Wasntme

December 2016 was when I received the wake-up call that began my journey. I was diagnosed with diabetes. I started to research WLS and I did a lot of it.

April 4 2017 - Was my first appointment with the weight management center at Reading Healthcare Network and they took me through each step and explained everything. They are awesome and I will be forever grateful to the entire team.

July 24, 2017 - Surgery day
I arrived at 10:30 and was taken back for surgery at 2:30. My VSG took 2.5 hours.
Of course, I was very nervous and a bit scared as I was wheeled into the OR and was moved to the table but the team was so good with me. One of the anesthesia nurses held my hand and told me they would take good care of me and that she, herself, had WLS and also had my surgeon and that it was the best decision she had made for herself. This had a significant calming effect on me. I took it as a sign that Jesus was saying through her that he had my back. A few moments after that I felt myself going under and actually told them “Here I go, Bye”
So far, the worst part of this experience was waking up in recovery. Feeling so out of it, the dry mouth, and a headache. That all cleared up after about an hour.
Next, I was taken up to my room and met the team what would take care of me from there. I was very surprised at how good I felt. I had no nausea and not a lot of pain. I was up and lapping the floor within 4 hours. I have not been bothered with gas pains. I felt some pressure under the breast and across the chest. And a little in my shoulder at the base of my neck but this was minor and went away after an hour or so. I was released the next day at about 4:30.
7/26/2017 – 2 days Post op
I feel pretty damn good considering my guts were just rearranged. I’m working on getting my fluids in and I don’t think I’ll have a problem with it. Taking small sips is an adjustment for me, but my pouch reminds me each time I take a sip too large. I can feel it entering my stomach. It’s not painful really, but it’s a weird feeling and I don’t like it.
I will try to keep updating here to share with others and for some self-reflection in the future.

Me too...the closer I get the more nervous - which is probably normal. The old me is looking for excuses, I am not giving any. Good luck Monday- I am sure we will both rock this...

I'm on Monday - I wish I could get it over with.
Good luck!

I had the same situation. I ate a meal or two. My bariatrician said to be 100% compliant three days before surgery. Until then I was semi compliment. I crashed emotionally. Also didn't lose weight. But make some hearty Bone Broth. I feel like the two week preop is training for the seven days full liquid diet after which is harder. Reach out if you're struggle. Pm me.

I was sleeved with a BMI of 32.5. The 70 pounds I slowly gained in the last 15 years was really taking a toll on my quality of life and was affecting me in many aspects. I used to be a muscular 130 pounds and Had ballooned to 202. The yoyo dieting was taking its toll on my metabolism and I was slowing slipping into a depression where I didn't want to leave the house or interact with people. It was even affecting my marriage because I felt physically and emotionally horrible. Based on my history I knew I was on the road to morbid obesity and I made the decision that enough was enough and I was going to get help. Don't let anyone tell you that this is a tool reserved only for the morbidly obese. I was sleeved on 7/6/17 and I'm feeling great and estactic with my progress. Life is so damn short... follow your gut. 20 years from now you'll regret the things that you DIDN'T do rather than the things you did.

Congratulations to you!
I hope you continue to feel better physically and emotionally!

Thank you everyone for the information. It helps me to feel better when I hear from people going thru the same thing. Wasntme...hope everything goes smoothly and you recover quickly. Mem1 & NightPilgrim...so glad to hear that even people with low BMI's do really lose the weight. I know this seems like a drastic measure, but I'm uncomfortable in my skin right now, and I know it will just get worse. I spent many years on the yo-yo dieting and it just gets harder and harder as I get older...not to mention my will power continues to get weaker and weaker. I do believe I probably have an extremely large stomach because I feel like I am always hungry...I will update you on my stomach size after surgery. But, my doctor explained that after this surgery, a lot less of the hunger hormone is produced and therefore I would be more likely to be able to resist temptations and stay on track with a healthy diet. And I know after I lose at least 20lbs, I should be able to start running again, but its too uncomfortable to do with this much extra weight. With the smaller portions and power walking, I hopefully will get the first 20lbs off quick. As for pre-op diet, my doctor is only having me on a 5 day high protein/extremely low carb diet prior to surgery because my liver is not as enlarged as someone who would have more weight to lose. Again, thank you for your input and I would love to hear more from others in the same situation.

OMG today has been the best day so far I feel great and look forward to feeling even better.
I've been out most of the afternoon bought a couple of t shirts one size smaller, been walking around pain free.
Almost bought a naughty snack then realised I don't do that anymore.
It was the best feeling ever food does not rule my life.

Meh. I still don't like most people. 😒 The older I get, the more I know.

Sleeved yesterday everything is great so far thank you for the prayers

I've never strictly followed the paleo diet or any other diet since having the VSG, because I was more focused on creating sustainable eating habits that could lead to not only losing weight but maintaining that loss. In the past whenever I tried to strictly follow a diet I'd inevitably cheat on it, with a slice of birthday cake at work, or a night out, or whatever, and then feel so discouraged. I'd obsess about food and feel deprived. Most diets are far too restrictive to follow for life. So this time I decided not to adhere to any diet plan, but instead to just focus on making sensible choices with eating. I took inspiration from paleo about how much Protein, carbs, and fat I should consume, but modified the diet to fit my own lifestyle. It was a challenge at first, but with time it became much more routine to me, and thus easier.

Yep. My weight has yo-yo'ed up and down since my mid-teens. At age 15 I lost 30+ pounds during a summer-long low-calorie diet, going from 155 to 125. I regained all the weight plus more in a couple of years.
At age 20 I weighed 176 pounds and stood 5'1 short. I lost 60 pounds on a very low-calorie diet plus exercise and weighed in at 116 pounds. I regained it all plus more, and by age 24 weighed 205 pounds.
At age 26 I weighed 216 pounds. I lost 55 pounds through diet and exercise, but regained most of it.
At age 29 I weighed 203 pounds. I lost 25 pounds through diet and exercise, but regained most of it.
On my 32nd birthday I weighed 180 pounds. I was asked to be a bridesmaid for an upcoming wedding, so I lost 52 pounds through diet and exercise, weighing in at 128 pounds on the wedding day. I regained it all (plus more) within a year.
By my 34th birthday I weighed 225, my heaviest weight ever. I had weight loss surgery two months after my 34th birthday. Bariatric surgery is no guarantee of anything, but this is the first time in my life that I've been weight-stable and not so fixated on food.
So when people say, "You can lose the weight without surgery," I agree. In fact, I've lost 200+ pounds over the past couple of decades. Losing weight was not my issue...keeping it off was problematic. Bariatric surgery has offered the last glimmer of hope for keeping the weight off. However, my struggle will be lifelong.

Interesting I was also told my stomach very large. Portion Control was extremely hard. The other thing is I watched my mother and aunt go from trim active women to obsese women with arthritis, joint replacements swollen legs , ankles and feet once they hit their 60's. I realized I was heading in the same direction and I have the same body type, my husband also noticed it. My family all have thyroid issues. It was the final reason I looked into this surgery as my family trait was moving down to me and also my brother.
I am totally confident that I made the right choice for myself.

I'm eight months out and the chart is in alignment with my weight loss thus far. At the six month mark I'd lost around 45 pounds from my weight on the day of surgery. I've lost weight slowly and not always steadily the past couple of months, but still feel confident I'll be able to lose at least 15 more pounds before my one year surgery anniversary. My BMI has gone from 31.9 to 24.3. I have PCOS and hypothyroidism and usually lose weight at the speed of a turtle on crutches, so I'm pleased with the progress. I think the chart is realistic.

Surgery 7/30
Will start diet 7/23. Like you, I have been eating everything I can get my hands on!