Hi guys and gals,

I am new to this forum and have been inspired to go ahead and pursue the sleeve. I just finally made the decision last week and spoke to my PCP today about getting the bariactric surgery. My PCP promptly wrote out the referral to the surgeon and I go to the seminar tomorrow morning. Some things about me, I am currently at my highest weight ever of 352. I always thought that I was the "healthy fat girl", that is until I started having a hard time climbing my own stairs and walking through the parking lot to get to my car. That's when I knew that I had to do something to save me from myself. I have tried numerous attempts at weightloss, and unfortunately have dieted my way to my current weight. I have told a couple of people about my decision, a few are supportive, many are not. I have learned my lesson, and will confide only in those who are supportive of this process. I am so grateful that there is a forum that I can go to to receive additional support and information on VSG, it seems like everything out on the web is about the bypass or lap band procedures.

Can you guys tell me some of your stories about the actual process and what I shoould prepare myself for mentally and physically on this journey. I am so ready to start this journey!!!!

Welcome! I'm a newbie too. So...don't have a story yet but in a little over two weeks, my story will begin! Hope your journey is a great one!

Hi! Congrats on your decision. I weighed 332 when I first started and also considered myself the healthy fat girl. I've always been pretty active but man, going up a flight of stairs really takes it out of a person! I chose to get this surgery to be healthier moreso than just wanting to be thin. I've had enough of stuffing myself simply because I was bored or didn't want to cook. Lazy, right? I know. But what did it for me as well was going into Ashley Stewart's and being told that my size (size 26) wasn't going to be carried anymore because they weren't really selling. Imagine how bad that made me feel... It made me feel grossly and morbidly obese and abnormal. The big girl store wasn't even going to cater to the big girl!

So, I decided that I had to change. And to think that I had been against this surgery from the moment the doctor had suggested it to me because I felt like I was taking the easy road. I took all my tests: pulmonary, stress tests, echo and even a cardiac one where they had to put wires in my veins (Not comfortable at all!)

Expect to go on a liquid diet right before surgery. The main reason for this is to decrease the size of your liver so it doesn't get in the way during surgery. It'll also help you to adjust to not having much food post-surgery as well. Because of my size, it took time after surgery for my swelling to go down. My stitches bothered me a lot. It didn't help that I never stayed down for long either.

The best way to go into this is not seeing it as a diet but as a lifestyle change. After surgery, the first month is a big adjustment. Not only are you hungry for the most part but you're in a mental battle. What you'll see in your mind is most definitely not what you'll get on your plate. I've cried at times because I just wanted more food. It gets easier as time goes by because you get used to it. Sometimes you'll tell yourself "Why did I do this?!", but in the end when you see your weight dropping on the scale and can feel yourself getting smaller, you'll be happier than a pig in sh*t (no pun intended, lol).

You've made the right decision. Good luck on your journey and always remember that the end justifies the means. Sorry to ramble on.

Congrats on your decision and best wishes on your journey! Best choice I ever made beside marrying my husband and having all of my beautiful children. Just wish I had given myself this gift sooner!

Hugs

Kim

first of all slimming you got to make a decesion to have this surgery for you and only you.. You have to educate yourself on all the surgeries. There are a lot of things to know about the different kinds of surgeries. When you finally decided to make that leap into the unknown you will be surprized in how much a wonderful decesion you have made. Not just for your health but for your self esteem. I will tell you that this was the best thing that I ever done for myself and I would do it 1000 times over. You have to educate your self know everything about your surgery (know everything about every other surgery also) It took me around three months to make my decesion and I havent' looked back since. I wish you all the luck in the world you will do fine with what ever decesion you make...

Start losing and changing your habits now, this really helped me I was extremely heavy and lost 200 lbs on my own in the year leading up to surgery I think it really helped in my recovery.

If you drink anything with carbonation stop now or at least cut way back. I used to drink 2-3 liters of dr. pepper a day and some beer but i knew that this was the best decision and the only thing that you really should never have again is carbonation.

Start moving as much as possible I started out walking 10 minutes on the treadmill at a snails pace, walking is very important after surgery.

Just relax and let the doctors, nutritionist and nurses tell you what to do when it comes to diet and nutrition as well as the day of the surgery.

Build your support group, here, and locally through meetings, try to buddy up with someone who also had or is having the surgery.

Good Luck!!!