Becca

You look beautiful! Thanks for sharing your story and also for being so supportive of everyone else here. Love ya!

People can be very judgemental. Don't let it get to you. This is YOUR life. I wish I could have had the surgery at 19! You are doing the right thing. Trust me, the chance of losing weight and keeping it off are very small. I think it is great you are getting sleeved. You will be so happy and healthy!

First of all welcome! I love the sleeve compared to the band. With my revision, I felt the pain was about the same as when I first had lapband surgery. I was sore all over my stomach and my mouth was dry. I was in major pain right when I woke up. I didn't get the pain pump, so I had to cry for meds. Once I got the medicine though, all was well. I slept most of the first day and night. I was given antinausea meds through my IV, so I never had to throw up or felt like I had to. The nurses were good about keeping my pain meds up and I walked A LOT, so that helped. The only thing I hated was the drain. For some reason, it felt weird and I hated having something hanging from my stomach. I was so thankful when they pulled it out. (I would deal with it again for the sleeve though.) The first days are hard with only having liquids. To this day, I cannot stand JELLO because I had so much of it post-op. LOL The results of the sleeve have been worth any pain from surgery or difficult days I had with the liquid diet. I am so happy. I have restriction! I can eat healthy foods and I don't have to worry about slimming food up. Good luck with your revision! I am excited for you.

I think one of the most important part of this process is to NOT compare yourself to others. Our bodies are all different and we lose at different paces. I am thankful for each and every pounds I lose. You could just be in a stall or perhaps you need to change how you are eating. Exercise and water help too. You can do this!

I was very scared at first when considering having the sleeve (I was a revision from the lapband). I had no idea what it was until my revision doctor told me about it. I thought ~ What? They are going to cut out 85% of my stomach? That's crazy! Then I started researching more. I found this supportive forum and saw how happy sleevers are. They are successful as well. I knew that I didn't want to live my life morbidly obese anymore. I was tired of not having clothes that fit and feeling horrible about myself. I had tried every diet, excersized like crazy, and had the lapband. They all failed. I just knew the sleeve was the answer for me. It has turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. You do have to do your part, but the sleeve makes it possible. I could have never had this success or happiness with it. I LOVE my sleeve! I am not sure if they can give you something the day of surgery. You will have to ask your doctor. They give you some good stuff right before you go into surgery!

Absolutely NO regrets with the sleeve. I LOVE my sleeve. Now with the lapband, that's a different story. LOL

Great job! I am very impressed you do not have a scale.

Congrats! I am so close, so hopefully I will be joining you very soon! You are doing awesome!

That is great! You look amazing!

Every doctor has different post-op guidelines. If you keep your carbs under 100 grams per day, your body must burn your fat for energy rather than the carbs you eat. Many sleevers keep under 30 a day and have been VERY successful with weightloss. I was eating about 60 under my nurtrionist's guidelines. I recently dropped the carbs a little to see if it would help me get under 200. I have been in a little stall lately. It worked great the first week I did it. Then I went a week with no weight loss. I am trying to drink more Water. That is suppossed to help.

I say to enjoy all of your favorite foods now. My tastes have changed so much since surgery! You never know what you will like post-op. Some of my past favorite foods make me sick now or I just don't want them anymore. Doesn't bother me at all though.... I love losing weight more! LOL Congrats on your big day coming up.

That's pretty awesome! Congrats on your sleeve.

My treadmill said it had a 250 pound limit, but I used it at my highest weight with no problems (286). I have had it for about eight years. You probably will be losing quickly. Just a thought if you are in a budget crunch. I only use it when I can't make it to the gym, about one to two times per week.

Whatever it takes, don't give up! The sleeve is worth it. I had to live in serious pain for almost four months waiting for my insurance to approve my revision when my lapband shattered in my body. (They approved the band removal and not the sleeve; so I decided to wait so that I didn't have to have two surgeries). The wait was long and difficult, but it gave me time to mentally prepare. I read the forums and I feel it helped me be in the right place when it came time for my surgery. You can do this! The time will fly by and you will be on the loser's bench with us very soon!

I had a drain and I HATED it! It bothered me to have something hanging from my stomach. I must have had a rough nurse because it hurt like hell when she pulled it out! As much as I disliked the drain, I would do it all over again for my sleeve!

Welcome!!! We understand where you are coming from. We will all be here for you! My family was very scared when I told them about the sleeve. They didn't want me having my stomach cut out. I knew it was the right choice for me though, especially after numerous painful lapband complications. I absolutely love my sleeve. I was so unhappy being so big and it feels great to have the weight come off. I am finally starting to feel like myself. You will be so happy you did this! It can be hard work, but the payoff is so worth it!

Best wishes...Don't worry! You will do great. The sleeve is amazing, you will see!

This is YOUR time!!! You have planned for this and the sleeve is such a wonderful gift to give yourself. You will do great! No worries.

Yay for taking care of you!

So happy for you Irene! Yay!!!!

I am so happy you are getting rid of your band. You will love the sleeve. I agree that it is annoying that doctors are promoting the band. I can't stand the lapband commericials! They make it sound so great and easy when the fact is most with the band fail. I am thankful that my revision doctor doesn't like bands and told me about the sleeve. He sees all the problems with the band because he fixes so many of the problems they cause. The thing about the band is that is where the money is. Doctors make money from fills, flouro, and later down the road revisions. They even lowered the BMI requirement so that more people can have them and suffer! My band was nothing but a big pain. Now that I have had so much success with my sleeve I will tell anyone that will listen NOT to get the band. I can't believe I had that thing in my body so long. Anyway, good luck with your revision! You will do great. You will appreciate your sleeve so much. Hugs and best wishes for a speedy recovery. I am here if you have any questions!

I would ask your doctor for medicine. I'm sure your stomach is healed enough that you will be fine, but it is better safe than sorry. I hope you feel better soon!

When that time of the month hits and I want to snack, I eat pork rinds. I remember reading about may eating them on here. 0 carbs, 70 calories, 7 grams of protein. They have been my lifesaver because I have major "head" hunger during TOM. SO irritating! MINI-me we are here for you anytime! You will get that weight off. You have done so well and are such an inspiration!