MINI-Me

Doug - I definitely agree that we need to change our habits. However, from all my research, I do not believe we CAN stretch our stomachs a lot. (I think that is why I was questioning the size of the 4 year sleeve - but the explanation of the swelling & closer up picture helped.) My surgeon said that he has seen very little stretching ... and if for some reason mine decided to get twice it's size (which he does NOT expect to happen with what he left) I will never be able to eat an entire hamburger again. So, there is a lifetime change required ... but I will never be able to eat at pre-surgery capacity again. Thank goodness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My surgeon used a 36, but said it was super tight & the smallest he had made that day (he did 3 sleeves that day). Apparently, I have good anatomy! LOL

Thanks everyone ... that was a good discussion.

I think that's what worries me ... If swollen post-op wouldn't it appear larger. I hope the one post is right and the 4 year picture is just closer. (as well as I have done, I am still worried about regain!!)

Glad to hear that things are going well. Looking forward to your future posts.

It really is different for each person. I had my surgery outpatient and went home the same day. It seems like that outpatient is becoming the norm around where I live and where I had the surgery (Vegas)/ I did have pain, but I don't think a hospital stay would have changed that. If you already have approval for one night, your doctor should easily be able to get 2 if you require it.

Just throwing this out to everyone ... The stomach looks so much bigger at 4 years. What is the thought on the "not stretching" when it looks so much larger after serveral years?

Going, going, gone ... I was a nice 38 full C cup prior to surgery. I use VERY padded bras these days, but really doubt I could fill a 34B with just what I have. I have been thinking seriously about surgery, but I don't think I'm mentally ready for another surgery right now. Since I have virtually no cleavage left & what I do have looks low when they are not placed just right, I'm looking at other options. My husband says he is content with what I have & the rest of me is "smokin' hot" so I'm trying not to mind as much. Anyone know where to purchase silicone pads (or somthing similiar) to add into a bra? I'm wondering if that might help the "illusion" I'm trying to create in my now small tops.

Do you know how big your stomach was made? At one year out, I can eat about 3 ounces of steak with a bite or two of salad & maybe 1/4 of a small baked potato. But, that is pushing it just a bit beyond my comfort level. It may be that your surgeon left your stomach a little larger. If so, it's really not a big deal. As you said, you still eat less than pre-surgery. So, you do have restriction, just not as much as some other seem to have. Personally, I would not suggest a "diet" or going back to shakes and such. Just go back to the basics of your plan ... Protein first, no drinking before/after, veggies next, 64+ ounces of Fluid daily. That should be enough to get you back on track and losing again. Once you get to maintenance, you can experiment with what you can eat/do to maintain your weightloss. Just a little bit more to go & you've made it!

Welcome. Congratulations on your success thus far!

I am a definite believer in the benefits of massage. Not only does it help with stress and pain relief, I have not had as many colds, etc since starting regular massage about 3 years ago. Sorry to hear that you are stressed with work right now ... been there, done that (and it looks like I may be headed there again) ... Keep your chin up - feel free to come out here and vent if it helps!

That is so awesome. I know you are proud of yourself and we are very proud as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I say go for it as well. Just imagine eating those little sample sizes & being perfectly content with that little taste. You had surgery to live life and live it for all it has to give. This is a LIFE moment & should not be missed. Just beware - if you have been good with Desserts and stuff for all 3 months, you might experience some ... how should I say it ... bowel issues. Just make sure you know where the bathroom is prior to your sampling. Enjoy this time ... and be sure to come back and tell us all about it!!!!

God bless ... VERY EXCITED FOR YOU. Post when you can.

That is GREAT!

That is awesome. Your hard work is definitely showing!

Good for you! I had no problems with steak either. Just be sure to chew, chew, chew.

Fair warning – This was a lot longer than I thought it would be. You might want to have your Water bottle with you before starting! Today (plus one day that I've confessed to above) makes one year out for me. WOW! What an incredible year. In some ways it seems like forever and in other ways, just like it was yesterday. As my signature states, I’ve gone from an 18W to size 4/6. My BMI changed from 32.8 to drum roll please .... 20.1. Hard to believe!!! My surgeon was Dr. Thomas Umbach in Las Vegas, NV. I found him through Medical Tourism and am very thankful that together we’ve made sure I have a nice long, healthy life. The typical question – would you do it again? YES, YES, YES! I was known as a “lightweight” since my BMI was “only” 32.8. Was I fat? Definitely! Did I have risk factors? Definitely! I’ve often said that I was the smallest obese person in my family, but I had to personally realize that I was still obese. I really considered this surgery due to my father. I lost him in March 2009 due to complications from his obesity – congestive heart failure and uncontrolled diabetes. He was only 64 years old. It broke my heart to lose my dad at such a young age. I want to be around for my kids (currently 20, 17, and 9) and their kids! Not only do I look better, I feel better. I can run up and down our stairs all day! No more having to sit down because I’m tired after one trip up. I can go to costco, shop, put the food away & still have energy for more chores/tasks. INCREDIBLE!!! With that being said, I still have not been good about regular, planned exercise. My stomach may look better if I had (but part of me thinks not – skin just isn’t going to bounce back but so much). I am thinking breast augmentation, but I probably won’t. Just invest in more push up/padded bras. Do I want to punch out people that say I took the “easy way”? Yep! Is it hard? Yes. Do people who say I’ll gain it all back annoy me? Yep! Does my new tummy give me a tool that can make me successful? Heck yeah! Am I already successful? YES I AM! Am I concerned about maintenance and gaining again? Yes, but with continued dedication & support groups like this one, I can make it! The next question – how much can you eat now? Slider foods – more than I thought I could/should. I can pack down close to pre-surgery amounts of Cookies, ice cream, popcorn, etc. I have been testing a bit with “normal” foods … the other day, I was able to eat almost all of a McDonald’s hamburger with just the top bun & all but 3 slices of the Apple Dippers (no caramel sauce). I had one or two more bites left of the top bun, but knew I was done. I can eat about 3 ounces of steak with a bite or two of salad & maybe 1/4 of a baked potato. My biggest battles right now are (1) head hunger at night and (2) not counting foods as “bad” or “good”. I am trying to change my thinking to “good for me” or “tastes good, but not very nutritious”. I met with a nutritionist last week to talk about my eating plan for life. While she questioned if I still needed to track every bite I eat, I told her that it helped me be accountable. I am now tracking to 60g Protein, 64+ ounces of water, 100+ grams carbohydrates, and somewhere between 1500-2000 calories a day. I will add a confession here – I track Monday to Friday, but rarely on Saturday & Sunday. I just kind of eye ball/mentally track on the weekends. OK – enough rambling … Just want to leave with 2 more things. (1) If you are on the fence about this surgery, I want to strongly encourage you to investigate further. This surgery has truly saved my life & given me a new future and (2) At one year out, I thought it would be fun to go back and read some of my old posts – my worries, fears, doubts and successes. I don’t know if it will help anyone or not, but I’ve listed a few here: Surgery & Post-Op: · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/3255-on-my-way-to-the-airport/page__p__29783__fromsearch__1#entry29783 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/3363-weird/page__p__30519__fromsearch__1#entry30519 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/3403-surgery-recovery-sucks/page__p__30905__fromsearch__1#entry30905 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/3471-im-gagging-over-here/page__p__31374__fromsearch__1#entry31374 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/3538-concerned-should-i-be/page__p__32047__fromsearch__1#entry32047 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/3602-finding-the-time-to-stop/page__p__32545__fromsearch__1#entry32545 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/3687-advice-for-road-trip/page__p__33232__fromsearch__1#entry33232 Losing: · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/3884-took-measurements-today/page__p__35215__fromsearch__1#entry35215 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/3944-time-to-increase-the-portions/page__p__35826__fromsearch__1#entry35826 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/4565-need-some-support/page__p__40607__fromsearch__1#entry40607 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/4263-wanting-to-eat-more/page__p__38113__fromsearch__1#entry38113 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/4778-size-12s-and-medium-tops/page__p__42293__fromsearch__1#entry42293 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/4827-gotta-get-serious-about-exercise/page__p__42772__fromsearch__1#entry42772 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/3769-am-i-the-only-one-wanting-sweet-liquids/page__p__34103__fromsearch__1#entry34103 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/5217-its-a-fat-day/page__p__46024__fromsearch__1#entry46024 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/5065-post-op-when-did-you-have-your-first-carbonated-drink/page__p__44749__fromsearch__1#entry44749 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/6305-my-funny-nsv/page__p__55830__fromsearch__1#entry55830 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/5869-normal/page__p__51835__fromsearch__1#entry51835 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/7060-why-cant-they-just-say-congratulations/page__p__62386__fromsearch__1#entry62386 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/7964-irritated-with-people/page__p__69470__fromsearch__1#entry69470 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/7376-i-cried-tonight/page__p__64804__fromsearch__1#entry64804 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/8064-need-to-be-accountable/page__p__70372__fromsearch__1#entry70372 Moving to Maintenance · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/8602-calling-those-on-maintenance/page__p__75039__fromsearch__1#entry75039 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/6171-weight-regain-with-vsg/page__p__54548__fromsearch__1#entry54548 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/8392-today-7-months-out-and-642-pounds-gone/page__p__73224__fromsearch__1#entry73224 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/9506-goal/page__p__83431__fromsearch__1#entry83431 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/9995-almost-9-months-out/page__p__87012__fromsearch__1#entry87012 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/10260-i-am-not-controlling-my-sweet-tooth/page__p__89285__fromsearch__1#entry89285 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/10135-holiday-strategies/page__p__88283__fromsearch__1#entry88283 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/10981-nsv-nsv-nsv-for-me/page__p__95104__fromsearch__1#entry95104 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/11548-so-discouraged/page__p__99499__fromsearch__1#entry99499 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/12379-this-is-why-journaling-food-is-so-important/page__p__106369__fromsearch__1#entry106369 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/12406-fruits-and-veggies/page__p__106553__fromsearch__1#entry106553 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/12769-not-quite-a-year-out/page__p__109462__fromsearch__1#entry109462 · http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/11607-i-have-a-question-about-alcohol/page__p__99986__hl__alcohol__fromsearch__1#entry99986 For newbies … this is a great place to start: http://www.obesityhe...or-New-Members/ (yes, I know this is another website, but many of us frequent there as well as VST.J)

Thank you for your note. I am so glad to know that my experiences are helping others. We are all in this together!

I was self-pay. I used Medical Tourism, but had my surgery in the US. I paid just a little over $10K for surgery in Vegas. Loved my surgeon & would recommend him in a heartbeat. Many of your classes are done over the internet & you can review them again and again if you need/want to. Send me a PM if you'd like addiitonal information and my coordinator's name. No need to cry! We will help you figure out a solution!

What a lot of people don't know is that Blue Cross Blue Shield sells the rights to use their name. So, each insurance company is independently owned and operated (think franchise chains) ... And within each company, there are different policies to purchase and different medical guidelines based on either an umbrella policy or specific requirements by the group (employer) who purchases insurance. So, just because you have a friend with BCBS insurance even in your same state, you cannot assume you have the same type of benefits, coverage, or medical policy. That is why it is so important to know your benefits, document your discussions (including names) of an representatives you talk to and ask for written confirmation of your conversations/decisions made for your benefits.

Relax!!!!! LOL ... you do know they keep record of those calls - right?