While I have great respect for people who decide to have weight loss surgery to lose 50 or so pounds, I have a hard time relating to them. My highest was 440 pounds and I began the VSG journey at 285 pounds. I'm looking at a 150 pound loss and would love to communicate with others in my category.

I am just starting this journey as I have completed preop requirements and am waiting for a date. I have not set an official goal, but I'm thinking I need to lose 170 pounds. Wow! That does sound a bit overwhelming. Can only hope it works for me. (Chancie, Laura and Norma - congratulations on your success!!)

I'm a newbie, as in still in research phase, and I have conservatively 120 pounds to lose. It seems so daunting sometimes, but honestly, I just want to be able to breathe better. I gave up smoking 5 months ago without drugs, or any other aides, so I "know" I'm not weak, or have no will power, but there are times, with food, that I really doubt myself. I just pray that everything falls into place for this, I'm not sure what else to do.

Donna, Wannabethin and Sychadelic!!!

Congratulations on your decison to be sleeved....... and let me tell you...... and I'm sure others have said this before. but......."If I can DO IT......so can YOU!!!"

I was overwelmed with the amount of weight I had to lose. I actually thought I need the DS..... because I had so much to lose, but when me and my surgen consulted........ we decided on the sleeve...... my thought being.... I didn't want such an evasive surgery...and if I can't lose it with the sleeve... I can do the second part and have the DS. But we talked and I told him I wasn't looking for "failure".. but another option just in case... so thats why he agreed to sleeve me.

It sounds daunting...... 100...... 150....... 200 pounds........... to lose!!

How in the world did I let myself get this way>>?The "how's and 'whys' don't matter.. it happened......... and we are taking back our lives. claiming CONTROL.

I FEEL amazing!! I love being able to put on a pair of Jeans...... use a zipper and a button again instead of "stretch pants"!!!

I can walk to my mailbox and not be "winded"

I am HEALTHY again!! That is the biggest PLUS of this surgery!

If you havn't seen my "before" pic..... go look at it.....I lost 100 pounds in 4 months...... and yes. you can too! I know it sounds crazy at this stage of the game... but it can be done. I've lost 200 pounds from my highest weight. I have not made "goal"... but I am ok with where I am. I havn't "worked" my sleeve the last few months...... I don't want to be too comfortable... but I am a naturally "big boned" girl.. and think my body is comfortable at 173 pounds.

I wish you all the best... and if I can help in ANY way at all....... just message me!!

BIG Hugs to you all!!

Chancie

Thank you for the encouragement Chancie. I looked at your before and after pictures and you look amazing! Yes, you have definitely reclaimed your life!! Please stay in touch as I begin this journey as I'm sure I will have lots of questions for you!!! Just hope I have the success that you have had with the sleeve as I am ready! I am calling the surgeon's office today to check on my date.

Hi everyone -- I'm a newbie too -- will have my surgery on Sept. 8th -- I'm so encouraged by all the positive comments that I'm kinda getting excited about the new life that's coming my way! (but, I do have to say I am anxious about the surgery and the 1st couple of weeks post-op) but, now that I've read all the comments, I'm so much more positive that this is indeed the right decision I've made :confused: Thank you all sooo much!

I can't tell you how good it feels that there is a community of us with the same questions, worries, and goals! I am 5'3" and pre-op weight was 294. At my 2 week check up I had lost 20 lbs and my surgeon said my goal was to weight 150. Well I thought my goal was to weight 130 at most and he said, oh no - that's TOO SKINNY. Nobody has ever said that to me in my life regarding anything having to do with weight, lol lol!! So as far as he is concerned I have 125 pounds to lose, in my opinion I have 150 pounds to lose, either way it's a lot!! I don't think this will feel "real" to me until I have lost those first 50 pounds. To me that will be "proof" that this isn't another failed attempt and that I can get to the bottom 200's. Plus I think it will take about 50 pounds for me to truly need a new size of pants and a new size of bra. =) I haven't lost anything yet after those first 20 pounds so staying positive takes a bit of work right now but I am.

I have about 140lbs to lose and that's going to my goal of 175lb. I meet with the dr on the 27th. If he wants me at 150, then I have about 165lbs to lose. Talk about carrying a person on my back!!! It seem so much, so far away, I could just cry at times. I don't know if I'll be able to handle losing all this weight. I've had another "person" attached to the "hip" for so long....

Hi - I have a 140lbs to lose - I had already been approved to have the gastric bypass but woke up one morning over a week ago and knew that the bypass wasn't the way to go - I have wanted to get the sleeve surgery for over 2 yrs now but as of yet my ins. co. doesn't cover it - just found out that 5 major ins. co's cover the sleeve now so decided to wait as I believe the sleeve is the best weight loss surgery out there presently - I was diagnosed with typeII diabetes bout 4 yrs ago and have gained 50 lbs more since then, uuurrrrggggghhhhhhhh - anyway, I decided to add 2 to 3 high-protein replacement meals to my daily eating regiment and eating one sensible well-balanced meal daily in hopes of losing some weight on my own - I would've had to lose 14lbs anyway b4 they would have performed the bypass on me - I need all the encouragement and support I can get - I searched for a diabete's support group but haven't found one - maybe I'm not searching correctly? Anyway, good luck to you and have a great day!!! ;0)

i love my sleeve. i would do it again tomorrow. i have lost 106# pretty slowly but it keeps coming off. don't know how because i still have a battle going on with food. i am worse in the evenings after a long day at work. i eat really good at work, stay on my meals with maybe a container of yogurt after lunchtime, then when i get home i eat things that i shouldn't. i would like to just slap myself silly. oh well so much for the guilt trip down food lane.. some days are better than others. the last few nights when i have wanted something i have reached for a protein shake, tonight i reached for a scoop of ice cream and a few cheeze it. bad laura.. well anyway-good night fellow sleevers. hope you guys are doing better with food than i am..

Hi all, me too, i've lost over 120 lbs from highest weight to now. . .I weighed 332 on surgery day but my highest weight was 350. . . the wow moment on my journey was when we were moving my daughter into her apartment which is on the 2nd floor and no elevators. . . i could go up and down the stairs (25 of them) without any problems at all. . . i could help carry the couch up and all other things of heavy nature without a problem. . .I wasn't even out of breath. . . it was effortless!!!! I love it. . . there are days i hate the sleeve cause i want to eat more, but would i do it again??? YOU BETCHA! Good luck to all of you!

i could go up and down the stairs (25 of them) without any problems at all. . . i could help carry the couch up and all other things of heavy nature without a problem. . .I wasn't even out of breath. . . it was effortless!!!! I love it. . . there are days i hate the sleeve cause i want to eat more, but would i do it again??? YOU BETCHA! Good luck to all of you!

Can't wait for that day! Some days it's hard to get out of bed :scared0:

Thanks for sharing Thinoneday. Your story is encouraging to those of us just starting this journey!

thank you all! Anytime, I and this forum, we are here for y'all. . . it is a journey for sure, sometimes tough with tears and sadness, but most times it's with joy and trumphet! Just know we are all here to support each other, and at times, like most families, we will experience "fights" and disagreements, but in all we still continue to help each other. . . so any questions that need answering, ask away!

I am new just had my surgery for the sleeve done on 26th and i am feeling great. I started the journey at 302 and then before surgery got down to 273. Today when i woke up i was very surprised that i was down to 265( six days wow) i never could have done this much without the surgery. I have been following the advise i have read on this web site for a while now It is great. I will keep posting this wonderful jouney.:thumbup1:

you are doing it. I will support you on this journey. the sleeve is the way to go. Good Luck