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Bigger than the rest....



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So I haven't had my surgery yet but I'm posting this on the post op thread bc I want to hear from those of you that have. I have spent a lot of time on this site and while it has really helped me put some of my fears behind me, I still have this one major one that is lurking around in my head driving me crazy. Most of the post I have read seems that people are a lot smaller than me. They do great after surgery and have no trouble reaching their goals. I am 518 lbs and 5'9. I have been over weight my entire life but this is my heaviest. I have tried many different diets and I'm always able to loose but then I hit a snag and then usually gain all of it back. I'm dedicated to this decision and have a really good support system. My husband, family, and close friends are all in my corner 100%! I'm 28 years and I still have tons of things I want to do before I leave this earth. If I don't do something that will not happen. So my concern is with me being as heavy as I am is it possible to get to goal. I'm terrified of having the surgery and loosing 100 or even 200lbs and then not being able to loose anymore. I understand the major changes I have to make and I'm on bored. I just don't want to go through this and still be morbidly obese. Any thoughts on this is greatly appreciated.

BTW I'm terrified that I have actually put my weight on here, but I feel safe here. Hopefully that's the case.

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I'm only 12 weeks out so I am not the one to answer your question, but I wish you the very best with your weight loss. I love my sleeve and I've not regretted my decision for a moment.

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Welcome! Not everyone loses at the same pace, there are so many factors to consider. The best you can do post op is stay on your plan. Seems you are arming yourself with information, and preparing yourself for the long haul. There is a subforum on here for "weight specific" loses http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/39-200-pounds/ (this one being 200+ I'm sure you can find some specifics there as well.

Putting your number out there the first time is a big step, this was the only place I ever really owned up to my true number, and it was freeing -. It made it very real and made me accountable - you were right to feel this was a safe place to be you, we all walk the same path. I wish you the best of luck going forward!!

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I'm only 12 weeks out so I am not the one to answer your question' date=' but I wish you the very best with your weight loss. I love my sleeve and I've not regretted my decision for a moment.[/quote']

Thank you! I wish you good luck as well! I know these are better questions for my surgeon but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask here.

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I was just recently sleeved (will be one month on Tuesday) so I don't know the answers to your questions BUT if you don't have the surgery, where will you be in another 6 months to a year? Will you weigh the same or more or will you lose weight? That's how I approached my surgery. Where will I be 6 months or a year from now if I don't have it? I think you'll be surprised at what you'll be able to lose. It's really amazing how little you will eat & feel full. Will you get to goal? Who knows....but if you do nothing, will you get to goal? You're so young, I wouldn't hesitate. I'm 53 & so wish I had done this at least 10 years ago. You're already ahead of the game with all the support you have. I didn't really have much support because I didn't want to tell anyone, but that was my decision. My husband & BFF knew but not many more than that. Those that did know were very supportive. If you've read here, not all people that were sleeved or going to be sleeved have had much support. Take it & run! As my doctor told me when I told him that I was considering Weight Loss Surgery, he was very happy for me & said "you're going to buy back at least 20 years!" From his mouth to God's ears! This could save your life. Don't hesitate. Blessings to you!

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Hi! You're safe here. :) I am pre-op but I also feel like I'm heavier than most people here, at 350. It seems like those with more to lose will lose faster and more weight initially. So, that's something to look forward to! If you have trouble losing all of the weight with the sleeve, you can always do duodenal switch later on. But you're young, and you're willing to work hard, so give yourself and the sleeve a chance.

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I started at 270 and I am only 5'2" Sleeved on 4/4/13. Currently at 220. It's a slow but steady loss and I do not regret for one min the decision to do the procedure Best thing I've ever done for myself. I have a long way till goal but am confident I will get there. I hope u keep us posted on ur journey and wish u all the best.

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I was just recently sleeved (will be one month on Tuesday) so I don't know the answers to your questions BUT if you don't have the surgery' date=' where will you be in another 6 months to a year? Will you weigh the same or more or will you lose weight? That's how I approached my surgery. Where will I be 6 months or a year from now if I don't have it? I think you'll be surprised at what you'll be able to lose. It's really amazing how little you will eat & feel full. Will you get to goal? Who knows....but if you do nothing, will you get to goal? You're so young, I wouldn't hesitate. I'm 53 & so wish I had done this at least 10 years ago. You're already ahead of the game with all the support you have. I didn't really have much support because I didn't want to tell anyone, but that was my decision. My husband & BFF knew but not many more than that. Those that did know were very supportive. If you've read here, not all people that were sleeved or going to be sleeved have had much support. Take it & run! As my doctor told me when I told him that I was considering Weight Loss Surgery, he was very happy for me & said "you're going to buy back at least 20 years!" From his mouth to God's ears! This could save your life. Don't hesitate. Blessings to you![/quote']

Thank you so much! Your exactly right! If I do nothing the prognosis isn't as good at all, but with surgery my prognosis is better than not,even with the what ifs. And yes I am very blessed to have the support system that I do. I thank God every day!

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Thank you all for your words encouragement! It's really helpful to have a safe place to talk about this. My family is supportive but sometimes I don't feel like they understand. Ill defiantly check out the 200+ forum.

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I am not a "super" loser, but I think this was the first place I said my weight out loud as well. I have had my sleeve for 2 1/2 years, and have not gotten to goal yet. I am close, and I know that I will, probably this year. You will be so much better off if you do it.

will you reach goal? Not all do, but if you don't give up, and continue forward through difficulties, taking the long view, you can make it to a much healthier you. What the docs dont usually tell you is, losing is the easy part. Maintaining is the hard part for you must work at it the rest of your life. But the rewards are great, and you will be so much healthier and can be there for your family and have so much fun being active in your life. We have a "vets" forum here, you can go there and see what the people have to say that are out more than a year from surgery. Best of luck to you, a true adventure awaits!

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Hi there!

I'm glad you are embarking on this journey I was sleeved on 5/22/13 (12 weeks yesterday) I started this journey at 470 and am 6'0" female. It is hard to put your number out there, but on here everyone has been in the same situation, at whatever their start was. I am at 65lbs lost since surgery and up until this week have only been walking, but will be starting a weight training schedule next week.

Even though I am still way heavier than most, my almost 70lb loss is great and each day I feel better than ever! I would not trade my decision for the world!

If you have any specific questions, I'm an open book :)

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I am not a "super" loser' date=' but I think this was the first place I said my weight out loud as well. I have had my sleeve for 2 1/2 years, and have not gotten to goal yet. I am close, and I know that I will, probably this year. You will be so much better off if you do it.

will you reach goal? Not all do, but if you don't give up, and continue forward through difficulties, taking the long view, you can make it to a much healthier you. What the docs dont usually tell you is, losing is the easy part. Maintaining is the hard part for you must work at it the rest of your life. But the rewards are great, and you will be so much healthier and can be there for your family and have so much fun being active in your life. We have a "vets" forum here, you can go there and see what the people have to say that are out more than a year from surgery. Best of luck to you, a true adventure awaits![/quote']

Thank you so much! I will defiantly check that forum out.

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Hi there!

I'm glad you are embarking on this journey I was sleeved on 5/22/13 (12 weeks yesterday) I started this journey at 470 and am 6'0" female. It is hard to put your number out there' date=' but on here everyone has been in the same situation, at whatever their start was. I am at 65lbs lost since surgery and up until this week have only been walking, but will be starting a weight training schedule next week.

Even though I am still way heavier than most, my almost 70lb loss is great and each day I feel better than ever! I would not trade my decision for the world!

If you have any specific questions, I'm an open book :)[/quote']

This is inspiring! See that is what I was wondering. I don't know how much ill have to loose in order to start to feel better. Not about my appearance, but with my health? Can you tell a difference after 70lbs?

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This is inspiring! See that is what I was wondering. I don't know how much ill have to loose in order to start to feel better. Not about my appearance, but with my health? Can you tell a difference after 70lbs?

I know you weren't asking me, but if I may butt in again.....I've only lost 30 lbs & I have already been taken off my diabetes meds & the knee that needs replacing is hurting me a lot less! So for me, there was a health improvement after only 30 lbs...imagine at 70 or more!

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    • LeighaTR

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      1. Selina333

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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