LilMissDiva Irene

I'd also like to invite you to join in on the Vertical Sleeve Talk website. There is an entire section dedicated to band to sleeve revisions. http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/

Hi Jax, I do believe I remember you! I had my band removed last year and revised to the vertical sleeve. It was not due to erosion, it was due to poor results on weight loss. I absolutely love my sleeve. I'm now working on reaching my third goal post op, which is to fit into size 0... I never imagined that would be me!!! I wish you well in your journey. It IS best to heal first in cases of erosion before getting your sleeve. Leak factors rise for band to sleeve revisions, and its in your own best interest to do this as healthy as possible. Blessings!!

Hi apw... I'm just going to state a few things here and I haven't even read any of the other responses. These types of posts can get a little tricky because you're going to get all sorts of different advice. Here's mine, which I tell everyone: we are all different. You have to find the positive in your journey. So, you are not losing as fast as most others, so what??? ...but what about your losses so far can you find that would make you feel good about it? A few I can pinpoint and I don't even know you: You are losing an average of about 1-2 Lbs per week right now. That is a very healthy rate of weight loss, you can ask any health professional. You are exercising on a regular basis, which, did you do that before you decided to make healthy changes to your life? I realize right now you can't but once you can again, I'm sure you will get back to it. You are getting all your fluids in, which is great! You are eating healthy, great job! You are no longer in the 300's, and you never will be again! Last but not least, you have your sleeve. In fact, I'd say this is the best. The sleeve does not have any kind of expiration date attached to it. It will ALWAYS be there for you, to keep you from eating too much. Just going forth to do something like this takes a lot of courage, and for that you should be commended. Now, I encourage you to see the forest for the trees by looking for all the good treasures of your journey. Don't focus so much on others losses - and I say this all the time too, that more often than not you will find yourself on the losing end of that. Just like cars on the freeway, there will ALWAYS be someone driving faster than you. Don't do that to yourself, it's unnecessary punishment. Things you can do to note your losses are to compare your before photos to your photos now. Are you wearing a smaller size than on surgery day? There are sooo many ways to measure a loss... the scale does NOT DEFINE YOU!

Hi Kim :smile1: Well our stats are (were) very similar. I was 36 when I was sleeved, I weighed 272 Lbs on surgery day and I'm 5'7. I did my very best to NOT have those last meals because I knew that #1, any weight I gained I'd have to eventually work toward getting them back off again and #2, I would be able to eat all of those things again someday... within moderation. What you are feeling is COMPLETELY normal. Don't beat yourself up over this. IMO, these feelings of defeat are the number one reason (at least in my case) why I got fat in the first place. That vicious cycle of self mental abuse. I won't do that to myself anymore! If I make a mistake, which I do - I just move on and tell myself I'll do better next time. This has worked miracles for me. It has gotten me to where I am today, which is now working on my Post, post, post goal... LOL :smile1: No worries, you will be a success - but only if you believe you will.

You've received excellent advice already. I just want to add that, keep an eye to the future. This is just for this year, in the future when you are at goal, you will once again be able to participate in all the fun - even when they are surrounded by food. You will have your sleeve as backup to keep you from eating too much, which is so freeing, I can't even begin to tell you!! Blessings, and have fun socializing today.

So much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!! Whooohooo!!! Thanks for sharing with us.

Wonderful news!! Makin' room for ya on the losers bench!

I love this!!! Girlie I'm from the wrong side of the tracks in Sacramento, and boy would this girl get the low down from me. I'm actually genuinely a nice person, but growing up the way I did I had to be fierce when the need arised. It would be very tactful of course because it is the workplace, but really - she would stop what she was doing. How do I know? Because I've dealt with folks like this already. This person is really nice to me now. Haha!! She got her few chances, but when the time was right - I let her know I wasn't the one.

IMO, you might need to tell her something to put a cap on it. Like "I didn't know we were in a competition". That's just rude... really. I'm so sorry she's doing that to you. Some people's children!!

Well wishes to all three of you tomorrow!!! Xoxo Walk sip & rest... repeat. The sleeve saved my life, now it's your turn.

Well it's said that drinking with our meals will help break down and flush out the food in our bellies much faster had we not drank with our meal. Really though, I notice for me, even taking a tiny sip seems to hurt a little for me. It makes me feel gorged when I know that I really haven't. HTH

It's posts like this that keep me coming back here. I love to see how everyone is doing, it's so amazing this thing they call the "vertical sleeve". Quite possibly the BEST invention for weight loss known to man (and woman!) right now. Blessings to you. Look look totally amazing - and yes, very pretty!!

Heya Jen! I really enjoyed reading this, thanks!! Caught a chuckle here and there too. :biggrin5: Congrats on all the good that's going on with you right now. It IS much more fun to shop now than pre-sleeve. Just be careful! I've found a compulsion to shop now... LOL

Ok, I did a little research - which I should've done a long time ago. Oh well, it is the case, MM had some curvaciousness going on. Almost impossible to replicate. 36D, 22 inch waist and 35 inch hips... Wow - that's some serious hourglass goin on. Not that THAT is really what I was doing... I just always thought it was weird she was considered big when really, she was far from it. And mostly that sizes of today are much different than they were in the 50's. But really, she had a tailor so it's just not feasible to compare sizes to what size average Jane wears versus what she wore. So, with that I'll just get into my Zero's and call it a day. Sizes are so weird, it's really impossible to figure all this stuff out. At least not without leaving with a headache. LOL!!

Whoa what??? Sheesh, I'd read somewhere her waist was a 27... hmmm... well I guess I'll never have a waist that small then!! Haha!!! :banghead: Because for real, I'm sooo done after this goal. I just don't have the frame for that. Okay, well who know with the countouring I just got. I have to remember to never say never all the time. To be honest, I have NO idea what my measurements will be once all is said and done. I just know imma gettin in those pants dangit!! :Angel_anim:

I believe the clinical term for "successful" with WLS is to lose 60% of the excess weight. So yes, you are definitely above and beyond successful. CONGRATS!!!

Yes! I don't know what posessed me to hang up those pants... but sheesh it needed 2 frickin hangers. I was a big big girl. I'm just mad no one told me!!! LOL No kidding on how much they weigh too. I think those pants must weigh 3 Lbs on their own. Like 3 of my pants now days. Thanks for the vote of confidence! I mean this is a really weird, unreal goal for me. NEVER NEVER NEVER did I EVER think I'd even be CLOSE to fitting a size 0. And here I am hanging them up on my wall. I'm very close. Need 2 things, for my swelling to go down from my contouring and then spot checking and maybe another 10 Lbs. We'll see, but I know I'll get there!! This is why I'm always stressing around here when I see posts that doubt they can do this or that... YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN!!!! Hugs!!! Oh yeah! Vanity sizing is insane. I've taken to checking measurements now when ordering clothing online. There's no way of knowing what you'll get back. Like I said too, these jeans I just got are even more stretchy so I'm going to fit the Zero's first. ...and I'm totally OKAY with that!!! Haha!! :arf: Marilyn Monroe's waist was a 27. I think that is where I got the idea on wanting that to be my end result. Well I'm very close! Anyways, girlie it doesn't matter... cheers!!! We're here!! :cheers2:

You SHOULD consider this a success story. It is. You have knocked it outta the park, you look FANTASTIC! Great job.

Whoohoooo!!! CONGRATS Paul!! You have done amazing things already. I have no doubt at all you will hit your next goal. Within one week you're already 5 Lbs in. Cheee!! I completely get you on a lot of things, such as having a long way to go, so setting the bar high to make it easier to get there. Then once you realize you CAN do it... going all the way. Then when you get THERE... who knows? Blessings.

Hi Sushe, welcome to VST. I'm sorry no one responded previously! Usually all posts get some type of response. I am close to your age, I'm turning 38 in a few weeks, so maybe I can help some. I used to get nauseated a lot early out from surgery too, especially if the drink was too sweet tasting or too strong. Some of us get overpowering taste buds. It didn't last long for me, about 2 months at the most I believe. Also, I do get serious issues when I eat real sugar. It literally makes me very bad sick. I never eat more than 15g in one sitting. If I do, I will get dizzy, near blackouts, headache, bad nausea then need to visit the bathroom if you know what I mean. This is more common than most believe with the sleeve. I don't know the statistics, but I"m one of them. You probably should stay away from sugar as much as possible, especially right now while you are healing. And yes, I get the same from dairy products... though not any in awhile. Don't worry that you won't fail, UNLESS you don't intend to follow the sleevers rules. If you do all the right things, you WILL be successful. That simple!! HTH

Likewise my dear friend. It was a joy to watch you meet and exceed your goal!!!

Someone asked me to post the side by side of some 28W's I had kept around. Here is the differences: