Rootman

Been there done that, luckily (or not) I had surgery in Mexico and simply did not bring the CPAP machine. They asked about it but didn't pitch a fit and just left me alone. Didn't sleep worth a dang because by that time I was just the opposite, couldn't sleep WITHOUT it. After I've lost 100+ pounds I just could NOT get it to fit right, the shape of my face / head was so different. I had to put so much upward pressure on it the upper band cut right across the corner of my eye - bugged the hell out of me. For a while I would sleep with my hand on it and wake up with cramps every few hours. Recently I decided to go cold turkey and stop using it, I've dropped to a weight level that I probably don't have apnea any more. I really don't want the expense of another sleep studdy, the original I had ended up costing me like $800 in co-pay, deductible and out of network overages. PLUS the monthly co-pay for the CPAP "rental" for 12 months. These sleep doctors like to make the big $$$'s and they stay out of network so they can grab all the cash they can. I was seriously considering this mask : http://www.directhomemedical.com/masks-cpap-bipap/fitlife-fullface-cpap-mask-respironics-mylife.html or this one http://www.directhomemedical.com/masks-cpap-bipap/total-face-mask-cpap-bipap.html , they both look like something from Avatar The best solution I can suggest is to ask for a sleeping pill, the pain killers they give you should also help. Sleep away and let the air spray out where it wants.

The Miralax is almost a guarantee of NO gas, it's pretty benign, I suppose there is always the exceptions though.

The child plate idea is good, I personally eat most of my stuff out of a coffee mug, and while I can eat fast enough now to not need it - I would imagine one of those coffee mug warmers would help keep it toasty.

Mine too, that seemed to be the place I put on fat and the FIRST place I started to lose it. It was a huge collar around my neck and was starting to pinch some nerves as I hunched over because of it. Mostly gone - I actually have a neck now!

Congrats and good luck! You are starting down an exciting path!

Yes, I think it's 2 things. Your testosterone levels are effectively higher as there is less YOU to dilute the test. around in. Exercising (if you are) FURTHER raises the test. level. I think that our skin is also not a tight and the hairs might actually be bunched closer together too, which may make it appear that they are coarser. A high protein diet also may nourish it better, rather than one rampant in carbs like we used to eat.

Just be careful, YES it MIGHT trigger sugar cravings - IF your inclined to them. YES, carbonation will give you gas - which you will most likely just burp back up harmlessly. YES, caffeine is a diuretic which may cause a net LOSS of fluids as it flushes more liquid OUT then you take IN - but a little bit won't make you dehydrated. So folks, it's the old mantra - EVERYTHING IN MODERATION. A can of pop a week isn't going to hurt, a few cans a DAY just might. BTW, I didn't see a warning about sodas REAL problem. The typical soda is acidic and constant intake of acidic drinks can erode your tooth enamel. Again, moderation and brushing your teeth can mitigate that. So if you like it, won't get the sugar heebie jeebies from it and the carbonation doesn't hurt your tummy then enjoy a can or glass and go for it.

Sniff, sniff, smells a little like BS here. Yes, I suppose it is technically true but perhaps the truth is something a little different. YES, the stomach, even the little bit that's left with the sleeve can stretch, it IS made out of stretchy stuff for just that reason. In eons past man only ate once a day or several times a week perhaps, certainly not "3 squares a day" like we do now. The stomach would stretch and people would gorge themselves to carry them through. The sleeve will stretch but even if it did so 100% it will only go from a capacity of 4 oz to 8oz, not the old full stomach capacity of 30 oz to a whopping 50-60 oz. The amazing thing is that this stretchy stomach can retract back to its original shape pretty rapidly too. Yes, I suppose you should be careful and take the doctors word, but eating a few more forkfuls of food is not going to permanently stretch your sleeve back out to its original proportions. BTW, if your the average sleever eating that 1 or 2 forkfuls of food is going to make you wish you hadn't, your going to be miserable and feel like it's going to come back up - and it just might! We always advise caution here in this forum. You CAN fail the sleeve, by eating too much, too often and effectively "ruin" the benefit the sleeve provides. Because after all it's not the SLEEVE that loses the weight, it's YOU and your ability to restrict your diet with reduced caloric intake that's going to lose the weight. Sit around all day drinking sugary pop, eating ice cream and small candies, stuff that slides right through the sleeve and you might just GAIN weight. Just take it easy - like your doc said.

Yeah, fight it! I've never heard of a lower limit of 50, you are very, very dangerously obese at that level - I know because I was over 50 myself. I've heard of a limit of 40 but 50 is way, way too high of a requirement.

I think that MOST of us DON'T eat "enough" at first, it just goes with the territory of having 85% of your stomach taken out. It gets better and you'll be able to eat more after a month or so. We all have plenty of reserves to get through this initial phase. Just stick with it, as long as you are still losing, have enough energy and are satisfied you're eating enough.

You go girl! Men usually won't notice or say anything, by far the people who have noticed me and said something are mostly women. It takes like a massive drop for most guys to even notice, "What did you cut your hair or somthin'?"

I was pretty much the same way and it cleared up soon after maybe a month? I would take small sips, small bits and nurse everything along. I found that eating from a mug helped keep the foods exposure to the cool air room to a minimum and kept it warmer longer. Put a piece of tin foil over the top if you stop for any more than a few minutes. Of course you can nuke it again to warm it up. A DULL pain should that I described as VERY uncomfortable is probably normal. Of course if you are having sharp or stabbing pain see your doc or emergency room ASAP. It gets better as the stomach heals. You will STILL get a lot of discomfort and downright pain when you eat too much still, like eating a complete Thanksgiving dinner and then some, but this time it's only a few ounces.

You ARE doing great! You are headed in the right direction and succeeding at this by anyones definition of success. You are far closer to your goal than I am. You WILL do it!

A few things spring to mind, one of them was already brought up. We have a tendency to revolve our social lives around meals, and your friends may want to "help" you by not tempting you with food, and therefore not want to socialize with you. In the same vein, maybe they don't think you would want to go and tempt yourself by going out to eat? Perhaps your friends are jealous? Are they typically overweight and feeling you are leaving them behind? Are you sure you're not over reacting? Fat has a tendency to store away hormones, which are then re-released when the fat is burned up and lost. Could it be you are just being a tad over sensitive and people are just busy and not doing much socially. I'm a guy and have been a basket case emotionally recently. I watch a sad TV program or some and start bawling like a baby. Are your friends resentful? Maybe you didn't tell them about the surgery beforehand? Maybe ALL these points are wrong, just food for thought.

Your surgeon seems to also have a difference opinion as to when leaks occur, the opinions that I've heard is that the FIRST few days are when they are likely to happen.

I would say #4, then #3, then #1, then #2. We all seem to know someone who went in for a routine surgery and came out nearly losing their life or limb. My bro went in for bunion surgery - the same thing my wife and I both had without an issues - and nearly dies due to MRSA bacterial infection. He was in the ICU on IV antibiotics for days before they got it under control, they feared it would effect their heart. Someone I know knew someone who died from complication from wisdom tooth extraction, got infected, threw a clot and bam! Stroked out. It DOES happen, just trust the Lord will protect you, choose a competent Dr and try and get as healthy and strong as you can before you go under the knife.

Being sleeved 4 months ago my appetite is almost totally "ruined". Pre-sleeve I would come home in a daze with my sugar dropped too low and eat everything and anything in sight. I ballooned up to 375+ pounds. Now I have to force myself to eat, can only eat a small amount and get terrible pains and gas if I go a bite or two over my limit. I am FORCED to eat less and frankly with no real appetite WANT to eat less. I've lost 108 pounds in 4 months. I am told that my appetite should perk up in the 6 month range. I am also never truly hungry, I get a small funny feeling that I can easily ignore. I call it by an old fashioned word - for lack of anything else - "peckish". Now, this being said, there are no guarantees that it will work for you. I've heard of a few people that are still hungry after the sleeve, the are a vocal few. I've heard of still others that can and do eat too much and don't lose - they too are a vocal few. I've even heard of a few out and out failures, people who get the sleeve, lose their weight and then gin it back by constantly noshing on the wrong foods. Then there is the people whom it works and stays working for, they are the majority. If you have serious, deep seated psychological food issues then it may warrant addressing them first before the sleeve. If, like most of us, you just just love the high calorie, low cost, plentiful food we enjoy too much and simply overeat because it's there - the sleeve should work. See my sig for me Mexican sleeve surgery site.

Welcome to VSG Talk! As you have found there is a lot of opinions on what and when you can eat. It isn't really that hard. Take it easy and stay on liquids for 2 weeks (you're past that), then eat soft foods like applesauce, thin non creamy broth and yogurt and stuff you COULD suck through a straw (you don't have to eat it through a straw just to get an idea of consistency) for another 2 weeks, then start on pureed foods, blend up soups and soft foods for another 2 weeks. You have to let that tummy heal, it's been through quite an ordeal. After about 6 weeks you can eat ANYTHING you want. The key is to eat the RIGHT foods. Remember you can only eat a small amount, likely 2 - 4 ounces of food. Since we can eat so LITTLE we have to concentrate on the best stuff, and that is Protein. Always choose PROTEIN over carbs or fat. Eat the protein FIRST then if you have room and want more than carbs, then fat. If you think you are eating too much and exceeding 600-900 calories then measure your foods out an ONLY eat small portions, like 1/2 cup. The REASON for protein first? It's what's best, you are going to come up short in calories and you body wants the energy it needs from SOMEWHERE, if it doesn't get it from calories then it takes it from fat AND lean muscle mass. We WANT to keep the lean muscle mass and lose the fat, so you have to give the body what it wants in order for it NOT to select muscle mass for energy and that is PROTEIN. Lean meats, chicken, turkey and stuff like that, red meats - which includes pork. You can also get protein supplements like whey shots. If you are losing weight and have enough energy then you are eating right. If you CAN'T lose weight examine your diet and try to find out if you perhaps taking in too many carbs. We wish you the best.

Well I might of been able to but then I clicked you profile and found out you're a FEMALE. I doubt my clothing choices would agree with you. I thought womens sizes went in numbers like 16 or 24 or something like that.

What mini-me said. You ARE a loser - of WEIGHT. It's great what you've done so far and a WHOLE LOT better than GAINING 26 pounds.

Like anything mankind does it seems like only the "bad news" travels very far. We don't hear much about success stories because there is no excitement in that, it seems that all we want to hear about is someone failing, getting hurt or doing something stupid. The success stories are out there, seems like they succeed and get on with their lives. A lot of people who make it don't want to stick around - who can blame them for not wanting to be reminded of where they WERE on a daily basis. There are a few that stick around, Tiffykins is a prime example http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/user/11-tiffykins/ .

It is a narrowing or closing up of a passage, in this case the stomach or esophagus, it can also occour in blood vessels but is usually called stenosis there. It can be a naturally occurring band or the result of an operation and the tube attaches to itself and narrows. Read more here : http://www.gicare.com/diseases/Esophagitis-Stricture.aspx

Any WLS can fail if the person just continues to stuff their face continually and slowly with high calorie foods. Just goes to show how truly messed up we can get.

4 months out and besides kidney stones ( caused by not enough liquids and popping Tums ) I've had not complications either. Best thing I've ever done. We all wish you the best and continues success.

I was at a crossroads last year, had a lot of weight related issues happening. I heard - third hand mind you - that 2 people who work for our company had problems getting approved. One was "screwed over" for nearly a year in the insurance mill and finally gave up never having received approval. Another started the supervised diet and started to lose weight rapidly - too rapidly it seams and was DIS approved after dropping beneath the 40 BMI mark. He regained all the weight back and said "to hell with it" and never tried again. Now I didn't know these people and heard their stories from another person unrelated to the problem. I decided to go the self pay route and went to Mexico and paid $5000 and had it done within weeks of first inquiring about it. I am not necessarily advocating doing that, if you have the patience, time and are of adequate health then by all means wait on the insurance. It SOUNDS like you are in the same boat I was last fall. I've lost 108+ pounds since then and am feeling MUCH MUCH better, Blood sugar is stable, blood pressure is lower, back pain alleviated, knee pain reduced and I look great compared to what I was looking like then. I wish you the best in whatever route you take.