iegal

Welcome to VST and good luck to you on the start of this journey. Anxious to hear about your choices and decisions. I was a self pay (in the US too) and have no regrets. Worth every single penny and the results are nothing short of a miracle.

Hello Tabitha - are you considering VSG or have you been sleeved already? I started off with a BMI of just above 33, carrying those extra pounds for years although I was not overweight all my life like many on this site. My sleeve was almost 4 1/2 months ago and I am have surpassed my surgeons goal by 5 lbs. My ticker below shows my goal weight of 145 and weight loss is close to current. I anticipate being at my personal goal with next several weeks. So at 5+ months out I hope to be at my goal losing over 70+ lbs. - forever! My sleeve is a miracle as diets failed me too many times to count. Self hatred and loathing were constant. Yes, I was a total failure at each join of WW, JC, every magazine diet and other fads. I used my tool (sleeve) and followed the guidelines which are so much easier when you do not have the constant "hungries" all the time. Yes, iI still have to choose not to eat mashed potatoes, chips and candy at every turn but the overwhelming demand that my body used to shout is no longer my only consideration. I no longer hear (sometimes I hear it softly) the "feed me, feed me, feed me" chant. My surgery was a self pay as insurance would not cover me since I was not being treated for my co morbidities for over twelve consecutive months. I have no regrets with such amazing results. Good luck to you!

Good luck to you on Wed! You will be in my prayers.

Big huge pat on your back for such an amazing stats. Love my Sleeve and no regrets.

Good luck to you tomorrow!

There are some great websites that have vsg post op diets. Beware, surgeons have their own list of when to eat and what to eat during different phases. I would recommend you contact your surgeons office (if you have a date yet) and see what they have to say. If not, do a google search. Good luck with your upcoming sleeve surgery. I have no regrets.

Yeah FJM, congrats on the redistribution of weight. More importantly - who knew that rib cages would be such a beautiful thing? That stall is bound to break sometime!

Wear your sweater inside out, proudly. Then when those stop you to notifiy you...pause, stare at the tag and smile. I am so gonna do this when I hit "M"

Incredible - but your lovely smile remains the same. You son is almost as tall as you! What an amazing story you have shared with us with all of your posts and support. Thank you from one of your followers.

Hello Survived; I too survived after a good bout with nausea. Only liquid Tylenol w/Codine for pain. Only took twice and that was to sleep through the night. Nausea and a high acid stomach were my only complaints. No staples, no drain to contend with either. Oh yeah - I was an outpatient surgery for VSG too. Better to be at home that in some strang bed.

Congrats Mrs. S - you continue to amaze me with your determination. I wanna go too. Now I have to take action. Thanks for the picts to inspire me. You are AMAZING!

Congrats on your decision to have VSG. 4 months out and I have no regrets. Really loathe the posts here about how sleevers told everyone who will listen about VSG - how bombastically rude and then to think those of us who do not that we are a bunch of liars. All of us here are or have been overwieght, therefore have experienced the censure of others. Some are okay with "this is who I am - love me or not", but then some of us are uncomfortable telling others about a major surgery to which they are not a vitial person of importance. I still have not told a lot of people, my mom now knows - but that was almost 3 months after surgery happened and she lives close by. My dad & son do not know. My fiance went with me to surgeon consult. My daughter found out about 2 months after surgery since she found my paperwork. My very close girlfriends know - but I told them prior to surgery. I built a support system who would tell me the truth, support me in the good and bad times. My recovery was not as easy as I hoped, but the incridible results are so worth the journey. Do what is best for you - if critisim could derail your success, then you do not have to say - "Hey, I have had WLS." Tell person if they are not close to you that you prefer not to discuss your weight as you are sensitive to the subject, which is the truth. If a compliment comes your way - simply reply - "Thank you" for those who are only aquantences. Good luck!

Good luck tomorrow! Will be keeping you in prayer. This really is a new start - a tool to help you lose weight. You still must watch what you eat, but now it will be easier. I have no regrets because now I can be in control. Hugs!

Amazing, incredible and insperational. Thank you for sharing such a great success with proof that the sleeve works. No regrets!

4 months out as of yesterday - Happy celebrations. Love my sleeve tool. At 4 months here are my scale and non scale victories to shout out. A loss of over 60 lbs already & in normal BMI range. Met surgeon's preop goal in 4 months, can you believe this? (I want to lose 10 more lbs though) Shopping in normal section, wearing clothes that are cute and not all black (who was I kidding?) I can move at the gym more easily and endurance is better Wearing a seatbelt easily in coach when flying without spilling over into next seat Hearing friends and family admit how worried they were about me before but now are supportive of choices to get myself back Looking in the mirror, it is okay to be proud of me. Having a better understanding of struggles with addiction, mine was food. I am much more empathetic to others who struggle. I am blessed with this surgery. Smiling a lot more and not crying, loathing when alone Just a short list, for I can go on and on. Thank you to my surgeon/physcologist/nutritionist for believing I could achieve goal with my sleeve and this forum for the support during times when I am unsure of what to eat and how to eat. HUGS No regrets.

Thinking of you both - hope today is the beginning of an amazing journey to the new you.

Hi Sassy; I was just about to post here too - since I was sleeved on the same day. Congratulations on our 4 month sleeve anniversary today! Chin up, you have accomplished so much loosing 3 or 4 pants sizes. Pat yourself on the back for such great work and keep it up. Need more info on food intake & movement to provide direction: Why are you drinking your protien when you should be eating to get calories? What other excercise besides elipitcal? Are you pushing any weights even in small amounts at least 3 days a week? How many carbs are you eating? How many calories are you consuming a day? Are you taking your suppliments? Blood work normal? Do you feel hungry still or it that gone? Change things up and keep moving forward. Good news - you are a loser. Keep in touch, my sleeve sister.

Incredible - watched you grow and grow (smaller of course.) Looking forward to meeting you! Post Op 4 months too.

The Doctors "SPIDER" VSG is done by Dr. B Quebbemann in Newport Beach, CA. You can go to the TransEnerix web site www.transenterix.com (maker of the spider) and inquire about surgeons in your area. But try to find an experienced surgeon with spider. Locate a surgeon offering SPIDER Surgery in your area, please email info@transenterix.com Too many surgeons are telling their patients they are the first or second - as I mentioned in another post to a person making this claim - when what surgeons really mean is they are the first or second patient that they have done spider VSG surgery on. Good luck in your search! You are going to love your sleeve, via spider or not.

Do you have private insurance at all? Talk to your surgeon and ask why all the extra when you were quote a price. Yikes, I would be freaking out too. Good luck and keep us in loop as to your resolution.