CowgirlJane

I was so scared too... I really do understand. I am sharing my before and current photos with you as inspiration... it is soooo worth it! This surgery can change your life - for the better! i would do it 10 times over if I had to!!!!

We hiked to the top of Rattlesnake Ridge, I am not sure the names of the peaks around us. It was crowded, but just a perfect healthy way to spend Easter!!!

I am looking at similiar procedures - lower body lift, breast implant and breast lift, medial thigh lift and the arm lift. I consulted with multiple docs and the consensus was it was too much to do at once. I know that many people do get all that at once, but in truth, I am scared of the recovery from so many places worked on in one session. I think I am going to do the lower body lift and the breat impant and lift and call that good enough for stage one. I sure wish it were all DONE - I am pretty nervous about it.

I am brand new to maintenance so don't have the experience of the other posters... but... I see a few main differences as trying to maintain presleeve: 1. As long as I eat low carb, I am not very hungry at all 2. as long as I avoid grazing all day I really can't eat that much (follow the sleever rules including exercise!) 3 when I go astray for a few days I don't immediately gain like 10 pounds like I always have in the past. In fact, I have had zero regain on business trips or other times when I can't follow my own rules the way I would like. This isn't a license to go crazy, but i feel like it gives me a chance to catch myself and get back on track

I too can relate to this, only it was worse... I had the band for 10 years. I lost 70# the first year but gained it all back PLUS after I had to have all the fill removed due to reflux and other problems. It was emotionally traumatizing - I think only those who have been through this can understand that. I have tried to learn from the experience though rather then just starting over. I felt all this shame, all this sense of failure all this sense of embarrassment (mostly about the vomiting). That shame kept me from seeking help aggressively enough - like I was the only person on the planet who was morally weak enough to have these problems or something. Since being sleeved I have been very assertive about seeking help and support and guidance. For example, statistically, it is very common to have a weight bounce of 20-30# in about the 3rd year post op after the sleeve especially for someone who was very high bmi like me. Well, it could happen to me but you can be sure that I am not giving in without a fight. I have resources lined up, i have a plan and most of all i am NOT gonna let that struggle make me feel worthless. This is the main thing I learned from my band experience - no more shame, no regrets, and damn it, there are people out there who have been down these roads before that can help guide me too.

We have talked about dismorphia on this forum in many threads. I think it is a normal thing to go through. I do tend to think you maybe could use someone to talk to about it. It really helped me ALOT to have 4 surgeons(my band to sleeve revision surgeon plus 3 plastic surgeon consults) tell me that I was a healthy weight and didn't need to lose anymore. It helped me alot to have friends tell me the same. You know what was even more convincing... I am so vain...lol...I got alot more attention from men when I was a few pounds heavier even then i am now. I think from a looks point of view, most people like a little curve on a girl...lol We all have our own struggles with all these topics. For me, my health, a good long active life and looking attractive were all alot more important then a clothing size or number on a scale. IT helped me alot to "hear" the feedback from a lot of people i trusted to come to the conclusion that while i could lose another 10-30 pounds, I am pretty damn happy right here. Good luck in working through this to finding your comfort/happy zone. And don't feel shy to share your feelings here.

My revision was done by Dr Landerholm in Edmonds. No complications and success beyond my wildest dreams!

Thin sliced deli meat But I was thinking that 1200 cals is pretty low for a guy!

Ms antiband says it well! I was afraid of the surgery and more afraid of failure. I kept my band secret but felt shame about the lousy weight loss AND all the vomiting for 10 bad years. I wrestled with the revision decision for a long time. Reading this forum helped me build confidence. A doctor told me that I was one that could make it work because "I never gave up". That was empowering and has influenced how public I have been about my sleeve too. I have so much empathy for those standing on the edge..trying to believe that it might work this time. A key difference is I am just so DONE with food being what pleases me!!

I had a high freak out factor too. Took me FOREVER to finally just do it. I think the 2 years i spent wrestling with the decision was some of the " work" I needed to do.

GERD might be a concern. I started out at 308 and now am maintaining around 156 or so. I think your goal is possible, but will take work!

My understanding is that ANY WLS can potentially not be as successful as we want. Did the doc tell you that the "failure" rate for the RNY is nil?

Well, it does happen... and then your friends and family hardly recognize you which is a whole nother head trip! Keep the faith, you will get there!I What was weird was the first 100# off people were like "you look great" The last 50# moved into the whole "you look hot, are you sure that is YOU?" attitude

Oh, and i have loose skin...lots of it after losing 150#. IT drives me crazy, but other people still seem to think I am good enough looking even with it. Do NOT let that fear slow anybody down.... regain your health! For me, that has been the pillar of happiness, just physically feeling good!

Amen! I love been normal weight and I am bursting with happiness, but it is for so many reasons... i just feel good! I know many lovely happy ladies who have some extra pounds and some very sad ones who are stick thin. The point is, we choose happiness; it isn't caused by a number on a scale!

Okay, I think the phsyc eval is being mis used. It is supposed to be to show that you are mentally capable of compliance, understand the surgery and risks and so forth. They are trying to avoid having people with serious mental problems from taking it on because it is very stressful etc. The very idea that your "evaluator" wants you to prove why this surgery is better infuriates me. Are you able to get an evaluation from someone else? I got my eval from someone who was anti weight loss surgery...lol. She was smart though, and knew her job. She may not have agreed with my choice, but clearly evaluated that I was capable of making that choice and was of "sound mind" to proceed. IT wasn't her job to judge or make me explain why I failed once but wont again. It upsets me that you are being put through this. I will say however that you just described a set of behaviors that you do NOT want to repeat. I think one of the advantages that those of us that revised have is an experience of "how to fail at weight loss surgery without really trying" and can take those lessons to our benefit. Speaking for myself, I will never let shame stop me from asking for, demanding HELP when I need it. That means support from fellow patients, nutritionalists, doctors - whatever I need. I somehow felt that way when I was banded and at times behaved as you did - never again!

Congrats Deb - I know how scary this is. We are here to give you support as you move forward as a sleevie. Honestly, it saved my life I am so glad I didn't give up just because of that lousy crapband!

I am not a big drinker but enjoy the occasional drink when going out with friends. I never have more then 1 or maybe 2 if over a long evening out. Last night I was a basketball widow and since taking Friday off...it wasn't a work night. I was tired after a long day and decided to have a glass of wine at home. Mistake! I was tired and hadn't eaten for about 7 hours. I think I had a second glass..not sure. I was in bed by 9, never did eat dinner. Wow that really shocked me how this hit me. I won't do THAT again!

Well I do intend to still enjoy the occasional drink but I have a whole new respect for how vulnerable I am to alcohol. The no food overtired combo was lethal. Family came home, set off dogs and general chaos that should have woken me but Didnt. i was passed out.

My tip is don't buy into the "one year " window of opportunity idea. I knew I wasn't going to lose all 150# in 12 months so I asked my NUT how to do this; she told me to just keep rocking that sleeve and she was right! I hit goal in 14 months. Small portions to maintain the feeling of restriction and avoiding grazing are both key. You have done great!

So it was otr that corrupted all these innocents???

This topic is a month old, but moved to the top. I have been in maintenance since February - maintenance scares me more then anything! So far, it is going great!!!! I don't want to make it sound easy, it is not. Life keeps wanting to draw me into eating too much of the wrong foods, tempting me to skip working out etc.... but I remain determined. For those of you planning a revision, or still in the sleeve weight loss journey - I just want to share that it is possible to be successful as a revision. There were several ladies who used to post to this forum that lost 100+ after being revised and they gave me the courage to "believe". Like many of you, I felt like I was the one person on the planet that can fail at losing weight no matter what the surgery. Truth is, any of us can not do great, or we can do awesome. Alot of it is in our own personal control. I found a NUT/dietician that helped me so much and I learned to change things up. Sometimes you need to eat more, need to eat less, reduce carbs, increase carbs... shake it up. Change your exercise routines... listen to your body. Don't be afraid of "only" losing 10# a month. How the heck do you think I lost 150# in 14 months? By losing in the general ballpark of 10 a month!!!! Some months way more... some way less.... be in this for the long haul. Hope it is going great for all of you.

I don't know that condition, but I would look for a second opinion from a respected/experienced bariatric surgeon. The first 6-8 months post op I occasionally had that feeling like I couldn't swallow. I had never heard about it as a side effect, but my surgeon screened for it so it must be. Good news it is gone now but I would worry about this over the long haul if you already have problems.

It helped me alot having a few trusted friends who have never been morbidly obese (they range from skinny minis to those who struggle with the 25-40 pounds of extra). They are brutally honest - like "why the heck are your "skinny jeans" hanging off your ass?" Heck, they were the people that first told me I was eligible for skinny jeans! I can't emphasize enough how helpful it is to have people who don't have dismorphia (or other serious body image type problems) themselves to give this feedback. Even now, I tend to wear clothes that fit too big. for major clothing purchases, I need to have someone with me. Even my hubs, who is oblivious, noticed that my size 10s gave me a baggy butt and when I shopped for new clothes for work, he was the one that moved me down to the size 8s, It does help with the mind-body issues. It sounds crazy, but the other thing that helps is proper shoes. When I wear a dress or dress slacks, with a nice pair of heels, I get that longer leg and suddenly I feel like I look so much better. Who knew that giving up on nice shoes was one of the sacrifices due to obesity. Now that I can wear good shoes, I am astounded what a difference it makes to my "looks" workout clothes is another problem area. I was doing a group exercise class having to hold up my workout pants before I finally admitted to myself that I no longer needed a plus size...LOL. It is like I didn't feel like I was a member of the "club" or something. Now, I always start with a size medium or an 8 and adjust from there depending on the brand. This is much better then starting with a large or XL and adjusting from there - I always wound up with too big of clothes!

I have consulted with local surgeons, including talking to real patients, seen dozens of photos - i feel so confident in the doctor but holy cow - the expense! I don't want to go outside the country, but am now looking at this. I can look at websites, and read individual success stories, but i really don't know how to research out of country options methodically and logically. I have lost 150# so need MAJOR work and would probably rather do it in stages. curious to those of you that know more about this, how do you get a balanced view of overseas options? I have been lookin at dr Saucedo in Monterray Mexico - honestly mostly because there is an active group of patients on a weight loss forum - no other reason.