....been a long time since I've posted but was thinking of how much several of you on this forum helped me while I was both considering the sleeve, as well as when I was newly sleeved. I hit goal about 10-11 months after surgery and have been maintaining that plus a 4-5 lb drop since then.

I started at 230 lbs at 5'5 and decided I was at goal at 152. Most days, I veer between 147-151 now. I'm somewhere between a size 4-6 in pants and an 8-10 in tops (wide shoulders!) I have a tummy tuck (skin only, no muscle repair) coming up Dec 16th and I couldn't be happier about all of it. My husband has also lost almost 100 lbs since we started and is healthy and happy.

Anyway just wanted to share and mainly, to thank all of you who were there for me on this forum. I needed the support, advice, and guidance I found here. Meant a lot to me. ((Hugs))

Sexy mamma!!! Congratulations! You loom amazing!!!

Thank you so much!

Wow! That's a lot of stuff. Do you have pics you've posted? I'd love to see. I think you too went to Sauceda right? I had fully intended to go to him but since all I need is belly flap removal the cost was not so prohibitive so I decided to get it done here.

Yes, I went to Dr.Sauceda. Here's one of my pics from about 2 months after.

Wow Deedadumble! I'm dumbfounded! Can you tell us what all those acronyms mean? (LBL, BA/BL, AL, and neck lift) and did you have it all done at the same time?

Learning experience. Those two words encapsulate my year after surgery all right. I learned that I can only lose weight if I eat under 42 gms of carbs and under 700 calories. Little wonder I never lost weight without the sleeve! Who could eat so little with an entire stomach?!

I'd say the same for myself. It has definitely been an eye opening experience for me, too. You are the only person I know who has to eat so little besides myself to lose! I can lose slowly on 900 calories, and better at 700. I also came to the realization that I can't eat carbs.

It was a little affirming for me that I hadn't lost the weight before this because I sort of had the deck stacked against me. I never really thought that or realized it before surgery until I had that barrier removed. I always felt a little guilty or something, that I caused myself to be that obese. While I'm not making excuses for it, having a reasonable explanation for it made my light bulb come on. Having surgery leveled the playing field and gave me a fighting chance at successful weight loss. Now I still have to work for it, but at least now I know what it takes. Now I'm at a more normal weight, so it not an insurmountable task, and with only 15% of my stomach left, the restriction can help me if I start to go overboard, and the knowledge and habits I've gained are becoming ingrained.

I'd say the same for myself. It has definitely been an eye opening experience for me, too. You are the only person I know who has to eat so little besides myself to lose! I can lose slowly on 900 calories, and better at 700. I also came to the realization that I can't eat carbs.

It was a little affirming for me that I hadn't lost the weight before this because I sort of had the deck stacked against me. I never really thought that or realized it before surgery until I had that barrier removed. I always felt a little guilty or something, that I caused myself to be that obese. While I'm not making excuses for it, having a reasonable explanation for it made my light bulb come on. Having surgery leveled the playing field and gave me a fighting chance at successful weight loss. Now I still have to work for it, but at least now I know what it takes. Now I'm at a more normal weight, so it not an insurmountable task, and with only 15% of my stomach left, the restriction can help me if I start to go overboard, and the knowledge and habits I've gained are becoming ingrained.

I know EXACTLY what you mean about the guilt. All the beating up of myself I did...the surgery made me realize that I didn't really have the fighting chance you refer to earlier. At 230 lbs, I struggled to lose weight at 1200 calories and 4 miles of walking daily! After 6 months of that I had lost a grand total of 10 lbs. Sooo discouraging.

So grateful for the sleeve.

Yes, I went to Dr.Sauceda. Here's one of my pics from about 2 months after. ImageUploadedByBariatricPal1416891140.649827.jpg

Wow! You look AMAZING! I don't know how old you are, but that's the body of a woman in her 20s.

GG, so happy to see your update and the amazing pictures of you and your hubby. I really appreciate the insights of your journey because it's such a great reality check of what life is like after 6 months to a year. Surgery only takes us so far, then it's up to us again!

Thank you for sharing (as always)

I have been in a stall...or maintaining for a year now ...up down with about 5 pounds, I am not very active because of RA and waiting on a knee replacement.

The orthopedic was VERY happy that I have lost the weight and am planning on surgery for the beginning of '15. I am going to look into plastics too...at very least a tummy tuck... PLEASE share your experiences! I'll find out next month if any of it is covered... fingers crossed!

Edited November 25, 201411 yr by BigGirlPanties

Great to hear from you!!! Congratulations on your wonderful success - you look awesome and I bet you feel amazing too.

Lots of vets do post here!

I don't track food either. I am 3 years out and finding just recently my desire to eat is going up. I feel like I need to be "forever' vigilent, but, i eat pretty normally in the sense of enjoying good food etc.

Wow! You look AMAZING! I don't know how old you are, but that's the body of a woman in her 20s.

Thanks! I'm 49, so very happy with my outcome.

Wow Deedadumble! I'm dumbfounded! Can you tell us what all those acronyms mean? (LBL, BA/BL, AL, and neck lift) and did you have it all done at the same time?

LBL - lower body lift with butt flap augmentation

BA/BL - breast augmentation and breast lift

AL - arm lift

I had all those done on a Tuesday and the neck lift on the Friday of the same week. I went to Dr. Sauceda in Monterrey, MX. He uses twilight sedation so he can do a lot more at once.

Another Dr Sauceda fan. I was transformed by his work and thrilled to do so much at once. He is a very caring man who clearly has a life mission...

Thanks for all the good info deedadumble and all the other inspiring posts here...wish I were closer to Dr. Sauceda....but I'm in Europe so much look around here. I did have a breast reduction and lift done last year....for the readers of my blog you saw what my breasts looked like before! Not only were they like party balloons, a week after the party, but one was twice as big as the other....it was a great decision and at 61 I have nice 25 year old boobs....I didn't even have them when I was 25! I now really need a lower body lift (which I hope includes a pelvic lift). I'm calling today! Would love to have my arms done and if I was still in Hawaii I would do it in a minute, but I think I will do one thing a year.

Gamergirl thanks for sharing with us. You and other vets are great inspirations and offer some good ideas.

U look fantastic! Congrats on ur success. I hope to be at goal in a few months and can't wait to yell it to the world (the bariatricpal world, that is)

Have a nice holiday season!