I noticed a few July folks posting on other threads and thought there might be enough of us to start our own thread (rather than hijacking whatever threads we find with a July surgery in them) - so I invite anyone with a July surgery to post their story here so we can support each other and share our experiences.

I'm C and my surgery is scheduled with Dr. Aceves on 15 July. I'm 29 and married to an Army man - we're currently stationed in Germany. We have two year old boy/girl twins. I'm choosing to self-pay because Tricare does not currently cover VSG and none of the overseas military facilities do the procedure at this time. To complicate matters, our next assignment is (as of right now) in Yerevan, Armenia. Getting this surgery in a remote location like Armenia isn't even a possibility. I'm not willing to wait more than two more years for this surgery.

I started my research in the summer of 2008 when my doctor diagnosed me with Type II (I developed gestational diabetes with my twin pregnancy and it stuck around afterward) and suggested the band. After much research I decided the sleeve best suits my needs.

I'm 5'1" (and some change), 240 pounds and I would be happy with any weight under 160 pounds. I haven't weighed less than that in more than ten years and I have been plus-sized since high school.

Please, hop in and share your own stories so I can share this journey with others instead of doing it alone! If I am successful my mom would like to have the surgery, too, but she's very nervous because she has never had surgery before.

~C

Cheri,

I am hearing you loud and clear... LOUD AND CLEAR!

I am in the same boat and feel like pants about it... like you said in an earlier post my body really doesn't want to part with this fat!

I feel like my mind is in a constant battle with my body and at the moment my body is winning.... grrrrrr!!

I am also with you on the skin issue... I hate it but I know it will get worse before it gets better... My current state of mind, is oh God why me... I don't want to look like this I want to look 'normal' and then the 'intelligent' side of me starts this bloody arguement about what is normal... talk about a constant state of mental flux!

I have also got my monthly friend, who very rudely was 12 weeks late, and my goodness she is here with venom. On top of that I am struggling with a bad cold/flu so I am proper down in the dumps!!! *sighs*

Hopefully we will both feel better really soon ... chin up!!!! x

WOOHOO!

I'm doing a victory dance, but you guys can't see it.

Not only is the stall finally broken, but it's broken with a vengence. I was bouncing between 204 and 202 for one day shy of two weeks, and today I weighed in at 199 pounds!

I am so freaking happy to finally see the scale move. I'll be honest, nothing I did budged the scale, I think it just happened when my body finally let the weight go.

So, this is a huge milestone for me. I feel like even though I'm less than halfway to goal, it's all an easier slide from here.

Coops: I hope it's all going well for you and that you've also seen a drop on the scale. It's such a misery waiting out these horrible stalls. I'm hoping my skin bounces back, but I know surgery is in my future anyway. It's simply not possible for it all to recover, since I was 285 pounds the day I delivered my twins. That's a lot of tummy stretching. Still, I'm hopeful.

Well, I suppose I should learn a lesson from this about patience and all that, but inevitably I'll be back to gripe next time I stall out for nearly two weeks.

Take care everyone, I hope to see some updates soon!

~Cheri

WOOHOO!

I'm doing a victory dance, but you guys can't see it.

Not only is the stall finally broken, but it's broken with a vengence. I was bouncing between 204 and 202 for one day shy of two weeks, and today I weighed in at 199 pounds!

I am so freaking happy to finally see the scale move. I'll be honest, nothing I did budged the scale, I think it just happened when my body finally let the weight go.

So, this is a huge milestone for me. I feel like even though I'm less than halfway to goal, it's all an easier slide from here

OMG Cheri...me tooooooo

my offical weigh day is today - I do weigh through the week but just to keep an eye on things - and I hit onderland too... 199 too... I can't believe that we have done this at the same time... WHOOOOP!!!

Still got a manky cold though, but hey, 199...yey us!!!!

I was sleeved on July 14,2010 had a leak 2 weeks outwas in the hospital for 6 days for that I am almost 3 months out now and have lost 57 pounds I feel and look great.I still have a lot to go but what a start to a great finish.

I was sleeved on July 14,2010 had a leak 2 weeks outwas in the hospital for 6 days for that I am almost 3 months out now and have lost 57 pounds I feel and look great.I still have a lot to go but what a start to a great finish.

Hi all

It's been 5 months for me and all is great - I would like to hear others from this original July 2010 posting to see how you are doing...

Lou

It's great to see some posting from this group again! Can you believe it has been 5 months? It seems like a lifetime ago and yet it also seems like just yesterday! I am soooo envious of those of you who have hit onderland - I can't wait to be there. Does anyone have a hard time seeing themselves thinner? What I mean is that when I look in the mirror, I still see the same old me, my eyes still see the way I used to look. I wanted to take some pics to post for an update, but I still feel like I look so awful in them. It's a process I guess. The sagging skin is pretty yucky and when I lie down in the bathtub it seems like my tummy is the size of a football field, but at least it isn't built on a big hill anymore

I am still extremely happy with my sleeve and haven't regretted it for one day. All the saggy skin, stalls on the scale, crazy reflux and the pukey learning curve I had getting used to the size of my new tummy have been worth every bit when I think about how good I feel now.

Kathy

Hello July Sleevers,

I can't believe its been five months either. I'll be five months out on the 26th. I'm down 88 lbs and I'm only one pound away from Onederland. I love my sleeve and have not had one single problem.

Thanks to Dr. Aceves for his fine work!

Patty

Lou, congrats! I'm sure you'd doing a great job. Men usually drop the weight faster, too.

Kathy, I recently saw a post by you on a different topic. You're doing a great job! You had a longer journey to onderland, but you'll be there before you know it!

I know I don't think of myself as "fat" anymore. I finally see myself as just overweight. I am not disgusted by what I see in the mirror (when clothed, at least) and I can't remember the last time I put myself down either verbally or mentally. I view these things as huge strides in the right direction.

I still don't see myself as "skinny" or "thin" yet. I see myself as more normal, even though the BMI chart has me hanging out in obesity land. But I'm no longer morbidly obese, at least! I had twins three years ago and MY WORD the things those sweet babies did to my stomach. I'd be a full shirt and pant size smaller if not for the large band of twin skin around my middle. Yes, this excess skin and fat does still make me a little uncomfortable, though I'm a far more confident woman than I used to be. I still find myself shocked at how large I am when I lie down in the bathtub...when it all spreads out and I see the space I take up, I can't believe I'm 60 pounds lighter at all.

The reflux is now just a part of my life. I sometimes forget to take my pill and don't immediately have the burning hell in my esophagus anymore, so I hope it will eventually go away. I eat very small portions, but sometimes I love to eat! I had the Ahi Carpaccio appetizer at Cheesecake Factory a while back (well, part of it, anyway) and actually enjoyed it enough to ooh and aah over my dinner. Amazing!

The lactose intolerance is a little harder. I didn't expect it the way I expected the reflux. I miss cottage cheese and yogurt. But for the most part, it's not that bad and it's not too tough to avoid foods that will make me ill. It does limit my protein options, though.

I am losing hair but I'm not seriously alarmed yet. I had a ton of hair on my head and losing a bit of it isn't hurting me so far.

I enjoy shopping. I fit in almost everything I try on! It's the best part, I think! I'm down to 11/12-13/14 or L pants, and L shirts. It's pretty neat to be able to shop in any store. I've also gone down a shoe size.

The "ladies" are very sad little ladies these days, but they fit in normal sizes again. I figure it's nothing a little surgery can't fix in the future and I don't worry too much about it.

My main issue right now, and the one I'd love to hear feedback on, is that my husband and I are in disagreement about my goal weight. I picked the highest weight I could be and still have a normal BMI. I wanted to be able to have a doctor actually view me as a patient and stop telling me my weight is causing all of my problems. I wanted to be taken seriously. My husband likes short, chunky women. I am currently the size I was when we met. He's already mourning the loss of my butt and chest. He really wants me to stop losing in about 20 pounds or so. He's been incredibly supportive despite the fact that he never felt I needed to lose weight in the first place. He's a fit, active man himself but he loves curvy women. I'm actually insecure about the thought of losing too much weight. In most relationships, women wouldn't worry about this, but I'll have other men paying attention to me (it's already happening more now that I'm losing) and he'll be looking for the chubby women in the room! It's like the opposite of how I've felt during my marriage. I never worried my husband would cheat on me with some skinny blonde, because the man likes fat women! Any advice? Is anyone else dealing with this? I trust my husband, but I've always known he's very attracted to me. I'd hate that to change simply because of my weight. We're very open about what we find attractive, and not one time has my husband ever found a thin woman attractive. I will say that his idea of a pretty woman got larger as I got larger over the years though. I wonder if this will work in reverse, too? I have a fantastic marriage. I'd really hate to ignore his feelings about my body, the same way he'd make me crazy if he shaved his head knowing I hate it, but ultimately we both realize that it's my choice.

Well, it's been a great five months for me. I'm losing slower than I like because it's been a stressful month and a half of traveling. But overall it's great and I was able to simply get back on track. I absolutely LOVE my sleeve. I cannot imagine regretting this surgery. I'm grateful for it every day. In those five weeks of completely stressed out travel (and we have a few months more of being displaced to look forward to, I think) I ate whatever I wanted...I gained about three pounds but maintained after that. I was able to jump back to protein first and I've dropped ten pounds in less than two weeks. My sleeve ROCKS.

I want to hear how everyone else is doing now!

~Cheri

I just had to add these. Now, I'm a camera avoider and have been ever since I blew past the 150s as a teenager. Man...to be 150 again! But I digress.

Here are some befores and one after. The befores are from June of this year. I have goofy looks on my face because I'm a camera avoider and honestly had no clue people were snapping my pictures (the jerks!) but now I'm glad I have proof. I swear I almost died this day. We were at the Heidelberg Shloss with all of the kids and the uphill walk was so hard on me...I kept having to stop and sit on the benches on the wall. I got to the top a sweaty, panting and red-faced mess! I am not joking when I say 70 year old German men were blowing past me bewildered that I couldn't jog up to the top the way there were doing. I have never felt so fat and unfit before in my life. I will never feel that way again.

The after was taken Thanksgiving day, I was not primped, my bra is showing (it was way too big, I bought a new one) and my tummy rolls are clearly visible. Had I known this would be my only "after" shot that shows my body, I would have worn cute clothes and done my hair and makeup. Regardless of all that, I can't help but look at that picture and think, "Damn, I've come a long way!"

I'll have my hubby take a better shot of me once he's back from his trip next week.

Take care all! I do hope we get some updates around here.

Hey Ladies,

Glad everyone is doing well... Cheri way to go lady.... 62lb is amazing!!!!!

I am with you Kathy, I still see myself as fat round even though I 'know' I am not anymore... down 3 dress sizes but I still see that woman who went into hospital 5 mths ago! Weird, but I think it is going to take my head a long time to catch up with my body.

The last couple of months have been really hard; I had a dose of pneumonia and my weight loss has all but stopped since then, despite my eating habits remaining the same- I have lost 6 lb since 11th Oct. Yea, I am a little disheartened but I realise that it is my body's way of reacting and trying to keep me well. I am sure that the slow but steady weight loss will return soon!

I am still getting a lot of regular and positive comments; from my new clothes to the weight loss. It was difficult in the beginning and I felt awkard, but now I am more accepting of the attention and for the most part it is nice and a little bit of an ego boost too!

I still don't have a single regret, even with christmas on the door step ... this would normally be a time of chocolate and cake and drink and...well, you get the general idea! Not this year though. I haven't denied myself either, but the difference is simple... this year I have a mouthful or a bite and stop.... WOW... what a great sense of achievement that is!!!!!

Keep up the good work fellow sleevers... xx

Cheri - you look fantastic!! Isn't it so predictable that we are our own worst critics? I wouldn't have noticed your bra, your hair, your rolls lol or your makeup if you hadn't said anything, I would have just thought you looked awesome (and I still do).

I read what you wrote about your husband - you said that his idea of a beautiful woman got larger as you got larger. What I saw when I read that was that YOU were the constant in the equation. What he thinks is beautiful is YOU and as you have changed, he still knew you were what he wanted! As you get smaller, he will still think that what is beautiful is you. I am dating someone that I am madly in love with. He was with me at my heaviest, told me I was sexy then and still says it now, and has been very supportive of all of this. Occasionally he has commented that when I get skinny I will look for someone new. He isn't what I would think of as overweight, he is built like a linebacker on an NFL team but I love everything about him. I think it is normal for our significant others to worry about change, and I don't really know what the answer is to put those worries to rest. I tell my boyfriend all the time that even though I ultimately did this for myself, I also did it for us - I want to be healthier so that we can do more things together and live a better life.

And the boobs......yeah...they are just gonna have to be fixed, I have already decided there is no way around that lol. It will be my reward for getting to goal

Coops- I am soooo sorry that you have gotten ill a few times I had the stomach flu last week and it was horrible! Like you, I am not intimidated by Christmas at all. I have actually found that I don't do well with chocolate, gives me heartburn in the worst way! Can't do beer well, but wine has gotten to be a good thing for me - now if I just had some time off so I could enjoy it!

Keep up the good work everyone - 2011 is going to be a great year!! Just think where we will be on our one year surgiversary!!!!!!!

I can't believe it's been nearly 5 months, with it's ups and downs and many more to come I suposse. My husband is happy that I'm losing weight, but he doesn't want me to lose much more, he doesn't want me to be "skinny" cause he says me face is nice as it is, as for my body, well I guess plastic surgery will be the only way out (tummy tuck and boobs-not that he notices, only because I point it oout so much) But as I said on some other thread, whatever shape or form I am now or end up having I still don't regret my sleeve for a minute, never ever had buyers remorse, not once, and I'm quite sure I never will

It sounds like everyone is doing great - no regrets.

Cheri - Hang inthere. He is seeing you go through a big change and needs to adjust to it. Asanother man, I would suggest spicing it up a bit. Get some really sexy clothsand suggest a "date night".

You are a new person - introduce yourself to him. Picturesare great - you look good.

I have gone into a new phase of this process - I cannot get enoughto eat... It started about one month ago. I'll eat a meal - still a small amountuntil I can feel that I can eat no more (my warnings are - stuffed up nose andcool chilies). Then I stop and within 20 minutes I need more food. I'm bouncingin weight but overall staying constant. I see my PCP doctor Monday and am hopinghe can help. I am diabetic and have gonefrom 3 pills a day - 58 units of time released acting insulin along with a shotof fast acting insulin down to no pills and just 18 units of the slow timereleased. At one time within the past 3 years - he tried me on a type ofinsulin called Byetta- it did not help then but help to suppress my appetite. I'm going toask him to put me back on that.

A mistake I made and I'm sure we all are guilty to some extent - new cloths. I started with 40 - 42waist and now down to 32. During the process, I went out and stocked up wit -38 - then 36 then 34 and now 32. Should have waited awhile to advoide some ofthem. I was also in XXL tops and now large and some mediums.

I'm talking too much - so I better stop for now

Lou

Lou - I am so happy for you!! Cutting your diabetes meds down by so much, before you know it you may be off of them all together!! I hear you on your food difficulties, for me it seems that I want to eat all the time, and when I do it is just small amounts but then I am wanting to eat again shortly. I am trying to sort out if this is old behavior trying to creep back in or not. I used to be a "grazer" before the surgery, just grazing all day on stuff. I am wondering if now that all of the newness of this is starting to wear off if I am not reverting back to old habits. I have also had a terrible problem with reflux and find that if I eat anything after about 8pm then I am going to have a horrible night refluxing. I do take Protinix as needed and I think it helps. I saw a commercial for pizza Hut's cheesy bites pizza yesterday - it looked so cheesy and good - the pepperonis were winking at me on the TV lol. I would love to have just one last binge where I could just stuff myself with something really horrible haha. :devil_smile: :devil:

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