Hi Heather Look at it as this, you need to start a new life. ANY problems you have with the sleeve is nothing compared what you are going through. Let your Dr. handle the insurance & they will find out what will be covered. Your new life is waiting for you.

Good luck!

Heather,

I was in your shoes too. 200lbs at 10, 300 at 16 and 400 at 29. I love myself and I am comfortable with my body, but I'm not comfortable with 500 lbs.

My advise is to research and read this site. There is so much information about everything here. My surgeon said that I was the most prepared he had ever seen someone be at final consultation. I am a pessimistic optimist and go into everything hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

Here I am 3 weeks post op and down 30 lbs from my high of 406. I have not been hungry and my biggest problem is getting all my vitamins in over the course of the day. I have been out to eat with my family and friends with no problems.

It's 90% a mental game just like any other diet tool. Yes I probably could eat a bite of cake, but that won't accomplish my goal when that one bite is 10% of my food intake for the day. Protein first, water second, vegs third and don't forget the vitamins.

Feel free to subscribe to my blog and keep in touch! I am happy to share my story with those that would like to here the raw version. I also posted a picture of my stomach they took out, which was twice the size than a normal stomach should be.

Good luck!

Hi Heather,

Boy does your story sound pretty similar to mine! I'm a little older, I'm now 39....Last time I was in a bikini, I was probably 3 years old. And much like you, I saw myself getting bigger and bigger each school year! Funny, I recall 4th grade being the age when I became super-self concious about it, too. And I remember in 7th grade boys teasing me that I must weigh 200 lbs. I was comforted by the fact it wasn't true - I was 'only' about 190 (not that I told THEM that!!) In college I gained more weight, lost it after college, but never really felt thin. I think I was a size 12 for a few weekes, but mostly 18-20. Slowly, (or maybe it was rather quickly) after getting married and having two children, I hit my worst couple years where I kept bouncing between 275 and 300 (size 22-24), and couldn't seem to break the cycle. My sister's friend had gastric by-pass, my brother's frined had the DS surgery ~ both were huge successes!! That's when I started looking into surgerical options. One thing I found out from my siblings friends was that both of them have ungodly smelling gas (sorry if that grosses you out - just being honest) and both of them have to take a very large amount vitamins and pills every day, throughout the day, to keep their bodies in balance. Both of these, I, personally, was not comfortable with. The lap band seemed a good option, but I wasn't comfortable with the fact you have to go back to the doctor frequently to have it adjusted. Sounded like a lot of time off of work to me...plus, painful, as someone told me they can't always find the port on the first try, since it's under your skin. Yikes!! VSG seemed like the best option to me. Like you, I wanted a permenant solution. So, I fulfilled all the requirements (nutritionist, psycholgist, etc), including, after 25 years of smoking, I quit smoking. Wow! I must be serious!! [i am ashamed to admit I never even really quit all the way when I was pregnant, although I had cut down for them.] And I gained nearly 30 lbs after quitting, but was comforted to know that I was having the surgery soon. I hit my all time high of 329. Blah, I was so uncomfortable. I actually had to go out and buy two size 26 pants to get me thru!! The day of the surgery I asked a nurse if I was doing the right thing. And she told me I'd be a different person in a year. I'd never regret it. Well, I had my surgery a little over 6 months ago (January 26, 2011). As of yesterday, I have lost 70 pounds so far! The doctor told me I could expect to lose 60% of my excess weight by the 1 year mark. And I'm right on track. At my 6 month visit, I had lost 35% of my excess weight. I have to be honest, I do have to work at it. But a little bit of work results in a big drop! Unfortunately, over Easter I learned that chocolate does not make me feel sick and I could eat it all day long. I had to stop myself. But don't we all have to do that in the long run? I didn't lose much over the Easter season b/c I dipped into my kids stash prior to Easter.... But then I said to myself this is serious and I better not look like an ass after having that surgery!!! I started following the weight watchers plan, which I already had all the books and points sliders for. I didn't join weight watchers - don't get me wrong - and I know they've completely changed the program since I last went. However, it's just a way for me to keep track of what I put in my mouth and to make sure that I'm getting the protien I need. I keep a food journal. That, I think, is the most important thing for me. It's a tool that I need to use to ensure that I am not eating too much junk, which can happen with the sleeve. I have to say, it's difficult to get all my points in sometimes. I think that's my favorite part!! I need to be creative so that I meet the daily points requirements. Not saying that is what will work for you - and in fact I have never read anything in this forum that has shown anyone else does this method. They might have a food journal, but noone's ever said it followed the weight watchers plans... And it's not something I started doing until after the Easter candy fiasco. And exercise.... I just walk and swim. I walk, and walk and walk. When it's nice enough out, I swim laps in my pool. I was hoping my knees would get better as I lost weight, but am finally getting an x-ray to see if there's more to it, because even though they are not as painful, I still have pain that prevents me from doing vigerous cardio. But I have so much more energy! I feel amazing. My kids are happier because I'm able to do more with them (plus I don't smoke anymore, so already I feel like a better mom!) I have NO trouble digesting ANY food what-so-ever. Steak, which is one of my favorites, and both gastric by-pass and DS patients typically have issues with, is digested just fine by me! Although, it was a big adjustment learning to put less my plate....my mind said I wanted 'this much' but my new stomach could only handle a small portion of it! But the nicest part of all???? My new stomach was FULL from that small portion ~ and I was NOT hungry after eatting the small portion. I was amazed!!!! I'm still amazed, but I'm getting used to it. Veggies fill me up so fast! I feel like I'm eating like a skinny person (oh, half a sandwich is WAY too much for me! lol!!) The best part is, I'm beginning to believe that I will soon be that skinny person I'm eating like. And my farts don't stink. (Ok, well, no worse than they ever did...) And I only have to take a daily vitamin pill (Centrum), and once a week take a vitamin D pill. That's it. I think skinny people do the same or similar thing, right? And since the hunger hormone is produced in your stomach, and my stomach was cut out - I NEVER get hungry. I get empty - but not hungry. It's the craziest thing. You know when you get so hungry, that you just binge on whatever is placed in front of you? Well, I'm starting to forget what that's like. Just a few bites of food fills me up and I dont' have any urge or desire to binge. Sorry for being so long - but one last thought - since you wanted honesty..... The doctor told me I'd lose, then plateau, then lose, then plateau, then lose. And he was right. I set 10 lbs goals at a time...As soon as I get to my next goal weight, I think it'll be easy to get to the next 10 lbs off...but it seems like it takes forever, then, boom! I start losing again. I finally believe I will NEVER see 300 again, never see 290 again, never see 280 again, and never see 270 again. I am now struggling at around 260. Just saw 259 on the scale yesterday for the first time! I couldn't wipe the smile off my face all day OMG - at 250 I'm treating myself to a real massage in a spa!!!!! Anyway - good luck with your decision. I don't regret doing it ~ it's the best decision I ever made! Hope whatever you decide it is the decision that will reverse your life-long weight loss battle.

Hate me - I know I aleady wrote a book - but I forgot - I can't do carbonation. I don't really miss it (yet) - but I tried to have a beer in early June, and it hurt my stomach and I had to give the rest of the can to my hubby. So far, that's the only thing I can't do. I'm scared to try a coke, because that was my favorite. I would like to keep believing that all carbonation will hurt my stomach so that I don't get started on it. I did start drinking diet iced tea about 3 months after surgery - not as much caffeine as coffee - but I needed something.... I eased into it, and only allowed myself one cup a day until after my 6 month mark. Now I have as much as I want. Anyway - good luck!!

Thanks everyone for the input! This has all been really helpful. I do plan to continue with my journey, made my appointment with the nutritionist again for September 18th, I am hoping to maybe get them to ok surgery for this coming winter while I am on winter break from school. they said that I would have to start the 6 months over, but maybe because i was doing weight watchers they would consider that to be okay? I am hoping so, I would love to have a better looking body for graduation...haha.

@ K8walsh Thank you so much for the detailed respond! I love knowing that there is someone with such similar problems and feelings! Congrats on your weight loss, I am so excited to start, I just want to get it now!! I'm glad you brought up the other surgeries too. Your reasons for not getting them are the same as mine. I am awful with taking meds consistently so the less needed the better. I also dread the idea that a food that I once enjoyed so much I can no longer eat. I have heard of several people having tastes change, and they can't eat things like fish, or chicken because it makes them feel sick even years after surgery. Now I know that I should want to not be able to eat everything i could, but if something were to happen like me not being able to eat chicken....I would never eat. I LOVE chicken, haha. the biggest thing that im excited about is like making food and not being able to eat as much, If i get hungry I can eat a little more and feel out and not binge as soon as I get home! were you in a lot of pain after? how long were you out of work for?

-Heather

sorry K8bwalsh*

Pain is not and issue, if that is what is scaring you. Then you have nothing to stop you. The medication the Dr will give you will more than take care of it....

It is by far the easiest surgery I have ever had.

1 tonsilectomy

1 appendectomy

7 knee surgeries 6 Laprascopes, 1 reconstruction

1 gall bladder removal

several large wounds sewn back together

1 finger sewn back on..

1 VSG - easiest surgery I have ever had, I went back to work in 5 days...

2 days in hospital

2 day at home

1 day spent getting the Dr. to release me for work...