snowfie9

It's very common after any weight loss surgery. Your body is adapting to a drasticly new reality. It is temporary, it will grow back. But I've heard it happens about a 2-4 months post surgery and lasts for about 6 months. From what I've heard (I haven't been sleeved yet so take it for what it's worth).

Oh Maggiano's! Fantastic food there. In my expeience, with Italian resturants, it's probably better to go wtih a ravioli of some kind. I don't know about Maggiano's specificly but it seems like italian resturants give smaller portions for ravioli than just about any dish. I haven't been sleeved yet so take that for what it's worth. Sorry to hear of your discomfort. that is definatelly your body's new way of telling you "Woah there!". You'll figure it out.

Oh Connie I know exactly what you mean. I"ve been pretty nervous myself. I'm not afraid of the surgery itself. I'm perfectly comfortable about THAT, but it's everything that comes after that scares me. I had a bad dream the other night that my husband was divorcing me and I realized my sub concious was screwing with me. This surgery is a BIG change, and once it's done it can't ever be undone. There's no reversal, there's no going back. And as much as I hate being like this and the road I"m on, we're always more comfortable with the devil we know. I've never been anywhere CLOSE to a normal weight before. What if I don't know how to adapt? What if I develop anxiety disorders or become a shut in? what if? what if? I know I have to do this. And I know all the reasons I want to do this. I'm just very aware of what a big change this is and it's making me nervous too. One week left. I just have to get through one week...

I am very likely going to go with Dr. Chae since sky ridge is the preferred vendor for my insurance. I wanted to see if anyone has had any experience. He's the head of bariatrics so he does seem to specialize in WLS. I'm just curious of anyone's been to him. I've only found one person who's posted anything and it was a little too positive, ya know?

Ooooo...awesome name for a gang! I've officially informed everyone of my May 9 op date. I didn't realize it was the day after Mother's day until later. I was going to go visit my mother but since she's decided to come down on Sunday to help me with the surgery, I'll just Celebrate mother's day wtih her then. We were going to go out and I'm certain I won't be able to eat anything. it'll be weird, but I hope not too weird. I've put in my notice at work to take 2 weeks off. I'm waiting for the last of my Vitamins to be delivered. I need to clean the house and stock up on supplies next week. I've been a little concerned about clothes. I have clothes up to size 1x or 20. I dont' know if I have ENOUGH for work but I'm hoping. But I have absolutely nothing after that. I have a pattern for a super simple tie-back dress. It's got princess seams and A line figure flattering shape. It's exactly the kind of dress I love (but too self conscious to wear)! And I found some fantastic purple fabric on sale at JoAnn's, which is good because I've never sewed anything in my LIFE. And I can tighten the tie in the back as I get smaller so it'll still be servicable. OF everything else, that is the kind of problem I"m really looking forward to having. Not enough small clothes. How long will it take? I don't know. But i"ll need to buy a new winter coat and it's fantasic!

I got a call this morning and learned my insurance was approved. WOOT! And they can schedule me for May 9 surgery. That's less than 2 WEEKS AWAY! OMG! And to top it off I don't have to do a yucky liquid pre-op diet (I get more specifics of what I do need to do next week). I just need to get my Iron supplements and I'll be good for Vitamins. I have to clean house (My mother is coming down for a few days to help). I have to stock up on supplies. Oh My Goodness! So much to do! Thanks to everyone who's been so supportive on this forum. I'm so excited! I can do this!

You're 4 weeks out. When you get your surgery you lose a LOT of Water weight right away. Around week 3 or 4 your body starts replenishing that liquid it lost. That's what causes the dredded week 4 stall. You're probably still losing fat, but whatever fat you're losing is being replaced by the water you're gaining. (according to my nutritionist) It's not a problem per se. It's annoying, but it should pass after a week or two. And if not, Then it may be a problem.

Mine was a half hour. I was actually rather disapointed. the psych guy didn't even ask me about my background outside of a strictly medical context. "what kind of surgery are you having?" etc. And then I had a "fill in the bubble" test that took me 15min. and i was gone. very anticlimatic.

OH yes. hair loss is quite common in all types of WLS but from what I hear from everyone is it is temporary and the hair will grow back as the body adapts to its new reality. The texture I did not know. I wouldn't mind having more curl. Heh.

WOOT KELLY! Rock on sistah!

Yay! That's fantastic! You'll do great!

OMG I told EVERYONE I was having surgery. I told my family, I told my friends. I've told casual aquaintences at work. The only person who doesn't know is my father and it's because he's been out of the country and won't be back for a few weeks. Most of the response has been positive and supported or at MOST guarded. My mother is worried, of course, but she trusts that I'm going to research the heck out of this and make the right decision for me. But the proof will be in the pudding. I haven't had the surgery yet. We'll see how supportive everyone is when the weight actually starts coming off. That will separate the friends and loved ones from everyone else. Hell if they give me a video of my surgery I'll probably show it to everyone at work. "OMG Look! that's my liver!" I'm weird like that. And I can't keep a secret about something exciting to save my life.

Do try not to push anything "to the limit" if you can avoid it. Just because you made 8oz of something doesn't mean you have to finish it (which is a difficult mindset to get out of for people like us). That being said, if you made your shake with milk, unlike other liquids, milk does need to be "digested". Assuming you're not lactose intolerant, your stomach makes an enzyme to allow the body to process lactose so it takes longer to go through. This is why it's physically impossible to drink a gallon of milk in under an hour (while it is quite possible to do so with a gallon of water). I remember a local radio station daring people to do that for concert tickets. They got a man and a woman and had them both ATTEMPT to drink a gallon of Water in under an hour. The man vomited a pint short. The woman got the gallon down but was in so much pain she said it was WORSE than childbirth. (this weird bit of trivia brought to you by Dawn, because that's what she does)

Women tend to retain Water the week before their period, and shed it during or right after. I also crave carbs like a mad woman right before my period.

repeat after me: I must not eat sugar. Sugar is the body killer. Sugar is the little death that brings total obliteration I will face my sugar cravings. I will permit them pass over and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn my eyes to see its path. Where the sugar craving has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain. (feeling really proud pulling a "Dune" reference into a topic like this. Heh.)

It's amazing to me that bean-counters decide what is "medically necessary" and people don't riot in the streets over it. I don't know what to tell you but good luck with whatever you decide.

If you think you can do it, go for it. I've actually tried to (I don't even hav a surgery date) and I'm so burned out with dieting that I doubt I'll stick to anything until I absolutely have to. I've just done too many diets in my life. That's why I need this surgery. LOL!

Huh. No one's breathed a word of that to me. I remember being told not to use straws after having my widsom teeth out but nothing about the sleeve. But I like my bendy straws! I'll ask about that. I'm willing to give up soda for 2 years (which is what they recommend) but my bendy straws???

Keep in mind that even when you move to solid foods, you're going to be eating almost exclusively Protein for a long time. As your sleeve expands slowly you can start incorporating a few veggies and then starches, but still not much to go off of. VSG is not malaborption, but you're not going to have much nutritional variety to absorb in general. My nutritionist recommended VSG follow the Bypass Vitamin regimine, especially for B vitamins, calcium and Iron. She said the sleeve will expand as much as it ever will after 2 years and by then you should be able to get in enough variety to probably not need as MUCH nutritional support, but a quality chewable multi-vitamin is still recommended. Hope everything goes well for you!

when I took my nutrition class the nutritionist talked about a client of hers who made an "operation treasure box" filled with things she'd need during and after operation. I took a shoe box and put a bunch of things (but not Vitamins becuase they don't fit). 1) gas-x strips. Very important right after surgery to relieve gas pains. 2) mouthwash strips. You wont' be drinking much the first few days and dry mouth can be a problem. 3) Bendy straws. Because I just like them. They make me happy. Also you tend to drink more from a straw than from a glass directly. At least that's been my experience. 4) Benefiber. A lot of people experience constipation after surgery and something that can dissolve into Water is good to prevent that. 5) Milk of Magnesia. Should the Fiber fail to regulate. 6) 2 baby spoons. The nutritionist recommended eating very slowly in very small bites. The baby spoons help keep bites very small. 7) 2.5 oz stainless steel condiment cups and 3.0 oz plastic condiment cups. Nutritionist advised that once you're past purees into solid food, meals need to be kept at about a quarter cup in size, all Protein. The cups help measure that and make it look like less like a small dollop in a huge bowl. For vitamins I'm going to: 1) Bariatric Advantage chewable Iron. (take at least 2 hours after taking any Calcium. I'll probably take mine at night but it's forumlated to be easy on the stomach) 2) At costco I found this liquid multi Vitamin called "reviva". You take 2tbsp and it has about a month's worth of stuff. I plan to take that the first month and go to chewable Centrum or bariatric advantage after that. 3) Reviva also has a liquid calcium citrate. Same deal, 2tbsp has 1000MG of calcium along with Vitamin D and magnesium if I recal right. It tastes delicious! like blueberry yogurt so I think I'll keep taking that. 4) and also chocolate calcium chews to take me up to 1500mg/day. it's calcium carbonate but I'm not going to be crazy over it. I've looked into it and citrate has some benefits over carbonate and carbonate has some benefits over citrate. I'll probably end up taking both. 5) High potency B vitamin (tablet). this sucker has massive B Vitamins in it. I might even not need a full tablet everyday. I also have bottles of something called Ocean Spray Energy drink. It's got a LITTLE cranberry juice but it also has B vitamins and energy drink stuff. At only 35 calories a cup it's a good thing to take right after surgery when you're just trying to get all the fluids you can. (sigh) now I just need a surgery date. My surgeon is supposed to be really awesome but his office staff leaves much to be desired (but I knew that going in).

I was originally considering the lapband, but I kept hearing so many mixed stories about it. Some loved it, some hated it, some just didn't see results. And then I came here and saw the MANY stories of people who started out with the band and ended up ditching it for the sleeve and figured "Why put myself through that?" It does take longer to heal from a revision due to the additional scar tissue caused by multiple surgeries. And there's a SLIGHT increase in complications. But that's all I know about it.

I was looking into Biotin and I'm going to pass on it. From what I can tell having a deficiency in biotin can cause hairloss, but there's no evidence that taking more will PREVENT hair loss. And you can get biotin in almost any B-complex Vitamin. It's up to you, but there's no rule about it that I know of.

Woot! I'm waiting for that big thumbs up myself. Any day now...

because of the vast number of disappearances happening to tourists. Vast? I had not heard anything about VAST numbers of disapearing Americans in Mexico. I've heard of violence but...what?

It never hurts to file an appeal. IT's a sad truth that sometimes you really have to be tenatious to get insurance companies to do what they should. Insurance companies bank on people not fighting for their benefits. And if they deny the appeal, you appeal again, at least 3 times. Good luck!