Chimera

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

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.

I was on prednisone last year and in bold was the warning that if one's stool looked like dark coffee grounds to call your physician immediately. I would definitely call.

Wishes - the book that they gave me is called Snoring and sleep Apnea: Sleep Well, Feel Better - here is an Amazon link to it if it is okay to include outside links http://www.amazon.com/Snoring-Sleep-Apnea-Well-Better/dp/1932603263/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309664094&sr=1-1 It has a lot of great information if like myself, are not familiar with slepp apnea and its treatment. I always thought I just liked naps lol. As it turns out sleep apnea can actually be a contributing factor in weight gain - it affects our organs, if we are not getting good rest, enough oxygen - we are slowly killling ourselves - I swear even after one night on the cpap even my aching joints felt better. I have an appointment next week to get my own machine for use at home. I would definitely look into having a sleep study, my insurance (BCBSIL) requires it - folks who have apnea are much likely to have not so great htings happen during surgery.

I asked my nutritionist at the hospital the same thing. I started with a BMI of 54 - she said she was not worried about me losing too much - I think I would have to get under 40 to have any issues with losing too much. I suppose if one does have a lower BMI it may very well be an issue. Like most folks I do well with losing for quite a while - then I burn out and it slowly creeps back on so I am not worried i will lose too much haha.

I am on month 2 of my six months - hoping to finish in mid November, with surgery after the first of the year if all goes well. I am struggling more this month with writing things down religiously, getting all of the Water and Vitamins in (I am taking about 12 different supplements at the moment). I am just trying to look at every day as a fresh start and that I am actively working towards taking better care of myself. I started eating more low carb/more Protein a couple of weeks prior to my first WL appt (may 1st) - to date I am about 21 lbs down - lost a ton at first and now that the water weight is gone the losses are much slower. I also just finished my second sleep study last night - the first night was traumatic being wired up with all of that stuff, the paste in your hair and then trying to sleep. They called and had me back last night - the apnea was not great (I stopped breathing 170 times in 5 hours yikes) so I spent last night with my first cpap - I don't think I have had such a good nights sleep in decades - even with all of the wires The technologist talked to me about the connection between gaining weight and apnea, and gave me a book to read about it all - I have the appt, to discuss the test results in a few weeks - I feel oddly inspired with the diagnosis of the sleep apnea...like wow, finally something that will make me feel better immediately - getting air in my lungs lol I have my 2nd check in in three weeks - so I will be minding my P's and Q's...I need to get my butt off the couch and do some Wii fit.

Not to worry - I've had lots of slips and slides, still do I just had my first official check in for my 6 months of medical WL and it went okay. Sure I could have lost more, but it is all or nothing thinking that got me to 318 lbs in the first place! What has helped me a lot is always having on hand the ingredients for high Protein, low carb meals and Snacks - for me thats chicken breasts (marinated in baja chipotle marinade), eggs, canadian bacon, an arsenal of morningstar farms products, string cheese, etc. I try and write it all down anyway, even if it isnt good. The handouts from my nutritionist want us to shoot for compliance 80-85% of the time - it says right on the page that they do not want or expect perfection. I will take careful progress with normal human slip-ups. I eat something every two hours, even if it is a tiny protein snack. also Water is huge for me - If I do not get all of my water in, I do not lose. When I do drink my water, I am not hungry and I do - go figure the nice thing about the WL program is that I finally feel like I know how I should eat to take good care of myself. I am 46 years old and I am just figuring this out lol.

I have BCBS - I think many insurers have you jump through a lot of hoops. Lets see for me this started in February Seminar Doctor vets insurance - which was nice initial appointment - my doc likes to get as much in as possible on this first big visit: Nurtition counseling, surgical consult, psych eval, EKG. I have to do 6 months of medically supervised WL - I have my first month check in Friday (nervous - of course it is pms week and I want to eat everything in sight lol.) sleep study appt #1 on Friday as well - If I have sleep apnea i spend saturday night as well. Still to come is: the big lab work Arterial blood gases endoscopy Five more months of WL (if I have a loss each month that is) My nutritionist said that if all goes well with the diet program, my last appt will be toward the end of November, that it takes about a month for the approval - so I am looking at just after the first of next year for my surgery. I am envious of folks that seem to get their sleeve so quickly!

Its not so bad - here is hoping the two weeks go by rapidly for you. I did Optifast for four months a few years back, the original program with only the shakes - 16 weeks was a nightmare

I am on six months of medically supervised WL - For me just starting (5'3, 317 start weight) I have been prescribed to eat 5-7 times a day - 1540 calories, 100-120G Protein, 50-100G carbs, 50-60G fats. A minimimum of 64 oz. Water. And first meal of the day - consumed an hour within waking should be 300 cals or under, and 30g of protein - this one can be challenging so I have been having nectar shakes with skim milk. I really do not like the sweet taste, especially in the morning but I figure I will have to get used to it. I am tracking all of my food and exercize in a journal. My doctors and nutritionists have said at every visit that there are no essential carbohydrates - that our bodies easily can fuel our brain with the energy that comes from Proteins and fat stores burning - I too felt foggy at the start from dropping the carbs but I am starting to feel quite a bit sharper. I think I have quite an addiction to those pesky carbs - my body reacts to them like a narcotic!

I am sure everything will go great - I had my first nutrition appointment this morning at 10:00 so my 6 month clock has just begun Wishing you a successful surgery and swift healing!

I've decided to finally stop lurking and post. I am just beginning the long process of WL surgery - last week I had my nutrition, psych, and surgical consultations and an EKG. My six month clock with the medically supervised weight loss begins on Monday the 16th with my first appointment with the program MD. I have my first sleep study apointment next tuesday, and after that I can schedule my labwork, blood gases test, and the dreaded upper endoscopy. Initially I was alarmed when my surgeon told me I qualified for the sleeve, as I had been thinking I would go for the Roux. Now I am 100% on board after researching both surgeries. I have already started food tracking to get in practice for what is to come...like everyone else here I am sure - I have lost and regained hundreds of lbs on programs from Optifast to too many Weight Watchers memberships to count. I am 46, 5'3 with a goal to lose 188.9 lbs - 318.9 to 130. I just wanted to thank everyone for their generosity in sharing their experiences on this forum - I am inspired and happy to be here