Becca

Best wishes...Don't worry! You will do great. The sleeve is amazing, you will see!

This is YOUR time!!! You have planned for this and the sleeve is such a wonderful gift to give yourself. You will do great! No worries.

Yay for taking care of you!

So happy for you Irene! Yay!!!!

I am so happy you are getting rid of your band. You will love the sleeve. I agree that it is annoying that doctors are promoting the band. I can't stand the lapband commericials! They make it sound so great and easy when the fact is most with the band fail. I am thankful that my revision doctor doesn't like bands and told me about the sleeve. He sees all the problems with the band because he fixes so many of the problems they cause. The thing about the band is that is where the money is. Doctors make money from fills, flouro, and later down the road revisions. They even lowered the BMI requirement so that more people can have them and suffer! My band was nothing but a big pain. Now that I have had so much success with my sleeve I will tell anyone that will listen NOT to get the band. I can't believe I had that thing in my body so long. Anyway, good luck with your revision! You will do great. You will appreciate your sleeve so much. Hugs and best wishes for a speedy recovery. I am here if you have any questions!

I would ask your doctor for medicine. I'm sure your stomach is healed enough that you will be fine, but it is better safe than sorry. I hope you feel better soon!

When that time of the month hits and I want to snack, I eat pork rinds. I remember reading about may eating them on here. 0 carbs, 70 calories, 7 grams of protein. They have been my lifesaver because I have major "head" hunger during TOM. SO irritating! MINI-me we are here for you anytime! You will get that weight off. You have done so well and are such an inspiration!

We are so happy for you! The sleeve really is a great thing. I am so thankful for this forum too. I remember being so scared of the sleeve at first, but now I see it as one of the best decisions of my life. I hope you heal quickly and lose lots of weight!

Yay! The sleeve is great, even if you have wait for it.

I would love to come, but I-45 is a bit far for me and I have a family, too. I could meet in that area if it was on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon but probably not during the week. I live in Northwest Houston.

I felt the same way before surgery. I was eating so badly before my sleeve because I thought I wouldn't be eating all my favorite foods ever again. After surgery, my tastes have really changed. I don't really want all those "bad" foods. Sugary foods don't phase me at all. Every now and then I have a bite of something I really want and I move on. I do choose to eat correctly, but it is fairly easy with the sleeve. You get full so quickly if you eat protein first that you don't have much room for all of the junk food. Also, I tend to want only healthy foods now. I use to LOVE Mexican food and now I don't care for it. Everything is too salty. I used to eat an entire basket of chips and salsa by myself. Not anymore! With drinking, I haven't done it yet because I don't want the carbs, but I feel so good to be down four sizes that I am super happy drinking a watered down Diet Coke. LOL! It will be hard at first, but you will see how great the sleeve is! You can do this!

I did once vomit on a hamburger patty. I either took too big of a bite or the meat was overcooked. That was the only time, otherwise no problems at all. With the band, you could throw up on any item at any time without any warning. I so DON'T miss it! : )

You look amazing! What a great success story!

No regrets....not even in the beginning when it was a little rough. I feel each day that I am becoming the person I was meant to be. I am living life and food doesn't control me anymore! I LOVE the sleeve. I wish I could have had it much sooner.

I hope everything goes as planned and your insurance approves your sleeve!

I would say it means you will be burning lots of fat for energy while working out! As long as you are well hydrated, you should be fine. Eating few calories soon after surgery is how you utilize the sleeve and lose lots of weight.

Hello and welcome! I have had both the band and the sleeve. The sleeve is far surperior from my experience because I actually have restriction and my obsession with food is gone. I never really had much restriction with the band, except early in the morning. The band never helped with my food issues. With the sleeve, I have lost interest in gorging myself and I am very satisfied on a small amount. I don't really want sweets, except on occasion I have "head" hunger for them around that time of the month. I have lost 42 pounds so far in eleven weeks. I am super happy with that and I am considered a slow loser compared with other VSG patients. As far as stretching the sleeve out, is it possible that you were reading "old" data? The sleeve used to be made bigger and so some of the first sleeve patients have experienced weight regain. Now doctors make the sleeve very small, so weight regain is not common. I wish you the best with your decision, but I must say, I am happier than I have ever been. Losing my food addiction has given me my life back! I love, love , love my sleeve! Also, your progress is amazing! You have really come a long way with your weight loss. I really feel the sleeve could get your to your goal.

I say go for it! I friend of mine had a tummy tuck and she looks fabulous. I am going to try and get one because I have so much skin already from three kids and obesity. I can't imagine what it will be like when I get to goal. I don't think it is vain at all. You deserve it!

Hang in there and do your best to follow the diet. The sleeve is soooo worth it!

Bands really are terrible! What was I thinking??? Oh well, now I have my sleeve and life is good!

Wow! You look amazing!!!

I am from Houston and would love to start a group. I haven't been to any support groups yet because my revision specialist is downtown and it is too far for me to make it to the hospital or doctor's support groups on time with the traffic after work. Congrats on your upcoming surgery date!!!

That is a pretty rude thing to do. The problem is, no one really understands what we go through. That is why we need each other on this forum. We understand! I am proud of you for not giving in and having a bite. You are doing awesome with your weight loss. Happy Belated Birthday!!!

I had the same issues with food. With the sleeve, it really does change how you feel towards food. I was addicted to food before VSG (even the lapband couldn't change this). With the ghrelin reduced, I just don't feel controlled by food anymore. My tastes have changed as well and I don't really want "bad" foods. If I go out to eat, I share or just order something small. I sip my water while everyone else finishes. I am happy about this. I love not stuffing myself with food! You will do great, so no worries. Good luck!