The Cons Of Gastric Sleeve Life! :-(

[ocean_ophelia 31]

Let's see - "Downside" of the sleeve:

- You will be tempted to spend $$$ buying a wardrobe of new, sexy clothes once you get to goal (in additon to all of the in between sizes)

- You will spend a bunch of time going through your old clothes to find what fits, and getting rid of "fat" clothes and you shrink out of them

- You will get LOTS OF ATTENTION as you are shrinking (and when you are at goal - I'm not there yet).

- You will be COLD - but sweaters look really nice on thin people!

I think these are the "worst" of it. I LOVE MY SLEEVE.

Oh, those sound like BIG, BIG problems! :hurray:

[Rootman 1,101]

We eat out a lot, last Friday we split an entree and took half home and split the half again for a total of 4 meals off ONE entree. We are saving a bundle on restaurant bills!

[yecats 109]

I always wanted to be a "hot" skinny chick, I guess I will settle with being a cold skinny chick.....lol

[smallgirlsxthree 23]

I'm still pretty new to this whole process, only about 7 weeks out, but I've ran into the eating out thing alot in the past few weeks. We've only had a problem with the fact that I still can't eat some things (like steak, I want a freaking juicy steak soooo bad!! Lol, talk about all in your head) but I usually split something with my hubby. We went to Applebee's a couple of weeks ago and we split a chicken ravioli something or other, and I ate a couple of the strips of grilled chicken and a chunk of my daughter's slider burger (just the burger part) and that was way more than enough for me. Another ackward thing is your drink at a restaurant. Because if I order one, I'm going to drink on it before the meal, and I really can't get all tanked up before a meal! I look weird saying I don't want one, but oh well. I sipped a little bit of the hubby's tea.

I did have the SWEETEST thing ever happen though, and it caught me off guard. We went to a burger joint to get the kids something to eat, and my oldest daughter (a very quiet, gentle kid) pipes up and asks me what I want to split with her for supper! Shocked me!! We split a cheeseburger (I tore a chunk of her burger patty off and ate just that) and it was pretty nice being thought of like that.

Now that I'm supremely off subject, the only thing that really bothers me post-sleeve is the acid reflux. And I've been assured by my surgeon that it will get better with time. I take 2 protonix daily and I'm still popping Tums left and right...which makes me worry about the kidney stones others were talking about. My face went cold when I read that!! I've had to have them removed before because they were so big, and they can make childbirth look like a walk in the park. I will pray daily now that I won't get them!!!

I haven't had alot of problems with the cold part yet, but my hormones are in such an uproar because of the weight loss that I don't think my internal thermastat has a hope or a prayer LOL. Such is life, it will get better.

[waterlover 15]

do 'tums' and 'rolaids' count for Calcium?

[cooper3600 3]

I've been cold forever.. So that is something that I am all to familiar with.. It is ALL of the other benifits that I am looking forward to. At this point... I am even excited about the pre-op diet... In which I start tomorrow... :-)

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

do 'tums' and 'rolaids' count for Calcium?

Not so much for us sleevers. Especially if your taking a PPI for stomach acids. Calcium needs an acidic environment for ultimate absorption. Try to find calcium citrate - especially ones that are coupled with Magnesium. Also, be sure to space taking your Calcium by a few hours when or if you are taking any kind of Iron supplement.

HTH

[Rootman 1,101]

The clothes thing is a bear too. I'm in my 3rd and 4th sets of clothes post op. I try not to buy a lot but instead of the dumpy old fat guy, now I'm a lean trim guy who looks good in so many outfits.

Size is still an issue, but not "finding the 3X" - I seem to be a medium and half in tops - which doesn't exist. A medium fits me in the chest but the sleeves and body are always too short and finding a medium - tall is pret' near impossible.

Again about the cold: for the first time in my LIFE I am wearing long sleeves by CHOICE. I was a short sleeve guy 365 day s a year. Even wearing a jacket in all but the coldest bitterest weather was optional - not any more! "Layers" is the new ME!

[JackieOMonroe 123]

The biggest con for me is the ridiculous acid reflux that I have now. It doesn't burn or hurt at all, it just makes my throat gurgle like a frog. It's loud and involuntary and embarrassing. This week, I've started keeping an incredibly detailed food log and I ordered some digestive enzymes to take with meals. I did lots of research about which foods to eat and avoid and I plan to make an appointment with an ENT. I'm determined to figure out how to make it stop.

Other than that, the only cons are things I expected like loose skin, head hunger, and shrinking out of clothes I just bought.

[jewelwithin 13]

Coops - I hear you! I can't wait until I can stop dousing myself with baby powder to soak up some of the sweat. You can put on more clothes to get warm but cooling down when your heavy is no fun!

Ditto to that! I get so sick of the constant sweatiness, even in cooler months. Sometimes it seems like my sweat drips like a leaky faucet, and then I get self-conscious about it (and nervous) so I sweat more!!

[jewelwithin 13]

Hi. I'm new here. :smile1: This is a great thread. I'm looking forward to my sleeve in January.

I would love to be cold all the time. I am HOT all the time, even in the middle of winter. It's 30 out, and I don't wear a coat. I've been like this always, even when I was 60 pounds lighter.

Being cold would be fabulous! I'd love not to be a slave to food as well.

I worry mostly about the possibility of complications, of course, and the possibility of reflux. I don't have any reflux now, and don't want to experience it!

We must run at the same temp. I walk outside when it's 30 or 40 in a t-shirt and be fine. It sounds silly, but I really look forward to the day I have to buy a coat! (I actually don't own one, and haven't for years).

[momofthree 14]

I wish I'd just get sleeved I'm scaired because

I can only go to Mexico. And alone

[melissa45154 2]

i just ran to the 7/11 in shorts and a tshirt....it was 46 out and everyone was looking at me like i was crazy......i can't wait til i have to wear long sleeves and a coat.......12 more hours to go.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

Oh yes... all of this is going to change - and if you're anything like me, it will be in a major way.

[SeattleSue 25]

Well, in the large scheme of things, this is just a blip in the road--but I'm 25 weeks out and losing hair (probably 25% thinner) and it's a bit disconcerting. Other people's experience tells me it will stop eventually AND re-grow. None-the-less, it is the only thing that has had me even remotely question whether or not my sleeve "is worth it?". Emphatically, yes....but honestly, it has been alarming with the amount/frequency of the Hair loss.< /p>

As for the rest: LOVE feeling like sweaters, jackets, scarves and coats are added "accessory opportunities" now for me! lol Jackets/Cardigans have actually become a staple in my mid-journey wardrobe. They range from casual to sporty, to elegant and "stretch" my few jeans/pants allotment nicely as far as outfits go.

LOVE that my shoe size has decreased by about 1/2 size...and I actually enjoy wearing a heel again.

Love that I can make a right turn in my car and my door alarm no longer sounds.

So my hair is a little thinner...but so am I and the benefits DEFINATELY outweight the cons.