Chimera

The statistics my surgeon's office and bariatric support group say that the average vsg patient loses 60 - 80% of their excess weight, gastric bypass patients = 50 - 80%, and lap band 50 - 65%. I am hoping to go all the way to goal - which for my height is 130 lbs. That's 188 lbs. of excess weight to lose in all for a short, old woman Good thing is that I am 33 lbs. down since I started the medical weight loss plan - and it will be a few months before I can get in for surgery due to my schedule - so hopefully it will be even a bit less - I hope for a weight of 250 at surgery - with a small, non-slippery liver. The doc also says that statistically patients lose 50% of excess weight in the first 6 months, another 25% during the next 6 - and the final 25% over the course of the next year.

My surgeons office recommends 10,000 IU's a day for us - they have handouts in the office that explain the the RDA for those living in the Northern parts of North America (or anyone else at and above our latitude, I am in Seattle) is much too low. Protocol brand is the type I get from the office - two droppers full a day - no taste at all. http://www.protocolforlife.com/Products/Category/074557.htm?cat=Vitamins

I too love those Bariatric Advantage calcium chews (the caramel and the chocolate) - I am still pre-op but I save two for after dinner, they are now a desert The chewable iron from Bariatric Advantage is good too - I will have to try the lemon-lime, I get the passionfruit flavor and it is very good. I will have to check out the chewies and liquids at Costco, as I look at all of the supplements I have to take a day, liquid and gummy will probably be very good after surgery.

Woohoo! What great news, best of luck with your sugery date!

Good to know that I am not alone with the rough schedule - I think it is great that some folks go to a seminar and shazam! they have their sleeve within a month or two - I am in the group where it is a looooong process - I will certainly be well practiced at my high protein and vitamin taking by spring ha-ha! Recovering in sunshine with flowers outside, rather than the cold damp sounds better anyway

Is anyone else a teacher? I am a college professor, and while my job is not exactly strenuous physically it is very challenging to get covereage for classes, especially if you are going to be out for more than a day or two. I have a very small window of opportunity which is rapidly approaching to have my VSG - my last MWL appointment is in early December and I've had to reschedule my endoscopy and ABG for December 22nd - after the semester is over. I have BCBS of Illinois and I am hoping that I will get a fast approval and that my surgeon will have an opening within my golden two week window. If not I will have to postpone until May. Has anyone else experienced the madness of trying to schedule this?

I talked to my insurance gal at the surgeon's office today and explained how tight the schedule is for me - I think the best choice for me will to be to finish up all of my requirements, continue my MWL plan with the nutritionists and plan for surgery in May. She said that it can take 4 to 8 weeks for insurance to give the go ahead after submitting everything. So I will continue to do what I am doing and we will submit to insurance in March. This also helps the at home schedule as I have to drive my step daughter to her bus stop in the mornings which is much too far for her to walk (and dad leaves for work an hour before we do). She will be able to drive herself very soon. I cannot know how rapidly I will bounce back after surgery and I owe it to my students and co-workers to be on top of my game. The courses I teach are difficult to have covered because they are both technical and esoteric at the same time, and pretty specialized. I already feel relief knowing I will have time to rest and recover and not inconvienience anyone.

I just had my labs done yesterday and the nurse told me that it takes around 3 weeks for the results to come back from all of the tests - 14 big vials of blood - glad I brought a string cheese to eat, still staggered out of the office after sitting for 15 minutes lol.

Sounds like a lot of folks feel the same - I am pre-surgical, I have lost just over 10% of my weight during my 6 months of medical weight loss (but berate myself because it should be more I tell myself) - I have the fear that I will have the surgery and it wont work for me - or that I will lose 10 lbs. and that will be it no matter what I do.

I don't think it is so much that we cannot ever sample foods that we have had problems with - that decision is up to each one of us and a personal choice,but rather it is simply dangerous to advance ones diet after the procedure ahead of the advice of one's medical team - and I suppose that too is a personal choice. That said, Dreamlife I wish you the best on your journey to better health!

Beautiful! Amazing the changes in just three months - you are doing great! I can't wait for my sleeve

Congratulations! she is simply adorable - glad to hear that everything went well and hopefully you will all get a tiny bit of sleep soon

I have thought of this as well - I suppose the pad is a good thing, I can't imagine trying to bend over and change a tampon right after a vsg procedure, that sounds painful lol.

Oh and the last bariatric support group meeting I went to a lot of folks did confirm that they had a hard time getting in all of the supplements until they were a few weeks and even months out. Just do the best you can is my advice.

I am pre-surgery myself so I have not gone through the liquid stage. My surgeon's office sells the nectar shakes - you want a powder with whey Protein isolate. I recently was given the recommendation by another one of thier docs to try the Premier Protein pre-mixed Protein Drink (30g protein) that you can purchase at costco - in an effort to drop the carbs from the milk I have been using with the Nectar powder. They do also make some protein mixes that do not use milk and I have some samples of those to try. I know every surgeon has slightly different recomendations - my Vitamin protocol is as follows - I am taking the same supplements that I will following surgery - had to sign a contract saying that I am complying. For VSG: I take bariatric supplements by Bariatric Advantage. Multi-vitamin - if you use a standard Multivitamin, shoose a high potency vitamin containing 100% of daily value of at least 2/3 of nutrients and double the dosage. You need a vitamin that has at least 18 mg of Iron, 400 mcg of folic acid, and contains selenium and zinc. Be careful not to exceed 10,000IU of Vitamin A or 1,500 IU of vitamin E. No childrens, or gummy Vitamins - they are not complete and they have too many carbs. Do not use time released, or enteric coatings on tablets/capsules. calcium citrate - most absorbable form - dont take at the same time as iron. Best if you can split the doses into 500-600 doses. 1500-2000 mg per day. B12 I take 1,000mcg a day - sublingual tablet that dissolves. Iron At least 36 mg per day. If you are at risk for anemia or menstruating aim for 50-100 mg per day. B50/B50 Complex I take two capsules a day (Bariatric Advantage brand) Vitamin D to maintain normal levels, and depending on where you live it varies. 1,000 IU minimum. I live in Seattle - and my nutritionists have us on 10,000 IU's of liquid vitamin D a day - it comes in a bottle with a dropper and has no taste. Those are the basic supplements for VSG - I also take 5-HTP, additional Chromium, Glucosamine, and Fish Oil (found a great one at GNC that does not give fishy burps) I look forward to seeing suggestions for liquids as well - I plan to get some of the unjury chicken Soup, the clear nectar drinks, maybe try some Isopure etc.

I hear ya - I have been at the process since last spring. I am hoping for just after Jan 1 for me - would kick the year off right! hang in there - you are not alone

The back of my surgeon's business card has the message "The individual bearing this card has had special surgery for the reduction of the size of their stomach. Please allow the bearer to order a small portion at a reduced price or order from the child's menu. Thank you for your consideration."

I had my 5th MWL weigh in yesterday and as is my normal pattern - I get close to losing 10% of my weight, stall, and then the scale starts to creep back up. So my doc wrote a prescription for Phentermine - wants me to cut carbs to below 50g a day and to check out the Premier Protein shakes - I have been driking the nectar, but she warned about the carbs in skim milk even. I took my first tablet and woo - now that my tummy has settled down I feel like I have gotten more done around my house than I have in weeks haha! Like Wellbutrin did for cigarettes - which made me not even want to smoke after a 29 year pack a day habit - so far the Phentermine seems to be doing with the focus on food - which is good I have been struggling and cannot even wrap my mind around not wanting to or having to eat huge volumes of food to feel satisfied.

I have not had my surgery yet but what my doctor says is that with vsg a patient can expect to lose 50% of their excess weight within the first 6 months following surgery - then the next 25% in the following 6 months, and the final 25% in the next year - so that is two years total. I am a dreadfully slow loser as well - but the thought of even getting under 200 is such a pipe dream that I wont care how long it takes

Hang in there! I know your pain - I am approaching 11 months completely smoke free after 28 years of 1-2 packs a day. I read a book called Smoke Free in 30 Days - got a prescription for Wellbutrin, and also used Nicotine Patches starting with the strongest ones they have and gradually stepping down. Nicotine gum and lozenges wreak havoc with my tummy and made me feel pretty sick. The Wellbutrin worked really well for me as remarkably it made me seem to forget about smoking - which was pretty much unthinkable all the other times I had tried to quit. Quitnet is a great site too - lots of good support and info there. Other friends have had great success with Chantix - my doctor said that the greatest successes with quitting happen when you use medication along with Nicotine replacement in the initial stages of a quit - it helps ease the sheer torture. Just keep hanging on - eventually, and you may not believe this, there will come a time that you no longer think of cigarettes or smoking...never did I think this was possible, but alas it is. Sending you positive thoughts!

To start - I would like to be able to bend over and easily tie my own shoes, slide easily into booths and tables with attached benches, and not fear airplane seats and be able to go on rides I would like to wear short sleeves and shorts again - I am too embarrased to nowadays. even around my own family.

Congratulations that is great news

thanks for this list! I was wondering what you guys buy at Costco

Hurray! Sending vibes of health and healing your way - hope you are feeling less pain soon!

I am sorry I don't know the code.