Sleeved&Fabulous

It hasn't been effecting me but then again I only drink decaf. Caffeine raises my BP so much so I stay away from it. I love iced coffees. I think I have one every other day and it hasn't stopped me from losing so I would say no but with caffeine, I don't know.

LOL...me too! I was like what kind of tape did they use! There has to be a better one out there that doesn't require you to basically scrub your skin off lol

You poor thing! Sorry this happened to you. You definitely took it well. Soon you'll look back on this in laughter! I probably would've cried and then curled into a ball because I was so embarrassed. Learning what our new little stomach does and doesn't like is quite an experience!

I lost 12 lbs my first week. That's amazing you lost so much. I don't think there is a normal since everyone loses at different paces. That just shows how successful this will be for you. Congrats! Keep it up!

Sounds like something my Mom would do too, lol! Gotta love them though! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I was totally against it at first. It took me a few years to decide so take all the time you need. I feel like one day it just clicked and I was like, I don't want to live like this anymore. It's scary to know that you'll be undergoing surgery and risks and complication can arise. I'm 3 months out and I'm down 55 lbs. I feel great. I like myself more now that I'm becoming healthy and taking care of myself. I know I couldn't have reached this weight loss on my own. I have more energy now which makes exercising much easier. I don't dread going to the gym anymore. We can each tell you how well it works for us and how much we like it but you have to decide what will be best for you. Some don't like their sleeve because it is a lot of work. But for me, I think the work is worth it. Wouldn't change my sleeve for anything!

That's great news...congrats!

I had mines a few weeks before my surgery date. So I guess you can say the end. It was the most refreshing nap I've ever had.

I buy myself new smaller clothing as well. It also leads to more compliments on my weight-loss progress which keeps me motivated! I also buy myself some fashion jewelry/handbags. I'm obsessed with accessories and jewelry.

I always think the same thing! How do I get all these fluids in? Too much liquids required and not enough time in a day to get them all in.

No one needs to know if you don't want them to. You can just tell them you needed to take time off for personal reasons, which is true.

Lol...I like your attitude about it! I'm pretty open about it to. If people ask how I'm doing it, I tell them. I've been lucky to not have many negative comments given about my decision but I could care less what people think. At the end of the day, we do this for ourselves and it has nothing to do with anyone else. We are in control of our own bodies and what we want to do with it. If you support me, great! If not, then too bad. I also want to be open about it because I want people to see how it works if they've been contemplating on doing the same thing. I would love to be that driving factor or inspiration for someone else. That would probably be one of the best feelings!

I completely agree with you. It is a very risky procedure and people lose their lives. Calling it a tool does kind of oversimplify the procedure when in fact it is very dangerous and not everyone is as lucky. Complications do arise that may mean more surgery and/or in worst cases, lives are lost. I call it a tool so people don't think I took the easy way out. WLS is usually associated with trying to lose weight the easiest way. This is not the easy way out and it does require a lot of effort on our part. That's what many people do not understand and will never understand unless they've gone through the procedure.

Feeling like you will fail is normal. The surgeons tell you that it doesn’t work for everyone. They also tell you that you may not lose as much as you want. You have to believe that will not be the case for you. I’ve tried numerous diet programs and lost weight but never sustained the weight loss. I thought to myself, why will this work for me? Why should I do it? I was scared and nervous about the procedure. I mean it’s surgery. I’m getting cut open and put to sleep. There are numerous risks that are associated with that. But then I thought to myself, there are numerous risks that are associated with being overweight. Many of those risks overlap. What do I want more? My friends and family members continued to ensure me that I would succeed and that’s what helped me. They continued to give me that positive support that I needed. I’m only 3 months post op but I’m happy with what I’ve lost so far and I am so eager to lose more. Once you start losing, it’s such a good feeling that you want to do everything possible to ensure it continues. You will succeed and you have to continue to believe you will. It will be a difficult journey but we’re all here for each other to make the ride a little easier!

Stress can definitely set you back a little. I know, I've been there. I find that giving in a little is okay as long as you can try to do so as healthy as possible. I crave junk food too but I'll try my best to find a better alternative. I have a sweet tooth so I'll have some strawberries and cool whip and my sweet tooth is satisfied. Definitely a healthier option then maybe a piece of candy or ice cream which I would probably prefer lol. I find that finding something that is just as satisfying and not as bad for you helps to satisfy both your cravings and still doesn't sabotage all the hard work you have done. But I'm not going to lie, sometimes I do give in though. Hey, we're all human, right? But I'll have a small portion and go to the gym to burn it off and ensure my weight loss continues to happen. Stress is definitely difficult to cope with. Journaling helps me too. With exam studying, I always have to give myself a break and that helps ease the stress too. Study hard but definitely take a break when needed. Your mind always needs a refresher every once in a while. Hope this helps. Good luck!