Lissa

So, today has been very interesting, emotionally draining and just UGH!!!.. Thought I'd sit down, breath and write a little note to my sleeve... Care to share yours??
Dear Sleeve,
It seems like so long ago that I first heard of you... Initially, I was quite taken aback by all of the hoops, loops and rings of fire I had to jump through to make you mine... Then I found this site.. And oh, the joy!! I've seen people loose tons (literally) of weight and go on to have beautiful babies, marriages, divorces and lives!! I mean, geez... our weight is not just heavy on our physical frames, but also on our mind, emotions, spirits and esteem..
You know I love myself and now you know I love myself enough to do what's necessary to live a full life, free of weight physically, emotionally and everywhere else. I look forward to the day when we are united forever... I relish the thought that you will help me reconcile the person I am inside, with the person who is outside being smothered by weight, regret and disappoint.
I know you can't fix me overnight, heck, I realize you can't FIX me.... but you give me hope and opportunity to work hard and diligently to become the best me... I can appreciate that....Well, until be meet in 6 weeks...
Waiting for the greater,
Tina

Um, Diva? I share your story regularly with folks. You started where I started, pretty much, and I hope to end up where you're at now. You give me hope, etc., etc.

I think everyone knows "someone" for whom WLS didn't work, or cause deep emotional pain, or the "someone" had horrible complications. My friend's sister in law had RNY and has had horrible complications, but, here's the thing, she's not compliant with her diet, Water intake, or exercise...and she certainly hasn't spent any time on a therapist's couch to find out what drove her to get so heavy in the first place!
I'm not saying that therapy is a requirement for WLS, because many people do fine without a therapist. But, some of us have issues that go way beyond our weight. Every person, fat or thin, is subject to a cheating spouse, a bad relationship, or bad decisions. Those things don't happen because we had or didn't have WLS. They happen because we are people and we are humans living in a big, bad world. :::shrug:::
There is a huge mental aspect to having WLS. That's why most doctors require a psyche evaluation before you have WLS. It's to possibly steer those who need extra help to someone who can help them. Even if we aren't told we need therapy, it's a great idea to try to work through our issues before the surgery. And there's a lot of mental work to do even after the surgery.
Anyway, my original point was that there are always going to be horror stories. Each of us has to figure out how we are going to deal with them. My response is usually "Thanks for telling me. I feel I made a good choice for me." I do have sympathy for those who have major problems after WLS, but it saved MY life. I can't say that I'd be alive right now if I hadn't started dumping the weight. Many WLS patients have similar stories to tell about how losing the weight helped them improve their medical conditions.
Good luck on your journey!!

Jane, I had/have severe sleep apnea. My dx during the original sleep study was that I had 1000 incidents an hour. No wonder I felt tired all the time. I started using the bi-pap two weeks before surgery and came through with flying colors. So, set you mind at ease on that one. You'll do great!
Secondly, I was totally convinced I'd die during surgery, but I was dying anyway, so I went ahead and did it. Boy, am I glad that I did!! My co-morbidities are improving rapidly, and I have a long laundry list of them.
Every time you start thinking about it and getting nervous, just remind yourself that God is in charge and He will watch over you. You have researched your surgeon, your hospital and everything else you possibly can research. Now, the next time your nerves start bugging you, make a list of what the thoughts are, then do what you can to handle those issues. If your worry is that your family will fall apart without you, then make sure your estate planning is up to date and that you have told everyone you love them.
If you worry about saying good-bye to food, don't worry. You will be able to eat anything you want after the sleeve, just in smaller portions. If you're worried about the work required to lose weight, don't. You will want to do it, especially after that sleeve starts helping you lose weight in a hurry.
Whatever your worry is, just write it down, handle what you can, and give the rest to God. Oh, and there may be a reason that your insurance is changing now. It will definitely MAKE you decide to move forward. Maybe God is saying that the time is now!
Good luck on your journey!!

Probably the surgeon's preference determines which s/he uses. Mine uses internal stitches and steri strips on the outside. I can still find all of my scars, but they won't be noticable for long, I'm sure.
Don't worry about the small stuff, like what closure they will use. Just concentrate on the big stuff, getting in your liquids, Protein and following your diet. If you're like me, you'll just fill your head up with noise and lose sight of what you're trying to accomplish. When I pulled my eye off the big goal of health and losing weight is when the doubts started creeping into my head. It took a lot of mental acrobatics to get my brain back in line; I don't like to see other people having to do that, although I realize it's normal.
Good luck!!

Are you also withdrawing from caffeine or artificial sweeteners? If so, the first three days are somewhat tough. I suggest you call the nutritionist back and ask if you can drink broth. I could/can handle broth even on days when the Protein shakes just make me want to gag. Also ask her if you can use other kinds of shakes and/or crystal light (for the artificial sweetener). I was also allowed Kelloggs K2O Protein drinks both pre and post op. I got really sick of sweet stuff really fast, which I think is one of the points of the liquid diet. It creates an aversion to sweets, IMO.
Some Protein Shakes are much better than others. Also, Protein shake has a lot of definitions, unless they are making you drink one particular kind. Do you have a Vitamin Shoppe nearby? If so, you can buy single Protein Shakes and try them to see if one or another is easier for you to drink.
Try heating or cooling the shake. Sometimes it's easier to eat if you can pretend it's hot chocolate or pudding. The texture change helps some people.
Click Espresso flavor (available through Amazon) is one of my favorites and I add it to Decaf coffee. Walmart sells a couple of different brands of whey isolate Protein that are decent. I don't have any here or I'd give you the brand names. Look in the HBA section near the pharmacy.
Good luck on your journey!!

Probably the surgeon's preference determines which s/he uses. Mine uses internal stitches and steri strips on the outside. I can still find all of my scars, but they won't be noticable for long, I'm sure.
Don't worry about the small stuff, like what closure they will use. Just concentrate on the big stuff, getting in your liquids, Protein and following your diet. If you're like me, you'll just fill your head up with noise and lose sight of what you're trying to accomplish. When I pulled my eye off the big goal of health and losing weight is when the doubts started creeping into my head. It took a lot of mental acrobatics to get my brain back in line; I don't like to see other people having to do that, although I realize it's normal.
Good luck!!

Steve, Sorry to hear you had problems!! I hope they get you healthy enough to have surgery very soon! Who is your surgeon? I'm still looking for someone who has actually had surgery through Strax in Lauderhill and wondered if that might be your doctor?
Good luck with your journey!! Hopefully you'll be on the loser's bench soon!!

Oh, one more comment. Hubby can eat what he likes, but buying fresh bread for himself is just CRUEL! LOL
Why not make up one big batch of things like pancakes and store the extras in the freezer? If you make them the right size, he can toast a few up for a meal at a time and you don't have to stand there drooling over pancakes every morning!

I have to say that I'm not sure I'd have had the surgery if I hadn't found this site. I did a TON of research on the lap band, then my doctor threw me a curveball when he mentioned VSG instead of the band. So, I started researching the sleeve and found this site.
I've been amazed at how much information is here for all of us. Before sugery I decided that I would share anything I could with others as a kind of payback to those who went before me and shared their information for dolts like me.
I'm grateful to those who have posted here and been brutally honest about their struggles. It's great to know there is a resource where you can find an answer to any question, even if it seems like it's TMI when you are first thinking of it.
My hat is off to everyone here. This is a huge journey to take. It's been life saving for me. And I credit this board and it's participants with making me brave enough to have the surgery.

You are setting up a cycle of self hate. Hate because you are fat, hate because you have binged. You have NOT stretched your sleeve you will throw up before you do this. Listen a 3lb gain doesn't mean you actually gained that weight. Every month I gain between 3-5 and then lose it again. BUT I will not lose as much of it if I make poor food choices. How do I keep from making poor food choices?
Don't buy it if I can't control myself with it. I say, "But my kids or my husband haven't had surgery, they deserve X" the fact is they will become obese like me if I continue to do this.
CUT OUT HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP! This "sugar" doesn't signal to your brain that you have eaten anything at all so you continue to eat more and more of it.
If you want a sweet or chips or a beer have some but not everyday and only have them when you go out.
STOP the self hate. Look how far you have come! You are eating 1 whole hamburger OMG (drama) how much would you have eaten preop?

So, I decided to finally post a picture of me and took a face pic. Then I compared it to my before surgery picture. OMG, even I can see the difference. So, here goes my attempt to put both pictures in a post!

The only thing I can add to the excellent advice above is this: We sleeved our stomachs, not our heads. Doing the sleeve work on our heads is just as important as the surgery we went through, but it's WAY harder, IMO.
At my psyche appt, the counselor told me that I have an addictive personality and I will always be addicted to something. She went so far as to tell me that I WILL become an alcoholic, but she still gave me the approval for surgery! I started seeing a counselor several weeks ago, for the addictive behavior and some other issues related to my weight. WLS is not her area of specialty, but she's helping me see where and why I mistreat myself. Once I know those things, and it takes time to learn, then I can remove the bad stuff.
I agree with removing the temtation foods from the house if you can't bring yourself to use moderation with them. Maybe, once you're back on track, you can learn how to work those things into your diet in a healthy way. For me, knowing that I can have sweets or chocolate later makes it easier to give them up now.
Good luck on your journey! You've done great so far, so this is just a bump in the road for you. You will succeed!!!

Shae,
You're actually doing really well from looking at your ticker. It does take a little while for the weight to start dropping, and some people lose more slowly than others. You may lose slower than someone like me because you have less weight to lose than I do.
Taking your acid reducer will help with the not full feeling you're having. As for topping off, that's not good. Pre-measure your food amounts for meals and wait afterwards before you start drinking. That lets the Protein sit in your tummy longer and helps me with feeling satisfied. I usually try to walk or move around during the 30 minute wait after eating. If I get involved in something else, it helps me to not think about food...and I think it aids my digestion.
Having denser Protein helped me get through the first few weeks. My doc allows scrambled eggs, cottage cheese and refried Beans on mushy foods, so I ate a lot of those things. And, I drank a LOT of broth because the warmth felt good in my tummy. It also helped me get my protein in when I just couldn't stand another Protein shake.
If the head hunger is a BIG issue for you, it might be wise to find a support group or even a counselor to help you deal with it. For lots of us, food has been our best friend, confidante, and sole support system for years. It's tough to have to give up or reduce that influence on our day to day life. But, we CAN and will do it. We had the courage to get sleeved, so we will definitely find the way to work that sleeve.
I think a lot of the sleeve process is sleeving our heads to go along with our tummies. We have to find a way to work through the issues underlying why we let our weight get out of control in order to be successful with the sleeve. There are tons of success stories here, and I want to be one of them!
Good luck!

That's true. If you keep sipping and walking it should improve tremendously in just a couple of days. You might want to make a call to your doctor about not being able to drink, though. His staff may have some advice that will help you drink more. Some folks tolerate hot or cold drinks better than lukewarm, so maybe mix it up and see if that helps.
You are still really swollen from surgery and may just need a little more adjustment time, too.
Good luck on your journey!!

The only thing I can add to the excellent advice above is this: We sleeved our stomachs, not our heads. Doing the sleeve work on our heads is just as important as the surgery we went through, but it's WAY harder, IMO.
At my psyche appt, the counselor told me that I have an addictive personality and I will always be addicted to something. She went so far as to tell me that I WILL become an alcoholic, but she still gave me the approval for surgery! I started seeing a counselor several weeks ago, for the addictive behavior and some other issues related to my weight. WLS is not her area of specialty, but she's helping me see where and why I mistreat myself. Once I know those things, and it takes time to learn, then I can remove the bad stuff.
I agree with removing the temtation foods from the house if you can't bring yourself to use moderation with them. Maybe, once you're back on track, you can learn how to work those things into your diet in a healthy way. For me, knowing that I can have sweets or chocolate later makes it easier to give them up now.
Good luck on your journey! You've done great so far, so this is just a bump in the road for you. You will succeed!!!

lika, I think that it's necessary to progress through the stages to get your tummy ready for solid foods. I've read that the stomach is a muscle, so it makes sense that the muscle needs to be worked out before going to the next step. First you give it liquids, then mushies, then soft regular food, then other foods.
I waited nearly 8 weeks before giving mine tougher foods like raw veggies and I'm still finding that some things bother my tummy. Rex (my tummy) still doesn't do well with raw broccoli, no matter how well I chew it. Also, very spicy things bother Rex and anything with vinegar in it makes me wish I'd skipped the pickle, olive or cole slaw. I'm sure this will improve as things heal more, but it does take time and effort for the tummy to be ready for the next step, IME.

Day 19 post-op and so happy to be here. Until September I'd never heard of a sleeve gastrectomy and was not looking at doing bariatric surgery. Being overweight/obese most of my adult life I assumed I'd carry the burden and the health consequences to my grave. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2004 and have done a fair job of losing small amounts of weight, eating clean food and staying active BUT not enough to stop it's progression. At the age of 54 SO much of my mental energy has been spent on what to eat, how to eat it, shame over emotional binges, isolation due to my size and downright self- loathing. Several people I know had the Lap-band and I was curious about it. I got on the internet and Googled surgeons in the Dallas area (not my home) and filled out a form requesting information. That same day I got a call from a representative of Dr. Nicholson's Clinic and shared my heart and they offered a solution/tool in a Bariatric Vertical Sleeve. To make a long story short I planned my trip to Dallas for an informational class and personal Dr. consultation. I was sold and set my surgery date for Oct. 18th, 2011 at Forest Park Hospital, Dallas, TX.
I was about a month out of surgery when I started doing some research and asking different questions. Because I live on a ranch an hour drive from any medical services the sleeve is an ideal choice. Three weeks post op the risk of surgical complications are nil. That has been a big peace of mind for me. I started my pre-op diet on Oct. 4th and found it to be a bit of a struggle. I despise sweet, milky drinks and gagged down Slimfast, HoneyMilk and Carnation Instant Breakfast sugar free. I did not know about the Bariatric Advantage Products or powders? utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury.....boy I wish I had. If I had one piece of advice it would be to hunt like crazy till you find something that you find pleasant and drinkable. It will make the days after surgery much less stressful. I've since ordered some of the above products. During this time I also meet with the psychologist, nutritionist and went through the pre-admit process. The whole time I wasn't sure I would go through with it. The Nicholson Clinic is really good about letting you know that you can cancel or delay until you are ready. Even the night before going in I was not sure. So many changes, so much to give up, so much unknown. It was by faith and the grace of God that I made it to the OR the next day.....and sooooo thankful that I did.
My check-in was noon on the 18th of October. It went smoothly and I was in the holding area shortly after that. My husband went with me and was a huge support. It is good to have someone with you. Being dehydrated made some of the IV stuff a bit trying but that was over quickly and I was resting when the anethesiologist (sp) came in. I'd had a horrible cold the week before and had a nasty cough. He promised me he would get that cleared out and he was true to his word. Don't remember a thing after he injected a relaxing med into the IV. Woke up being moved to my bed. The whole day I kept dozing off and dreaming that the surgery was the next day and feeling the dread. Then I would realize it was OVER and feel utter elation. The 24 hour hospital stay is a bit of a blur. Good drugs. I will say that it was challenging to get up and walk regularly, not drink, and battle a crazy head hunger. I just wanted to eat big bites of some comfort food like mac and cheese or enchiladas. I thought I was starving to death and ask myself what the heck had I'd done. It was an internal battle. I'm not sure if anyone else has had a similar experience but it has really reinforced for me the need for the Sleeve surgery. It will be the tool that helps me finally overcome obesity and achieve my goals in life. It's just too short to waste sitting around in a love affair with food that doesn't love me back.
Leaving the hospital and going to a hotel in the area worked out fine. I slept and sipped. On day three I was able to stop the pain medication and Tylenol...both were so sweet and gagging that I did better without. I used ice packs on my left side and it seemed to help. I must say that the pain was more than I had expected but not anything to keep someone from doing it. If I could have choked down the meds I probably would have taken them a few more days. Also, do practice sipping before your surgery. I used the one ounce cup for a week before just to get the hang of it. A week post-op and I was able to drink at just the right pace without thinking about it and loved feeling normal again.
On the 8th day I flew home and had a 2.5 hour car ride. It went great and there is no place like home! I really began to heal quickly once I was in my own home. I've been following the Dr.s orders as well as possible and was back in Dallas for the 2-week post op exam. I've lost 22 pounds, yea, and can begin soft foods this coming Tuesday! Hello scrambled eggs! One note, I had really felt sore on my left side and was concerned that there was a problem. Turns out it is text book for week 2 due to the healing process and increased activity. This may not hold true for all Dr's patients but for Dr. Nick's he adds extra stitches in the left side muscles and they begin to pull. Who knew?
Living in an isolated area it was recommended to me to find an online support group. My nutritionist suggested this one. I look forward to this part of the journey! It will be a pleasure to hear about each of your stories and learn from the experiences of others. There is no time like NOW!

Belly, If you need pain meds, take them. I have a VERY high pain tolerance, but many people do not. That's nothing to be upset about, whether it's high or low.
I think it's great that you are posting how you really feel. It's instructive for others who are thinking about taking this journey. The best part is that the pain you are experiencing now is temporary and you will be amazed at how great you feel once you're through the initial surgery pain and losing weight. If you remain this honest, your story will definitely show how much this surgery changes our lives!

Allformy4, I had two c-sections and I don't think the pain from VSG was anywhere near as bad as either C-section. Now, my legs hurt just like they did when I was trying not to use my tummy muscles after the C-sections, but that's the only real comparison for me.
My best advice for pain is to make absolutely certain you know what your dose of liquid pain meds is for after surgery. I really wanted a dose of that Loritab the night I came home from the hospital, but I was hurting too badly to figure out the conversion from ml's to tablespoons, so I went to bed without it. I still have a full unopened bottle of Loritab liquid. I'll be donating that to the police department's drug drive early next year.
If you look to the left, I finally have a face!
Oh, and Get In My Belly, I'm glad that it seems your pain level is getting better. I think you should probably call your doc about the pushing urine out thing. That sounds like a UTI symptom to me, as well.

Congrats on the speedy weight loss!! I love the darker shirt on you. For some reason, it really highlights your figure!! You're where I want to be and your pics inspire me!!

WOW! Big difference already! Keep keeping on girlie you are doing great!

Your co-worker's mother is probably a lot older than you are...and probably has a whole lot more co-morbidities than you have. As the other ladies have said, there is a horror story for every surgery. I had a friend's dad die from gall bladder surgery, 25 years ago. Methods and knowledge change over the years and the medical professionals get better all the time.
If you are comfortable with your surgeon and his/her practice, talk over your fears with them. I didn't like the first surgeon/practice I visited and went looking for another doc immediately. My surgeon is awesome and I met his staff on the first visit...wonderful people! Once you are comfy with the surgeon and practice, it's a lot easier to move forward with surgery if you trust the doc and practice.
Have you had the psyche and nutrition appointments yet? Those will help you make your final decision with all the information in place. There is DEFINITELY a head aspect to this surgery and you need to make sure you're mentally and emotionally ready before you do this.
Good luck on your journey!!

I kind of felt like I was in suspended animation, waiting for the "rest of my life" to start. Now that I've had surgery and am back on solid foods, it just feels like normal day to day stuff, mostly. I "have to" eat so many grams of Protein, "have to" drink so much Water, just like I have to breathe, shower, get dressed and work. And, for me, the scale is a daily part of my life, too. I'm not obsessing over it, just checking where I'm at today. That will probably taper off as I drop lower, but be prepared for that.
I wish you luck and joy on your journey. Once the surgery is over, enjoy the process of losing weight, getting smaller, and being able to exercise more. I'm loving the new strength and abilities I have and you will too!