Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums

I still don't have a date yet for my surgery, everything is sitting on my bariatric nurse's desk (and she will be on vacation ALL next week....aaaargh!), but I am still hoping for an Oct. date. Waiting for a call back from my surgeon's office on this topic but thought I would ask here too... Should I do my flu shot before surgery? I'm leaning towards yes, especially since it takes 2 week for the shot to take effect. Just seems like hospitals are such good breeding grounds for flu germs (among others.) Anyone else have some words of wisdom or thoughts on this subject?

Friday is my VSG...I cannot believe it. I decided to keep my son out of school today so we could all spend the day together (incase I die and all. Morbid I know). We were doing running around had just a couple things to pick up. We went to the Chinese resturant to eat lunch since that's where my son wanted to go and I was surpised at how many things I could eat. Opened my fortune cookie "Today is your lucky day". Went by starbucks and ordered my 3carb coffee decaf that I had been craving and went on my way when BAM a huge Dodge Ram truck slams into the back of me. Me and my husband go flying forward and then slam back in our seats breaking the seats (yeah I need to lose w…

OK, just want to poll people. Who do you tell about your surgery? Everyone, family, friends, only close confidants? I'm of two minds here. Clearly, it's nobody's business, so I don't need to tell anyone, but I feel like this might be a good opportunity to spread the word about this surgery. I ended up telling several of my adult students. They asked me how I managed to lose the weight. The women were overweight or obese, some morbidly so. One particularly heavy woman asked, "What is your secret?" I couldn't lie to her, couldn't make her think that if she just had more willpower, she could lose weight and keep it off. So I told them, though it made me feel sort of vu…

I am trying to figure out why I am so exhausted and tired. I know at the moment with the move cross country and 2 kids under the age of 6 at the same time it's a bit harder than what some people are used to. I am always knodding off, falling on myself and just plain tired. My surgery was on Aug. 26th. Is exhaustion common at this time?

I am getting more nervous as my surgery date gets closer. I had a first appt. with my doctor, his nurse and the anesthesiologist last week. This was a 4 hour drive for me and, because of back pain, I left before confirming my scheduled surgery date(Oct. 25th) with their scheduler. They were aware of this and told me it was fine and to call in and confirm. I called two days later and left a voice mail to confirm. They didn't return my call for three days. Because I was already feeling anxious this didn't help in terms of their support(which they had offered wholeheartedly). I received their return call on MY voice mail stating that I was scheduled and that they …

I am on my second psychiatrist who is trying me on Zoloft only on a very low dose 12 mg for 3 to 5 days and then upping it to 25mgs. The first trial was prescribed from a General Practitioner and he gave me a script for 50mgs. This is the generic version of course. Does anyone have any experience with post surgery depression/anxiety and anti-depressant medication...Zoloft in particular?? When I awake in the morning I become filled with anxiety...I have no job to go to and I just get full of fear and anxiety. I am wondering if taking the Zoloft will lift me out of this darkness. If anyone here has had post surgery depression and had success with any antidepressant me…

I am going to have VSG in November. I already take the maximum dosage (30 mg) of Prevacid, once a day and have for years. I keep hearing that many (if not most) people who have VSG need to take a PPI after surgery to not only help with the GERD but with hunger, at least for awhile. I also read from someone that, if you are already on a PPI, you may need to have your dosage adjusted after surgery. Does anyone have any suggestions about what I should do after surgery if I am experiencing any of the typical GERD and hunger symptoms and am already at the max for Prevacid? I know that this is something I will probably need to address with my surgeon, but I'd like to be p…

I've been reading your posts for months and the members here are so wise and very encouraging. I need a little of your wisdom now fellow sleevers. I was sleeved June 22, 2010. On Monday I was officially down 50lbs. I wish I would lose faster but am proud that at least it has been consistent. Then Tuesday I had my gallbladder removed. It was a big mess but even though I'm hurting the one thing I am focused on is the fact that I GAINED 5 pounds from the surgery. I am so distraught over this that I feel like a failure. My doctor says it's just fluids from surgery but I haven't shed the pounds yet. Has this happened to anyone else? My husband is also a doctor (and sleeved) a…

I don't know if it's just me, but it seems like lately all I ever see on VST are people who only had 75lbs or less to lose. I'm starting to feel awkward, like I'm the only person coming from high numbers - 294 pre-op. I don't have 75 lbs to lose, I have 175 lbs. I would really really appreciate hearing from anybody who had 140 lbs or more to lose, so I could talk to those who've been there from my kind of numbers. Maybe this is the wrong place for this thread, I'll look in the 100+ thread.

I had my surgery in Mexico and my Doctor here told me it is her experience that the average amount of weight loss will be 60-70 pds. I am finally at 70 but have been at a stall for 1-1/2 mo. I am wondering if maybe my doctor is right. I still want to lose 20pds. Has anyone else ever heard of this? Starting to feel a little bummed!

Hi all... its been a while since I've posted... I hope everyone is doing great and rocking their sleeves!!! I have been feeling a little (alot) defeated lately and I figured I'd post since you guys always seem to lift me out of my funk with your wise words. So... about 3 weeks ago I had 18 lbs to go till goal.... today I have 22 lbs to go till goal. I am feeling very much like I did pre surgery.... like I will spend the rest of my life trying to get these 20 lbs off. Its so discouraging. I don't want to go down this road. Heres whats been happeneing. I have lost at an incredibly slow rate. Last month 3 lbs only. I eat only lean meets, veggies, greek youga…

Or I should say Gaming soon to be sleever in my case. So my game of choice is World of Warcraft on Azjol-nerub realm. I have an 80 priest, hunter, druid, warrior. I mostly PVE/raid but I've recently gotten into pvp with my priest almost to 1500 rating :001_smile: What about you?

hi, i had my surgery september 22nd, 2010, i came out doing great, i had very little pain and started walking right of way. i am now in my 2nd week of full liquid and am about to start the pureed stage. i am so looking forward to that. i currantly eat 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup 3 times a day and i am not hungry at all. i think that is fantastic. i love not wanting food all the time. my doctor gave me a very small sleeve he said smaller than most so he said be carefull not to streach it. i am just so excited about my new journey in life i had to share somehting with someone. i hope you like it and i will post more at a later date.

Arrived in Mexico today and everything has been great. I don't care for planes but they ladies that are being sleeved tomorrow, Ernesto, Dr Campos,and everyone else (I'm not great with names) have all been great. The preop testing went smoothly and the hospital is so clean. Seeing Dr Aceves in the AM and tomorrow night I should be sleeved! The hotel is wonderful and I can honestly say my last meal was the best meal I've had in months. I'm so excited for tomorrow!! BTW the Men here are amazingly attractive at the hospital!

I'm here to vent. It's been 1 month today and I feel like pooh. I have become lactose intolerant, I have heartburn from hell, and I have only lost 18 pounds! As sick as I am and as little as I eat, I should have lost at least 30 pounds by now. So here I am a fat person who can't eat. Is that an oxymoron or what?? I'm so weak from lack of food that I sleep almost all the time. The only time I am awake is when I have to go to work, and luckily I only work part-time-otherwise I don't even think I would have the energy to do that. My new tummy is sore most of the time and to top it all off...I'm actuallty having more powerful hunger pangs than before my surgery. I feel…

It's been a while since I've updated my progress. Things are almost completely back to normal in our household. As normal as one preparing for a cross country move can be at least! I am feeling better and better each day and getting more and more adjusted to life "on the other side of VSG". I would like to thank everyone for the advice, tough love and all they gave me during those first few dark weeks. I sincerely mean this and hope that I will be able to help others who come out in a simliar disposition as I did afterwards which seems to be few and far between.

I hate the new VSG Forum, so i'm gonna starting posting on here(myfatsecret, copied and paste), at least for myself. I'm feeling very discouraged, eating habits getting messy again (you'll see if you look at my food diary) calories and carbs going up instead of down, the only thing I'm keeping on track is my exercise routine! Help! I can't give up now, still have halfway to go, I'm worried that I'm going to fail again, what's wrong with me! For the first time since having surgery 9 weeks ago I'm having negative feelings, of failure, anxiety (my 12 yr old daughter is away this week for the first time, maybe that has something to do with all this??) Can somebody please tell…

hi guys i get my surgery tommorrow :thumbup: i was under the impression that id be there 2-3 days and now when i talk to my dr office they said one day!!! yikes! is that ok? i have 3 small kids at home ages 6 years old-8months and i was relived that id be in the hospital because i know i was gonna get rest & in case i have complications. the guys told me my insurance (horizon blue croos blue shield) sees it as a lap band. as an ambulatory surgery. so please guys tell me the truth how many days did you stay? how did you feel after 24 hours? Dee

I'm scheduled for gastric sleeve plication tomorrow - 10/6. Plication is relatively new - the only difference between it and the gastrectomy is that, rather than removing a portion of the stomach, the stomach is folded & sewn to create the small pouch. The research looks excellent, but I'm wondering if anyone has had it and what their experience has been?

Ok ladies, I am on clear fluids stage. I have till Saturday. I can not handle the bullets. They make me gag just thinking about them. HOW DO I GET ANY PROTIEN?? I am weak and feel I need some to help me heal and I also couldn't take the last dose of antibiotics, nasty mexican drugs I tell ya. ANY IDEAS OR HELPFUL HINTS PLEASE????????? I am getting despreate!

I am sorry to bring this up, but I have been having loose stools since my surgery. My doctor says to eat more Fiber and I am doing that. I am having the benefiber in my drink every morning and sometimes twice a day. It is really driving me crazy. I have read on here that some people get "concrete bowels", but I am having the opposite problem. Just wondering if anyone else had this problem and if anyone had any solutions. Thanks

I had my gallbladder removed about 11 years ago (I think the reason I had stones was I was on a highly restrictive liquid diet for about 7 months, similar what Oprah did, to lose weight...it was great I lost a lot of weight, but eventally gained it back). So what I was wondering if there are any differences for someone who has had their gallbladder removed before VSG. I know having gall stones can be a side effect of losing weight (among other reasons!) and so that some people have theirs removed AFTER their VSG, but was just curious if there are any sleevers who had theirs already gone, and if there were any complications because of that. I did tell my surgeon about …

After waiting a looong time to get in, (like three months), I finally went to my Surgeon's marathon appointment clinic today. I met with the Psych, Physician, Nutritionist, and the Surgeon himself. I passed all evaluations and interviews with flying colors, and everyone said I was a prime candidate for surgery. All was going along great until the Surgeon said, "Um, I think we may have a misunderstanding here. Your insurance does not cover the sleeve." :scared0::blushing: Say WHAT????? :scared0::scared0::scared0: I made them go to the Tricare website so I could show them the text that says it's covered. When we tunneled down to the covered services part, and found gast…

So... I'm following my eating plan and exercising a bit less than usual. I got on the scale today and have gained 2lbs in 2 weeks. The first gain since surger. I just happen to have a horrible UTI... not responding to antibiotics and causeing me all sorts of trouble. I assume there is some inflamation with this. Do you guys think this could be the gain? thanks stacey

I cannot wait for my date to get here. I keep eating like every meal is my last. :confused1: Instead of doing the 1 week low carb diet I'm going to have to do 2 weeks just to be at the weight I filled out a week ago on my forms. My eating is so out of control. I'm ready for my new life! Bring. it. ON!

It seems to me that those people who have the most sucess with the VSG are people who had the lapband before. I wonder why this is. I've thought of a few reasons that could be. They already had gotten much of their eating undercontrol with the band. Their body was so starved for nutrients (with all the vomiting and all) that once they ate food with their vsg their bodies dropped it more quickly. They had one surgery which didn't last so they make the most of this surgery and follow the rules to a T. What are your experiences/thoughts about this?

I've heard many of you reference slimes?? Huh? Can someone please explain.

I am 4 days post op, and I am having a weird complication. Before the surgery, I had perfect vision. Now, I am struggling to read at all. My vision is blurry & I can't seem to focus on anything. Words are blurry and objects seem to have "fuzz" around them. Has anyone else experienced this complication?

Just wondering. I'm so afraid that my sleeve experience will be similar to my band experience (read: no weight loss). I want to ensure that I do everything I can to lose.

Hello All, I have a surgical appointment on 10/6. I wanted to get more information regarding lapband and sleeve. I am leaning more toward the sleeve. But Iwanted to ask you all your opinion and specifics you feel I should ask in order to make my decision. Thanks in advance! Jay

I am being sleeved on the 8th and leaving for Mexico on the 7th. I cannot believe that this time next week I will be post-op. I'm not really worried more consumed with things I still need to do. I am a little worried about how my kids will do (2yrs and 5 yrs) as I have never spent a night away from them their whole lives and I'm a stay at home Mom so they spend the majority of time with me. I made a little shelf for all the samples of protien powders, vitamins, and I'm rereading my instructions. I have never been on a plane either heck I haven't slept alone in a bed by myself in nearly 11 years. I keep thinking I should get a webcam and make videos incase I die, for my ki…

Here I come!!!!! Tomorrow Oct 1st I will be picking up my 2 Weeks supply of Optifast ..I have to start on 5 Oct and will be sleeved on 19 Oct...SO!!!!! Make room on that losers bench cause here I come !!!!!!!! WOOO HooOOO Connie :thumbup:

Here I am thinking I'm hot sh*t wearing my size 10s, when I decide to try on one of my mom's suits from the late 60s. My mom was about as tall as me and weighed from 125 to 140 at different times. The jacket fit but I couldn't button the skirt without creating a muffin top (and possibly a stricture of some sort). Ok, I think, about 7-10 pounds more for this suit to be comfortable. Then I look at the label: size 12. That means that in 1960s' sizes, I'd be wearing a size 14 now. Wow. Then I remember that I wore 13s and 14s in high school and I weighed 130 lbs. So when they tell us that Marilyn Monroe wore a 12, really it probably was an 8 by 2010 standards. Along with super…

I've read some about the pouch test.... where you go back on Clear liquids and graduate to full and mushies just like right after surgery. Well.... if anyone is thinking about it, it works. I'm 51/2 months out and I can eat fairly good size portions. They are much less than I used to be able to but much more then those 1st weeks after surgery. I can do about 5 oz fish... 4oz chicken... havent tried red meat. I can usually have a small serving of vegetables as well. Mushies... no prob. I can eat a regular person size bowl of oat meal. anyway.... I had my 1st colonoscopy yesterday... what an ordeal... there were some issues and I ended up having to go 2 days on clear liq…

My mom is having a horrible time with her band. All the usual band problems, esophogus problems, unfilling, refilling, weight coming back, and now the port seems to be moving. She has Health Plus and doesnt think she can get them to pay. Has anybody gotten the revision paid for by inssrance? did you have to appeal? Anybody have Health Plus? I am trying to get whatever info I can for her. Espescially since I now I have my Sleeve Im feeling a little guilty.

Do not, for any reason, take three laxative pills instead of two in order "to speed things up," even if, in the past, at least 2 doses 12 hours apart were necessary to get things moving. DO NOT DO IT. That is all, thank you. (entire post written in the bathroom)

hi all! i am an american spouse married to a military member and i am new to the uk. i am wanting to get the vsg done here, and could use any and ALL information. i am thinking that i will go somewhere in london (since that seems to be the closest place to us) to get the surgery done, but i honestly, have no idea where to start! any and all help would be appreciated! :thumbup: lisa

I am pre VSG and have one to three migraines a month. I was wondering there is anyone else out there that has suffered with migraines before surgery and what happened after surgery? ~thanks Bulldawgma

I am 6 months out and I am stuck at 70 pounds loss. Getting frustrated.. I have been stuck for well over a mo.. just stay the same.. Guess i better start all over with liquids maybe? any suggestions? :biggrin0:

How many kiddos do you girls have? Extra challenges recovering from something like this with little dependent kids at home wanting hugs. My little guy is so adorable, he makes a huge deal of kissing my hand!! He's like Mommy I'm going to put a million kisses on your hand so I don't hurt your belly! So then he's attacking my hand, kissing it. So sweet. I didn't have the heart to tell him that was my IV hand and it hurt like hell. lol.... My kids are 7 and 4. Oldest is a girl, youngest a boy. I went through an appendectomy when she was 6 months. Tough. I refused to rest and recover then and insisted on not slowing down. Then I went through having a new baby w…

If you are a parent, and you have school-age a school-aged child(ren), AND you were sleeved on a school day, did you let your child go to school on your surgery day? I don't have a surgery date yet, (hoping for Oct.) and I'm sure it will land on a school day. I have 2 girls, 3rd and 4th grade, and I'm just not sure if I should send them to school (keep their schedule as normal as possible) or let them stay with my in-laws who could then bring them to the hosptial after I'm out of recovery, etc. We have talked to them about the surgery, and given them a general idea (without tons of details) and I'm sure they will be concerned, distracted, etc. But that could be a…

Hi, anyone had or going to have the sleeve in the Czech From the U.k.?

Hi newbie here, I have searched and read so much on gastric sleeve! I have spoken to Michael from Cosmetic bliss and he is sending me info. Anyone on here who would like to give me any advice it would be gratefully appreciated. Im aged 52, and the skin after weight loss really worries me Any advice please. I take omeprozole, had camera 12/18mths ago, but they found nothing,it doesnt really help my indigestion ! So only take it as last resort, usually use gaviscon. Im frightened if they go and find hernia or ulsers while having sleeve, as i am not a where of anything, any help with this please. Im sorry for all the questions and appologise if i sound stupid in ad…

I just got off the phone with the doctor's office that my medical group suggested based on my insurance (which is a whole different set of questions). He's a well respected doctor in the area and has done tons of bypasses...thing is he hasn't done ANY sleeves. The receptionist said that he was "going to start." :scared0: So, opinions please, should I running screaming in the opposite direction? Of course by the time I jump thru all the insurance hoops he may have a few sleeves under his belt, but it's more always better? Thanks in advance, Tracy

I just turned 40 and was sleeved on the 25th of August in New Delhi, India. So far, I have lost 29 pounds so far. however i need some guidance and just someone to bounce ideas off. My biggest concern is that because I travelled to india to do the surgery, there is really no support coming from the hospital or the doctors for that matter. So I would have to rely on reading and others who have done this before me. waiting to hear from my new friends. thanks Annette

Here I am, the one that put out the challenge to you all to only weigh once a month and I'm having trouble sticking to that rule myself. It's been 2 weeks since my last weigh in and I'm really tempted to get on that scale. (Luckily, I don't own one so it means going over to a friend's house.) I think it's because I'm bored and maybe a little down. Now that I don't have food to focus on, I'm looking for something else to give me a temporary boost. Obsessing about my weight loss would certainly do that, but it's not good for me. I'm 12 weeks out and things have really gotten back to normal. That means that everything is about the same as it was 6 months ago except that: …

Hi all, My sister has introduced me to this,what question I have...is that,are there any health restrictions that make this procedure a no go....I have diabetes,crohns,and thyroid issues....very seriously looking into getting this done.....thanks for reading.:confused:

I?ve been thinking about WLS for 3 years, but haven?t been ready to make the commitment to move forward. I had attended a seminar about 2 years and was considering lap-band, but just couldn?t get my head around it. Was struggling w/ the thought of the port, the idea of frequent fills, and the potential side effects (productive burping?!) that I seemed to read an awful lot about. In the meantime, my 70 year old mother actually had that surgery and although she?s been successful at getting some of the weight off (not all), her side effects have confirmed that it?s not the right surgery for me. Although I work full-time and carry the health benefits, my health insurance po…

I'm wondering how long you guys HAVE to wait before you can lay down? I know it's not best to eat and go to bed even for someone without this surgery. I've had a couple "episodes" where I waited over an hour and still had reflux symptoms after laying down. Thanks and I hope everyone has a great Sunday!

My surgeon submitted the paperwork for my band removal and revision on Monday. I heard today I've been approved! The patient cordinator isn't the one who took the message from the insurance company, the front desk did, and according to them I'm approved for either bypass or sleeve. She said she's waiting for the confirmation from them because when she talked to a nurse there earlier this week, she was told they still considered the sleeve experimental. But, on the message they took, they listed both procedure codes. But, either way, it's approved! I'm so relieved. I did not want to have to either come up with a buttload of cash to self pay (again) or try to keep th…