Becca

I agree. I don't feel because I have half a can of Diet Dr Pepper a day that it is going to cause me to gain all my weight back. I make sure I get in all of my Water daily, so if I choose to drink a carbonated drink as a little pick me up at lunch, that is my choice.

Wow! Way to go! Congrats!

Good luck with your surgery. There is nothing wrong with doing something good for YOU! You are worth it! The sleeve has been one of the best decisions of my life. I wish you the best!

Way to go girlie!

Hi everyone! I just noticed this forum. So much fun! I am 35 and class of '94. I LOVE my sleeve. I gained major weight after my first kid and never lost it. It is so nice to almost be at my goal.

I get the "slimes" when I eat hamburger meat. My sleeve just does not like it and it usually comes back up. Sometimes I can eat it, but I do get lots of slimy stuff that kind of sits in my throat. If it comes back up, it is not the same as throwing up. It is literally the food covered in a clear slime. Gross, but true. I will take it though for this great life I now have being healthy!

Great job! You look fab!

I have had small amounts of hunger since about six months out. Although, I don't take an acid reducer since I don't have reflux. Some people have found that staying on them reduces the hunger significantly. When I do get hunger pains, it is at a meal time or my afternoon snack time. (I have to have a snack in the afternoon because if I don't, I get so irratible at dinner time. Then I tend to overeat- which means a sick feeling in my sleeve). When I eat, especially if I follow the rules and eat protein first, I get full VERY fast and the fullness lasts. The hunger for me is not like hunger I used to have before the sleeve. It is more like a rumbling reminding me it is time to eat. I don't have the drive to keep eating like I used to. I eat, get full, and move on with my day.

The liquid diet is a pain. I was an emotional mess when I had to do liquids for two days before surgery. It is so worth it though for the sleeve! Just get your mind set and do it. I went to Mexico for my band, so I understand what you are going through. I also have three kids. You will do just fine. The doctors are great there. I would have returned for my revision from the band to sleeve but my insurance took off the exclusion for WLS. Your kids are going to have a healthier, happier mom as a result of the wonderful sleeve. I know it is overwhelming sometimes right before surgery. Just know you are making a great choice. The sleeve really has changed my life. I feel so great and I love that I can keep up with my kids. I know you will have the same experience. Best wishes and keep us posted! You are going to do great!!!

The band has a mind of it's own. Sometimes it is tight and sometimes you can eat what you want. With the sleeve, you have consistant non-stop restriction. Also, with the ghrelin (hunger hormone) being reduced, I really feel that helps take away lots of the hunger. I do get a little hungry at meal times, but I just eat a small amount and then I am full and content. The sleeve gives you restriction that lasts.

I lost a total of about 40 pounds in 3 1/2 years with the band. So far, in ten months, I have lost 85 pounds with the sleeve. The sleeve is amazing and it does what it is suppossed to. I have restriction and that is why I have been so successful!

I have had a band to sleeve revision, too. I can tolerate small amounts of fried foods. In general, I just don't want them because they make me feel horrible. Every now and then, I get a craving for something and so I may have a bite of something fried. For instance, I will eat one or two of my son's fries. I get satisfied off of a very small amount. Certain foods do make me sick though. Fried tortilla chips make me feel like throwing up and I used to be able to eat an entire basket of chips by myself. Some people can eat fried foods with no issues, so you will just have to try and see if you can.

I am so thankful they found what was wrong. I wish you the best with your recovery. Even though it has been a rough start, I just know there will be a happy ending for you! Keep healing and just know I am praying for you. Hugs!!!

The reason you don't drink while you eat is so that your sleeve stays full. You don't want to wash down the food with water. This will empty your sleeve and you will be able to eat more than you want to. I sometimes sip water with my meals, but it is very hard for me to drink much when I am eating. My doctor let me count any noncarbonated fluids, like water with Crystal light in my daily water intake. Water really does help you lose weight by flushing out all the hormones and toxins in your body as you burn fat. It makes you feel better too.

Yay! Congrats! I remember how happy I was when I hit Onederland. We can't wait to celebrate with you when you get there.

You are making a great choice so don't worry too much . You will be able to drink, it will just be in small sips at first. I drank lots of hot tea after surgery which helped. Now, at ten months out, I can drink like any normal person can. Getting in your protein isn't too hard, especially with all of the protein shakes and suppliments out there. Just make sure your vitamin has iron so you don't get anemic like I did. Your hair will fall out, but it grows back. I have tons of new growth and even though my hair is thinner, I still have plenty. As for losing weight, I would try low carbing it. Good luck with your surgery! I couldn't be happier with my sleeve and I am so happy you are getting yours! We are always here for you. Congrats on making this amazing life change. You are going to do great!

I remember often freaking out before surgery when thinking about having my most of my stomach cut out. I also worried about failing with the sleeve, espcially after suffering through a failied lapband for over three years. Now, at ten months out, I couldn't be happier. I am just ten pounds from a normal weight. Yes, I have excess skin, but that is what Spanx are for! LOL I love that food does not control me anymore. I can pretty much eat whatever I want, just in small amounts. Shopping is so much fun! I used to wear black all the time thinking it helped cover up my huge body. Not anymore! We all come to this place where we know we need to make a change. I am so glad I made the decision to have my sleeve. It has given me a new life. I am no longer trapped by obesity. I feel like myself. You have that opportunity to do the same. This is for YOU! We will be here to cheer you on!

I was attacked on the Band Forum too when I started asking for help after my band was failing and broken apart. I was mad, but so glad my doctor told me about the sleeve. I have not met anyone like that here. The sleeve community is very supportive. I know for a fact that my band failied ME and not the other way around. I have had nothing but success with the sleeve. The band was a big, painful mistake and I am so happy to have it out! I do try to tell people my story if they are deciding on a WLS. I really think that eventually, the statistics on the band will speak for themselves. Especially with all of the revisions being done!

I usually drink a Diet Dr Pepper daily. I can only drink about half of one, so I usually buy the small cans. I don't have any problems at all. WIth friend foods, they tend to make me feel sick. I might eat a bite or two, but that is all my sleeve can tolerate.

We went out to eat yesterday and I ordered tortilla soup. The bowl was huge and I only ate about 1/3. The waiter kept asking if I wanted something else and wouldn't leave me alone. I wasn't in the mood to tell him the whole WLS thing. I finally just told him I had eaten earlier. It is so strange how people react to us not eating much. You would think with the obesity epeidemic, they would be happy about it.

Now that I have my band out. I feel so great. I had started having probelms swallowing a few weeks ago because my band was pulling on my esophogus and now that is 100% gone. I just get so frustrated when I see all of these comercials about the band or I hear people saying they are getting lapband. I guess with the statistics I know at this point, it just seems so crazy that they are still being put into innocent people who have no clue of the pain they can cause or the long term damage. On the first day of my hospitalization, I even had a roommate who had a lapband. She must have freaked when she heard my doctor explaining all they had to do to get the broken pieces of my band out of me. I now have two extra scars because they had to search for all of the broken tubing. I was just curious how other revisioners felt. I guess it is time for me to just move on and enjoy my sleeve. Everyone has to make up their own mind about what type of weight loss surgery they will have. I just wish I had known about the sleeve and had it instead of the band, that's for sure!

I had some negative feedback right before my surgery and it hurts. Especially when it is from family. Just remember, this is about YOU and not them. This is your time to get well. You deserve this chance! The sleeve is amazing. It will change you life in so many wonderful ways. We are here for you. We are the only ones who understand because we have been where you are. I remember having days when I was so scared of the surgery. I am so happy I went through with it though. I can't imagine my life without my sleeve. Just know we are here for you! You are making the right choice. Everyone will come around when they see the success of the sleeve. Think positive! You can do this!

You won't need them! I think we all go through this because of our past bad experiences with the yoyo dieting. I had a few items I kept because I really loved them. I tried them on a couple of weeks ago and I could not believe how huge they were on me. Just think of all the cute new clothes you can buy now!