i am 11 months post op, and frequently get asked what i wished i had known pre op. here are 4 things:

I wish i would've known that i would still get hungry.- i was told my hunger would be gone.

I wish i would've known that the 1st 5 days of recovery could be difficult- i was told i would just be a "little sore"

I wish i would've known that my weight loss would be slow- i compare myself to others

I wish i would've known how yucky the Protein shakes would get to be--they suck now.

Please chime in! What do you wish you would've known pre op? Our honesty could help those who are still pre op.

Dont be scared-- im not complaining. i love my sleeve and the results i have gotten so far.

I love my sleeve, too, but I wish I had known how awful the first month would be, I would have been better prepared for it.

Me too I wish I knew so I would've been better prepared to

All of what Gamergirl said!!! 4 years out. Below goal, STILL have to really pay attention and use 5:2 to keep it off.

IT IS A TOOL. NOT A MIRACLE! Work it!!!!! (

I wish I had known:

• That my initial recovery would be as easy as it was.
• That there is an app for the iPhone that helps you eat slower. (Called "Eat Slower")
• That I can no longer gulp liquids like I used to.
• That I would hit a stall at 5 weeks out and how frustrating that can be.
• That I have food issues (I didn't really think I did).
• That eating a meal now is a let down. I sit down to a tasty meal and am really enjoying it, then I'm full. Wanting to eat more, but I can't. This has been the hardest part of the whole process.
• That I would still experience real hunger. (Most people say that hunger goes away. Mine hasn't).
• That I am still tempted by the wrong foods and I probably always will be. This is a constant struggle for me.

Just to be clear; I would do it over a 1,000,000 times. I'm 7 weeks out and I've lost 32 lbs since surgery.

I didn't read all the replies, sorry if I repeat anyone else:

1. I wish I would have known about the sleeve when I was banded, the band wouldn't have even been considered.

2. I wish I was more prepared for the drastic weightloss, I had lost so slowly with the band and had some regain everytime they took even a tiny amount of my restriction away, and then with my sleeve I lost 100 pounds in less than 10 months.

3. I wish I had known my surgeon wasn't a "warm fuzzy" man, his beside manner left something to be desired, but all in all he is still one of my most favorite people in the medical field. He gave me the tools I needed to save my life, and for that I will always have a special love in my heart for him.

4. I wish I had known how emotional I would be when I look in the mirror, some days I still see my fat self, and other days I'm freaked out by just how small I am now. I see a therapist for body dysmorphic disorder. I have gone from a size 22/24 to a size 0/2 and my 1 year anniversary is this thursday. It's weird if I look in a mirror I see a fat woman looking back at me, but if I catch my body's reflection in a store window or car mirror I think wow that's a great body wish I could be like that, then I realize it's me. So I'm working on it.

5. I wish I would have better prepared my daughter for my body changes. She was freaked out when I started wearing a smaller size than her. But she was happy to inherit all of my Victoria Secret bras.

6. I wish I would have known that I would want plastics when I hit goal. I always said I'm not vain, and since I'm a tomboy, and too old for bikinis, and skimpy clothes the skin won't bug me. And for visual reasons it really doesn't but I have some pain issues, like I have to sit carefully, or I end up sitting on a fold of skin and have to deal with bruises. no fun.

7. I wish I would have been warned that my favorite soup would taste like metal after surgery. I make a stuffed pepper soup, and everything is fresh (nothing from a can at all) and it tastes like it has been sitting in a steel bucket for days before being served now. My family says it's just me, that it taste just like it always did. So I would have liked to know that healthy food would change in flavor too, they warned me about sweets but not "real food"

8. I wish I had been warned that I would lose relationships when I lost weight. I think some people were only willing to be friends with people that made them look good (they looked thinner because the rest of us were morbidly obese) and I also had family tell me I took the easy way out.

9. I wish I had known how much money I would save on meds post-op. I have been able to come off of several meds, and have only picked up the ppi.

10. I wish they would have made us take a class on how to dress our new bodies. I seriously need to do an episode of "What not to wear"

I know I listed more than 4 things, but this journey has taught me a ton about myself and others. I have said it before and I will continue to say it, I would do this surgery every year if I had to, I LOVE my sleeve.

I wish I would have known I had Hpylori before I had surgery. I had to deal with it after surgery and it was extremely difficult to swallow the cut up antibotics...had to do this for 2 weeks.

But otherwise, I too LOVE my sleeve!

[sharedmedia=trackers:tickers:10315]

Negatives:

1. I wish I had known that two Fiber chews a day would have stopped all my pain earlier! I'm good to go now. Take fiber!!

2. I wish I had known how tired I would be the first three weeks. Once past that all gets better.

3. I wish I had known that I really needed to work on my mental thoughts about food too. I focused on portions. Now 7 months out I have major head hunger. Not really hungry EVER but my mind thinks I should snack all day. Constant challenge

4. Wish I had known about this surgery sooner. People need to talk more!!

5. I wish I had known how challenging it really is to wait 30 mins before and after eating

Pros

1. I feel amazing

2. I feel sexy

3. Happily married but guys consistently gives me looks and it's awesome! Lol

4. Sex = Amazing TMI sorry, don't want people to miss out on the truth!

5. Buying clothes is so rewarding

6. I've saved three friends by speaking up about the surgery and helping through the process - for the surgery because I told them about my experience

7. My dad is alive and had the surgery after me - he was anti surgery until he saw my success

8. I enjoy healthy foods that I would have never eaten before

9. No more blood pressure issues

10. No more sleep apnea

11. Size 20 to 6

I could literally go on and on!

I love your post! My surgery is day after tomorrow (Thursday), I'm a nervous wreck (the unknown), excited (new life), and going back and forth with myself, and whether I am making the right decision for me. I started out 6 months ago at 233 pounds, which was my highest weight. I am now a couple days away from my surgery and I weigh 206 pounds, I am 5' 1", and carry it very well, so at times people say, " you are not big enough for surgery", or "you can do this on your own, you're taking the easy way out". I've tried, and I can lose weight but I always gain it back always. Let me get to my point, I can go on forever! You said you have gone from a size 20 to a size 6, my highest size was a 22 women and 2x to 3x, I think that's pretty large for someone my height, but in saying all of that, I just want to thank you for your post it makes me feel better, and not feel guilty or selfish for taking advantage of this surgery. I can't even imagine wearing a size 6!

Me too I wish I knew so I would've been better prepared to

so shrimp seems to stay down pretty well I tried sugar free hot cocoa that stay down pretty good I still have that rock in my throat now I don't know what's going on with that it is really hard to find stuff to eat when you have to be on puree food

I love each and every point. As I read your responses I kept saying, "yes, that's exactly what I was thinking!"

I didn't read all the replies, sorry if I repeat anyone else:

1. I wish I would have known about the sleeve when I was banded, the band wouldn't have even been considered.

2. I wish I was more prepared for the drastic weightloss, I had lost so slowly with the band and had some regain everytime they took even a tiny amount of my restriction away, and then with my sleeve I lost 100 pounds in less than 10 months.

3. I wish I had known my surgeon wasn't a "warm fuzzy" man, his beside manner left something to be desired, but all in all he is still one of my most favorite people in the medical field. He gave me the tools I needed to save my life, and for that I will always have a special love in my heart for him.

4. I wish I had known how emotional I would be when I look in the mirror, some days I still see my fat self, and other days I'm freaked out by just how small I am now. I see a therapist for body dysmorphic disorder. I have gone from a size 22/24 to a size 0/2 and my 1 year anniversary is this thursday. It's weird if I look in a mirror I see a fat woman looking back at me, but if I catch my body's reflection in a store window or car mirror I think wow that's a great body wish I could be like that, then I realize it's me. So I'm working on it.

5. I wish I would have better prepared my daughter for my body changes. She was freaked out when I started wearing a smaller size than her. But she was happy to inherit all of my Victoria Secret bras.

6. I wish I would have known that I would want plastics when I hit goal. I always said I'm not vain, and since I'm a tomboy, and too old for bikinis, and skimpy clothes the skin won't bug me. And for visual reasons it really doesn't but I have some pain issues, like I have to sit carefully, or I end up sitting on a fold of skin and have to deal with bruises. no fun.

7. I wish I would have been warned that my favorite Soup would taste like metal after surgery. I make a stuffed pepper soup, and everything is fresh (nothing from a can at all) and it tastes like it has been sitting in a steel bucket for days before being served now. My family says it's just me, that it taste just like it always did. So I would have liked to know that healthy food would change in flavor too, they warned me about sweets but not "real food"

8. I wish I had been warned that I would lose relationships when I lost weight. I think some people were only willing to be friends with people that made them look good (they looked thinner because the rest of us were morbidly obese) and I also had family tell me I took the easy way out.

9. I wish I had known how much money I would save on meds post-op. I have been able to come off of several meds, and have only picked up the ppi.

10. I wish they would have made us take a class on how to dress our new bodies. I seriously need to do an episode of "What not to wear"

I know I listed more than 4 things, but this journey has taught me a ton about myself and others. I have said it before and I will continue to say it, I would do this surgery every year if I had to, I LOVE my sleeve.

I still love this thread so much! Glad people keep posting. Practicing GRATITUDE every day helps me keep on track. Thank you to all who contribute.

- I wish I wouldve known that my taste buds would change.

- I wish I wouldve known that the 3 week stall can happen in the first month postop.

- I wish I wouldve known how weak and lack of energy I would be the first week.

- I wish I wouldve known how much emotions are involved in the process.

- I wish I wouldve known how difficult it would be to sleep the first week.

- I wish there were more posts like this to help all those preop patients on here.

Everyone's experience is different. I am grateful I never threw up and didnt have complications. Im 3 weeks postop and no more pain or gas. But I do have constipation issues and some acid reflux that is being controlled with prilosec. I am currently on 11 day stall, but I have lost 19lbs total.

I am happy to be a sleever and I know this is only a tool. We must follow our food stages and exercise for this tool to be a success!

Edited May 7, 201412 yr by butterfly2014

i am 11 months post op, and frequently get asked what i wished i had known pre op. here are 4 things:

I wish i would've known that i would still get hungry.- i was told my hunger would be gone.

I wish i would've known that the 1st 5 days of recovery could be difficult- i was told i would just be a "little sore"

I wish i would've known that my weight loss would be slow- i compare myself to others

I wish i would've known how yucky the Protein shakes would get to be--they suck now.

Please chime in! What do you wish you would've known pre op? Our honesty could help those who are still pre op.

Dont be scared-- im not complaining. i love my sleeve and the results i have gotten so far.

Thank you for this my day is June 18