New and just starting the process! Talk to me lol

[chilepeppr4 29]

Hi everyone! My name is Lisa and I am just starting the process. I'm 35 and I have struggled with my weight my entire adult life, the last time I was a healthy weight was probably when j graduate high school. Last night I went with my best friend to the seminar for our hospital that we will use and they already made our initial appointment for November 13th.

I'm am currently around 305pounds.

I have been "dieting" for 2 years.. I got down to 274 from my highest of 315 on and off on an off.. Up and down up and down.. I honestly just don't know what to do anymore. Without getting the sleeve done, I honestly don't ever think I will lose the weight I should to take back control of my life. I'm scared to death of surgery and hope I don't die getting it done. That's about all for now.. Lol

Anyone please feel free to comment! I'd love to talk to anyone who's been sleeved or thinking about it ????

[lorri716 256]

Welcome! My name is Lorri and I'm 40 yrs old. I just got sleeved on Sept 1st. You will not regret it. It is by far the best decision I have ever made. My daughter just got hers done 2 weeks ago. The weight loss is amazing and you feel pretty great only a few weeks out from surgery. Do this for you. You won't regret it. Follow the rules and everything will be just fine.

Edited November 7, 2015 by lorri716

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@chilepeppr4 welcome to the boards. You'll learn lots here.

You have a beautiful family! Your post really jumped out at me...maybe because I see myself 15-20 years ago. My highest weight was 325 at 5'4" tall. I spent my children's youth alternately dieting and indulging. A few times I got down below 290, and once I even got down to 230. The older I got, though, the less success I had. By the time I hit 50, I wasn't able to lose weight at all. I had so much to lose, and it came off so slowly (maybe a pound or 2, or nothing a month) that I just was in despair. I hated being fat, I hated that I had spent my youth and my child rearing years morbidly obese. I can never get those years back. While I was fortunate regarding health, obesity was starting to threaten my health with blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol rising. I was becoming more and more sedentary. I had prided myself on my ability to move easily and partake in all life's activities. I had really made an effort not to let obesity hold me back, but the truth is, it did.

So, I decided to have WLS three years ago, and was sleeved in December 2012. I lost 145 pounds in 14 months, and I'm maintaining that loss. Honestly, losing the 145 pounds was pretty easy with the sleeve. I was willing to do what it took - have a painful surgery, go a couple of months without eating (2 week liquid before surgery and about a month of full liquids after), commit to a lifestyle change of ALWAYS watching what I eat, and exercising. I was ready for a change, so I wasn't one of those who mourned food as a coping mechanism. I was glad to be free of it. Hunger was gone for the first year or so.

Fast forward to today - I can eat enough to be like a normal person. I can eat whatever I want, though the quantity is less than before surgery. I consciously watch what I eat - every bite. I log it all. I do get hungry now, but it is reasonable hunger. I also know that I could be right back up to 325 pounds if I stop doing that. I didn't know that before I had surgery, and in the early days, I thought I was "cured" of obesity. Turns out, the sleeve gave me a fighting chance at a healthy weight, but these days, it's mostly me. I'm worth it, so I keep doing all the things I need to do, even when I really don't feel like it.

That's a super long response, but I just wanted to share my experience with you. Even with a lot of weight to lose, if you put the work in, you can lose it. It's not a miracle, but sometimes it still feels like one to me! The quality of my life is greatly improved. My adult children always marvel at how fun I am now. I didn't know I wasn't before, but glad I am now. That is a direct result of losing the weight. Congratulations on your decision to take control of your life!

[dhrguru 1,238]

Hi and welcome!

I'm a RNY'er (6 months post op) but figured I say hi anyway. Like you I've had a time or two successfully losing a fair amount of weight, but the odds are stacked against us in keeping it off. I never feared surgery, I feared a life dealing with co morbidities of obesity. I looked into surgery 5 years prior but didn't go through with it. In retrospect I wasn't ready, but am SO glad I made the decision.

I'm glad you have a friend to go through this with; but have you both checked your insurance to make sure it's covered? I've seen too many cases of one getting the surgery and another not and it devastates the relationship.

There's a lot of good info on these boards, take the meat, leave the bones.

[LadyWarren 57]

Hello and welcome. I'm just starting my process as well. Good luck!

[chilepeppr4 29]

Hi and welcome!

I'm a RNY'er (6 months post op) but figured I say hi anyway. Like you I've had a time or two successfully losing a fair amount of weight, but the odds are stacked against us in keeping it off. I never feared surgery, I feared a life dealing with co morbidities of obesity. I looked into surgery 5 years prior but didn't go through with it. In retrospect I wasn't ready, but am SO glad I made the decision.

I'm glad you have a friend to go through this with; but have you both checked your insurance to make sure it's covered? I've seen too many cases of one getting the surgery and another not and it devastates the relationship.

There's a lot of good info on these boards, take the meat, leave the bones.

Yes, both insurances are covered

Thank gosh,

[chilepeppr4 29]

I'm really excited to be doing this for my kids also, now, everything hurts.. I don't want to play, run, walk sometimes.. It's hard to move and keep up. When in Disney I had to rent a scooter because I knew by the second day I would have been crippled. So sad

[songsmith 334]

Thanks for sharing your story! I wish I had done what you're doing 20 years ago. I'm 55 and (like most of us here, I bet) have lost a lot of weight on various diets over the years only to gain it back--and then some! I wish I had done it when my kid was younger so I could have done more things with her, modeled a more active life style, had more fun--everything. My surgery isn't scheduled yet, but should be sometime in January.

I was going to ask you about Disney, but you answered my question already. We had planned on going over Christmas. This past weekend I broached the subject with my family. I'm terrified I'll need a scooter, and I really, really, really don't want to do that. I know it would bring out all the old self-hate. But I also know at my weight an activity level that I just can't walk 10+ miles a day. We have a week to think about it, but it's looking like we'll go next year. Hopefully by then I'll be near or at goal.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

There's a lot of good info on these boards, take the meat, leave the bones.

Best advice ever!

Hello and welcome! I can say without a single doubt this is the best and easiest decision I ever made. I wish I had done this in my 20 or 30's. Instead I had surgery when I was 50 (turned 51 a month later) and my highest weight was 414.

[Dub 10,027]

Howdy.

Just had my sleeve done a month ago.....just turned 47.

Only regret was not doing so sooner and avoiding some weight related wear and tear on the old body.

Feeling younger already.

You've got a great looking family and children that are young enough to TRULY benefit from your surgery. Proven fact that kids with healthy parents learn to eat better and grow up leaner and more healthy, too. You will be so much more active and able to keep up with them and life will be a ball.

There are a few challenges along the way but they are good ones. They help you get focused and test your commitment to proceed. I truly feel that the better you do at these......the better you'll likely do on the other side. It's just my own thinking and I'm testing it now.

Go for it. You have so much to gain in life and there is nothing to lose.

Learn all you can now and put things into practice as soon as you can. The goal is to lose weight.......not to stay in a holding pattern until you've had surgery. Begin losing now and get the ball rolling. Once you gain momentum you will truly amaze yourself.

Best wishes to you.

[Prayerdude 3]

Starting also!

I'm 39 and I also have dealt with my weight all my life. I was even discharged from the military because of it. I'm 295 now down from 310..my first appt is Nov 25th. 6 months seems like an eternity away lol

[chilepeppr4 29]

Starting also!

I'm 39 and I also have dealt with my weight all my life. I was even discharged from the military because of it. I'm 295 now down from 310..my first appt is Nov 25th. 6 months seems like an eternity away lol

The person I spoke with said that if I have a few months of weigh in already it counts towards the 6 months. I'm going tomorrow and I believe I have an October and September weigh in.

[chilepeppr4 29]

Just made a few appointments for endoscopy first one available was Febuary.. Monday, my sono of liver and gall bladder, January for cardio..

[songsmith 334]

I saw my dietitian two months before I could get in to see the surgeon. I was told those two visits counted.

Regain is my biggest worry and definitely one reason why I chose surgery. I know people do gain weight back, but I am hoping that the tool the surgery gives me will make it easier for me to maintain my weight. The req. psych eval also had him refer me to another therapist to "explore" my "issues" with food. That's shrink speak for "figure out why you got this way." I'm on board with that, because I think it will help me in the long run.

I wish I had done this back when I was your age and not waited 30 years. Have you (or the doctor's office) checked your insurance to see if you're covered and what hoops it expects you to jump?

[laurelcba 0]

I'm had done my sleeve 5 month ago, i was 260 n now 205, I'm so happy, my goals is 160 ???? !