shelly75

Wow... You are an inspiration. I have lost only about 40 lbs and I don't like what I see. But I feel SO much better! Please be proud of yourself. Don't worry about saggy boobs - we all have them! I plan on wearing a bra and three-quarter sleeves all the time! (Think I can find a swimsuit with sleeves?) Plus doing neck exercises and moisturizing. As for the rest of it, who cares? Clothes will cover us. And we will be healthy! I am proud of you. God bless you!

Being only 19 years old and a month post op, I realize that there are a lot of things that I will not be able to do anymore.
Take shots on my 21st birthday, drink soda, enjoy a drink with my dinner, and others. Some of my friends that know were worried for me before the surgery because of these factors. And yes these are things I will not be able to do, but everything comes with a price. In my case, all the things that I gain from this surgery completely outweigh those that I am unable to do. I now can have more confidence in myself, have a smaller chance of developing heart problems, have a smaller chance of developing diabetes, be truly healthy for the first time since I was young, I can buy smaller clothes, I can buy clothes is sizes that don't have an X next to it, I can eventually wear a bathing suit comfortably, I can finally stop the excuses of why I haven't lost the weight, I can love my body, and I can stop feeling like I am wasting my "glory years" by being overweight. These are only a few of the things that I have and will gain from this surgery, and I could not be more content. For anyone who is on the fence about this surgery, yes there are disadvantages and life changes that need to be made, but it can also give you your life back. After years, I am finally going to love everything about myself, including my body.

Drum roll please.... I am ecstatic to announce that today I weighed in at 199!! It's been about a good 30 years since I had been under the 200's!! I was sleeved almost 4 months ago, have lost as of today a total of 55 lbs and feel AMAZING!!!! I want to thank God for giving me the courage to get WLS, my amazing surgeon, Dr. Goyal and his team from NJ Bariatric Center and my super supportive friends!! 34 lbs more to goal! YESSSSS!!!!!! I am sooo happy!!

Some of the best advice I was given was "you will likely question why you did this for the first 4 months. Then you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner after 4 months." I am not even 3 months and I wish I had done this sooner!! Hope everything goes great today...and just remember that yes- you do start feeling "normal" again at some point.

The first month was hard for me. I spent 2 weeks wondering why I had done this to myself. The surgery itself was not painful, to me anyways. I have had a c-section and gall stone surgery, so I knew what to expect. What I didn't expect was to feel pain when I ate or even drank Water. I HATED the pureed stage, I had to force myself to eat. Luckily, that only lasted 2 weeks. The good news is, it gets better after a month. I am now 4 months out and starting to feel normal again. I am a teacher and was off work for 2 months. I needed those 2 months, but many people go back after a few weeks. I guess it depends on what kind of job you have. I have a 5 year old daughter, but my mom was helping with that. If your kids aren't too young, you should be ok, just no lifting them for a while. Walking really does make a difference. Get moving right away if you can, it will make your recovery easier. Make sure to get all your water in, that's hard at the beginning, keep a water bottle with you at all times and sip, sip, sip. Good luck.

So, I got the most hated comment (for me anyway) the other day:
Someone congratulated me on my weight loss & asked how I did it. I'm always very open and honest about my surgery, so I told her I had the sleeve....
Her reply: "oh, I thought you did it yourself."
My head said "b*tch!" But my mouth said, "well it was a lot of hard work." -- I didn't look, but I could feel her rolling her eyes, but I beat her with the flames coming out my ears.
People have no clue.
I WORK at this-- the results speak for themselves. I don't have to explain myself to anyone.
We work hard. Pat yourself on the back! This life isn't easy-- it's high maintenance. Not everyone can do what we do. Don't let anyone's opinions bring you down.... Cheers to us!

Misty

You might have thrush. It's common with this type of surgery. All you need is a special mouthwash prescribed by your doctor and you'll feel better in no time.

The first month was hard for me. I spent 2 weeks wondering why I had done this to myself. The surgery itself was not painful, to me anyways. I have had a c-section and gall stone surgery, so I knew what to expect. What I didn't expect was to feel pain when I ate or even drank Water. I HATED the pureed stage, I had to force myself to eat. Luckily, that only lasted 2 weeks. The good news is, it gets better after a month. I am now 4 months out and starting to feel normal again. I am a teacher and was off work for 2 months. I needed those 2 months, but many people go back after a few weeks. I guess it depends on what kind of job you have. I have a 5 year old daughter, but my mom was helping with that. If your kids aren't too young, you should be ok, just no lifting them for a while. Walking really does make a difference. Get moving right away if you can, it will make your recovery easier. Make sure to get all your water in, that's hard at the beginning, keep a water bottle with you at all times and sip, sip, sip. Good luck.

You know what..that father should have knelled down beside that little boy and told him that God made people in all shapes and sizes. Not to mention colors. It would have been a good time to teach his son that all men are equal no matter who they are. But no! He didn't did he. Instead he allowed him to say what he thought without a word because that kind of thing is taught! Children are innocent until they are taught otherwise.
I don't buy it that kids say those mean things because of innocents. I feel they are not taught better at home!
I know what that feels like because I have experienced it myself. My sisters daughter would ask her mom in front of me " Why is auntie J so much bigger then you mom." And then her mom would say now...That's not nice with a smile on her face.....She was almost promoting the rudeness....
Sorry don't 100 % buy the honestly of innocence. And if it was by sheer accident.. There would not be a second time!

You'll know, but unfortunately, only afterwards. For me, it usually happens 5 or 10 minutes after I'm done eating. I get nauseous and feel like I need to throw up. I never do, only saliva comes out (sorry if I'm being gross). It's the worst feeling in the world, but it does teach me to not overeat. After a while, you will know what portion size you can tolerate. Eating slow is a pain, and I still struggle with it. I usually eat half my plate, leave it and do something else for 5 or 10 minutes, then heat up my plate again and eat a little more. I just can't sit at the table for 25 minutes, it drives me nuts.

You'll know, but unfortunately, only afterwards. For me, it usually happens 5 or 10 minutes after I'm done eating. I get nauseous and feel like I need to throw up. I never do, only saliva comes out (sorry if I'm being gross). It's the worst feeling in the world, but it does teach me to not overeat. After a while, you will know what portion size you can tolerate. Eating slow is a pain, and I still struggle with it. I usually eat half my plate, leave it and do something else for 5 or 10 minutes, then heat up my plate again and eat a little more. I just can't sit at the table for 25 minutes, it drives me nuts.

You'll know, but unfortunately, only afterwards. For me, it usually happens 5 or 10 minutes after I'm done eating. I get nauseous and feel like I need to throw up. I never do, only saliva comes out (sorry if I'm being gross). It's the worst feeling in the world, but it does teach me to not overeat. After a while, you will know what portion size you can tolerate. Eating slow is a pain, and I still struggle with it. I usually eat half my plate, leave it and do something else for 5 or 10 minutes, then heat up my plate again and eat a little more. I just can't sit at the table for 25 minutes, it drives me nuts.

The first month is hard. I hated the pureed stage, it was a chore to eat. Nothing was good. I also had trouble not drinking during meals. Learning to eat slow was also difficult, but you learn to do it or you pay for it. I also really missed "real" food during the first month. However, all those things are temporary and they are worth it. Now at 3 months, I am dealing with Hair loss, but so far it's not too bad. I'm sure if you ask anyone on here they will all say that all those things are worth it to get your health back. That's how I feel.

I'm not allowed Crystal Light or any other sugar free drink. My nutritionist says that the sugar used in those is worse than real sugar. She says it makes you hungrier and makes you crave sugar even more. I've never been big on sugar free drinks, hate the after taste, so I don't really mind. I stick to Water and one Protein Drink in the morning. I also feel hunger, which is a little bit disappointing, but I get full faster than before. I still take my acid reflux pill in the morning, used to have to take 2 a day, so that is getting better. The nurse told me to take some Tums also and it seems to help. Hang in there, I'm sure it will get better with time. Good luck.

Finally!!!! I'm at 198. Maybe I can start watching the numbers go down again

Please do not compare yourself with others in the weight loss department. Each person is different and has a different body chemistry so therefore no one loses at the same speed. what this does is make people feel like their surgery is not as successful as another's.
This is not a race this is a journey so please when you are replying to this thread. Don't look at others weight loss as a I failed because I only lost 35 lbs in 3 months.

Today is the 11-year anniversary of my ‪LAP-BAND‬ surgery! I have lost and kept off over 100 pounds, and I'm loving life! It has been a wonderful journey, and I am so grateful. I'm so proud of our weight loss surgery community!

Kissifur, great post!
I eat "cheat" foods at least once or twice a week. Hell, this 4th of July weekend I've totally derailed...chips, apple pie, a margarita, and corn on the cob to name a few. But this is my life and I'm going to live it and never feel guilty about what I eat ever again. Like kissifur said, you've got to separate food and emotion. You can't let what goes in your mouth dictate your feelings....either good or bad.

My hospital gives 3 months off work, but I was able to convince my doctor that I only needed 2 months. I still got tired easily, even after 2 months. I honestly don't know how people go back to work after 2 weeks, there is no way I could've done that. I guess it depends what you do and if you have easy access to a washroom. lol Good luck.

I only need to grow 4 inches!
>.<

Thanks for your reply!

It's normal to be anxious. I was really nervous about the anesthesia also. I kept thinking something bad might happen and I would be leaving my daughter behind. Everything worked out well. No problems whatsoever, other than a little nausea when I woke up, but that's normal. As for the hunger, I didn't do a pre-op diet, but I can tell you that I was NOT hungry post-op. It actually surprised me. I do feel hunger now, almost 3 months post-op, but it takes a very small amount to feel me up and I stay full for at least 2 hours. The best thing is that I'm not constantly thinking about food, mainly because my taste buds seem to have gone through a change of their own. Things I used to love just taste ok now. I wasn't expecting that. It's a major decision and it will change your life. Good luck.

I wish I lived close to you, I would definitely attend. Good luck!

Pre-op. Don't stock up on anything. You should be out and about by day 2 or 3 and able to buy what you like. What you like now will change.

Post-op. Eat really freaking slow and never trust a fart.

I was sleeved in April and I'm still not eating burgers and pizza. I think the point of the sleeve is not just to limit the quantity, but change the quality. I make sure to get Protein in first, I really want to get that 60 to 80 grams a day. If I had a burger, the bread would fill me up and
limit my protein intake. Honestly, I am so scared of losing my hair that it is motivating me to
eat right and get in all the nutrients I need to hopefully keep my hair. I know it's hard, I'd
love to have some pizza, but I'm just too scared. Hang in there, I'm sure it gets better.