TStew

When I think of the terrible stomach contractions I have when I throw up (dry heaves that go on forever but luckily I rarely get sick) I can't imagine going through this after this kind of surgery. Is it extrememly painful to throw up? Do you get the contractions? Can that promote leaks?

Daaaang.... I'm not liking what I'm reading either! My sister is dead set against me having the surgery and she's giving me a really hard time and this is exaclty what she thinks will happen. Most of the stories I've read seem very positive and this is really the first I'm reading of problems. I'm not sure if I have the patience to go through so much trouble converting through stages. I'm planning on a Dec surgery but this is scaring me a bit. Do any of you regret the surgery? I'm sure all of you have moments that pass but would any of you pass on the surgery if you could go back?

The dining room will pretty much make you anything you want! They are amazing! I'm pretty sure cruises are all about the food. When I went we had a super picky person in the group and while we were being served lobster she was asking for mashed potatoes and mac & cheese and they were happy to accommodate.

103 lbs! Wow, congrats to you!

I'm pre WLS - December 2010 will hopefully be the time I change my life. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 2008 but I suspect I've had it for close to twenty years. It's been much worse in the past few years because I've gained weight, been under a TON of stress and emotional distress, and have been sick because of toxic mold in my home. Exercise is very difficult for me because it causes pain during and a LOT of pain after and I struggle to get through it because I have muscle weakness and fatigue easily. I've never been one to get the adrenaline rush from exercise but I used to enjoy the burn the day or two after a great workout because it meant that I accomplished something good with my body. These days, the burn plus the FM pain and discomfort is just more than I can handle. I don't take pain meds because I have some weird chemical sensitivities and they cause too many complications with side effects. I deal with the pain the best I can but even gentle yoga kicks my butt! Does it ever get easier?!?!? Will losing some of this extra weight help help my FM symptoms? I know plenty of skinny people with FM so I'm scared that I won't be successful with this surgery because I'm so adverse to exercise. Anyone?

I'm also interested in any input people have for this question. I'm a tea drinker, no coffee. I attended a WL seminar when I first started to consider surgery and I seem to remember the doctor saying it was a no-no for the bypass people but not for the bands (and most people were happy because they were interested in the band, as I was at the time). I don't remember what (if anything) he said about caffeine for the sleevers. (I don't think any were there.)

I haven't had surgery yet but I can tell you a little trick that I've used often in the past. A raw egg is the only 'complete' Protein that is available to be consumed. When the egg is cooked, it becomes a de-natured protein (you see this when the clear turns white). I've been adding raw eggs to my Protein shakes for years. You can't even tell it's in there and as gross as it sounds, think about all the times you've tasted cookie dough or cake batter and you didn't mind it then, did you? lol It makes the shake a little creamier and a little thicker (so I use Water instead of milk) and I am full for HOURS! I have to remind myself it's time to eat when lunch hour rolls around. It's amazing and I feel great (more alert and awake and energized). I know there is a stigma attached to raw eggs and bacteria contaminations but if you look up the statistics you probably have a better chance being hit by lightening or something. I buy free range / organic and I researched how to tell a good egg from a bad one. Here are a few tips: Medium or large are the best because extra large eggs come from older chickens. A great egg has a firm yolk that stands up a bit and a clear island around it that is somewhat defined (and not running all over the place. Eggs can be used past the expiration date as you will be able to tell if it's still good by the smell and way it looks. Eggs don't even need refigeration so it's a not as easy as people think for an egg to go 'bad'. Most bacteria is on the outside of the shell, not the inside. So wash the egg with some warm soapy water before cracking it. The more you mess with the egg, the more you mess with the nutrition. Mix or blend the smoothie first and add the egg as the last thing and only blend for about 5-10 seconds to mix in. Try it! You'll be amazed and you'll probably get hooked!

I've been reading as much as I can here and I appreciate the sharing of information so much! I'm scared and I want to educate myself as much as possible before having this surgery. I keep reading about the WLS diet consisting of broth and Ramen noodles and such. This seems to be a staple of the post surgery diet and most of these things contain MSG. Not all, you can find products that are free of additives. Trust me, there ARE healthier products out there. It may take some work to find them but they're out there. The less ingredients, the better! I'm not trying to preach or ruin your day by telling you that things you love are bad but I'm sure many people don't realize exactly what it is and what it does (like me a year ago) and I think some people would want to know so that they can make changes to avoid it. If you don't, please don't pay any attention to this post and please keep your negative comments to yourself. I'm just sharing.... I keep reading about Ramen noodles and trust me - I LOVE RAMEN NOODLES. However, these days I get extremely sick when I eat them. I learned why about a year ago. MSG. Be careful with MSG. There is a very good chance that it's the reason we are all overweight and we're all here. Everyone reacts to things differently but there is plenty of scientific evidence proving this stuff is dangerous. Scientists cannot find naturally obese rats so they inject MSG into rats at birth to make them obese. Crazy, huh? There is more about that in the link below. MSG is in so many Soups and spice packets and powders. It's an excitotoxin. When you consume it, it does things to your brain that makes you want more more more and overeat. It's scientifically proven to cause obesity by messing with the pancreas and insulin and it's as addictive as nicotine so you overeat often and you crave the products that you've eaten that have MSG. Any chip with powder or cheese on it, most soups, etc. I'm very sensitive to it and get a terrible headache and nausea when I eat it on accident (which is unbelievably easy to do). food preparers are often unaware that they're even using MSG. Labels can be misleading. A label that says "No MSG added" doesn't necessarily mean that the food is free of MSG, it simply means that the manufacturer didn't put in additional MSG. MSG goes under many aliases, one of the most common being "hydrolyzed vegetable Protein," an additive used to increase the protein content of a wide variety of foods. Manufacturers also hide MSG as part of "natural flavorings," because it is a natural product. But being natural is not the same as being harmless. Below is a partial list of the most common names for disguised MSG. Remember also that the powerful excitotoxins aspartate and L-cysteine are frequently added to foods and, according to FDA rules, require no labeling at all. Additives that always contain MSG Monosodium Glutamate Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Hydrolyzed Protein Hydrolyzed Plant Protein Plant Protein Extract Sodium Caseinate Calcium Caseinate Yeast Extract Textured Protein Autolyzed Yeast Hydrolyzed Oat Flour Terms that frequently indicate hidden MSG additives Malt extract Bouillon Broth Stock Flavoring Natural Flavoring Natural Beef or chicken Flavoring Seasoning Spices Additives that may contain MSG or excitotoxins Carrageenan Enzymes Soy Protein Concentrate Soy Protein Isolate whey Protein Concentrate Protease enzymes of various sources can release excitotoxin amino acids from food Proteins. Reference For more information, see: Blaylock, Russell L., M.D. Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills, Health Press, Santa Fe, NM 87504, 1994. Schwartz, George R., M.D. and Schwartz, Kathleen A. In Bad Taste: The MSG Symptom Complex, Health Press, Santa Fe, NM 87504.

Thanks so much for all of this information!! Much appreciated! I'm wondering.... Shouldn't we be concerned with chemicals in artificial sweetners such as Aspartame? I try to stay away from everything sugar free unless it has Stevia or Xylitol or something. Unfortunately, I've brought sugar back into my diet in the past few years but after learning about the dangers of chemical sweetners.... I know sugar is horrible for you but when the popular alternative is a neuro toxin I figured I'd take my chances with sugar. Now I need to figure out a way to eliminate it from my diet all together.

I'm a little confused with what I've read about consuming liquids and I'm wondering if I'm getting my information a bit confused because I was originally interested in the band.... I bought a very expensive juicer and I'm trying to get back into it. I juice veggies only, very little fruit. It's difficult for me to cook/eat veggies and this is just a great way to feel full and get a lot of phenomenal nutrition. I remember reading that liquid meals were a no-no because they pass through too quick and you don't feel full for very long. However, I keep reading about people drinking the Protein shakes so is this different with the sleeve? I know you're not supposed to do liquids/solids at the same meal but what about liquid meals? I know I'll be on a liquid diet for a while after surgery - is juicing an option or do I need all protein all the time? I'm wondering how I can incorporate the juicing into the post WLS diet. Your input is appreciated!!!!!

Does the stomach ever actually heal or fuse back together? Will we have to worry about leaks for the rest of our lives?

If you want to flavor it, Sweet Leaf makes a healthy Stevia sweetner that comes in all sorts of flavors. It's a liquid and very concentrated so you just add a few drops to whatever. It's good stuff!

Hi everyone, Just found this site today and I have a pretty important question.... I'm only planning on taking two weeks off work after surgery. Is this enough?? I know everyone is different but I'm wondering how long it took all of you. I just had laproscopic surgery in August to remove a large fibroid and recovery was fairly quick. I could have been back to work after two weeks. But this surgery is different and I have a feeling I'll be struggling with the liquid diet. I'm considering a December surgery with Dr. Aceves but I'm still not 100% decided. I would love to hear your thoughts on this as well: My inusurance will over the band or bypass 100% but I don't feel comfortable with either of those. The sleeve seems drastic but it feels right to me. I could have one of the first two surgeries in US but I'm considering going to MX and having to self pay. Am I completely crazy?!?!

I am considering Dec 17 or 18th with Dr. Aceves. I haven't commited yet though.... I live in San Diego and my sister is scared of Mexico and doesn't want to go with me.... I wish I had a close friend who was fluent in Spanish; I would fee so much better about getting it done there.