CowgirlJane

wowsa - that is just awesome!!!! So, the latest in drainwear .... The ever stylish fanny pack makes a great drain carrier. Then, there is a wear loose clothes and stuff em in pockets. Since you didn't have a boob or arm job, you don't have upper ones, but for drains high up, people connect them to lanyards worn around the neck and hide them under loose clothes. I am getting the works done in 2 weeks so have done my "drain carrying" research. I expect to have NINE drains...omg! I think I will need 2 fanny packs and a lanyard...LOL

To each his own! I don't judge others for their decisions on this or most other topics. I am 49, I feel beautiful and sexy until I take my clothes off and can see the skin for two women. My highest weight was 332 and i weigh about 152 right now. So, yes, it is cosmetic but I deserve it! I can also see why others would not want to go this route, i get scars instead. for me it is worth it. I see that some people who get plastics are like "never satisfied" - the michael jackson syndrome or whatever - and I think they should really consider if they are trying to fix an emotional problem not a physical problem. Anyway,I feel blessed that i have this chance to improve my body with plastics. My boyfriend tells me that with clothes on, even short skirts, I don't look like someone who was EVER overweight. I feel so lucky that I don't have fat calves, that my shoulders and upper chest are shapely and that my face is at least "ok". I dream of him saying that about me with clothes not on. I don't know what results I will have... the results really vary ALOT even among one surgeon. What i do know is that it will be so much better to be able to wear that form fitting dress without figuring out how to hide that belly skin.

The information from my surgeon was not based on a study, but rather their own observations. It is true that SOME people take their bad habits learned from life in hell (lapband) into life with the sleeve. I spent alot of time reflecting on that before my surgery and retrained myself. I know these things will cause failure with ANY weight loss surgery: 1. grazing; eating small amounts all the time - you never really get satiated 2. eating slider type foods that allow you to get too much food in without feeling restriction. I am quite sure i could eat a whole bag of cheetos, so I don't even go there. 3. consistently eating too large of portions - over time causes you to lose that feeling of restriction and increases your capacity People who have not been banded do not really understand this - but for me the band trained me to eat poorly because I was avoiding pain! Dense Proteins often hurt! With the sleeve, I do not have that experience AT ALL. I need to keep my portions small and eat high quality food - Protein and green veggies with limited amounts of fruits, high carb veggies and other low nutrient/high sugar/carb food.

This was one of the reasons I HATED my lapband. I had that sucker for 10 long years, most of the time with zero fill since I had horrible reflux if it had any fluid/fill. Even after all that time, with a stretched pouch and no fill - one bite of rice and i would vomit. On the other hand, I could eat unlimited quantities of many foods - it was really terrible and frustrating. I got to the point where i didn't vomit often, but in the first 2 years when I did have fill, I vomited ALOT. I have been sleeved since Dec 2011 - nearly 2 years. I HAVE vomited maybe 3 times and all for the same reason - eating too fast so I got to overfill without realizing it. In general, I do so well with the sleeve, I eat my Proteins first, add some veggies and go easy on carbs, but if I want a little rice or bread - I can have it without fear of hurling. Don't get me wrong, i do need to "work the sleeve". I have a mindset to eat until no longer hungry rather than looking to be "full". I have made a lot of changes since my lapband days that have helped me find success with the sleeve that always alluded me with the sleeve. Even so, for me, the sleeve has been a FAR FAR superiour tool! I was terrified of failing again and it took me a long time to get the courage to "try again" with a weight loss surgery but it was the BEST decision for me. It is amazing to finally get to a normal weight and size which I never did with the band.

There is significant research that smoking before and after surgery really interferes with healing. It is hard, but if you can quit 30 days prior and after you will have a healthier recovery!

There is also a band to sleeve revision forum - an excellent place to hear detailed input on this subject as this forum was intended for vets to discuss vet issues. I was a revision and can share my personal experiences but bottom line - with the sleeve I don't have food restrictions. Sleeve has been for me a good tool, whereas the band was a midevil torture device.

Tawnie...I see Dr S in 2 weeks! so excited!

I hear what you are saying, but I was bound and determined to get to my "stretch goal"... and get to a normal BMI and this is what worked. I have been maintaining since Feb NOT doing those things, but it is what I needed to get to goal. when I first had surgery, I decided I would be a success if I could just maintain under 200# and that is exactly what happened... I got to the low 190s and really looked like losses were going to stop doing the normal sleeve/ and normal eliptical/weight training workouts so I had to push to get to the 150s where I am hanging out now. I do still enjoy high intensity workouts, but I no longer go to a gym - hit my home spinning bike for 30 min or do a Julian Michales DVD for 35 minutes several days a week. I am also just very active taking care of my horses and little farmette etc too so i find I don't need to push as hard to maintain as I did to lose.

Well I think people forget that they struggled even harder pre sleeve. In my case I battled to stay under 300#, now I work to stay at goal. It is easier now with the sleeve tool and I have a better life.

I always figured I have vast experience gaining weight and could handle packing on pounds should I ever get too thin. ha I have had to fight tooth and nail for the last 35# and my BMI is now 25...started over 50. I dont think too skinny is a major risk factor for most of us... unless you get all weight loss obsessed as you get to a healthy weight.

I lost a crapload of hair but luckily I had too much. Now it is back thick and out of control again! My hair is my most striking feature and the idea of losing it scared me too... but its all good now.

I only had temporary results with laser. 3 years later and it is nearly as bad as before. I quit after the 6 treatments but I think I need to keep going forever it is just less often over time.

I no longer believe in calorie math. For me carbs are more important. 5:2 works but I still follow moderate to low carb on normal days and low carb on fast days.

I had a similar experience...I got to goal (this was before I heard of 5:2) by going uber low carb(eliminating Protein bars for example) and switching workouts to high intensity, including interval training. I did bootcamp style classes and high intensity spinning instead of eliptical and weight lifting. I sweated buckets and pushed myself to another level. I had to wrestle those last 35 or so pounds to the ground!!!!

I had a similar experience...I got to goal (this was before I heard of 5:2) by going uber low carb(eliminating Protein bars for example) and switching workouts to high intensity, including interval training. I did bootcamp style classes and high intensity spinning instead of eliptical and weight lifting. I sweated buckets and pushed myself to another level. I had to wrestle those last 35 or so pounds to the ground!!!!

After the talk on here I decided it was worth the investment. It is a weight watchers scale from target, not sure how accurate, but I figure it will measure trends. It kind of hit me that at maintenance, having goals that focus on getting fitter/reducing body fat a bit might be good to track. I am also very curious how plastic surgery will impact these measures. I mean, does the skin count as fat, Water or bone density...LOL. anyway, we shall see... my initial body fat % is 29% which is what I expected based on photos I looked at of other women and is range of normal for my age. I could see working to get down to 25% though... I think the % on these scales is impacted by various factors such as hydration levels, so I will be playing with it a bit to see.

You will get ALOT more reads and replies posting on the post surgery support forum. I had no complications, so i can't really offer any help. Wishing you the best though - the first several weeks post op are for sure the hardest... get the follow up medical care but also believe it will get better.

Its been a tough week. Do u get hungrier when a little under the weather?

I have never smoked, but I have to tell you that your description reminded me of how i finally had to give up being the "know it all do it my way" about eating. As a liftetime dieter, in general, nutritionalists annoyed me. In truth, alot of them aren't that inspiring but the real problem was my attitude about it - I hated being talked down to or accepting that I needed further education and support. I lucked out in that I got the perfect NUT to work with - she understand that I was fairly well self educated and she helped me move out of the "thinking analytical" part and more into the emotional "learn to trust my body" part of the journey. I had pretty much hit rock bottom so I would have taken advice from anyone at that point, but I lucked out on who I got. When I read your post, I feel like you have had an ephiphany - don't need to do "all or nothing thinking" - you don't need to QUIT just because you messed up a little. You are open to learning from this. I think this all bodes very well for your long term success. Good luck and keep on trying every.single.day.

Well, what I did was cancel my "riding plans" and went to bed after work on Thursday. Slept forever. I didn't have a successful fast day Thursday, but I just "felt" like I needed a bit more. Good news was I ate healthy and not crazy munchy snacking type thing. I went to work Friday, did do a short ride and then when out to a movie. I definately feel a little congested, my throat is a little sore, but my hunger seems to be in the range of normal and the scale rewarded me with another tiny drop - I am 152 this morning. Maybe I really just needed a little more since I am exercising alot. I don't think I am going to make 150# by my plastics in 2 weeks, but that is okay, I am more focused on staying healthy as possible and getting in alot of Protein in. If I can maintain where I am at, I will be happy as a clam. My dream is to maintain as 150 as my max weight longer term. After I get over the swelling from plastics, I expect that to be attainable since I will lose about 4-5 pounds of skin. It is amazing to me that this is even possible. I really never thought i could maintain much under 200# and at times I am still floored that this can happen for me. A friend told me that (in clothes) I don't look like I was ever overweight, that I look like a woman with a good fit figure. That amazes me (oh, the wonders of shapewear...haha) but also reminds me to be proud of how far I have come and that all things are possible with the right mindset, tools and support. This is my chance to thank ALL OF YOU for being there for me. I always thought I would look like a fat girl and I really don't anymore.

My lifetime highest weight: 332 Weight when I started preop diet: 308 Weight on surgery day: 300 Goal weight (hit Feb 2013): 158 Weight this morning 152 - woo hoo!!!! Take a look at my before and afters in my profile. I think out starting weights are similar enough it might give you an idea of the possible change.

You know what I love, i can wear bras with skinny straps... it makes me feel so much cuter. haha Sassy, I can't remember, where are you going for plastics? I am going to Dr Sauceda and will be there Oct 13-24

I think it is good advice. You can email someone for a month and still not realize that he is a dull conversationalist, or has horrid table manners or something like that. One thing I wondered about - I am normal sized... size medium and though i do work out and AM actually fit I always mark myself as "about average" due to the saggy skin....LOL I have wondered what others have done. I am actually seeing someone now, no long term potential, but a good situation for now as we have lots of fun and he makes me feel wonderful about myself.... 2014 is my year to go looking for a boyfriend with a bit more ling term potential though...haha

Without being professionally measured for body fat by submersion or something, is there a way to estimate it? i don't think calipers would work due to the rolls of skin....From a looks perspective, I'd like to be the 25-30% range, I like some curviness.

I was told that on average revisions have poorer results due to a couple of reasons: 1. May not be able to get a good tight pouch/stomach due to scar tissue 2. Bad habits learned with the band - eating sliders etc flip side - I spent alot of time thinking about what I could have done better... my part of the deal. I like to think I learned those lessons well and I did reach my goals. I have lost 155 since my revision.