Are you happy?

[Ruby_Ray]

Are you happy with the results of your surgery? If any what are some adverse affects you may be experiencing? Have any of you lost too much weight and you feel perhaps you don't look right? I'm so concerned that I may not like what I see if I lose to much weight, lose my hair or become very ill. Please give me some honest feedback about how you feel after surgery.

[kenziesmom_2000]

i am thrilled!!!! i would do it again in a heartbeat. the first month on "food" was a little rough cuz i had some swelling and irritation so food felt like it was getting caught and not going down. it was not painful but it was uncomfortable...i was given an antacid and carafate liquid and the problem went away. mentally it was a little difficult to wrap my head around the fact that the tiny portions really are enough...now looking a plate full of food, at a restraunt or when I am making plates for my family, looks nausiating. lol its funny how your perspective changes. i still have 41 pounds to go to my goal weight and my weight is coming off at a slow-ish steady pace. i say slow-ish because its not falling off like it did at first but is waaaay better than i was ever able to do on my own before surgery. overall i couldnt be happier...

[BoomerAng83]

I am 1 month post-op today & I feel I haven't had enough time to really decide what I think overall. I am having the "discomfort" when eating my quarter of a cup meal(s) and sometimes drinking - like Kenziesmom_2000 mentioned and I am really looking forward to the time when that goes away! But my sleeve has helped me make smart, healthy decisions which I have always struggled with in my past. I am down approx 25 pounds and I feel comfortable with the rate of my loss - but I can understand how you are worried about how fast you may experience changes!

[acnichols]

my only regret is waiting till I was 44 to do this. I have lost 53 lbs in 6 weeks and the way my clothes are fitting today I must have lost some more over the last few days. I read posts on this site almost everyday. For some people it is hard to wrap there mind around not being able to eat like before. For me it is a great thing. Now when I work out I go home and have this tiny small meal and I am full and satisfied. I eat less calories in one day than I did in one meal before the surgery. Now here is the important part. I feel great. Really really great. I am getting healthier and I can feel that too! Im a male so I got the baldness thing going anyway. I do sympathize with the ladies though. I dont think it is permanent and if you faithfully take your vitamins and follow the doctors rules and read this site I believe you can limit your hair loss. I would do this all over again myself. Not even think twice. With health food stores on every corner now I believe if you got to a point where you did not want to lose anymore you could get some protien powder and add calories to your diet. There is always a way to gain weight lol. For me I had to do something. Period. I was headed to an early grave had I not done this. It is an extremely personel decision you have to make. It was for me at least. So I dont want try and tell you what to do. All I can offer is my expirence with the sleeve and urge you to research anywhere you can to find as much info as you can. That way you can make your own informed decision. I wish you luck

[Aquajog]

Seven months out .. The good .. Feel great ! Much more active, total weight loss in 7 months near 60 lbs.
Slower loss than many since I started at a lower BMI so less sagging skin. Off 2 medications .. Lower blood sugar and cholesterol !
The bad.. Not quite ugly ( yet) hope it does not get there. Hair loss, even doing what I need to do .occasional heart burn .It is reduced with medication. Not being able to drink with my meal .. Getting much easier but I just do not like it!
The ugly .occasional constipation to avoid daily fiber and stool softeners..
Likes: the way I look and feel in clothes...Like resale clothing shops!!...Dislike how hard it was to find cloths that fit , buy something one week ,two big a few weeks later .
It has been a seven month journey of learning to eat and excercise to get myself healthy .. YES, I would do it again!

[brandy5]

Two months out, lost 22 pounds, that's great! Blood pressure is better. But the down side for me is heart burn. Hope it gradually gets better, trying to use natural products like digestive enzymes etc. but I still need Pepcid before bed and sleep on a wedge pillow a lot( not comfortable)

[llburbach]

I am 2 1/2 months out!

The good: weight loss, new clothes, feel better, feel younger and healthier, the restrictions on how much I can eat (even if it is uncomfortable), looking at food differently (food to live not living to eat!), not depriving myself of something I want to eat because I watch my portions, incorporating exercise into my life even if it is just walking, oh and the weight loss, I know I would not be at the weight I am now without this tool!

The bad: heartburn, sleep in my recliner a lot to help with this, not being able to eat and drink at the same time, some foods I used to LOVE do NOT taste the same, hair loss, lack of energy at times, dealing with diarrhea one week and constipation the next week (I am sure this will get better as my diet balances out).

Would I do it again??? No! Do I have any regrets??? NO!! I am glad it is done and I am on my way to recovery. This is a tool and for each person and how they decide to use this tool, it may be a different experience. I wanted this tool for weight loss, discipline, and a way to give me the strength to follow a better plan of picking healthier food choices.

Food is the center of most of our lives socially! I am loving when we go out to eat I am a cheap date! I share my meals with others. I will admit the most fun is hanging with my sleeved friends because we get one meal and we all share.

Life is good!
Laura

[Joe Poppa]

Am I happy with the results of my surgery? Yes.
Better health, significantly lessened comorbidities, more energy, better self-esteem, a laundry list of NSVs, etc.

What I am unhappy about:
No longer being able to eat a pile of food and still feeling hungry, not having aches and pains, not being embarrassed about how I look, not having tight fitting clothes, having a higher BP & higher blood glucose #'s, etc. (that is, I am not unhappy about any lifestyle or physical changes from the surgery).

My biggest regret, is not having this procedure performed a few years ago.

Would I do it again if you can turn the calendar back to July 28, 2014 (my surgery & personal Independence Day) -In a heartbeat I would. I'd be all over it like a fat kid on a piece of chocolate cake.

[char602]

Would I do it again??? No! Do I have any regrets??? NO!! I am glad it is done and I am on my way to recovery. This is a tool and for each person and how they decide to use this tool, it may be a different experience. I wanted this tool for weight loss, discipline, and a way to give me the strength to follow a better plan of picking healthier food choices.

Laura

Laura- do you mean that if you had it to do over you wouldn't?

[MysticalMaybe]

Over a year out and I love my sleeve!

I love it so much my daughter is going to have it done because she see's how happy it made me. (she's 280lbs)

The worst part is the first week. After about a month you pretty much know what and how much you should eat. The pain of eating too much or too fast doesn't go away. I can eat and sip water at the same time now but it does still hurt. Spicy foods I can no longer handle and I use to love them. I still test the waters meaning I still test things and see if my sleeve approves or not, So just because I'm a year out doesn't mean I'm a pro. I'm still learning and you will understand it more when your a year out too. Something I was okay with a month ago, may not like this month Etc.

I'm not going to Lie the Hair thing SUCKS!!! I use to have full thick hair and now its thin, I did have a bald spot but it filled back in. My hair is still thin and I'm hoping the thickness comes back. I still have times when my hair just starts to fall out again and I don't know why... Might be stress.

Sagging Skin SUCKS! I have some.. not as bad as others so I should be happy but I'll tell you this. I can not wear shorts or skirts... But even a year out my skin is still shrinking (as much as it can)

The sleeve gave me life again, It showed me I didn't need to eat that much food to live ( this was a total shocker to me) Best experience of my life!

I'm not worried about losing too much because I eat well. I try to do 5 to 6 little meals thru out the day. now it could be a piece of cheese or whatever but I eat! LOL

I'm even stuck at 180 LBS and I'm totally fine with it. I know I'm doing what I need to do to stay Healthy so if my body wants to linger here for a little bit I let it

One thing I'm noticing about me is I look at how much someone else is eating and think OMG you don't need all that...I don't say it, I just think it. (mostly Its my daughter) I Feel so bad because I was that person Eating and eating. I know I failed with her on eating habits. Its so crazy... This journey is a eye opener for sure!

Oh and the incisions.... You can't even see mine anymore

Would I do it again???? HELL YES!

[SharonS]

Six months out - down 80 pounds. Went from size 20 clothes to a size 6 (was born a size 10 so this is HUGE for me). Went from tons of meds to none, zip, zero. Loads of energy if I eat my protein every couple of hours...if I don't I crash and burn. All positive - no negatives. Life is wonderful, self-esteem is at all-time high, I love my new body (except for the bat wings...they are gross), I love walking with my head up and shoulders back (instead of the "don't look at slump"). The gym is my new favorite place to hang out. Only regret is, like everyone else, I wish I had done it earlier. I am 60 - wish I could have had all those decades back as a thin, healthy person. But everything happens when it is supposed to. Is it an easy journey...no, years of abuse on this body has taken it's toll. Is it worth it....hell, yes!!!

[llburbach]

Laura- do you mean that if you had it to do over you wouldn't?

Char!! Oops! Yes, I would not change anything. I am glad I did the surgery. It was/is not easy but things we work for are worth the work!

I am soooooooo happy to be 30+ pounds lighter.

Laura

[char602]

Hearing these things makes me want to go have my sleeve done tomorrow! I have already spent the last 13 years in this fat uncomfortable body. I don't want to live in it any longer than I have too!

[llburbach]

Hearing these things makes me want to go have my sleeve done tomorrow! I have already spent the last 13 years in this fat uncomfortable body. I don't want to live in it any longer than I have too!

It will be here and gone before you know it Char! I am excited for you!!

Laura

[missemily516]

Good - 9 months out, 100 lbs down. I am happy that I did it and feel like I have accomplished something major. I was thrilled when my insurance started covering this and was the first person to get it under my insurance, and got it paid for 100%.

Bad - Feeling jealous that friends and family can eat a big plate when I can only eat a few bites, worrying about everything I put in my mouth, feeling like I am failing (even though I have lost a ton of weight), still looking in the mirror and seeing a fat person