Want your thoughts.....the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I was off for a week but really I could've gone back after 3 days at home!  So two weeks is more than reasonable in my opinion.

Wow, thanks.  I appreciate the info.

The best part - waking up every day knowing that my worst day is going to be 100x better than my best day when I was super morbidly obese. 

If you have a lot of time and like to read - you can add me as a friend and I have a couple years worth of blogs on OH  about life as a sleever. 

I love that response!

Best part:  Being 3.5 years out and still maintaining my weight.  Wearing size 0P clothes and loving my new health and body.  There is not enough time or words to put it all down.  I love my sleeve.

Worst: Realizing that the sleeve is only a tool and that the moment you stop using it correctly, you begin to regain weight.  Really getting this is important.

Would I do it again:  Without a second thought, over and over if I had to.  It has been the very best thing I have ever done for myself.

The best part is having my health and happiness back.  I was miserable before my surgery.  Now I'm no longer diabetic, I can shop in any store I want to, and I am regaining my confidence... something that is very important when you teach for a living and are constantly standing in front of groups of teenagers lol.

If I overeat, I get slimies.  The food feels like it is stuck in my throat or chest, and then I choke it back up and it can be very unpleasant.  The good news is this doesn't happen very often... the last time it happened was several months ago, though I imagine it could happen if I let it.

I didn't have any complications, but the two I keep hearing about here are leaks and dehydration.  Dehydration is more common than leaks, but it has the easiest recovery as long as you get to an ER for fluids.  Leaks are far less common, but can happen, and recovery from a leak tends to involve several weeks of a liquid diet  while the area heals. 

I would do it again in a heartbeat.  Heck, if my parents would be open to doing this, I would take them both to Mexico to see Dr. Aceves, who did my sleeve, and have him do both of theirs.  It really has changed my life.

I'm 18 months out.

Best: My new body. I fit into every seat without a problem, I can always find clothes, and I can try on any ring in the jewelry store. I find it easier to deal with people, because I'm never wondering about how they perceive me. I've developed a thicker skin because of the weight loss and fitness goals that I've accomplished.

Overeating: I can eat a lot more now than I could in the beginning. Probably 2.5-3 oz of dense protein at a sitting? But if I overdo it I still get that horrible stuck feeling, where it feels like there's food just sitting in the back of my throat.

Worst complication: I haven't had any complications, honestly. But I will say that while I've maintained my weight for 6+ months, it's a lot more difficult as time goes on. It's a sad day when we realize just how many garbage carbs we can eat in a sitting, but it's something we all seem to do once. Get it out of your system and move on. Going back to basics will pull you out of any hole you dig for yourself.

Would you do it again? Hell, yes. In a heartbeat.

Two years out next week.  Yikes!

Best part:  getting back down to a "normal" size (for me 12P, not teeny like Elina LOL!), insulin resistance resolved, can move around (!).

Recovery:  i took two weeks off from work.  that seemed about right for me.  i was part time the first week back.  and having just had plastics done, i can tell you that the fact that the sleeve is laparoscopic is GREAT!!!!!

Eating:  at 2 years out i can eat a lot more than i could.  the first year and especially the first six months are kind of like the "golden" period when it is easiest to lose weight and develop new and better food habits.  i have to say that my food habits are still not the greatest and i regret not changing more when it was easier.  but it's still doable!  i also never had the "i never feel hungry" thing at all, some people don't.  when i've eaten too much i either feel kind of gross (as one would) or if i've been a real idiot i have the above-mentioned "foamie" experience and it all comes right back up.  i'm thrilled to say that it just happend to me YESTERDAY -- jeeeeeez!  and when i've eaten enough my nose runs!

worst part?  pre-op week of liquids SUCKED, i can't really digest whey protein so all the drinks made me feel like i was going to die, and when i go to restaurants now everything smells soooooooo good and i know i can only eat a little bit!

also, it is possible to eat "through" your sleeve as it is with any WLS.  as elina says  it's a tool.  i wi**** were magic, but there you have it. 

i would do this again in a heartbeat!  i've lost 105 lbs, i'm healthier, and i have a bangin' new bod (for a 53 year old!) post the plastics.  well, at least i have a flat tummy and perky boobs!  As the nurse practitioner at the surgeon's office said to me:  you want them to watch you brush your teeth in the morning, no****ch you tie your shoes!

good luck!  and keep asking questions!  ((((((hugs)))))

Great questions and love reading the responses !!

Hi!  I am almost 2 years post up.

I think the best part is that even if I briefly "fall of the wagon" and gain some weight, it's easy to get back on track and get back to goal.  For me, if I work out, track my food (and stay under 1200 calories) I lose weight.  And, post-op, it's MUCH easier to stick to this plan.

Early out, if I accidently over-ate, It was very uncomfortable, and a little painful.  Now, I get a little uncomfortable.  I make sure to stop eating if I start feeling uncomfortable at all.

Here are the complications/etc that I went through.

- I had A LOT of pain the first 3 days after surgery, but felt ok enough to go back to work after 3 weeks.  And, by 1 year post-op I felt completely "normal".

- Avacados make me sick now.  They make me feel like I have food poisoning.

- Plain water is hard for me to swallow sometimes.  If it has anything in it (like coffee, crystal light, lemon) I can swallow it just fine.

- I need to take fiber supplements to avoid constipation

- Sometimes small shirts are too big for me

- My shoes were all too big after losing 120 lbs, so I had to buy new ones.

- My hunger never went away :(  However, I get full fast now, if I eat on plan.  An on-plan meal for me now is 2-3 oz protein + .25-.5 cup veggies.  And, I need to eat every 3-4 hours if I want to avoid hunger.

I WOULD DEFINITELY DO IT AGAIN!!!!

Edited to add: Oh, Frisco's post reminded me... two more "complications"

- Eating too much of certain sweet foods (like flavored lattes, milkshakes, some candy) makes me barfy. 

- I can still eat too much of other foods WITHOUT getting sick... movie theater popcorn, some candy, etc...