iegal

Happy 6th month anniversary to all you fellow September sleevers! Progress report - I am at my goal, but am not eating like I should. I was almost perfect (really) during the loosing stage and then let one or two old habits back in. Still have not touched a soda or In N Out burger but I may be seen eating an occasional fast food taco...all of it and maybe a french fry or two. Dang, need to focus on health right now. Will you nag me? I did not get the sleeve as a self payer to screw this up. ARGH, where is my determination?

Excited is okay...but scared? This is an exciting time. You should have someone you can have take care of you or pamper you for a little bit or at least call you to check in. Recommend as stated before that someone knows you are having surgery. Details for them are not needed but you might want someone to pick up "groceries" or hold your hand. Of course, we on this board are all here for you. Only my DH and closest girfriend knew before surgery. My mom did not know for over three months and she lives less than a mile away from me so I know about secrets. If you truly have no one, please read the thread on what you need before surgery found by scrolling down in the forums to General Sleeve Discussions and then click on "offical what you will need for surgery thread" so you are well prepared. My favorites are g2 gatorade and heating pad. Good luck, you are going to love your sleeve!

Thank you for such great words of encouragement for those of us "younger" sleevers. Congrats on your success!

It's okay...you will be fine. Every surgeon is different so did your surgeon give you a preop diet plan? How long are you on pre-op diet for? I was on liquid protien for 2 weeks - what a nightmare, but I did it since I wanted a sleeve more than I wanted to eat whatever I wanted. Recommend calling surgeons office to get a plan or search through the pre-op diet section here or go to http://www.cornellwe...gastrectomy.pdf Diet is for sleevers, not just any WLS patient. Good luck you are going to love your sleeve.

Congratulations with entering Onederland...and not having to worry about going back. Love this sleeve.

You are excited too, right? Normal feelings, really to be a little nervous. Good luck to all of you with surgery tomorrow. No regrets...the sleeve works!

Try to go to a GNC if you have one locally and get a Isopure 40gr protien drink. I do okay with the apple flavor - maybe like a jolly green rancher candy. Consider yourself lucky, my surgeon had me on a two week liquid diet preop. This is all worth it! Love my sleeve and no regrets. Good luck!

You look great - thanks for checking in. Like to know where I can be see myself. Congrats!

Dear GDC - my future fellow sleever; Now is not the time for coupons. So, for $3100 savings you want a less experienced surgeon on a new tool? Go to the spiders manufacturers web site and they talk about Dr. Quebbemann being the FIRST (therefore more experienced) surgeon in US to use the spider. http://news.spidersu...urgical-system/ SPIDER method is just about a year old now, so not many even know about what a SPIDER VSG surgery. For those of you reading, it is the scarless VSG surgery where one small opening is made in your belly button. Watch the Dr's TV show to see instrument...type in SPIDER, show was in November 2010. I paid the money, met my personal weight loss goal in less than 6 months (10 lbs less than sugeons) because I followed their proven methods which differ from others surgeons in the area. You will get your moneys worth and more! If you want to pay less, I can name a few other surgeons but not any doing spider, as I researched a long time before my choice. Note: Most sugeons have a higher complication rate, lower success rate and offer less or no support which was a big consideration for me. Dr. Q is worth the dollars in my opinion. You are more than welcome to send me a private message. Good luck on whomever your choose! No regrets, I love my sleeve.

VSG surgery/postop is not always an easy road and then learning new habits does not just happen. It is work and diligence. No regrets, worth EVERY PENNY and more. This considering I self paid for surgery here in US.

You hit it on the head! You have a close relationship with food. While you will not lose this relationship, it will change. After surgery, I cried in the parking lot of a chain buffet mourning the loss of that gorged feeling. What you need to realize is that you are changing. You will be able to eat velvet cake again, just not the whole cake or cupcake. Realize you can do this! You will enjoy food still, promise. Just in much smaller amounts.

Dear FairyTale; Completely emphathize with you. I met my BF (now my husband) overweight and he fell in love with me. But, I hit that point when WLS was right for ME. Did all of my psych eval without him even knowing. I learned that I wanted to be heathly for me and knew that I might loose him since we were only engaged at the time. Was willing to do what was right for me in leiu of what was right for everyone else in my life. Pleasantly surprised, he was supporting with out condemnation of me "taking a easy was out." He went with me to my preop surgery appointment so sugeon could answer his questions. DH does not see my sags, he calls me his "cheap date" when we eat out and last time we went to the movies - he gave me a piggy back ride. OMG, he has never picked me up and carried me around. His support meant so much to me and continues to applaud the "new" me. Most of all I know he loved me "before" and he loves me now. So, for you...are you more important than this relationship? What is best for you? What does your gut tell you and then what do your fears tell you about yourself? Good luck and make your own fairytale come true no matter what his reponse may be.

Sorry - I vomit yet this is not a common occurrence I need to constantly watch. Should I overeat now by completely ignoring my full signals, I vomit. This is a rarity. Now I have two things that make me retch which are overeating (bad me for eating to quickly) and when other people retch with me close by. I have no regrets and love my sleeve.

Hi Sophie; To loose weight you have : 1) Less calories 2) More excercise 3) WLS 4) all options To gain weight you have: 1) More calories 2) Less excercise 3) seek professional help cause this might be psychological 4) all options Please you need to consume more, even if liquid. Drink a milkshake or two. Find someone to talk to professionally, you are worth it! Good luck.

Nummy Mexican food. I still eat Jalepeno's and am not of Hispanic descent although I eat like I am. Thanks for fanning the fire (pun intended)

Oh my...this is the BEST news. Congratulations to your soon to be "big brother" son and you handsome military husband. Thrilled for your family and obviously you!

Maybe I misunderstand. 5 weeks out - 32lbs lost and you are frustrated? Please be fair to yourself, you have lost a significant amount of weight. You may not be able to get enough calories yet, this is a process you build up to, so quit being frustrated about a minor gain and stick to the guidelines. Consider it may be hormones that helped you gain? I fluxuate in weight by one to four pounds in a week. Suggestions...How much protiein are you getting a day? Add protien yes. How many carbs are you eating? shake it up a little if you are really concerned and divorce the scale. Weight less often if you can stand it. Hugs.

Sassy; Congrats on being willing to shake things up. I read of those who do not want to deviate even slightly from surgeons diet. Happy to hear of your success!

I had no drain and my surgeon is a WLS groundbreaker performing the first lapriscopic WLS in the world, first LapBand in US and first VSG SPIDER surgery in US. Look him up, he is on many TV shows too. Trust your surgeon. PS - I was an outpatient for surgery for VSG

Audentes fortuna iuvat Probably not. I had lovely thick hair. I am six months out and still losing. When I brush it, it comes out. I tend to wash it only once or twice a week after a workout where I sweat a lot. Hair in food, on all my clothes, sheets, carpets, etc. Better to buy a wig than another ((&^&U body shaper that never hid my fat anyways. Remember, it does grow back and I have yet to meet someone with a "high forehead" like my husband.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but not ALL sleevers loose their hunger. One on my lovely SoCal sleevers warriors is over a year out and still struggles with the hungries. Rare, but it can happen. At 6 months out I still forget to eat/drink. food is now another type of battle. Crazy to this this former girl who lived to eat a lot now can easily walk past a buffet without remorse. I love my sleeve and have no regrets. Good luck to you!

Well, I cried during mine too, I was so excited at the prospect of wieght loss surgery via the sleeve. Do you have anyone who will help you after sugery? A friend perhaps rather than a relative? Who is driving you home from hospital? If not, you have us here and can tell pysch that you have a group of people who are excited for you and that some of us have been sleeved within last year while others are going in same time as you. In addition, there are surgeons who offer free support for WLS patients even if they did not do surgery with them. Best wishes!

Are you getting enough liquid? If yes, you need carbs. Talk to your surgeon’s office, but this is normal due to the radical change in diet. I was like a baby and wanted to sleep most of the time. Luckily another VSG patient here posted about ice cream. She was dizzy and her surgeon told her to eat a little ice cream. I followed that just a few bits of that or frozen yogurt and it made a big difference. Just don't get into old bad habits and make this part of your everyday regimen. Wishing you a speedy recovery. I have no regrets and results are more than I could have hoped.

I don't think you should have acidic fruit so soon after surgery as previously suggested. Digusting to admit...but almost I liken my BM a mini birth experience..and I wanted family to applaud when done. Sigh. Try stool softeners or talk to your surgeons office. Of course wishing you a better outcome.

Congrats on the weight loss. Remember to keep up the protien and drink the shakes. Keep in mind that if buying groceries just for yourself, that protien shakes are less expensive than the alternative. Stay on track and good luck!