What's Your Story? The One That Made You Take The Sleeve Leap...

[Readyfourchg 19]

Hello,

I am new and unsleeved. I am certain like many of you Can attest; i am in the debating stage. The stage that makes you question why you are considering something that seems drastic. I ask myself daily can't I just do this, but hire a personal trainer and nutritionist this time around. I wonder aimlessly

what are the ramifications of having part of my stomach removed. Will they discover in about 10 years that this may cause harm.....

My story...I have been overweight most of my life. About 10 years ago, I dropped about 50 pounds, but over the course of the years, I've gained it back. I yo- yo constantly and enjoy exercise. However, my joints suffer do to my weight and I don't exercise as much. Lastly, I am having problems carrying a child past the first trimester and my doctor suggest I need to lose weight. My insurance does not cover bariatric, so I will be self pay. I am considering dr. Aceves in mx.

Thoughts? Would love to hear other stories.

[init4me 45]

I did it because I let my overweight-ness go on too too long and developed diabetes. I did it to 'help' with my diabetes...cause once you get it....it's like luggage you can't get rid of it. Before surgery I was on 8 pills a day to control my sugars...now I'm on one. I was also on 3 med a day for my high blood pressure...now I not on any.

[ISleevedIt 380]

I've been approved by my insurance, but don't expect to be sleeved til early next year. Like you I'm tired of the yo-yoing. In the last year I lost 60 lbs just to gain it all back and then some. I never lost all the weight I needed to but now I need to lose about 90-100 lbs. Because all this happened in a short span of time, I feel embarrassed to go out walking like I was doing when I was losing the weight. I've been wishing for something that would reduce my food consumption before the sleeve or lapband was around, but then I was never heavy enough to qualify. I definitely do now since I have some health risks also. If my insurance wasn't going to cover the sleeve, I was going to go to Mexico to have the surgery. Luckily they do and I save myself lots of money.

I've heard many of the surgeons are great. I already had picked out Dr. Garcia if I had to go that route. Good luck with your journey...you'll probably be sleeved before I am.

[makemyownluck 785]

I've started the process, but I think I have a long way to go before I'm approved and scheduled for surgery. I'll be using my health insurance, so I have way more hoops to jump through to get on that operating table.

I'm 32 and single, and have been overweight my whole life. In the past 5 or 6 years, my weight has gone far beyond what I thought would be my max. I have over 200 lbs to lose, and my trigger to choose surgery was being diagnosed with high blood pressure. I've kinda kept blinders on about my weight problem because I was otherwise healthy. All my tests would come back normal, my bp was actually low, but now age (I know, only 32, but there's a difference between a 20 year old fat girl and a 32 year old fat girl!!) and my skyrocketing weight is catching up to my health. I don't want to become diabetic. I don't want to have high cholesterol.

Despite the obvious weight issues, I also mentioned I'm single, I'm also childless. I feel like I'm at a crossroads that if I ever want to have a child, I need to do something about my weight. At this weight, I couldn't likely conceive a child or have a healthy pregnancy. Nevermind the fact that I can't catch a decent man these days! Even if I chose adoption, I am in no physical condition to chase after a child.

Even if I never have a child, I do want to have a better quality of life. My weight has caused depression, major self esteem issues, has contributed to my lack of relationships or my own family, and now it's impacting my health in a measurable way. I've simply had ENOUGH and honestly, I'm already kicking myself that I didn't get this process started 10 years ago.

I wish you luck! I'm glad you joined the board, I learned loads from this site and it's helped me make this choice.

[Babysteppin 165]

Thank you for sharing, Makemyownluck. I'm also 32 years old, and I have to say that your story and motivations sound EXACTLY the same as mine. I'm also pre-surgery, and just went through an all-day info seminar at the hospital today. Yesterday I was still unsure whether to move ahead with surgery. A couple of years ago I managed to lose over 160lbs without WLS...so I've been totally playing mind games with myself for a year now, saying "Maybe I can do it again, and maybe I'll keep all of it off this time."...'maybe this'...and 'maybe that'....'but what if this, and that'. But between all the new things I learned about WLS today, and the biological drivers of obesity..., and all the great info and support from this forum - I know in my heart that it's the right choice for me. I don't want to live in a world of "maybe's" and "what if's" anymore...time for me to walk through the fear, and take action! Good luck in whatever path you choose Readyfourchg...and keep asking lots of questions like this one until you know what's right for you!!

[Readyfourchg 19]

Init4me, that is great to hear, It is amazing the side effects that are associated with being over-weight. Mi applaud your bravery to take the steps you have.

[Readyfourchg 19]

Init4me, that is great to hear, It is amazing the side effects that are associated with being over-weight. I applaud your bravery to take the steps you have.

[Magicmuffin 19]

Hello' date='

I am new and unsleeved. I am certain like many of you Can attest; i am in the debating stage. The stage that makes you question why you are considering something that seems drastic. I ask myself daily can't I just do this, but hire a personal trainer and nutritionist this time around. I wonder aimlessly

what are the ramifications of having part of my stomach removed. Will they discover in about 10 years that this may cause harm.....

My story...I have been overweight most of my life. About 10 years ago, I dropped about 50 pounds, but over the course of the years, I've gained it back. I yo- yo constantly and enjoy exercise. However, my joints suffer do to my weight and I don't exercise as much. Lastly, I am having problems carrying a child past the first trimester and my doctor suggest I need to lose weight. My insurance does not cover bariatric, so I will be self pay. I am considering dr. Aceves in mx.

Thoughts? Would love to hear other stories.

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I was a 'normal' weight until having my 2babies, the last born 17 years ago. I gained a lot of wt. with my pregnancies, and it never really came off after. I tried several different weight loss strategies including Nutrisystem, weight watchers, personal trainers etc. but nothing ever lasted. I felt really good going to the gym but when I started a new training program at work I shad no time for the gym and he pounds piled back on. I am an RN with akmost 30 years expérience so I think Inhave a handle on all of the research I have done, and it I have decided on the sleeve - due to staffing issues I can,not go until January so I will use that time to get to know my habits better and try to anticipate changes ...wish me luck! I am done with yo-yo dieting and just can't go back, I can't do that again.

[Izuri 428]

I am 25 and have been overweight all my life. I had not been nearly as overweight when I was young, but once I was in my late teens my weight shot up. I tried unsuccessfully to lose weight (lost and regained some multiple times -never more than 60lbs). Realized it wasn't working on my own and was afraid of becoming diabetic because it runs rampant in my dad's side of the family. I also was having trouble with simple tasks, standing at work, getting through school clinicals. I was just incredibly unhappy and unhealthy. The sleeve has been an amazing thing for me. I feel like even 30 pounds down that I'm starting to get my life back.

[Suzannesh 376]

Hello,

I am new and unsleeved. I am certain like many of you Can attest; i am in the debating stage. The stage that makes you question why you are considering something that seems drastic. I ask myself daily can't I just do this, but hire a personal trainer and nutritionist this time around. I wonder aimlessly

what are the ramifications of having part of my stomach removed. Will they discover in about 10 years that this may cause harm.....

My story...I have been overweight most of my life. About 10 years ago, I dropped about 50 pounds, but over the course of the years, I've gained it back. I yo- yo constantly and enjoy exercise. However, my joints suffer do to my weight and I don't exercise as much. Lastly, I am having problems carrying a child past the first trimester and my doctor suggest I need to lose weight. My insurance does not cover bariatric, so I will be self pay. I am considering dr. Aceves in mx.

Thoughts? Would love to hear other stories.

Hi,

I can tell you that I highly recommend Dr. Aceves. In 2008 I had sleeve surgery and lost 105 pounds and have kept it off for 4 years now. Dr. Aceves is the very best doctor you could ever go to. If I lived closer to Mexicali, I would be going to him for my PCP. He truly cares about each and everyone of his patients. He takes the time to explain everything to you and will answer ALL your questions. His standards are very high. He does 3 leak tests before he will ever let you go home. You do your recovery in a top of the line hospital that is so very incrediably clean. Some doctors send you back to a Hotel room or a so called recovery house--most reconvery house DO NOT have any medical staffing. That is one of the reasons they charge so much less for many of them.

If you want the very best there is; then I suggest you have Dr. Aceves do your surgery. I did about 6 months worth of research when I picked Dr. Aceves. He was in Newsweek Magazine May 2012 for all of his skills and what a great doctor he is. You will love him and his entire staff. They speak excellent English.

Make a list of concerns and questions that you might have and send them to me. I will be happy to answer any and all of your questions. This was the best thing I have EVER done for myself.

Take Care,

Suzanne

[JenC 90]

I couldn't take the "yo-yoing" anymore. I cut the string to the darn thing!! Like you I enjoy my exercise, it's just hard to stick to when you're over weight and feeling it's effects. I have never had trouble losing weight when I set my mind to it. I've lost the same 60-80 pounds over and over again. I have always struggled keeping it off. I've had a trainer, last year I did P90X for 90 days, I've eaten clean, I've done all the right things...for awhile. About four years ago I started to investigate WLs surgery as a permanent tool/solution. My insurance would'nt cover me as my BMI was just 35 with no co-morbities. I dropped the idea. This June I started to get serious about losing the weight again and decided I wasn't going the same route. I didn't call my PCP, I didn't go to any seminars, I didn't run it by a whole lot of folks. I made the decision to make the surgery appointment with Dr. Aceves bought the plane ticket and haven't looked back. Personally I have struggled with this too long, and I don't want to waste another year wishing for a different result from doing the same thing over again. With every pound I lose I feel like I am, for the first time, kissing it good-bye forever. I'm going to use this tool for my future and I'm confident in my decision. I highly recommend Dr. Aceves and his team. The facility (Almater Hospital is top notch) and his team is highly qualified, in my opinion. I am only 6 weeks out, I have a way to go on my journey but my life is changing for the better everyday (Even today when I took that painful one bite past my full mark!!) You are right, we don't know what they might know in 10 years about the sleeve. I thought about the same thing. We do know today the ill effects of obesity. For me, I didn't want to spend the next 10 yrs waiting to find out. I wanted to live my life to the fullest in the mean time. Good luck to you as you consider your options, its a big unreversable decision, but for me, I am so glad I've done it.

[Readyfourchg 19]

Thank you Suzannesh and I may send you some questions...

Jen, I love your testimonial. It makes me want to schedule an appointment. I feel the same way every year of every day it seems as if all i can focus on is my weight. I want a tool to assist me in getting down so i can be in a better state to exercise and maintain. Did you go alone?

[JenC 90]

My husband went along with me but there where several other patients there on their own. I would not hesitate going alone knowing what I know now. When I booked the surgery I fully intended to go by myself but my husband had the time available to accompany me (and he never turns down a trip to MX even if he had to sleep on a couch for three nights) I'm happy to answer any questions you have if you want to message me.