I came to this forum so sure the sleeve was THE answer for me... I'm in my second month of three till my paperwork will be submitted to insurance for approval... However... As I have gone through these last two months of starting my fitness pal, talking to everyone (you all, docs, nuts, etc.), maintaining a 12-1300 calorie diet, starting to walk on the treadmill for 30 mins each day, losing 20+ lbs on my own with no real struggle I have begun to think maybe I can do this on my own without surgery... Then I waiver as I fear failure once again... I'm so tired of bouncing back and forth! I'm looking for some kind of sign, lol, of what to do...

Been there done that, Go with your heart and just do it. It is not easy, I felt the same way going through the process. I lost weight before just to gain it all back, plus more. I have my surgery 8/15/2012 @ 11am

I didn't have trouble losing 20-60lbs. My issue was keeping it off, and being hungry all the time. I ate healthy, I just ate a lot when I wasn't dieting.

For me, the sleeve gave me the best of both worlds, 3 years out, I still never experience physical hunger, and satiety off smaller meals within a decent caloric intake.

I could do it on my own, lose it, but there's no way I could keep it off without my sleeve.

I totally agree with being able to lose weight. I just could never keep the loss off. Sometimes I would gain back quickly, sometimes more slowly. I just feel this is a tool that will give me success in keeping it off.

I know that for a very long time I thought that this was not what I would ever consider. There was a point for me when I realized I was not having success despite multiple tries to lose and I had to put my health first in the decision. Surgery is not the answer for everyone, but I can say completely that I feel like I was correct in choosing it. Maybe make a list of pros and cons? Early on I made a bunch of lists: Pros vs cons, the lists of complications vs what I could do to help prevent them, how much each part would cost. It really gave me a place to start out sitting down and really understanding what I was throwing around in my mind. When it comes down to it, you really have to trust your gut.

Only you can really make this decision. I also never really had trouble losing a nice amount (20-30 pounds) but after that it was a real challenge to lose anything else and impossible to keep it off. And there was always some extra weight added on with the regain.

Best of luck whatever you decide. I can tell you that in my experience, the sleeve was the tool I needed to take the weight off and keep it off easily.

~Cheri

I struggled with this exact process. Once, in my life I was able to get it off and keep it off for five years. 1994-1998. In 1999 I started getting sick a lot and I gained about 40 pounds. I finally go to the doctors with a distended stomach, I couldn't have a bm without some sort of medication and I became tired, etc. I went in for a laparascopy came out with a bowel resection, a tumor and complete hysterectomy. I ended up hitting 200 pounds. Since 1999 I have gone from 200 - 330 to 201 to 300 to 250 to 300 to 330 to 275 to 250. I know I can hit 200 but getting under it seemed impossible.

I lost about 30 quick on my own when I decided to call the surgeons because I started gaining it back. I was 299 when I started following the doctor recommended plan of 800-900 calories, 80 grams of Protein and 45-75 carbs and charting my food, but I hadn't seen the doctor yet. I lost 10 pounds a month during my pre-approval period. by May I was down 60 pounds. I waffled back and forth and decided to go ahead anyhow with the surgery. I lost only 10 pounds during the pre-op phase so the day before surgery I sat there saying to myself do I do this. I'm 229 pounds I did all this on my own and then I realized, I'm not under 200, I'll hit the 200 and somehow find a way to self-sabotage or I'll end up on steroids again or something else will happen.

I'm 15 years older than when I lost it the one time I lost it and kept it 5 years. The issue was I was jogging up to 10 miles a day some days, lifting weight and doing aerobics daily. I worked out almost incessantly to maintain that weight until I got sick. I can't do that anymore.

I went ahead with the surgery and I am finally under that dreaded 200 pounds.

If you feel like you can continue living the lifestyle you do and continue following the doctor's plan...FOR LIFE..then of course, maybe the surgery is not necessarily for you. If you are young enough and determined enough, and you have the will power to change your life now and forever, then just stick with it another month or two and then make your decision. I had a six month pre-approval phase before it went to my insurance and that process took another month or so. You don't need to decide until a day before your surgery, is what I told myself.

I also told myself that if I was willing to commit to having 85% of my stomach removed, I was going to give 100% to the pre-approval phase and that is what you are doing. You are actually doing what EVERYONE is suppose to be doing pre-approval. Be proud of the fact that you are doing this and working on your behavior modification now. Be proud that you are working on not drinking Water with your meals, and drinking 64 ounces a day and changing the issues you have with food prior to surgery.

If you chose the sleeve, you are the one behind the sleeve, it's only a tool and you right now are learning how to work it without even having it.

What you are doing right now is setting yourself up to be successful AFTER surgery, if that's the road you chose. If you do have the surgery, you can remind yourself that the sleeve is not what has made you successful, it's a tool that you successfully mastered.

To me, it was the right decision, but only you can make this decision. This is your third stint, very much like me. I went once, my husband lost his job, the second time I went I got pneumonia and quit and the third time...I was ready to fully commit, like you and the third time is the charm.

If you do decide to go with it, you have to go into it 100% committed to the process and one more thing, positivity is the only way to get through with it, everyone gets scared, but like me you have a family that can't really afford to see you scared. Be brave for them to help them through this process. The more you tell yourself you can do this the better off you will be. Going into the surgery with a smile on my face and being positive is something I noticed in the videotapes of those that have really been successful.

Best of luck making your decision.

Being sleeved is an entirely different world for me. I can be mindful of what I eat! It is not constantly on my mind. I rarely crave things I shouldn't have. I can stop as soon as I feel full. Even if I eat something unhealthy, I can eat well at my next meal (which used to derail previous diets in a heart beat!)

I would consider how likely you are to drop your diet or exercise if you were stressed, sad, overworked, or just busy with life. What happens when the NUT goes away? How likely would you be able to keep up what you are doing for a lifetime? Right now, the sleeve holds me accountable for how much I can eat at one time, and for that, I am grateful.

Thanks everyone! Your words comforted me and made me relax a little and realize I still have time to think about it and think about the long term results and not just how easy and comfortable it is right now. I'm definitely gonna make some lists about my habits etc when I'm stressed etc and see if I can figure out if I can overcome those things without turning to foods. Normally, with me, I would stay with a diet for maybe a month and then have a bad day or week, lol...and then say forget it. I would struggle every single day to stick with it. Now, though, I don't find myself struggling with the diet at all, I'm exercising for the first time in a long time and not feeling like it's torturous... Idk... You all gave me alot to think about, so thanks!