MlkPas

LLS, you must be so excited!!

I'm going to timidly suggest that the dynamic might be different for men and women. As much fat shame as there is for men, I have to think that it's much worse for women. BuRnOut, I'm not so sure that approaching a stranger can't make his or her life worse. I know if it ever happened to me, I'd about die. I still remember the time a worker at Disneyland asked me (quite politely and as tactfully as possible) if I were under the weight limit before he let me get on a ride. That was more than 15 years ago, and I still cringe every time I think about it. Seriously -- that's one of many seemingly small incidents that's scarred me for life about this issue. Plus, how do you know that the person you're talking to hasn't thought about surgery and for some reason can't qualify? Wouldn't that be just pouring salt on the wound? Oh, and the reason it's okay to shun smokers is that they're stinking up the air for everybody. Fat people aren't hurting anybody but themselves.

But you have to weigh that against how upsetting and intrusive it's going to be to the people who aren't ready. This is a horribly painful and sensitive issue for many, many people, and I think if you go around approaching obese people willy-nilly, it's entirely likely that on balance, you are going to really wound more people than you help. Assuming, of course, that you're not Jesus.

I think that woman used wonderful discernment. She saw you looking and there was something about you that told her you would be receptive. I think that's the lesson here -- it's best to have at least SOME indication that the person you want to talk to has some interest or would be receptive. Josephine, did you ever see that lady again after you had your surgery?

Do you have a surgeon yet? If not, when you do it will be easier because you will have your surgeon's program and instructions to follow, instead of trying to keep track of everything in the whole wide world of VSG.

Oh, boy, oh, boy!! Congratulations! If all goes well I'll be just two days behind you!

That is a gorgeous dress. I'd be tempted, too!

I wouldn't. We are all on our own path. If a perfect stranger ever came up to me and suggested I have weight loss surgery, I would be so traumatized and humiliated I wouldn't know what to do. It would be just devastating to me. These guys know they are fat -- they certainly don't need you to tell them that. And information about weight loss surgery is readily available on the internet, on TV, and in the print media. Anybody who is serious about losing weight can find it easily enough. We all have our own timing and our own way of coping with things. And when we're ready, we're ready. I totally honor and respect your urge to help others, but you can't know what's in their minds and hearts and bodies, and I really don't think it's your place to intrude into their personal lives. JMHO.

Sabrina, I've booked a cruise for next January 2. I figure I should be at goal by then so I am planning on having all kinds of cute swimsuits and formalwear and resortwear and you name it! :ohmy: I don't plan to buy any clothes until I can fit into them. I love to watch "What Not to Wear," and one of the things I've learned from that show is not to buy anything unless it fits perfectly and looks great RIGHT NOW. I don't want to be in Tiffykins' predicament and miss out on any of my "goal clothes!" :wink0: (Kind of reminds me of when my son was born -- people would give him cute little baby outfits and he'd grow so fast he'd never get to wear them!)

LOL -- I have a whole closet full of skinny clothes I'm just waiting to get back into!

Thanks, Tiffykins! I was worried there for a minute!

My date is March 17, three weeks from today. My doc says I don't need to do a pre-op diet because I'm a relative lightweight, but today I decided it was time to stop with the "last meal" thing I've been doing, so I've started low-carbing it until surgery. I figure every pound I lose in the next three weeks is a pound I don't have to lose after surgery.

I'm self pay so I don't have to worry about meeting any insurance requirements. I had to do some looking, but I've found a wonderful surgeon who agrees it will be a great option for me. I'm 51 and have been yo-yo dieting since I was 9, and I. am. just. done. My life is just wonderful in every other way, but this weight thing has been an albatross around my neck for my whole life, and swear to goodness, I think it's going to be the best thing I've ever done for my mental health, even apart from any physical health benefits! (And my shrink agrees! )

My hubby and I have booked a cruise for January '11, and I plan to put on a bathing suit and frolic on the beach, and lounge around by the pool!

So let me get this straight: Do our tummies end up as tiny as those pens?

My surgery is March 17 and I'll be going back to work on March 29. Fortunately March 31 is a day off for me, so the first week back will be two days on, one day off, two days on. My job is mentally demanding but physically sedentary, so hopefully it will work out.

Leelee, I totally get where you're coming from. I have told my immediate family and a few friends, but I am totally not telling ANYONE at work because it's none of their business. I may change my mind after surgery, but for now I am strictly on a need-to-know basis. As for the whole "easy way out" thing, that isn't anything that bothers me one single bit. Hell, I've been dieting for 40 years, and if this is the easy way, I'm all for it! Why the heck not? If taking the "easy way" means I get to spend my time and money working on a master's degree instead of obsessing about food and paying a personal trainer and having a "second job" working out in the gym, let me at it! I make no apologies at all! At. all. This is my business, it's my body, it's my choice. Period. And I don't really have any need at all to convince any random "friend" or co-worker that it's the right choice. The only person I have to convince is myself, and that's a done deal.

I've been lurking, then posting a bit, for a few weeks now, so I figured it was time for an official introduction. I'm MLK, female, 51 years old, 5'2", scheduled to be sleeved on March 17. My mom put me on my first diet when I was not quite 9 years old, and I've been fighting my weight ever since. Thought I was fat all through high school and college (although the photos certainly prove me wrong), then after my son was born 23 years ago I gained a ton of weight and spent most of my 30s hovering around 190, which on me was HUGE. Dieted down to 125 after I got divorced in my mid-30s, kept it off pretty well for almost 10 years doing 10-15 hours of martial arts per week. Remarried, quit smoking, gained back up to 150 or so, have been yo-yo-ing between 145-175 for the past five years. Oh -- had abdominal liposuction in 1998 which took away my "apple" shape, but I gained back the 10 pounds they sucked out, mostly in my chest and back. Didn't know WLS was even an option for me until I saw somebody talking about having the lap band at a low BMI on the 3 Fat Chicks message board. Did a little research, talked to my PCP, found out about the sleeve and decided that was definitely the surgery for me. Came very close to going to Dr. Aceves since I'm a self-pay, but decided on a surgeon very close to home. Went for my pre-op blood tests, EKG, and chest x-ray last week, so if all goes well I'll be sleeving it up in just over three weeks! This is like a dream come true for me -- I don't think there's been a day in the past 40 years when I haven't obsessed about food and weight. I'm very accomplished in my career, but have always felt "less than" everyone else because of my weight struggles. Really really looking forward to having them in the rearview mirror! Thanks to all for the great info and support on this forum!

I have a pretty good hunch that 5 years from now, VSG will be very common for patients with 30+ BMI's, and insurance will be covering it. Apparently in Europe they're doing it at that size already.

Fantastic pix! I'm a newbie and your posts have been so inspiring to me! Thanks so much for sharing all you do!

My surgeon gives the option of outpatient or inpatient, provided there's nothing unusual in any of the labs. I'm planning on doing outpatient. My DH will be here at night and I have a friend coming to stay with me during the day.

It seems like you just need to have another conversation with your doc about this issue. Ask her why she does everybody at a 40, ask her about your concerns about removing all the grehlin-producing part, and explain to her why this is an issue for you. If she is able to address your concerns, great. If not, you may want to consider looking for another surgeon.

Determined1, my surgeon told me that his review of the research shows no difference in weight loss based on the bougie size, but that the smaller ones increased the risk for acid reflux. So again, trust your surgeon. I'm sure he or she would be happy to answer all your questions so you understand his or her reasons for choosing the size you're getting.

I'm 51 and have been a yo-yo dieter since I was 9. Like you, I was 20-30 lbs overweight until I had my son, then I gained up to about a 34 BMI after he was born. I lost 65 lbs on my own about 15 years ago, and then it started creeping back and now I've regained all but about 15 pounds of it. So yes, I'm having the VSG to lose about 50-60 pounds. I'm 5'2" tall and my current BMI is 32-33. My weight has been a nightmare for me for my entire life and I think 40 years-plus of dieting is enough to show I can't maintain a normal weight permanently by any kind of reasonable means. (While I kept the majority of my weight off, I was doing 15 hours of high-intensity martial arts a week plus dieting like crazy. That's just no longer realistic for me.) As for side effects, I'm well aware of the risks, I'm well aware recovery can be rough, and to me it's all worth it to get this obesity monkey off my back. For what it's worth, my surgeon tells me it should be entirely possible for me to lose 50 pounds and get to my goal weight. Mini-Me, thanks for sharing your experience! It's really encouraging to me!

Hi, everybody! This is my first post on this forum. I started out looking at the lap band, but I'm pretty well convinced that the sleeve is a much better option due to no foreign body being placed in my body. I've been a yo-yo dieter for 41 years (since I was 10) and my BMI is currently about 32-33 (5'2" and about 180 lbs fully clothed). It appears that most if not all the doctors in Mexico will do the sleeve on people this "small," and I also have an appointment with a local doctor who might consider it because I have hypertension and am self-pay. Have any of you been sleeved at such a relatively low BMI? Anybody have any input on the advisability of the surgery for somebody my size? Thanks in advance!