M2G

Welcome! We always love hearing success stories (stats, and tips, etc.) from those who are further out than we are. Please tell us more about what you have learned in the last year. I think it is normal to be able to eat more at the one year mark than you were able to in the beginning. I think the actual stretching of your small tummy is a much rarer occurrence than say someone with an RNY would experience with their pouch. But Eureka is right about avoiding sliders and junk, otherwise the weight can come back.

Premier Protein (like Becca said) from Costco, I think a case is 18 shakes and I don't remember the $$$ sorry. But they are perfect and RTD (ready to drink) Jay Robb protein powder (I buy it at King Soopers...same as Kroger) choc. and vanilla. Whey protein for mixing into shakes and sprinkling on things.

I recall reading something about using a pillow, or teddy bear in my surgeon's notes, but I honestly don't remember doing a "cough test." And I hardly used any pain meds so I don't think I was too loopy to remember. I did use a spirometer to cut my risk of pneumonia and I had a horrible sore throat from the tube, but I don't recall any of my nurses making me do a specific cough test. So, if you are asking my opinion, I would probably skip buying this item, especially since you have zero chances of ever using it again.

I think I would be pretty frustrated also. I would call and ask exactly what they need from you to recommend you for surgery? Are these dieticians working FOR your surgeon? Usually they are very familiar with being a support role for people having surgery. And I agree about soda, I used to drink diet soda and I quit cold turkey about a month before my surgery and haven't wanted or needed to go back to it. Good luck with everything I hope they recommend/approve you soon!

It passes soon, at least it did for me. I think I was about 2 weeks out when the cycle of 1 sip = 2 burps finally subsided. Hang in there!

I'm in the camp of if someone couldn't give me the time of day before surgery, and all of the sudden are checking their clocks and tripping over themselves to give me the time of day, well, I think that sucks. I have always believed that you don't judge a book by it's cover, but I do see some of what Secret Surgery 34 is saying. I know personally I am harder on myself than I would be towards another person who might weigh the same as I do. And I think feeling attactive about ourselves is a huge step in being attractive to someone else. I have been married for almost 15 years to a wonderful soul, who BTW has seen me at many different weights over those last 15 (okay 19 years if you count dating) and has never complained about my weight or made me feel bad about whatever weight I happen to be at. I think he is rare gem, but it just goes to show you that true love comes from loving another person and everything that makes up that person, NOT just what you see on the outside.

I agree with the other ladies, THAT is awesome! :bounce:

Christa that is WONDERFUL!!!! Woo hoo!

Congratulations, I hope you can come back and report being CPAP free from now on (once you have your test results.) And thanks for explaining some of the details behind a CPAP, I truly had no idea what a pain they are. That sounds miserable, and getting rid of one would definitely be worth having surgery!

What would your husband and kids do if you die in a car accident today? Or get hit by a bus tomorrow? Or die in a plane crash? I'm sorry she is not being supportive, and I would tell her that you have given this lots and lots of thought and you are ready to make a positive change in your life. Your hope is that she could be happy and supportive for you, but if she can't then she needs to keep her NEGATIVE thoughts to herself. I realize that people who love you are also people who are scared for you, but people have surgery every day and don't die from surgery. Sorry I hope she comes around but you might need some space from her right now.

I'm sorry about your fibroid, I'm sure that is painful. I think that does sound like a lot of pressure on yourself (to lose as much weight as possible before your removal/tummy tuck AND recover in time for your big trip) but I think with the sleeve, all things are possible. I would do the best you can by Aug. and if nothing else, put off the tummy tuck for another time. Hang in there, I'm sure there is a lot of emotion tied to all of this.

Welcome from one Sheila to another!!! I too orginially thought "lap band" but at the prodding of my husband (who is going to be sleeved soon as well) he begged me to please research the sleeve. I am forever grateful to him and his prodding, here I am sleeved almost 3 months and LOVING my sleeve!!

Good luck ladies! Keep us posted when you get to the "other" side!

Congrats on doing a video log. I'm sure it will be very helpful to pre-ops!! I used a few of the Wal-Mart bullets but thanks to some vets here at VST I learned that they are comprised of mostly collagen Protein vs. pure whey. I asked my NUT about them and she said they were not as good as Isopure, etc. which were a "better" form of protein. But she okayed them for use. I ended up taking ice and putting it in my snowcone maker and pouring the bullets over shaved ice and eating it with a spoon. I used "Premier Protein" RTD (ready to drink) shakes from costco (1 shake = 30g protein and only 1g of sugar) because they were easy and I didn't have to dirty a blender. lol. When I do use a blender I like Jay Robb Protein powder, it is my personal favorite. Try the greek yogurt when you get to mushies for more protein. Also use the powdered protein powder (the powdered whey you bought) and add it to your sugar free pudding, etc. to give it some more protein, once you are on to mushies. Good luck with your upcoming surgery! I hope everything goes well.

LOL, I was thinking as I read your title "sure I use it in my decaf coffee." Sorry I don't have an answer for your intended question...sorry things are itchy...I didn't have that trouble. I hope one of the creams recommended helps out.

My NUTs are all over benefiber. Not the tablets or pills of Benefiber, the kind you mix into water. So that is my thing...I drink the orange flavored benefiber 1 or 2x a day and it does really help!

My thoughts exactly! And enjoy your "honeymoon" time, it's well deserved!!!

I was up walking within 4 hours of surgery, and kept walking as much as possible during the first 6 weeks. After 6 weeks I was cleared for all exercise and went back to Curves and promptly pulled a muscle in my abdomin. So that delayed me another week before I was able to go back. But I was a regular exerciser before surgery, so walking was a step down from what I had been doing. Probably for the first week, I was just walking around the house, or walking up and down the stairs as much as possible, but then I switched to the treadmill and started out at 20 minutes and increased to 30 minutes within a week of starting. Walking is the best thing you can do in the first 6 weeks.

You are looking absolutely wonderful! 4" heels...OMG! Woo hoo!

Absolutely Amazing!!! Conratulations!!! Keep rocking that sleeve!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Doing the happy dance for you right now. WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!

Great story, that is wonderful for you to be able to share it here. Sorry that your friends are sick of WLS talk...thank God for this forum right? I can't imagine going through all of this without my VST family!

I thought the same thing, 2 more months and you could easily be -50 overall (or I would think that is possible). I think 50lbs in 2 months is pretty extreme. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it does seem like a lot to lose with the sleeve. On one hand it is good that your dr. is giving you goals, but on the other hand I hope he is okay with you reaching those goals in the timetable that YOUR body will allow vs. what he thinks is doable.

Oh my goodness, I'm sure that was quite the shock. I can only imagine how I might feel if I had woken up to something similar happening. However, I'm sure after you have had time to do your research and you are feeling better, you WILL be one saying you love your sleeve and will probably be SO happy that your surgeon did the switch for you. I met a friend at my dr. office who had the RNY the same week I had my VSG and she WISHES she had known about the sleeve or done more research, she wishes she could go back in time and do the sleeve. But she is making the RNY work, we have decided to be support buddies to each other. I think waking up and NOT having any WLS at all would have to be the worst. SO welcome, and post any questions you might have, this forum is the best place ever!

I think equating a staple line to a band probably isn't quite an apples to apples comparison. In a band there is the actual band itself, the tubing, AND the port, all of which can fail or break. From what I understand the staples used in a VSG are put in place (and yes there is a risk of a leak but the risk diminishes with time) and once the staple line is healed, it is healed. I have not read stats on people who have the VSG and suddenly 5 or 10 years later their body rejects the staples. Maybe Tiff knows if that has happened or not because she is research junkie and she might have run accross something like that, but I haven't yet. I just wouldn't call that a completely equal comparison. My reason for VSG was a LOT of things that have already been mentioned, but my biggest reason by far is I can't stand to vomit (call it sliming or PBing or whatever you want, it is still food traveling in the WRONG direction) and I just don't deal well with that. Good luck with whatever surgery you decide to do!