Oregondaisy

I am so sorry to hear this! I don't know how they think something of that size would just pass through. I am glad you're going to see your bariatric surgeon!

How do you get to the groups anyway?

Probably the same reason all of the rest of us had it removed. Bands suck.

Just progress at your own rate. if something doesn't feel good, try it again in a couple of weeks. Or just take a couple of bites and put the rest away until later. I was that way with solids. I would take 2 bites and that would be all I could eat so I made sure I got most of my Protein from my Protein drinks.

Do the Pure Protein have sugar alcohol in them? That stuff gives me horrible gas!

You are doing great and I would not change a thing. The goal is at least 60 grams of Protein and 64 oz of Water. Are you mixing one Protein Drink and drinking it through out the day? Because 3 scoops of Protein powder sounds like a lot for one protein drink.

I still have a Protein drink for breakfast because I don't really like any breakfast foods. lunch, leftovers, or egg or tuna or chicken salad, or sometimes a green salad with some chicken mixed in, sometimes deli meat and cheese rolled up. dinner, any kind of meat and some veggies. Sometimes I take my kids out for pizza and I can eat one piece. I still don't eat noodles , rice, potatoes, etc. I eat a lot of Greek yogurt because I love it!

there are way better Protein drinks that you can get that are made for bariatric patients. You want to find one with 20-25 grams of protein and not many carbs. Go to the food section and look at the places to order samples.

Hey, Dr. Tersigni did my band. I am going to support group tomorrow. Do you live in Coos Bay?

You want to try to find one that has more Protein than carbs. You didn't say what stage you are on.If you're still on soft foods, Protein Bars are not in that classification.

Yes I do have trouble with gas. I did have a lot of problems with diarrhea until I started taking Iron regularly. Now I have the opposite problems. I didn't recognize the gall bladder pain and waited too long to go to the ER and got pancreatitis. Talk about painful!

I liked Mexicali so much, I went back and had a face lift there by Dr. Luque. I got to see Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos again and I was so happy to see them! Dr. Aceves' qualifications are superior . I had much better care at that hospital than I did here when I had my gall bladder out.

This is very common for some reason. I've heard that it's because water has the wrong PH balance for the sleevd stomach. I can drink water now, but it bothered me for awhile. Sometimes I just add a little bit of cryrstal light and not the whole package because it's just too sweet. I can't drink any liquid cold. Room temp or warm feels best to me!

I can't believe his doctor does not want to run any tests. If he had surgery in February, he should be healed by now. I have not heard of anyone having trouble every single time they eat. I would insist on some sort of test to make sure everything is okay in there. I've heard of saltine crackers settling the stomach, but not Doritos!

The band causes nothing but problems. That's why there are so many band to sleeve revisions and it has it own section! you are not alone. Do whatever you have to and get that band out before it damages your esophagus and stomach.

What kind of Protein drink do you have that only has 19 calories? Stalls suck, but they happen to all of us. You'll get to goal as hard as you're working!

I've read many reports of consistent restriction from VSG vs. tha random restriction I had from AGB. Is your restriction consistent? Yes, I can eat more mushie food like yogurt, but meat 2-3 oz s it consistent both in terms of times of day you can eat and types of food you can eat? Yes I eat anything I want for breakfast lunch and dinner, With AGB "stuck" foods caused me discomfort or pain, often quite a bit of pain, and often for a fairly long time. Does food stick with VSG? Never for me. I've read about people brining stuff up, but is this because of failure to pass through some stoma, or is it because of eating more than you can hold? Or both? I've never had an issue with food coming up,but I've been careful not to overeat. Does it hurt like it did with your band? When it comes up, is it "saliva + stuck bits" like with the band, or is it actual vomit? I've never vomited with the sleeve. I know some dumping can occur with VSG - do you dump? Is it on specific foods, or random? I've never had a dumping problem. I had my gall bladder out at the same time as my revision and now fatty foods nauseate me, but sweets are fine. What period is the greatest risk for developing a leak? I see references to 2 weeks, 2 months... That's a doctor question, but I think you have to be careful for a couple of months until you are completely healed. Is leak the (currently known) most likely complication of VSG? I see people talking about leaks, and pOuch stretching, but that's about it. Surely there's something else out there... That's all I've heard also, though I didn't have any problems. WIthout the need for fills, what does your post-op care look like? I only went back to my surgeon once post-op. After that my primary care doc handles everything. I just have labs once or twice a year. Do you have periodoc leak tests as a bandster might have period fluoro or xray? No. What do you like best about your VSG? The ability to eat healthy foods that I couldn't with the band (salads, certain fruits/veggies), not having to ever worry again about eating too much - I can't, being able to eat like a "normal" person (not counting calories, fat grams, etc.). I eat whatever I want, but in moderation. What do you like least about your VSG? There are times your brain still wants to pig out on something, but your body can't do it, so you have to just deal with that. I lost more muscle than I would have liked to, but that I can build back up. What did you not know going in, that you wish you did? I was pretty well informed, but I guess I didn't realize how hard it would be to get all my protein in without supplements. I still have to eat protein bars to get it all in. I keep reading "recovery is a lot harder than with the band," but no one really elaborates. Can someone please share their comparison of recovery? I've had 12 surgeries in my life, so I may be an old pro about it, but I thought my recovery was just as easy. I work from home on the computer and was back at my desk the day after I got home from the hospital for short spurts. Pain was minimal. How hard did you find the transition in terns of behavior? I'm assuming there are shared rules such as chewing to goo, small bites, waiting between bites, etc. You don't have to worry about chewing everything up super small with the VSG like you do with the band or taking small bites. The opening to your stomach is the same as anyone else's, so that's not an issue anymore. I eat just like anyone else. Do you have a "soft stop" with VSG? (I never had one with AGB, but I'm wondering if it exists with VSG) Not sure what that means... Did anyone out thyere have a difficult revision due to scar tissue/etc. with the band? My surgeon did both the band and my revision to VSG. He had put my port in there really good, so it was a bear to get out. I was left with a large open area internally that filled with blood and caused a hematoma. The incision above the hematoma opened up, the blood drained, and the hole had to then heal from the inside out. I had to keep it packed with cotton tape and change twice a day for a couple of months. I also had a hiatal hernia that I fell was caused by the band. The doc fixed it during the revision surgery. Any bathroom problems? (e.g. the terrible stinkies DSers are known for) None at all. In fact, I used to have IBS but no more. It seems like most people encounter significant heartburn. Is reflux an issue with VSG? Is the heartburn long term, or does it resolve after a while? I continue to take a PPI to control acid, so it's not an issue. Are your food intolerances (if any) the same as with your AGB? I can eat or drink anything I want with the sleeve, no restrictions. I choose to NOT eat much bread, as it swells with liquids and takes up room in my tummy I should be filling with protein. I can tolerate anything - spicy foods, wine and spirits, etc.

I use Miralax. This is what was recommended to me my my doctor.

Well said Tiff! I am anemic. I have been taking Iron and I am more anemic now than I was before I started taking iron. There seems to be a pattern on this. On OH, there is a thread " how many of you are anemic" Many people replied that they were. You can still have chocolate treats. I take the chocolate chews from Bariatric Advantage. They are Calcium citrate & they are yummy!

I am at 2 years now and I am still never hungry. I am still at goal. The sleeve ROCKS!

I hate that! Does anyone feel like talking?

I have no idea if this was a man who was a patient of Dr. Aceves or if this was something he just heard about. I know he travels one week a month to other areas to proctor other surgeons. He was called away before I had a chance to ask him any more questions about this man. I did ask him if it was on the staple line, and he said no! Since it was not on the staple line, I would imagine it could happen no matter who did the surgery. I am sure it's very rare though. I have certainly not heard of anything like this before, and I have been on the boards a long time.

I don't know how to spell that word. Grehlin? It's the hunger hormone that is removed with the stomach, Sometimes it takes awhile for all of it to be gone.

Yes, Pretty scary. I can't imagine how painful a perforated stomach would be. I try to stop eating before I am full. I know in 20 minutes I will be more full and that's how I get too full.

Dr. Aceves told us to sip 2 oz every 20 min in the beginning. Get yourself some g2 gatoriade or poweraide, K20 Protein Water, crytstal lite, etc for fluids. If you want to try some samples of driferent Protein drinks, go to the food forum and there is a thread for places to order samples. If you have a GNC, they will let you sample protein drinks. Just don't buy a lot of anything because everyone says their taste changes after surgery.