robin45

This was at my highest weight (240), and 9 months post sleeve at 127.

Ugh. That sucks. But don't let that idiot live in your head rent free. We have all been there. Many of us are not fully open about the surgery because of people like her. But in the end, who the hell cares? You do you. Not sure where you are on your journey, but you won't have regrets. 6 months out, 91 pounds down, off my meds, in size 6 and only a few pounds to goal and I can tell you that this is the best thing I have ever done for myself. Haters gonna hate.

I haven't been on for awhile either, but this is a great question. Statistically, gastric sleeve patients lose 63% of their excess weight. Excess weight is measured from your starting weight to your ideal weight (look up ideal weight calculator to determine yours). It is not to goal weight, which is often higher than ideal weight. I started at 240, and my ideal weight is 130, so I have 110 pounds of excess weight. So, my surgeon told me to expect 70 pounds of loss total. At 6 months I was at 90 pounds, and it was fun to watch him nearly fall out of his chair when I went in for my 6 months appointment. I am now 18 pounds from my ideal body weight, but 4 from my original goal (which is right in the middle of "normal BMI" range for my height, and the weight I remember being healthy and happy at). Yes, average loss is good to know when making the decision between the various surgical options, and when setting realistic goals. HOWEVER, it does not mean that will be your loss. You get out of this what you put into it. When the honeymoon phase is over, it is really easy to accept that it is the best you can do, and just return to old habits. Or, you can continue with new habits forever and continue to lose or maintain your loss. Also important is that not everyone loses at the same rate. Many of my fellow sleevers from last fall are losing, but at a much slower rate than I have, and some at a faster rate. For me, the important thing is that I am headed in the right direction. When I calculated it out, even though every month fewer pounds come off, I have managed to lose 5-6% of my remaining excess body weight every month, which means I am steady.

Lip balm (I prefer Aquafor), eye drops, all of the Vitamins you will need in liquid or chewable form (with B12 as sublingual or nasal), a good source of potassium (I use Vega Rehydrator, but G2 has some too-the RDA is 4700 per day, and if I calculate what I would get on the average post-op diet, it is less than 1,000, which can be a problem for kidneys and muscles). A good Netflix binge watch for the first few days (or some good books or movies).

I took 3 days off work, plus a 3 day weekend, and I was fine to return, although hydrating was a bit of an issue. I had a 2 week liquid pre-op diet, so all of the weakness and feeling like crap that goes along with the beginning of a low cal diet was gone by surgery, which helped.

As a nurse, I would say take them off. They se them to determine capillary refill, put on 02 sensors, and are considered an infection risk. I had gel polish on in my pre-op appointment, and was told to have it removed.

Is the facebook group closed or secret? I have only told immediate family about my surgery. If it is secret, I would love to be added: Robin Czajka.

I am from St. Charles, and had my surgery 11/23 at Alexian Brothers. Nice to connect with other locals!

I was sleeved 11/23. HW 240, SW 232 CW 199. I can start full diet this week, but honestly I have had no urge or tolerance to go beyond yogurt, Fairlife milk, cottage cheese and Genepro protein mixed into tea and water. I can tolerate 1-2 tablespoons of anything, but since I can't eat more than that, I usually don't bother preparing anything. The one thing I have found super easy to go down is cocktail shrimp. I had zero pain after surgery, but significant nausea. I returned to work 4 days after surgery. I struggle more with getting in the RDA of 4700 mg of potassium than anything else, and have to drink low sodium V8 to even get halfway there. I haven't started exercising in earnest yet, and other than trying to get my daily steps up, I'm not pushing until the weight loss slows down because my calories still haven't made it over 500 per day and I am pretty weak. While I miss the social aspect of eating and drinking a little, I have zero regrets. At 2.4 pounds per week average loss for the past 3 weeks, my loss is slower than some, but steady, and I will be thrilled if I end up at goal around a year.

Hi! I am going November 23, so right ahead of ya!

Thanks for adding me to the FB group!

Trying to find the info but my phone isn't losing older posts. Can you post a link or info to the FB group?

I am 45, 5'6" and 235 (the highest weight I have ever been...even 9 months pregnant). I have kidney disease and resulting hypertension, borderline diabetes and migraines. I have had weight issues since I had thyroid cancer twice in my late 20s. Really looking forward to my surgery.

Just realized we are on the exact same day!

Just scheduled my surgery for November 23rd. Would love to stay in touch with other November sleevers.

I have been going through the approval process, but until last week I think I was never serious. I travel for a living, and for the first time, got on a plane and couldn't buckle my belt. I was so humiliated at the thought of asking for the extended in front of my colleagues that I sucked it in and spent 4 hours gasping for breath. When I got home, I took 2 of my 3 daughters to the store. There was a woman in the parking lot blocking the aisle and talking in her phone, oblivious to a whole line of cars waiting. I gave a little toot on the horn, she moved, and I parked the car. We got out to go into the store and she was waiting behind my car and let loose with a stream of obscenities that I could never repeat. I asked he to stop talking that way in front of my children while trying to get away from her, so she followed us and got personal. She called me fat...and went into detail about how ugly I was. My daughters were sobbing and begging her to stop saying those things to their mommy. And she followed us into the store and continued in front of the other patrons while all 3 of us cried until a store clerk threatened to call the police. People were standing around staring and video taping it on their phones. It nearly broke me, and I am a 2 time cancer survivor who never once let anything beat me before. I vowed in that moment never to be an embarrassment to my girls again, and to get healthy. When I arrived home, I had a message that my surgery was approved and they were ready to set a date. November 23. I'm ready.

My doc submitted on the first day that I met him, and supplied him info as I went. I still have the pulmonologist and sleep study, the mandatory class and video, pre-op eval and abdominal ultras approved yesterday (so they had the results of the initial eval, psych eval, nutritionist appointment). I have BCBS high deductible PPO.