lindagg63

There have been people who are relatives and friends who think that getting the Gastric sleeve surgery was the easy way out, but I say they are dead wrong. We had to first have the courage to speak to Dr's as well as others we knew about what we wanted to do. That was embarrassing to me. I felt like I was a failure at keeping myself pretty, at keeping myself thin, and keeping myself healthy. I gained weight just smelling food. Then after speaking about what really embarrassed me, I had to go on a diet before the surgery just to prove that I really wanted to get healthy. Then there was the surgery and the pain and the eating nothing but broth, which if you ask me, not many people could continue to do that even for 2 days and we had at least 7 days to weeks of that. Sure in the beginning, we didn't have to diet, but we had to mourne over losing our friend (food) and watching everyone around us, eat to their hearts content, while we eat 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of food. So yeah, we lost weight in a way that almost seems like we aren't really working at it, but after the initial weight loss, don't we then have to keep a good diet? Protein first, then if something else fits, veggies? Forget, having any desert. Don't get me wrong, I am super happy to change my eating habits and relieved to know I will live to a ripe old age, barring any accident. Just don't let anyone tell you, that you took the easy way out. Wouldn't you go see a Dr and take meds if you were dieing? I would...and I did. My medicine was this tool, (the gastric sleeve) and it has helped me survive. Never think you took the easy way. You have to be on a diet for the rest of your life. After the initial weight comes off, you have to continue dieting and exercising to get to lose all the weight, don't you. It is something you/we have to keep working at. NOT the easy way, but the only way for us. There are some who get this surgery or the bypass, and manage to sabotage there tool (surgery). We can do the same and end up the way we were, unhealthy and sick. Be proud of your choice to better yourself. I love being able to take long walks and see the beauty all around me. I could not have done that without the surgery. Be proud of yourself and the progress you make and make it clear to those you know, that you have to keep working at it just like anyone who works at being healthy with diet and exercise.

Ok, so I went in to the hospital on Monday 4/25/11 and they gave me a cocktail to make me relax and I've gotta say folks, I don't remember a thing after that. I went in early cause I had to take my Aunt Nancy in for her lapband surgery on the same day and hospital. She went in @ 8am. My surgery went off without a hitch. I am still not clear on whether the Dr fixed my Hiatal hernia or not. He apparently told my husband they had found it wasn't very big and so they didn't have to fix anything but when I asked a few days later, he took a look at my stomach and said yes, he did fix it and all was good. Anyway, the pain was bad the first day and they had me up as fast as possible to walk that same day, which isn't to bad if you take the morphine before walking. Then, I had to use the little breathing apparatus which is so hard to do fresh out of surgery. Who knew? They brought me mouth swabs which were great because my mouth was so dry. The next day was easier and the third was even better. I was sore though and maybe I'm just a baby in the pain department, but anyone who says different has got to be kidding. At home everything is ok, until everyone around you starts eating. Not that you are hungry mind you, it's just that you feel like you want to just taste the food. Chew it and spit it out, I guess. I don't know if anyone felt like that but I don't really care for pizza all that much, but when the kids ordered some, I would have loved to chew some and even spit it out just to taste it. I hate broth. I finally got the broth and put spices (my usual) in it just to make it passable. I have been eating the popsicles and the jello but I can't wait til I can actually eat something. This is gonna be a long few weeks. On a side note...did anyone feel like a lightning kind of pain go through the stomach up high after the 7th day? I am having these shooting little lightning pains through my stomach and am not sure if it is a good thing, a normal thing, or a bad thing. Any info would be highly appreciated. Well, I'm on my way....We will see how it goes! Have a nice one everyone!

I am 48 Years old and have been married for 28 years. I have three grown kids and one grand child named Aden. I weigh 260 and am so afraid of dieing youngish. I want to get the lapband surgery or the Gastric Sleeve surgery but do not know which is better. I have watched several different videos of success stories on you tube and have seen many of people who first had the lap band procedure and then went on to have the sleeve done. Is this typical? I for one, don't have the money for more than 1 surgery so which is the best in terms of weight loss and less complications? I trust those of you who have actually gone through these kinds of procedures and have suffered the good and the bad of it, ya know? so any help or advise it welcome. I thank you in advance.

Thank you all for your responses. I don't feel so alone in this. I have been doing alot of reading on this and have set my appointment for the 7th of January. I intend to go to one of the informational seminars. I love seeing some of the before and afters and the only fear I have is the left over skin. I think I'll take it one day at a time though, and think about the benefits first and how wonderful it will feel to not lose my breath just going for a short walk. Thank you all again.