madferitchick

I had also heard of this pre sleeve, not any solid evidence just hear say. My experience post sleeve (almost two years) is that I have had a decline in dental health. I have had a couple of teeth break (had to have one pulled out) and experienced some decay so have had to have fillings. I don't suffer with GERD or vomiting and I eat a good, balanced diet and take my vitamins/supplements. I look after my teeth well. The only thing I can attribute it to is that I think I have a habit of holding fluid in my mouth sometimes if I take a sip of my drink and can't swallow it immediately. Despite not drinking any carbonation or sugary drinks, I wonder if this could be part of the reason. I'd be really interested to hear if anyone else has had any issues too.

Hi everyone ???? I'm a newbie (almost, I've posted a couple of times before but have been a lurker for quite a while) and thought I'd use this as a place to track my journey. I'm pre op at the moment. I've been thinking about getting the sleeve on and off for the past few years. I'm in the uk so it's not that common to have wls, altho getting more so. A friend of mine got sleeved 4 years ago and at the time I thought she was crazy. However, another 4 years of trying to do it by myself and I've decided it's right for me. I've been overweight my whole life. I was 'tubby' as a child but continued to get bigger as I reached teenage years. My life has been a series of failed diets. Some more successful than others, I've lost as much as 6 stone a few times, only to regain it. For the past 7 years I've been fluctuating between 280lbs and fighting to get down to 260lbs, at one point a few years ago I got to 248lbs but then crept back up. Even when I'm not actively on a diet I'm constantly focussed on food, what I ought to be eating, feeling bad for what I am eating etc. If I get in the 'zone' on a diet I do really well...until something changes like I go on holiday or take a break for christmas, and then I just can't get back in the swing of it and gain it all back. It drives me crazy as when I am losing I always feel so good, physically and mentally. It's a well trodden path most people on here know all too well I'm sure. My weight affects every part of my life. Most notably my self esteem and confidence but there is nothing I do that my weight doesn't blight in some way. I have a four year old daughter who is my world. She has some additional needs but that's not really relevant. I just want to be able to have fun with her and be here and able to support her as long as possible. Although I don't outwardly acknowledge it my weight affects my health. My knees hurt at times, my back too sometimes. I don't have diabetes etc but I'm sure it's only a matter of time if I don't change something. Generally getting about can be damn hard work at this weight and I'm always getting hot and sweaty. I have pcos and found it hard to conceive. I don't know if we will ever decide to have another child, but I know I won't ever choose to unless I lose weight. So anyway, I have decided to take active control. I have my surgeon appt and pre op tests on 14 may. I am hoping for surgery on 28 may. I am self funding, I've not tried the nhs but just want to get on and do this. I'm scared of the surgery as I've never had a general anaesthetic. I did have a c section though and coped well with that. I'm scared of recovery and complications too, but I'm also excited to start this process and take control. Failure is not an option this time. I'm currently on holiday in Florida: we come every April. For the first ever time I needed a seat belt extension on the aeroplane. I've also avoided some theme parks for fear of not fitting in the ride restraints, despite loving rollercoasters etc. all this has cemented my decision. Everytime I come on holiday I vow that it will be the last time I come away being so fat, and that as soon as I get home I will commit to changing things and loosing weight. I have at times fantasized about being able to unzip my 'fat suit'. Well this time, it's going to happen. I am realistic and as prepared as I believe I can be for a tough journey and lots of hard work, but with the right tool (my sleeve) I'm determined to take my fat suit off for good ????

Well, another year passed, and another update from a Disney water park whilst on holiday in Florida! It seems surreal that I started this thread two years ago, when life was very different indeed! Since my last update I have undergone round one of plastics and had a back lift and thigh lift. That has made a huge difference to the holiday experience. I am for the first time in about 15 years wearing a normal swimsuit with out needing to wear shorts over to cover my awful thighs! I am also now able to wear normal bras as opposed to body suits thanks to my back lift...which makes life much cooler in the hot Florida sun! It also meant my husband took me underwear shopping in Victoria's Secret on my birthday which was really lovely [emoji7] Having my sleeve really has been the best thing I have done for myself. And it really hasn't ruined my enjoyment of food. I'm still vigilant most of the time, but when I come on holiday I relax and eat what I want...my sleeve just puts a hard limit on how much I can eat and whilst that means I have a lot of left overs, I don't ever feel hard done by or regretful that I can't keep on eating forever! We return home to the uk in a few days, and then two weeks later I will go in for round two of plastics, an arm lift. I'm less nervous this time and looking forward to getting it done. The final round, to get my tummy done, will have to wait as we are planning to try for a second baby later in the year, so no point in a tummy tuck before that!! I hope everyone else is doing well and enjoying life! Happy Easter [emoji195][emoji214][emoji4]

So, I am booked in for round two of plastics in may which will be an arm lift. Excited and nervous! I'd be grateful for any helpful tips from people who have had this surgery for things that helped your recovery as well as compression garment recommendations? I am in the UK but visiting the USA next week so that may be my chance to get something? If there are any aids or equipment you'd recommend too that'd be fab. Thank you all in advance [emoji4]

I use upbeat protein yoghurt drinks, available in tesco/waitrose etc and really nice. Nutramino lean are good for protein bars when you get to solids and need a convenient protein fix you can take out with you. Available from boots x

Wow, Kristen you are looking fab! So pleased to see all went well and you have started your recovery journey. Did you stay in hosp or were you sent home on the day of your op? I will be in two nights minimum but in the UK we tend to be kept in longer than in USA I think. Thank you for the well wishes. Feeling very up and down today. Just want to be out the other side!

Hey Kristen, how are you feeling about your surgery?? I go in on 23 Nov for thigh lift and braline back lift and the anxiety has really kicked in tonight!! Sending lots of love and luck for your surgery and look forward to hearing how wonderful you are looking on the other side

Hi everyone, So, 18 months after I had my sleeve I am booked in for my first plastic procedures. Having been over weight my entire life I need the works, tummy, arms, thighs, back and one day face/neck! I'm starting with these two as I'm not certain if I'm done with having babies or not so as much as I'd love to do my stomach first, that's gonna have to wait! So...I'm booked in for 23 Nov Got my pre op tests next weds. Getting very nervous about it... not so much the surgery as the recovery. I will have help but have a five year old daughter so there will be some stuff I just have to get on with. I am booked in for 2/3 nights in hosp (I am in the U.K.). Any advice, experience or words of wisdom anyone has for recovery etc would be very gratefully received!? Practical things I can have at home ready etc. I am planning to get a walker and raised toilet seat with frame. I'm not sure what my surgeon provides in terms of compression, so any recommendations there would be great too! Thanks in advance :-)

@@Scamp sorry just thought of a few questions! With your thigh lift, how soon did you start to wear compression? And in terms of recovery, how soon were you able to drive again and do short errands (in thinking about dropping my daughter to school etc)? Also did you use anything on your scars like paper or silicone tape or gel etc? Thanks

Thank you so much scamp, that's really helpful and encouraging

I exercised all the way through, cardio and lots of weights/strength. I also lost at a very conservative pace...not my choice but I would have liked it to be faster! However, having been obese for thirty years understandably took its toll on my skin and after losing over 100lb I knew it was never going to just bounce back!

Has anyone suffered a second round of hair loss!? I had the classic first round between approx months 3-7...just as I thought I was going to be completely bald it stopped...new hairs started coming through and I cut my hair short and took a huge sigh of relief I had survived! Lol! Hair much thinner but starting to recover. Now, at almost 14 months out from surgery it seems to have started again I realise that when the hair loss stopped around month 7/8 it stopped completely, I really wasn't losing any hair at all - and I know a certain amount of shed is normal - and now it's started again with a vengeance. I'm pretty sure it's not just a normal amount and I can already see the affects, particularly at the front of my hairline where it was really bad last time. If it carries on for the months it did last time I'm afraid I really will end up bald! Does anyone have any experience of this at this point or further from surgery? I'm getting all my protein/water, taking my vits, recently had bloods done and all good there, and although I still have weight to lose its not coming off at the moment, bee stalled for about 6 weeks.

@@KristenLe no they didn't check thyroid - have had it checked within the past couple of years and was ok. Is that something that can be affected by weight loss? @@Babbs you have prompted me to think I did have a bit of lapse in Vitamins a few months back - perhaps I am now paying the price even though my blood work looked OK?

Oh wow! How much is not enough protein for you to have that reaction? I'm in the UK so we don't actually get protein targets, but I average about 80g a day, often more though, like today has been 101g!

It totally bemuses me this feeling the cold thing! Living in the uk getting too hot isn't usually an issue! but when I was 100lb heavier, on the few occasions the sun did show its face, I used to dread it as I'd get hot and sweaty even thinking about the temperature going above 75! We visit Florida each Easter and I used to dread the heat but love the air con everywhere! Especially in diners and restaurants etc, and in our holiday villa I would set it as low as I could, even though the user manual always said not to lol! My parents come with us and my mum would always be cold when we ate out and need a sweater or something to keep warm, and at night would need the comforter and still be cold in bed as I set the air con so cold! Well, this year we went to Florida and a whole new world opened up! I was cold everywhere with air con! I even had to set it to heat in our villa for the first few days of our trip as it wasn't very warm outside, and in restaurants/diners etc I was always freezing and had to buy a sweater! I hadn't gone prepared! I guess losing 100lb of insulation makes a big difference now I'm willing the sun to come out in the uk this summer and looking forward to my holiday to Europe where it will be nice and hot!

Well a year ago today I took what I felt was an incredibly brave decision to get a gastric sleeve. And I am so glad I did! 107lb down and so much happier, healthier, stronger and fitter! Still more to lose but I'm confident I will keep going in the right direction :-)

Kristen, you look stunning! Congratulations! Can I ask how tall you are?

I have pcos and have been very successful with weight loss post sleeve. I will be a year out from surgery at the end of this month and I am 111lbs down from highest ever weight. Other symptoms haven't changed to be honest. I still have hair where I don't want it! And although I didn't suffer particularly from thinning hair on my head pre surgery, I lost a lot of hair post surgery (quite normal) but I do have lots of regrowth and the loss stopped around 6-7 months out (although I'm a bit concerned it's starting again now). My monthly cycle has become more regular too which is a good thing I guess!

Congratulations, you look fabulous! Your surgeon is obviously very talented, makes me tempted to travel to the USA for plastics when my time comes! (I'm in UK!)

Thanks Chris. And very well done to you too for being in the overweight bmi range...I can't wait to just be overweight lol! Got 3 more lbs until I'm there. It's hard to know about a goal weight isn't it. I'd need to be 10 stone 9 to be at a bmi of 25, so that's another 31lbs from where I am now and I can't quite imagine that. My initial goal is 161lb and then I will reassess! Great work on the c25k! I keep thinking about giving that a go but haven't actually done anything about it...now the weather is starting to improve I might try and get started!

I'm so Pleased to have reached this milestone!! Well to be accurate I skipped right passed it as yesterday I was at 99lb lost and today I am 101lb lost! But it really feels Like a significant milestone even though I am just over 10 months from surgery, so my weight loss hasn't exactly been swift, but I'm happy with slow and steady :-)

Thankyou @@MrsKarenC2008 and well done to you too! I also wish I'd done it years ago but I guess the process of making the decision is all part of it! @@kaitlynm I kind of celebrated early as I've just been on holiday with my family to Florida for two weeks (I'm from the UK) and I did ALOT of clothes shopping...like really ALOT!! Lol! And I loved every minute of it! Having to ask for a medium in lucky brand, Tommy Hilfiger, Michael kors etc because the large was too big was just surreal!! But I think my shopping spree definitely counts as a celebration lol!

Sorry, please don't be mistaken. I am hugely grateful for the progress I have made and the smooth journey I have had to date. I have been very blessed and I don't under estimate that at all. I guess I am a)not very good at either complimenting myself or taking compliments off others, and b )quite self critical - so I read about plenty of people who do 100lbs or more in six months or less...and in comparison my loss is slower. Either way, I am thrilled and feel so much better in so many ways. Took me years to find the courage to have surgery and I'm so very glad I did! Still have another 20-30lbs to get to goal, but I'll keep on keeping on

Back from an amazing holiday which was a real milestone in many ways...going on all the rides I wanted to, shopping I stores I only ever dreamed of, and to top it off losing 1lb while I was away despite allowing myself to enjoy the food I wanted whilst I was away!! And today is weigh day, and I have hit the 100lb lost milestone!! Whoop! In fact I have passed it as an now officially 101lb lost since I started my surgery journey (109lb from highest weight ever). Delighted is an understatement :-)

Thanks Chris and yes it seems time has flown so quickly since we first started our journey! So pleased to hear you are well and your progress is fab. Isn't it amazing to fit into standard sizes in next etc! I will never take that for granted! Oh have a lovely time in Cyprus - it will be very different for you than when u last went! I really can't get over how different the heat affects me...I used to get hot and sweaty and want to be inside or under he sunshade and was still hot and sweaty! Right now I am sat under a sunshade so I don't burn but I have a hoody on as I am a bit chilly in the shade and its 31 degrees lol!!