Booklean

Hi Everyone, Although it is now May, I am starting this thread as I didn't see one for April yet. I had my surgery 26th April so I barely fit into this month. Anyone who has had their surgery in April 2010 is welcome to come and share their journey on this thread. I thought it might be nice to journey alongside others who are more or less encountering the same issues. Looking forward to hearing from you all. I have changed my name from Bookleen to Booklean! Booklean

Hello Everyone, Greetings to all from Ireland. I just couldn't resist being the first poster from Ireland! I am currently researching weight loss surgery and came across this webpage. I was initially attracted to gastric banding but from reading this and other forums I am now much more interested in getting sleeved. I am at a very early stage of this journey and may not go down this path at all. I am a 55 years old female with approx 75 lbs to lose, I have a BMI of 35 and some problems with osteoarthritis and a fairly bad family history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and stroke. To date I don't have any of these problems apart from high cholesterol. I think I am just borderline eligible under the strict international guidelines and best practice recommendations. I am in the process of arranging my multidisciplinary assessment and will keep you all informed of my progress with them. Looking forward to hearing from anyone else who can relate to my predicament and particular circumstances. I am open to all comments- not just the ones I want to hear! Now is the time for me to discern what is best for me. Regards, Bookleen

Hi EmmaLouise, Wishing you all the best next week and also on your entire weight loss journey. Where are you having your surgery? Booklean

Hello all April Sleevers. I haven't much new to relate since my last visit here. I have lost 47 lbs since being sleeved on April 26th. My BMI is 27.5 now. I am happy with my life and weight loss, but I feel that my energy is still lower than I would like.I don't seem to have this surge of energy that others are referring to. I have lost the weight from everywhere except my spare tyre which is still a huge problem area. Maybe it will come off there soon! I love reading all the posts from other April sleevers and I wish you all the best. Booklean

Well done Jane. I am a little late in hearing your news, but still wish to join in and say a big congratulations!

Hello Everyone, I understand that most of you live in the U.S. or Canada and had or plan to have your surgery there or travel South to Mexico. However, I live in Ireland and would like to link up with anyone who had or plan to have their sleeve this side of the Atlantic. I am particularily interested in hearing experiences with the different places, and any recommendations you may have. I am not covered by insurance, so I will be funding this myself. Nevertheless, I do not intend to put the cost as the top priority, although I probably will take it into consideration to some extent! Is anyone aware of any "Centres of Excellence" over here? I have heard of some places that have an exceedingly high reputation for gastric banding, but would that necessarily mean that they would be good at VSG's too? I also consider India and Jerusalem too far away, although I see plenty of references to them. All comments welcome, Regards, Bookleen :confused1:

Hello Everyone. I am wondering if anyone would be able to help me and answer a question regarding any correlation between the speed of weight loss and the resultant loose skin that people get after significant weight loss. It would appear to me that if we deliberately slow down our weight loss then we might have less excess skin and more toned looking bodies. I am also wondering if anyone has any advice to give in the early stage of weight loss that might be helpful in achieving a more natural shrinkage. I assume that exercise should be helpful. I do not wish to have to resort to plastic surgery if at all possible. I would be happy to deliberately slow down the weight loss if I was sure that it would make a difference. All comments and advice welcome.

Hi Lookinup, Thanks for your lovely long reply. That's good news you gave in that tone continues to improve for a couple of years after the weight loss. You are doing really well with the exercise and weight loss. Well Done!

Hi Val, Thanks for your reply. Once the loose skin and the rate of weight loss are not linked then we don't have to be careful in the way we lose weight. Unfortunately, we can't do much about genetics, age or indeed our past BMI at this stage! I suppose its best to just concentrate on what we can do.

Hi Carla, Thats good news your surgeon has, and also good news for you on the treadmill. I started with a BMI of 35.6 and am now down to 28.5. I have lost the weight that I recently gained. I seem to have been around this weight for several years so I expect that what I have left is stretched to this size.

Congrats! Well Done! I SO identify with you. I also am 5ft 5 inches tall and also started out with a weight of 213 lbs just 3 and a half months ago. I feel good that I have lost 41 lbs so far. I am interested in your exercise regime and especially the fact that you have toned up nicely. Where was your problem area of your body? Mine is the spare tyre area and I seem to be losing from everywhere else but there. How many inches have you lost from your waist? Congrats again

Hi Everyone, It is exactly 3 months today since my surgery, so I would like to give a summary of the main changes and improvements in my lifestyle now. I started with a BMI of 35.44 weighing 213 lbs. I am 55 years old and was having huge problems with aches and pains in my lower limb joints. I need to wear orthotic inserts in my shoes and have stopped wearing high heels. The lack of mobility was contributing to my weight gain, and my weight gain was contributing to my lack of mobility. Both problems were getting worse. Now, I have lost 37.4 lbs since surgery and have a BMI of 29.22. (I did not do a pre-op diet.) I have noticed a marked improvement in my joints and overall agility and flexibility. I still need to wear flat shoes but can now feel comfortable in sandals without orthotics for short periods and also can wear a much greater range of footwear again. I have a wedding coming up in October and hope to be able to wear high heels for the day. I am also sleeping much better recently. I have dropped approx 1 size in clothing from a UK size 18 to a 16, and sometimes a 14 and lost 4 inches from my waist, which was and still is my real problem area. I am enjoying this change in eating habits and newly acquired lifestyle and I am very pleased with my overall results. Regards, Booklean

Hi Everyone and thanks for your replies. I am just back from a trip to Italy where I toured the cities of Pisa, Siena and Florence on foot with great ease and enjoyment. These cities are best toured on foot but I was able to keep up with everyone else and enjoy the walking and standing around all day every day. I also enjoyed the food and still lost weight! What a bonus!

I find this fruit and veg topic very interesting. I am 3 months post surgery. I have developed a new habit or routine that is working very well for me. Every weekend I make a large quantity of soup with a large variety of veg, and I also add some soup mix ( barley, lentils) and also some beans. I also add some potatoes to this soup. Separately I roast some turkey or chicken. When everything is cooked I toss the soup and meat into a blender (not liquidizer) and then divide into portions and freeze. I take one of these portions to work everyday and I enjoy the smell and taste and nutrition. It is high in protein, veg and also has some carbs. It is really convenient and works well in my lifestyle. I feel this combination agrees with my digestion and also satisfies me better than eating in a canteen or restaurant. I occasionally eat this meal a second time in the day especially when I am not organised to prepare an evening meal or am running late etc. etc. I believe this is a very balanced meal and an excellent way of getting all the necessary food groups.

Hi Swizzy, It is exactly 3 months for me today and I have already given the details here on this thread of where I got it done in Belgium, which is exactly the same as Snoop101. Today, I would like to emphasise again just how pleased I am with this surgery, the surgeons and the whole trip to Belgium. I have had no problems and am enjoying this new lifestyle. I would not hesitate in recommending Belgium. Regards, Booklean

Hello to all ye April Sleevers! It has been a while since I've posted on this thread and now I wish to sign in and say a big HELLO. Today is my 3 month out day. I am pleased with my progress as it has been slow and steady and I have every confidence that it will continue. Sometimes I wish I was losing faster, especially when I read how well others are doing, but then I convince myself that my body is reacting the best way for it! Perhaps, with the slower weight loss it might have time to firm up and tighten back and not leave any loose or hanging skin? Well, since it is exactly 3 months, I would like to summarise my progress. I started at 213 lbs with a BMI of 35.44. I now weigh 175.6 lbs and have a BMI of 29.22. I have lost 4 inches off my middle ( is that a waist!) which is my real problem area. I notice that I am sleeping much better now and also notice a great improvement in aches and pains in my lower limb joints. I am enjoying my new lifestyle and am very pleased with absolutely everything. Good Luck to all you April Sleevers. Booklean

Hello Everyone and Welcome, This thread is for everyone who needs motivation and encouragement to get moving and to help make us accountable to ourselves and one another. The Plan is to draw up a new thread each week, running from Sunday to Saturday. You are awarded "Points" for exercise and everyone works to their own ability. You get 1 Point for every 10 minutes of exercise. You choose whatever activity you wish. Each week you pledge your points on board - making a committment to achieve them, and then you strive all week to achieve your own goal. You keep your own score and at the end of the week you must let us all know just how well you did. Hopefully, this will be FUN! We are looking for EVERYONE to join in, so come on and Pledge your points! Booklean

Hi Christie, Well Thurs has arrived, so I suppose you are getting ready to head off? You are really doing so well with your exercise and I can see that you are getting a great mix. I am being very slow to start but I won't give up. Slow and steady gets us there! I try to go out most evenings for a stroll with my 2 little dogs. They love it! I am still feeling a little tired at the end of the working day. It is now approx 7 weeks since surgery so I am not quite sure if this is to be expected. Maybe, I am just a little lazy? Exercise is a habit , and it is a hard one to get used to. Enjoy your weekend, Booklean

Hi Jemma, I have sent you a pm. hope you can retrieve it? When is your op planned for? Best of good luck, Booklean

Hi Jemma, Welcome on board. You are the first Irish person that has replied to me. I also post on the U.K. thread from time to time. Well first of all I would like to wish you the very best of good luck with your surgery next week. Secondly I am very impressed with your pre-op weight loss. Well Done! Which Hospital are you attending? Are you actually having the surgery here in Ireland or are you travelling to the U.K. for that. I think that there is a way to send private messages on this site, if you wish to do so I would be very happy to correspond with you. I don't know how to send them but I can read them and then reply. Booklean

ello Christie, 24 points is excellent. I hope you hit your target by Thurs, Have a nice weekend. Booklean

I am pledging 15 points for this week. Booklean

Hi to all you April Sleevers! Glad to hear you are all doing so well, except for you poor girly.girl. I hope by now things have settled for you? I am also doing well. I started with a BMI of 36 and am now down to 31 which pleases me. I have only lost 25 lbs so far. I am interested to hear about your inch loss, and how to calculate it. I have measured myself in several places and am keeping a record. How many of these sites can you include when you are adding up the inch loss? I have lost 2" from my waist. I have measured my neck, shoulders, ribcage, bust, several different abdominal measurements at strategic places, upper arm. lower arm, wrist, thigh, hips, lower leg, knee and ankle.Can I include every single one of them in my total? Speaking of exercise, I think that is (or was) my downfall. I have started a fun way of motivating ourselves while we are trying to increase our exercise. Look out for the thread called :- "13 - 19th June. Pledge your points" and come and join me there. Looking forward to seeing all you April movers and shakers on that weekly thread. Booklean

Hello Everyone and Welcome, This thread is for everyone who needs motivation and encouragement to get moving and to help make us accountable to ourselves and one another. The Plan is to draw up a new thread each week, running from Sunday to Saturday. You are awarded "Points" for exercise and everyone works to their own ability. You get 1 Point for every 10 minutes of exercise. You choose whatever activity you wish. Each week you pledge your points on board - making a committment to achieve them, and then you strive all week to achieve your own goal. You keep your own score and at the end of the week you must let us all know just how well you did. Hopefully, this will be FUN! We are looking for EVERYONE to join in, so come on and Pledge your points! __________________ "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." Bookleen

Hi Crafty chris. Glad to see you join me here. I have reached my goal of 15 points this week. I will now open a new thread for next week and you can make your committment there. It is great to have some company as we move and shake and strut our stuff! Booklean