I'm 18 years old and I'll be having my LapSleeve surgery march 1st! I'm sooo excited but I know I'm going to have such a hard time with giving up food. Ive always grown up with having big family meals and I want to know how everyone who's gotten the Sleeve done dealt with it?

Hi Pink, wow that's great! March 1st will definitely be here fast!!

Personally, it is a little emotionally draining (at least it was for me) not being able to eat normally with my family. I really missed out on eating a lot - but you know what? Losing weight during the Holidays is something worth taking away from that experience! I've never ever done that in my entire life. So, with that - I LOVE MY SLEEVE!!!

I knew I was going to be emotionally drained because all my life I've always been in LOVE with food. And now that I'm cutting back I know it's not gonna come close to the after surgery experience but I know that it will all pay off in the end. Thank you so much for your reply.

I had a love affair with food for 30+ years, seriously. You'll love your sleeve even better though, I promise

I knew I was going to be emotionally drained because all my life I've always been in LOVE with food. And now that I'm cutting back I know it's not gonna come close to the after surgery experience but I know that it will all pay off in the end. Thank you so much for your reply.

Anytime! I'm sure you will be fine. It's going to be tough, because the not eating is going to force us to take a look at ourselves from the inside out. But it surely will be worth it all in the end.

After years of over eating and being obese, I don't really miss food that much. The weight loss on the scale is so worth it! That is so awesome you are getting your sleeve now. You will love it!

Good luck Pink! Wish you the best.

Like you I LOVED food, I really struggled for a few days and finally konked myself over the head and really took it to heart that I was killing myself. I decided right then and there to get sleeved.

66lbs down, BP is down and blood sugar is doing fine. I miss food in my mind but realize the results are better than the munchies.

Someone else on the forum said it best; "Nothing tastes better than THIN!"

Hi Pink,

You know, I think that the others have it just right - you will have moments where you almost want to cry (or maybe will!!) because you miss certain things, but once you make it through that a few times, it gets better. It really does. That's not to say that you won't have your moments, but I just look back at how many times I was completely miserable because of my weight or because of complications of my weight (swollen ankles, etc.) and it's nothing in comparison!! The sleeve rocks! And another great point that they made above - without the food as an easy substitute, it helps us get to know the real "us". We can work through some of the reasons why we felt the need to go to food in the first place, and although that process might be a tough one, the happiness and contentment that we all search for is easier to obtain without food getting in the way as much. Good luck with your procedure and let us know if you need anything!

Andrea

I too love food and was sleeved 12 days ago. It has been tough physically but I feel amazing today. I have gone through a couple of mentally challenging days. But yesterday we all went to Chinese buffet. At first I was upset and didn't want to go. But while I was drinking my protein shake, I all of a sudden felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction and liberation. Everyone else was feeding their gave with horrible food and I was down 13.5 lbs since surgery. You'll get through it-one victory at a time

Gave=face

Thank you all so much for your support. it's really hard for me to know what people my age are going through when they get the surgery. i've been looking for people more my age but i havent found any. so if you know anyone who's 18-19 please let me know. But so far i think im the youngest person to get the surgery that I've seen on here. keep me posted on your journeys. oh and how do you edit you profile info? ive been trying to put a pic on and edit everything but idk how to do it.

Like everyone else said most of us are Foodies we love food and it was our best friend in times when we were sad or happy and it also was killing us slowly,

its only been 10 weeks but now i EAT to LIVE i try and eat small portions 6 times a day usually get 4 or 5 meals in depending on what im doing.

I had my sleeve done Nov 2 and went thru thanksgiving and christmas watching everyone gorge on food but i knew one day soon id be able to eat everything they ate just in small portions and i do now! but for me i hop on the scale every tuesday and see the pounds coming off that makes me know i made the right choice for me.

By Sept you will be a new person with a healthier life.

sorry im a old 43 ..lol

Good Luck

Thank you all so much for your support. it's really hard for me to know what people my age are going through when they get the surgery. i've been looking for people more my age but i havent found any. so if you know anyone who's 18-19 please let me know. But so far i think im the youngest person to get the surgery that I've seen on here. keep me posted on your journeys. oh and how do you edit you profile info? ive been trying to put a pic on and edit everything but idk how to do it.

You're right there aren't too many your age who post here. Try this forum: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/31-teens/ Maybe make a post and see if anyone replies... hopefully some will! It's nice to find people who are similar in what we are going through, it makes the journey more fulfilling.

To change your profile, click your drop down which is located at the top right of the screen (near your profile picture or where it's supposed to be). On the drop down click on "Settings". There will be many options for you to go through and change to your liking. I hope this helps.

I'm 38, but have the same feelings you do. I applaud you as I wish I was able to do this when I was your age. All the years of yo-yo dieting prior to getting to this point!! My sleeve is in 8 days. I think my 'love affair' with food is what pushed me to the sleeve vs. some of the other options. I just could not imagine not being able to process sugar, or other nutrients for that matter. But, I can imagine eating much smaller portions and being satisfied. Of course, I fully intend on following doctors orders for 99% of the time - but frankly, if I want a special dessert on my birthday or anniversary, I should be allowed to have it! I'm also looking at this as an opportunity to 'reinvent' myself. Maybe some of you consider it 'getting to know my real self' as someone stated above - but I figure now I have a good reason for saying NO when I really don't want to go to that team lunch with co-workers or running to McD's with them on stressful days. I don't have to feel obligated to eat the food my kids leave on their plates. (I look forward to saying, "I am not capable of doing that anymore. My stomach does not agree with that - can't hold that - etc.") I guess I just need a good excuse - that happens to be the truth! The surgery will empower me to be able to put a stop to the food rut I've been in for years. I am ready to learn a whole new way of eating. I am ready to focus on good protein and leave the carbs behind!! Well, most of them, most of the time, anyway. But I can still enjoy being with my family. I look forward to sitting around the dinner table and sharing about our day and making each other laugh. It's not going to focus on food - it's going to focus on people! Good Luck March 1st!! You'll do great.

PinkBabe, congrats on your surgery date!!! I wish mine were that close, I am tentatively scheduled for June...so far away, but I'm using the time to work on my eating habits I am 24 so not a teen, but maybe a bit closer in age I'm with you on the eating meals with people will be one of the hardest things about vsg, but it's not like you can't eat, you just have to chose healthier choices and eat slower.

Hi, I love food too and loved to eat. I had Thanksgiving dinner here this year and our annual Christmas Eve party. It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I still put way too much food on my plate but I just pick at it slowly so that I am eating almost as long as everyone else. I don't try to clean my plate which is something I still sometimes struggle with. I use to eat a lot of bread and 4 1/2 months out I can eat bread but it really doesn't interest me much anymore. I have to be very careful with sweets they are my weakness. Good luck with your surgery. I love my sleeve.