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Good luck, Allison! I was sleeved on Friday and am having a pretty good recovery. Went in at 10 a.m. on Friday, home by 3 on Sat. I wish you a quick recovery, and as good of nurses as I had during your stay in the hospital.

It was about 10 months ago when I had the surgery but I do remember a slight sharp pain every now and then but it wasn't an all day throbbing pain around the belly button.

I know many people have had their lives saved by the RNY, so I don't mean to talk it down at all. I just couldn't do it... and here is my partial list: - I was a revision from the band, and the complications revising to the rny were much riskier - I had a pouch when i was banded and it SUCKED. I have no idea if the pouch for the RNY behaves the same way, but I suspect it does. I don't want to vomit up food for unpredictable reasons. I spent 10 years in that hell and decided I just couldn't do it. - Mentally, I could get used to the idea that my stomach was too big and just needed to be reduced but i could never get comfortable with the RNY procedure - gave me the heebie geebies. Irrational, yes, but it was a key factor. -20 years ago the woman who was our daycare provider had the RNY. In those days they were done open, so recovery was a big huge deal. I know it isn't the same now, but i can't quite shake the memories of how ill she was and how long it took her to recover (she looked awesome though, lost all of her excess weight!) - I was convinced by the studies available that my chances of success are nearly as good with the sleeve compared to the RNY, but my risks were considerably lower. That just made sense to me. One piece of advice is to consider a surgeon who has a thriving "sleeve" practice. I did that and feel that their after care and all that was spot on for a sleever.

I am new to the forum. I was sleeved on Oct 23rd and as of today 10/26) feel much better. I had to stay in the hospital for two days because I coudn't get my fluids down. I had such bad nausea most of the time in the hopital. By the 3rd day felt better. I didn't have a cathitor or tube but did have the blood thinning shots. My body tried to throw up several times while there but never actually did. That was pretty painful on a newly constructed stomach. My focus has been trying to get 3 protein shakes in a day and the fluid. It's pretty hard work to get everything in on a daily basis but I am doing my best. I am not sure that I quite understand what I am feeling just yet though. When you become full, does that mean that it will cause a small pain in your side? Not sure how to tell if I'm full. I haven't been taking in anything other than what my dietician told me to take but hope I'm not doing anything wrong. Also, I can't really feel my bladder urges either. I have to just go sit and I do usually have to go. Anyone had that issue?

Also from TX - just had my Lap-band done on 9/11 (obviously not superstitious) and doing great. Preparation and information will help more than anything to get ready. Make sure you have your mind completely at peace about the procedure. Make sure you're ready to change everything about how and when you eat. Ask lots of questions and be ready to go on 10/1. We're excited for you and know you'll do great.

Hello again, fellow sleevers. I've been on and off this site since October, 2012. My story is long, and it's available in my blog link, so I won't bore anyone with it again. The latest highlights are that the job I started last July actually covers bariatric surgery. I was submitted in December with my past data, but was denied because the new insurance required 6 months with NUT, as opposed to the 3 months my previous insurer required. 6 consecutive months. After completing an additional three months, January through March, the office got around to resubmitting me around 4/10. I had actually lost so much faith in the front office staff, I continued making my NUT appointments, and actually had my 4th visit with her on Thursday, 4/17. Yesterday, 4/18, I got the call that I have actually been approved. I would have expected to be a little more excited, but I'm not really. I don't know if it's because I've been relatively successful in the dieting since January, or if I'm waiting to have the rug yanked out from under me again, or if it's just nerves. I don't feel like I'm going to back out of it or anything... just not excited. So I'm back. I know I need to brush up on all the knowledge I gained here in the past and have probably just plain forgotten. So my tentative surgery date is 5/19. Here I go!!!

WOW!!! That is some serious inspiration. From a LB size 20 to Levis 10 in 5 months! I can totally relate to the jeans experience. I have NEVER worn Levis. They just weren't cut for my body back in the 80's. I'm so thrilled to hear there is hope for me yet. Not that we should compare rate of loss with others, but if I lose at that rate, I could be a size 10 by Valentines Day. :wow2: I better start saving my money because I've got a lot of shopping to do.

Three years ago this time I was in the operating room and my friendship with Leonida, my band, was starting. During the first year I lost 52 kilos, which is something between 100 and 110 lbs, if I am not wrong.. During the second year I started losing part of my strong motivation and,by the end of the second year and the beginning of the third, I had gained back 10 kilos. Bariatric Pal is helping me come back on track, your approach to weight loss connected to wls is a bit different and many of the suggestions I have read here are becoming part of my life and behaviour. Thanks to all of you!!!

Well got my scope done today everything is a go for tomm 3/21/12 lost 10 pounds pre op and am the first surgery in the morning at 9 est so wish me luck everyone.

I wanted to say thank you to every who has "liked" my story or left a comment. I never realized how important the comments are until today. I realized that I read over them every now and then to kindof refresh my motivation. It's been a FaceBook heavy day today and I really really realized how much the support means to me... especially on days when I'm fighting myself, I'm down, or just not motivated to exercise. In my constant search of the web to learn everything I'll ever want to know on every topic, I found an exciting sleeved foodie blog. I was so very excited to have found until I realized I had read the entire thing in about 5 minutes. This person was sleeved and in 1 year went from a size 30 to a size 22/24. I was so shocked I re-read it a few times... I checked the dates... I looked at the photos. I was very confused. She's happy with her loss, says she'd do it again in a heartbeat. And in the 1 year follow up post mentioned something about never getting around to incorporating exercise into her daily routine but "maybe one day"... I realize I have no room to criticize anyone... I know this could very well be me one of these days... all of that being said... I have to say... this has been the biggest kick in my rear to find my motivation to exercise. I'm self pay. I'll be paying my parents back for the rest of their lives for the $12,900 that this surgery cost me/us. This is a major surgery and I cannot take it lightly... and I refuse to fail because I'm too lazy to exercise. Over the last two weeks I have been walking the dogs to the lake and back (about 1.7 miles... but more importantly, about 45 minutes per trip). My little Corgi dog Zoee has been the most motivating workout partner I've ever had. Those big brown eyes guilt trip me into taking her for a walk any time I'm thinking about weaseling out of it. I'm always glad we went by the time we get to the corner of the street. Today I bought a bicycle (Huffy Cruiser) to keep variety in my options... Or really, just to keep me moving. I took it for a maiden voyage around the block (about 2 city blocks). I survived and made it home safely. Scared the boyfriend half to death because I am a very clumsy girl... he said he gave me 10 minutes to make it back home before he was going to drive around the block to find where I wiped out. LOL! Just buying the bike was an experience in and of itself... I actually had the guy ahead of me at the check out flirt with me. Such an opposite of a teen experience I had (being ridiculed by a truck full of guys for taking the dog for a walk). All in all, I am very happy with the experience. I keep finding myself making future plans that involve seeming dangerous items... I want a set of quad skates so I can get the puppies running. Once I can make the walk in about 20-25 minutes I want to start the C25K program. I want a Kayak so I can work my upper body and enjoy the lake. These are insane exercise thoughts... I feel possessed! LOL! I hope they stick around. So while I'm really sorry that sleeved foodie blogger didn't have the results that I want for myself... I am grateful for her blog... it's really been the boot in my tooshy that I needed to really realize Sleevie is not going to do the work for me... But Sleevie is my friend who will handle the food part... This will leave me open to find the physical activities that I enjoy. =)

I did not have to be b a diet prior to rather surgery. However,I did need a letter from my gyno showing my weight history for the past. 5 years. In addition, I had to write down all my weight loss attempts, and there was plenty to write. I also was on a supervised hospital weight loss program three time in my life which was documented since the hospital,paid for part it. With all that said..I was approved within 2 months after my first appt with the dr. I did lose 10 pounds prior to surgery:) ...

Hi Christina, Our stats are similar. I'm 26 and 5'6 with HW being 293. I had surgery 4/1 and my total weight loss has been 50 pounds. Unlike you, I'm more bottom heavy. I have a little bit of a belly but nothing some clothes couldn't hide. My problem areas are mainly my legs and my butt. I've been at a stall for the past week or so so I'm hoping once I break the stall more weight will fall off. My exercise regimen has been okay. Since I'm more bottom heavy, I have pain in my hips which makes walking for long periods of time really painful. I did walk a lot when I first got out of surgery. I was wheeled into recovery at 11am and by noon I was already walking around. I walked at least 10 minutes every hour (even at night - couldn't sleep). Now, I'm comfortable walking for maybe 30 minutes until the pain starts to creep back up. I follow up with a swim or resistance exercises with weights or abs. Let me know if you have anymore questions

I finally got a seminar in today. This is my 3rd try. Each time I went before they had changed the date and I did not know until I got there. My insurance requires that I do 6 months of WW(ect) while under the monthly care of my regular Dr. for weigh loss also. I started that about a week ago. So it will be awhile before I can have surgery. I also have to lose 10% of my body weight while on WW. I have tried many times to lose, even WW(weight watchers) but could only lose about 20 pounds then it would not move down anymore for nothing(weeks on end). So I know that this site is more for the lap band but what about the sleeve, anyone? The dr at the seminar says that he won't tell anyone which sugery to have but he made it seem like the sleeve was the better choice...he says is has less risk than the lap band and that he does about 35% lap band and 65% sleeve. He said that weigh loss was better with the sleeve. ......I am tore now as to which I might want to have done.

Congrats!! You look amazing! I was sleeved exactly a month after you on 10/26. My starting weight was 206 and I am at 151 now. I haven't lost hardly anything the past couple months :-(. My personal goal is 120. Your weight loss has been very successful. Do you mind sharing what your specific plan was/is as far as intake (carbs, calories, protein) and exercise? How did u break a stall if/when u encountered one?

.No you didn't have surgery for just 34 pounds. I had my surgery on Jan 26th. It will be 4 weeks Tuesday. I lost 20 pounds in the first 10 days and haven't lost a pound since Feb 3rd. That is a stall. By the way 34 pounds in 5 weeks is great. That is over 6 pounds a week. I would suggest you do a search on "embracing the stall" there are several threads about this topic. It night help you understand what is going on.

Some people don't feel any restriction at all until they have 1 or more fills. You sound like one of the lucky ones who have restriction simply from having the band put on. This is probably due to swelling. I was like that also. This is why you will probably lose weight prior to your fill, even though it is normal for some to gain weight during this time. If your body doesn't want you to sneak these solids, please stop. If you are pbing you are probably delaying the healing. I think this irritates the pouch. Try to stick to your full liquids. If I am correct, this is probably keeping you full since you feel restriction. Spice the soups with extra garlic powder, sage, and pepper. I KNOW it isn't the same as real food, I have been there too. But, you aren't ready for the other stuff and your body is telling you that. I read earlier that someone else had issues with applesauce. Next time, maybe try sf pudding. Take small bites and eat it slowly. It used to take me 10 min. just to eat one of the little pudding cups. It gets better and you will probably continue to lose a few more weeks.

It's possible to snap back quickly but don't forget that your insides are still healing and even if you don't feel it, it is. So, make sure to not lift anything heavier than 10 pounds and be careful but still keep walking. I assume you are no longer taking pain meds--that was the kicker for me. I couldn't drive until I stopped taking them but I stopped taking them the day I got home from the hospital and didn't really need them--in fact they made me nauseous. I went to work at a week and a half but I have a desk job so it is a bit easier.

I was banded 10/25/11 and am starting week 6 solid foods today. I'm shocked it takes me so long to get hungry. My weight loss has stalled even with increased exercise. I know I have another week of healing but I got used to seeing those numbers decrease every day . I consume 1000 - 1100 calories per day and average a 2900 calorie burn per my BodyBugg. I am shrinking in areas so I know my body is making changes . TBM

Hello everyone. My name is Iman and I just registered with this site today. I am a bandster and was banded on 10/30/2007. I have lost 107 pounds and went down 7 sizes. I hope to lose another 80 pounds to reach my goal weight. My surgeon is Dr Paul Guske of Suburban Surgical Care Specialists and they are out of Elk Grove/Arlington Heights/Hoffman Estates, Illinois. I'm a member of Bandbuddies on Yahoo and a member of ObesityHelp.com. I joined this site because I was interested in shake recipes. I get bored easily eating the same thing day in and day out. And even after a little over a year, I still get tight and need to consume protien shakes.

I was banded on 6/11. For the past two days I have been having odd heart palpitations that mainly seem to stay in my throat. Today they have been quite often- every 10-15 minutes even if I'm just sitting relaxing. I can say that I am having a very hard time getting my Protein and fluids in. Especially the fluids. Can the heart palpitations be from possibly dehydration? How many calories should we be aiming for in a day. I have been only getting three very small meals in (maybe 5-6 tablespoon of soup) and can't seem to get the three protein Snacks in. Perhaps I'm just malnutritioned from it all although I don't feel real bad. Just the heart palpitations with a little fuzziness sometimes- no dizziness. However, I don't want it to get worse. Any recommendations? I am a first time poster!!!

Well, it's a strange one, but I finally tried on some smaller underwear I bought a month ago. Size large -- not XXL (where I started), not even XL, just large! -- boxer briefs now fit like a glove. Not too snug, not too baggy! And my size 42 waist jeans that I bought a month ago because my 48's that I started with were literally falling off me are now pretty baggy. I have some 40's that were hand-me-downs -- they're too long in the inseam -- and even they are starting to fit loosely. I should be in 38's before the end of the year. For me, getting below 40-inch jeans is a HUGE achievement, since I've been in 40+ inch waist jeans for more than 10 years now. Dare I dream that before this process is over, I'll be back in the 36-inch waist jeans I fit into back in high school? That would be 12 inches off my waistline... wow! Incremental progress, but it's all going in the right direction, and I'm starting to get excited about it. I'm feeling positive about my body for the first time in a decade or longer, and it's just going to keep getting better!

Where is everyone getting the ticker tapes from. Had surgery 09/23/08 and today 09/27/08 was the first time on scale in a week, and i am down 10 lbs

Hi Im Fran and was banded Nov 08. Seems to be working pretty good so far. I feel stupid asking this question, but Ive asked he PA who does my fills and I still didnt get it. She says I should be able to eat about 4 oz of food, and Im not sure if that is 4 oz's like on a scale or 4 oz like in 1/4 a cup. I guess i get myself confused because for instance 4 oz's weighed on a scale, say of popcorn is alot more then if its 1/4 of a cup. Ive lost 42lbs since being banded, but seem to be at a stand still now. I go back Nov 10 for a checkup and another fill. But im trying to see if I need a fill or if Im at that sweet spot. Any advise would be really helpful Fran

Hello! I am new to the forum and I am so glad that I can talk with others who are making this incredible journey! I had my surgery on October 10, 2010, and I have lost 50 pounds. My weight the day of surgery was 230 and I now weigh 179. I'm still a work in progress!!

Good Morning Eveyone Just want to take this chance to I introduce myself. I'm Jessica and proud to say that today I'm 5 days post op . So far so good everything as gone well I've had no pain just discomfort and omg lots of gas and swelling but everyday that is getting better. I'm half way thru my post op liquid diet and have my first doctor visit on Friday . Already down 10 pounds !! I'm so excited !!