RTL1234

I’m glad I found your post! Hoping for an update from you!
I had a sleeve in 2020, but have had a tremendous amount of issues unfortunately. Had my gallbladder out since, and have horrid GERD. My surgeon does want to do a revision, but today I found out I have a HH, but I never had one before my sleeve. Annoying! My insurance requires a waiting period and I’m like really?! I’m miserable!

I most definitely felt this way. I had a complete pity party for myself. I needed it. Why can’t I do it on my own? Why is XXX so skinny and eats whatever they want when I eat one slice of cake and gain 5lbs? The negative talk resonated in my brain. I can’t do this, it’s too hard, I love food too much, I’m a side baker I can’t taste my baking. But guess what? YOU CAN F****** DO THIS!!!!!

As for complications, I’ll just throw this out there. Vomiting - had some the first few days of post op however, I knew that I get like that with anesthesia, so my doctor and I did what we could to minimize it. I’ve since had my gallbladder removed one year later, and am having a revision as I have a hiatal hernia and severe GERD. So…would I consider those to be complications? Sure. But I would do it over again 100x!!! I have gained so much throughout this journey. And continue to.

My current surgeon feels my initial surgeon should have chosen a bypass for me originally, which I asked for but they recommended sleeve so that’s what we went with. Current surgeon feels that with my co-morbities at that time, and other issues, I shouldn’t have been a candidate for a sleeve. Okay so all that to say, again I wouldn’t change it!!!!
I tolerate literally any food with my sleeve. Now things sit “heavier” than others so if I’m eating that I may be miserable (like feeling stuffed not sick). After some tragedy in my family, I stopped eating well and started eating just snack food. I gained 18lbs. But then I crawled out of the hole and said okay, this has to stop, you’ve worked wayyyyy to hard to go backwards, get it together! Here I am, back on track, still have some of the gain to lose, but grateful that I have this tool aka my sleeve to help mitigate that for me.
I used to love following people on IG/social media but I had to stop. Before my sleeve I looked at thin people and felt pangs of jealousy and constant comparison. Then after surgery and losing weight (not even to goal weight haven’t made it) I looked at the VSG “influencers”, the same way. Constant “oh her surgery was two weeks before mine and she’s already lost 100 lbs and I’ve ONLY lost 70”. It was perpetuating the SAME cycle I was in. So I just had to stop. Every now and again I search out the hashtag but for the most part I don’t because this journey is unique to YOU.

Sorry for the novel, and if you made it through it, that’s great! Lol

@Chel1 Do you feel like you were swollen with the sleeve too? Hopefully it subsides soon! I saw your other post about full liquids. I don’t blame you a bit. I get easily bored with food. I like variety as well. I’m glad you found something though to shake it up a bit! How long are you on liquids until purée or soft foods?

I most definitely felt this way. I had a complete pity party for myself. I needed it. Why can’t I do it on my own? Why is XXX so skinny and eats whatever they want when I eat one slice of cake and gain 5lbs? The negative talk resonated in my brain. I can’t do this, it’s too hard, I love food too much, I’m a side baker I can’t taste my baking. But guess what? YOU CAN F****** DO THIS!!!!!

As for complications, I’ll just throw this out there. Vomiting - had some the first few days of post op however, I knew that I get like that with anesthesia, so my doctor and I did what we could to minimize it. I’ve since had my gallbladder removed one year later, and am having a revision as I have a hiatal hernia and severe GERD. So…would I consider those to be complications? Sure. But I would do it over again 100x!!! I have gained so much throughout this journey. And continue to.

My current surgeon feels my initial surgeon should have chosen a bypass for me originally, which I asked for but they recommended sleeve so that’s what we went with. Current surgeon feels that with my co-morbities at that time, and other issues, I shouldn’t have been a candidate for a sleeve. Okay so all that to say, again I wouldn’t change it!!!!
I tolerate literally any food with my sleeve. Now things sit “heavier” than others so if I’m eating that I may be miserable (like feeling stuffed not sick). After some tragedy in my family, I stopped eating well and started eating just snack food. I gained 18lbs. But then I crawled out of the hole and said okay, this has to stop, you’ve worked wayyyyy to hard to go backwards, get it together! Here I am, back on track, still have some of the gain to lose, but grateful that I have this tool aka my sleeve to help mitigate that for me.
I used to love following people on IG/social media but I had to stop. Before my sleeve I looked at thin people and felt pangs of jealousy and constant comparison. Then after surgery and losing weight (not even to goal weight haven’t made it) I looked at the VSG “influencers”, the same way. Constant “oh her surgery was two weeks before mine and she’s already lost 100 lbs and I’ve ONLY lost 70”. It was perpetuating the SAME cycle I was in. So I just had to stop. Every now and again I search out the hashtag but for the most part I don’t because this journey is unique to YOU.

Sorry for the novel, and if you made it through it, that’s great! Lol

I most definitely felt this way. I had a complete pity party for myself. I needed it. Why can’t I do it on my own? Why is XXX so skinny and eats whatever they want when I eat one slice of cake and gain 5lbs? The negative talk resonated in my brain. I can’t do this, it’s too hard, I love food too much, I’m a side baker I can’t taste my baking. But guess what? YOU CAN F****** DO THIS!!!!!

As for complications, I’ll just throw this out there. Vomiting - had some the first few days of post op however, I knew that I get like that with anesthesia, so my doctor and I did what we could to minimize it. I’ve since had my gallbladder removed one year later, and am having a revision as I have a hiatal hernia and severe GERD. So…would I consider those to be complications? Sure. But I would do it over again 100x!!! I have gained so much throughout this journey. And continue to.

My current surgeon feels my initial surgeon should have chosen a bypass for me originally, which I asked for but they recommended sleeve so that’s what we went with. Current surgeon feels that with my co-morbities at that time, and other issues, I shouldn’t have been a candidate for a sleeve. Okay so all that to say, again I wouldn’t change it!!!!
I tolerate literally any food with my sleeve. Now things sit “heavier” than others so if I’m eating that I may be miserable (like feeling stuffed not sick). After some tragedy in my family, I stopped eating well and started eating just snack food. I gained 18lbs. But then I crawled out of the hole and said okay, this has to stop, you’ve worked wayyyyy to hard to go backwards, get it together! Here I am, back on track, still have some of the gain to lose, but grateful that I have this tool aka my sleeve to help mitigate that for me.
I used to love following people on IG/social media but I had to stop. Before my sleeve I looked at thin people and felt pangs of jealousy and constant comparison. Then after surgery and losing weight (not even to goal weight haven’t made it) I looked at the VSG “influencers”, the same way. Constant “oh her surgery was two weeks before mine and she’s already lost 100 lbs and I’ve ONLY lost 70”. It was perpetuating the SAME cycle I was in. So I just had to stop. Every now and again I search out the hashtag but for the most part I don’t because this journey is unique to YOU.

Sorry for the novel, and if you made it through it, that’s great! Lol

I most definitely felt this way. I had a complete pity party for myself. I needed it. Why can’t I do it on my own? Why is XXX so skinny and eats whatever they want when I eat one slice of cake and gain 5lbs? The negative talk resonated in my brain. I can’t do this, it’s too hard, I love food too much, I’m a side baker I can’t taste my baking. But guess what? YOU CAN F****** DO THIS!!!!!

As for complications, I’ll just throw this out there. Vomiting - had some the first few days of post op however, I knew that I get like that with anesthesia, so my doctor and I did what we could to minimize it. I’ve since had my gallbladder removed one year later, and am having a revision as I have a hiatal hernia and severe GERD. So…would I consider those to be complications? Sure. But I would do it over again 100x!!! I have gained so much throughout this journey. And continue to.

My current surgeon feels my initial surgeon should have chosen a bypass for me originally, which I asked for but they recommended sleeve so that’s what we went with. Current surgeon feels that with my co-morbities at that time, and other issues, I shouldn’t have been a candidate for a sleeve. Okay so all that to say, again I wouldn’t change it!!!!
I tolerate literally any food with my sleeve. Now things sit “heavier” than others so if I’m eating that I may be miserable (like feeling stuffed not sick). After some tragedy in my family, I stopped eating well and started eating just snack food. I gained 18lbs. But then I crawled out of the hole and said okay, this has to stop, you’ve worked wayyyyy to hard to go backwards, get it together! Here I am, back on track, still have some of the gain to lose, but grateful that I have this tool aka my sleeve to help mitigate that for me.
I used to love following people on IG/social media but I had to stop. Before my sleeve I looked at thin people and felt pangs of jealousy and constant comparison. Then after surgery and losing weight (not even to goal weight haven’t made it) I looked at the VSG “influencers”, the same way. Constant “oh her surgery was two weeks before mine and she’s already lost 100 lbs and I’ve ONLY lost 70”. It was perpetuating the SAME cycle I was in. So I just had to stop. Every now and again I search out the hashtag but for the most part I don’t because this journey is unique to YOU.

Sorry for the novel, and if you made it through it, that’s great! Lol

I bought my first pair of jeans, or any sort of pants that button and zip, since college a month or so ago. I still hate how they look, because all the weight I have left to lose seems to have just melted generally down but it's something.
And I'll get to do the jeans shopping again soon, because they're saggy baggy now.
Back when I wore jeans last, the style was ultra-low rise with a flared leg. I'm really digging the high-waisted skinny style. It's like a hug from your ankles to your ribs, like those squeezing thundershirts that they put on dogs afraid of thunderstorms.

I don't worry about women being good to me, I worry about ME being good to me. Someone will always have something to say. I love the progress I'm making, but I've had some tell me I look sickly, or like I have "Ozempic face" (I didn't even know what that means until my cousin told me...I've never taken any kind of shot or med for weight loss), or that I took the easy way out, or that I ruined any chance I have to just live a normal life and eat what I want. But you know what? They don't live in my body, they don't pay my bills, they don't live my life, and they don't cut me a check every 2 weeks. So what they say or think is irrelevant. I'm happy, I'm healthy, I'm finally starting to live my best life, and I really don't care what anyone else thinks about how I got here. The point is, I'm here.

I'm going to try and keep this from being too long, but there's so much to say!!! First I'll start with my newest NSVs.

I'm officially in a size 18 clothes (from my original size 30), size 10 shoes (from my original size 11), size 6 1/2 ring (from my original size 10), 18" chain on a necklace (from my original 24" chain), and 2x jacket (from my original 4-5x). I can now comfortably fit on a massage table without fear of it creaking or breaking. I can now ride a bike because I'm within the weight limit. I now am able to hit my favorite thrift stores and walk out with seriously cute clothes that look nice, sit well on me, and actually fit comfortably!! My asthma is almost completely gone (I only have it when I get super sick now instead of all the time). My blood work came back and my hormone levels are almost in the normal range (I have PCOS) and my cysts that completely COVERED both ovaries are totally gone (without having taken any meds or done any hormone therapies!!) I did a 6 mile hike this past weekend with my son. I am completely pain free and am able to go full on beast mode with my workouts again. I can go up 5 flights of stairs before I need to stop and rest.

Now for my new chapter in life and old dreams becoming new again.

So years ago, I wanted to become a nurse. I completed all of the academics with a 4.0, aced all the labs, but couldn't do any of the clinicals because I couldn't do all the walking, I was 400 pounds, and my health/joints/back were way too bad. So I gave up on it. Then about 2 years later, I thought "well, maybe I can be a medical assistant. Surely THAT'S not as hard" and once again, I couldn't do the externship because I couldn't do the physical stuff. So I went into other areas for work, ballooned up to 421 pounds, worked remotely, and made good money. I loved what i did, but there was always a part of me that regretted not being able to go into the medical field. That was my heart's desire. So fast forward to now. I'm between jobs and miserable. I had to stop working because of all my complications from my first surgery. Now that I've been cleared, I can't get hired anywhere. So I decided that now is a great time to go back to my dream of working in the medical field. So on Sept 5th, I start school to become a certified pediatric oncology medical assistant. Most of my previous credits transfer over, so I only have about 6 months of academics to do and then the externship. Then I sit for my certification exam and then I get to finally FINALLY do what I've always wanted to do. By my 46th birthday next June, I should be right where I want to be, doing what I want to do, and hopefully at my goal weight.

I'm sitting here in tears as I type this, because I thought this was something I would never see happen. I resigned myself to being morbidly obese, extremely unhealthy, and needing a cane to get around. I may not be at my goal weight (the weight comes off a lot slower with a revision, and also as your bmi gets smaller and you get closer to your goal) but I believe eventually I'll get there. But the things this surgery is giving to me, the dreams I can live out, the health and wellness and years of my life I'm getting back..... it was all worth it. The complications, the uncertainty, the pain and healing and stalls.... all completely worth it. We all start this journey wanting the numbers on the scale to go down. But there's SO MUCH MORE this surgery gives you. I will never, ever regret my decision. Never.

@Chel1 How did your revision go?!

July 15th marked my 4th year post VSG to RNY
I started with VSG in 2017 and was converted to RNY IN 2019. There seems to be more revision post lately but not a lot of long term revisioners or info floating around so feel free to ask me anything!

I am a year and half post sleeve and my Hair loss is getting better. It got very bad for a while and I lost a ton. Enough to make me really sad and upset about it. What did I do to fix it? I got extensions. They were expensive, and require maintenance. I don’t have them for length only volume but you know what? It has boosted my self esteem ten fold. It was worth every penny.

Even with my hair loss, I do not regret surgery and I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s a temporary thing and there are things you can do to improve how you feel about it. Sure, you can’t rub weird creams on your hair or pray the hair in place but you can manage it. I promise. :)

I am a year and half post sleeve and my Hair loss is getting better. It got very bad for a while and I lost a ton. Enough to make me really sad and upset about it. What did I do to fix it? I got extensions. They were expensive, and require maintenance. I don’t have them for length only volume but you know what? It has boosted my self esteem ten fold. It was worth every penny.

Even with my hair loss, I do not regret surgery and I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s a temporary thing and there are things you can do to improve how you feel about it. Sure, you can’t rub weird creams on your hair or pray the hair in place but you can manage it. I promise. :)

I am a year and half post sleeve and my Hair loss is getting better. It got very bad for a while and I lost a ton. Enough to make me really sad and upset about it. What did I do to fix it? I got extensions. They were expensive, and require maintenance. I don’t have them for length only volume but you know what? It has boosted my self esteem ten fold. It was worth every penny.

Even with my hair loss, I do not regret surgery and I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s a temporary thing and there are things you can do to improve how you feel about it. Sure, you can’t rub weird creams on your hair or pray the hair in place but you can manage it. I promise. :)

I am a year and half post sleeve and my Hair loss is getting better. It got very bad for a while and I lost a ton. Enough to make me really sad and upset about it. What did I do to fix it? I got extensions. They were expensive, and require maintenance. I don’t have them for length only volume but you know what? It has boosted my self esteem ten fold. It was worth every penny.

Even with my hair loss, I do not regret surgery and I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s a temporary thing and there are things you can do to improve how you feel about it. Sure, you can’t rub weird creams on your hair or pray the hair in place but you can manage it. I promise. :)

I'm back on the message boards because I'm having the same problem and always have... from the beginning I was always able to eat or drink more than I should have been able to, and could not relate to others who talked about not being able to eat a bite more. I keep waiting for this 'restriction' to hit and it just doesn't. Sometimes I'm convinced I could eat the same portions as I did 70 pounds ago, I just tell myself not to since I've come so far. It can be really frustrating though

I think that these feelings can be very normal! I came out and was like wtf did I do?! It stayed that way for a few weeks. As time went on it got better. Then at about 5 months out, I started with horrible acid reflux. Like shooting out my nose, choking, throwing up in the night half asleep. Then it came back again. The regret. Got that better controlled with meds, it went away. Then started with gallbladder attacks. The regrets returned. Getting that squared away now. Though when I think about it, I would not be where I’m at without the surgery. I am SO MUCH healthier. Down 104lbs from my heaviest. I am off all my meds and insulin. I am just all around in a better place.

I think the regrets come and go, and it’s normal. Sometimes I even get jealous when someone is eating a sundae or ice cream (oh I’ve tried it and I about died so no way)…and those little fleeting thoughts creep in. But overall, Even with bits of regrets, I would do it all over again in a second.

I think that these feelings can be very normal! I came out and was like wtf did I do?! It stayed that way for a few weeks. As time went on it got better. Then at about 5 months out, I started with horrible acid reflux. Like shooting out my nose, choking, throwing up in the night half asleep. Then it came back again. The regret. Got that better controlled with meds, it went away. Then started with gallbladder attacks. The regrets returned. Getting that squared away now. Though when I think about it, I would not be where I’m at without the surgery. I am SO MUCH healthier. Down 104lbs from my heaviest. I am off all my meds and insulin. I am just all around in a better place.

I think the regrets come and go, and it’s normal. Sometimes I even get jealous when someone is eating a sundae or ice cream (oh I’ve tried it and I about died so no way)…and those little fleeting thoughts creep in. But overall, Even with bits of regrets, I would do it all over again in a second.

I think that these feelings can be very normal! I came out and was like wtf did I do?! It stayed that way for a few weeks. As time went on it got better. Then at about 5 months out, I started with horrible acid reflux. Like shooting out my nose, choking, throwing up in the night half asleep. Then it came back again. The regret. Got that better controlled with meds, it went away. Then started with gallbladder attacks. The regrets returned. Getting that squared away now. Though when I think about it, I would not be where I’m at without the surgery. I am SO MUCH healthier. Down 104lbs from my heaviest. I am off all my meds and insulin. I am just all around in a better place.

I think the regrets come and go, and it’s normal. Sometimes I even get jealous when someone is eating a sundae or ice cream (oh I’ve tried it and I about died so no way)…and those little fleeting thoughts creep in. But overall, Even with bits of regrets, I would do it all over again in a second.

May be the dumbest question ever...but what does (your) full feels like after surgery?
Before surgery I never felt like I knew what full felt like. It was just hungry (then eat/binge) to sick. Since surgery (a little over 2 weeks post op), I don’t really know what full feels like. I stop after 2 oz because I feel heavy, or I feel like waves of nausea coming on. So that brings me to my question... since being post op, what does your full feel like?

This looks amazing 😍😍😍

This looks amazing 😍😍😍

This looks amazing 😍😍😍

Hey all! I’ve been crazy busy, thus my absence!
Non-surgically related: My youngest kid started preschool on Tuesday, and I’m also back to work. My oldest is in pre-K... So it’s filling my schedule. My husband and I also procured our first COVID vaccine (our kids are special needs so we qualified!).
Surgically related: Feeling good physically, my brain is in a weird spot where I don’t want to eat. I’ve gotten food stuck a couple of times and vomited it up. I don’t know if it’s that, or no desire to cook because I can eat so little. I’m not sure. But I’ve got a call into my nutritionist and hopefully I can also talk to the program psychologist and see if we can’t work this out. I vary. Some days I have 600 calories, but most I have 250-350 calories—and a lot of it is the oat milk I’m putting in my coffee (soy was consitpating me BAD).
Down to 254.2 this morning! Down to a size 1X shirts (and even they’re getting baggy!), but still a 20/22 in jeans.
I jogged for 8 minutes straight!
I can do my basic daily workouts, with only minimal burnout during core. Upper and lower body I’m smashing.
Hope you are all doing well!

This happened to me when my husband cooked brussel sprouts. 🤮. I’m 3.5 weeks post op.
I almost feel like I did when I have been pregnant, a super smelling nose and easily nauseated by it.