seniorsleever

Good luck! Let us know how it went for you as those pounds start melting away!

I can relate. I'm scheduled for surgery Jan 24, and am starting my dietary changes on Jan 1. (I'm having tests this week that require a high fat meal.) The doctor requires that I lose 10 pounds before surgery or he will CANCEL IT! Not gonna happen on my watch. I have been eating my favorite foods and feeling very nostalgic about them. I want one more Mexican meal (my high fat meal) before New Year's but then I am ready to start the Protein shakes and Clear Liquids. It will be a relief in some ways--like finally leaving town on a vacation you've been planning for months. It will feel kind of good to purge my body of all those carbs.

Wearing pretty lingerie again--no more granny panties and boulder holders! I have dreams about being able to run.....

Thanks for your answer. Maybe I need to reduce my pressure a little. I see the doctor soon, I'll ask about that. I didn't have the gas problems until they raised my pressure.

I am scheduled for the sleeve on Jan. 24, and I currently use a CPAP machine every night at 17mm/hg. The result is that I have a lot of gas (belching and otherwise) especially when I first wake up. I am worried about the CPAP causing gas immediately post-op. I can imagine how painful that would be! Has anyone else dealt with this problem, and how do you use a CPAP until you have lost enough weight to go off of it?

My surgery has been scheduled for Jan. 24. I have to have a nuclear stress test, lab work, an upper GI, and a chest x-ray all in the next week or so, and if they go okay, I'm all set. My doctor wants me to lose 10 pounds before surgery--I think that is do-able. I'm not going to worry about it until after Christmas, though I am trying to be more careful what I eat. I'm trying to clear away most of my stress-inducing activities as this will be more than enough!

When someone makes a rude or insensitive comment, cock your head in a curious way and say, "I wonder why this topic makes you feel threatened?'' Then just walk away. In other words, make the REAL question "why does this bother YOU so much?"

Hi, Kesha! I'm new at this too. I had my seminar on Saturday. I have Tricare insurance, it pays for bands and bypass, but not the sleeve, so I'm going self-pay. All I have to do is get a cardio consult and I'm good for late January. I'll be trying to get through the holidays while eating healthier, hopefully losing a few pounds. My husband is going to start me on a walking program (he is a retired Rehab nurse, and will walk with me.) I'm looking forward to getting the sleeve done. I'm not worried about the surgery at all, although I must confess to having some grief over not being able to pig out anymore. I am a food lover! I liked the idea that the sleeve gets rid of the part of the stomach that produces ghrelin, the hormone that makes you feel hungry. That's always been my downfall while dieting--I would get so hungry that it sabotaged the diet. I'll have to work on the habit of eating lots of carbs, and I know it won't be easy. But I know I can do it. You can too! Good luck!

Hi! I am a newbie--I just had my first meeting with my doctor today. I am scheduled for a VSG sometime in late January, pending a cardiology okay. I am a 54 y/o female living in Corpus Christi, TX. My surgery will be with Dr. Patel in San Antonio. I'm not well versed in using forums like these, so bear with me! I have been fighting obesity unsuccessfully for nearly 40 years. I feel like I've tried everything out there, with very little success. I'm tired of fighting. I want an end to the war! I have high blood pressure, osteoarthritis in my knees, heel spurs in both feet, sleep apnea, and IBS. The doctor assures me these will all get better when I've lost the weight. I sure hope so. I need a great support group, and I've been reading these forums for over a month now and I think I've found it. Thanks for being there, everyone!

Toni, I also have decided not to tell very many people. My husband and my doctors are the only ones right now! My husband wants me to tell one of my sons, though--just for safety's sake. I don't want my family policing what I eat, nor do I want every conversation to begin with, "How much have you lost?" I'll probably tell my younger son just before the surgery, since he will have to dog-sit for a few days. The only diet I'm on pre-op is to try to eat healthier--higher Protein, lower carbs, etc. since I'm self-pay. My insurance covers a bypass or band but not the sleeve, darn it.

Cludgie, I wanted to say I wish I had taken this step when I was your age! I am 54, and just now able to afford the surgery. Keep a positive attitude--I'll try as well. It may not be easy, but there really is a power in positive thinking!

Hi! I'm a newbie--I just went to weight loss "boot camp" today. I am scheduled tentatively for late January, but I still need a cardiology okay. I am a self-pay, so I'm on the fast track. I'm still a little nervous about the whole thing, but I'm determined to go through with it. I can barely walk due to joint pain, use a CPAP machine, and wear special spring-soled shoes to help my heel spurs. I'll have my surgery in San Antonio. I've been reading these forums for a month or so, and could hardly wait to be "official" so I could join in.