My name is Paula

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Hello, my name is Paula. I am scheduled to have the sleeve surgery in September. I am excited, but nervous about the surgery. I just wondered if anyone could tell me about their experience. If you had it to do over again...would you?

[Brian718 21]

Within the month of my surgery, I had such anxiety and cold feet. The first month is tough, but soooo worth it!!! It's been just over 3 months and I'm almost 80 lbs down! My flexibility and wind are things I've never experienced before always being obese! Just be excited for the new life you're gonna have and being able to shop for clothes on the "normal" racks is awesome lol

[Domika03 309]

Congratulations on making the decision to change your life & become healthier! I had a band revision to sleeve on Jan 16th this year. Personally, I feel this was a great decision that helped me stay focused & continue my weight loss journey!

If you get a chance, check out my blog (Mission Slimpossible) starting in Jan of this year. I talk very candidly about what I've been through the last few months. I don't blog every day, but feel I post honestly & share what I can in hopes of helping others learn what this journey might be like.

Feel free to reach out to me privately if you'd like once those questions come up. While I'm not a medical expert, I can speak from experience & share what I've learned & am learning every day.

Best of luck!

[1Day1Life4Now 882]

Hi Paula and welcome to this site. You will meet many nice folks here that can provide you all the information you need. As for me, Oh yes I would do it again and I am so happy I did it. I had been looking into weight loss surgery for about 10 years but I never really discussed it with anyone. I went to about 4 or 5 different seminars at various hospitals in town but I guess I just wasn't ready. My husband talked me out of it twice. Finally last summer it hit me... I had been fighting this obesity for most of my adult life and not only was it not getting better, it was getting worse. I could not get a grip on it. Nobody in my family is overweight so they did not understand and at family get togethers I always felt like the elephant in the room. So one day while researching diets and weight loss on the website for the local teaching hospital, up popped an informational advertisement on WLS. I made a call that day. I went to see my PCP and she was all for it but directed me to another facility and another doctor who had more credentials in the WLS arena. I go an invite to their seminar about a month or two later and that's when the process began. Many tests were done to ensure I was healthy enough for surgery and then the pre-op diet before surgery. My insurance company mandated a 3 month physician monitored diet before they would approve. Thought there can be very real complications with any WLS, mine was pretty text book. I had the surgery on a Monday, went ho on Thursday and I have progressed according to plan. I just had my 5/6 week check up and I have been released to do anything I feel up to and to eat anything I can tolerate. Life is good. I'm losing weight (I did have a two week stall) and my clothes are starting to fall off of me. I have closets full of clothes in smaller sizes I can wear so not time to do too much shopping yet. I didn't want any complications so I did exactly what the doctor said and I could not be happier. Social situations can be sticky at times but when I remind myself that my health is my priority it all gets put back in perspective. We still go out to eat at restaurants with friends and my husband and I share a meal. I didn't tell any of my friends or family I was having the surgery so they don't know and by sharing meals no one is the wiser. Some times my daughter goes out with me and we will share a meal. Both my hubby and daughter have now lost weight too so they are keen on sharing our little secret. I would never tell someone to jump into this... but if you are thinking about it, do your research and find out everything that is involved because it is a permanent alteration to your stomach and will only work if you make a life style change. Weight can always come back but if you alter your life style and your choices you will be fine. Go to some support groups at the surgeons office prior to surgery to give you an idea of what's going on and buy some books on WLS and read them a couple of times. Read everything you can on the Internet and go in to this as informed as you can be. My only regret is that I didn't do this 10 years ago. I wish you all the luck in the world in whatever you choose to do.

Janet

[Recycled 2,182]

Hello, my name is Paula. I am scheduled to have the sleeve surgery in September. I am excited, but nervous about the surgery. I just wondered if anyone could tell me about their experience. If you had it to do over again...would you?

Paula,

Welcome to the site. You have quite a bit of time till your scheduled surgery.

My best advice is to either browse the topics on here or do a Search of specific topics that interest you. The more general information you gather, the less concerns you will have and your nerves will thank you for it.

Typical topics and questions are covered many many times on here and much information can be obtained without have to wait on replies. However, If you do have any gnawing concerns, by all means ask away.