slimchicbrookie

Hi charleston friend, Yes ma'am I had my surgery on October 9th 2012 and as of friday Feb. 22 I am 60lbs down!!! I am 27 and have been over weight all my life. This is the best decision I could ever had made. I only wish that I had done it sooner! My experience is nothing to write home about I was in the hospital from tues to fri and only had one hiccup when they started giving me boost shakes to sip throughout the day. I am lactose intolerant and my tiny tummy just couldn't handle it. I was ready to head back to work after about 10 days but had to take my 4 weeks. Now I wish I could have had more time off!! Haha. But I really can not say enough great things about Dr. Mitchell and his team. They rock! Best of luck and I can answer any questions you may have! This is the start of a beautiful journey!

I used a personal trainer once and almost fainted. Its our blood sugars. We are not getting carbs in and that is the most important thing to have pre workout especially with weights/machines. Be very careful to eat a good meal before working out because when your sugar drops you can drop just as fast.

I began my wls journey thinking of getting the sleeve. In the end I went with the bypass because of all the documented history on it. It has been proven that it works and there are years and years of satistics to keep you informed on how things will look in the long term. My biggest issue with food is portion control. I ate really healthy foods most of the time I was just a constant eater. With the sleeve I was told that I would not be restricted from any foods and eventually I could strech out my tiny stomach. I decided to have the bypass and I couldn't be happier. I loved potatoes and breads and all things white before surgery now I don't even think about them when I choose a food to eat. My body no longer craves carbs and I couldn't be more pumped about that. You will know what works best for you but for me knowing how well the bypass has worked for 30+ years was a big part of my choosing to have this surgery. Good Luck and best health wishes to you!

I am also 4 months out and loving it! I start the day with some yogurt and some good carbs(fruits, half english muffin, gronola) cause then I hit the gym and the carbs help maintain your blood sugar. I still drink a protein drink throughout the day just to make sure I am getting in all that protein. For lunch and dinner I have fish or chicken and a small amount of veggies if I can stomach it(I'm still only able to eat 3 to 4 oz a meal) or I just enjoy the protein. I love all seafood it is so easy to mix up reciepes and its so so high in protein. Pay close attention to your tummy though cause what used to work before may not work now. I try small amounts of everything before having a "full" meal. Good Luck!

I am ten weeks out and have never felt better! The first four weeks were tough on me and I really had to stay positive about everything from missing certain foods to no longer being able to hold onto a beer at a cookout but now I am amazed at how great I feel. I try to get plenty of exercise in it has really made me feel so so so much better. It will get so much better just hang in there and it will all be worth it!

I work in a hospital where c-diff is very common. If you are having no formed stools I would suggest going to the doctor. C-diff can make you very dehydrated very fast. Watery stools are the #1 sign. Along with feeling like you have a horrible stomach flu.

I was not allowed anything during surgery...but all places seem to be different. Best of luck I know once I woke up that was the first thing I asked about!! I was super uncomfortable without one in...

I slept on the couch for 10 days... I wouldn't risk the stairs! I am a side sleeper and I had a drain so I had a tough time with sleep. Getting up and down was no problem I moved like a nine month pregnant lady but it worked! Just be careful if you move alot in your sleep cause some spots get pretty sore throughout the day. Best of luck! It is one of the best decisions you could make for a healthy happy you!

Amazing!!!! Great Job Girl!!!

I am so so excited!! I am having surgery on October 8th! I have so many things running through my mind but above all else I am very ready to finally start my life. This journey has been so amazing so far and I am looking forward to it staying that way! My Doctor and his team are amazing and I have so much support from my family and friends. I really could not ask for anything more right now. I want to say a big thank you to all of the wonderful people on this site, you are all such beautiful people and really know how to make someone feel special. Thanks for everything and just know I can't wait to be a LOSER!!!! Brooke

So happy! I had my doctor consult today and I am set to go for surgery in six weeks! I have to set up my pre surgery stuff on tuesday but he said no later than six weeks maybe even earlier. I can't wait it is finally happening and I am ready for my life to not be about my weight but about my happiness. I am so looking forward to starting my new life!

I always enjoy and get awesome encouragement from your post and your responses to others. Thank you so much for sharing your story and for being here for those who are starting out on their journeys! So happy for you!

Well I sent in all of my info into my Docs office and was just waiting for them to call me with my next step...well they never called... So I called and pretty much said "what's going on"... they told me that they had never recieved my paperwork. Ugh!! I was so upset I am very much ready for this process to be on a roll. I then went and filled all of my paperwork out again and hand delivered to my docs office. I didn't want to take any chances with this again. I received a phone call a few hours later and I have my next appt. at the end of August... I am not super excited that it is so far away but "all good things come to those who wait" right?? They did put me on a cancellation list just in case someone chooses to cancel. I am just going to take this time and save up money and continue to diet so I don't GAIN any weight. So even though I have to wait awhile I am excited to have some things set out in a timeline. Ready ready ready to keep this journey going!

Praying for you! Sending my heart out to you and your family! God bless!

Hi all! I have been on here just reading and getting super inspired, but the more I read the more questions I think of! Most of them will go to my doc and his awesome team but I was just wanting to put this one out there...How often do you weigh yourself? I do not own a scale and I do not want to own one even after my sleeve(which I hope to get real real soon!!!) Do you feel like it is better to not be controlled by the number between your two "big" piggies? I am more looking foward to all the none scale victories and all the healthy times ahead but should I only get weighed once a month at my docs office? When I say it out loud it really doesn't seem bad I never weigh myself now so why change. I just feel that when I start losing really noticable weight I will want to weigh myself all the time. Will this be a bad thing? More than anything I just want to know how others feel about weighing in??? Thanks to all who inspire me daily!!

So excited to start my journey to a healthier me! I had my intial consult last week and my insurance has been approved. Hopefully I will know this week when I can expect a date for my surgery. I am so happy and finally feel like I am taking control of my life as a "big" girl. I have never wanted something so much! I have been thinking so much about a thinner me and the thing is... I just CAN NOT picture it. I have been so heavy all my life and I have no idea what it will be like to be thinner. But it doesn't even matter I am 100% on board and I am ready for a NEW me!

Hi, I am new to VST and have been looking around for a few weeks. I find everyone so helpful and nice. It is very uplifting to see so many people willing to share their stories and help those who are in need of some encouraging words. I am just startin out on my journey ( I have my initial consult next week) but I am interested in so many things in the "Sleeve" world. As a girl in her mid 20s I am so ready to start my life and feel that in order to do that I need to be happy with not only my body but my health. I have genetics going against me on both sides and can't remember a time where I was not overweight. I try to picture myself thinner and it just is not something I think I have ever seen. I am so looking forward to all the healthy benefits of being at a healthy weight. I don't want to worry my life away with diets anymore. I have already started exercising more and drinking nothing but Water (ohhh I hate water!) but I am so ready for a life style change that will stay with me forever. Some questions I have are just little things... How long from initial consult till surgery is normal? Is there a required amount for your pre-op diet weight loss? How is the liquid diet post-op? Do you feel like you are getting enough or even too much? Any encouraging words for someone who is ready to start this journey with bells and balloons!!!!???? Thanks Brooke, Charleston,SC

I am very new to VST but love love love reading the success stories its what makes me so much more excited!! Congrats to you and keep up the amazing work!