Okay, I don't know whether this topic has been covered before. If it has, my sincere apologies. However, there is something I have found on my explorations of all things 'sleeve', that has somewhat resonated with me. And not always in a good way.

If you're a bit like me, you've devoured everything available on the big ol' t'internet about the wondrous vertical sleeve gastrectomy. From doctors, to insurance, location, cost, life impact, health implications, surgery competence, surgery complications, long-term outlook, short-term discomforts, scale victories, non-scale victories, psychological wellbeing, psychological hurdles, physiological impediments, familial responsibilities, the Quest for Protein, the quest for Fluid, Protein Bars, protein shakes; which brand is the best, which brand is the worst.

The areas for consideration in this matter are endless and, if you're like me, you keep stumbling across extra information which every so often makes you say 'oh no, not another thing to consider'..

Getting to the point, I don't think there is a person amongst us that hasn't trawled the endless YouTube videos and the photos on this website of the dramatic transformations people have achieved. It is almost a voyeuristic pleasure which provides instant gratification and codification as to why you're taking this road. You see people and think 'wow, that could be me'.

Whilst clearly, dramatic weight loss will have significantly improved people's health and general wellbeing; reducing or eliminating comorbidities and making their prognosis much better than when they were significantly overweight. There is something that just won't leave me.

Have any of you seen photos and videos (and please don't quote specifics) where you've thought either a) you looked better when you were heavier or your weight loss has gone too far, stop, you're looking ill.

I don't want to be one of those people that everyone silently thinks 'you looked better before'. However, one only ever knows whether this is the case until you get there and or generally, after the event in question.

I guess, fundamentally, I'm questioning whether, in line with some medical publications, some of us are pre-programmed to be portly and we look 'better' portly as a consequence?

I know I shouldn't be concerned about this, because health comes first, right? However, when I see people with thinning hair/ no hair, degraded teeth, grey complexions, sunken cheeks, sunken eyes, I sometimes question whether this is the right thing to do, or are people, behind my back (and knowing some of the people I know), to my face, going to be thinking 'crikey, she looks awful'...

I have seen, particularly with some photos and videos over a lengthy period of time, people achieve a 'sweet spot' for looking 'well'. However and more often than not, they don't appear to stay at this. Is there a middle ground between meaty and malnourished? Can it realistically be reached and maintained?

What are your thoughts, people? Would be good to hear them x

Well my first thought on that is remembering a girl a couple of months ago, that came out and said she thought most people here looked better on their "before" pictures...

Yeah, she's not here anymore!

But really? Yes, if we lose a bunch of weight AND pretty fast as with this surgery, there may be a "sunken" look and thinning hair. But the hair will come back and some skin will shrink back over time.

The teeth? I suppose if they were jacked up before they will still be jacked up!

This surgery does not turn us into super models.

Well except for me. I went to Mexico and paid an extra thousand for that package

I have no idea what this post is about; I am blinded by the lack of spelling errors.

I think that in the back of my head the reason I keep setting my goal weight higher (started with a goal of 145 now it's set at 154) is the fear if looking too thin. Looking sickly. I don't want to look ill. I did this so I could look, feel, and be healthy. As I get closer to goal I'm happy with my size now. I wear size 8 dress pants and a medium or large top depending on the store. I don't have dreams and aspirations of wearing a size 4. I have curves and I love them. But I love that there is less of them. I didn't look better before. I looked fat. And with a 50" waist on a 5'6" female, well that's just not good.

Now with a 35" waist I look and feel better. I still have some areas I would like to lose from. But I don't want that sunken ill look. I want to look how I feel. Happy and healthy. If that means I don't get to wear a size 4, well then so be it.

Ummmmm I have no idea if that even came close to answering your question.

I have no idea what this post is about; I am blinded by the lack of spelling errors.

You're blinded by the lack of spelling errors?

LOL guys, that's too funny. I have made a boo-boo, by posting this thread twice. Most comments are on the other one under 'general'. If you wouldn't mind posting your views on there?

'blinded by the lack of spelling errors'.. I just burst out laughing at that one! x

'blinded by the lack of spelling errors'.. I just burst out laughing at that one! x

You made an English teacher very happy today, MR. *sniff*

Well my first thought on that is remembering a girl a couple of months ago' date=' that came out and said she thought most people here looked better on their "before" pictures...

Yeah, she's not here anymore!

But really? Yes, if we lose a bunch of weight AND pretty fast as with this surgery, there may be a "sunken" look and thinning hair. But the hair will come back and some skin will shrink back over time.

The teeth? I suppose if they were jacked up before they will still be jacked up!

This surgery does not turn us into super models.

Well except for me. I went to Mexico and paid an extra thousand for that package

[/quote']

Dang it - I didn't know Mexico offered the supermodel package. So would have gone that route! Lol

Sent from my iPhone using VST

You made an English teacher very happy today, MR. *sniff*

Hehe, bless you. If it would make you feel more comfortable, I could always adopt; txt spk wit no gramor & spelin mistaks so wot i am sayin can be underztood?

That's crazy. It actually took me time to be able to write that! Okay, better stop, else I'll be vilified for mocking the afflicted :|

I'm a rebel. I'd rather be "hot" than fugly and "healthy" while I'm still young enough to enjoy it..... like a bikini!

I honestly think some of the after pics look worse. I hope I end up looking better after but if not at least I'll be healthier!

I honestly think some of the after pics look worse. I hope I end up looking better after but if not at least I'll be healthier!

My afters pics look a lot better than my before pics.. but then again even when I was heavy I was still an attractive person lol you can't be a fat troll and lose weight and become a princess

I can agree to some degree, but I think it's merely a matter of skin, hormones, and such catching up with the dramatic transformations that follow bariatric surgery.

However I also realize that bariatric surgery cannot turn FUGLY to FOINE. Those blessed with good bone structure remain attractive at nearly any weight, but most of us mere mortals aren't so lucky. We have to work with the hand we're dealt. With that being said, it may take some of us time to figure out how to present our new faces and bodies in the most attractive light. That could be a tall order for those that had being unobtrusive down to a science in their pre-op life. Just my two cents on the matter.

Jennifer

My afters pics look a lot better than my before pics.. but then again even when I was heavy I was still an attractive person lol you can't be a fat troll and lose weight and become a princess

About 2 weeks before my surgery I started kind of freaking out thinking what happens if I'm ugly afterwards??? I don't think I'm ugly now and my friends and family assured me that I wouldn't be. Hope they weren't just being nice ????

About 2 weeks before my surgery I started kind of freaking out thinking what happens if I'm ugly afterwards??? I don't think I'm ugly now and my friends and family assured me that I wouldn't be. Hope they weren't just being nice

I'm sure they're not. Family tend to give it to you straight.. Its the friends or should I say 'acquaintances' that sometimes don't. I don't think I'm concerned about being 'ugly' per se. More about looking like walking death. Consequently, part of the motivator behind this forum post was whether other people, too, recognise that not everyone looks so well after this surgery?