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It is 18 months since I was sleeved and I absolutely love my sleeve.I am 8 pounds under my goal weight which is a little to low (my face looks very wrinkly at this weight) Have been in maintenance since about Jan Feb this year and it is so easy to maintain.I do have a strategy I live by though. 1.Weigh every morning.The scale is my friend and I allow myself at most 4 pounds up before I get backto basics.And as my weight never goes up gradually (it jumps up 4 pounds after a week or 2 of loss of fucused eating),it is always easy to get back to protiens for about 4 days and it is gone again. 2.Eat little bits of most food but protein as the primary food source. 2.No excuses when I gain. 3.Not denying myself but never OVER indulging either. Now in this year a lot of very heavy emotional stuff happened in my life and to some extent I have to rebuild my whole life.The blessing of the sleeve is I couldnt eat away my emotions anymore and am learning to deal with it.I am also in therapy now.In my house everyone now eats healthy,regularly and we are learning to really enjoy food.My youngest child developed an eating disorder (she's only 12 now)for which the blame can be laid at my feet.My obsession with food,no,food,weight related issues coupled with a few comments like gymnasts who is lighter finds it easier in higher levels (she's level 8) have made her decide to self restrict her food and at first I thought I was eating much more as my food portions was all of a sudden the same size than hers.After cutting my food to almost nothing I realized that HER PORTIONS WERE AS SMALL AS MINE. Anyway,it showed me my obsession have hurt my children and that they need me to eat with them,which I stopped doing after surgery.I also have to eat mostly what they eat.NORMAL is what I have to do even though my portions cannot be normal.She is doing somewhat better but I have to super vigilant and consistant in my food behaviour as she is not Completely out of the woods yet. Life is really good as we are all learning by the grace of God how to communicate,express,eat and live life as whole people. I still have vitamin issues and borderline low protein but we are working hard on fixing this (side effect of all this is I still lose way too much hair all the time) I am so greatful to have had this surgery.It gave me a life I never would have had.It has helped me change a lot of the issues that kept me in one place.My motto of life is to be managed not to be cured still stands but have a different meaning altogether now.Mindful, intentional living is great! The sleeve rocks

Congratulations!!! I don't think you will be sorry. When I had my surgery they gave really strong pain meds, liquid, which may help with the arthritis. I had to wash with special cleaner the night before and the morning of the surgery and never heard of the 'q'tip and the belly button. That is a new one. ​I couldn't have caffeine for many months after the surgery. I do limit it though. I am a tea drinker not coffee. One thing I did not do before the band, take measurements or pictures. That is up to you, though.

I look at my band like the frame work of a house and it is up to me to do the interior decorating. I make the final decision how much to eat, what to eat and if it is good or not good for me. You want your real home to look good and spend time and money to fix it up, paint and buy new things when needed so why would you not take the same amount of time, money and energy to make your band work for you. I am a sugar addict and can not control myself when I eat even a minute amount it causes me to binge like crazy, leaves me with guilt and unforgiveness of my self. Since I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia those old feelings of eating sweets have come back ten fold for self pity. Ice cream has always been my worst nightmare and seriously I could eat a half gallon in two days. I am serious. I found that Breyers makes many light flavors now and no added sugar that are really good and I had to have something. I guess its better then eating 10 pounds of chocolate which I used to do also. Choose your band decorations well. Once you start eating good healthy food you will feel 100 percent better. Some say its expensive to eat healthy but it really isn't. Take advantage of road side produce stands or produce markets for fresh vegetables and fruit. People do not believe when I tell them that you will lose more weight eating beef but it is true because beef out of all meat takes the longest to digest. Some of you have issues with certain meats but I can pretty much eat anything it depends on how I eat it if its going to get stuck or not. You always must put the fork down in between bites and make sure it goes down before attempting more food. Get your band house together and decorate it with love and good food.

It's a good day today, I didn't get on the scale, I am done with the PMS, and my hormones seem to be balancing out, at least for today!!! I have some new goals in store for me, goals to help me, to challenge me and to just make me feel better in general. I have decided that this time around I'm going to take that bull by the horns and face everything, one thing at a time, head on. I've been frustrated with the scale not moving, so I saw someone on here posted this shake to get through the "stall" and this quote that was confirmation to me, because I said it yesterday...You didn't have your patience removed during surgery so why are you in such a hurry to lose what took you years to gain? - UH...DUH...I thought that yesterday, read it today and thought OMG...get with it, you are making good choices, you have been given this tool to help on the journey, so chill out and keep truckin' ahead! I already belong to a gym with the Hubs, but I decided to challenge my mind and body with CrossFit. I have a lot of friends, at all different weight and fitness levels that go, and I really feel this will get my body in gear to keep making those right choices. I am excited for the challenge and excited to see the results. I am signing a 3 month contract and then more if I still like it at 3 months. I told the Hubs that I NEED to do this for me and I need his support to know that I have to do this. I don't know what it is but I just feel the need to finally challenge ME. I'm cleaning out my closet next, while the scale isn't moving, I have noticed that things that were tight before surgery are just way too big, not even somewhat cute to get me through til I lose more weight, so they are OUTTA there!!!! Not EVER going back to that size again! I'm finding that instead of using my hands to eat, I'm organizing more(which I am pretty damn organized already), getting my surroundings in order...the new me is coming out to play and I think I really like this woman!!! I've continued taking pics...sent one to mom yesterday...I said LOOK...my sides aren't touching the side of my office chair!!! What a great feeling!!! I'm super excited at what lies ahead for ALL of us...and I have to say I'm thankful for all on here, this is a great place to come for a "pick me up"!!! Be Blessed, and know that you have GREAT days ahead of you.

thats awesome!! i have some of those jeans too haha!