deedee

I love it!

CONGRATULATIONS on all of your victories...your picture blew me away AND a size four!!!! I wish you continued success, which I know you will have. YOU'VE ROCKED YOUR SLEEVE...good job!

Nick, When I first got out of surgery and the next day until I had my leak test, I was great. I basically ran laps around the hall, chatted it up with all the nursing staff, and just felt wonderful. From my leak test (day 2) until day 5, I took a turn for the worse. Although I walked, I was physically and emotionally spent. I sort of fell into a little depression and (at times) thought I just couldn't go on...well, on day 5 I took out my pain ball (never had a drain) and immediately felt better, each day got better after that. I guess what I'm trying to say, although we had different experiences and surgeries done a little different (pain ball, drain), it wasn't easy for me in the beginning. I will keep you in my thoughts and hope that you get better soon.

Thanks for the update. Sipping was hard for me as well and liquids "hurt" a little until the day of my first post-op appointment (I think day 13). You seem to be doing wonderfully, enjoy that hotel room!

Congratulations, I'm so happy everything went smoothly AND you got some nice eye candy to look at:-)

I completely can relate to this post, I could have written much of it during my first 3 months...I just so wanted to be normal! Now at 4.5 months post-op I'm feeling normal...not normal for the "old" me, but for this "new" me. My husband and I have been eating out 2-4 times per week since I went to pureed/mushy foods about 3 weeks out and I've figured out how deal with wait staff (and so has my husband). The time really does fly and pretty soon you'll find your own rhythm. You are doing GREAT!

That's sounds like a wonderful way to spend an evening. Let me say again, you ROCKED that dress!

Frank you are in my prayers. I can't wait to follow your journey!

Thank you everyone for the compliments. Jachut, you're right, I do not sit around picking apart other women's bodies...I'm too busy concentrating on all of my flaws:-), which there are many, I think I take better pictures than I am real life, trust me. I also agree with Tiff about rather having saggy skin that the extra fat. Steph, I don't do anything all that special. I do Jazzercise 4 days per week, tap dance 1 day per week, use my Walmart ab ball daily (that really kills), and use our body gym thing in the basement a couple times per week for weight stuff.

This morning my scale read 156.5 lbs!!! In 7th grade I remember going to the doctor for my period cramps and weighing 160 lbs. My weight went up from there and fluctuated from 160-180 throughout junior high and high school. My lowest being my sophomore year when I was so nervous about starting a new school and a new dance team that I stopped eating and weighed 158 lbs at Homecoming that year. I cannot believe I've reached this point! I've really been reflecting on what Chancie wrote in a post this morning about being in denial while overweight. That was me, that's why when I saw pictures of me on the beach last spring break I was so shocked at how I looked, I never really saw that girl in the mirror, just thought I was smaller I guess. Now the opposite is sort of happening, when I see myself in pictures and compare to the before's I'm a little shocked at how much I've lost, but on a daily basis I still feel quite large with so much extra weight to lose. I really need to get back to buying new "goal" clothes and taking pictures more frequently because it sort of forces me to feel better. It's really hard for me to accept compliments about the weight loss in real life and they make me uncomfortable, but I've always been this way (about any compliment said to my face) and have gotten pretty good at changing the conversation in a different direction. Don't get me wrong, I am pretty self-centered and a bit spoiled, but realize that there are many more important things than myself, so when I get a compliment for something I always want to give credit to everything/everyone that has made it possible for me to reach a goal or do something well. In this case, the sleeve is 90% responsible for my success. Sure I'm exercising and eating less, but in the past I've done these things with only 10-20% of these results. Well, just my ramblings on a snowed in Saturday. We've been issued a blizzard warning, but so far still have power, Internet, and satellite.

Steph, the Loft is definitely much less elegant than the real Ann Taylor, and they have a great petite section that might fit you. I'm 5'4" 1/2, and my body is almost half and half, so my legs are pretty short, and I did wear some petite's, but most were too short for me. The thing with petite is they are usually cut smaller than the regular sizes (like I could fit into a 14 regular, but would need to get a 16P) and oh how I love seeing a smaller number even if it's not quite accurate:-)

Excellent news JPetty! Welcome to VST! It seems like you have the right attitude and your excitement should help get you through the pre-op diet. This is a very informative place with super supportive people, so feel free to ask any questions and keep us all posted on your journey.

I just wanted to welcome you to the forums! I am very new to this and I'm not sure we have many people posting here that are that long out since the site's pretty new. We do have a lot of people that revised from the band to the sleeve though...I know that's not quite what you are looking for. Have you checked the VSG forum on obesityhelp.com? Anyway, I'm sorry you are having/have had such trouble with your band. Good luck on your research!

Thank you ladies, but my thighs in real life do look pretty bad...the skin sort of reminds me of an elephant when I push at it. Chancie, you do NOT look 20 years older than me! Good job taking care of your skin.

Okay, seeing that I had the time now...I went to take pictures to show you. All of my shorts are too big so I put on the swimsuit I used last year, it's a little big now in the chest area, but should give you an idea. Looking at these pictures, I'm seeing I might have painted a little rosier picture than the reality, but I still am hoping that I won't need plastics if I keep working hard over the next couple of years. One is of my thighs (you can see the blips, but it's even worse under the skirt), another from the side (the belly is getting flatter, I didn't think that would ever happen, been doing a lot of ab work), and the last I got my husband to take. I will post a couple more in my album that I couldn't get resized to fit here.

I've heard it's dependent on age, weight (and how long at that weight), and genetics. We both have similar ages and starting bmi's. I'm pretty happy with extra skin results so far, but I'm not quite done. For a while I was really concerned with my spare time, triceps, and inner thighs, but the exercise is really helping all areas except I still need to work hard on my inner thighs. I think exercise is key as well as the things I posted above. If I'm still shut in tomorrow due to weather (I have really bad cabin fever and it's only been a day) I will take some pics in shorts and tank top so you can see.

Late to this party, but wanted to reiterate what everyone else has said. YOU ARE GORGEOUS!!! As I look at pictures of myself I see times in this process where my face looked gaunt because I tend to lose fast there and then a month later my face fills back out, BUT I do not see this at all looking at your pictures. I really think that it's because they are so used to seeing you heavy and it just will take some adjustment time.

I'm the same way. I've never had spotting, but I have this discharge (tmi) and cramps. Each month since surgery I've been able to pinpoint the date and mark an O on my calendar and then when my cycle starts the next month I count backwards 14 days and it's been right on. That was one of the worst things when I was so heavy, my body just wasn't working properly anymore. I'm so glad you have this back too!!!

I'm always in search of the perfect pair of jeans. Throughout this weight loss process I've given away over 30 pairs of jeans and at one point only had 2 pairs, now I'm up to 4 and would still like 1 more pair. I LOVE jeans! I'm not sure how short you are or if you can fit petite's, a lot of times I find myself too short for regular and too long for petite's, which might be the boat you find yourself in? In the past I have liked the fit of Ann Taylor Loft jeans, but haven't bought any since losing weight, so not sure of their current style or inseams. Currently I'm really liking Lands' End jeans (found at Sears) and pants because they come with a 31" inseam, which is the perfect length for me to wear with my flat shoes. I also finally was able to start wearing my "goal" jeans made by 7 for All Man Kind, they ride low and I must wear a belt with them because of the lack of butt, but they are the perfect length to wear with boots. Good luck and please share any you find that you like.

Thank you Chancie! It's almost unreal that I should actually make this weight loss goal...it will be a first. Stoongal, you have been one that has inspired me as well, you're doing terrific on your journey!

Theresa, I cannot remember when my first bowel movement occurred, but I've dealt with constipation on and off my entire post-op experience. I think my worst one was 7 or 8 days and it took something like 3 or 4 days for Miralax to work. This was so different for me because before surgery I went at least twice per day usually. I've now found that if I haven't gone in more than a day, I'll have part of an apple, applesauce, or spinach and that does the trick. My surgeon and nutritionist said to up my Water intake, which I also did. Good luck, it should get better if you're anything like me, if not, talk with your surgeon's office so it doesn't turn serious. For the weight loss question, I didn't weigh myself until 11 days post-op (my surgeon had me promise to wait 2 weeks, but I just couldn't), and at that time I was down 14 lbs. One thing I love about this surgery is that if you do what you are supposed to do, you will lose the weight you want EVENTUALLY. Your doing a great job so far, I can't wait to follow you along your journey!