Six month check up with the sleeve-musings
Back from my 6 month appointment and put down some musings!
I started this journey 5 years ago in May of 2008 at my highest recorded weight of 279! I was wearing size 26/28 pants with drawstrings and 3X tops and needed 4X. I wouldn’t go to my doctor for fear of what I would weigh and would stop eating for two weeks before hand when I couldn’t avoid it. This included the visit to talk to my PCP for the second time about WLS. The first time I asked to talk about it she wouldn’t even talk.
My surgery weight from pre-op testing for the band was 257 but I GAINED 4 pounds on the liquid diet. I was down to 199 for a day, literally, when my bother passed. My real low with the band was ~205. My goal with the center was 215 which I made. My weight one year out was 228. I went up to 260 for my two year checkup. From eight months out, I started having problems that weren’t addressed until my one year checkup. At the two year checkup my PCP wanted the band out because of the medical problems. I found out my only option was RNY (insurance wouldn’t cover the sleeve yet.) I fought to keep the band as I didn’t want to go back to having no tool. By three and a half years, the problems were so bad I just needed the band out. It came out 9/4/11.
My insurance was changing to a once in a lifetime WLS policy as I was revising and they said I couldn’t get another. Once the band was out and with all the documentations from the medical problem and the proof from the surgical notes and photos, I could show medical need and compliance. I could also show direct data that my Weight could be affected with a tool when not having medical problems.
I was sleeved 1/22/13 at 232 pre-op testing/233 first day of liquid diet. Day of surgery I was 220, I lost on the liquid diet this time after a 25 pound regain after being unbanded, cruising for 3 weeks with free alcohol every day and coming home to the holidays. My only real goal for this surgery was to get below 200 and staying there for good. I made this goal and stayed at 5 weeks. I reset my goal at this time to a BMI of 25. I never dreamed I would do this as my goal had been set at 195 ever since I started this journey. Coming into this surgery I told my sleeved daughter I just want to be a size 16 so if I regained two years out I would end up a size 18. I set a goal to weigh less than the DH. Took some work as he went from 193 to 186 while I was trying. I made this goal, which put me at the weight I was when I was in 7th grade and when I had my daughter 35 years ago. Talk about an event that caused tears.
Now at 6 months out with my sleeve, I have lost 102 pounds as of today and 53 pounds since sleeved. I weigh about 30 pounds less than I did with the band. I am off all meds. I am wearing size 14 and medium tops. I can do more and am so happy that I was able to have this chance to have a painless WLS that WORKS like it is supposed to. I now have a tool that I hope will help me live a healthier life. The reason I started this journey in the first place.
Oh, yeah, I am no longer Obese. Just your run of the meal overweight person here
BAND REMOVED 9-4-12-fought insurance to get sleeve and won! Sleeved 1/22/13! Five years out and trying to get that last 15 pounds back off.
Congratulations! You have fought to get those pounds off, now fight even harder to keep them off. WLS is NOT the "easy way out" - we fight for every darned ounce.
Over the years I have listened to people struggle to make the decision for the "best" type of surgery. This surgery is not one size fits all. It takes honest consideration of what will work with your own, personal life-style.
I am glad that you were able to switch to a more compatible procedure. I love my RNY. With a HUGE amount of work, exercise, and stubborn determination I went from a 320 pound slug, to 114 pounds.
Kisses
Annette
Annette 
Annette you are so right about fighting to keep it off. I have lost 60-80 pounds four times in my life and the longest I kept it off was 2 years.
Awesome job with your RNY! Hard work is the only way to work any WLS. Sadly many don't realize it going in.
BAND REMOVED 9-4-12-fought insurance to get sleeve and won! Sleeved 1/22/13! Five years out and trying to get that last 15 pounds back off.
Thank you all for your support! I don't post as much as all of you. I usually don't get on until your all of to bed. But, I read almost every day and love keeping track of all my "family" here.
BAND REMOVED 9-4-12-fought insurance to get sleeve and won! Sleeved 1/22/13! Five years out and trying to get that last 15 pounds back off.
