Lissa

Looking great!!

LOL, Sexy Lady. I was just thinking that I'm glad Blackberry Juice is NOT my trainer! I'm not ready for her yet!

I hear you on the filter! Are they leaving it in or removing it after surgery? Mine was removed, thankfully!

Oh, to answer the question! LOL Try the popsicles or even chewing ice. That may help the need to chew.

Amen on clear liquids for 3 weeks! UGH! I had 1 week of clears, then 1 week of full liquids, then onto mushies.

Great transformation, and so quickly too!

Twenty pounds in a month is great!! From looking at your picture, I'm guessing that you started at a lower BMI than many here, so you will probably lose weight slower than most. Keep following your plan, 64 oz of Water, 70g of Protein. The weight will come off and you will see it happen very quickly. Just don't stress on it. IMO, stress makes it seem even slower when you're in a stall. Good luck!!

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That's a great question for your doctor. You should also be aware that it is apparently MUCH easier to get pregnant after surgery than it was before, probably related to the weight loss. Good luck and happy non-gestating to you!

It's normal to be a little freaked out just before surgery! It will be fine, though. Hang in there and be prepared for a wild, thrilling ride!

I researched the Band as well, thinking that was what I wanted until I went to my seminar. I quickly changed my mind and went with the sleeve instead. My surgeon said something that really made up my mind. He told us that the band is better for people who have lower BMIs but that the sleeve is better for people whose problem is sweets. Sweets were my downfall pre-op, and could be post-op if I don't make myself control them. The sleeve provides excellent restriction for me. Even if I think I want sweets, I can only eat so much before I'm too full to eat more, which minimizes the damage I can do. There is a lap band talk site just like this one, and I spent a ton of time there doing my research. I felt there were a lot of people there who did not get the results they expected from the band, and there were a ton of people who had revisions. I had one shot to get this right and I feel like I have gotten it right with the sleeve.

Debly, I know exactly what you mean about being hungry even after eating a normal portion of food! I don't think I'd ever felt "full" before surgery, except on days like Thanksgiving where I totally ate like I hadn't ever seen food before! That mystery was solved for me when I was sleeved. My surgeon said that I had the biggest stomach he'd ever seen on a woman, and most men. He also said that it was congenital, not stretched to that size! I had a really hard time recognizing my full signals post-op, since the sensation was truly strange to me. Now, I know well before I get "full" that I'm satisfied, which is a tremendous gift from my sleeve! If you're considering VSG, and it sounds like you are doing your research, then you should truly know about the risks and the rewards of this surgery. You should also know that it's not a magic bullet; it's just a tool. But, it's an incredible tool! As for your having a lower bmi, that's a decision you will have to make. I was at 53 BMI when I started, so surgery was just about my only option. Add in the complications of being morbidly obese and my decision was easy. You should definitely talk to a couple of doctors, including your primary care about the risks vs benefits of surgery. Personally, I think it's worth it, but only you can decide for yourself. Whatever decision you make, though, Good luck on your journey!

I think everyone has that AHA moment! Just be aware that we also have a later stage that happens right around the time we're going to have surgery where we second-guess ourselves and think "Wow! Why can't I just try (diet, exercise, voodoo rituals) and do it on my own?" One of the most helpful analogies I have found comes from Dr Oz. He says that being 100 pounds overweight is like having a terminal cancer. You'd operate on the cancer, for sure, so why wouldn't you operate for the weight?

enjoy the attention and let them shower you with gifts and attention.

20 pounds in one week is phenomenal!! Congrats and good luck on your journey!!

I've read that it can take a few weeks for that area to truly recover from the trauma of surgery. I had a stent put in and removed through my groin area, so I had pain and bruising there which made any pain near my belly button seem minor. That area took about 3 weeks after removal to quit hurting completely.

Lou, I think this was one of the first posts I read on VST and I'm glad it got pulled to the top again. Your words are so wise and appropriate to our personal journeys here. They definitely resonate with me because of outside issues I'm having.

Globetrotter, It sounds like you are doing everything right. I'm sorry that you haven't made your scale goal, but it sounds like you are doing an amazing job! Have you had your body fat percentage checked? Perhaps you dont really have that much fat left to lose because you've converted it all to muscle? I know that several of the posters here have posted pictures where I can't believe they weigh as much as they state they weigh. LilMissDiva comes to my mind. She posted a picture of herself wearing size 0 jeans and stated that she weighed 150 or 160 in the post, and I think she is TINY. I'm going to be in your boat, though, when I lose more weight. I don't remember ever wearing less than a 12 in jeans in my life because of how widely set my hips are, so it will be interesting to see what size I end up wearing. Good luck! I hope you get the answers you are seeking!

I chose the sleeve because I didnt want malabsorption and dumping issues like my sister in law has had. She had a GB at 17 years old, then has had two revisions and she still weighs in the upper 200's. She's not compliant with her diet, either and has tons of dumping issues. I didn't want that. I love that my sleeve will allow me to eat whatever I want to eat and that I still have a functioning pyloric valve. I also think it's much easier to follow my plan than it would be to play the Vitamin roullette game my sister in law has to play. Some days the Vitamins go down easy for her and other days they re-visit her very quickly. Vomiting is one of the side effects that I really wanted to avoid. If my only choices had been band or GB, I might not have had surgery. And I was warned that it was either lose weight or die.

Whatever pictures you need to help keep you motivated, you should take! I try to take at least one face and one full body shot a month. However, I've noticed in the last month that I am much happier in front of a camera than ever before! I actually posed WITH the bride and friends for a series of pictures at a bachelorette party last weekend! NSV time: I was NOT the biggest girl in the group by a long shot!!!

Tracey, I think everyone stalls in week 3...and female sleevers usually gain a pound or two at that time of the month, whether we still actively have a TOM or not! Have you taken your measurements? Are your clothes getting looser? Do you have more energy? All of these things are NSVs, or non-scale victories. You really should look for them, because there are going to be times where the scale doesn't move for days and weeks as you get further out. It can be very disheartening unless you make it a point to look for the NSVs. I lost my first pants size during a "stall". I hadn't lost any weight in over a week, but my pants fell off me during that stall. Your body sometimes needs a little adjustment period to deal with the rapid weight loss. Don't worry, you WILL lose weight again!

Yep, welcome to the loser's bench! I wouldn't worry about not being able to pee if you're still in the hospital. They will make sure you go before you go home! Lileee is right, it does take a bit for the bladder to wake up after surgery...and it will wake up with a vengeance, if it's anything like mine. With both my c-sections I literally hit that "I gotta go NOW" point about 24 hours after surgery. Don't stress over anything right now. It will happen!

I'm afraid of the 5 hour energy drinks myself. The ones I have seen as loaded with caffeine, which acts as a diuretic. Since most of us struggle early post-op to get our liquids, I wouldn't take the drink. Instead, concentrate on getting your Water and Protein in, and make sure you are taking adequate Vitamins to help meet your nutritional needs. I specifically recommend B-12. I take a sublingual B-12 every day and I can feel the difference in my energy level when I miss it for even a day. Look at your Vitamin regime and see if there is something you are missing. I take a Multivitamin, B-12, Biotin, and Calcium every morning, plus more calcium and an acid reducer at night. I have other meds I take by prescription as well. You might also benefit by talking to a nutritionist or dietician about adding more carbs to your diet. Carbs are necessary to give you the energy to work out. I have to add that I've had very little problem with low energy or exhaustion. I woke up from surgery feeling like a new person and that hasn't changed for me yet. However, I have seen lots of people who are tired, just from the healing process itself. It takes about 6 months for the stomach to completely heal. Good luck! I hope you find the solution quickly.

Wow! How disappointing! I agree that you should look at Tasherie's appeal and tweak a copy to fit your situation, then get it turned in ASAP. Perhaps your appeal, with the surgeon's call, will help sway the insurance approval process. I'd definitely include that you have already started the liquid diet and gone through the approval hoops in that appeal letter. Every little bit helps. Good luck! We're still saving you a spot on the loser's bench!

http://xfinity.comcast.net/slideshow/news-vitaminanswers/?cid=hero_media_ivillage I hope this will load for everyone. I just learned some things I didn't know about Vitamins.