M2G

Good luck with everything. Hope everything goes perfectly! Update us when you can.

My surgeon only does a sleep study if necessary (i.e. sleep apnea, or other sleep issues). So I didn't need one. I would ask your surgeon about it, but it definitely is NOT required by ALL surgeons.

DITTO!!!

I haven't been sleeved (yet!) but I have had gallbladder surgery about 11 years ago and had horrible neck and shoulder pain from the gas. I think my shoulders hurt worse than my incision stitches! I also have been rear-ended and had quite a bit of pain resulting from that, however my 2 things (gallbladder and car accident) were no where near each other timeframe-wise, and so I'm thinking that your pain is probably double than what each would have been had they not happened in the same week. How are you feeling (other than the back pain?) and how did your surgery go? Update us when you can!

I think I will be mourning the loss too! I only have to do 24 hour pre-op diet, but just the general overall loss of food as my friend. I think that is pretty normal feeling. Not sure how I will deal without food as my friend, but I'm ready to learn!!!

I still don't have a date yet for my surgery, everything is sitting on my bariatric nurse's desk (and she will be on vacation ALL next week....aaaargh!), but I am still hoping for an Oct. date. Waiting for a call back from my surgeon's office on this topic but thought I would ask here too... Should I do my flu shot before surgery? I'm leaning towards yes, especially since it takes 2 week for the shot to take effect. Just seems like hospitals are such good breeding grounds for flu germs (among others.) Anyone else have some words of wisdom or thoughts on this subject?

I have thought about this a lot. When I graduated from HS I was 175lbs, and thought that I was huge. Well, add 100lbs to that and then I guess 175 doesn't sound so bad. So when my surgeon talked to me he said "I want you to be 150" I was thinking he was crazy! I was probably 15 years old the last time I weighed that (I'm 38 now), BUT, really the goal for me, for this surgery, is to be healthy. 150lbs would put me at a healthy BMI. So yes, I made it my goal, but wow, it sure sounds small to me! So if I'm having a hard time wrapping MY head around it, I'm sure those around me will have the same reactions.

Oh wow, sorry about your accident, what terrible timing (not that is ever a GOOD time for that to happen!) I'm thankful that you were all okay, and it didn't derail your surgery plans. I hope you are doing well in recovery, and post an update when you can!

My NUT has emphasized the fiber aspect, and her choice is benefiber powder. She said don't do the pills, just do the powder. So I guess I can't say I haven't been warned.

I know this was not an easy decision for you, and I'm sure I would be incredibly frustrated with the mis-information from your insurance. I have been trying to place myself in your shoes and 'what would I do' type thinking. Originally I wanted the band, because my initial research on the sleeve called it mostly part of a two-step surgery and I did not want 2 surgeries, so I focused on the band instead. It wasn't until my husband begged me to do more research that I found this site, OH, etc. After switching surgeries, I don't think that I could go back to the idea of the band. At my very first NUT appointment back in May, the first thing I said to her was "I cannot imagine myself at 90 years old with this device inside of me" and she sort of shrugged and said "hopefully you will have mastered some better habits by then", but the truth is that I just don't view the band as long term. With the sleeve, I like the idea that I need to learn to live within the limits that the sleeve provides. I know this isn't easy for you, and I wish you the best luck in whatever you have to do for you. If you do get the band, don't forget to stay in touch over here!

Well, I called on Fri. and apparently my surgeon's office phones were messed up. So I left a message with their answering service and never got a reply. I think I will just go ahead and do it anyway. My surgery is likely to happen for at least another 2 weeks.

Thank you feedyoureye and Mary Gordon! This has put me in such a funk, as all along, I have picked a "week" in Oct. that would have been best for ME, and of course now looks as if I probably won't know anything until some time during that week (Oct. 18) and I just don't know if it is going to happen the way I would choose. I really don't want to do the week of Oct. 23, as that is the week before Halloween, the kids have school parties, and we have parent-teacher conferences that week (really don't want to miss that...or just send DH, I really want to be there.) So if push comes to shove then I would probably look at the first part of Nov. which I hate to keep putting it off. I'm just READY NOW!!! Anyway, I'm trying to be patient and trying to reframe my thinking into more positive thoughts. Hard to do but necessary! Thanks for your words of encouragement!

If I wanted to run my eval through insurance, then it would have been 2 visits. I choose the self-pay option and therefore only 1 visit, that lasted about an hour and a half. She never had me fill out any questionairres, but rather took notes as she asked me questions and I talked. We talked quite freely, and I think she was looking also for a history of mental illnesses, and/or things like anorexia, bulima, binging, (no to all) etc. She also asked if I thought that I wouldn't have to do any work and if I thought that the surgery would do all of the work for me (um, nope...don't we all wish...in fact the nurse at my group nutrition class joked, if anyone knew of a surgery where we would wake up skinny to let her know...lol!) But overall it was a fine experience. I'm sure if we ran it through insurance and did 2 visits, she would have just broken the whole thing up into 2 45 min. segments, but it would have been the same questions, etc.

Welcome! I have not yet been sleeved yet either, but wanted to say that I can completely understand how you are feeling with how quickly things have progressed! My insurance required 6 months worth of weight monitoring, and during that time I also completed all of my surgeon's requirements for me. At first I was really bummed about having to wait so long, but it was during this time that I actually decided to switch surgeries!!! I was orginally going for the band, and am SO thankful that I didn't continue down that path. The more I read, and learned about life WITH a band, the more I decided that it simply was not the surgery for me. Now I am so grateful that I had the time to research and be completely happy with my decision. I think had things progress quickly I might have felt exactly like you do now. However, I am slightly jealous... he he he. Everything was submitted to my insur. on Oct. 5th and I STILL don't have a decision and likely won't until sometime after the 18th ...the nurse who decides my fate is on vacation until then. Oh well, not much I can do about it at this point, except wait. It is just bugging the crap out of me that I cannot place a DATE on my calendar and plan my life around that date. Ugh! I hope your surgery goes great, and yes, I would express your concern about being 'awake' to your dr. but it sounds like it hopefully won't be a big deal. Good luck with everything!

My insurance (UnitedHC) gives themselves 15 days to answer once all paperwork is submitted. Unfortunately, my particular nurse (the one who decides) got my paperwork Tues. Oct. 5th, and now she will be out all next week. So I won't have a decision until the week of the 18th....it is really putting all my plans out of whack, but there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.

The difference is amazing! Congrats on doing so well, and thank you for sharing your pics with us, it is very inspiring!!

My NUT says you can have it flat (but then why bother...lol) but I gave it up for 10 months last year (I was on a crazy chiropractor-endorsed diet that was extremely strict...the diet didn't last 10 months but my not drinking soda did). After 10 months and I didn't lose any weight, didn't feel any different, I kind of went, 'meh, why exactly am I NOT drinking my beloved diet soda???" So I started up again...always been a 1 can a day gal. So when I started the WLS process this Apr. knowing that I would need to go off it, I thought about all kinds of way to do it, like, set a "date" or go have one big last giant diet coke at a local restaurant, etc. And you know what? I don't actually remember what date was my final soda. It has been about 3 weeks ago and it just sort of happened. I definitely wanted to be "off" it a couple of weeks before surgery. I will admit about 2 months ago I quit buying it (so I wouldn't see it in the fridge.) But I would still order it at a restaurant, or do with a quick-serve type lunch. So I guess it was sort of a gradual approach. I think this is one of those things that every surgeon has slightly different rules, everyone who drinks it has to give it up in their own way, and then there are different degrees of "addiction" to the stuff. As much as I like diet soda, I find that life without it seems just fine too, so it is not necessary for me to live a full, happy life.

So my paperwork from my surgeon says that Splenda is okay, but stay away from Equal and Sweet & Low. Great. My question is what about Agave and Stevia? Has anyone heard good or bad about them? I like Stevia in my decaf coffee and a pinch of Agave syrup on my greek yogurt. I will ask my NUT next week, but wondered if anyone has had experience with anything other than Splenda. I haven't had surgery yet. Thanks!

The ones at Wal-Mart aren't too bad. I talked to my NUT about them, she said they are not the best, but they will work as a protien option. I posted an idea about what to do with them here: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/9568-clear-protein-idea/

Thinking of you and praying that all is well.

My NUT said Stevia is just fine.

Christie! Big hugs! You are doing an incredible job, truly. You have been an amazing inspiration to me, I just feel there was a higher power that helped me find you when I needed it the most. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with me, and giving me such incredible insight. I still am so thankful that I found this site, and definitely thankful that I found you, and look forward to our friendship continuing to grow. I think you are allowed to have an 'off' day or so, and I know this won't derail you. I know you are being compliant, and it is good that you 1. noticed a drop in Fluid intake, and 2. are working on that. As far as the monthly stuff goes, that would drive me crazy. I'm sure that it is related to going off the pill, having major surgery, going back on the pill, etc. But I hear you, I would definitely be tired of THAT monthly visitor overstaying her welcome. I hope this next cycle is the one that gets you back to normal. It might be worth a call to your ob gyn dr. to see if he/she has any recommendations on things you can do to get back to normal. You have lost a tremendous amount of weight in a pretty short amount of time. I know it is soooooo easy to say, 'stay off the scale' but soooooooo hard to do. I have totally been there. Take a look at your measurements again, and take a really good look at your amazing photos. You look fantastic, and the scale WILL move again, I just know that it will. So I say vent away, tomorrow is a new day, hug Ian, snuggle with the kitties and know that this too shall pass. (And when I'm in my first slump you can repeat all of this back to me.) Hugs! Chat soon!

Welcome! I am not military, but wanted to say that my husband and I are also doing this together! :thumbs_up: We are using our medical insurance, but have to pay over $5K in high ded. first then 10% on everything after we hit ded. My DH is about 2 months behind me in the process and all of my stuff was turned over to insurance yesterday so I'm waiting for approval and hoping to have surgery THIS month! We did the same thing, started out going for the band because my initial research on the sleeve didn't indicate that it was a stand-alone procedure, everything I found said it was part of a 2-part surgery and I immediately didn't want 2 surgeries! Thank God for this board and all the advice that the wonderful people here have given. I think it saved us both from getting that terrible band! :teeth_smile:

I had my gallbladder removed about 11 years ago (I think the reason I had stones was I was on a highly restrictive liquid diet for about 7 months, similar what Oprah did, to lose weight...it was great I lost a lot of weight, but eventally gained it back). So what I was wondering if there are any differences for someone who has had their gallbladder removed before VSG. I know having gall stones can be a side effect of losing weight (among other reasons!) and so that some people have theirs removed AFTER their VSG, but was just curious if there are any sleevers who had theirs already gone, and if there were any complications because of that. I did tell my surgeon about it (in fact is is the ONLY surgery I have ever had, until I undergo the VSG) but he didn't really mention anything. I am going to ask him again about it just to be sure. It is still amazing to me how our bodies can function without certain organs!

So I have only tried the "bullet" type of clear protien (which thanks to this board!) I learned are not quite as good as things like Isopure, etc because it contains some collagen Protein vs. just pure whey. But my NUT said it's not bad, just not the "best", thankfully I really only have to be on clear during the 24 pre-op diet and for a week after. So not like I'm going to be drinking tons of clear protien. But I just wanted to share that I have sno-cone maker (it is really sort of a silly gadget that I got as a gift) but basically you put ice cubes in it and it spits out shaved ice. (Then if you were going to make a sno-cone you would pour flavored syrup over it.) Anyway, I got the idea to pour my bullet clear protien over it and eat it with a spoon. I think it tricked my mind into believeing I was eating a sno-cone. Just thought I would share for anyone who is not enjoying choking down the clear protien!