myrori

No problems on the questions, happy to help! Here is a list of the support groups offered by my group, all are welcome. groups

Hi Krista, Dr. Guske from Kane Suburban Surgical Center in Hoffman Estates did my surgery. I never heard of Dr Rosen when I was searching. So we are not that far way from each other Do you go to any of the support groups?

Hi Krista! I am a newly sleeved person here in IL also. What surgeon are you using?

Welcome to the other side The freedom from hunger is grand!

I used Premier protein shakes and to get ready. You can buy them at costco for the best price. For vitamins my doctor really pushed Bariatic advantage, but I found vitamins, calcium, iron and sub lingual vitamin b12 (all chewable) for much cheaper at vitacost.com. I just compared the what is in the Bariatric advantage vitamins to ones on vitacost and saved a alot of money. There is also a protien mix at the Vitaman Shoppe that is VERY close to bariatric advantage shakes called Myofusion. The idea is low carb, high protien. I personally like the premier shakes much better and they are in the same ingredient schedule. I had lots of sugar free jello and pudding so supplement the shakes.

Best of luck tomorrow, smooth sailing from here................

I was just sleeved 3 weeks ago so it is all very fresh in my mind. I got up and showered extra well with the hibaclens they said I had to use. I brushed my teeth extra well and used listerine 3 times, I guess I was taking control of the germs Then I did my hair and did a final check of all the things I "thought" I would need and we were off to the hospital. I got there at 5:30 like they said and then I had to sit for about a half hour, then they came and took my husband and I back to the presurgurical waiting area. There they had me change into a gown and give a urine sample. Then I got in the bed and waited. The brought me those socks with the sticky dots on the bottom and double checked paper work and gave me what they called a Bari- Bear, which is really a cough bear with a t shirt they had printed the hospital name and the words Bari-bear. ( For some reason I dislike the bariatric association) Then the nurse came to start the IV, she gave me this lidocane shot that made like a hissing noise and had a cold feeling to it, truth be told that shot bothered me more than getting the iv. The first nurse who was being trained clearly did not have "the touch" and messed up the first one so then they switched nurses and hands and the second try went off without a hitch. ( moral of the story, tell them you want someone good at getting the iv in) I have good veins so I know it was the person and not me, but as a rule IVs and blood draws dont bother me, I just look the other way and think of something else and then it is over. Next the anestilogist came in and went over some things and asked me if I had any concerns, I told him I was getting nervous and he said not to worry that the nurse would be there soon with the pre op meds. He was not kidding, after those shots I hardly remember being wheeled down the hall. I definitely do not remember getting to the OR or even back to my regular room They will take good care of you!

This forum is a great source of help! Feel free to send me a PM, I am about 3 weeks into being sleeved and very happy to share what I know and give any advice I can.

Cheryl you will be in awe of the new control you will have over your temptation monster. I am still new to the sleeve, but I feel like I have been given and increadible freedom over the hunger that I used to battle with every day! It is very liberating. When are you due to be sleeved??

Perhaps low blood sugar? Dumping to my understanding involves bathroom issues.

Christmas cookies are a HUGE part of my holiday tradition. I went ahead and made/ and making them still. They have not been a temptation for me as I have my goal first and foremost in my mind. For me it just would not be Cmas with out the baking.

Thank you EVERYONE! Lisa, I still look forward to the day I can go to Victoria's secret and not feel out of place:)

I just finished mine a few days ago, I had to 10 days post op shots. It really is not a big deal and you can go to Lovenox.com to see the video about it. The needle is small and I never really felt it. Not my favorite thing, but it had to be done. The nurses in the hospital had me give myself the shots so that I was and expert before I went home Just one of those things that we do to get to the goal!

Recently my wedding ring fell off so I put it way to get sized when I reach goal, so yesterday at the mall we passed Kay Jewelers and they had a sterling silver/white sapphire ring special for 20 bucks! and I asked to see it thinking it would be a cheap in between ring. The salesman took it out of the cabinet and I asked what size they come in and he said they were all one size and I would have to have it sized up or down. Suddenly the 20 dollar special was not such a special, UNTIL I tried on the rind and it fit perfectly! I asked what size it was it is a 6 and 3/4! I wore a size 9 before:o I did not know what was more thrilled with, the price or size! Then we went into the Disney store and they had 10 dollar sweatshirts, for the first time in over 20 years I picked up an XL off the shelf and it fit!!!! Now that may not sound like a big deal to some, but for the chick who was previously having to buy 2 and 3 xs for the last 20 years and never anything from a "regular" store, this is a huge accomplishment for me!

More so than the physical aspect of the surgery, you have to be mentally ready. This decision and preparing for it is not something you can decide in a months time. You need to to make eating changes long before the surgery to prepare for healthy choices after the surgery. I think wrapping your head around the new life style is a bigger task that the physical surgery itself. The surgery is not a "Quick Fix" it is merely a tool to use in the life long changes of a modified healthy lifestyle. i spent a year learning healthy choices, 6 months of counseling to prepare for my surgery. I have watched my daughter who had RNY suffer from lack of preparation from the get go. She did not deal with the head issues that made her eat in the first place. She seen the surgery as quick fix and and has struggled from day one with the changes in her body. She has even gained weight recently after 6 months post op.

I feel bad when people feel like they can't eat because I can't. I have made it perfectly clear to go ahead get what they want. I am responsible to myself. I wanted change,they did not sign up for that change so I should not expect them to. The other day I met a girlfriend for Christmas shopping and lunch. She ordered what she wanted and I had Soup and 2 tsps of her mashed potatoes mixed in the broth. At first she said she felt bad eating in front of me and I told her to stop right there, I wanted this, this is MY situation and that she should not alter her eating based on what I can or can not eat. That relieved all the tension. It takes all my concentration to get in my few spoons of mushies, I can not even worry about the other food around me. I take a bite, make sure it is mushed enough, then swallow and then wait for it to settle in the right place to be able to take another spoonful. That process is all consuming and so filling that the food around me hold not interest for me. I decided long before the surgery when I was practicing my liquid diet that this was on me, I decided it and could not and would not make others who ate around me feel bad about it, and I told myself I have a goal and I want health so much that I was not going to waste time envying others food or ability to eat what ever came their way. For me it all boils down to how bad I want weight loss. Sure things smell good and then I remind myself of the goal and how far I have come and it the food is not a problem after that.

I hope so also. Perhaps when they see other insurance companies jumping on board as they are they will start covering it. Does Tri care have an appeal process??? Maybe you could show how all the other private insurances are covering it now and the latest study that it is effective? Best luck to you.

While my husband was never dead set against my surgery, he was and still not supportive. When he came at me with you have lost 50 pounds already why not just keep going, I sat down and wrote him a letter about why I felt I need the surgery and the reasons I wanted. He backed off then but still does not "get it". It really all boils down to his own insecurities. I wish you luck and keep the faith. You do what you have to do for YOU.

I think about day 7 I noticed a difference in the surgical swelling. I am day 14 and and I still wear sweats at home as my one incision on the left is still fairly sore.

Sorry you have run into these complications. Prayers are sent your way.

Has any one tried these Tofu noodles? I hear they pass as a decent spaghetti noodle with out the carbs.

I am sorry, she was actually referred to Columbia Mo and it was a civilian hospital. She has Tri Care West and they paid the bill 100% for her bypass.

I was in the same boat with Diet Coke, now I don't even miss it.

I too lost 50 pound pre op and not once did I ever consider NOT getting the sleeve for that reason. (Plenty of people had their opinion about "if you can lose that why get the sleeve). For me, I knew that if in 47 years I never managed to loose and KEEP it off I knew I needed the sleeve as a tool to keep it off for the rest of my life. I am 2 weeks post op and I am very happy with it and excited about the future. If you trusted your surgeon, you should trust his word about his new replacements.

My Daughter is military and she was referred out to a doctor in St Louis MO about 3 hours from her in Missouri. They don't have any big military hospitals there.