Are there any Australian Sleevers out there, Would Love to hear from you.

Welcome Susie.

It is pretty normal to have fears going into this procedure, it is permanant and does take alot of committment, you have to be ready for the change to make the most of it.

Pre-surgery I had alot of fears and aprehension, prepared my self for the worst etc. Mostly I was worried about who I would be after surgery, especially I have only ever known myself as this morbidly obese person. Now, life seems so normal to me, I am the same me, but better, definitely skinnier ( i worked hard to to loose the 68kgs so far), more confident and just happier. But who I am is still the same.

In regards to telling people, it really is your choice who you tell and who you dont. I only told my immediate family, closest friends and my boss before I had surgery. Luckily they were all more than supportive, but aprehensive at the same time. Post surgery I am happy to talk about it and will tell anyone the truth if they ask how I have done it. So far no one has said to my face I cheated (also never heard it said behind my back either). It helps to have people who are supportive of you, especially early on.

Good luck on your journey!

We are all here to help.

Tablets were hard initially. I had chewable Vitamins and also the nexium which i cut in half and was the hardest. Thankfully I did not need any pain killers for pain while I was recovering.

Random fact' date=' since surgery I have barely taken pain killers for anything. Pre-surgery I had constant headaches, joint pain, sporting injuries, basically alot of generalised pain. Since surgery almost nothing, I think I have taken pain medication 3 times in 10 months, and one of those times was due to too much alcohol.[/quote']

Hey Aussie girl,

Being 10 months out, may I ask you how is it? How much alcohol can you drink?

Do you feel you can eat more now? As I am only new to this blog, may I ask what did you start at and how much have you lost.

Thanks

Hi Susie

I know exactly how you feel as I felt the same way-I couldn't quite believe the weight would come off!

It is two weeks tomorrow since my surgery and the weight is slowly but surely coming off. Everyone is different but it will come off!

I won't lie to you- my experience when I woke up from surgery was't pleasant and I wondered what the hell I had done (I had a bad eaction to the morphine and it took me over 24 hrs to get over the general) BUT 2 weeks into my new life, it is distant memory and I am so happy I took this step - no regrets and looking forward to the rest of my life! No longer a slave to my hunger - it is so liberating!

I told anyone that would listen to me about my surgery! I had made up my mind and very few people verbalized their disapproval - no doubt some did behind my back!

When people realized that I was committed and this was something I had thought about for a long time, most wished me luck and thought I was really brave to take such a big step to give myself the chance of better health and a better quality of life into the future. You need to do what feels best for you as it is very personal journey. I am a bit of a talker and an open book so probably give people too much information!

Hey Aussie girl' date='

Being 10 months out, may I ask you how is it? How much alcohol can you drink?

Do you feel you can eat more now? As I am only new to this blog, may I ask what did you start at and how much have you lost.

Thanks[/quote']

Kelloff,

Life is pretty normal this far out. I drink alcohol socially and depending on what I drink to how much it affects me. I never really drank to get drunk, I can go out for a night out without too much concern, just need to be aware of timing food and alcohol, they don't sit too well at once, much like any beverage and food. I have finished a bottle of champagne in one hit since surgery. I find I do get tipsy a bit quicker but sober up quicker as well.

I can eat a bit more nowadays but this feels like a comfortable amount. Breakfast is usually about a Styrofoam size cup with yoghurt and muesli, lunch like 2 salada crackers with some Protein topping, won't always finish 2. dinner is like a bit of protein like a hand carved size of roast beef with veggies. I do snack in between, I try to keep these relatively healthy fruit or veg Snacks but honestly that doesn't always happen. I do now eat junk food again, early on this made me ill. Now I have like 1 or 2 bites of any junk like stuff and I am done. I was a huge junk food eatter before. I don't really crave it.

I started at 150kgs and am currently sitting around82. At first the losses were constant but now I will go like 3 weeks and loose nothing and then loose 4 lge in a week. I only really want to loose another 8 which hopefully I will make by the 1 yr mark, meaning I will have halved myself.

Sorry this is a bit long winded.

Happy to answer any questions,

Kelloff,

Life is pretty normal this far out. I drink alcohol socially and depending on what I drink to how much it affects me. I never really drank to get drunk, I can go out for a night out without too much concern, just need to be aware of timing food and alcohol, they don't sit too well at once, much like any beverage and food. I have finished a bottle of champagne in one hit since surgery. I find I do get tipsy a bit quicker but sober up quicker as well.

I can eat a bit more nowadays but this feels like a comfortable amount. Breakfast is usually about a Styrofoam size cup with yoghurt and muesli, lunch like 2 salada crackers with some Protein topping, won't always finish 2. dinner is like a bit of protein like a hand carved size of roast beef with veggies. I do snack in between, I try to keep these relatively healthy fruit or veg Snacks but honestly that doesn't always happen. I do now eat junk food again, early on this made me ill. Now I have like 1 or 2 bites of any junk like stuff and I am done. I was a huge junk food eatter before. I don't really crave it.

I started at 150kgs and am currently sitting around82. At first the losses were constant but now I will go like 3 weeks and loose nothing and then loose 4 lge in a week. I only really want to loose another 8 which hopefully I will make by the 1 yr mark, meaning I will have halved myself.

Sorry this is a bit long winded.

Happy to answer any questions,

Wow, that is amazing. I am about the same weight you were before the sleeve (about 160kg at the moment) and I am so pleased to hear about your loss. It's inspiring and thank you for sharing it! I am getting my op on 3rd September and can't wait to start my journey.

If you had three things you wished someone told you pre-op, what would they be? (is that too much pressure lol - feel free to ignore this!)

Anyway thanks so much for your post and congrats on your amazing achievement.

Cheers, Lila

Wow' date=' that is amazing. I am about the same weight you were before the sleeve (about 160kg at the moment) and I am so pleased to hear about your loss. It's inspiring and thank you for sharing it! I am getting my op on 3rd September and can't wait to start my journey.

If you had three things you wished someone told you pre-op, what would they be? (is that too much pressure lol - feel free to ignore this!)

Anyway thanks so much for your post and congrats on your amazing achievement.

Cheers, Lila[/quote']

All good Lila

I did have to think abit about the answer. But here at the ones that come to mind.

1. May be tmi but initially beware the runs, especially while on liquids and soft foods, what goes in liquid so to speak comes out liquid, there will be some quick runs to the bathroom required

2. Initially you will feel like you are constantly fatigued, rest as much as you can.

3. How weird it feels when everyone starts to notice how much weight you have lost, and how uncomfortable it can feel having the constant compliments. I was not even remotely prepared for the attention, a couple of months ago I could not go a day where no less than 5 people commented on my changing appearance. People are more accustomed to the shrinking me now but I still get the comments. I still haven't figured out how to.handle it.

The journey from 150 kgs has not been remotely easy, I have worked my butt off literally both physically and emotionally. But it is worth it, despite the small things I still deal with '( reflux, understanding my stomachs capacity).

I am happy to help with any questions, I asked and read a lot, especially early on.

All good Lila

I did have to think abit about the answer. But here at the ones that come to mind.

1. May be tmi but initially beware the runs' date=' especially while on liquids and soft foods, what goes in liquid so to speak comes out liquid, there will be some quick runs to the bathroom required

2. Initially you will feel like you are constantly fatigued, rest as much as you can.

3. How weird it feels when everyone starts to notice how much weight you have lost, and how uncomfortable it can feel having the constant compliments. I was not even remotely prepared for the attention, a couple of months ago I could not go a day where no less than 5 people commented on my changing appearance. People are more accustomed to the shrinking me now but I still get the comments. I still haven't figured out how to.handle it.

The journey from 150 kgs has not been remotely easy, I have worked my butt off literally both physically and emotionally. But it is worth it, despite the small things I still deal with '( reflux, understanding my stomachs capacity).

I am happy to help with any questions, I asked and read a lot, especially early on.[/quote']

That is awesome, all of it. I started around your weight also.

My biggest thing is excess skin. I have always been big and always had stretch marks so I know I will have excess skin. I plan on doing as much as I can with exercise to try and reduce it but I suppose the big question? Do you have alot.

That's really good to hear that you can eat normal, well sort of. I have always been a big sweets person also, good to know about not having issues.

Again thanks for sharing.

Kel

Hi Ladies, thanks for your replies re Vitamins and medications. It think I will just try and get my blood pressure tablet down initially and the vitamins can wait until week 2 or 3 post op. Not going to stress about it. Just been to a friends place for my last 'normal' dinner before starting Optifast tomorrow. Bring it on...

Hi Kelly, your story is really inspiring and I loved your 3 tips LOL. Good question and great useful answers.

Susie, all the best and we look forward to sharing the journey with you., cheers Kelli

Bye the way have you noticed my new profile pic? Hate fat photos of myself, so featuring my 2 week old niece, Charlotte Rose. Isn't she just gorgeous? She is in Melbourne so I am yet to meet her other than on Skype. Hope to be well enough mid September to visit them.

Kelloff, I do have a fair amount of excess skin now. It is not pretty but I will see how it all firms up once I get to goal. I am also lax to have it taken away, as I may want to have kids sometime in the future and that would cause more stretching etc. But will see how all that pans out.

I have done exercise pretty much from the start, first 5 weeks was lite exercise, walking etc. At 6 weeks my doctor said go for my life, do what ever I wanted. I have had a trainer once a week since 5 weeks, initially working on fitness and weight loss, now more balance and toning. Initially I was doing 2 sessions atleast 5 days a week, tho some of these would be a walk/run home from work (which was 5kms). Now I work out almost every day, sometimes I will do 2 sessions if I work out with someone, but I work alot harder nowadays. I am fit, fitter than most people skinnier than me that I know. I am starting to run, distances, did an 8km a couple of weeks ago and will do the city2surf this week (no I cant run 14kms yet, or ever possibly)....so yes lots of exercise.

Below are some before and after pics of me to give you some context. I still carry alot around the middle (feel a bit like the michelin man still) but my legs are freaking awesome (lol if I do say so myself)

Kelliv, thanks Your neice is so cute....Neices and nephews are the best things ever

Hi guys. Just dropping by to say I'm feeling great! Day 7 post op and aside from a slight stretch in one incision site every now and then, I'm actually back to normal. Actually, I'm better than normal. I feel happy, content and so much more energetic. I'm going to credit my surgeon Dr Michael France for my speedy recovery. I'm so looking forward to moving to the puree diet but in saying that I'm not finding the liquid diet all that tough either. I am able to keep up my daily fluid intake without the nasty wind pains I was experiencing 3days ago. I think about red frogs ...a lot ...but only because they are my ultimate lolly I love the smell of food cooking but don't actually crave it. Its such a weird feeling that I cant quite describe. I started taking metamucil today as things in that department aren't really happening. Was a bit worried it might bulk my stomach too much so only drank half a serve. Will see how it goes. Well that's about it I think. Feeling great and no regrets. Have a great day everyone

Oh I remember the food thoughts early on....I totally watched so much food porn it was rediculous, every cooking show I could get my hands on, magazines, you name it...

Good luck with the continued recovery Michelle!

All good Lila

I did have to think abit about the answer. But here at the ones that come to mind.

1. May be tmi but initially beware the runs, especially while on liquids and soft foods, what goes in liquid so to speak comes out liquid, there will be some quick runs to the bathroom required

2. Initially you will feel like you are constantly fatigued, rest as much as you can.

3. How weird it feels when everyone starts to notice how much weight you have lost, and how uncomfortable it can feel having the constant compliments. I was not even remotely prepared for the attention, a couple of months ago I could not go a day where no less than 5 people commented on my changing appearance. People are more accustomed to the shrinking me now but I still get the comments. I still haven't figured out how to.handle it.

The journey from 150 kgs has not been remotely easy, I have worked my butt off literally both physically and emotionally. But it is worth it, despite the small things I still deal with '( reflux, understanding my stomachs capacity).

I am happy to help with any questions, I asked and read a lot, especially early on.

Thank you so much for your response and it's not tmi - I'd really rather know in advance The fewer surprises the better!! I also wanted to say wow, your most recent post with photo's are staggering! Can I ask, how often do you work out now? And do you find you're more motivated because you're losing good weight or does it just get a bit easier cause you don't have to carry around as much excess weight? Thanks, Lila

Well I survived day one of prep. 3 Optifast shakes, one carrot & a cup of vege stock for pm tea & stir fried veged for dinner followed by diet jelly and frozen berries. Not bad, 13 days to go!! I also paid for my surgery today ($5900) so no going back now!