Surgeon Advice

I look okay, have flappy arms which I hate. If I bend over my tummy is a bit dangly and thighs are a bit collapsed and crepe paper-y but I think I could get away without surgery. I am undecided about plastic surgery... will wait until I am at goal for some time and think about it in a year or so. Boobs are sad deflated old granny sacks, so although I don't believe I'm saying it, would love lift + implant. We'll see!

I have exercised, but more walking and running than anything that would affect the muscles/skin like weight training. I am 36, no kids, too if that helps.

Emily - Thanks for the info. You have done so well. I have almost the same amount of weight to lose as you so hopefully I can be just as successful. Can I ask, do you have much excess skin? Have you exercised?
Lostgurl - I have family that have had lapbands and it seems to be ok but I know my Aunty can't eat meat and I don't want to be restricted in terms of what I can eat and don't want to feel like I am choking while eating. There seems to be a lot of unhappy customers with the band!

My friend went to Ian after seeing my success and told him she wanted the sleeve and he said "ok" and didn't push the bypass at all, because she was decided. I also said from the minute I got there that I was only interested in the sleeve or nothing. He always said there was more longterm data about bypass but that he would do a sleeve if that's what I wanted, he just wanted whatever had the best results for me.

I have already lost more than 100% of my excess weight so I think it was a good choice! I plan to lose enough that even if I do have the 10% weight regain/bounce that seems to happen, I will still be in healthy weight and BMI range.

I am in Boronia :)

Well banding was never an option for me. I know too many people that have had it and regret it and all the horror stories .... I was sold on the sleeving, because of 2 friends that have had it done and have great results. The idea of the sleeve appeals to me more than the bypass. I'm not really sure why, which probably sounds really stupid considering I am making a choice on what major surgery I'm choosing to go through but I just feel the sleeve is for me.

After my friends told me how well it was working for them, I found this forum. After reading a lot on here, it sold me even more. I have always had a weight problem, since I was about 5 years old. I feel positive that the sleeve is going to help me with getting down to my desired healthy weight range ... I have a lot to lose.

Hiya,

I just wanted to add my opinion on the sleeve against bypass...

I also thought the bypass was extreme, even though the sleeve is taking away part of the stomach, it is not changing the natural progession of digestion... where as in my eyes (and only my opinion for ME...) they bypass changes this...

Lapband... foreign object, can feel button scares me a bit... So to be sleeved it was...

and will be this time next week... shame there is no emoticon with knobbly shaky knees, cause that is me...

Sx

Hi Lostgurl,

I had a feeling from other posts that Ian would try and convince me to have the bypass but I really think that is too extreme for me. Why have you decided to go for the sleeve rather than the band or bypass?
I am looking at late July at this stage but have not booked in. I am in Greensborough. Where are you?

Hi Amelia,

I am being sleeved by Ian in September. I guess I can't tell you much at this stage, as I'm pretty much where you are right now, but he will probably suggest the bypass, but only because there is more known about it statistic wise etc.

He's such a lovely guy isn't he?!

I only have the Psychologist appointment left and then I can go see Ian again and get my surgery date.

Where in Melbourne are you by the way? When are you hoping on having your surgery?

Cheers

J

Hi Emily,

Thanks for the reply. I had a look at that thread but was just looking additional info as there didn't seem to be too many reviews in there.

Thanks again.

There is a forum about surgeons, check the thread about Ian there. He was my surgeon, I had my sleeve last July. I recently hit my goal of a "normal" weight and BMI and am still losing weight. Have only good things to say about Ian, although I won't see him for my 1 yr checkup for a couple of months yet I didn't have any problems since surgery except some reflux.

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post although I have been hanging around for quite a while. I took out PHI over a year ago with the plan of getting a lap band however the more I read about the sleeve, the more I feel like it would be a better choice for me. It does however, seem like such a drastic surgery. I am in Melbourne and am booked in to see Ian Michell and I am just wondering if anyone else has him as their surgeon. Any thoughts? I have actually met him once and we discussed the lap band and I am now booked in to see the respiratory doctor, dietician and psychiatrist but am thinking of asking him to do the sleeve when we have our next appointment. Another question I also had was with excess skin, is there anything you can do to help with this? Creams, exercise, massage etc. I am hoping that because I am on the younger side (28) that my skin will bounce back somewhat but of course after two babies I can't expect miracles!
Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks,

Amelia