doggz109

YAY for you!!!! I agree that you handled your family perfectly. Why do family and friends get so negative about WLS surgery? I mean someone could be an raging alcoholic or drug user and I swear.....I think they get less grief from their families than a lot of WLS surgery patients do. It's crazy. You are on the way to improving your life. Go you!

I'm sorry if this is taken wrong - but what is with the double posts and thank yous? People here are more than willing to help you - but they are asking for information. What do you normally eat in a day? Do you get any exercise? Do you have any formal post op plan? Let's start with those.

I would tell your surgeon's office and let them decide. Don't try to sneak in there with a cold...they will know.

OregonDaisy gets at another good point. Restriction will vary based on the type of food consumed. You should be eating mostly Protein, then veggies, and finally carbs if you are allowed and you are still hungry. If you are still eating mainly soft things at six weeks out....try transitioning to more solid protein. Many people can easily get down many oz of soft foods, but feel good restriction when they start eating solid protein. Do you have a post op diet to follow? Have you been? Do you see a nutritionist or surgeon for after care? What do they have to say about this issue?

Based on your previous posts you said you had 70 pounds to lose....so you have already dropped 36% of your excess weight in six weeks. What exactly is the problem again? Also - in another post you mention 10 days out from surgery that you were already eating over 4oz of food. I'm not sure what type of post-op program you are on - but from what I have read that is quite a bit 10 days out. Many people are still on liquids at that time. Also - from what I have read....the most successful sleevers are the ones who actually eat UNDER their sleeve. They don't want to "test" how restrictive it is. Measure out your food and just eat that. Don't eat every meal until the restriction finally hits you. That is how you stretch your sleeve. Good luck to you.

Take it one day at a time and it will be here before you know it. One day at a time on your diet....the healthier you are before surgery the better. The good thing is that you know you have plenty of time....so start making the changes now. Give up your soda if you drink it, start sitting at a table for your meals and focus on eating slower and more deliberately, chew your food more, give up high sugar foods, etc. If you can start these changes now they won't be so drastic when the time comes.

Go to Mexico....will be much cheaper than Florida.

Yep....not supposed to drink liquid while eating. It can be done - just takes some getting used to. I have been practicing to get ready for my surgery since I am trying to break the habit of chugging something after each bite. From what I undestand...food and liquid fight for space in your sleeve....so if you drink...its less food (which equals less nutrition) in the long run. Even if you are sipping...its taking room away from that exra bite of Protein which will be beneficial to you. Best of luck!

I haven't had either surgery yet - so take what I say with a grain of salt. My wife has had her gallbladder out and I was with her every step of that. I think the VSG is a more complex surgery than the gall bladder mainly because the gall bladder is NOT a necessary organ. It can be removed and it doesn't impact your digestion the same as having a majority of your stomach removed. The second MAJOR thing is that there is no possibility of a gastric leak from a gall bladder surgery. Leaks are the #1 cause of complications after this surgery and I personally think that is the main reason why we stay longer than a gall bladder surgery. They want to give your stomach some time to heal a bit and then check for a leak before they send you home. A leak is a very bad thing and your health/status can go down very quickly if you do have one. Just my two cents.

well....look at this way....if it is the last time you see him....you won't know it....so don't dwell on it too much. If its your time to go...its your time. Seriously though...you will be completely fine and when you see him next your new life will have begun!

I am still in the initial stages myself....but I have to say that I have seen VERY few people who are dissatisfied with their sleeve....while the lap band boards are FILLED with people unhappy with their band. Look around and explore....lots of good people here. The sleeve is NOT reversible like the band....but does seem to have a lower complication rate.....+ no fills needed. It is also harder to "eat around" the sleeve than the band...so I think it is better in that regard also.

And they were oddly very supportive. My dad lost around 100 lbs 15 years ago by simply changing his diet and has kept it off (at the age of 60) so I wasn't expecting him to be very supportive but he was....he just said to make sure I really trust my doctor. Good news all around!

I thought if you had a procedure that was considered "medically necessary" that an employer could not deny you time off to do it? Obviously you won't get paid...but I didn't think they could deny you time to get a surgery done that is life saving. What would they do if you were in a car accident and needed 2 months off for recovery?

In my opinion the only reason the sleeve is considered "experimental" is because of lobbying by the people who make the Lap Band. Just my two opinionated cents.

I dunno about you - but I am making my nurses/doctors job easier when I go in. They have enough on their plate and if I can make it easier on them - it just makes it easier on me in the long run. I get meds quicker, they double check things more, and make sure I am comfortable. Piss em off at the beginning at your own peril.

At 5' 4" why would you want to stop your weight loss? Your BMI calculates out to still being in the obese stage.

Damn....I'd have been insulted to be compared to that tramp. Anyways.....I can understand what you are saying. I am married - but there is a lot of flirtation where I work. If I have this surgery and suddenly start getting some flirty looks from girls I have known for years....I'm going to be MAD.

Thanks for all the kind words and advice everyone. I am going to try to see if she will go with me to the first surgeons visit. Is this a good idea? Or if she is so negative will it possibly make the surgeon think twice about approving surgery for me in his office?

She is very anti surgery. She is overweight herself and keeps begging me to do another "traditional" diet with her. We have dieted ourselves up to 350+ pounds and just end up sabotaging each other. I also told her when is the last time you saw someone lose 200 lbs on a traditional diet and keep it off? It is exceedingly rare. Diets are great if you need to take off 30-40 pounds and are reasonably in shape otherwise. Not when you are morbidly obese and feel sick/tired constantly. She said she is terrifed of losing me and she is very anti surgery. I was also until about Oct 2010 when I hit a wall so to speak.....tired, sick, uncomfortable...all the time. It was like I hit rock bottom health wise. I changed my tune and researched surgical options (all I knew about was RNY). She won't read the books, web sites, journals, etc that I show her how people have done so well on the sleeve and that is a reasonably safe procedure. I'm just at my wits end.....I love her to death but she feels like I am being selfish and said that it is now all about ME and now about us anymore and how would I feel making my daughter fatherless? I almost feel like she just doesn't want me to change but I don't know. She said everything is too fast for her. I actually wish she would change her tune on it because the sleeve would help her infinitely as well. Any advice out there? I know I am making her sound like a demon but she normally is extremely supportive but her attitude about this is very strange. She cries when I ever mention it, doesn't want to talk, and I have given her tons of info to read on her own and she hasn't touched it. Any advice or words of wisdom? I don't know if I can sacrifice my marriage over this.

I would recommend getting off of caffeine entirely. I work night shift too and it was hell until I gave up all caffeine and started eating lighter at night and drank more Water. I found that caffeine actually makes you feel worse.

I really don't think it would be very enjoyable. You are only supposed to chew sushi 3-4 times max or else the fish gets too mushy and warm in your mouth and it ruins the experience. We are supposed to chew our food very very well before swallowing....so i don't think it will be the same for you. Also - if getting nigiri the rice could be a major factor. I doubt you could eat one piece. At 3 weeks out you should be following exactly what your nutritionist/surgeons says to eat...not looking for permission to eat "outside the box". Give it time....you will be able to have sushi again.

You say you have bad ankles? Do you take any sort of pain medication for that? Particularly NSAIDS??? The reason I ask is that those types of medications are off limits after a bypass. The sleeve has no such restrictions and that is why I recommend the sleeve if you have a need to take medications afterwards.

Having more energy, new clothes, not stressing about co-morbidities killing me early, ohhh and really really great sex.

Welcome bro! Fellow guy here and you will find a lot of great information on here. We have similar ages/weights etc....so I'm interested in seeing how your surgery and everything plays out. March 14 will be here before you know it! Congrats.

Thanks for the update and way to go on your weight loss so far......in four months that is amazing!