Hello,

I am getting sleeved on the 28th of june. I am soooo excited that I am going to get a new life. Then, I am terrified. They are taking part of my stomach!!! its irreversable!!!! what if I have complications!!!! I'm doing it in Mexico as self pay.... am I just negating my insurance policy in the US.... will I ever be able to be fully covered again!!!!!

Then.... I'm excited about my new life once more. I have been having nightmares about people cutting out my stomach.

Everyone on this site seems so pleased with the sleeve. Has anyone had a bad experience or wish they hadn't done it?

Would you guys do it again?

I'm not tryin to freak myself out.... I just want all the info.

Thanks

Stacey

The first month (really the first two weeks) were hell. Just in the sense that I was getting used to this not eating thing. I had to smell the pizza my husband picked up for the kids and not get a bite. It was an adjustment for sure. I regretted it for a good week or two. i am less than two months out now though and love it! Get your mind in the right place as far as the liquids for a coupe of weeks, and you should be ok. Sorry about your vivid dreams. That would be disconcerting to say the least.

I would absolutely do it again! And would have done it sooner had I known about the surgery!

Surgery is surgery. You feel like crap the first day or two. Take a shower, put on real clothes, go for a walk, you will feel better.

It does take a while to get used to the new eating habits. And if you are mentally addicted, it is more than just eating to get full. I did very well moving forward thru foods and never had any big issues.

Do I still wish I could have lost the weight on my own? YEP! I miss being able to eat what I want, when I want and in the quantities I want. However, I like losing the weight much more.

I worked late last night and discovered a great new snack! Veggie chips with mango salso. It was almost as good as the nachos I used to often eat on my late nights and easy on the calorie/carb/fat counts!! : )

I had nightmares after attending a lapband information session. I literally awoke in a sweat one night thinking I had the band and was so relieved that it was a nightmare. I very much wanted the sleeve and the only time I had second thoughts was the night before my surgery. I got scared and thought about backing out right up until I started my car to drive to the hospital (5:30), the morning of my surgery. I'm 6 months out now and I am very glad I had the surgery. It took me longer than most to adjust emotionally to the changes. It's a major surgery but a good one for weight loss, the weight does come off. Just adhere to liquids as prescribed by your surgeon to prevent any complications while healing, try your best to find liquid protein supplements that you can endure and follow the protein first, then veggies etc...as you progress to real foods. Best wishes for smooth sailing throughout the process.

I am just over a week out, and I would do it again in a red-hot second. My doctor has allowed me to eat whatever I can tolerate as soon as I got home from the hospital on Day Two, and honestly I am just breezing through the whole thing.

I think one thing that has really helped me is that I am 51 years old and have had a LOT of time to do diets and exercise and everything known to man to get this weight off, and it is clear as day to me that (a) it is just plain impossible for me to keep up the willpower and time commitment required to stay slim on my own, and (:redface1: I was WAY past the point where I really and truly enjoyed overeating. I was like an alcoholic who drank to get drunk, you know? Not because I particularly liked it, but because it was the only thing I knew how to do.

The thing that is almost impossible to describe is that my cravings and appetite really have gone away. I ate 1/3 of a grilled sandwich the other day -- one of my very favorite foods -- and I was as happy as could be with that little bit.

I think the hardest thing would be if I still had a lot of active food addiction issues. If food is your main coping mechanism, it'll be very hard to give that up, and you'll need a lot of support. I've been in therapy for a while and it's been a lifesaver for me.

But bottom line: No regrets at this point.

Zero regrets. I would definitely do it all over again. Immediately post-op is tough, no denying that one, but it's totally worth it.

You're gonna do great, and you'll look back after a bit and be so happy you did it.

WOW.... thanks to all.... I can feel my anxiety getting lower as I read. I know I need to do this. I too have tried everything known to man. I know everytime I leave my house and feel my "fat shame" that this is what I need to do for myself. It's just a little scary.

Thanks

Stacey

It is scary, I totally get that. I think we all had second thoughts if only for a fleeting moment. My biggest fear was that I would be unable to enjoy some things that I love. Now that I am all healed up though, I can eat anything. The only no-nos for me would be the carbonation. I have done fantastic not craving diet dr pepper and beer. I love beer, like love it so much I would marry a guy named Samuel Adams just because he is named after my favorite beverage LOL Sam is probably the reason I chunked up in the first place. I have had zero issues with this. I was even on a cruise last week and did fine in the sun without my buddy. Didn't even miss him. You will do ok, I promise you. The recovery really isn't that bad even. You are sore for a good week, but it is more like you got beat up rather than cut open type soreness. The second week put some clothes on, get out of the house, and you will feel even better.

I'm two months out and have no regrets. Not to say other

thoughts have not crossed my mind. Like realizing I can never

go eat as much as I want as comfort food. But that is what got

me here in the first place. Since surgery I have really learned how

much I ate because I wanted to instead of needed to.

It is funny but the hardest thing I have had a problem with is leaving

food on my plate. For 40 of my 51 years I have not done that and now

I listen to my head instead of my stomach. Since I'm not hungry and don't

want the uncomfortable feeling of eating too much with the sleeve, I'm

able to walk away or get a to-go box and carry it home to the grandbaby.

I love my sleeve and just wish I could have had it done years ago. Cause

the Lord knows I tried to stop eating on my own and it didn't work.

Good Luck,

Gary

It is funny but the hardest thing I have had a problem with is leaving

food on my plate.

Gary

Me too. I will put 2 ounces on my plate and even if I am full, I think I have to eat the last two bites, however, those are the two bites that can make you too full and uncomfortable. I have never vomited yet and I am hoping I never do!

I also belong to the clean plate club and continue to eat, even if I don't really like something, just because you are supposed to "clean your plate".

I am almost 3 weeks out and I felt so nervous just like you. The first 3 days were rough for me and I wondered what had I done to myself, but from day 4 on I have felt great. I'm not missing any of the foods I have given up and this is a breeze!

Only did I regret it during the first 10 days. After that I felt a lot better physically and mentally.

Sure there is the risk of complications with any surgery. But don't forget the risks of being overweight. They have to be considered too.

I'm 7 weeks out. I went out to dinner last night. I had 2 nibbles of a chicken & cream cheese spring roll, 1 BBQ rib and a couple of bites of fried sweet potato cubes. For dessert I had 2 bites of a sugar free chocolate pie. There was a pretty long time from dinner to dessert. I came away very happy and satisfied. I had a taste of everything I wanted.

Without the sleeve no matter my good intentions I would have over eaten.

I still struggle with the 2 more bites on my plate. I have eaten them and then regretted it. Either feeling miserable or barfing!

As everyone else says, I too have no regrets.

I can honestly say, nothing has been awful or negative for me at all. The post surgery pain was more of a soreness than any REAL pain, to be honest I've had worse times at the dentist. It's strange the first few weeks not being able to eat the amounts you're used to eating, but it gets easier by the day to gauge what you can and cannot eat. I'm nine weeks out now and can eat tiny amounts of most foods, but I do try and follow the protein and veggies first rule.

It's only natural to be worried, but you'll be fine I'm sure.

love

Sandra

I have not had any regrets either. The hardest thing is to judge when to stop eating. I too still struggle with the whole 2oz thing. If its 2oz on my plate than I feel as though I should eat it. I have not gotten sick yet but I have been uncomfortable and felt as though I was going to be sick. I miss the flavor of lots of foods but I am still on mushies and looking forward to when I can taste real solid food. I don't miss eating alot just savoring the flavors, if that makes sense

Stacey

I would do it again in a second!! It is the best thing I have done for myself! The thing I like the most about my sleeve is that I can eat any and all foods!! I just eat much smaller servings.....wonderful, wonderful tool!!!

Go for it!