Lissa

Sophia, First, welcome to VST! You are going to love all the information available here! Second, I am 45 and I was sleeved 3 months ago. At the time of surgery, I was not able to walk from my car to my apartment and forget carrying in groceries. Yesterday, I walked the entire length of the mall and back, with side excursions into all of the big stores and several of the smaller stores! I started at 352 (HW) and weighed 337 on the day of surgery. I'm down 60 pounds from my highest weight and I feel amazing! I can walk and carry in groceries and go to the mailboxes and go in and out of stores...and.. and... You get the picture! I've felt great and more energetic since just a few days after surgery. I know NOTHING about plication, but I adore my sleeve (Rex is his name)! Rex is a PITA about not letting me eat lots of food, or letting me have milk right now, but he's been a Godsend to me. I'd do it again, and again, if I had to do so. And, I had to have two surgeries besides my sleeve (Filter install/removal) in order for my surgeon to agree to do my surgery. I'd do them all again if I had to. Good luck with whatever you decide, but add me to the Endorses the Sleeve column!

I started researching in March and was sleeved Aug 30, 2011. So, I guess about 5 months. I'd have had it done sooner but I had some health issues and hospital stays in there. If you're on the fence at all, let me tell you that it is SO worth it. This changed my life, and the lives of so many others. The rate of complications is very low. Do your research and choose a surgeon who makes you feel comfortable. That's the best advice I can offer. Good luck on your journey!!

Thank you all for your replies! I actually ran track in high school and I remember getting that endorphin high from it. Rootman, Thank you for the example with your swimming workouts. You did what I'm trying to do, build up my endurance because I know I'll lose the weight, but I want to be healthier when I get there. Pdx, You actually stated my philosophy on this exactly! I didn't have surgery just to look better. I actually had a doctor give me the "How quick do you want to meet your maker?" speech. He told me I wouldn't live another year if I didn't get the weight off, and the weight is coming off. However, I know that just losing the weight isnt going to protect me from having bad health issues all by itself. With the 60 pounds I've lost in 3 months, I don't have a good sense of balance yet. I did try the elliptical the other night, but I couldn't balance myself well enough to get on yet. I will try it again in a few weeks and see if that's any better. That's also the reason I'm not attempting to run on the treadmill yet. I can see me flying off the back and falling on the floor! LOL I think I will just start adding more time to my walking for now, maybe 5 minutes more each time until I build up to walking the full 3 miles (that's a 5k, right?). Once I'm at that, then I can work on increasing speed. I'm pretty happy with the results I've had so far, but wanted to make sure I'm doing this right. I'd really like to do the C25K thing, but know I need to lose more weight before I attempt that. Thanks again!

Immediately after surgery I started walking around my building, first the little section, then the bigger section, then I graduated to walking around the lake in my complex (maybe 1/4 mile), and now I'm walking on the treadmill at least 3 times a week. When I first started, it was a real struggle to do half a mile, so I'd do half a mile on there, then ride the recumbent bike for the rest of the 30 minutes that I have dedicated to this process. Slowly, over about 3 weeks, I've upped the mileage to 1 mile at a very low speed, about 2.3 mph, on average. Today, I walked my mile, then just kept going. At about 1.3 miles, I noticed that I was no longer sore and I could have continued walking with no problem. My question, then, is this: Should I add more distance to my walking NOW, or should I keep doing the 1.3 miles for a week or so, then add another quarter mile or half mile to the workout? I'm worried that I'm not working hard enough to get "in the zone", or that I'm quitting right before I actually get to the point where the workouts are doing the most good. Don't know if it's relevant, but I am sweating by the time I hit half a mile, but I'm not drenched by any means. I don't want to add speed yet because I have to keep my heartrate below 130 (per my doc) and I'm staying pretty steady at about 125-130 at the speed I'm walking. My goal is to be able to walk a 5k at the end of January, if that information changes the rate at which I should be adding distance or speed. Oh, and lastly, should I be doing more time on the bike along with/instead of the treadmill? I'm not coordinated enough to do the elliptical yet, but I am doing some weight-lifting for toning right now.

Ladonna, May I suggest that you may not be allergic to the Protein shakes, but you may be lactose intolerant? You are having a good bit of dairy and many sleevers find that they have problems with dairy right after surgery. For some, it goes away after 3 months or so. Have you or your doctor considered that possibility? I saw that you get hives from something you're eating, but protein shakes often have whey isolate in them, which is made from milk. Shae has a good suggestion in using broth with veggies to get food into you. I also loved refried Beans when I was first on mushies. I also pureed up some canned beef stew and some chili when I was on mushies. The textures were interesting, but it did change my diet up, which I needed. Good luck!! The first few weeks are the toughest, but things get easier when you can eat solid food again.

Avocado is a pretty fatty food to start with for a sleever. Maybe wait a couple of weeks and try that one again. In fact, that's good advice for any food that makes you slime, vomit, or hurt. Starting mushies is an experiment in what works for you, and everyone is slightly different. I started with eggs, pureed meat, refried Beans and instant taters. And I still haven't tried much beef except for beef stew meat that has been cooked to a very soft consitency. I had some cube steak this past week and it's been okay, but I'll be three months post-op tomorrow. The sleeve gets full very quickly, especially during the first few weeks. One of the reasons we are told to slow down and eat super slow is to help us avoid over-filling the sleeve. There's nothing worse than wolfing down some "small" amount of food, only to start having pain a few minutes after. My doc recommends eating very tiny bites, chewing them to applesauce consistency and waiting for a minute or so between those bites. Since our sleeves are still swollen, this helps to avoid the slimes or that horrible over-full feeling. At 3 months out, I can eat a whole egg and a piece of sausage, but at 3 WEEKS out, I could barely eat 3/4 of a scrambled egg. The sausage would have made me physically ill. Keep trying and follow your guidelines on what to eat. It will get better and easier, but it will take a little time.

LeLe, You're doing great! Two weeks and 18 pounds gone! WOO HOO!! That's a great start. It sounds like you feel good as well. Awesome! Keep working your sleeve and you'll see incredible results!

Lilliana, I'm so sorry you're having pain still! It will and does get better, and very quickly. Walk as much as you can, keep sipping your Water and concentrate on why you did this for yourself. Hopefully, your doctor's office will be able to help you feel better. Maybe you still need to be on the pain meds. Use them if you need them. But, remember that you will feel better very soon...and that you have made the best decision for yourself. Good luck on your journey!!

Congrats!! Can't wait to read your updates and see you on the loser's bench!!

I use a Centrum chewable. It's not great tasting, but it is tolerable. I usually chew it up with my Tums (for calcium) and that's okay for me. I do a sub-lingual B12 from Walmart like SK does. Also, if you have them nearby, Walgreens and CVS have their Vitamins B1G1 quite often. You might check those stores. At least if you hate the Vitamin, it's half price, and their return policies are very good.

You just have to put yourself in the mindset that you CAN do this. It might be tough, but, like Thomas said, don't think about food. Concentrate on what the benefits will be for you: health benefits, living longer, getting to see your kids grow up, better mobility. Whatever you need to think about in order to get through the liquid diet. And, really, it's a LOT easier than quitting smoking and drinking. You just put your mind in the spot that says "I WILL do this", and then you do it. Lastly, remember that it's not forever. On the other side, you'll be able to eat whatever foods you like, just smaller portions. I love BBQ chicken and ribs. I eat less of them now, but I still get to eat them if I want them. You will be able to have anything your little heart desires, but you need to take a break from it for a little bit in order to start the road to recovery. As for failing on the liquid diet, you won't. Once you start it and the weight starts dropping, you'll have extra motivation to keep going. After surgery, it won't be a problem because you won't be hungry much. You'll be concentrating on Protein and Water. Good luck!!

Welcome to VST! You are starting your journey to a new, healthier you! Congrats and we've got a seat for you on the loser's bench!!

LML and I had the same surgeon, and he's got a pretty specific list of food that you can have each week, or his Nut does, anyway. I think the reason that your menu suggestions change is that you are going to graduate from softer foods that are easy to digest, and add in foods that are tougher on the tummy each week. So, week 3 might include really soft foods like mashed potatos and soft fish, both of which digest easily. So, week 3 has foods that don't require lots of chewing to get them soft enough, applesauce consistency. Then week 4 adds in slightly tougher foods, as do weeks 5 and 6. Look at your food suggestions by how soft and easy to digest the foods are. Remember, your sleeve is still healing. Your goal with food is to get in your nutrition, but you should be very careful that you don't make the sleeve work really hard to digest something that's really tough. And, for the most part, your sleeve will reject food that's too tough or too much volume. At worst, if you do get it down, you'll have a classic tummy ache that will remind you not to eat that food again. Definitely ask your doc, but I think he'll tell you something similar to the above information. If he says it's okay to eat from any of the lists, then, of course, you should do what he says. I'm not a doctor. Good luck on your journey!!

What a blessing that one little tiny email is for you!! I think it's great that you got your approval!! Happy Dancing for YOU!!!

I'll third MFP. I'm Lissa912 on there if you'd like to add me as a friend on it.

I survived Thanksgiving with no weight gained or lost. I put a little of everything I wanted on my plate, at till I was full. I even had a piece of pie much later in the day. Even with all of that and FIVE deviled eggs, I still didn't hit 1400 calories for the day. I feel good about that. I also made my Protein and Water goals for the day, which was great. But, most importantly, I learned that I can resist temptation, with a little help from my friend the sleeve.

Debi, Someone else asked a similar question a few days ago. However, most of us do limit carbs after surgery. I'm not really worrying about carbs myself, but I don't have lots of room for them. By the time I get in my 64 oz of Water and 70g of Protein, there isn't a lot of space or time left over to devote to carbs. I do eat some potato, and they were essential during the mushie phase, just to keep something soft in my diet. I tried both rice and bread at one point or another and found that they fill me up too much and seem to sit like swollen rocks in my tummy. No matter how little I eat, they seem to swell up and hurt. So, bread and rice aren't on my list. You will figure out what works for you as you move forward on this journey. If you like grains and carby foods, then try them. You may find that you can lose weight while eating small amounts of carbs, and the weight lifters here say that you should eat something carby before you work out. I'm not a weight lifter, just my little 3 pound dumbbells for now, so I haven't found that necessary yet. Good luck!!

WOWZA!! I remember seeing your before pics and now, you are one hot mama!! Great job! Congrats and just WOW!!!

Protein shakes are an acceptable supplement to regular food once you're past the liquids/mushies stages. They are NOT a complete substitute for eating. I know everyone has a bad WLS story, but bear with me. My best friend's sister in law had WLS surgery about 3 years ago (don't know for sure what kind), and she has successfully lost all of the weight she wanted to lose. However, about every 3 months since surgery the SIL ends up in the hospital with dehydration and malnutrition. She is SO terrified that she will gain the weight back that she will not eat regular food. Her daily routine consists of a protein shake or two and that's IT. No Vitamins, very little Water, and absolutely no regular food. Every time she ends up in the hospital, the nutritionist tells SIL that she must learn to eat regular food and drink plenty of water, and SIL pays lip service to it, then continues with the Protein drinks when she gets out. I think most of us want to end up slimmer AND looking like real people, but this SIL has very thin hair, sallow-looking skin and very loose skin on her face, with wrinkles in the upper chest area as well. This SIL is in her mid-30's and shouldn't have such old, crepe-papery skin. I think it's lack of hydration and some fat in her diet. When I first started talking WLS, my friend took me to meet her SIL. I spent very little time with her before I realized that it was super important to meet my hydration and protein goals for each day. Whenever I catch myself slacking off the protein or water goal, I just mentally bring up a picture of my friend's SIL. So, my point is that, Yes, you can always substitute a Protein Drink for a meal, and there is no reason that it can't be part of your diet. Just remember that they don't have all of the nutrients we need. Even our high protein diet still requires that we take vitamins, and most of us are taking a slew of them daily to protect our future health. I certainly don't want to look like my friend's SIL. Good luck with your journey!!

I didn't experience that, but there are tons of emotional issues, especially right after major surgery. You just broke up with your best friend, food. You are learning a whole new way to relate to food and you're learning how to deal with emotions with something other than food. It's pretty natural that you would be a little on edge. Not to mention that you are probably not used to being home with everyone SO MUCH of the time. Things should calm down once you go back to work. If they don't, then it may be time to have at least a one-time visit with a therapist who works with bariatric patients, or with the psyche doc who did your pre-op. From your post, it doesn't sound like you have a major problem, just some adjustment stuff going on. Don't be afraid to make it more than one visit if you think it's necessary, though. I have said before, and probably will say again, I'm visiting with a therapist while working through my issues with food. I definitely think it's been wonderful for me. Good luck with your journey!!

I don't know anything about having a band, but I do know the "Don't Eat One More Bite" feeling well! I've been lucky in that I haven't actually slimed or vomited, but I've come close a couple of times. The hardest thing for me was actually learning to quit eating before I hit the full signal, mostly because I had never felt full before unless I seriously ate a lot of food at one time! The Nut gave me a scale at my pre-op appt and I'm learning to use it to measure out my food. I try to have enough Protein to make that meal's allotment of protein grams, then add in a veggie if I have room. This last week has been tough for me to get in the protein grams, so I'm changing some things up to make that easier.

Pink, You should call you doc's office on Monday and ask about a pre-op diet. Most people are on one for at least 7 days beforehand, longer if you have a higher BMI. I hit GNC and Vitamin Shoppe and bought a couple of different shakes, but I found them gross. I did get some Click! Espresso flavored powder from Amazon.com that I really liked before surgery. Post-op, I couldn't stand any of them. I did Protein shakes for exactly as long as I had to, and then I quit drinking them as soon as I was able to get 70g of protein a day from regular food. Good luck on your journey!!

Sleeve Diva, Welcome to VST! Congrats on making such a wonderful decision for yourself!! Good luck on your journey!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! And a bottle of Rum!! Congratulationis on making it to GOAL!!!

Sharon, VSG is a big step, but it is SO worth it. You are smart to start working on this before you get hit with major health problems. My advice is go to the seminar, talk to the doctor and his staff and TRY. If Aetna denies you, then you can look at alternatives. The doctor's office may have some ideas that will help you get approval. If you just absolutely cannot get approved through your insurance, then look into all the other options: self-pay in Mexico, self-pay through the surgeon, Care Credit (and a couple of others) do financing for medical/dental procedures. Be careful, though, I understand the finance charge is high on Care Credit. I did self-pay and was very lucky to have had the money to do it. My doc's office will let you pay on the surgery in installments, but it must be paid before surgery, and the hospital fee and anesthesiologist are both separate fees. My total was $12,500 for everything, including one night in the hospital. Good luck with your journey!!