I'm trying to get a game plan together and try to be as pro-active as possible ... what was or has been the hardest part of your journey?

Hmmm... I'm 4 1/2 weeks out. Overall my journey hasn't been hard at all, but if I had to pick something I'd say the period before surgery. I was told that my surgery risks were a little higher as a band-to-sleeve revision, and so I worried about dying... My husband is disabled and dependent on me, and I didn't get life insurance before deciding to do the surgery and when I tried later I was denied due to the planned surgery, and that just ate at me. I was worried that I'd die and abandon my husband... ugh - so very glad it's all over and I'm on the positive side of this journey!

Hmmm definitely mourning gorging myself - although that's what got me in this mess in the first place and is quickly overcome when you can get onto normal food. Be careful not to graze though. It's easy to graze on things you like. It takes a helluvalot of willpower not to.

Acid reflux. It sucks monkeys balls.

Bread -I am still an addict. Couldn't give a rats about pasta/rice/potatoes. Bread? I still adore it and can sadly still eat it.

Alcohol. I can still drink a pint of carbonated cider or Guinness. I drink too many of them. If I didn't, I might be a bit lighter than I am now.

Other than that.. My butt is considerably smaller. I can run. I wear smaller clothes. I have PCOS of which the symptoms have eased. I'm not half as sick as I was before the surgery.

There are some hard bits.. It does take willpower. The honeymoon period doesn't last forever...

But.. it is all sooooooooooooooo worth it.

The thing that's been hardest for me is not drinking with meals. It's not awful, and I don't agonize over it - it's just that it was difficult to get used to. Even now, at 8 mos post op, I still automatically reach for a beverage once in a while during a meal. Because of that I leave my beverage in another room while I eat, so I won't mindlessly take a drink.

Best wishes!

The hardest thing for me is walking in the kitchen for 1 meal a day and asking my hubby (sleeved too), what do you want for dinner? He says "I am good, I will take care of it". Tonight we had fresh sauteed Florida sea bass, no room for anything else. Had to savor that fresh seafood. Will push for a small serving of veggies tomorrow! So many options, so little food needed! I LOVE THIS! It is hard, LOL!

For me is getting my energy back. I'm a month out and I get pretty worn out still. Then it has to be not to drink while eating. I have to remind myself and even started to not take my cup to the table so I don't have to worry about it.

The acid. As she said it totally sucks balls

^{I have to focus more to stay hydrated. It's super easy to forget to eat AND drink and I've had a couple instances this summer where I know I've been dehydrated. Plus a weird one for me since I ride a motorcycle... my balance is not what it used to be. It's a big touring bike and the only way to manage it in parking lost is to use your weight to counterbalance. I've been clumsy and dropped it twice this season! Guess I need to go back to riding school! All in all, the sleeve has been the BEST gift I've ever given myself!}

I still have a lot of trouble eating slowly. I also had trouble for awhile with knowing when to stop.

Staying hydrated for the first couple months.

Eating slowly...especially when I'm hungry.

Finding clothes that fit in the thrift stores and wondering when I'll stop losing so I can actually buy new clothes. I learned my lesson by spending big bucks on new bras only to discover my boobs have shrunk EVEN MORE so those don't fit me now, either.

The hardest parts for me was that first week post op. I had so much swelling ( I'm assuming from the additional surgery of the hiatal hernia) that it was hard to consume anything, so I was extremely weak. I could only really get down the sugar free Popsicles, and they saved me from being hospitalized for dehydration. The gas pain was the second pain in my rear. The air seemed to move from my left side to my back, then to my left shoulder. But heating pads really aided in that discomfort.

But, if I had to do this all over again, I would! I love my sleeve, I love my transformation, I love that I'm healthy, I love that I can wear almost anything I want, I love that I'm not embarrassed of myself and that I'm confidant. The benefits and outcomes so outweigh any bumps in the road that you may experience initially with the sleeve. Good luck to you and your own personal journey.

The aftermath. I watched my former husband go through the same process so I thought I knew EXACTLY how I would feel. Not so much. The surgery and recovery were a breeze. The mental part a breeze. Trying desperately daily to force down fluids and protein was almost my undoing. I was terribly frustrated. BUT I lurked here and learned it's just temporary and it is. Much better now. Never in my fat life had I had to force food down. Entirely new way of life! Best wishes for coming to the other side. Read these posts. I wish I had pre-surgical. SO HELPFUL!

One of the hardest was dealing with coworkers (who I decided not to tell) and their constant questions. I know they are always whispering about it and that's annoying. Maybe that's just the office experience tho lol everyone loves other peoples business.

I agree with drinking while eating, it's really hard!

And I wish I would have had a better idea about how sore I would really be after surgery. I thought I'd just be hyped on pain meds but it wasn't that easy! It was just all-around uncomfortable in the hospital. Not unbearable, but still.

I think you are already ahead of the game by asking everyone! Best of luck!

There's so much great info here. Thanks to all for sharing your experiences! I'm still awaiting my surgery, which is set for July 24, and I'm trying to get all of the info I can so I will be prepared.

The thing that's been hardest for me is not drinking with meals. It's not awful, and I don't agonize over it - it's just that it was difficult to get used to. Even now, at 8 mos post op, I still automatically reach for a beverage once in a while during a meal. Because of that I leave my beverage in another room while I eat, so I won't mindlessly take a drink.

Best wishes!

Exactly my weakness. ..habit bc things usually got stuck in throat had to help it down...still working on that doin better. .I leave drink now in kitchen out of sight.

Had surgery 5 days ago got home yesterday. Hardest thing is knowing what to do now. Still dont know how much my new stomach can hold or what it will tolerate. Very cautious on lifting or really doing anything much physical. Guess my body has some teaching to do!