DrmBig4Evr

Great! Something interesting gets posted and I'm a few hours too late to read it. Grrrrrr.

Laying down in bed one night, 8 months ago, I decided right then and there, that the Lap Band wasn't working for me and it was time to take my life into my own hands. I'm going to be healthy, I'm going to be around for my children, I'm going to be happy with my weight for once in my life!!
And now!!!! It's happening!! It's almost here!! I can barely stand it!!
I can feel my nerves going up and back down again.
But I am ready! Words of encouragement and advice needed still though!

Hey all, I used to be fairly active on here but life has kept me busy! I'm not at goal yet (I'm still about 30 pounds away) but I just wanted to give an update plus some pics!
Some NSVs:
Can shave without it being a contortionist act.
Those annoyingly tight squeezes in between two not completely pushed in chairs? Don't really bother me!
I now look at a pair of pants or a shirt and think, "Oh geez, that's definitely not going to fit," and it does!
I don't feel as subconscious at work, as if people are looking down on me because of my weight.
Lost a whole shoe size and can now wear even more cute shoes! Having a size 10 shoe wasn't very fun.
Can shop in the "normal" section in clothing stores! No more x's in my labels! Basically can't wear anything from Lane Bryant.
Got the confidence to join a dating site (I'm not really a bar scene kind of gal) and have been dating the most amazing man for 6 months now.
Went from a ring size of 8-9, and am now a 5 1/2-6!
Sometimes my work involves going up and down stairs a lot while being quick about it. I don't get out of breath doing it!
Not as much knee or hip pain (hurt my knee when I was younger, and the added weight made it worse).
Started out in the morbidly obese BMI range, and am now safely in the overweight range.
Never had much trouble in booths, it was movie theater seats that gave me problems. I wasn't very comfortable if I was seeing a movie with someone else, and with being so pear shaped, the arm rests dug into my legs and hips. Not anymore!
I started out at 289 pounds. I remember being so depressed that I knew I couldn't let myself get to 300, by any means necessary. I was a size 24-26 pant and size 2x shirt.
I am now between 179-181, so a 110 pound total loss so far. I'm in a 12-14 pant, and M-L shirt (both depend greatly on cut and brand).
My goal is to be 150, a single digit number pant (would love size 6, but will take 8 since I think my thighs and hips have a mind of their own!), and S-M shirt size. I also just want to be in the normal BMI range (even if it's at the top) and healthy.
Here are some pic updates. I think I look pretty good for still being considered overweight.

Wow, that is rough. I'm sorry, people won't get it, I had it happen to me and I am not sleeved yet, but I had people trying to sabatoge my weight loss when I lost about 45 lbs. You know what you were told and what you can eat. I think you were very polite about it and ate what she gave you.

Better to lose inches....no contest. The number on the scale means nothing. Inches directly relates to your health, your body composition and how the world sees you. But hang in there, the weight will come off..

I personally like to lose inches because sometimes you are exchanging fat for muscle so the scale can lie to you at times. About the weight gain, I always put on a few pounds before my period due to Fluid retention...just always keep that in mind. Good luck!

2013me and Richardpoor I certainly tip my hat to you and if you don't mind i send my prayers as well. Autism can be quite stressful, I spent years as a school aide dealing with the condition in children. It was during that time that I was put on high blood pressure meds which I have recently kicked due to the sleeve. I was on celexa as well during that time and had a very hard time kicking it, not because it was addicting but because the withdrawal symptoms were a bear.
I have found exercise to be a major stress reliever. The better shape I get in, the better it works. Outside of dealing with the pain of sore muscles, (I am 64 after all), it is quite a positive in my life. Exercise seems to keep the shiny edge on my outlook.

1. I always aim for 70+ grams of Protein.
2. 112 oz of Water everyday without fail!
3. Always make healthy food choices and 45 min of cardio 4-5 dys a week.
That's it. That's what I do.

Beautiful before AND after! So inspiring!

Well here it is. I'm so embarrassed by my before photo smh, but that was me. All 330 lbs of me. Yikes!! My highest was 346 lbs at the start of this journey, but I lost 16 lbs pre op and 134 lbs post op and still going.
330 lbs day of surgery 196 lbs

I would get a 2nd opinion too. I've heard the opposite, start with sleeve then have revision to GB if needed.

Hi Sleevers. I had surgery 6 weeks ago today, Jan 8. I thought I would do an update which might be helpful for those who haven't had surgery yet. I consider myself a "low BMI'er." My highest BMI was 36, and I had surgery at a 33. Even as a low BMI'er, I have experienced plenty of discrimination and unhappiness due to my obesity. I only reference the low BMI to put into perspective the rate of my weight loss. It might be slower than average, but I am thrilled. My hypertension has disappeared, and I've stopped taking my meds.
I've lost 36 lbs since I started the pre-op diet on Dec 26. Surgery was a breeze with the exception of a 48-hour period of nausea and gagging that did not begin until 18 hours after surgery. I've only had one vomiting "incident" and that was last week when I had a virus yet still made the decision to eat two of my grandmother's meatballs. (OMG they are so good...but not coming up). Other than that, this whole process has been relatively easy. I've had no moments of depression and only a few moments of "I want to stuff my face with food and what have I done to my body." Those few moments quickly passed and reminded me of my previous misuse of food. My first post-op period just ended and my PMS rage was a bit elevated lol.
I started working out today, and the only thing I have noticed is that exercise still makes my appetite spike. I am feeling very hungry right now. It started on the way home from the gym, and it's not head hunger. I guess some things don't change, but I can handle it.
How are all of the other early-January sleevers doing?
Shannon

Have you added in exercise? and if you already exercise, maybe varying it will help. 60 pounds is still doing great!

4oz. ziploc/tupperware/freezer containers. Portioning out my meals has been a great help to me. I'm typically stocked with a variety of choices, since one recipe makes more than I am used to eating. So I don't tire of any one recipe, I freeze at least half for later use.

Ok, in this forum we have some information on what to bring to the hospital and frequently asked questions. However, my question is a little different.
What supplies or items do I need post-op to be successful?? It can be anything, here I will start...
* medicine cup to put liquid in so I drink slower
* small oyster fork
* smaller plates
* scale for food or measurement tools
* Vitamins - multi-Vitamin, Calcium citrate & D, Biotin, Vitamin E

I loved my ramekin 8 oz bowels. for my creamy Soups, blended beans...etc baby spoons, Gatorade, my immersion mixer to make bean paste, and my won tastier blended soups.

broth, unsweetened applesauce, cream Soups, eggs, Protein drinks/powders, sugar free Popsicles and Jello, Vitamin Water, Gatorade (G2), and fat free milk are just a few items on my shopping list. And getting my prescriptions filled ahead of time! And a strainer for the cream soups.

Don't forget Iron. I also invested in a new digital scale. A heating pad or heated throw is also a good thing to have, you might get cold.

First, I want to thank everyone who posts their stories, questions, concerns, and information. It helps tremendously for a person trying to get the real story on WLS generally and VSG specifically.
I started looking at WLS last fall when I realized I had tapped out all other options for losing - and keeping - weight off. Like many others I've read about here, I was pretty good at losing weight but it was impossible for me to keep it off. For years I have noticed that I don't experience hunger and fullness the way most "normal" weight people do: no matter what kind of food, or how little, or how much, I eat I am famished in about 2 hours (or less!).
I generally eat healthy (high Protein, low carb) and generally eat recommended portions, but I have to eat so OFTEN! And when I say I'm hungry, I mean getting-a-headache, feel-like-passing-out, hungry. I had gestational diabetes with my last two pregnancies and my father has diabetes after a lifetime of hypoglycemia. My PCP totally supports my having this surgery though I am under 40 BMI and have no co-morbidities - yet. In addition, I have had limited mobility for the past two years due to needed foot surgeries (hereditary stuff). I used to rely on an active life style to help keep my weight in check but that has not been an option for a while.
It has taken me over 6 months to pull the trigger on setting a date for surgery. I attended an informational seminar given by the surgical group associated with my PCP; the surgeon presenting seemed ok; not big on bedside manner but that is not as important to me as someone who will answer questions and not be condescending. It was the staff that really put me off. Except for a couple of younger nurses (?), the staff and dietician/nutritionist treated us like cattle or misbehaving children. Screw that, pardon my french. Plus my experiences with the surgery centers here (foot surgeries) were not very good.
To top it all off is that I will have to be self-pay due to low BMI and I started researching surgeons in Mexico. Thanks to the Mexico/Self Pay Forum, I'm comfortable with that choice now. I'm starting to get exited and look forward to contributing to the forums and start paying it forward!
Kathryn

I'm Robin, I'm 24 from NYC (The Bronx) Single, no kids. I want to find Mr. right one day but don't think I'm quite there yet. I went to school for fashion marketing, interning for a shoe company now doing marketing and marketing research for them. Hopefully it will help me land a better job down the line. I'm in the middle of making some life transitions so not exactly sure where my professional life is going lol
I like to watch movies, love horror movies! Love to cook (I'm a big foodee. Even post sleeve that hasn't chanced) I love fashion and clothes. Halloween is the best holiday. I'm already psyched to find an awesome costume this year now that I'm smaller! I had surgery on November 14th 2012 and I'm down 77lbs all together so far (20 pre op) I feel great!

That is a wonderful idea. I will do that. I have a business trip to Miami tomorrow into Thursday, maybe I'll hit South Beach!

Hi!!
I from California, I live in Los Gatos
I'm Portuguese and German ( I know weird)
2 kids... 11year old boy 16 year old girl
I am 46 years old
Sleeved 11-13-12
And I like spending time with my husband and kids and going to the beach