Lissa

Peacequeen, I understand your frustration. I was self-pay, so thought the process should have been smooth sailing. That was before the surgeon said he wanted a filter installed, which meant visits to vein doctors, then blood doctors, a neurologist. I finally asked the surgeon if all these doctors were related or had some mob connection that required them to refer every one of their patients to each other so their kids could have paid for college! Good luck on your journey, and don't give up on the phone and in person visits/harrassment of the docs until you get the approval you need. It WILL be worth it. And, tell them that your insurance is getting ready to change (or that you will have to meet a whole new deductible next year) if that is the case.

Congrats and welcome to the loser's bench!!!

babigirl, What you're doing is called a food funeral, but it's totally unnecessary. You WILL be able to eat all the foods you love after surgery. I have always adored biscuits and gravy with eggs mixed into them. I can't eat the quantity I could before surgery, but I ate some at my cousin's house a few weeks ago and they were delicious! One egg and half a biscuit with a little gravy were so good! One side effect for me of the liquid diet is that I'm no longer interested in sweets just for sweets sake. I am also lactose intolerant to milk right now, so I'm not eating ice cream or drinking regular milk. However, there are lots of substitutes to work around that. I'm waiting on red meat, mostly because I've seen that many surgeons advise waiting six months, but I've eaten pork, chicken, shrimp and even a couple of crab legs since being back on solid foods. True, I can't consume what I did before surgery, but who would want to? As for veggies, I can't do many raw veggies right now, but steamed veggies go down well. You will be able to eat anything you want after surgery, once your doctor gives the go-ahead. So, there's no need to eat "blank" one last time. This is a total lifestyle change, but it's one that leaves you able to eat like a normal person instead of having to always label foods "bad" or "good". I'm not afraid to have anything that makes my mouth Water, especially since I know that I WILL be able to say that's enough when I'm full. Despite the fact that I was 352 before surgery, I have always been a picky eater. If I don't like something, it's not going in my mouth. I find that I'm even more picky now since I know that I'll only be able to eat a few bites of anything. I figure that I should be able to eat what I truly want rather than to avoid a food because someone says it's bad. The sleeve also makes it tough for me to eat things that are really bad: most fried foods don't go down well for me...and I'm not into sweets these days. Before VSG, I loved oreos and milk, but what's the point of that if I can't drink the milk? I also can't imagine putting the junk that's between the Cookies in Rex (my sleeve) because just the thought of that stuff makes Rex go "Oh, no way!!!" Good luck to you on your journey!!!

SAGirl, I am two months out. My process was as follows. Feb 2011 - visited Strax Rejuvenation in Ft Lauderhill, FL, but I felt like a person in line at the deli counter. They shuffled me through SO fast that I was scared of them. Mar 2011 - started researching Lap Band online and decided to go for it Mar 15, 2011 - talked to an ER nurse about weight loss surgery and got recommendation for Dr Domkowski April 2011 - went to Dr D's seminar in Sebastian, FL May 30, 2011 - hospitalized for pneumonia, which made me miss my initial consultation on June 4, 2011 June 24, 2011 - hospitalized for blood clots and pulmonary embolism. Told that my life expectancy was less than one year if I don't get weight off in a hurry. July 5, 2011 - consultation with Dr D (decided on VSG instead of lap band) July 8, 2011 - consult with neurologist re: safety of VSG surgery July-August, 2011 - myriad doctor appts for co-morbidities August 27, 2011 - installation of IVC filter Aug 30, 2011 - VSG surgery! YES! (self-pay for surgery, so no insurance approval) Sept 1, 2011 - home from hospital Sept 10, 2011 - removal of IVC filter November 2, 2011 - Net weight loss: 54 pounds. I am able to walk easier, breathe better, and feel like a whole new person already!!! Oh, and I now have a "normal" life expectancy. I'd do the whole process again.

I would take a shower without too many worries. I was allowed to shower when I came home and my incisions were closed with internal stitches, then covered with steri-strips. I also still had a drain bag for 8 days. No issues with showers, did not get infected, didn't split any of the incisions. The hole where the drain bag was is pretty much healed, and it itches some, but that's the worst problem I've had with the incisions. Good luck!!

Sassy, Since you posted about the bath towel, I've been trying to see if mine will fit, too. My "big" towels will, but the little ones aren't there yet. I'm hoping!

I'm 8 weeks out and have had one incident with nausea unrelated to food, but I was going in for outpatient surgery that morning, so I attributed it to nerves. I know, though, that taking a Vitamin with Iron on an empty stomach is a no-no. Could that be the source of your problem? Also, drinking too fast or eating too much both make me feel icky. I havent' slimed or tossed to date, and I'm hoping that I never do so. The sleeve definitely runs our lives!

I had quite a few of the tests you're being asked to go through, except the Upper GI. I also ended up having THREE surgeries just to get the VSG done. I had a stent installed before and removed after. I'd do it all again. It IS worth it.

My card is similar to those above. I keep it right behind my driver's license so it's available to EMS. I have used it a couple of times, but most restaurants will allow me to order off the kids menu without a hassle. The notable exception is Red Lobster. They charged me $6 to order mashed potatoes when I was in the mushy stage. When I asked why I was charged double what the menu said the side item cost, they responded that they "had" to add in a charge because I hadn't ordered it with a meal. Needless to say, Red Lobster won't get any more of MY dining out budget. Sonny's BBQ, otoh, is fantastic about it. I guess WLS is pretty common in my area of South Florida, because they didn't bat an eye when I asked if I could order ribs from the kid's menu. And, that meal is still too big for me!

congrats and good luck!!

You should be "eating" whatever your doctor told you to eat. Mine had me on liquids for the first week after surgery. Sip, Sip, Sip. I can't say it enough that you should be concentrating on getting Water into your body and walking. Moving eliminates gas pain, helps your body recover without getting clots, and helps the weight loss by making your body work. If you haven't had a BM yet, walking will help that process LOTS. Protein shakes, K2O Vitamin water (with protein) and whatever other stuff your doctor said you can have. Worry more about the water than the protein and try to get in the amount of water the doc prescribed. Mine says 64 oz of water a day and 70 grams of protein.

As for how to get going on the liquid diet, just remember that the more solid food you eat, the less weight you lose while on it. I just told myself I was going to lose as much as I could on the liquid diet and do my surgeon a favor by having my liver shrink. I have to admit I cheated once on my diet as well, but I really shouldn't have done so. The biggest result of the liquid diet FOR ME was that it created an aversion to sweets that has (mostly) lasted until now. I have slipped a couple of times with halloween candy in the house, so I made sure it ALL left tonight. chocolate is my weakness, unfortunately. I'm right at two months out from surgery, if that helps you at all. Others have said that the liquid diet really prepared them for what they would be dealing with after surgery, and I think that's a big motivator to try to follow the diet your doc has prescribed. I did two weeks of liquids before surgery, two weeks of liquids after, then mushies for two weeks and have slowly been adding regular foods back into my routine. One bonus of the liquid diet is that it helps you change your mindset about food. Before the sleeve, my hobby was foood. Now food is a sideline of the rest of my life. I'm hopeful that my attitude will stay here. Good luck with your surgery! I can't wait until you're on the loser's bench with me!

I'm STILL working on the time to eat thing. How on earth do I make my half cup of food last half an hour? Especially since my doc's book says that I'm not supposed to have distractions while eating! I have tiny plates and bowls, shrimp forks and baby spoons. Last night someone handed me a full size fork to eat with and it felt SO large in my hand! I even used the cake forks before surgery because, despite my size, my mouth itself is rather small. My dentist is always complaining about my "tiny mouth", although my schoolteachers certainly claimed it was big! Dolly, I'm trying to avoid certain foods as well, but I will have something "not allowed" if I really want it. During a trip out of town last weekend, my cousin made biscuits, which she learned to do from our granny. I'm avoiding bread, but I did eat part of a biscuit with gravy and an egg and it was SO good. Cousin Vicky makes biscuits JUST like granny did. I had to realize that I'm going to be living with the Sleeve for a long time to come and it's not realistic to expect that no bread will every pass my lips. So, I'm trying to modify things to the point that I CAN have the special stuff, just not every day. In the future, I can see myself having a bite of birthday cake or some of a decadent food that I especially love. I just don't see me having any of that stuff in great quantities. Since you're a great cook, you'll have more temptation than I will. I CAN cook, and I'm good at it, but I am the kind of cook who only does great things for holidays. The rest of the time, I'm content with very simple food. When I lost weight on Atkins before, I actually had a daily menu that I followed pretty religiously. When I strayed from that menu is when I ran into trouble. I'm trying NOT to put myself in that position again...where I eat something bad for me just because I'm bored with the daily grind. I wish us both luck finding out way to healthy eating.

I'm 8 weeks post op today, as well. I agree that everyone's journey is different. I remember coming on here and reading everyone's replies and thinking that I'd never be able to add anything to their wisdom, yet here I am every day, both learning and trying to give back. So far, I've learned: 1. That the benefits of the surgery start showing up way faster than I thought they would. At 8 weeks, I'm already amazed at my enhanced energy level and ability to just MOVE. 2. I'm excited now to do things other than eat. Before it was tough to walk from the apartment to my car. Now I am making multiple trips to the car, carrying in groceries, taking things to storage and rearranging closets, etc. Before I started losing, it was nearly impossible for me to get around. 3. I think I'm braver than I was before surgery. Before, if you'd have told me I'd make a 3,000 mile car trip ALONE, I'd have been convinced you were nuts, yet I did just that two weeks ago...with all of my doctors' blessings. 4. Eating is much easier than I thought it would be. I was prepared for complicated eating plans, etc. However, it's pretty simple: Water, decaf tea and lots of Protein. Oh, and Vitamin. 5. I wasn't prepared for how much Tums would help me to tolerate everything else. I assumed I was one of the lucky ones without the gas pains until my doc put me on the Tums. Now I realize that lots of times my "hunger" pains were actually gas. I'm sure I'll learn tons more as I go, but I'm excited about the journey.

Good luck to ALL of you!! We'll be waiting for your after-surgery updates!!

Gayle, I don't know what part of the country you're in, or where your dad is planning to have surgery, BUT... no surgeon wants a patient to die while in their care. If the surgeon is moving forward, then s/he must be confident that your dad will do well with the surgery. Please encourage your dad to have the PCP do a second opinion, but you can also look up the surgeon on your state's medical license board. Most states tell whether the surgeon is in good standing and what their morbidity rate is. Ask the surgeon's office for his stats. I'm sure they'll be happy to show you that he has a good success rate (if he does) and if they won't tell you, it might be time for some second-guessing. good luck to your dad!&

Debi, I am 2 months out today and I am thrilled with my sleeve. I was 352 at my highest and was having major problems walking, along with an alphabet list of co-morbidities. I "wanted" the surgery, then got pneumonia earlier this year. My doctors actually told me that I had to have the surgery/lose significant weight, or I won't be alive in a year. All that said, I am thrilled with the results I've gotten so far. I'm down 50 pounds and able to walk more distance than I have in years. I've also taken a few rides on the stationary bike, but haven't made that a regular part of the routine YET. You will be amazed at how quickly you will feel better and you will probably lose weight faster than any other poster since you have more to lose. I try hard not to compare my weight loss to others, but it seems that I lose faster than those who started at weights lower than mine. Good luck with your decision and your journey!!

I'm just now 2 months out and added salad (raw veggies) back in just the last week or so. Chew the heck out of them and have some kind of dressing to dip them in to avoid sticking.

No. I've never had nausea. The nurse told me the Reglan was for acid reduction. Either way, it worked.

I'm thrilled that you're on the loser's bench with me!! Welcome! I didn't experience the cramping, but I was given a ton of shots of Reglan right after surgery to help with the cramping and the acid. Work on the sipping as you go along and take the pain meds if you need them.

I am sorry you are having relationship troubles. I think that you have a good handle on what is bothering her, though. My only advice, and it's short, is this: Life is not about finding yourself. It's about creating yourself. YOU are creating a new person out of the old person who insulated herself from the world. You deserve the attention and accolades and to feel impressed with yourself. This is NOT an easy journey. It's a process that takes a lot of time. The Lap Banders have a saying about "banding the head". WE have to sleeve our heads and deal with the psychological implications of weight loss. Unfortunately, that sometimes means letting people go until they are secure enough to deal with the new Us. Good luck!

Stacey, Holy Poop!!! I hope your told SIL that you AREN'T giving up. That you are finally taking control of your weight and your life. Yes, there are complications that happen from any surgery. However, I'm sure you've done your research and are confident in your doctor. You are having all the tests done to determine if you are healthy enough for surgery and you are going to WORK this sleeve. My business partner's sister in law has been in the hospital every two months since her VSG surgery. The SIL is NOT compliant with either her Water requirements or her nutrition requirements. While she has lost the weight she wanted to lose, she's also done horrible damage to her body by not eating or drinking properly. The "horror story" to that is that the SIL has not done what her surgeon instructed her to do. The surgery did not fail, the patient failed. YOU are not going to do that. YOU are going to comply with your surgeon's instructions and YOU are going to make sure you work the tool. I hate to offer to do this, but smack your SIL up side of the head and tell her to grow up! If you had cancer and were going to have surgery would she tell you that you had given up? Or would she be offering to be your support person and hold your hand when you woke up? Being 100 lbs overweight is like having a major cancer and NO ONE would fault you for having surgery for cancer. My hubby actually told me that if I'd eat less I could lose the weight. Yeah, like I didn't have a clue that's how weight loss worked. If you (or I) could do this on our own, we wouldn't be contemplating surgery. We'd just take that magic step away from the fridge and everything would be wonderful and peachy-keen. It doesn't work for US.

PJ713, It's the iron in the vitamins that triggers the nausea for me. Have you tried a chewable vitamin? If not, try eating about half your meal, then chewing up the vitamin, then eat the rest of your meal. That works for me.

Nadoue, You will probably get more responses if you create a thread, but I do have some suggestions for getting in Proteins if all you can handle is liquids. Are you able to do eggs at all? If so, you have a great vehicle to add some Protein in the form of melted cheese and/or pureed meats. Also, there are tons of protein rich drinks. Perhaps you can't handle a Protein shake, but could you add some Protein powder to chicken or beef broth? Or to coffee, or milk, or tea. I tried the Espresso flavor of Click Protein Powder with hot Water and it wasn't too bad, although I only did that once. Also, for the Protein shakes, you can make them up with almond or soy milk if regular milk bothers you. If drinking them is a problem, why not turn them into either a pudding consistency or use them as freezer pops? Personally, I got sick of "sweet" really quick on the liquid diet, so I went to other alternatives for protein. Flaked tuna is easy to chew or puree and, with a dab of mayo, easy to get down. I also used potted meat, which is kind of like deviled ham, and ate some with my eggs when I was really desperate for something different. I also ate some canned beef stew during my puree stage. I could only do an ounce or two, but the broth and the soft beef gave me some good protein. Lastly, if you truly can't handle anything more than liquids, is it because your doctor requires a longer liquid stage? Or, are you eating too fast? I use a baby spoon to eat with, at home anyway. Cut the bites up tiny, the size of the eraser on a pencil, and chew them very very very well. My nutritionist recommends 20 times, but I chew 32 times because that's what I learned as a kid. I also have a killer gag reflex, so I'm amazed that I haven't gotten sick once so far. Make sure you aren't drinking too close to meal time, either before or after. Having a tummy full of water is not conducive to putting protein in the sleeve. You should stop drinking at least 15-30 minutes before you eat and wait 30 minutes after before drinking again. Are you eating slider foods? If so, you are filling your sleeve with junk, which means you aren't putting GOOD fuel in your body. I admit that I did eat a lot of instant mashed potatoes for the mushee stage, but I ate them after getting in my 2 oz of protein if I still felt like I needed more. There are tons of alternatives that could work to get your protein in during the mushee stage. I've eaten the innards of a beef taco, pinto Beans with cheese, pureed Wendy's chili (it's like a hot tomato based Soup when you blend it), chicken noodle soup (just the broth), egg drop soup (at full liquids when I could have eggs), and a dozen other "insides" of other foods. Chicken salad, tuna salad, and egg salad have all been food for me when I've been on the road. I also try to carry a thermos full of soup for days when I know I'll be on the road. If nothing else, it is a good snack if I'm actually needing to eat and don't have time to stop. If none of the above applies to you, then you should probably call your doctor and see where he thinks you should be. It's very possible that you need either a gas reducer or that you are healing slower than others. Neither of those is a bad thing...it's just how your sleeve works. Good luck!

To add the ticker ruler, go to the search box at the top of the page and search the entire forum for "Add Ticker". LilMissDiva did an excellent post on how to add the ticker. I won't try to re-do that since her instructions are so good!