Good Evening My Fellow March Sleevers,

I am so glad to see that there are people who will be starting their new life journey during the same month as me.

The reason I started this group is for those who are scheduled for the VSG in March of 2012. We can share our experience as we journey to a newer us. Please feel free to start a discussion and share your experience.

Im so glad this group was started. I am going to be sleeved March 1st and Im so excited I can barely control myself!

Hey Y'all! I'm being sleeved march 21 st

Thank you for participating in this group.

Just to share some of my experience on this journey to a newer me.

While this journey for me started about 14 years ago. Growing up I was not a heavy child, matter of fact I was so skinny that most people thought I was anorexia. After having my first child everything snapped back into place and I was my old self again. It wasn't until after I had my third and last child that I start to develop a weight issue. Actually it was my mindset of thinking I had to eat for two that started it. During and after I had my last child I began to eat more then I ever had, like 6 egg, 4 bacon and container of biscuits. My husband could not believe how much I was eating, matter of fact I could not believe it. After a while I stop, but the damage was done. I went from 125 to 190 in less than 6 months. I tried to diet but as soon as I felt I achieve my desire goal, I would stop the diet and less than a year later the weight was back on and more. I tried to work with several personal trainers to get the weight off for good, by killing myself with a workout schedule of 2 hours for 6-7 days a week, but the weight was still there and at the end of it all I was at 215. I then tried South Beach and it worked, I lost about 50 lbs. and was on my way. There was an emergency situation in my family and before I knew it the weight started to creep back on and I had surpassed my previous weight. This is when I knew I needed additional help and search for another option that would help me to keep this weight off. That is when my sister in Christ told me about this surgery. At first I thought this type of surgery were for those who were extremely obese and thought I didn't fit into that category. I went to the informational meeting with my husband and learn about all the different types of surgeries and also found out that I did fit into the category. I quickly signed all I needed to do get myself started into the program and filled all of the requirements to satisfy the insurance company. After I received the letter from the insurance company, that said I was approved for my VSG. I called my doctor's office to let them know, to only find out they had not received the letter at that time. When they finally had, they called and wanted to schedule my surgery for February 22, but because I work in an accounting unit I had to schedule it until after year-end was over. So the 28th of March, I was a little disappointed, because it seems the 28th of March was so far away. But now I using this time to prepare for the surgery, like gathering items needed for post-op and starting an exercise routine.

What are some of the things are you doing as you wait for your surgery date? One for me is trying different types of Protein Shakes and reading lots of labels for Vitamins. One of my major issues is that I am allergic to sucralose (splenda). Every time I eat anything that contains sucralose, I whelp up. I learn I was allergic when I was on South Beach. If anyone has any suggestion it would be great appreciated.

As I wait for my surgery date, I look forward to hearing from everyone in this group on their experience (pre and post op).

Hello all you March Sleevers,

My surgery date will be March 1st and I am just getting acquainted with this forum. I am excited and nervous and a bit afraid of failure all in one. I have both positive support from friends as well as the naysayers. It seems so many people want to tell me the "Horror" stories of their "friends". Don't they realize what that negativity can do to someone with a date set and their mind made up? It is not like we decided this overnight! I am keeping this s secret from some (family and friends far away) and others on an as needed basis. I would like to keep it a secret to everyone, but that is not fair to those who are struggling with their weight. I can't with integrity look someone in the eye who is struggling and make them think I did this without surgery. So, I must swallow my pride and share my story as needed.

Hope you all are well and enjoying the journey. I am busy organizing me house...how silly is that?

Good Morning March Sleevers,

To Mambomama, I total understand where you are coming from all of the naysayers and their friend stories. I have been on this journey of fulfilling all of the requirements to satisfy the insurance company. During that time know one express anything for or against me doing this. It is just now after all of the approvals are in and the date is set that people want to start commenting or share their "my friend" stories. They always share a story of someone who died or someone who has had many additional surgeries (plastic surgery) because of the weight loss. I told them if that is what makes them people happy then that is on them. I feel that we are all here to live this thing called life and that no one has the blueprint to tell someone else what they did wrong or right. So when I a confronted with a naysayer I simple tell them, “If you have not walk in my shoes or lived my life, then keep your comments to yourself."

Keep your head up; you are making the right decision for you. When all of the weight is gone and you are able to enjoy life as you have dream, those naysayer will be that ones that say" Girl, you should have done that a long time ago"

I am with you on organizing the house, plus I have a goal of painting every room before my surgery. I just want to start out fresh and new including everything around me.

Hello fellow March Sleevers,

I just got my date today, March 15th and I cannot wait. 5 weeks can't pass soon enough for me. But I am trying to be zen about it and lose a little weight before the surgery.

I have struggled with my weight for the past 13 years. It seems I was okay, never skinny but mediumish build until I hit 30. Then I started to gain, gain, gain. Now at 43 I want to live and be healthy! I have a young son who needs me and he is my inspiration each day.

I look forward to this journey.

I am getting my sleeve on Mar 20 with Dr. Ponce De Leon in Mexico.

Congratulation Eylish!!!

Hello all you March sleevers!

I do not know when I will have my surgery, but hoping it will be in March. I'm waiting for insurance approval. I'm excited and cannot wait for this new journey to begin.

I am almost 50 years old and have steadily been gaining an average of 15 lbs a year. I'm now 100 lbs over weight. In the last 2 years I have lost 20 lbs, but it was a roller coaster keeping it off. Like everyone else, have tried so many things and been unsucessfull.

I look forward to hearing about everyone pre and post journey as we go through a new chapter in our lives. Very excited and nervous at the same time.

Hello All:

I have a surgery date of March 1st. I am not scared, just a little anxious. I'm not going alone, however my companion is also having surgery on the same day. I am just looking forward to the pay off.

I just received a call from my doctor's office, they are moving my surgery date to the next day. Not sure why, did not ask. Just glad that it was only one day and not a week or even month later.

yay for March sleevers!! I will be sleeved on March 20! I am super excited but also scared of a million things.....I love the VST boards for all the information and support! Thanks Mrs. Riene for starting the group so we can all follow each others journey easily!

march 8th is my date, getting anxious,

yay for March sleevers!! I will be sleeved on March 20! I am super excited but also scared of a million things.....I love the VST boards for all the information and support! Thanks Mrs. Riene for starting the group so we can all follow each others journey easily!

JayhawkJess33, glad to see you found our group. Welcome.

march 8th is my date, getting anxious,

Congratulation, your time is during near. Only a week and three days away and you will be on the other side of your journey. I too have been counting the days down, but I can't say I am anxious yet. It's just that I have been inundated with alot of information about what my other doctors want me to try. I haven't share with them anything I am doing with the exception of my pcp. But it seems they all want to share some new weight management book. All I can say to myself is why now, for 15 years I have been trying to lose this weight and now that I have a date for WLS. Seems that everyone is trying to get me to go in another direction. One of my doctor told me to read a book called "Wheat Belly". I read the introduction and of course it is another book talking about wheat how it so bad for you, now. When just a few years ago everyone was saying eat wheat because it is the most healthy thing you can eat. Know wonder more people are having weight issues. Even the medical community is confused about what should and should not eat. I am just so tired of all of the fabs on weight diet and of advertisement about what is right then in a few years later they circle back around after everyone switch over to tell us what we are eating now is bad. I am just going to shut out all of the noise and do what I plan to do.