I have to say it's the best thing I've done in my life. Ever.

- Had the sleeve at BMI 36 and am now at BMI 22.9, which I've successfully maintained for the past 3-4 months. If I gain 2-3 pounds, I start to feel tight and lose them again. If I go below, my boobs completely disappear and my face starts to look too skeleton like so I'm sticking to this weight for the foreseeable future

- Dieting was and is easy and once I learned how to eat I haven't been sick. Had one major painful kidney stone episode in March, learned to drink more and it hasn't recurred (& it passed the natural route, so to speak, so nothing but pain medication needed)

- I love my new life. I've posted about the benefits before on here so I won't go into any detail, but it's so worth it. If you're only considering doing it, I say go for it!

Stories like yours really keep me motivated. Gratz on the success.

Carole, it sounds like yours might have been a small kidney stone (though I'm no doctor so don't take my word for it). Mine was pain like I've never experienced before - no way to stay at home, I drove straight to the hospital and was put on a pain medication drip after throwing up in the doctor's office from the pain... But the initial symptoms were similar: I ran to the bathroom about 20 times before the pain started an hour or two later. Not something I would like to experience again, but if I had to choose between having had the sleeve and the kidney stone episode and no sleeve, no kidney stone, I wouldn't even need to think about it. The sleeve makes it so worth it.

Jolanda, I completely agree. My life is completely changed for the better too. I now have an addiction to clothes and shoes to deal with though

Jane x