Aranks

I just turned 26. The first time I lost 100lbs I was 19, I had virtually no sagging skin, that was without the surgery. Wore a bikini at the jersey shore. This time around after gaining that hundred back and surgery I'm down 70lbs and I definitely am beginning to see my skin is not where it was. My tummy looks a little dimply, my arms are sagging, and I have some excess skin in my thighs currently. But I'm by no means ashamed of it. I thought I'd be embarrassed by it, but I'm not in the least. It's hit or miss, hopefully you won't have any issues. I think had my weight not fluctuated up and down so drastically I wouldn't have any sagging issues. As everybody has previously said, totally worth it regardless.

When I left the hospital I was given a pill splitter/grinder, but was told I could have anything about the size of an eraser when swallowing pills. Now I take my allergy pills and other medications just fine whole.

They tasted very chalky to me.. it's hard to explain accurately. My brother who is a gym buff LOVES the grape.. I hate it.. I thought the Alpine Punch was okay and the Blue Raspberry. Just keep in mine yes there are 40g of Protein but is for a 20oz serving of liquid. (yes it counts in your liquids but I didn't enjoy it, so I'd rather get my protein elsewhere and drink extra water.) I preferred Premier Protein getting 30g of protein in 11oz. It's a whole bundle of trial and error, do NOT, invest in a ton of anything, try things out. The vitamin shop sells Isopure individually so you can try the different flavors.

I cocooned with pillows! I'm one of those sleepers whose hips lie flat and torso is rotated. I just surrounded myself with pillows and placed one under my side/gut so there wasn't as much pressure and it still felt like I was sleeping how I normally would. After about a week I was able to sleep fine how ever which way I pleased, but still liked to be cozied up with all my pillows!

Think Prednisone is a good contributor to me leading to having to get the sleeve (been put on it 2-3x a year since I was about 8 years old sometimes for months on end). But it is my miracle pill (minus the constant eating, the night sweats, the insomnia, etc haha). Luckily haven't needed it yet since the sleeve, but my doctors have already told me I can go back on it. if needed, hopefully never. Just make sure you get back on track as soon as you can. You'll be alright!

In 4.5 months I went from 276lbs size 22/24 pants XL-2X tops, to 208lbs size 14/16 pants and a size L-XL top. I don't reckon that too bad!

I had Steri-strips, no staples or external stitches. My surgeon put band aids on top of my Steri strips initially, they game off a day later, and 4 days after surgery my surgeon removed my Steri-strips. If I had any discomfort with my incision site I just threw a band aid over it. I didn't have any band or anything I had to wear, though I do know some people wore a band but that was for comfort not for wound protection.

I take Centrum chewable (they have to be the orange ones so says the doc), but (2) chewable Flintstones vitamins are fine also. I take sublingual b-12 and chewable calcium citrate as well.

My surgeon told me to take Centrum Chewable (had to be the orange one) or two (2) chewable Flintstone's Vitamins. This was in addition to my sublingual b-12 and chewable Calcium citrate from the Vitamin shop, that was actually pretty rough. But chewable and liquids do exist! Eventually pills get easier.

I primarily just wore sweat pants or yoga pants with a regular t-shirt. I attempted jeans and I was just so bloated from surgery that it was uncomfortable. I came in and my boss was like "Why are you wearing jeans?! I don't care if you come in pajamas so long as you're here." But leggings work, I know a lot of women who had bariatric surgery that primarily wear leggings and sweater dresses, or something of the sort. As far as my scars they seem to be fine. I didn't have staples or stitches or a drain. Just some steri-strips with Band-Aids over them. Steri-strips were removed within the first few days and if my incision was bothering me I just put a Band-Aid to reduce rubbing (mainly the incision in my belly button). I had 7 incisions, being I also had my gallbladder out at the time. Really all was good with the world.

I was off a total of 3 days for my surgery. I work in the garbage industry, primarily at a desk, except to go upstairs for the bathroom and other miscellaneous things. I had surgery on a Friday (so I took that day off obviously) was discharged on Sunday. Monday I went shopping (catch some of those left over black Friday deals), Tuesday I met with my surgeon and I returned to work on Wednesday. I was really pretty tired. But overall it was fine, I just wore stretchy/sweat pants.

I had the empire plan, NYSHIP. My surgeon loved working with it, because pretty much as long as you met the weight requirements you didn't need any other approval. (No supervised visits for 6 months or that other stuff most people have to go through.) Just had to go through my surgeons requirements. My dad had his bypass done within 2 months of meeting with the surgeon for the first time and I had my sleeve after meeting him, taking a couple month hiatus, going back and scheduling for the following month. Good luck! Hope it's as easy a process as it was for me.

Good luck! I was sleeved at 11/28, at Mather Hospital, so just a hop skip and a jump. Hope everything goes well! I'm down 60lbs at this point and really can't complain about anything during the process.

It's actually a Coca Cola product as they are trying to break out into the health market. It tastes pretty good too me also, got it at Target to try it. But now I'm told to avoid any dairy products. Womp womp.

I've been on prednisone more times in my lifetime that any physician considers healthy. It was actually a big concern of mine going into surgery that I wouldn't be able to take steroids should I need them. My doctor said, they don't want me to take them if there's any way I don't have to, but if it comes down to me having to take it, he would prescribe it. Luckily I haven't needed to take them, my lungs have been good and my skin has been pretty well under control with topical steroids.