hope4momof4

I was sleeved 12/16 in Mexico with BMI of 32. Gained/lost hundreds of pounds all my life and hope this tool will help me finally stay at my goal weight when I get there! Had a very easy recovery from day one (not to say I haven't thrown up several times in process). I've lost 40 lbs since sleeve date (plus 8 lbs preop diet). Goal is 10-15 more pounds but slowing down now. Easter was the irate time I did have a slice of cake and felt so guilty. My husband is only one that knows I had the surgery so it's hard when eat with friends because eat very little and can't drink at the same time. Here is my day of surgery pic and my current pic.

Hi Hope4momof4!
The procedure went off without a hitch. I was heading home after a few hours in recovery. No nausea (Doc prescribed anti-nausea patch which I put on the night before). The first couple of days I was a little gassy/crampy, but it really was minor and another 'scrip helped with that.
Returned Monday for blood work and xray to make sure there were no leaks- which there aren't.
I'm now one week out to the day and I am feeling great and I've dropped about 10lbs so far. yay!
I'm so happy I did this. So far so good!
Amy

Hello! I am visiting this board for the first time in quite a while, and I just came upon your post. I won't mince words or be apologetic for getting my surgery at such a "low" BMI (some can be judgy!). I was not quite a 30 bmi when I had my surgery (almost exactly 2 years ago). I had it done in Mexico. I had zero comorbidities. I got the surgery because I have always been very active, but struggled constantly with being overweight and binge eating. It cause a large amount of depression and anxiety. I was tired of dieting and not keeping it off. I was 37 years old with 3 young kids.
Getting the surgery was the very best thing I have ever done for myself! It is two years later and I have kept the weight off. I also don't believe people need to wait until they are super obese with failing health to get the surgery. I was only getting older, continuing to gain weight, and I wasn't going to wait any longer! Since the surgery I have become a black belt in Taekwondo, run more miles than I can count, changed my career, moved to a different state, and made lots of friends who like to be active too. The weight loss has helped me in these things by either just plain being physically smaller (exercise) or moving and making new friends and starting a new career (confidence).
I am a huge proponent of bariatric surgery, even at a "low" bmi. Good luck with your decision!

Good for you!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I’m happy to hear you not just doing well but outstanding! I think you really did use this procedure as just a tool to get healthy. I’m very hopeful that I can achieve similar results. It looks like you are feeling full with very little food and either the procedure has worked perfectly for you in that sense or possibly you started off not feeling hungry due to the procedure and then you trained your body to not want food as much afterwards. Either way you are doing great and I hope you continue your success. Please continue to update on your progress at least weekly. You do give us inspiration especially those like myself in the process of scheduling this procedure. Thanks a million and continued success and health!

I definitely have more energy and as we are entering summer down under, have great weather to get out and about. Much easier to meet my Water goals which I have struggled with at times.

That's great progress with hubs in going to get a doctors opinion. I'm guessing it will be one who offers the esg lol.

My teens still haven't noticed anything different which still cracks me up. I can now go out the dinner with friends who don't know about my esg and eat a reasonable meal and have a glass of wine which is lovely. So I guess I can say this "secret" is fairly easy to conceal. I'm glad I haven't told too many people as I feel I would now hate to be constantly asked how much more I had lost when the numbers are quite slow to move. Couldn't stand anyone asking if I regret this path or wish I had have gone with a lsg It's really nice to have "no pressure" and run my own race [emoji469]. Thought this might help as I know you plan to keep it fairly quiet too. And to those esgers who say it loud and proud - good on you. I thinks that's really brave and hope you get nothing but support.

Mel

Wow, very interesting. I didnt know that was available. I just had a sleeve so Im good. Best of luck on your journey!


5' 5"
HW: 259
CW: 234
GOAL: Healthy and hard 140-ish?

Hey Sherry,
ESG is a new bariatric procedure that is considered noninvasive. It stands for endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty which basically means sewing or stitching up your stomach like a gastric sleeve but without any incisions. They go through your mouth with the suturing device. You are put under anesthesia and it is outpatient so you go home same day. There are only a few doctors performing this. However, this procedure looks promising so I think more and more doctors will be offering it soon. I am looking to get it done but I have not had it yet. Hopefully more people who have actually had this procedure done will chime in from this forum. My BMI is 32 and I’m 43 years old. This procedure is only for patients with a BMI from 30-40. Hope that helps you. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Hi!!!
How are you? How did your conversation go with your husband? Any progress on what you are going to do regarding the esg?

I am great, thanks for checking in . I have finally broken the stall and have been losing, slowly but losing none the less. Still loving the support of my dietician to navigate this new world of eating. I have begun moving more and adding some short runs and strength training - baby steps but it is working well with my life.

All up I am now nearly 12kg down and can no longer shop in the big girl stores. Lost about 1 and a half dress sizes. Having to answer a few " wow you look great, what diet are you doing" conversations.

Still needing to work on impulse eating which has happened a few times when I am not organised and grab something for the kids on the go. I am trying to adopt the mindset of trying not dwell on it but work on strategies to prevent it next time. It's definitely a learning curve.

Keep in touch,
Mel x

Al, that's awesome to hear, fantastic progress! I know from the yo-yo diets how incredible that feels to go down that many sizes in clothes, sounds like you are on a path to stay there this time. Also great to hear of your exercise experience, inspiring for my upcoming procedure. Stay in touch as you continue to make progress it is very reaffirming for the rest of us! Great job, enjoy the new healthy you!
Regards, Tex

Well, since I started this thread, I'll bite. It's been about 8 weeks since I had the procedure. During weeks 1-7, I chose to stick to the liquid only diet - which in my case consisted of only Protein Shakes (specifically I drank only Beverly International UMP and MTS Machine whey Protein - in other words very high quality and great tasting protein) 3 times per day. Occasionally, I would have about a cup of chicken broth or sugar free Jello (the cups they sell pre-made and refrigerated in the grocery store). The first week was easy and the second week was difficult. The third through seventh weeks were very easy and I really enjoyed it (so much so that I continued past the 4th week until week 7). I found that I had a ton of energy and felt the best I've felt in years. Ironically, I spent a lot of my free time watching cooking shows and learning some new recipes. My wife thought it was torture, but it actually seemed to keep me focused on not eating with a goal of cooking more high quality meals after I was done with the liquid phase.
I started walking a lot by the second week (some on my treadmill at a medium speed but a steep incline - some outside) for about 30 - 50 minutes at a time - including some targeted running at the end of the walk (High Intensity). I walked 5 times a week and found other things to do to keep my mind occupied when I wasn't at work. After 30 days, I began lifting weights - for about 90 minutes at a stretch. It's been a while since I lifted weights so I was VERY sore. This means that I've only lifted twice a week since that point - which is fine with me.
Last week I began eating again - not very much and mostly soft foods like eggs and yogurt. I also went out of town to a friend's retirement which found me drinking some liquor (mostly cranberry juice and vodka) and going out to eat. In all honesty, I couldn't eat much of anything (even though I wanted to) and I took some protein shakes with to drink. Over this past weekend, I spent a lot of time cooking some healthy meals but didn't really feel like eating too much. I really enjoy spending a ton of time in the kitchen cooking (some of the meals I made took 4-5 hours) and not caring about eating.
So far, I have had a pretty good variety of foods (albeit very small portions) including all types of meats, cheeses, vegetables, and small amounts of grains/breads. I have had no trouble tolerating any of the foods (except a bit of meatloaf I had last night that just didn't sit well) but my portion sizes are a fifth of what I used to eat - and I'm only eating food for dinner. During the day, I am sticking with protein shakes - for now.
If I were to guess, I would say that I have been between 600 and 800 calories per day since the procedure. Every once in a while, I get a little lighted headed when I stand up - but not often. I have enough energy to work out and drink tons of Water. I just started drinking coffee again this week - but not first thing in the morning - that's when I have a Protein Shake.
As far as weight loss goes - I don't know my number. When I started this program, I promised myself a few things:
The number on the scale would never be a part of what success was for me. I've spent the greater part of my life worried about that number and my past behaviors got me to this point - so they need to change. No more weighing myself.
My goal was, and continues to be, to feel good each day. It's that simple. When I go to bed at night, I want to feel good with where I am - and how I spent my day. So far, I have succeeded and feel better than I have in 20 years.
I started off at 267 (5'10") and I can tell you, without a doubt, I have lost a ton of weight. My pants went from a tight 45 to 40 and I can fit easily in XL from a tight XXL. I have no doubt that I have dropped 40 or more pounds and even started toning up. I wouldn't be surprised if I weigh below 200 by my 6 month appointment in March - when I will have my next official weigh-in. It's coming off that quick.
Having this procedure is one of the best decisions I've ever made. I am planning on spending the winter lifting and losing so I can continue long distance running in the spring - in the hopes of running a marathon by next fall. I have begun investigating hiking and backpacking throughout the US and am committed to being healthy. What's amazing, is that after the second week, it has been pretty darn easy. I have no real restrictions now - and have absolutely no side effects (other than massive fat shredding).
To sum it up - if you just had the procedure or are having it soon - here is the best advice I can give you:
Buy and drink the highest quality protein you can afford. I buy mine from Tiger Fitness - as they are the cheapest with the quickest shipping. The protein costs a fraction of what I used to spend on food - so I would recommend you avoid muscle milk and anything you can find at Walmart or your local grocery store. Buy what athletes and nutrition experts buy. The Cookies and cream from MTS nutrition will blow your mind.
Don't run from food - embrace your new lifestyle and focus on enjoying every bite you take. Just keep the portions small.
If your doctor approves and you feel good, stick with the protein shakes as long as you can. The amount of weight I dropped during this phase is phenomenal. I intend to use protein shakes as a supplement for the rest of my life - including occasional protein shake fasts.
When you are on a protein/liquid only diet, take time each day to reflect on where you are at and where you want to be. Call it meditation or whatever you want - but think about your thoughts. It will make your will stronger and you will eventually regain lost confidence and be capable of anything. Daily victories begin to snowball.
If you can, don't weigh yourself. At least not frequently. Nothing good can come from it and it is a horrible indication of your health. Trust your feelings and instincts. If you feel good - then you are moving in the right direction.
Good Luck and enjoy the journey.

So glad to hear that your surgery went well. Now you can begin your new life. I suppose our moms are so overbearing because it’s the only way they know how to show they love us. I think your mom being there in the hospital is proof of how much she cares. And yes she will ease up on you the more you prove to her how you can get your weight and your life under control. I guess our moms mean well but they have a really strange and annoying way of showing it. Anyway, keep us posted on your progress. I’m rooting for you babe!

So maybe a day or so after I said here that none of the jerks I work with had noticed I was losing weight, someone finally said something. A co-worker said, "You've really been losing a lot of weight! You look great!" I just thanked her for the kind word and went on about my day.
So I guess even when people do notice, you don't have to tell them much of anything. Just say something bland but appreciative and walk away.

First thing first follow your DR.'s food plan. Just because someone else is on another program does not mean you can be as well. People forget that each DR has their suture strategy and techniques some heal faster than others but can also have different side effects. SO FOLLOW YOUR DR's PLAN not someone in some forum.
Second great job on the weight loss. Each person will lose more or less than the next. You did not wake up one day and was overweight. It took time, and like Gas Prices which always goes up overnight but comes down over months, your weight will do the same.
At the stage you are in your concern should be staying hydrated. I try to drink over 120oz of Water but if you can get in 64 that is great. You will find that once you move into soft foods things will change for you.
Once you move into soft foods that is when you should start watching and monitoring your daily calorie intake. I eat about 1000 - 900 calories per day regardless of what exercise I do for the day.
You need to count every calorie that goes into your mouth. I use a product called "Lose it" on my iPhone it has a vast database of most foods, and you can use the barcode feature to add foods as well. Studies have shown people that count their calories do better at losing weight because most people who say they eat 1200 calories per day consume over 1000 more than they thought.
Hang in there your body will fight you; let's face it junk food tastes excellent that why we ate it, to begin with, but after awhile of eating healthy I promise you that bag of chips and pizza will taste like metal.

Surgery was Tuesday and everything turned out great [emoji1474]! I had Gastric bypass; the doctors and nurses said i was a stellar patient lol. Any ways yes i agree with you about feeling like a child but I’m so used to it my mom had been overbearing all my life. Although, she has gotten better and was even there at the hospital when i woke up in recovery!

Isn’t it strange that we are grown adults, you’re 45 and I’m just about the same age 43, but we still feel like children when it comes to our parents? I have the same issue with my mom and like you I don’t want to hear the negativity. I think it’s wonderful that you have your surgery date. Which surgery or procedure are you having? You are a lot braver than me. I’ve only made a few phone calls but I haven’t even gone in for a consultation. My mom would never support me in this although she’d never hesitate to tell me that I look fat or very big. Mind you she is very obese herself and suffers from numerous health issues because of her weight. She doesn’t realize that I want to do this so I don’t end up like her, negative and bitter all the time.
Congratulations on having a date set. I admire and applaud you. 👏🏻👏🏻

I wish you success and a speedy recovery. Although I’m very new to this forum and probably don’t have the seniority, I hope we can continue to provide support and inspiration in your lifelong journey. Congratulations and get excited about your new healthier life! It won’t hurt that you’ll really look “bad ass” soon and you can leave out the “big gurl” part😜😜

I wish you success and a speedy recovery. Although I’m very new to this forum and probably don’t have the seniority, I hope we can continue to provide support and inspiration in your lifelong journey. Congratulations and get excited about your new healthier life! It won’t hurt that you’ll really look “bad ass” soon and you can leave out the “big gurl” part😜😜

I got my approval today, surgery 12/19. I didn’t tell anyone until I met with the surgeon and got the date. Then I told my Mom and husband. I still haven’t told my Dad or kids. My Dad will not be happy. I’m a 45 year old grown ass woman. I’ve been in this journey since May-I don’t want to hear any negative crap. @1badassbggurl so glad all went well.

I️ want to wish everyone well that is having surgery today; you will all be in my thoughts and prayers not only for a successful surgery but a speedy recovery as well. Of course I️ will do my best to keep you all updated as to how my surgery goes today. My nerves are starting to rattle a bit but I’m okay! I️ just wanted you guys to know it has truly been great finding this forum. You guys have been so supportive and inspiring...THANK YOU!

In December of 2009 I had lap band surgery. My finance drove me to surgery center for what he thought was a knee surgery. ( I really was having knee surgery two weeks later so I told him it was a part one preliminary surgery). I had at that time only told two best friends. One who drove me to pre-op appts and one who I stayed with for 2 days post op after my finance drove me home just so I could get through the worst of it without actually having to gimp and fake like I had just had knee surgery. I had some issues 3 years later and ended up in hospital and told him in strictest confidence because he was thinking way worse case scenarios for my issues. We'll within a few days he blabbed to everyone including his and my friends and family. I broke up with him a few months later because there was no trust that he would honor me which was my fear from the beginning. I'm now married to a wonderfully supportive man who has been by my side through the lap band removal and VSG revision and I know he will only disclose my information to anyone in specifically say is allowed to know my secret. I have also told two of my children and a couple of my best friends. The same ones who knew about the lapband and my supervisor (so she won't think I have cancer or something and worry to much and I know that due to HIPPA she won't tell anyone).



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Just had my surgery and wanted to let you know that all went well ...and guess what? That head strong, very opinionated family I was worried about telling and sent those letters to, right before I️ went into the OR, all showed up to the hospital and were waiting to greet me when I️ woke up in recovery! [emoji847][emoji7][emoji847][emoji7]

hi there. I'm a newbie but this topic is the most agonizing part of my decision to have a weight loss procedure done. And just like tahoegirl96118, I can't tell my family because they will not support me. What makes it worse for me is that I can't even tell my husband because he would never support that decision either. I will get the usual line of ,"You're not that big", and "Don't you think that is a bit extreme, you can lose weight by exercising and eating right." If losing weight were that easy then we wouldn't have an obesity epidemic! This is probably why I was contemplating getting the endoscopic sleeve because there are no incisions and it is done as an outpatient procedure. This decision is scary enough let alone dealing with critical haters. I hope I can pull this off. I am honestly not sure how at all. Has anyone actually been able to get any procedure done without telling anyone? Please give me advice guys!!

I am not telling my family either. They were not supportive of the idea in the beginning

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I didnt tell and it will be 7 years

Thank you! I haven't told anyone. Just my support group here. Thankfully I have you all!! I hate confrontations and just didn't need to deal with people telling me what they think I should be doing. Only I know what's best for me.