SarahSleeve

Education and mental preparation. Read everything you can about peoples' experiences with the surgery, what they went through and what they continue to struggle with. This is 80% mental, and 20% physical...taking care of the size of your stomach will help, but if your mind isn't right, you WILL find a way to eat around the smaller stomach. So just really start focusing on your mental process, disciplining your mind and bringing it under control, so that you are able to control your behavior and choices.
Surgery is no sweat. I've had a bunch of them...three abdominal (including this one) by laparascopy. Basically, here's what'll happen...you'll go check in at the hospital. They'll call you into the recovery room to get ready, you'll get naked and wear their thick paper gown (unless you're at a hospital that still does cloth), and then lay down on your gurney. A nurse will eventually come by to set you up with your IV tap (needle in the top of your hand most likely), put a blood pressure cuff on your arm and a pulse rate monitor on your finger. Take your vitals (they'll do that constantly while you're in the hospital). The anesthesiologist will drop by to introduce themselves, talk a little about whether you have any drug allergies that you know of, make sure you didn't eat or drink anything since midnight. They'll explain that when you wake up, your throat will probably be sore and you'll be very dry in the mouth and throat. This will be due to intubation, which helps keep your airways open while you are operated on. And he'll be right, as you'll discover when you wake up. The surgeon may or may not show up to talk to you - depends on whether he runs a high volume practice or not, or whether he cares at all about bedside manner
Then the time will come after a while of waiting, and they'll wheel you down the hall to the operating room. You'll go in, they'll line your gurney up with the operating table and have you help get yourself aligned in the middle, with your head in the right spot, etc... They'll have you reach your arms out to the sides and start securing them, because the nervous system has a bad habit of forcing your hands to clutch at your abdomen when they start operating on you. While you're getting your arms situated and you're seeing the various people buzzing around you...
...you'll hear a voice from what seems like far, far away - and you'll feel like your head is full of molasses. Slowly but surely, the voices will start to sound sharper and clearer, and closer, and your eyes will open...and you'll realize that you're in the recovery room, and surgery is over. You may feel a slightly "pinchy" sensation in your belly. Your throat will definitely be sore and dry, but you won't be able to drink anything for a bit...all of your liquids will be coming from the IV for at least an hour or so after you wake up. Then they may let you have a tiny bit of ice to suck on, to help moisten your mouth and throat. You're going to be seriously groggy...but the fact is, you will realize that you slept through the hard part, and it's over. You're officially on the other side of the entire ordeal, and it's time to start recovering.
When you get to your room, they'll encourage you to start walking. Do it...do it as much as you can, because your peritoneal cavity (the space between your abdominal wall and organs) is full of surgical gas. The only way it will pass through your intestinal tissues and out of your body is through movement...walking. So walk a lot, you will feel a lot better a lot faster, if you do. Eventually the nurses will probably give you little tiny cups and tell you how much you can drink per hour. You'll probably start with one little shot glass of Water. Then a couple, then three, etc... Eventually, they will try to get you going on some really horrible Protein shake, but do your best on it. They'll remove the IV fluids and then expect you to start trying to get liquids orally, so you'll have to try to stay on top of it. That means drinking often. This is important, because for weeks to come you are going to find that your sips have to be TINY to go down comfortably, and to get the Water you need will require sipping every couple minutes, all day long.
Then, if there are no complications, you're getting around good and your pain is well-managed, after a one night stay they'll probably discharge you and send you home. And then, you'll have to get yourself on a schedule with drinking and walking. It'll come together, just stay on top of things and focus on the process. Prepare yourself mentally for a bit of a "mourning period" where your brain struggles with the fact that you just robbed it of a major coping mechanism. You may obsess about food. You may find yourself preoccupied about WHEN you will be able to eat good things again, or what those things will be. It's all in your mind. This is the little voice you haven't been hearing, that has been dominating your behavior. Now it's time to shut the voice up and take back control.
This is an approximation of the experience and your mileage may vary, but I hope it helps calm your nerves a bit. Trust me, you'll be in and out before you know it, and moving on with your new life.

My doc should be submitting after my appt next week. I've been doing this since last May, so I'm very ready to move on and get past the surgery!
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My friend had the surgery 5 years ago and used to refer to that as her 'wookie' . I think it lasted quite a while, she just got used to it.
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January 25, 2017
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They approved me moving forward! I have some labs and an EKG to do and in less than 2 weeks I see the program coordinator to make sure I'm good to go. Then they submit to insurance and once approved I get a date! They said on average it's 4-6 weeks from this point.
I've got lots of mixed emotions going on right now... but mostly excitement

SW: 267
CW: 160
GW: 145
9 months out

I sometimes take a look at my old pics and think how did I let that happen. 1st 2 are within 2 months of my surgery last one is today almost 10 months later 171 pounds down.

I'm back, y'all!! Work has been crazy. I'll be 22 months post op on the 20th. Almost to that 2 year mark!
HW: 330
SW: 323
CW: 150

A few days shy of 11 months between these two pics.
Feeling better. Thinking better. VSG was a hyooooge winning decision in my life. Why in the hell I waited so long to take action is a mystery to me. I've given up on divining the reasons why I waited.....just moving forward.
Long way to go....but grateful for the relief I feel every single day. Back pain is way better.....crappy knees are still giving me hell for waiting so long.....but my ticker is thankful and no longer working double-time to pump blood where it needs to go. It's like my body has switched into cruise control and I feel better than I have in decades. I have nothing but encouragement for anyone considering this surgery.
I've had zero complications with my VSG and my surgeon left me with simple and easily followed instructions for how to succeed with the weight loss and approach food forever.
There is nothing that I cant enjoy and nothing that I want for. Went to enjoy a birthday celebration yesterday at my favorite spot....a Mexican restaurant that I LIVED at in my old life. I had chips 'n salsa.....and margaritas.......and even ordered a meal that was off the charts with flavor......brought the leftovers home for Breakfast, lol. I sure don't eat & drink that way very often.....but I can enjoy anything on occasion.
By having 80+% of my stomach removed........I have finally found what it is to be "normal".
Go figure.

Dec 2015 221lbs and Aug 2016 133lbs.
So happy I decided to get the bypass.
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8 months post op. From 237 to 155. Height 5'2.

My normal gym has the weight room closed for remodeling so I have taken a break from weight lifting and started focusing on cardio. Averaging about 8 miles on my lunch hour. I usually leave the cardio room looking like this:

The good news is that with the extra cardio I've been doing, I'm down to a size medium shirt... It sounds weird even typing that.

I'm even in a size medium underwear, but I shall spare you all those pictures!
Sent from my phone, please forgive brevity and misspelling

Yikes. First bathing suit of the year. Bbq tonight with friends. I'm actually excited about it.

About 2 weeks before surgery April 2015

Yesterday post gym pic May 2016

I got my very first high waisted bikini from Amazon on Monday, so y'all know I had to do a before and after! Can't wait for the beach in September
HW: 330
SW: 323
CW: 155
(Sleeve, 18 months out on the 20th, no plastic surgery...yet, lol).

Hello. Surgery 12/2/15 SW 333 CW 215. Couldn't be happier!!  

My 90 day mark is Thursday, here's a before and after with being 64 lbs down!

Happy mothers day to all you mothers out there!
It feels great to be able to be get out and do things with my kids!
Having 4 kids between the ages of 9 and 17 keeps me busy!
So thankful for the new me that is excited to get out and do things with them:)
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SW 232 size 18/20
CW 157 size 10
GW 140ish size 6

I think this is the only one I haven't posted on...I think! Lol
HW: 330
SW: 323
CW: 156
I will be 18 months post op on the 20th.

The first few days are rough, but it does get easier every single day. You won't need the nurses to help you by day 3 or 4. Make sure you get up and walk as much as you can. Even when you REALLY don't want to. It will help a ton with the gas pain and prevent blood clots. Plus it will just generally make you feel a little better and more energetic.

I just had my operation yesterday morning.. I admit it is more pain then I expected.. But I did it.. I am now on a new road to a happier and healthier life. Still have not tried to eat/drink yet.. Waiting for doctor to give the okay.. I am afraid of what to expect when I go home.... No nurses just a click away... I know one thing.. Once I lose this weight.. I will do everything in my power not to gain it back.
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I surprise myself when I look in the mirror. When I try on a smaller size and it fits for the first time, I start to cry. I'm now in 10s comfortably, and can also get in some 8s, which I find shocking. I think I went from children's sizes to a 9/10 when I was in junior high. I don't ever remember being in an 8. I'm shrinking on the bottom more quickly than the top.
When I was heavy, I would push the weight around off my face to remind myself what I really look like. Now that I've lost so much weight, I can see and feel my jawline easily, and I feel bony. My collarbone sticks out (to me) and I feel bony on my upper chest (but I'm a 38G!). I've never had a nice round bottom - it was always wide, but flat. I've lost so much on my tush that I'm bony there, too. TMI, but moving a certain way on the toilet actually hurts my tush! I think I need to buy a cushioned toilet seat! I don't remember that being a problem when I was a teenager, but my butt actually hurts!!
I mention above that I would push my face around to remind myself what I look like. There are few people in my life that know me from before I got fat - my sister, Dad, and a few cousins. I've caught my sister looking at me, kind of shocked-like (but happy) - like she's rediscovering me. My dad has teared up looking at me, just thrilled that I had the surgery. It's probably the one thing in my adult life that he hasn't told me that I was wrong for doing. Everyone else is just amazed at how I look. Sometimes the comments don't bother me, especially from the people who know how important this was to me and that know that I had the surgery. But the people that don't know, and that I don't like, or that make a big deal about it (especially publicly), it really drives me nuts.
All my rings are too big, as are some of my watches and bracelets. Even some of my shoes are too big, which really surprised me because I've been the same shoe size since I was 12 (and I wasn't fat when I was 12). I'm still curling into myself, as I mentioned in another post a couple of months ago.
15 more pounds to go to the top of the weight range for my height. Not sure if I want to stop there. I'm not unhappy where I'm at now, but I know I need some more off.
I really can't get over how bony my ass has gotten. Ouch!

My doc should be submitting after my appt next week. I've been doing this since last May, so I'm very ready to move on and get past the surgery!
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The surgery was good, I didn't have any issues afterwards, which I was surprised with. I often felt a 'failure' that I didn't really have to try very hard or fight for the weight loss. It just happened. Now when I look back I just think that I was very blessed.
What was I disappointed with? My transferance to alcohol for a few months in 2016. A very slippery slope and now I don't drink at all. It was a very dark place for me and I felt I couldnt tell people here because I'd be judged harshly and at that time I wouldn't have been able to cope with that. The funny thing is, even in those dark days, I never broke the 'food' rules and some weeks I continued to lose weight.
How has it changed my life? In EVER single area. Best thing I ever did