a certain food or drink again.... All in moderation....
Listen to your Dr. but also listen to your body...... best advice that I can give.....