Hello, fellow December Sleevers. So all of us are sleeved. and we're all in various stages of recovery.

For this week how about a couple of questions --

What has been the hardest part so far?

What has been the best part so far?

How is recovery going?

Hello! I was sleeved the 20 th, and I've lost 21# so far (since preop diet). I would say that there are two things super hard about this: witnessing food sights/smells that I know I can't eat yet, and the other is freaking myself out over the slightest bit of gas or pain, thinking I might have a leak (esp after reading some of the stories on here about people who had them...).

The best part is smaller clothes! Also, I have felt a lot colder since the surgery, and it has been fun getting to enjoy cute sweaters and scarves. Plus, I got to buy some smaller clothes and underwear, and that was very fun!!!

As far as recovery, I have gone to the ER twice in the last week with abdominal pain, scared to death I had a leak. They did a CT scan and said I looked great, so they chalked the pain up to weaning myself off the pain meds, gas pain, and just basic post-surgical discomfort. I had esophageal spasms the first week of recovery every time I went from laying to sitting, but acid reducers have pretty much resolved it. Today was a really good day.

I was sleeved on Dec 5. I would have to agree with ChrisB83 that one of the hard parts is seeing or smelling foods that you can't have (my mother lives downstairs and is always cooking or baking). But, the 14 hours in airports and on planes the Friday I flew home from San Diego was the hardest part for me.

Definitely the best part is the 20 lbs I have lost,never to be seen again. I have not had to buy new clothes yet but am looking forward to it soon.

My recovery has really been easy other than learning how to eat all over again.

Hey Mama!!! The hardest part of it for me has been eating/drinking enough and being okay w/ eating...

The best part has been doing things w/ little to no effort that I would be sweating and huffing trying to do.. Like, putting on my socks, massaging my feet...

Recovery is good.. got a little sick today .. Sleevina doesn't like cream of wheat at ALL!!... Also, my incision is oozing again... again, no infection just Fluid.. Other than constantly changing a bandage, it's all good... I think I've dropped another 5-10 pounds.. trying to stay off the scale.. but my clothes are falling off!! LOL..

Hey all! I was sleeved 12/13, and am close to 4 weeks out! The hardest part so far is sticking to my post op guidelines! I am feeling AMAZING and because of that have progressed to full liquids and pureeds a bit faster than my facilitating company wants me to, but a bit slower than my surgeons guidelines so it's ok!

The best part has been the 20 lbs that will be gone forever! I get disheartened sometimes because I feel like it should be more, but I just need to check myself and be proud!

Like I said, recovery is amazing. No pain, no food I tolerances, no weakness, my scars Re so good too! Feeling awesome.

I was sleeved on 12/19/11 and had my post op check in today. Down 15 lbs! Advanced to stage 3 diet, and I was in heaven eating an egg and some deli turkey meat for lunch when I got home! It has kept me more full than the liquids. The hardest part is feeling really tired every afternoon, the best park is fitting into smaller clothes! I wish I was losing faster, but have to remind myself that I have undone 6 years of weight gain in 2.5 weeks!! Yay!

Kimmie

Kimmie, we're sleeve sisters!!!! YEAH!!! Congrats on your weight loss..

Kimmie- 15 pounds in 2.5 weeks is AWESOME! You go, girl! I lost 10 pounds my first week after surgery and one pound the second week, so you are going at a fab rate! I remind myself when I start feeling down about not losing more quickly that a little extra time between pounds is a little extra blessing to my shrinking skin, helping it try to keep up!

I got sleeved December 14th.

What has been the hardest part so far? Not being able to eat what everyone else is eating. The cravings. Not losing as much as i was hoping. I lost 12 pounds pre-op, and 10-12 post-op depends on the day. I am in a stall right now which is frustrating. And my weight keeps shifting 2-3 pounds.

What has been the best part so far? My friends reactions to my face weight loss & their support.

How is recovery going? It is going fine. I had hardness around a few of the incisions but nothing infected. Most of them seem to be really small and only the big one is really noticeable. Of course to me i see each one. I am trying to stay positive, but i feel down.

Hey December Sleevers!! I'm Riss.. I had my sleeve done on Dec.28 in VA Beach.

I think the hardest part for me is know what and when to eat. I have had a few tummy aches b/c I hate too much. However while I'm eating, I feel fine.

I am having a problem dream shopping. Lol. I have my entire size 8 (goal) wardrobe picked out.

I am also struggling with being a slave to the scale. I step on it every time I walk pass the bathroom.

Hey everyone!!! I was sleeved on Dec 28th. So far post op I have lost 20 pounds!! Definitely the hardest part is the smell of food....head hunger...and I can no longer tolerate broth. Also I am having a hard time getting in all my protein.

Recovery is going well, trying to take it easy but I am also very very tired a lot! I go back to work Monday so that's a little stressful. It would be great to take anotherb2 weeks!!! But congrats to everyone!!!! It's very exciting!!!!

I was sleeved on Dec. 26th and have had a smooth recovery. The hardest part for me is taking the time to get all my liquids, protien and supplements in. I had a really busy distractible day a few days ago and knew I didnt drink enough and felt just terrible by evening. I realized this journey will be much trial and error and probably lessons learned the hard way! The best part is hearing the word of support and encouragement from my husband and children as well as noticing that my clothes are definitely looser already.

Hi everyone! Sleeved on 12/27 and down 25 lbs as of Thursday 1/5. I'll take it! I have had an AMAZING recovery. I feel great, never took any pain meds either in the hospital or at home, no nausea, could drink normally from day 1, etc. It"s been a piece of cake so far (knock wood). I'm still on the puree phase (1 week clear liquid, 2 weeks pureed, 3 weeks soft food), but I'm slowly adding in some soft food because I am tolerating everything. I'm trying an egg tomorrow morning and am excited.

I think for me, the most amazing thing about this journey so far is just how great I feel, how few calories I am having and how utterly unconcerned by food I am. This is such a switch from pre-sleeve days when I would be daydreaming about lunch and where I was going to eat by 8:30 a.m.!

By the way, I'm Catherine, age 40, married with a 6 year old son. I am the Director of Compensation and Benefits for a large company. I live in Cincinnati and am thrilled to find support here because I have yet to find a real life support group that isn't lame.

Lets see:

What has been the hardest part so far?

Taking it easy!! Slowing my pace. Learning to listen to my body and knowing when I push myself too hard. Staying on a scheduled meal plan!!

What has been the best part so far?

Watching the scale move and knowing it will keep moving! Having those close to me see what I'm going through and having them realize it is NOT the easy way out!

How is recovery going?

Great! No problems eating and hardly any pain. The only time it hurt was when I started to move around and bend in ways I know I wasn't suppose to yet. But I took it easy for a bit and now I'm all better!

Hello ladies/sisters, sleeved on 12/26!

So far the hardest part has been this last week of really strong pangs in my stomach whenever I eat. It's almost like my stomach is attacking or at war with the food. My stomach feels like it starts to knot up from the first bite of anything I have. I have to stretch out & breath deep. Then I stop eating for a sec. and start again... I thought maybe I was starting pureeds too early, but even my drinks are doing it now... I don't know what is wrong, but it's only when I eat, not just a general pain.

I agree that it is a little tough dealing with the small cravings, and smelling things I want but can't have also... But then, if I just have a small amount of what is on program, I'm fine and the cravings don't take me over.

That is the best part also, because I don't really get hungry, I can handle small cravings! Also, within a week I could see I didn't look so stuffed in my clothes!

Recovery... As mentioned above. I don't really have too much gassiness, and I'm not really sore anywhere. I may have done too much this week, since I went back to work the very next week, Last night I took one of my pain meds because that whole left side was sore trying to sleep. But, otherwise all's well.

If anyone has any clue about the rumbling stomach when I eat, please let me know! I try not to be all paranoid, but who knows what could be wrong. And then again, maybe it's nothing... Additionally I'm afraid of the hassle with kaiser since I was a self-pay and didn't go through them for the surgery...

I was sleeved on 12/21. The hardest part, like most of you, has been seeing food that I really won't be able to have. Most of which I shouldn't have anyway. I have taken the approach, that if I'm only going to a little food in then it better be good for my body. I came home before Christmas and there was lots of "holiday eating" which was tough but my family was very considerate.

The best part is losing weight. Down 26lbs in 3 weeks, I'll take it. Clothes are fitting better but I have not started to dig into my smaller sizes yet.

I am embarrassed and happy to say my recovery was a breeze. I feel fortunate to have been able to drink fluids, move around and even get to mushies very quickly.

Doc cleared me for exercise so I am starting to ramp up my cardio and adding weights.

Take care!