Hi Romy,

I've had my sleeve since November 2008 so I'm just over 2 years out. I've maintained a weight that is comfortable to me for over a year and a half. My sleeve is still working for me. I consider myself more normal now than when I was fresh out of surgery. I don't get asked if there was ssomething wrong with a meal that I eat out because I eat enough of it. I have to watch my carb and sweet intake or I'll balloon up 10 lbs, but I can easily get it under control when I focus on it. I have several friends who had VSG that didn't quite get close to their goal. I worked out a lot and still do. Just be realistic and it will do it's job, but like with all weight loss surgery, it's not a miracle magic cure for all mental hunger issues.

Yep.  I echo that.  You have to break up the routine.  If you have been jogging, then switch to bike.  If you have been eating the same things at the same times, then switch up what you eat and when.  Add some calories.  You may gain an oz or two, but then you'll fall after that.  You have your body trained to receive the same thing everyday and it has adjusted to that.

After 9 years of trying to have a baby -

We had VSG in 2008 and are now expecting a baby in March!  Everythings is great.  No problems.

I had my surgery in Mexico in November of 2008 and I'm still doing great!  I would do it all over again!  Good luck and have a great journey!

I don't count them... Never really have.  I do weigh everyday and that's kind of how I gage what I'm doing each day, although anyone will tell you that it's not good to do that because it becomes a bit obsessive.  But I'd have to say generally I get anywhere from 1000-1500 per day.  If I don'****ch it, especially on cheat weekends, I can consume closer to 3000.

Ok, so I admit it. I don't check back in to OH as often as I'd like, but I do from time to time just to remind me of where I have come from and to give encouragement to those who are taking the path that I have been down. I have always thought that pictures DO speak louder than words, so here is a picture that compares me before and after taken just yesterday in an Old Navy dressing room.



Now for the statistics because I know how important those are.

Starting Weight 11-11-2008 : 328.8 lbs
Lowest Weight 5-01-10: 172.4 lbs
Current Weight 6-07-10: 177.2 lbs
Highest rebound weight 5-20-10: 192.5 lbs (vacation)

Exercise per week: 2 hours per day - 4-5 times per week. Usually 1 hour of Cardio, Jogging is preferred.
Strength training is P90x as much as I can handle. Small weights many reps. Lots of push-ups and crunches.

How much can I eat at a time? Here are a few examples (Not all are good examples, but I live my life)
1 6oz Chicken breast and a half a cup of veggies

1 8oz hamburger patty with cole-slaw on top

1 Regular Steak or Chicken Fajita with veggies (can't quite finish all the veggies) (with no tortillas) *to compare early on my wife and I would split this order (she had VSG same day as me)

3-4 Slices of chicken or Turkey rolled up with a slice a cheese

1 Close Talker salad from Moe's Southwest grill. I can usually finish all of the beans and chicken and about half of the lettuce. Dressing on the side.

Japanese steakhouse half-chicken breast/half steak, and about a cup of veggies. Maybe 4-5 pieces of sushi, and 1 shrimp.

1 regular bowl of ice cream with mix-in from Cold-Stone Creamery (in a waffle bowl!). (I told you it wasn't all good)

I can eat lots of potato-chips, cheese-its, popcorn with butter, nutty-bars, cookies, etc... at a sitting. That's where my fight continues. I struggle with stages of eating still where I let these foods creep back in to my life. I constantly give myself a pass for a few days and eat bad things. I usually get it back under control with a week or two of hard exercise and strict eating. I'm trying to find a better balance all the way around. My tool is still working. I can eat a lot more now than I could in the beginning, but I don't believe that my sleeve is stretching anymore. I think it was at it's max capacity about 10 months post-op and has been very consistent since. My cravings for bad food usually are much worse when I'm eating bad foods. Once I have been strict for a few days, my sleeve and body help me with hunger and satiation.

I stay motivated by reading posts here and watching shows on TV like the Biggest Loser and Losing It. I have two Biggest Loser t-shirts that I work out in. I still love showing pictures to anyone who asks if I've lost a lot of weight. I also love to watch the Food Network. I know that is weird, but it works for me.

For those of you who don't know me because I haven't been around in a while, I invite you to check out my video page on youtube of my journey. Youtube.com/thinjourney. There you will find my video blog of my VSG journey. I don't do videos that often anymore because I pretty much have not changed my lifestyle that much for the past 8 months. I'm very consistent.

My hair did get very thin during my journey, but it now completely back to normal.

I do have excess skin, but nothing that I'm too ashamed of. I work out and I think it has helped. I could have a tummy tuck and breast work done, but it's really not that bad to justify the money that it would cost.

I did have my VSG in Mexico with Dr. Joya, and I can't thank him enough for the new life that I get to live! Take care everyone! Good luck on your journey, and I hope it's as successful as mine!

Andy

He was on the Today Show this morning after an all night flight.  I'm sure he was just being dramatic.

I trained with someone close to the show and he told me that a lot of the finalist starve themselves to the point of dehydration leading up to the final show and then end up putting back on 10-12lbs the day after the show!

1.  My wife and I both went to Mexico for our surgeries the same day.  Neither of us have had the first of any complications.

2.  Our PCP was on board from the start.  He understood why we were going.  He has since recommended it to some of his other patients.  He said he would be more than happy to do follow up blood-work and regular check ups to make sure we were getting the proper nutrition.

3.  Just regular blood work for vitamins and such.

4.  No leak for the both of us.

5.  I went to Dr. Joya in Puerta Vallerta and they had an ER and trauma unit.  He does his surgeries in one of two hospitals and they are prepared for any type of issues.

If you get home and need assistance, then go to the ER.  My PCP explained it to me like this... It is your choice to go to Mexico for surgery, just like someone who chooses to clean a loaded gun and shoots himself.  They won't turn you away from treatment because your "choice" doesn't work out, but I doubt you'll have any issues.

That is really awesome. 

I can eat anything that I want.  However, carbs affect me and make me more hungry.  I try to stay far far away.

I haven't had a "big" weight gain, but I have tested the water.  When I got to my original goal - I had a few days where I didn't follow the plan.  I had a lot of candy, breads, and fried foods.  When I say a lot.... it wasn't a lot at one time, but a few days of grazing. 

We have to be careful, because, over a short period of time we can eat a good bit of volume.  I have gained as much as 10 lbs.  It came back off very quickly, but it was a big wake-up call that I have to stick to my new lifestyle.  The great part of it all was that I found that I didn't like how a felt at all after eating the bad things.

I had one.  The gasket leaking and my liquid ran all down inside of the guts of it.  It was a mess.  I think a regular blender works just as well.