MySouthernSleeveRevival

Thanks Autumn, I wish you a successful 1st meeting as well! Let me know how it goes.

I met with my surgeon yesterday for the first time. I had attended his support group a day earlier and unfortunately got lost on the way there and showed up only to catch the last 15 min:( but it was enough to know there would be supporters there to connect with. I did the whole gamete of labs (which I didn't expect to have done lol) paper work spoke to the dietician, about Portion Control and making good food choices. I felt like she was telling me what I had already known. I felt a little silly actually when she was talking to me. Like maybe this isn't the best choice for me, that maybe I could give it an honest go of it one last time. If I could just follow her pre-op suggestions and go back to WW. Then came the surgeon he looked things over with me and said I was a perfect candidate for the sleeve. He wants to do an endoscopy to see the stomach before we actually go into surgery. I guess that's his protocol. Anyone else have to do this? Anyhow as he was talking to me I started to feel hopeful that this could work! I could have this done and be a success. I admitted to him that I knew he would do his job, and the rest was up to me. That I had enlisted the help of a therapist (which I meet with next week) and I needed to change behaviors. if I really want to have an HONEST go of this. He was VERY surprised that my ins does not require weight management, and said I could have this done rather quickly!!! I went to the finance dept and she was surprised as well how "Easy" this could all be she said I could potentially have this done the last week of Dec or first week of Jan depending on Holidays and how quick I would have my phycology appt done. Needless to say I'm scared, hopeful, my mind is wondering is this it for me. I have a second chance at getting my body back my control back...Will I take it??? I'm an all or nothing kinda girl. I want to say YES!!! take it and run girl!!! But the fat girl in me that keeps letting herself down is afraid I will let myself down with this too. I need encouragement. I feel confused but if I have to be honest its not confusion, it's the fear of not being able to eat things away anymore and having to deal with them head on, and finding a healthier means of coping and I know that's exactly what this surgery will force me into. Thank the Lord for my extremely supportive Mr. Awesome, and the ability to have a therapist help me along the way. And of course the community here, I read so much of what all post and try to stay optimistic and fearless. Thanks for listening this is just one of the first pages of my revival;)

I have been thinking about this post all day!!! It is so many internal conversations I have had with myself. Again thanks so much for posting this and for ALL that responded. I have found so much value and truth to everyone's insight and experiences. I pray that my journey, the bad days and the good days, the days I may/will find myself on both sides of the issue will be with like minded and supported folk as ya'll. I want a balance and trying to find it all, is a journey I hope to be able to take with the vets on this forum. I'm VERY new to this site, however I see and value the experience here. Again thanks from a newbie that has her eyes wide open and open ears to take it all in

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! I came to this forum, because I REALLY want to and am ready to make these drastic changes. Like many of you I'm a food addict. I'm right at the point that I have looked at myself and finally have seen the light. I am realizing how much food has control over my life and how much time I have wasted on food, in every imaginable way possible. I have thought about wls for several years. I am so grateful I have not taken the plunge in the past and thought it would all work it self out once the surgery was in place. I was smarter than that. I really let myself figure things out. Two things have happened over the last 6 years of contemplating whether or not I should have this wls. First I have continued to gain, secondly I have not taken the necessary measures to make this happen on my own. I am 37 y/o 254.5 lbs 5'3 woman, who is severely depressed due to her weight and I have never been able to make "it" happen. I have chosen to have wls, not to see what I can still eat or not eat..but to see what it's gonna feel like and look like once I start living again!!! I have a goal to be able to run a marathon, to do a Spartan race, to kayak. If I never have a cupcake again I don't f-ing care I want to LIVE!!! I have set up therapy for the first time in my life. I feel like I will need some help saying goodbye to an old friend, the girl who got me here to 254, I feel like that girl needs to be honored , heard and respected that she got me this far in life but to also say goodbye to her...she can't go with me on my new adventure, she has served her purpose in my life, although it may sound crazy, I feel like i'm at a crossroads of saying goodbye to the old girl while stepping forward to grab the hand of the new girl. I am so grateful for all those that have taken the time to post in this thread. So much of what all of you has said rang true for me. I know I have a long journey ahead of me. But I know I must take a new path. I'm in need of a revival within my self;)The post's here were so thought provoking and honestly the best one I've read to date. Again thanks. I get so much from the vets! Please stay around there are those like me that truly value your points of view who rely on those that have gone before us and are still making it work.

What an awesome thread! I'm always so curious as to what others are eating. As I know this will all just be around the corner for me too. Thanks for sharing!!!

Go you!!!

Congrats!!!

Thanx BB2017. how have your follow ups been? Do you attend the support group? Can you tell me what's the one thing you like most about him?

Thanks Amazon for clarifying that... I should have worded that better. only ment that if I feel like I need to wet my mouth not the need of thirst, just to kinda wash the food away...sounds gross lol

BF2 congrats on the size 8!!! sounds great, excited to be where you are soon!!! 80lbs in 6 months you go girl!!!

LFG thank you so much!!! Congrats on your last nut class!!! I bet t has been a long road for you, but it looks like your at the finish line of that phase...woot woot!!! do you know what his pre-op diet looks like? Also do you attend the support group offered? I am hoping I can attend it tomorrow night, but I'm not sure if I can just drop by? Have a beautiful blessed day!!! Thanks again and congrats

I'm pre-op and have started to create this habit already to help me latter. Two things I notice help me are setting a timer on my phone and secondly if I feel super "dry" pop in a sugar free small breath mint just to get the saliva going...it helps a lot not sure if it's ok to do that but I'm trying to create good habits. Thoughts???

Congrats!!! I bet it feels great!!!

Thank you for the post, it's just what I needed to hear after a restless night of am making the right choice, which I know I am. Just scared is all. I realize this wls is only the beginning, and the rest will be upto me:)

Love the fact that your hubby is shopping for you!!! Happy dance girl!!! It must feel awesome!!! Can't wait to join you

Hey ya'll just looking for some insight on Dr. Antonetti. I meet with him on the 7th, but would love to hear from his patients. Any and all info would be so helpful. Pre-op diet stage, progression, bedside manner. If you have had any issues was he good about getting you thru those hurdles etc. Thanks in advance!

tbh...your before and after pcs look like a Mother and Daughter. I swear you look about 20 years younger!!! The smile are priceless

As all have said before, your post confirms the decision I have made. Thank you for letting us know how bright the future will/can be;)

What an amazing success!!! You must feel so proud!!!

Hi, just wanted to know if you had your op and how it went with Dr. Antonetti? would appreciate any info you have about your experience.

Beachbum...what can I expect for my pre-op diet? I realize it may be different or the same as yours...but curiosity's got this girl all tizzied up

Beachbum THANK YOU for letting me know!!! I haven't heard anything about him yet. CONGRATS that is impressive!!! GO YOU!!! Woot Woot

thanks feeling welcomed already

Well hey ya'll is what we say in these parts;) I wanted to stop in and introduce myself. My screen name/topic title say's it all. My family and I just moved to the south approx. a month ago. However My Southern Sleeve Revival aka: MSSR has been a story unto it's self. I have researched wls for quite some time on and off for about 6 years now and even got right up to the week before surgery and insurance denied me 4 days prior for not havng a documented weight history of obesity for more than 5 years...mind you I had already had all the pre-op stuff done. It was truly a blessing in disguise I wanted it,( at the time the band) but I was scared to death of all the horrible threads I had read about the dreaded 1% so I took the denial as a sign. I sighed with relief that I didn't have to go thru with it!!! However I can say though, everyday since then and before then, I have wondered what it would have been like. And I constantly wake up feeling a huge mound of regret that I have not taken the resource of wls paired with therapy to change things around for myself. I have not always been overweight. The weight crept on right after having my daughter 12 years ago. I'm sure I kept it at bay way earlier with heavy smoking and being in the Army and prior to that an active teen. I have a wonderful support team...my bff/husband we will just call him Mr. A = Mr. Awesome and my most amazing daughter. I have only told my sil about my decision and plan on just telling two other life long friends who will be supportive of my decision. I meet with my surgeon Dr. Marc Antonetti (so if you have any experience with him I'd love to hear about t please!!!) On Nov 7th...per my ins this is covered, but I have heard that before (now we have a new ins:) so I will wait til I hear back to get super excited. I plan on returning to work/a new career, after a very long 4 year hiatus doing the stay at home Mom thing ( which I adore) but I'm in a new town, I'm at a new space in my life, new career landed in my lap with a willing mentor, and soon to have a new stomach...hence the name My Southern Sleeve Revival. I look forward to meeting and staying in touch with those of you who have gone before me and those at the starting line with me

re·viv·al-an improvement in the condition or strength of something...an instance of something becoming popular, active, or important again...a restoration to bodily or mental vigor, to life or consciousness, or to sporting success