Met someone who had the Sleeve in 2009 and..........

[judy79]

He is about 600 pounds. The scars are dark pink and very noticable. I am kinda worried it won't work for me

[BBARB]

Well I guess you heard this over and over. This surgery is a tool and not a magic bullet. It is hard work now and forever. It gives us the possibility to change ourselves and our lifestyle. The ugly truth is that if we do not work on changing our life style and habit it will happen to us as well. The harderst part is maintaining the weight off!! Said that, it is all in our hands. I do know people that coudlnt do it, they coudl not change and they never did. They have lost little weigh t and I am sure they will gain as soon as their stomach will stretch. But I know soooooo many of sleevers that did it and they just work the program and they are fabulous
It is up to us

[LaffeyTaffey]

I agree with BB. I think some people believe their sleeve will do all of the work so they can eat a lot of slider foods and not worry about the consequences. Well, from what I've been reading on this site for the last few months is that it IS a challenge and we have to WORK the sleeve in order for it to work for us. We have to make healthier choices, get that protein in, and drink a lot of fluids. If we don't change, why should our bodies?

[Vyvyan]

That's him and you're you. For good or bad, don't compare yourself to others. Just do the program and (try) to enjoy the ride. (I am including myself in this sage advice.)

[itchycat55]

I would like to quote from my post-op literature from ALighterMe...

"All successful bariatric surgery patients have 2 things in common: they followed their dietary recommendations closely and they initiated a regular exercise program."

[Msvetrn]

He obviously has issues.

[overweighttoolong]

As stated before the sleeve is a tool to help us achieve a healthier lifestyle and body. Just doing the surgery may get an initial weight loss, but reaching a goal weight and maintaing it still require a lifestyle change and a commitment. You have to want it to "work" for you and you have to have your head in the game to win. Good Luck.

[aclabombard13]

The success of this surgery is in your hands! Rainbow also had surgery in 2009 and she weighs 120lbs!!!! Your sleeve will work if you work your sleeve. Too many people find ways to eat around their sleeves. You still have to put in the work... make healthy choices and exercise. Look at me, 7 months ago I weighed 104lbs more than I do right now. 5 months ago when I had surgery, I weighed 74lbs more. It does work. But I know there is going to come a day when my special tool is going to hand the reigns over and it will all be up to me again, that's when the real work will begin. I am just using this time now to form better habits and work on living a new and healthy lifestyle. I never want to be that girl that I was 7 months ago. I have finally broke out and don't intend on ever going back. You can and will have this success too if you choose to. Head up

[aclabombard13]

Oh, and BTW.... my scars are remarkably good. Certainly much less noticeable than the stretch marks left by two pregnancies LOL

[zmdh39]

He is about 600 pounds. The scars are dark pink and very noticable. I am kinda worried it won't work for me

I actually had surgery with Dr. Quinones, so if you want pictures of what my scars look like less than a month later I will be happy to send you some...I think you will be very surprised. I have 5 incisions, and the largest is an inch maaaaayybe. 3 of mine are perfectly healed to where I don't even notice them. the 2nd largest is healed up but its still a little red, easily can be covered with makeup should it ever bother me, but it doesn't. And the absolute worst looking incision, which is the largest, only looks rough because my son jumped on me the day after I got my stitches taken out, and ripped it back open. Mine all lay perfectly flat, aside from the one that was ripped open, but I have been using wound filler so it is healing nicely, just more slowly. But in all honestly, with all the stretch marks I got from weight gain, my few little scars are the least of my worries. I can't tell you how many times I have showed them off to people actually. To me they just mark the day I decided to change...wear them like a badge of honor girl!

[judy79]

Yes show me pictures please. My email is judystaggs79@yahoo.com. Thank you ladies for commenting, I'm just getting nervous. And I think success is the scariest thing for me cause I really don't want to let anyone or myself down. I have stretchmarks, but they are light. I hope the mederma works to make the scars lighter. Not that I will be embarrassed, I just really want to wear a 2 peace again

[itsmytime]

Oh goodness, did you ask him if he lost any weight? He might have been 800 lbs to start and now is 600? You never know. A lot of people that size get the sleeve first and then go on to get the duodenal switch. I wonder if he's thought about that. The sleeve can work if you let it. It will reward you with weight loss if you give it the right food! If you feed it like the Cookie Monster--cookie cookie!! You won't lose weight like you should! If you feed it like Skinny Sleevie--it will reward you with a lot of weight loss :-). Your sleeve is not the cookie monster lol

[Diana Gatlin]

I haven't had it yet bit I thought with the sleeve they remove a hormone that triggers hunger. I am not sure of the other surgeries and I chose the sleeve hoping it would work better with my IBS and clinical depression. I didn't know that the sleeve could stretch. I thought this procedure had no chance of stretching because it is removed.

[itsmytime]

I haven't had it yet bit I thought with the sleeve they remove a hormone that triggers hunger. I am not sure of the other surgeries and I chose the sleeve hoping it would work better with my IBS and clinical depression. I didn't know that the sleeve could stretch. I thought this procedure had no chance of stretching because it is removed.

Yes they remove the hormone that triggers hunger-BUT-there is still grehlin in other parts of the body. It is in the pancreas and etc. HOWEVER, the fundus that is removed during surgery is by far the biggest producer of grehlin. Some people lose all their hunger, some people lose MOST of their hunger, and some report feeling the same.

The first few months after surgery you will only be able to eat a little bit. By 6-9 months you will be able to eat anywhere between 1/2 cup and 1 cup of food. If it's DENSE like chicken or meat then probably even less than a 1/2 cup or 4 ounces. It doesn't stretch--it matures. The swelling goes down inside the stomach and that is why you go from only eating a few tablespoons immediately post surgery to 1/2 cup or so of food after 6-9 months. Some people have reported being able to eat a bit more than that after a couple of years and some people say they can eat the same amount they could 6-9 months or so after surgery even years later.

[zmdh39]

Yes show me pictures please. My email is judystaggs79@yahoo.com. Thank you ladies for commenting, I'm just getting nervous. And I think success is the scariest thing for me cause I really don't want to let anyone or myself down. I have stretchmarks, but they are light. I hope the mederma works to make the scars lighter. Not that I will be embarrassed, I just really want to wear a 2 peace again

Hey sorry I just saw this message today, I am in the process of moving so my good camera is packed up, but I will take some with my cell and send them to you, and you can feel free to buzz me on skype if you want to see them live or ask questions or anything like that, I'm a pretty open book. Figure it will help others that way.