920amy

I'm getting toward the end of my journey, and it's funny how things are so different from the inside looking out. I've realized through this journey that while each NSV and every mini goal met is significant and praise worthy, the most significant loss I had was the first 30-40 for me. It was when I hit the middle of those numbers that I realized that I WAS doing this! I AM going to succeed!! I CAN keep losing this weight!! It was the true marker for me and the green light to realize that my body was changing, I was shrinking and it was the first and probably the biggest boost to my confidence that I've had this entire journey. That being said, the first 30-40 lbs of my loss was probably the most insignificant to those around me and who saw me on a daily basis. It was enough for them to see that I'd lost 'some' weight, but let's face it when you're as big as we all are/were a 30-40 lb loss LOOKS like maybe 10-15 to the untrained eye. I don't even think my first 30 I went down a pant size yet! Hardly anyone noticed those first blocks of weight when they were shed, but I knew. I noticed, and I was proud!! Now, as I'm battling my last 40-30 pounds it seems really insignificant, I've already battled away over 100 lbs of loss, what is 30 or 40 more? It's nothing! BUT! To those that are outside looking in, I think this is the MOST significant 30-40 pounds. In my last 10 pounds of loss I've had more compliments, comments, people noticing how small I've gotten. They marvel and wonder aloud 'How much more are you going to lose?!'. It's funny how that flip is switched. For me to say 'Oh, just 30' now the looks are of shock and awe! When I lost my first 30, those who asked how much I had lost and I told 'Oh, just 30' very excited and bubbly, they'd respond with maybe a glance and an over the shoulder 'Oh, that's good...'. It's funny how people perceive those who are going through a change. Ultimately, I'm proud of every last pound, every last inch. This transformation has been amazing! I'm not the fastest loser, but I'm not giving up!! I'm going to do it! I'm going to reach my goal, and I know each and everyone of us can and will!!

I'm now almost 16 months out. I had my first alcoholic drink after 3 1/2 months. I do still drink on occasion, however I'm an incredible lightweight now. I used to be able to have an entire bottle of wine by myself and still barely feel drunk. Now, less than one glass and I'm practically trashed! Talk about a cheap date! Also, Alcohol has taken on a much stronger taste to me. Even mixed drinks with the slightest amount of booze is much more pungent. I stil rarely do champagne, and I never drank beer before, but mainly with champagne it's because of the carbonation. Carbonation makes my tummy feel terrible, like it's going to explode. Not everyone has the same experiences. These are mine. Hope it helps

So I'm 15 months out, and SERIOUSLY struggling with the last 40 lbs...at least it feels like that, I've been averaging 5-7 lbs a month the last 3 months or so, which is still good, but I just want it gone already!! I think my obsession with these final pounds is a bit unfounded, I inherited a large amount of size 10 and 12 jeans which I've been wearing for the most of the winter, I've known for about 2 weeks now that I seriously needed to buy some new jeans, but I didn't really 'think' I was thin enough to fit into a size smaller. I kept telling myself that the 10's and 12's had stretched since I've been wearing them so much. Well, today was my day of honesty. I went to Marshalls and locked myself in a dressing room with 5 pairs of size 8 jeans (so TINY looking!) and 5 pairs of size 6 (for funsies, I told myself)...yup, the size 6's fit!! All of them different brands and styles, all of them fit well! They looked good, flattering...but I don't FEEL like I thought I would feel in a size 6. Does this make sense or am I crazy?! I loved the jeans, but then I lamented on my still poochy and now saggy belly...my sad arms, and baggy thighs...I go to the gym everyday now, and size 6 is CRAZY small! Especially compared to the size 24 that I used to be, but WHY don't I FEEL like I'm CRAZY small?! UGH! Does satisfaction come? At what size?! I know, don't focus on the number, don't focus on the measurement...but for so long I've tied my happiness to a pant size, and now I think I was more happy to fit in those 12's I have so many of than I am to fit in the 6's! Before it was 'Wow, I need to buy one of these, and one of these....' now it's 'I need to buy new clothes...AGAIN!'...just frustrated

Has anyone heard of Mexico plastic surgeons? Thanks!!

I am 15, almost 16 months out, and still losing an average of about 5-7 pounds per month. Here are my answers: Can you eat a whole apple? Maybe if it were a really small apple, I buy pre packaged apple slices with Peanut Butter, usually 1/3 to 1/2 an apple per package. It doesn't fill me up to FULL, but I don't like to feel FULL anymore, it's not a satisfying feeling anymore like it was before the sleeve. Can you eat rice and Pasta without discomfort? Yup. I had Gnocci for dinner tonight. Usually it has to have a lot of sauce mixed with it, plain white rice or pasta with no sauce doesn't go good, but as long as there is anough moisture mixed in, it goes good. Do you ever have the occasional glass of wine with dinner? Not 'with dinner', I don't drink during meals, it's uncomfortable and fills me up too fast and makes me full for less amount of time. But yes, I do drink wine before and after meals, but I can't drink 1/4 as much as before the surgery. Alcohol affects me a lot faster now, so usually 1 full glass and I'm already drunk. How have your close relationships been effected by your weight loss? Family wise, everyone is super supportive and great, friend wise, it's a mixed bag, some people have blown me off, you do get the weird jealous people that come out of the woodwork. Some people are more supportive. Very few people in my life know I did this though. I've definately become more outgoing as I'm more confident so I've made a lot more friends in the past year than I have in awhile. Are you able to quickly drink a glass of Water on a hot day or after a workout? Yes, but not as fast. I do a no-no and LOVE straws. I still drink from a straw and never really quit even immediately after surgery. I have drank too much too fast before and caused myself some pain, but live and learn! If you were an emotional eater, what behavior have you replaced the emotional eating with? I'm a stress eater, and I've replaced it with walking away. I've really gotten a better handle on ways to deal with stress before it gets to that level, but I will still sometimes grab an ice cream or other junk snack slider and have an emotional pity party, but not nearly as much as before. Do you have any sadness associated with the inablilty to eat a large portion of something incredibly delicious? Nope. If it's something amazing I will wait until I digest and then eat more, or I will wrap it up and take it for later, but typically if you eat until you're full then wait to digest and go back for more the appeal isn't there as much as it was to begin with.

Nesa, you look great!! I've taken pictures as a marker of my success, the things I did to keep sane about looking at them, I only took pictures once a month, I did the exact same poses each time. I tried to wear the same types of clothes and undergarments. I can definately tell in your pics that your belly is smaller, but in your first pic, your arm is on your hip, so of course it looks different than with it held flat against your body. Also, standing with your feet apart and together also makes your legs look different. Try to take pics in the same poses, and I know this sounds super crazy, but try not to look at the pictures you just took and compare them to the last ones. I didn't even look at my pictures until I was already 6 months out, then, it was MIND BLOWING to see the difference! You're doing a great job and looking fabulous!! Just take it one day at a time!!

Personally, I was sleeved in MX so I didn't ahve any post op follow up. I had surgery and flew back home less than a week later. My loss was really slow at first, then accelerated, then stopped, then slow, then stopped....I'm just getting off another plateau now. I'm 15 and a half months out, and I think this final 40 lbs is kicking my a**, but I know that slow and steady will win the race. It's easy to get discouraged and to look at the tickers of other who had surgery the same time as you and wish you had their results already, but the most honest and best advice I can give is: Don't compare yourself to anyone else. Compare yourself to you. When was the last time you lost 10 lbs before surgery, how long did it take? Did it take longer and was it more difficult than the current 10 lbs you're lamenting over? The answers are probably yes and yes. Another thing to remember about your loss now, is that, you're not losing weight, you're GETTING RID of it!! That is 10 lbs you will probably never ever ever EVER see again!! How great is that!?! One day at a time, if you do the right things, Protein first, exercise, you WILL see results, you WILL lose the weight, and you WILL look hot and feel great!! Welcome to the losers bench!!

Ugh, that's really tough! Have you talked to your NUT and Psych about this? Does your ins have a mandatory weight loss stipulation about the 6 month diet? I would definately tell your NUT what's going on and ask what the exact requirements are for your ins. Maybe they can get the ins approval, but let you do a 8 or 10 month so you get off the full 25 that they are wanting. The weight loss before you have surgery is to shrink your liver so they lower the chances of accidentally lacerating it during surgery. It is a safety measure, but they might be able to do an ultra sound to see if your liver has shrunk enough? Don't stress too much about the surgery, in the end I'm sure it will all come together for you. It might take a little longer, but where there's a will, there's a way. Take some time to greive and tell your team what's up, I'm sure they'll understand. Good luck!

I feel like a giddy school girl! I was sleeved 11/2012 in Mexico as my husbands insurance didn't cover any form of bariatric care and he's watched as I've lost the weight and been successful. He's finally decided that he's ready to make his own sleeve journey! I'm so excited for him!! Luckily, his current insurance carrier now does cover bariatric surgery, so I've contacted their 'Bariatric resource center', they've set up a referral in their system, and they're supposed to be calling within 3-5 business days to get him enrolled in the program, and tell us what to expect. Does anyone already know? Does anyone have United through Raytheon? What services do they cover? Do they cover the sleeve?! Of course my husband and I both are partial to the sleeve as that's what I've had and been highly successful, of course we've done all of the research and feel the sleeve is best anyway. We are so excited for this journey for him, and know we'll get the info in about a week anyway, but does anyone else out there already know?! Having been a Mexico sleever, my process was pretty quick and seamless, choose your Dr., the surgery, pay, do a 2 week liquid diet, fly to Mexico and have surgery! I know it won't be nearly as quick and easy, but just wondering if United requires a 6 month supervised diet, does it depend on co-morbidities? My husband has a BMI of 49 and also has a heart murmer. Any info will be great! I'm just as excited now as I was when I had first decided to be sleeved and started my journey! YAY!

I feel like a giddy school girl! I was sleeved 11/2012 in Mexico as my husbands insurance didn't cover any form of bariatric care and he's watched as I've lost the weight and been successful. He's finally decided that he's ready to make his own sleeve journey! I'm so excited for him!! Luckily, his current insurance carrier now does cover bariatric surgery, so I've contacted their 'Bariatric resource center', they've set up a referral in their system, and they're supposed to be calling within 3-5 business days to get him enrolled in the program, and tell us what to expect. Does anyone already know? Does anyone have United through Raytheon? What services do they cover? Do they cover the sleeve?! Of course my husband and I both are partial to the sleeve as that's what I've had and been highly successful, of course we've done all of the research and feel the sleeve is best anyway. We are so excited for this journey for him, and know we'll get the info in about a week anyway, but does anyone else out there already know?! Having been a Mexico sleever, my process was pretty quick and seamless, choose your Dr., the surgery, pay, do a 2 week liquid diet, fly to Mexico and have surgery! I know it won't be nearly as quick and easy, but just wondering if United requires a 6 month supervised diet, does it depend on co-morbidities? My husband has a BMI of 49 and also has a heart murmer. Any info will be great! I'm just as excited now as I was when I had first decided to be sleeved and started my journey! YAY!

The other thing is, how bothered will you be by the skin? I am young, was only obese for about 9 years, never had kids, and am exercising now, I have it. It's funny how your loose skin (like my obesity) crept up on me, and really I don't think I mind it half as much as I imagined I would. I'd like to ahve perkier girls (who wouldn't?!), but the flabby 'bat wing' arms arent' really noticable unless I'm flapping my arms around in a sleeveless shirt, the saggy thighs aren't so bad, my thighs always touched before, and I never wore anything but capris, I'm not planning on wearing daisy dukes, and my deflated belly is sad, but the saddest is my belly button. In the end, who see's my belly button? My animals and my husband. I'm reminded of the skin every now and then, I was trying on a cute top the other day, it had a sheer panel that hit JUST where my belly button is, you could see it's sad frowny concaveness through the sheer. I giggled as I imagined putting a bandaide (more like duct tape!) over it to hide it in the trendy top some people say wraps work, but really they just dehydrate the skin, and it comes back, they say to wait a full 2 years after you're at goal and maintaining before plastics as some of it will improve with time, and I think it does. If you feel you need and want plastics, do it!! Try everything to avoid loose skin! Some things might help! I haven't found it though, but what's the harm in trying?! Bottom line though, don't worry about it!! No one will know unless you're naked, and spanxs are awesome! Focus on the loss, not the loose skin!!

I'm only 5'3" and I started at 265. One day at a time You can do it!!

I used silicone strips on my scars. they faded and silvered fairly quickly, but as my belly is shrinking and wrinkling itself, they are reappearing, not in color, but as extra wrinkly bits. As for the face wrinkles, there are lots of lasers that stimulate collogen regrowth, but ultimately, you may be looking at botox or surgery for permanent plumping. Personally, I'm surprised at the 'chicken skin' under my chin, I suppose I should have expected it though, my face has done a lot of shrinking! I suppose if it doesn't tighten, there's always surgery, but for now it doesn't bother me too mcuh. The good news is you're on your way! Congrats on your loss so far!!

Salisa, I used alighterme and had Dr. Lopez. I was supposed to have his wife also, but ended up with Dr. Ortiz at the last minute assisting him. I had my surgery 11/3/12. I have come a long way, and had excellent results. Having had the same Dr, I can tell you he was excellent. I am sure he 8s an amazing surgeon. My reservations are thus: Dr. Lopez is not very personable while he may be a great surgeon, his bedside manner and command of English were lacking. I did have a Great experience in Mexico, but it was because of alighterme. The company took amazing care of myself and my mother. There was one of 4 coordinators around every step of the way. 8 often hear from many others that the company you book through makes all the difference in the world. I never saw or heard from Dr. Lopez after my surgery, and I still regularly email with Janese (My coordinator) on a regular basis. There are many skilled American Board Certified surgeons in Mexico, but I suggest you also look at the company that is representing the surgeons as well.

Yes, I was self pay. I am a Mexico sleever. I used alighterme.com, my sleeve only cost $4,700. That included a 3 day hospital stay, 4 days at the Marriott in Tijuana, and all the broth and popsicles my heart desired!! I'd love to tell you more if you're interested. Just PM me! A side note, I had previously looked into using Dr. Monash out of Tucson, was seeing him went through the whole process and my husband's insurance changed. If I would have gone self pay with him, it would have been 21k.

Sierra Vista!

I also did pictures, I made it a point to set up regular sessions with a professional photographer. I've been taking them about once a month/every ten pounds. I didn't look at any of the pictures until I was 6 months out. WOW! What a difference this surgery makes! I look back at my pictures, and hardly recognize myself. Parts I didn't know could shrink have...my hands, wrists, neck...WOW! Definately take the pictures, and revel in the transformation, because you deserve it!!

Recently, I had a very long stall myself. I was stalled for about 2-3 months with zero loss, and bounced around the same 3-4 pounds. I was frustrated, and began to think possibly I was done losing. I finally decided that I needed to make some changes to continue my loss. I started exercising and going to the gym on a regular basis. I know we are supposed to start exercising from teh beginning, but I didn't. Adding the gym caused me to immediately start dropping again. I've lost about 15 lbs within the past month and a half by adding the gym into my daily routine. It really does work, and is actually far less effort then I chalked it up to be. My best advice, if your calories are on track, and everything else looks good, try upping your gym/cardio exercise and hopefully you'll see the movement again. Good luck!

I'm down 110, was sleeved Nov 3rd of last year. What a crazy amazing transformation this has been!! Crongrats to all of you post sleevers, and everyone thinking about doing this...all I can say, is look at our pics. We are the real deal!

I have lost more than 100 pounds just in the nick of time for my surgiversary! 101 pounds to be exact...but who's counting (I AM!!)! I am now 'overweight', no longer 'extremely morbidly obese'. I sleep less, I feel a million times better, I don't tire and need a nap in the middle of the day, and I EVEN go to the gym every morning!! WOW! 1 year ago today, I would have never thought I'd make it this far already! CRAZY! Here's to 100 lbs, just like my darlin' Clemintine, GONE AND LOST FOREVER!! AND, to my 1 year surgiversary on the 3rd! I LOVE THE SLEEVE!!

Alright ladies, I need some SERIOUS advice! I've bought my fair share of shapers to hide this and help tuck that...but Halloween is upon us and I'm sleighted to go to a Heros and Villians party. Knowing I am super fabulous now in a size 10, I order a near skin tight spider girl (basically spandex) outfit. It fits, my arms look good, my legs are hot, the girls are poppin....then my midsection....I look good in front, but from the side I look like I might as well be pregnant! My roll of hanging belly is the saddest sight in this outfit, I tried on a few pieces of shapewear underneath the costume, but they aren't shaping...maybe I've shrunk out of the size? Maybe I need a different type...ladies, help!! What piece of shapewear will flatten out this bulge, but still contour my waist without giving me bulges in other places?! I don't want my belly to be the fright of the night! Help!

So great to see another review from a fellow Mexico sleever that used ALighterMe and Dr. Lopez. I'm glad you had a great time! Welcome to the losers bench! I had my surgery on 11/03/12, I'm almost a year out and couldn't be happier! Good luck to you on this journey!

I would disagree with that statement! I had my sleeve last year, on Nov 3rd, The pool is outside, and while it wasn't 'cold', it wasn't sunshine and butterflies either. I'd say it was high 60's, low 70's. I'm from Arizona, so for me, this was not 'summer swimming weather'. Also, it is much colder at night than say the midwestern US. The pool is not heated, although they had a jacuzzi, when I was there, the jacuzzi water was not calibrated correctly, and needed chlorine. I did not see anyone sunning or swimming while I was there. Take your suit, it won't take up much space in your bag. If it's tolerable for you, go for it! Good luck and congrats on becoming a Mexico sleever!!

Here is the costume: http://www.buycostumes.com/p/804362/spider-girl-bodysuit-adult-costume I have a flexees singlet, but it doesn't seem to be smoothing right. I think it's too big, I need a smaller one. I'm going to go on the hunt tomorrow. Flexxees are usually my shaper of choice as you can get the ones with the legs, and they usually have more synching power in the waist. I've seen a few shapers that have more of a corset type control in the waist, not sure if those are good or not?

I did it. I'm in Mortgages, have a pretty sedetary job. I was back to work 3 days after I got back. I got tired easy, so had to take a nap/rest in the afternoons more, but it wasn't bad at all. Everyone is different.