Lissa

Wow! A whole thread of newbies! Welcome everyone!! You can find lots of information here about VSG and almost any question you can think of has probably been asked here, including the TMI questions! It's normal to be excited and nervous before the surgery, but there are tons of surgery stories here. There are also tons of posts from people who were scared or nervous before surgery. It's normal, but you are all on a journey to a whole new life! I was one who had lots of medical complications before surgery and I feel like I've been reborn since having VSG. This board is my support group because my IRL one just doesn't do much for me. I hope it will be a great place for each of you to receive encouragment as well!! Again, welcome to VST! Nope, I'm not the welcoming committe...just another member working my way to goal!

You're NOT too far out for an incision to be leaking, nor are you too far out for a stomach leak. HOWEVER, you probably don't have a leak. It's very rare to have a leak and you don't mention any of the symptoms that others have mentioned when they did have leaks. As for feeling crummy, you may still be reacting to the anesthetic given to you during surgery. Also, your body may require a lot of your energy to heal, which will also leave you feeling blah. It does take a while to heal and get that energy boost for many people. Be prepared because most sleevers experience a weight loss stall at 3 weeks out. It's perfectly normal and is related to the surgery. Our bodies hold onto weight for a few days to a few weeks because we have suddenly changed how much fuel we are putting into them. It will pass. Many doctors keep their patients on liquids for up to 4 weeks, so if you don't feel ready for pureed foods yet, don't worry about it. However, being on only liquids may be contributing to your tired/crummy feelings. It's tough to get in enough calories on liquids alone, so you may want to try adding some pureed food to your daily diet. You might find that it helps you feel more alert. Maybe try some watered down mashed potatoes or some strained cream Soup. I even liked the liquid from egg drop soup at this point. Also, and this will probably sound strange, are you walking and getting any exercise in? Exercise plays a big role in how good we feel about ourselves, helps with weight loss, and may encourage you to eat/drink more. Good luck! I hope you feel better soon!

Since you live in a remote area, you may want to also consider some sugar free syrups such as Torani (sold by Amazon). There are quite a few flavors and they may help make Protein drinks more palatable after surgery. For me, anything sweet became gross for the first 3 months post-op. Great for avoiding slider foods, but horrible for being able to drink protein drinks! I drank a lot of chicken broth, homemade and canned, until I was back on solid food again. At 5 months post-op, I now like the Mio drops for my Water, and I adore decaf tea. The tea seems to go down easier than water for me. Unflavored protein, which does have a taste, may be your best choice because you can add it to many other things to help meet your post-surgery protein goals. Also, I'd suggest having some extra chewable multi-Vitamins on hand. I like the Centrum chewables, but there are others that supposedly are geared toward bariatric patients. My nut is fine with the Centrums for me. I also take a sublingual B12 every day, along with Tums for Calcium. Tums aren't the recommended way to get calcium, though, for most patients. I take them because I am also on long-term coumadin therapy. I started taking Biotin at 2 months post-op to help prevent hair loss, so you may want to consider buying that as well. If you're coming to the States to do this stock up, then I suggest checking at CVS or Walgreens for the vitamins. They often have B1G1 sales, which will save some money. I am also lactose intolerant after surgery. I can't drink straight milk and have had to switch to soy or almond milk. I discovered it when a Protein shake made with cow's milk sent me immediately to the bathroom for an extended visit. As for trying different Protein Drinks before surgery to see which you like, I don't know if that will help post-op. My taste changed so completely after surgery that I have several protein powders in the pantry which I still can't handle. Good luck and keep us up to date on your journey, please!

I originally said that I wouldn't consider more surgery, but I'm already rethinking that one. I have a ways to go before I hit goal, but I already see some areas that I'm not happy with, even with exercise. My tummy is my major problem area, which I knew before I started this journey. I have been exercising a lot and I can see and feel the muscle developing in my arms, thighs and stomach, but there is a LOT of skin in the tummy area. I posted a picture the other day where I felt pretty good...until I looked at my tummy. Because of previous blood clots, my doctors won't let me use compression garments, so it's ALL out there. Yikes! My surgeon upped my goal weight by 20 pounds due to the stomach skin, so I will definitely have to wait and see how things turn out. I have also read that it can take up to a year for maximum healing and reabsorption of skin, which means I've probably got 18 months before I seriously consider a tummy tuck. So far, the "girls" are holding their own and I'm hopeful that I won't lose all of that area.

I agree with the others. LOSE the word "only" from your vocabulary. Pre-surgery, if you had lost 17 pounds in 17 days, you'd have been dancing on the ceiling! All of us would have been! There is a 3 week stall that most sleevers experience. You may just be starting yours a few days early. Our bodies are recovering from major surgery and from a major lifestyle change for most of us. It takes a bit for the body to adjust to the new normal. Don't worry, you WILL lose weight, and very quickly, but it won't be overnight. Think about how long it took to gain the weight. It will definitely take awhile to lose the weight. Once you are back on regular food, it will seem a little less intimidating to get in your Protein and Water each day, plus you'll have more energy for exercising, which will help the weight loss. Toss the scale and concentrate on getting your water and protein in each day. Look for the NSVs like your clothes getting looser and the amazing spike in energy that most of us experience. Look to some of the sleevers who have made it to goal and read their stories. NONE of them got to goal without a few glitches along the way. Some lose slowly, very slowly. Others have had long stalls where they didn't lose anything for weeks. What they all have in common is that they perservered through those stalls/slow losses and continued to drink their water and eat their protein. Oh, and that they all made it to their personal goals! This is definitely a journey rather than a sprint. I'm over 80 pounds down and I know there's no way I'd have made it here without Rex, my sleeve, helping me. I have a long way to go, but I WILL make it to goal. I've promised my surgeon and myself that I'm going to be one of the poster children for weight loss! You will be one too!!

YAY!!! I just went down another size in work pants and my jeans are too big. I may have to check out Old Navy and see if they have some jeans I can wear. You ARE rocking those jeans, btw!

Sounds like you are ROCKING that sleeve! Congratulations and don't let those catty gals get you down. I'm sure you feel a million times better and have more energy now. Don't waste that positive energy on negative people! Congrats!

First, you need to call your doctor. The tightness in your diaphragm could be surgery related, or it could be pneumonia. Add in the fact that you are winded and having a hard time catching your breath, yeah, it's time to call the doctor. I spent six days in the hospital pre-surgery because of pneumonia. Second, the heartburn could be unrelated and may require an acid reducer.

There is NO only in weight loss. Every pound lost is another pound you don't have to face tomorrow. Go look at a pound of butter or a pound of fat from meat. You've removed one more of those from your body, and that's a wonderful thing! Look for the NSVs. Are your clothes looser? Are you more energetic? If so, then you ARE making wonderful progress!

I've been allowed scrambled eggs since the full liquids stage. Just be very careful to stick very close to your surgeon's eating plan so that you don't cause yourself additional problems. Congrats on your weight loss! Great job!!

I do chewable Tums as well, but my omeprazole pills are tiny and I've been able to swallow them with no problems. I take coumadin and a couple of asthma meds daily in pill form with no ill effects. Ask your doctor about taking an acid reducer in pill form. As long as it's a small pill, it should be okay.

Congrats on fitting into the new size!! You won't wear them like they're going out of style, because they will be way too big soon! You are rocking that sleeve!

You are doing an amazing job!! I can definitely see the difference that 20 pounds makes, too!! Love the recipe for getting in some Water and Protein together! You are ROCKING that sleeve!!!

I think this is a great idea! I'm willing to help anyone I can! I'm 5 months out. Starting weight 352, total loss so far 81 pounds. I do have a mild exercise program in place, working on amping it up. Lots of experience with pre-op co-morbidities, especially blood clots, embolisms and pneumonia. I had surgery in Florida with Dr. Patrick Domkowski and I was self-pay. Not sure what else would be applicable, except that I've had no complications from surgery.

Great job! I think you need an updated face pic, too! The pics definitely show the loss in your booty and tummy!!!

Awesome results!! I'm amazed at your weight loss so far!! I can't wait until you're posting pics of you at goal, which won't take that long!!

Dooter! I don't know how I missed this! Congrats and I'm glad to hear you're doing better now!

Ophelia, Call your doctor. I think it's probably that you aren't getting enough Water, strange as that may sound. However, it's a good idea to consult with your doctor. Swelling in the legs, feet and ankles can be a sign of serious things like heart failure and high blood pressure. Always better to know and remove the doubt than to worry needlessly, IMO. Please let us know what s/he says.

NYDiva, You've gotten lots of great responses here. I was 352 at my highest. In 2010, I managed to lose 50 pounds on Atkins and I was really proud of myself for that. Then, in May, 2011, I got pneumonia and was put in the hospital for six days. After the antibiotics, steroids and iv fluids, I regained the 50 pounds PLUS in less than six weeks. THEN I had a blood clot that led to two pulmonary embolisms. I looked Mr Death in the eye 3 times during those couple of months. I had already been half-heartedly researching WLS, looking at the lap band. When I finally got to a seminar, the surgeon mentioned that VSG works better for people with my specific food issues. After some medical hoop-jumping because of the blood clot, I was sleeved Aug 31, 2011. At 5 months out, I'm down nearly 90 pounds and I feel like a whole new person. I wear much smaller clothes and I can WALK again! Before surgery I could barely make it from the front door to my car! Now I can walk a couple of miles at a time, and getting better all the time! It IS a life change. Even with the surgery, we have to make the proper food choices and get in our Protein and Water daily. But, I'd never have lost 90 pounds without surgical intervention. Truthfully, if I don't lose another pound, I'm thrilled with my results. Just knowing that I've eliminated most of my medical issues is a true blessing! Do your research and make up your own mind. I just wanted to add my 2 cents to the conversation.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! That's all I gots to say 'bout dat!

Sorry, a Multivitamin is a daily requirement forever and ever amen. At least that's what my surgeon tells me. Truthfully, you'll probably find that you need more than just the multivitamin. My daily regimen at 5 months post op includes: Morning: chewable multi-Vitamin, sublingual B12, Biotin, and two Tums. Evening: two Tums and an extra multi-vitamin if I haven't managed to get some veggies in during the day. Most doctors actually recommend a Calcium pill, but I take the Tums because of interaction with other meds that I take. The vitamin isn't a big blip on the radar. Just find one whose taste you can tolerate. I'm going to switch to a pill I can swallow when I buy more Vitamins, but the chewable pills have been wonderful so far!

Send the letter to your surgeon's secretary and see if that's sufficient. My psyche evaluation was a lot like yours except that my psyche told me that I WOULD be an alcoholic after surgery. I'm not. I think my psyche person needed the services of a good therapist more than I did! And, I actually see a therapist! LOL Don't be worried that the consult wasn't more extensive. Just be glad that you've jumped through one more hoop and it's behind you!

Bye Bye is right! You are doing fine!! Just concentrate on your liquids and the weight will come off. This early post op, you are still dealing with the after effects of surgery. Between the anesthesia and the fluids they pumped into you, it may take a little while for your body to start letting go of the weight. It WILL happen. Right now, your biggest goal should be to get 64 oz of Water in each day, then start working on the 70 grams of Protein. The weight will come flying off and you will be so happy, but don't let the scale run your life. It's just a number, and this is NOT a race. Even if it comes off slower, you will lose the weight if you just stick with the plan. In a few weeks, you'll be back here posting amazing numbers and wondering why this ever bothered you! Good luck on your journey! I can't wait to see the new you!

The dreaded 3 week stall strikes again!! You are NOT done losing weight!! Don't even let yourself think that! This is a great time to take your measurements and see if you are losing inches. If you didn't take them before surgery, then do it now and watch those inches shrink! I lost my first pants size during a stall. I was frustrated by the darn scale and, while I was getting dressed one morning, my pants fell off my booty! That's when I realized that there are lots of NSVs (non-scale victories) to be found. If your clothes are getting bigger and you are more able to do things, then you are still getting the benefits of the sleeve, even if the scale isn't moving. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat. It's definitely true! If you are exercising, even walking and very light weights, then you are building muscle. Even if it's a tiny bit of exercise, it's more than you were doing before surgery and your body responds very quickly to that little bit of exercise. Believe me, I don't work out intensly and I'm seeing HUGE results from my 30 minutes of walking per day and my 3 pound hand weights 3 times a week! At just over 5 months out, I'm seeing definition in my arms and legs, plus my weight is redistributing itself into more feminine lines, instead of the sponge-bob squarepants look I had before! Put the scale away, get out your measuring tape and work on drinking your Water. You will start losing again, and very quickly! Good luck!!

AK Mama, everyone is different in what they can tolerate. I doubt I could have eaten a full half cup of anything that soon post-op, but the consistency of your mashed potatoes and the sloppy joe mix probably made a difference. If they were very loose and liquidy, then they probably slid right through your sleeve, making it easier to eat more. A couple of things to keep in mind: If you have a scale, always measure your food. I could do about 2-3 oz of food at your stage. Also, always eat only until you're satisfied, not until you are full. Especially early post-op, these two things will save you a ton of discomfort and/or actual pain. I notice that I can eat more early in the day than I can later in the afternoon. I also sometimes have days where I want more food than other days, usually around TOM. Once you start on denser Proteins, it will be especially important to measure your food and to only eat till your satisfied rather than full. Learning those two things will make your weight loss and your day to day life easier. I've only had one problem with being sick from food, and that was because I took a drink of liquid after a particularly big meal. I think that following the two rules I listed has helped tremendously with that! Good luck!!