ILKrista

I had to have a colonoscopy about 6 months after the sleeve surgery. Because one of my big issues was cronic Constipation, I had to do 48 hours of nothing but Clear Liquids & do the same prep that you described having to do for yours. I don't know if it was the extra day of no food that made the difference, but I was flushed out by the time of my procedure. I really feel for you because that MoviPrep is sheer hell to get down. Good luck!

I have Kefir yogurt nearly everyday for Breakfast. I like it because I can pour it in a coffee cup and drink it on my way to work. I buy the regular, lowfat type. Maybe I will try the plain with sugar free Jello powder. I haven't had a problem with weightloss by eating the regular. Anyway, I highly recommend the Kefir.

So, I'm not sleeved yet, but I'm definitely looking to the future. I've got big plan that when I hit my goal weight I'm going somewhere tropical and beachy... Say Tahiti or somewhere along those lines. Of course, I'm also picturing a hot Latino man on the beach with me:lol:... Hey a girls gotta dream. I'm curious what other people's big plans are for when they hit their goal weights.
Krista

So, I'm not sleeved yet, but I'm definitely looking to the future. I've got big plan that when I hit my goal weight I'm going somewhere tropical and beachy... Say Tahiti or somewhere along those lines. Of course, I'm also picturing a hot Latino man on the beach with me:lol:... Hey a girls gotta dream. I'm curious what other people's big plans are for when they hit their goal weights.
Krista

You guys are so inspiring! I decided I was going to buy a size 8 goal LBD as motivation. Well, when I went to the store this weekend, I found a great one & I found a size 12 that I fit into now. I haven't willing worn a dress in 15 years, but I didn't think I looked to bad... So here I am in my LBD & me looking fierce. LOL!

You guys are so inspiring! I decided I was going to buy a size 8 goal LBD as motivation. Well, when I went to the store this weekend, I found a great one & I found a size 12 that I fit into now. I haven't willing worn a dress in 15 years, but I didn't think I looked to bad... So here I am in my LBD & me looking fierce. LOL!

A very highly recommended surgeon in Mexico is Dr. Sauceda. There is an entire forum devoted to him on obesity help. http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/Dr_Sauceda_Patients/
I am still saving up $ and trying to lose the last 15 pounds, but I've been researching doctors & he seems to be the most highly recommended in Mexico to specialize in people who have lost more than 100 lbs.

A very highly recommended surgeon in Mexico is Dr. Sauceda. There is an entire forum devoted to him on obesity help. http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/Dr_Sauceda_Patients/
I am still saving up $ and trying to lose the last 15 pounds, but I've been researching doctors & he seems to be the most highly recommended in Mexico to specialize in people who have lost more than 100 lbs.

So I am 15 months out & lately I have been feeling like a failure. I have gone from 260 (Jan 2011) to 142 (now)... but the last month & a half I have been doing terrible. Before I was running 3-4 times a week & really sticking to the high Protein, low-carb diet. After an unpleasant break up with my boyfriend, the running stopped & I have been eating crap (M&Ms, doughnuts, etc) I feel gross, bloated & fat. I've even been avoiding this site because I feel guilty about it. I am about 20 pounds from my goal & I consider it a miracle that I haven't gained 10 pounds with all the junk I've consumed. I've decided I need to do the Atkins induction for a couple weeks to get myself back on track. It really makes me realize that like any addiction, I will have to fight not to revert to old habits & fall off the wagon, so to speak. I know that I can do this. I just need to dig in & find that inner strength.

You might also check on obesity help. They have a very large forum devoted to plastic surgery. There is also a website called "Make Me Heal" devoted to plastic surgery.

So I am 15 months out & lately I have been feeling like a failure. I have gone from 260 (Jan 2011) to 142 (now)... but the last month & a half I have been doing terrible. Before I was running 3-4 times a week & really sticking to the high Protein, low-carb diet. After an unpleasant break up with my boyfriend, the running stopped & I have been eating crap (M&Ms, doughnuts, etc) I feel gross, bloated & fat. I've even been avoiding this site because I feel guilty about it. I am about 20 pounds from my goal & I consider it a miracle that I haven't gained 10 pounds with all the junk I've consumed. I've decided I need to do the Atkins induction for a couple weeks to get myself back on track. It really makes me realize that like any addiction, I will have to fight not to revert to old habits & fall off the wagon, so to speak. I know that I can do this. I just need to dig in & find that inner strength.

So I am 15 months out & lately I have been feeling like a failure. I have gone from 260 (Jan 2011) to 142 (now)... but the last month & a half I have been doing terrible. Before I was running 3-4 times a week & really sticking to the high Protein, low-carb diet. After an unpleasant break up with my boyfriend, the running stopped & I have been eating crap (M&Ms, doughnuts, etc) I feel gross, bloated & fat. I've even been avoiding this site because I feel guilty about it. I am about 20 pounds from my goal & I consider it a miracle that I haven't gained 10 pounds with all the junk I've consumed. I've decided I need to do the Atkins induction for a couple weeks to get myself back on track. It really makes me realize that like any addiction, I will have to fight not to revert to old habits & fall off the wagon, so to speak. I know that I can do this. I just need to dig in & find that inner strength.

It is really hard for me to believe that it has now been 6 months since I had my surgery, but here is is, August 23. When I got sleeved on Feb 23, I was so worried that I wouldn't survive the surgery & that even if I did, I would end up failing with it just as I had with ever other diet I'd ever been on. I saw how successful others had been & was inspired by all the information they shared about their experiences, but I just couldn't let myself believe it would work for me. Well, 6 months later, I am still a work in progress, but it is definitely working.
Most of the time I consider myself to be an average loser. Certainly, I am not one of the people who is losing 20-30 lbs a month. But I've been very consistent in my weightloss so far & it has really started to add up. The stalls are frustrating, but I just do my best to keep working through them. I try to eat low carb, high Protein, but I am not super strict about it. I might have tuna on crackers or the occasional beer. For the most part I do low carb, high Protein, with a few cheats every now and then. I am militant about going to the gym. I started off walking & have slowly worked myself up to jogging 20 minutes straight. I go the the gym religiously 3-4 times a week where I do at least 30 min of cardio & weights. I also try to work in a zumba class once a week.
I don't know what else to say other than that it really can work if you are willing to work it. It has not always been easy, and there have definitely times when I wish I hadn't had the surgery (usually when I am craving a huge cheeseburger or bread or something & I know I can't eat that with my little stomach). Those moments pass quickly & 98% of the time I am thrilled that I had the procedure. I am happy with my results & hope that at the 1 year mark I will have reached my goal. I am including some pictures because I know how motivating it was for me to see the progress people had made. So as embarrassing as it is to post my heavy pictures, here they are.

If I were you, I would look at the part of this forum that is dedicated to people who had the band & have now had to switch to the sleeve because of complications. Show your wife this. I initially thought that I wanted the band because it seemed less drastic. But research convinced me the sleeve was the better way to go... The long-term complication rate for the band was too high for me.

As open as I have been about telling people I have the sleeve, I lied by butt off and told them that I was physically unable to eat breads & sweets... it would make me vomit. No one offers me anything anymore. LOL.

As open as I have been about telling people I have the sleeve, I lied by butt off and told them that I was physically unable to eat breads & sweets... it would make me vomit. No one offers me anything anymore. LOL.

If I were you, I would look at the part of this forum that is dedicated to people who had the band & have now had to switch to the sleeve because of complications. Show your wife this. I initially thought that I wanted the band because it seemed less drastic. But research convinced me the sleeve was the better way to go... The long-term complication rate for the band was too high for me.

If I were you, I would look at the part of this forum that is dedicated to people who had the band & have now had to switch to the sleeve because of complications. Show your wife this. I initially thought that I wanted the band because it seemed less drastic. But research convinced me the sleeve was the better way to go... The long-term complication rate for the band was too high for me.

I was putting together a digital photo album from a trip I took to Ireland in October. I started to get frustrated because my friend had taken this great picture, but some skinny woman was standing in the middle of it, ruining the shot. I looked at the picture at least five times before I realized the skinny woman ruining my picture was ME! LOL.

I was putting together a digital photo album from a trip I took to Ireland in October. I started to get frustrated because my friend had taken this great picture, but some skinny woman was standing in the middle of it, ruining the shot. I looked at the picture at least five times before I realized the skinny woman ruining my picture was ME! LOL.

I wasn't sure where to post this topic, so I am throwing it in here. Here is a website where they have photos of people your height at all different weights. I wanted to get some idea of what my goal weight really should be. http://www.cockeyed.com/photos/bodies/heightweight.html

I was putting together a digital photo album from a trip I took to Ireland in October. I started to get frustrated because my friend had taken this great picture, but some skinny woman was standing in the middle of it, ruining the shot. I looked at the picture at least five times before I realized the skinny woman ruining my picture was ME! LOL.

I was putting together a digital photo album from a trip I took to Ireland in October. I started to get frustrated because my friend had taken this great picture, but some skinny woman was standing in the middle of it, ruining the shot. I looked at the picture at least five times before I realized the skinny woman ruining my picture was ME! LOL.

I bought a goal little black dress right after I had my surgery. It was a size 8 (I started as a size 26 and even as a fifth grader I was a 14), so it seemed like the biggest dream goal ever. I wore it for Valentines day, almost a year after my surgery. It may be the only time I ever wear it since I really don't have a lot of places to wear that type of dress, and I'm still losing, so I'm not sure it will be my final size. But for me, the cost ($40) was worth it for that moment of putting it on and seeing it finally fit. I don't think there is anything wrong with buying a goal outfit... just don't go crazy and buy a goal wardrobe. lol.

It is hard to believe that it has been over a year since I had my sleeve surgery. I was sleeved on February 23, 2011. I was convinced that I would be the one to die during surgery or to fail after having it done. The night before, I wrote myself a letter to open on the 1 year anniversary, in the event that I survived the procedure. I put off opening that letter for a couple weeks because I knew how emotional I would feel reading it. I just opened it today, and I thought I would share it with everyone. Here is a letter to myself written 2/22/11:
Krista- If you are reading this, then you made it through surgery & the first year. Hopefully, you are healthier & happier. I just want to remind you of all the reasons you did the surgery & hopefully none of them apply any more. Today, my hope for the future is:
1. To no longer fearful of being humiliated every time I go in public by someone pointing, laughing, or saying something horrible to me.
2. To no longer afraid that a child I am working with will ask me why I'm so fat, which has happened several times since I became a librarian.
3. To not be afraid I'll break a chair when I sit.
4. To not dread restaurant booths because I can only fit in about half of them.
5. To be able to climb stairs without getting winded.
6. To not dread flying; fearing the seat belt won't fit or having the person seated next to me roll their eyes & sigh when they see me.
7. To be able to wear shorts without embarrassment.
8. To not be embarrassed to have someone hug me or touch me, knowing they are feeling all my fat.
9. To be able to swim & enjoy the Water.
10. To go on a date and really be able to believe that someone could like or love me.
I feel like this list could go on forever. I only hope that if I am reading this letter, my life has improved & I'm not regretting having had this surgery. I hope I am really able to love myself and the anger I feel towards the world & how it treats me is gone.
Krista
I'm happy to say that all the hopes for my future have more or less come true. There are a few things I am still working on. I'm still about 20 pounds from my final goal, which I take full responsibility for. I have been slacking the past month & need to get back on track. I still don't like wearing shorts or swimming suits, but that is largely because of the loose skin & am dealing with & not because I feel fat. I feel like my life has improved so much from the time that I wrote that letter. It is better than I could have hoped for. Don't get me wrong, it is still not perfect & I still deal with low self-esteem and other issues. But I'm no longer miserable just because I exist. I don't hate how I look or hate having people look at me. I don't avoid photos or going out with friends. I feel like I am finally living a normal life & I am happy with that. I hope all of you can or will soon be able to say the same.
I couldn't figure out how to attach before & after pictures, so here is the link to my album: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/gallery/album/1509-krista-before-1-year-pictures/
Krista