Thinmint

I think we all feel the same way, it is kinda cool to see others, get hints, and generally identify with those who have had the same thing done. Keep fighting and I am watching you so don't go off the deep end.

This will be the best thing you have ever done...... and you can't believe the results.....

Excellent - find the pills to swallow and you will not taste the bad stuff..... I changed over to that and it went a lot better. Also check out my pictures and weight chart you might want to do this it has been excellent to show folks what is really happening. I did side views which is the worst possible angle for pictures you can have but it shows the real progress. Keep us posted on your losses. Jeff

Congrats - now for the learning how to live with a great change..... Eat very slowly and chew it to bits is all I can say for now. If you eat to fast you will not feel the pain until it is tooooo late. Slow and search for the feeling of when to stop. You will find it does not take long to get full.... I am at 11 weeks and down 73 lbs. See my pictures of each week side profile

I had to weight 4 times this morning. Wow! 73 lbs in such a short time. I have been working out 6 days a week for about 1/2 hour but I have done that in the past as well, with no weight loss. This sleeve really works well. And the kicker is I never really feel hungry. I have a progression of pictures if you double click my picture to see updates.

Well I had the sleeve done - This is the story. Left for Vegas on Tuesday got off the plane and headed for my appointment for Pre-surgery - everything was a go. So my wife and I hit the strip and I played black jack and won.... not much but still won. We ate normal and I did not drink alcohol. Went to bed on time for a 7:00am surgery at a surgery center. We had signed up on one of those package deals where the hotel is included. So we were up and headed to the center (by the way rent a car it is better to have the freedom to go) I went in and filled out some more forms and headed to the prep room. Met the anesthesiologist he went through a few items and the nurses were wonderful. Then I saw my Doctor (Thomas Umbach ) not long after that I was being wheeled to the surgery room. I was give something that made me feel very sleepy but could understand everyone. Then told to breath deeply two breaths and I don?t remember anything except being woke up saying surgery went fine and it is done. This was about 10:30 or so I think. Surgery was about an hour and recovery 2 . I took some pill for pain and they started me walking. It did not hurt to walk so I kept going after hearing everyone on this site telling me how walking really helped. Dr Umbach also installed a pain drip system that hung around my neck and had some small tubes planted around where the surgery took place, with a big ball that would dissipate in 3 days, this provided a pain free experience. I was released at noon to go back to my hotel which I walked and slept and drank water (very very very small sips) the fist night I had some small discomfort felt like acid reflux so I called the doc on his cell phone which was nice about 10pm and he said I could get some pepto or any over the counter acid reducer I wanted. My wife drove out to get it and also got liquid Tylenol which I recommend very much. I burped a lot and had to raise my arms when drinking water to get it down. The doc said for the first day my stomach would be swollen and until it went down it would be a bit tough. It was, but by the end of the next day it eased up. Sleeping and walking is the trick and the Tylenol made everything right as rain. On Friday we went back for a follow up with the doctor, and everything was perfect so we said our good bys and we headed for the Hoover Damn wanted to see it. I even drove ? I don?t feel the surgery hardly at all it is the drinking that lets me know it is there. So we got back from there and got our flight out back to Kansas City ? Because I have traveled so much we both were in first class so that was nice, bigger seats if you know what I mean. This is the first day back home and since the 2 weeks prior with the protein shakes to today I am down 27 lbs. I am just starting to feel hungry this whole time prior I have not had a desire to eat. I have force the drinking because I know that is good for me. I hope this helps with those who have not taken the plunge yet. I plan to keep you up to date on the progress. My doctor told me to walk everyday so my wife and I are headed to the gym in a little while, course I will be on slow mo for a while. Thanks for listening and hope it helps someone else.

It has been 5 weeks now and I am down 3 pant sizes 54 lbs.... and still going.... WOW is a BIG WOW and I agree with what you said. I think going to the gym is helping with the great losses.....

Best Money Ever Spent......... 5 weeks out (Never had any pain from the surgery) learning to operate differently but almost half way home in 5 weeks WOWWWWW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just try to enjoy the not hungry part.... and try to get in the protein. It will help with how you feel (strength wise). If you don't you will feel weak and if you get up to fast you will be taken back.... as you move on down the time line you will get to eat but it will be much like what you just did for a while then it will change again and you can eat more. This is the period for great weight loss, and yes I am a guy and I get cold my wife calls me a little girl when I use to be a full on heater myself. I used to never be cold, heck that changed quick so it must be even worse for women. Good luck with your journey Melting Man

I use to think the same thing... but I also know the larger a person is the more food they need to keep at the same level. The smaller a person the smaller amount. So I had mine done almost 5 weeks ago with no pain at all and have lost 54 lbs including pre-op diet. I am taking vitamins daily, and I am told it takes 6 months or more to get to a more normal state. So I have 5 months to chill out and enjoy the great weight loss, yes I don't get to eat very much until full, however, I am trying everything and I can still eat just about anything - the thicker the meat the harder it is for chew time. Melting Man.....

PRE-OP diet - they told me it would help moving the Liver out of the way for surgery. All I know is it helped with the post OP because if you think the amount in pre-op was small just wait. The great thing about post op is you really don't care if you eat but you know you have to..... Good luck and it is the best thing you can do.... Almost 5 weeks out and melting away

DeeDee I saw this flyer for cheap vacations to the beech and or cruise's - I have not called yet but will when the weather is a bit hotter. 1-800-563-5036 (I mean so cheap it sounds to good to be true) just say you saw a flyer on it. Hope that helps....

I'm not sure what kind of Job you have but I had 3 days off plus the weekend and was back to work. I also was a self pay and my wife would not let me go to Mexico so I went to Vegas with Dr Umbach and had such a easy surgery I felt no pain from the surgery at all. Good luck with what you do.... it is worth it.

20K You better start looking around that is out of line.... I wanted to go to Mexico but my wife stopped that.... I found Dr Thomas Umbach in Vegas for 9,900 and I felt nothing from the surgery. Excellent doctor. You must be at the high end.... with the plane trip and hotel just a bit over 10K half of what you are talking about.

I just had it done coming up on 4 weeks now.... I can tell you I was concerned but it was actually the easiest sugery I ever had. Now the eating part is a different story. The amount you can eat in the first few weeks is very very very little. However, you don't feel hungry so heck that is sort of easy also. You look at food differently like how can anyone possibly eat a subway foot long. When I know I have eaten 1 and 1/2 of them myself. When I see ads on TV I can't believe what I am seeing in the full plates of food. The amount you need to be full will surprise you. Go for it I have now lost 49 lbs and still going. I am also going to the gym and just sort of walking on the eliptical machine. I hear the band only limits food so you still feel hungry with this you don't feel the hunger and if you do it is no where even close to what you use to feel.

One thing you can do but might be to late this year..... sign up with FSA with your employer and get the whole amount upfront tax free. Of course each pay check will have a certain amount removed. But if you have been putting in 401K maybe you can stop that and start this for a year and be done with it all. That's what I did and it was great.

Good Luck and I have to take the same amount of pills..... I swallow all of them - don't like the chew type. Yuck....

4 weeks out 47 lbs down, down 2 pants sizes - noticing skin is loose but not sagging, I am concerned but when I watch the TV show the biggest looser the skin seems to pull up on the folks my size. I am hitting the gym everyday as well. I would like to hear your stories on skin .....

Trust me it will not be easy to get it all so the vitamines will be important. You get full so fast it takes most of the day to drink one shake.

I am 4 weeks out and finally trying new foods, I still can't eat very much before I am full, so I have changed the way I approach it. I take a very very small bite and chew it till it becomes vapor, my fork is on the table and not in my hand. I also talk more at dinner, that helps with time. So just as I am full the rest of the group is finishing up. Seems to help make it more normal. By the way I have been to the gym almost everyday, can't stand chewable vitamins, switched to only swallow pills, and have lost 47 lbs so far.

I had the same experience - did not really feel the surgery but the intake was way different. I don't think I ate anything for 2 days only water.

I am in week 4 and I am using a water bottle that does not tip because it has a built in straw. I swish it around a bit before swalling but use it exclusively.