New Here....3 Year Sleever (Surgiversary March 20)

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Hi there redayh,

Congrats on your success! How awesome it is to hear the wonderful news, you are 3 years out and still loving your sleeve! I'm also glad to hear you're able to maintain your weight quite easily.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us, I hope that you will continue to come around from time to time and help us newbies with questions that may come up.

[Rootman 1,101]

Love to hear from the long timers, assures me it WAS and IS worth it!

Thanks for posting!

[Crabadams72 20]

Hi all, I'm new here and I noticed that mostly everyone was a pretty new sleever. I thought since I'm three years out, I could answer some questions about long term results, etc. Also, I noticed a thread about African-American sleevers. I'm that too, so if you have any questions that are culturally specific I can answer those too. Here are my specifics:

Surgery Date Weight : 335 lbs

Current Weight : 185 lbs (which I've been maintaining for at least 1.5 years with absolutely no trouble).

Height: 5'8"

Sizes : 10 on the bottom (sometimes 12 in jeans), 6 on the top.

Measurements: 35 x 27x 45 (Yeah, I know).

Ask me anything.

Well I am pre-op and still a lightweight big girl (242 pounds).

I do have a waistline and most of my weight is in the hips,thighs,rear.

Hubby like it that way to th point where he keeps asking me if I am going to lose my booty.

I told him I will do squats with weights if I have to--to maintain some curves.

Did you maintain some curves? I see you still have hips.

Are your arms real flabby?

Did you lose any hair?

Did you tell friends/co-workers? --I don't plan on it but if I don't I think folks will start spreading Aids or Cancer rumors. --Some family members get off on the rumor mill.

[redayh 0]

Hi julia.

My eating increased and my weight loss just gradually stopped. Actually I started taking medication for a different issue and the weight loss stopped around that time. I really think I could start it up again if I just watched what I ate even a little, but I don't want to cause I would prefer to only do what I know I can maintain.

So glad you're here!! It's nice to have long-termers amongst us I'm only 5 months and little bit out and I still am quite restricted and have no real desire to eat either (which is good) -- my concern, though, is when I get to goal and maintenance and whether I'll be able to eat more (I don't want to disappear!) -- were you able to increase your eating to maintain or did your losing just stop??

[redayh 0]

Hi there! I think it took my stomach about 18 months to reach the size it is now and I don't think it has changed much since then....maybe I can eat about 1/4 oz more than then, but that would be it max. I still cant eat sandwiches and dense Protein by itself fills me up super quickly (probably about 4 ozs or so would do it). Honestly though, try not to freak out when you can eat more. It's still way less than everyone else, but it's so much more than at the beginning that it messes with your mind.

Yay, a "long timer" - congrats, you've done great. I've been learning how to maintain and put the brakes on losing since the first week of November. It's tricky, nobody told me this would be the difficult part. I hope it stays this easy.

You answered my one question; has your hunger returned. I'm glad to hear what you wrote. I hope I'm as lucky as you.

Second, when did you reach 'full capacity' as far as eating? I'm eight months out and can eat a half cup of food. I weigh and measure almost everything when I'm here at home. If it's soft stuff like home made Soup, I can eat a part of a little piece of french bread with it, but you get the picture. Will my tummy get larger? What should I expect? I'd heard that it reaches it's full size between 8 and 12 months.

Thanks.......and again, CONGRATS!!!!

[redayh 0]

Hey there! I'm made the same as you and I still have curves for days. It's weird cause it's the same figure but way smaller. I thought maybe it would change up some, but it didn't ....I'm actually pretty happy about it. I do have saggy skin on my legs. My hip measurement before surgery was 60 inches, so it's totally to be expected. But in clothes you can't tell....If I am fortunate enough for plastics one day (and if they can guarantee a decent result) I would get it as I guess I have about 5-8 lbs of residual skin on my legs. But honestly it only appears to bother me.

My arms are not flabby at all. Even when I was much heavier I wasn't super big up top, so there's not a ton of left over skin there.

I had a tiny little bit of shedding of hair after surgery from the anesthesia, but I didn't lose any significant amount of hair. My hair was and is super thick.

I only told a couple of people and I noticed that even some of them started acting funny about it afterwards (that whole "you took the easy way out" eyeroll). I just don't really think it's anyone else's business, so I don't tell.

Well I am pre-op and still a lightweight big girl (242 pounds).

I do have a waistline and most of my weight is in the hips,thighs,rear.

Hubby like it that way to th point where he keeps asking me if I am going to lose my booty.

I told him I will do squats with weights if I have to--to maintain some curves.

Did you maintain some curves? I see you still have hips.

Are your arms real flabby?

Did you lose any hair?

Did you tell friends/co-workers? --I don't plan on it but if I don't I think folks will start spreading Aids or Cancer rumors. --Some family members get off on the rumor mill.

[MINI-Me 196]

Honestly though, try not to freak out when you can eat more. It's still way less than everyone else, but it's so much more than at the beginning that it messes with your mind.

I think you hit the nail on the head with that statement!

[treequeen 13]

By your measurments I see we are pretty much the same shape.. Right now I'm 18/20 on top 26 bottom. I was really hoping to lose the booty shelf.. and be a little more proportioned... Did your proportions stay pretty much the same (only smaller of course)?

[Eureka-C 20]

Congratulations! Well I am african american and I am 3 weeks and 2 days post op! I feel really good but was there a time when the weight stopped and restarted? Since I started pre-op, upto two weeks post op I lost 24 lbs but at week three I am the same is this typical?

Just look for the 3 week stall.

I stalled for 10 days around three weeks.

[Crabadams72 20]

Hey there! I'm made the same as you and I still have curves for days. It's weird cause it's the same figure but way smaller. I thought maybe it would change up some, but it didn't ....I'm actually pretty happy about it. I do have saggy skin on my legs. My hip measurement before surgery was 60 inches, so it's totally to be expected. But in clothes you can't tell....If I am fortunate enough for plastics one day (and if they can guarantee a decent result) I would get it as I guess I have about 5-8 lbs of residual skin on my legs. But honestly it only appears to bother me.

My arms are not flabby at all. Even when I was much heavier I wasn't super big up top, so there's not a ton of left over skin there.

I had a tiny little bit of shedding of hair after surgery from the anesthesia, but I didn't lose any significant amount of hair. My hair was and is super thick.

I only told a couple of people and I noticed that even some of them started acting funny about it afterwards (that whole "you took the easy way out" eyeroll). I just don't really think it's anyone else's business, so I don't tell.

My pre op measurements are 42-40-52 waaaayyyy back in 93' and 21 I was 131 34-30-36. --No idea what size that is now but back then I was wearing 10/12 jeans or a dress 8.

Are there any foods that you have any aversions to? Are you enjoying the shopping experience more?

[pumpkin07 32]

I am so happy for you that you have had a great result with your sleeve surgery. When I was thinking about sleeve surgery someone on this site (I want to look up who one day) told me she just ate less of her normal diet (focusing on Protein, etc.) and lost weight. I didn't think I could do a DIET, so I absolutely did what she told me. I am short (5'1") but stopped losing at 146-149. I mean, I may lose some more but we'll see. Like you, I don't want to lose it if it is hard to maintain bc I'm fairly satisifed. Another 10 lbs would be really nice though.

Being not a very regimented person, I am having so much trouble remembering my Vitamins. It is my goal this year and I'm better at it, but it is a total weakness.

How have you done with your Vitamins over time?

[ozzy22 0]

Hi all, I'm new here and I noticed that mostly everyone was a pretty new sleever. I thought since I'm three years out, I could answer some questions about long term results, etc. Also, I noticed a thread about African-American sleevers. I'm that too, so if you have any questions that are culturally specific I can answer those too. Here are my specifics:

Surgery Date Weight : 335 lbs

Current Weight : 185 lbs (which I've been maintaining for at least 1.5 years with absolutely no trouble).

Height: 5'8"

Sizes : 10 on the bottom (sometimes 12 in jeans), 6 on the top.

Measurements: 35 x 27x 45 (Yeah, I know).

Ask me anything.

Now that you're so far out do you drink sodas or eat any spicy food? If so, when did you start?

Congrats on your progress!

[redayh 0]

My proportions did stay the same overall. They look different (more smooth sillhouette overall) but pretty much the same.

By your measurments I see we are pretty much the same shape.. Right now I'm 18/20 on top 26 bottom. I was really hoping to lose the booty shelf.. and be a little more proportioned... Did your proportions stay pretty much the same (only smaller of course)?

[redayh 0]

My pre op measurements were 42 -38-60. More than a little bit of very rich ice cream makes me throw up. So does cooked salmon. Potato chips make me kind of queasy as does any fried food (except catfish..go figure.)

I did not enjoy the shopping at all to start with contrary to what I thought. It was very confusing and there was too much to choose from. I spent hours just walking around department stores. It's way easier to shop when the selection is pretty small. Also I had this weird thing where I thought I wouldn't be able to fit anything, even though it was my size. It was a weird mind thing. I was also a little intimdated to go into "regular size" stores. I thought that I didn't really belong there or something weird like that. It was really weird and I'm mostly over it unless I go into like an exclusive boutique or something. Then I feel that way all over again. It's all a little strange, but I had 35 years worth of plus sizeness, so I guess it was to be expected.

My pre op measurements are 42-40-52 waaaayyyy back in 93' and 21 I was 131 34-30-36. --No idea what size that is now but back then I was wearing 10/12 jeans or a dress 8.

Are there any foods that you have any aversions to? Are you enjoying the shopping experience more?

[redayh 0]

It is very difficult to drink soda. They actually hurt so I avoid them for the most part. Especially diet....feels like battery acid. I avoid spicy food for the most part because I still have horrible heartburn all this time later (I forgot to add that to my original post...that's a BIG one). The heartburn in absolutely the worst. But it's still worth it.

Now that you're so far out do you drink sodas or eat any spicy food? If so, when did you start?

Congrats on your progress!