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Gastric Sleeve Surgery - An Unexpected Journey

A blog by joatsaint in General

  • Entries

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About this blog

The things I learned pre and post surgery

Entries in this blog

5 Tips to Cool Down Quickly After a Hot Workout

5 Steps to Cool Down Quickly After a Hot Workout . 1) Pre-cool before the workout To pre-cool, begin hydrating at least two hours before your workout with cold drinks, sit in an air-conditioned room, or have some cooling packs on hand.   2) Stretch it out post-workout Walk and stretch for at least ten minutes until your heart rate slows down.   3) Take a hot-and-cold shower A Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport study found that athletes who alternated soaking in hot and cold water

Weight loss surgery: To Tell or Not to Tell?

Weight loss surgery: To Tell or Not to Tell?   I find it interesting that we are so conditioned by the weight loss industry that we feel NOT disclosing weight loss surgery is being deceptive. Like we are hiding a fault within us. That there’s something wrong with us and YOU need to know about it so you can decide whether you want to know me or not.   We don’t feel the same way about other non-communicable diseases. On your first date, job interview, or social gathering, did you make a point

Book Review - Alex Brecher's The BIG Book on Bariatric Surgery

Book Review - Alex Brecher's The BIG Book on Bariatric Surgery by joatsaint   I just recently bought Alex Brecher's book - The BIG Book on Bariatric Surgery. You maybe asking, "Randy (by the way, my real name is Randy), you're almost 3 years post-op, why are you still reading weight loss surgery success books?" Go ahead, ask me... I'll wait. :-)   (insert the theme song from Jeopardy)......   Okay, here's the answer. Years ago, I was listening to and still listen to a great motivational s

Eating Out Post-Op

My best friend asked my how eating out was going to change post-op. We had been eating out every Sat. night for years and we always went to buffet type places.   I told him that nothing was going to change as far as I was concerned. I went out to eat with him for the company, not for the food. And as far as I was concerned, the $12 - $20 bucks I spent each week was nothing that would change my quality of life, so I didn't care about getting my money's worth.   I wish I had taken a picture of

BBQ Sauce - Low Carb - My New Favorite Sauce

UPDATE: 1/2/2015 After creating this BBQ sauce many times, I must caution everyone to let this stuff sit and cool after cooking - for an hour or so. Let the flavors meld together. I've found that when I taste test this sauce before it's had a time to set, it has a weird flavor. It gets even better if left to set overnight - even if it's already mixed into my food.       Hey guys,   I've been using this sauce for at least 4 meals a day for the past 2 weeks. And it tastes great!   I w

Dealing With Setbacks or Climb Down Off The Cross, Build a Bridge With The Wood and Get Over It!

This post is just goes to show that even Sleeve veterans aren't perfect. The key is to look at a setback as a delay, not a permanent failure, and get back on track.   I was trying to stay low-carb till I lost about 20lbs, but I fell off the wagon this morning. Over the Thanksgiving week, I gained about 5 lbs and was up to 220 lbs in 5 days - probably from all the salt. So I went back to what's worked in the past, low-carb eating - lean protein (pork loin) and a few vegetables (squash, cauliflo

Can I Stretch My Sleeve

How hard is it to stretch my sleeve? This question comes up a lot on the WLS board, so I wanted to share my experience - looking back after 2 years post-surgery.   I was worried about stretching my sleeve pre-surgery. I didn't want to go through all of this and then have the possiblity of gaining all the weight back. From everything I've read, the stretchy part of the stomach (unlike the RNY pouch) is almost completely removed and only the tough non-stretchy part remains.   How Easy Is It To

NSV #2 - You Best Step Off, B-hatch!

They say the journey of a thousand miles begins with 1 step. What they don't tell you is that the journey is a b*tch if you're on step 1!   1/14/2015 Well it's been a few months since I last walked. November to be exact. With the cold weather and injuries and sinus drainage, I was pretty much out of commission. We were at it hard during September and October, hitting new highs on speed, sometimes going as fast as 3.9 mph for 3 miles.   But November, my partner hurt his ankle and was out fo

Free Atkins Bars and Quick Start Kit

Hey guys,   Atkins is still giving away their Quick Start Kit, which includes 3 Atkins bars - completely free. I did an Unboxing and review video of the contents, it's posted below. The link to the Atkins free offer is below the video.     http://goo.gl/1mAv8A - This is the link I promised to the sign up page for the free Atkins Quick Start Kit. There's no catch, they need your email and shipping address, they even pay shipping and handling.   The kit included 3 different Atkins bar

Taste Buds/Sense of Smell Change After Weight Loss Surgery

My sense of taste was out of whack for a few months post-op. And I've seen the question about changes in the way food tastes come up quite often on the board. This article was posted on WebMD - a UK hospital has evidence that it is pretty common to experience changes in the way things taste and smell after bariatric surgery.   My personal theory is that since we are literally forced to give up sugar (between the pre-op diet and going through the food stages post-op), our sense of taste is res

The EndoBarrier or How You Too Can Line Your Intestines with a Trash Bag

Just saw the article on this new device today. I'm thinking with enough determination I could install a Hefty bag in my colon all by myself! :-P       Printed from: Boston Herald (http://bostonherald.com)   Device aids weight loss Saturday, March 8, 2014 -- Anonymous (not verified)       Replaces surgery by lowering blood sugars Healthcare Sections: Sunday, March 9, 2014 Author(s):   Marie Szaniszlo       Doctors at three Massachusetts hospitals are recruiting people battling

You Don't Have to Be Perfect to Lose Weight

I can tell you from 13 months of experience post-op that you do not have to eat perfectly to lose weight. I believe too many people are under the assumption that they can't have this or a bite of that ever again. I can't live with that kind of thinking. It only makes me obsess about what I can't have.   Do you think you have to be perfect in your diet and exercise goals? Try this experiment: Being rigid is similar to holding your breath, keep holding it, don't blow it out yet, hold it, okay, n

5 Minute Review - Omron HJ-112 Pocket Pedometer Review

This is a quick review of the Omron HJ-112 Pocket Pedometer. I've had it for a few months and if you're looking for basic, accurate pedometer with no frills, this one works well. But it does have a few drawbacks.   Update 12-19-2013: I've had a chance to compare the accuracy of my Omron to a GPS device. It was very accurate, considering that my stride changes in length depending on how energetic I feel. Over the last month, I have done 3 mile hikes several times a week, the Omron was only 2 te

Quick FAQs - What Is A Slider Food

Weight Loss Surgery Frequently Asked Questions "What is a slider food?" For everyone that has had weight loss surgery, there is a slider food. Basically a slider food is anything that you can eat a lot of without feeling full and the feeling of fullness does not last.   For me, my slider foods include; nuts of any kind, popcorn, peanut butter and fruit. I have to keep careful watch over how much I'm eating of a slider food, I can easily blow the calorie count limit I've set for the day.   If

How To Explain Weight Loss Surgery Scars

My 1st Vlog entry "How To Explain Weight Loss Surgery Scars" or "Girl! You Ain't Gonna Believe This!" Many people have asked this question, it must come up a least once a week. In this video, I have some creative ways to explain away your weight loss surgery scars. Like the famous man said, "If you can't dazzle'em with brilliance, baffle'em with B.S!" I think my favorite weight loss surgery scar explanation is, "knifed by an exotic dancer, they're nasty that way!"   If you like/dislike my vide

Quick FAQs - What Is The Honeymoon Period

Frequently Asked Questions - Weight Loss Surgery - What is the honeymoon period?   For about 6 to 10 months post-weight loss surgery is the time when it is the easiest to lose weight. Outside of the dreaded stalls, weight generally tends to fall off magically. But eventually the body becomes adjusted to the lower caloric intake and adjusts it's metabolism down. So it's vitally important to take advantage of this "honeymoon period" to stick to your doctor's dietary guidelines and lose as much w

Quick FAQs - Weight Loss Surgery - How Long Before Returning to Work?

Frequently Asked Questions - How long were you off work after weight loss surgery? The length of time off work post-surgery is going to vary on your ability to recover and any effects of medications you are taking.   When I began researching weight loss surgery types, I read many accounts and watched lots of videos over how quickly people recovered from weight loss surgery. Some had extraordinary recoveries and were back at work within 3 or 4 days, others were not able to return to work for 4

Quick FAQs - Why Choose VSG Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy?

Frequently Asked Questions - Why did you choose vertical sleeve gastrectomy over the Lap Band or Gastric Bypass (RNY or Duodenal Switch)? I looked at three weight loss surgery options before choosing the sleeve. I chose the gastric sleeve because it seemed to be the one with the fewest complications.   I wasn't thrilled with the gastric lapband because I have a friend who had the lapband, but had complications including scarring on the outside of the stomach where the band rubbed. And he learn

5 Minute Reviews - Russell Stover Sugar Free Pecan Delights

Here's a quick review of one of my favorite candies. Russell Stovers Sugar Free Pecan Delights. I like these as an occasional treat, but not for everyday snacking. They do contain sugar alcohols and may cause gastric distress.   When I first tried them, I was on the Atkins Diet. I learned the hard way, you shouldn't eat 6 of them at once. I was making a bee-line for the bathroom about 30 minutes later. :-P   I don't recommend them to anyone that is still eating less than 1000 calories a day.

Before and After (VSG) Weight Loss Surgery 10 Months and 130lbs Gone

Weight loss surgery before and after: Saying goodbye to 130lbs 10 months post-op. I usually avoided the camera pre-surgery, but I must have made this video sometime around Nov or Dec 2012, just before weight loss surgery.   The vertical sleeve gastrectomy was the best decision I have ever made for myself. Don't get me wrong, it hasn't been a smooth ride every day, but I would do it over again in a heartbeat.   If you like/dislike my videos, please thumb up or down, and leave a comment about

Quick FAQs - Shaving After (VSG) Weight Loss Surgery

Weight Loss Surgery Frequently Asked Questions: How has shaving changed after (VSG) weight loss surgery? Plus, how to make your razor blades last longer.   A few years ago I was researching how to make razor blades last longer, after all, disposable razor blades are becoming really expensive - especially the 4 and 5 blade ones. I read an article that said most razor blades cause irritation not because they lose their edge, but because of dead skin cells and salts that dry on the blades between

Quick FAQs - What Was The Last Straw?

Frequently Asked Questions - What was the last straw the made you choose weight loss surgery?   I was at my lowest point physically and mentally in July 2012. I knew that my health would continue to deteriorate and I'd only become more and more depressed if I didn't make a change. Some people claim that weight loss surgery is the easy way out, but I needed the extra help from WLS to dig myself out of the hole I was in.   It's kinda funny that society ridicules you for being overweight and th

Weight Loss Surgery Tips (VSG) Why Its Good To Be Number 2

Weight Loss Surgery Tips - Why it's good to be #2. I realized it's not always good to be the 1st in line for surgery.   My WLS surgeon had 6 surgeries scheduled on the same day and began at 7am. I felt pretty good about being his 2nd patient for the day. It meant that he had time to get warmed up and in the zone for surgery. But he hadn't been working so long that he was getting fatigued.   If you like/dislike my videos, please thumb up or down, and leave a comment about how I could improve

Quick FAQs What Vitamins Are You Taking Post (VSG) Weight Loss Surgery

This Frequently Asked Question addresses the need to take vitamins and calcium post-op weight loss surgery. How to pick'em and why you need'em.   My surgeon wanted me on a multivitamin, calcium and B12 post-op. His office carries the Bariatric Advantage brand of vitamins, but said any good brand of multivitamins were suitable post-op.   Just be sure to wait a few hours between taking a multi with Iron and calcium. Iron inhibits the absorption of calcium.   If you like/dislike my videos, pl

Quick FAQs Weight Loss Surgery (VSG) Pre-Op Freak Out and Food Funerals

Hello my fellow VSG'rs. This Frequently Asked Question is a 2'fer. I answer the questions: Did you have pre-surgery anxieties and did you have one last hurrah with a Food Funeral?   If you like/dislike my videos, please thumb up or down, and leave a comment about how I could improve the content. Your input helps me become a better Youtuber. :-)   Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!   Google Plus https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102076899634252886094/102076899634252886094/posts/p/pub   Facebook http

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