Sassygirl06

You will do fine! Just remember to be your own advocate....if you are in pain after tell the nurses...get some pain meds...it helps you get up and move, which helps recovery tremendously. Don't be afraid to tell them when you are in pain. I made sure to let them know, and they made sure to help me so that I could get up and walk. Walking really does help so much! Good luck to you! will be watching for you on the losers bench!

I have bcbs of California. I got a first time approval....so don't count yourself out right away. Everyone's case is different. Good luck!

Good job on starting early. It sounds like you are off to a great start! Good luck on your journey!

All I can say is wow! You look like you are at goal already!

Wow! Congrats! I can't wait till my plastics surgery gets here. I am scheduled for my tummy tuck in September and my breast lift in October! Totally dying to get them done and over with so my journey can be complete! Hope to see some before and after Picts!

Wow! That really sounds like a lot to do alone! I sure hope it goes well for you. I am to chicken to do it alone. I am having my tummy tuck in September and my breast lift in October...but I am having them done about 20 miles from my home, and I have plenty of help. I couldn't imagine going it alone! I sure hope all goes well for you. Try to post before and afters if you feel comfortable doing so for those of us who are going to have plastics done! good luck to you!

My insurance paid for mine, so complications were obviously covered....but if I were a self pay, I would most likely have bought the back up insurance for the just in case option. I have heard of people being self pay, then having a complication and ending up with medical bills well over what it would have been to have the surgery here in the US. I'm not saying that going to Mexico is more dangerous.....by any means, I'm just saying I would rather have the piece of mind. Good luck!

Not a lot of people have a clue what this surgery is. All they hear about is the gastric bypass....and all of the negative things about it. I would just educate them on the procedure that you are having...tell them that it is the right choice for you and that you would appreciate it if they didn't have a positive thing to say, then to keep their comments to themselves. This is why I didn't choose to tell anyone. Even my nurse in the hospital after I had the sleeve told me...I don't know why you had to have this surgery, you aren't that big to begin with.....I just laughed it off! Good luck!

I just posted on another thread pretty much the answer to this question. I don't feel like I am on a diet at all. I feel completely normal....except for a lot more restriction on the amount I can eat. I always make sure to eat the right foods first, however if there is something that I want then I have it. I don't ever tell myself I can't have this or I can't have that, if I do then I end up having it....and way more then I should...so lesson learned. I am so happy to have this tool to help me stay on track! good luck to you on your decision!

I am finally in maintenance stage...and I can tell you that I feel completely normal now. I do still have a lot of restriction, so I can't have everything that I used to be able to. However I don't act like I am on a diet anymore. If there is something I want, then I have it...just a lot less then I used to before surgery. I feel strongly that if there is something I want and I tell myself I can't have it...then I find myself obsessing over it until I just break down anyways...and then usually I go overboard. I have learned a lot in this process. I feel incredably lucky to have been able to give myself this gift, and I don't intend on waisting it...but I also don't intend on being on a diet for the rest of my life. I did this so I could LIVE again. I really feel like I am finally living my life the way I always wanted to! good luck to all of you!

Yes....this was a huge deal to me. I have three kids and they are always bringing home some sort of intestinal bug. Anyways to answer your question....yes I have gotten the stomach flu since being sleeved. Actually the bug was not as bad as before having the sleeve. I got the dry heeves a lot...which sucked....but I would try to suck down some water quickly and then I would have something in my tummy to vomit up. Vomit does not have that horrible taste to me anymore...I guess because I don't have so many acid pumps as before so not much stomach acid in there to make it burn and such. In all your sleeve can handle it just fine...I would recommend avoiding anyone with a stomach virus for a couple of months while your new tummy is healing though!

The risk is in the first few months. I never took anything...never had an issue. The doc takes a look at it while he is doing the sleeve to see if you already have gallstones. If you do he will remove it during your sleeve surgery.

Um...there is no malabsorption...no re routing of the intestines at all...just not able to eat as much...one of the reasons I chose this surgery. As far as drinking with eating...it does wash some of the food down faster...so you can eat more sooner. In the beginning I didn't listen to this and got very sick a few times and learned my lesson. Now almost two years out I can eat and drink a little bit at the same time...but I do notice that when I do this I am able to fit more in. Good luck!

My period was a little crazy at first. Now I am super regular. Thank goodness I am fixed so I don't have to worry about getting pregnant!

Awesome! Looks like you have worked hard!

The nicotine should be out of your system already. Good luck!

Well...losing weight will help lower blood pressure....which will reduce the risk of another stroke.

I'm sorry...all I saw was 24 pounds in a month! That's an average of 6 pounds a week. I don't see anything to worry about there.

I felt hungry a lot in the beginning. Taking a ppi will take care of some of this problem. I felt like my stomach was eating itself at times. It made some horrible sounds. It will go away soon. I still get hungry now after surgery....not like before...but when I need to eat I get grouchy if I don't. Just make sure to eat regularly because sometimes you can forget to eat...haha...that is funny to me because before the surgery I would never forget to eat. Now it can be mid day and I will think to myself...oh no...I haven't eaten today yet! I don't have to take a ppi anymore...but in the beginning it was a life saver. The acid in your tummy can really play havoc on it. Good luck!

The larger incision was raised for me as well....the bump may be the internal stitches that they used. I actually had one of my internal stitches pop through and had to snip it off with finger nail clippers. It is normal for some itching around the cites while the skin is healing. If it gets red and hot is when you need to really worry. Call the doc if you are nervous about it. Good luck!

Wow! It sounds like you lit a torch in your poor new tummy! I would take it easy on the spicy foods...as well as the rice. I am two years post op and I can't even handle rice all that well. If you don't feel better in the morning I would call my surgeon if I were you. I don't think you have anything serious wrong other then some severe heartburn and upset tummy from all of that food. Remember that your stomach is like a baby's. little steps at a time. You can't eat all of the stuff you did prior to surgery right away. Try one thing at a time...if your tummy tolerates it then you can move on. It really sounds like you just over did it. Good luck my friend...and take it easy on your self!

I used to have this happen to me...especially after I ate to much. I thought there was something seriously wrong with my saliva glands! This to shall pass. In the mean time...keep a cup handy to spit it all out...cause swallowing it will make you queazy. Try to sleep on your side with a towel underneath your mouth so your pillow doesn't get drenched. Make sure not to overfill your stomach with water, or anything else. It will get better....it is all part of the process.

This is totally normal. You will feel like this for a while, but don't worry...it will get better and better with each passing day. I had buyers remorse for about two months...and then I started to love my sleeve. Now at almost two years post op I am completely in love with my sleeve. I see others eating WAY to much and it makes me sad for them. I can enjoy a normal sized meal and usually have left overs. I love it. Today I went out for sushi and I ate half of my meal for lunch and saved the second half for dinner. I feel like I get to have my cake and eat it too. The best part (besides getting skinny and healthy) is my grocery bill went from over a $1000 dollars a month to less then $400 a month and that is for a family of 5. I was the main culprits in having such a large grocery bill. My hubby calls me a cheap date now. When we used to go out for dinner I would usually order two meals....and now I order off of the child's menu (where it is allowed) if not...like I said..I take home leftovers. It will get better! Keep your head up!

I like the second swimsuit the best. You look great!

Looking good Kirk!