Newbie - just found out about Sleeve, excited and scared...

[MichelleEspinosa 0]

Hi, just wanted to introduce myself, I just joined this community and found out about this sleeve surgery after hours of midnight contemplations of what to do with my weight. I am a mother of 4, I have been stuck at 225lbs for the past 6 months and am working out but nothing seems to be helping right now. I am wondering if I would be a good candidate for this surgery. IS there anyone here that recommends a DR from ON?(Canada).

I am 5'8

225lbs

was 170 before baby #4(he is 17 months now)

Been watching alot of youtube success stories and reading your community boards, sounds like this surgery is a GREAT IDEA.. Just scared if I will have any problems becuase my stomach will be smaller, like I read some people puke, if they eat too much...

I read that OHIP covers this surgery here too, so thats good news...

Please feel free to share any info, I am new to this idea, just found out last night and I think I would love this

Michelle

[MOMW 71]

Welcome!! I am not from Canada but I had my surgery 7 months ago. I had a band first but it slipped after just a year. I had a conversion to a sleeve in May.

You came to a good place. Check out these forums and also check out websites of bariatric centers. They offer a lot of good medical advice. I also found a site that compared differant surgery types. Check out the requirements for the type of surgery you are contemplating with your insurance. I know I had to be careful as if I lost too much weight prior to approval that I would not qualify. Do your homework up front. Just remember that you will be embarking on a lifestyle change and this is only a tool. You still have to do the work, it is not a quick fix.

Good luck.

[MichelleEspinosa 0]

Thank you for your fast reply.

Thank you for the tips, this is the first place I checked, I need to do alot more research for sure. This just is a great place to start because I get first hand tips from people that has done it already, such as yourself. I appreciate that! I think since i am in Canada they pay for this procedure with a doctors note, I saw it stated on the Government site, that OHIP(canada benefits) covers, so I guess I am lucky in that field.

You had it done 7 months ago, how do you like the new lifestyle change? Your new stomach? Do you ever get pain? How much have you lost so far?

Yes your right, not a quick fix, I am a binge eatter, so thought this will help me not eat too much. I eat emotionally.... I have lost 80lbs, after each pregnancy except this one! For some reason the 4th baby weight is hard to get off. I am currently a size 18. I wonder if I qualify for this... should I be bigger to do this surgery??

Thanks again

[MOMW 71]

I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would enjoy going to gym or being active. But I am, even though some days it is hard to get there. I have a adjusted well to my new dietary regime. I pretty much eat the same each day, but this helps me stay on track. But each day I know this is all worth it.

Living with the small stomach has been a great thing for me. I find that I need to eat about every 2 to 3 hours and have a Protein source at each meal, but a small portion is enough. Even when I cannot control my choices do the circumtantce, I still now I can only a certain about with feeling overstuffed. I have had no pain with stomach after the initial healing. I much prefer the control and lack of side effects than I had with my band.

I have lost almost 45 pounds since by sleeve or 65 pounds since I started with my band or 75 pounds from the heaviest. I am a slow loser though. I am now 50 and started at a BMI of 40, so my pace is not as fast as some as my starting weight was not as much as some also. I was at 238 when I had my lapband done in January of 2011. My BMI was just at 40. My insurance required a BMI of 40 or 35 with 2 comodalites such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, etc. But your doctor and insurance will be the judge if you qualify.

I understand about the binge and emotional eating. Binge eating will be controled by the volume you can take in, but you still can binge just over a longer period of time, so you still have to be careful. Emotional eating is still and issue, but you need to think of ways to side step that. I know this is hard, but I try my best. I try to cure that mindless eating with swithching my focus to something stress free or uplifting (playing a game on the computer, checking in on these sites, etc.), I will try a bottle of Water then if I am still feeling the need, if that doesn't do it then I try some Protein (my favorite is peanut butter) and if this does not cure it then I give in and just enjoy a very small poriton of whatever my mind has it heart set on, This is where I have found Weight Watchers for its accountability and support have really helped. I also have a tattoo that I look at every day to remind of this gift I have and I have taken pictures each month since by sleeve so I can see the progress. These also help keep me on track.

Good luck and let me know if you have any further questions. For me, it was the best decision ever made when I decided that I was ready to take on a major lifestyle change.

[MichelleEspinosa 0]

Thank you so much for your assistance, sounds like a great choice. It will make you not hungry so you do not eat much, thus controlling over eatting. I want to do this now!! I will have to ask my dr. for a referral and see how long the waiting list is. I heard its over a year here in Ontario.. I am glad to hear you did not have any stomach pain afterwards too. Do you have family support? I am still young, and my family is very judgemental, I would like to do this and keep it from them. ONLY tell my close friends and hubby, but not my mom, or extended family. They do not understand. I am tired of people telling me "you have a pretty face, if only you lost weight!"

I love Protein too, I did many low carb diets and I know I can survive on mostly protein. DO you eat fruits??

I already eat every 3 hours anyway so that is good. I am just tired of this size, My goal is a size 10! I lost the weight 3 times before but for this last baby it seems like my body just doesn't want to let it go!! lol

Thanks again for your help, I will keep you posted on my journey.

[MOMW 71]

My one daughter and her husband are very supportive, the rest of my immediate family is not supportive or unsupportive. I find my support in places like this, my bariatric team and at my Weight Watchers meeting. They all understand the journey of losing weight. The forums and the bariatric team have the added benefit of understanding my surgery, but I have taken time to also inform my Weight Watcher group to.

I too only told those that needed to know. Letting too many people know before is hard because they do not understand and then they watch you with such a critical eye. When people notice and ask, I am always forward about it and provide them with good information.

I do eat fruits and vegetables, but my diet is rich and Protein. I do eat some carbs, but they are harder for me to tolerate and overfill me very fast.

I wish you luck and wonderful holiday season. Let me know if you have any other questoins.

[MichelleEspinosa 0]

Thank you for your responses, really helped me. And I forgot to congratulate you on your success, Keep up the great work!! I will keep you posted, I still haven't spoken to my Dr yet, I will wait til the new years...

'I am glad I found this forum...

Have a Wonderful Holiday Season.