Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums

Finally! I thought it would never happen. It took me 16 days to lose 3 lbs. I had been hovering at 206 for such a long time and the last 3 lbs took such a long time. I'm so excited! :001_tt2:

I was banded over 4 years ago - it was great I lost over 100lbs. Until I developed bad reflux, vomited a lot and then realized I could eat like my former self. Went to the Dr and found out the band had slipped. It was also causing me pain and discomfort depending on how I moved or stretched. I am having it removed and being sleeved in 17 days. I will not get on a scale and have given myself permission to eat whatever I want until I need to start Clear liquids...I figure I've been so good for the past 4 years - even if I gave a few pounds, its ok. I wasn't nervous, until I started thinking about things in the hospital. Not a fan of those places and hate that I have t…

okay... I know it seems like a weird thing to be happy about.... but I'm thrilled. I have been a painfully slow looser since surgery. The most I ever lost in a month was 10lbs (one memorable month). I work out 2x per day most days... yoga (harder and more intense than it sounds) and weights. I also hike and bike and almost never watch tv. I eat mostly Protein and my calories stay between 600-1100 per day. My loss has slowed to the point where I loose about 1/2 lb per week (some weeks its a whole lb!). I am .1 bmi points away from being "normal" still, and would like to loose 20 more lbs to end at a bmi of 21. I had come to accept that that might never happen, and that …

Any one else have to take 2 bottles of Magnesium citrate the day before their surgery??? I have never taken it but I have been told by other that one bottle will seariously clean you out! So two kinda scares me! :scared0: I was suposed to pick some one up at the air port that day and I think I am kinda scared to leave the house. I mean all I will have in me is protien shakes and lettuce for 10 days prior, and I have been told that when you drink it, when you feel you have to go then there is no waiting you have to go right then and there better be a bathroom near by!!!!:bored0: If there is any one out there with experience on weather I will be able t…

Now that I have completed classes to prepare me for surgery, what can I do to get the rest of the weight off before the sleeve procedure? I have this edema issue with my ankles & feet; diurectics doesn't work. I only lost five pounds in the 12 weeks required. I want to lose at least 15 more. I no longer want to feel anymore discouraged about the weight not coming off from Water. I basically have six weeks and I know I can get it off, even if its just water weight. Thanks. Krys

Okay I know I need to stay away from youtube but I've been watching videos from others who've had VSG and some of them videotaped within an hour of coming out of surgery. This one poor woman kept begging for more drugs she hurt so badly. I was already ready to call and cancel this morning two days pre-op but my hubby reminded me with two kids under 5 I won't likely be able to line up help, financing, etc again for another year or two and how horrible it's been the past 6 months of being on liquids and having sharp pains. They have in a way become normal for me which is wrong I know. My 5 year old has started telling us her stomach hurts when she eats so she doesn't ha…

I can't believe it's finally happening. TOMORROW is the day! I get rid of this damn band and get my sleeve. I'm having my last few sips of water as midnight approaches. I'm starting to get very nervous about the IV, the pain after surgery, hoping I'll be successful. It's been such a long struggle with this lapband. Ugh! I am confident though and feeling positive and ready to start my new life! Ahhhh!!!!

I am scheduled for my surgery (sleeve) on September 30th. However, I am still wondering if I made the right decision on which surgery to have. I chose the sleeve because I didn't like the idea of re-routing my intestines, but am nervous that I will not lose as much weight as I would if I went with gastric bypass. Anyone out there losing 100+ pounds? All the literature says that I should lose 40-60% of excess weight, but that is only about 90lbs and I would really like to lose about 130.

When you are banded, if something won't go through the band and is stuck, you start sliming. Saliva keeps coming into your mouth and you have to spit it out. Swallowing it does no good because then there is more of it. Now with the sleeve, it's difficult to figure out how much to eat when you get to solids. I've made the mistake of eating until I thought I was full, but it turned out I was actually too full. Since it takes awhile for the brain to tell the stomach that it's full, I need to learn to stop before I am full. So that's where the foamies come in. It's basically just like sliming if you have experienced that with a band. I only learned the term from tryin…

I have been researching Banding for a year and about 1 week ago changed my mind to vertical sleeve. I have been trying to find a way to raise the money. Thinking about credit, refinancing house, borrowing etc. Tonight over dinner in a restaurant I brought the subject up again to talk about with my huband. During the conversation (he is tired of discussing money) he made the comment "I just don't think its work it". Well, of course I heard, "I just don't think you're worth it." I don't think he realized how much that hurt. Does anyone have a spouse or significant other who would give their opinion of whether they thought it was worth it and the benefits they see in…

As far back as I can remember, if I didn't eat, or went too far between meals, I'd develop headaches. Still, if I don't eat within 5 hours of each meal, I feel that familiar feeling of "the headache" coming on. The solution has always been EAT. This is a leading cause of going off a diet for me. I have never been one to snack throughout the day, I've always eaten 3 meals a day with a snack in afternoon and a bedtime snack. My concern is, when I have the surgery (in Jan!!) that these headaches will stay. I'm afraid I won't be eating enough and my body will start the headache thing. Anybody have the same issue pre-surgery and did it go away after? Are we able to tak…

I was always under the impression that a revision was going to result in more pain then the original band surgery. NOT at all true for me. This has been a lot easier and everything at 5 is going great.....I'm having such little trouble at this point, I'm beginning to worry that something terrible willl happen to me, just to punish me. I'm on Clear liquids for another 10 days......this is the worst part. Dr. Aceves wanted me on on clears until day 15 after my surgery, due to a lot of scar tissue from the band. I have my band and I'm planning my special tribute video farewell for it next week. I will post it on youtube. I'm thinking a small ceremony with a creamat…

Hello everyone , I am here to get some support. I meet with my doctor Oct.1st. and my anxoity is riseing as I write. I am also haveing my teeth done....So yes I am crazy but I want to see the full package by this time next year....I really could use a support group right now. I hope everyone that has had or going to, I wish them all the luck in this world , for we have to be special to chose to do this ....God Bless Elite53:confused:

Today I had an experience where someone at work hurt my feelings and treated me as a nobody for the 234th time. Since surgery isn't until Dec. 27th, of course I did what any red-blooded fat American woman would do...I started crying and stuffed my face with the donuts someone was kind enough to bring today. The funny part is that a guy in the office who has been banded and lost a bunch of weight over the past months mentioned to me as I was loading up my plate that "those aren't good for you.." I glared at him and firmly announced, "I DON'T CARE!" I think he got the message. It was a great way to make HIM feel loved as well. Not. After stuffing them and my anger dow…

I have to say like this site. I am down 117 lbs. I have 23 lbs. to go to hit my goal. Its nice to talk to people on here with the same surgery. I always get questions. Marci:wink1:

Stomach Hormone Ghrelin Increases Desire for High-Calorie Foods, Study Finds ScienceDaily (June 20, 2010) ? The "hunger" hormone ghrelin, which acts in the brain to stimulate hunger and increase food intake, heightens the appeal of high-calorie foods over low-calorie foods, according to a study being presented at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego. [...] Stomach hormone ghrelin increases desire for high-calorie foods, study finds

I am cleared to eat solids but haven't done it yet as I am under a lot of stress dealing with my dad's fractured pelvis. I am in Arizona and he fell again today and I am waiting to hear if he now has a broken hip. I have been eating around my brother who knows nothing about me having sleeve surgery so I am playing it safe and sticking with mushies. It's working out fine. I love that I am never hungry and don't have to worry about what to eat. I've just been eating those little tins of chicken salad. I keep them in my dad's room and then just have Soup when I go out with my brother. It's great! No hunger or feeling temped to eat a meal.

Hi all, So, I am wondering if anyone out there feels like I do... As long as I can remember, I've always wanted to be thinner. When I weighed 140, I'd obsess that I needed to be 120.... Someone actually called me out on this yesterday: I feel like once I am thin, all of my problems will go away. If someone is rude to me, etc, I can tell them off (now I just say nothing and pray they don't comment at me. LA is a rude town in general). I'm getting out of a HORRIBLE relationship, and feel I'll now find that prince charming since I'll be attractive. Or get the job I REALLY want... I feel like once I'm thin, rainbows and unicorns will fall from the sky and dance around m…

I was banded 4/08 and lost about 60 pounds. I have gained about 20 of those pounds back. I started having problems with the band 9/09. I have terrible reflux and I was filled and unfilled constantly. My reflux has gotten so bad that they can't tighten the band anymore because even the smallest fill causes me to be unable to tolerate eating. I am scheduled to have the sleeve on 8/30/10. I am really nervous about it for some reason and I don't want to have "buyer's remorse". If I am going to have the same kind of problems with the sleeve as I did with the band then what is the point? Any suggestions? I live in San Antonio, Tx. Anyone else live here and getting the…

My doc says my band has to go since it has slipped and wants me to have the sleeve. He is scheduling me for an endoscope test. Can anyone give me info on this test? Does everyone have to have it or is it just for revisions? Also, is the test painful and how long does it last? Just wondering what to expect since I have three kids. :confused1:Thanks!

Hi all - so I'm 12 days post op and kinda surprised that I am not feeling better than I do. My sleeve is great but it feels like my body had decided to fall apart on me. Day five I started with real bad itching around my incisions, by day 10 it was unbearable - I peeled off the steri stips and had big welts under them. The incisions were fine, dry healing well but it appears that now I'm allergic to steri strips as the itching stopped as soon as they were off and the welts are slowly fading (I've been putting benedryl cream on them). One crisis averted now I've started with muscle spasms. I don't know if anyone else has had this happen. I can't tell if I did something …

I still have over 100+ lbs to loose and was looking for some others in the same boat.

I pray you are having a blessed day :thumbdown: For this weeks song, I'm worshipping to a song by Bebo Norman, I Will Lift My Eyes. I just found out that my gall bladder has to be removed now. On one hand, I see that all this is a process, and God is with me the whole way. On the other hand, I just wish this would be easy and done with by now. I hope this song blesses you as it has me :thumbup: God, my God, I cry out Your beloved needs You now. God, be near calm my fear and take my doubt. Your kindness is what pulls me up Your love is all that draws me in [nomedia=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMoDA5gTlNQ]YouTube - I will lift my eyes - Be…

As part of my program, I needed to have a REE done, which determine my actual metabolism. I know it's low b/c i am 1.) fat and 2.) my thyroid levels are off. But i didn't expect to be basically non-existent. My basal metabolic rate indicates I should be burning 1500 calories a day just by living and breathing. I am burning 900. Which means if i go about my daily routine and EAT more than 900 calories, i'm in the gain zone. SO, where do i go from here? Anyone know how to effectively increase their metabolism?? I'm assuming my Dr will call to set up an appt once they receive my results. Until then, i'm just worried once sleeved my weight loss will be terribly slow. :…

Hello fellow sleevers... As you probably know, I am a slow loser... of course this is frustrating, but (and it is a big but, no pun intended) I am concentrating on the positive and feel good generally... When I was moaning to my hubby he said that it might be a 'mental' thing.... due to the fact that I have been big for such a long time, my 'head' doesn't want to get rid of the weight... almost using it as a comfort blanket?! I did (still do to a degree) use my weight as a joke.. to make people laugh etc and I am one who will take the mickey out of myself! For fun reasons only... I was just wondering if anyone else thought along these lines and how they turned it ar…

I am so so upset. I got on the scale this morning and it claims that I am up 3/4 of a pound. No! No! This was a particularly shocking blow, since I just finished my cycle and therefore as history has shown, should be at my truest weight. I'm so upset. I have not "cheated", I'm walking the treadmill every morning for 30 min., I am so upset. Anybody that is on fatsecret.com, please, look at my food and tell me if you see something different that I don't. The only thing I noticed is this; from the 2nd to the 10th I had steady weight loss of about a pound a day. During this time, the average fat content of my daily food total was higher than it is now, a lot highe…

When you had your revision, were you required to go through all the nutrition classes and the psych visit again? And what was your pre-op diet like?

I had my band removed yeserday -- doc gave me 30% chance he could do the sleeve. He said if their were an adhesions, etc he would not do it -- to risky given the top staple line is right where the band is removed. Well I woke up with no sleeve ---- I am so sad.......:thumbup1:

Oh, the vacillation. It is making me crazy. I did the research, selected a surgeon, and have a date. But I watch Dr Oz on t.v. and see all these people come out who have lost the weight through diet and exercise, and I wonder...am I taking the easy way out? Will people look at me as a person who was too weak to do this on her own so she goes to mexico and pays for a surgically enforced diet? I have tried every diet, even hypnosis, to the point where I have no faith in diets. This is honestly my only hope, but this freaking vacillating is driving me crazy. Did anyone else have this problem? My surgery is scheduled for February.

Hi all. I was banded in Aug '06 and just found out my band needs to come out. I feel like I have very little restriction, however I have horrible reflux and am waking up vomitting at night. Gross. The upper gi showed the band is very tight, which my surgeon says makes no sense since I don't feel restriction. He's going to submit to insurance, saying it's medically neccesary to remove the band and to convert to sleeve. I'm just hoping they approve it! I have Anthem Blue Cross. I was self pay for the original band surgery though. Did your insurance pay for any of the surgery? Either removing the band or the conversion? If they paid for the removal but not th…

I am six days post op. and today I had the life scared out of me. I was trying to get my protein down when of course I started getting sick. I tried to hurry to get to the bathroom and it pulled my drainage hose. it hurt a little but no blood no worries. well about 2 hours later I was just sitting there when it felt like someone had stuck a knife in my left lung. freaked me and my husband out called the dr and of course they told us to get straight there. They did the dye ct to check for blood clots and the barrium swallow to check for leaks and all was fine. But I still could not breathe without a lot of pain. so the dr. said he wanted to try something and he said he was…

Hey all, this is my first post and I apoligize in advance if I am posting too much here at the beginning. I am so excited about my surgery! I am planning on asking the doctor for about 6 to 8 weeks off. I want to have time to be able to "eat" at home and get used to it, as well as walking everyday. Has anyone else taken this much time or did anyone have a problem getting that much time off? Thanks!

I am scheduling my sleeve surgery with Dr. Alamanza in Tijuana and would love a mentor that shares this experience to keep me from freaking out that I'm going to a foreign country to have surgery. Any help is welcomed :thumbup1:

I have now worked up the guts to complain to my surgeon and to the hospital that the Anesthesilogist works at. I have zero intention of complaining against my surgeon as he did what he was hired to do. The person I hold responsible for having this done against what I wanted will have a formal complaint filed against him. I intend to consult my attorney in regard to having formal assault charges filed criminally against this Anes. because he drugged me against my will after I clearly told him I did not want to have this surgery and I wanted to be released and go home. He chose to override my wishes so I will chose to make him pay both professionally and personally. I …

Hi VSG family,:crying: I have decided to go with the new procedure (TGVP)due to fear of complications. I'm a single parent with a 3 year old and I'm to afraid of having leaks. I read post from Tiffany as well as Donna concerning complications. I'm not willing to take that risk. I'm planning to have surgery with Dr. Jose Rodriguz.

I know the last couple weeks have been pure hell for me and I have simply been trying to find an outlet. I no longer have the ability to talk with my spouse about this surgery as it has caused a major problem in our almost 10 year old marriage. I'm moving and I will not have a surgeon. Someone posted about my pain management and Fibromyalgia. Yes, I am on medication for that but it is NOT regular opiate pain medication and NO it does NOT effect my judgement. My doctor told me I would never get into trouble driving even if they tested my blood for it so that's hardly under the influence. There are many people who suffer from Fibro and if you want more information on my …

My doctor has not even mentioned a drain and Im reading people talking about having a drain in them. What is it, how long does it stay in and where is it?

Hello my name is Gloria and I was sleeved on 5 April 2010...Looking for any sleevers in the Augusta, Ga area.. I can be reached via here or my email....Thanks!!! Looking forward to making new friends!!!!!

Has anybody gotten Health Plus to pay for a revision from Band to Sleeve?My mom is having a horrible time with her Band. She did initially lose a lot but I think it was despite the sleeve not because of it. They have filled and unfilled it many times. she has had esphoigial(sp) swell, GERD, and now thinks her port has flipped. BUt she is afraid of getting it out and being left with nothing. Now that I have the Sleeve she is really regretting ever getting the Band. IM trying to get her to start the process because she is probably going to have to appeal it. Just think if I can find somebody who has gotten it through it would give her hope. thanks

It's no secret to those who have kept up with me that I've been on a very thin line between buyer's remorse and just dealing with life after surgery. I have what I feel to be a unique situation where I feel I made a horrible decision and had surgery I was not ready to have. I did this because as the wife and mother, I am, who refuses to disrupt others and make things go as smoothly as possible it was the ONLY time I could do this because of various situations in my family aka my husband's life. I had asked to cancel this surgery for a week previous but was constantly reminded of all the negative issues it would cause to happen to myself and more importantly my famil…

Hey guys, I just wanted to check in and see how everyone has done. Just give us an update of your weight loss or anything you are going through! I have lost 19 pounds in 28 days. I am quite happy with these numbers. I am now moving onto normal foods..but treading lightly.

I'm moving from DFW to the Redmond area. At the moment I'm still in a funk with regret but would like to know who will be near me in the Seattle/Redmond area of Washington. I'm sure eventually I will be happy again and would like to find others like me who've had this surgery.

i'm only 2 days out, but i find that i have to force myself to drink. did anyone else have discomfort while they drank Water / protien drinks / or other stuff? the feeling doesn't last long - maybe 10 seconds or so. i'm a revision patient (from band) and i dont remember having this feeling after i had the band. just curious if others had the same feelings right after surgery and how long it lasted. i hope it doesn't last long because i'm not getting all my protien / fluids in yet. i'm maybe just getting half.

I can't believe it is finally here! Sleeve is happening tomorrow morning at 7:15! Yikes! I am super excited (and nervous), but ready to join you guys on the losers bench....scoot over, here I come!

Does anyone know what happens to the vagus nerve when you get a sleeve? __________________ Originally posted at www.lapbandtalk.com

So the scale is not really moving but I have a pair of pants that are fitting more comfortably with every passing day. However - is this because I am "breaking them in", or is it because my body is changing shape? I have another pair of pants by the same maker (Old Navy) in the same size. They are actually stretchier than the ones I am wearing and yet they don't fit well enough for me to wear them in public. Which is it?

If you leave a ready-to-drink Protein shake in the trunk of your car for weeks, it will eventually spring a leak and your car will small like a dead skunk. That is all. :biggrin0:

One of my issues is that 8:30pm snack time... I'm hungry and worse.. I'm craving the worst stuff... ceral, bread, etc. I think its a combination of my PCOS, boredom and being tired (wanting energy.) By this point I've already worked out, put the kids to bed and want to spend time relaxing. I'd like to try some sort of hobby that keeps me engaged and out of the fridge. I'm thinking about knitting. Anyone else with this issue? Any other ideas on squashing the hunger bug?

Has anyone heard of fatsecret.com? I stumbled across it while googling the calories etc. of my foods. The best breakdowns kept coming from a place called fatsecret.com so I took a better look at it. I didn't like the way dailyplate or fitday were set up, I know they work for a lot of us but they just weren't as user friendly as I wanted. Fatsecret is so cool, it breaks down all your foods into fat/carbs/protein/cals, and it provides a percentage pie chart so you can get a visual idea of just how much of your diet is consisting of fat, carbs, and protein. Plus, unlike myplate, it let me put in my daily caloric need of 600 - myplate wouldn't let me go below 800. Anywa…

I've been lurking a lot on Obesityhelp.com. It seems like I've been reading several posts out there lately about people being 2+ years out and gaining weight. Tonight, I read another about a woman who's gained back a lot of her weight and basically starting over again. Where were these kind of posts when I was doing my research? Why amI freaking out now when I am so close to goal? Did I see these posts before & just ignore because "I will be different"? I need someone to talk me down. I am so close to goal. I NEVER want to be that fat girl again. Am I going to gain again just like I have after EVERY diet before? Please ... I need some reassurance - I f…