pussnboots

I am also on Tuesday. We will be fine and healthy before you know it.

only a few days away...and im super nervous..actually had a back out moment today..like a WTF am i doing...
ugh i just want this to be done and start my success

I also was sleeved on 2/20/12. I've lost 30 lbs & I started on mushies, per my Dr already. At first, I couldn't tolerate anything cold hitting my pouch, so Protein Shakes were a no go. I had to force myself to drink room temp New Whey Protein Bullets (yuck), until last week when I could drink my beloved cold liquids again! It's been a roller coaster finding protein that actually tastes good, but I did-GNC 25 is great tasting & affordable! I'm so happy that I had this surgery!!

On February 20, 2012 I had my gastric sleeve surgery. I have to say, it was a little more than I had imagined, but I'm so glad I did it. The up side is that I haven't been sick at all since surgery. I did have trouble eating the Clear Liquids following surgery. I'm currently on a full liquid diet and have to say I'm ready for next week when I can acutally have some solid food (although it will be baby food consistency) My biggest issue has been "hunger pangs" which happen right after a meal. I actually found this site because I was wondering if these hunger pangs were normal. I'm glad to know that they are very normal and are probably just related to stomach acid. Another issue I'm currently having is getting in enough Water, but I'm slowly improving on this issue also. Currently I have lost 15 lbs. in three weeks. My daughter has started the same program and will be having the same surgery in about six months. My son is getting married in three weeks and I'm afraid to buy my dress for the wedding until closer to the date. I went shopping yesterday and was able to wear two sizes smaller than normal. I just couldn't make myself make the purchase until closer to the date. I attended my first support meeting this last week. This was an awesome meeting and provided me some more insite into what to expect. I plan to make this a successful venture and I know that I can do it.

I had a horrible night and morning because the pain meds made me puke, but I really wasn't puking because I had no food in my stomach. It was more like dry heaves. It was awful.
Then, this morning, at the barium test, I puked while still standing on the machine. I felt so bad for the tech. I don't think he was prepared for it. I felt worse than right after surgery. I was crying and thinking "Why did I do this to myself? What was I thinking????"
Then my new nurse came by, saw how horrible I looked and when I told her about the nausea she said "Oh, we'll just put you on something else." She gave me new meds. I slept for about an hour or two and I was a new woman! I walked around the floor, came back to the room, opened my laptop, ordered some food, you name it. She came back in and did a doubletake. I did a complete turnaround. I ordered 4 ounces of broth and ate it all no problems. Had some Jello, drank some Water. I was fine.
So, to make a long story short, I did so well today that they sent me home a day early. I'm feeling a million times better than this morning. And to think, all my problems were because of the wrong meds and NOT the surgery itself.
WOO HOO to the new me!

JUst an update: Sleeved March 6, 2012 and Feeling much better!

It's my personal opinion, I don't care if the Dr. or whoever gets perks or not (not trying to be a smart a**) as long as I can see that this just might me in the best interest of me. I have never had any type of surgery prior to this, so how do I know if I am prone to blood clots or not. I appreciate the precautionary measures made for me.

[ATTACH]2533[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]2534[/ATTACH]
These are my pictures six months after surgery. It had been going well. Still a low of learning on my part but I am happy! I have lost 131 pounds! I went from a size 30/32 down to a 14/16 short and an 18 pants.... So excited! Just wanted to drop in and show some pics.

Hello,
So all of my pre op consults are scheduled. My meeting with Surgeon is in may with a tentative surgery month of June. I am traveling on vacation the second or third week of july, so hoping that date works. I can always schedule it for hen I return.
Looks like my insurance will cover.
BMI = 46 and I am type 2 diabetic.
Pre determination letter needs to be sent and approved in May, but I was told they usually have 2 week turnaround. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed!

Hey everyone! Everything went well. I woke up with a foley, sore throat. Now I'm laying in bed watching tv and trying to relax. I have some pain right under my sternum. Leak test tomorrow then probably stay one more night. I have to get up and walk soon. The meds are making me sleepy but I don't mind st all. Not as painful as I prepared myself for but I'm making sure to stay on top of the meds. I can't wait to progress!!
Sent from my iPhone using VST

Well the peer2peer didn't work & now they have denied my 1st appeal. I now have to write another appeal & send it to an external review company. This is crazy! I am getting so discouraged & feeling hopeless. But this is the surgery I feel is best for me so I guess I will keep fighting. Idk what else to do.

im a very private person, and i dont want to be judged, i know i shouldnt care about what other people think, but i do, So i will just tell my daughter and my brother, whose a RN for support.

Hey everyone! Long time, no post.. Got my surgery date scheduled for April 2nd!! I am super excited about it. Was a little bummed it couldnt happen in March, but I have 2 reports to do, so it was a blessing in disguise! lol I will start the dreaded Liquid Protein diet on the 26th. I hope everyone is doing good!! Thanks for all the support while the insurance process was happening. It was a great thing to be able to have this forum.

My surgery was March 1st in Philadelphia and I am now home recovering well. I have been able to take walks outside and manage without much pain medication. It takes most of my time trying to manage my Fluid and Protein intake, but the food is staying down without nausea or too much discomfort. I am very thankful and when I woke up I had the most glorious feeling of being alive and having survived! Soon I will get my before pics and start working on the after pics. Can't wait!

I too am a pretty priviate person. I have told most (people I work with and at my gym), that I lost my weight with my doctors help! I gave blood; and had a diet designed specifically for me. (we is true....)
There are people who are closer too me, that I have divulged all information.
I say, it's a matter of choice whether you TELL or NOT TELL.

I have only told 3 good friends, my mum and my siblings. One of the friends had the procedure done last year so no fear of judgment there; one asked a lot of questions but was supportive and the other is totally with me on it. I think it is no one's business how I achieve my weight loss and that's just my personal view on the matter. They would notice the weight loss and all I would say is "thanks" to compliments and "well it was about time I took my health seriously and eat right" to the question "how are you doing it?"
See people can be very judgmental and this is a very emotional decision and given that they have not lived our lives I think they need to mind their business and I'll mind mine. I am happy with my choice and I am not going to allow anyone to dampen that.

I keep thinking I'm at the end of my loss and i keep being wrong. I'm at a new low today of 192.2 pounds and I have four weeks to go to my surgiversary. I was contemplating doing a "real diet" with Medifast or cottage cheese and pot roast, but I was resisting it too because of the sheer panic involved in all that starving and watching the scale and so on.
Now I'm thinking it might not be necessary, at least not yet. I'm not near my published goal of 155, but I have lost seventeen pounds since January and it's possible i could keep dropping down, slowly, for a while. Eight pounds a month is a pretty good rate of loss, especially this far into my surgery year.
I haven't been this slim since....2006.
You know I'm going to do pics for you guys in April, right?
. Just an update.

I only told my two daughters and my mom about the surgery, but only after it was over. (Of course my husband knew all along). But I don't know what to tell friends when the time comes that they notice that I am losing weight. SOmetimes I feel ashamed or embarassed that I had the surgery- as if I couldn't do this on my own. If I could have lost the weight and kept it off all these years, I surely would have. So, now, I just might tell them that I am on a high Protein, low carb diet, which I am. Did you tell everyone that you had the surgery?

Friends-
Today, I Celebrate one of my biggest moments of bravery. I Celebrate agreeing to be wheeled into surgery despite a healthy dose of fear of both complications and the unknown. I had no idea how I'd cope in life without the crutch of food and failure. I wasn't excited about surgery and possibilities. I was simply scared and resolved. Now, I live a life I truly wasn't sure I'd ever get to enjoy. Life is good. So good.
I have been incredibly blessed on this journey. My approval process was relatively painless. It only involved four months of supervised diet. I didn't even have to do a liquid diet leading up to surgery. My only real complication was a very minor infection on one of my incisions. A round of antibiotics and I was fine.
My biggest memories of life following surgery were trying to figure out how to live without food as a focus and exhaustion. I wasn't hungry but still felt a need to eat but couldn't. I worked hard in therapy to be ready for this yet I wasn't. On top of that, I remember being absolutely exhausted until week 5. My other biggest memory is when I lost about 50 lbs. and realized that I no longer hurt. I had been overweight so long that I simply accepted pain as a part of life. To wake up one day and comprehend than general life no longer hurt left me giddy.
Since surgery, I have dropped 112 pounds, 12 inches (literally a foot!) off my waist, and 6 dress sizes (from 24/26 to 12/14). I have found a passion for running that culminated in running a half-marathon in January. I found the confidence to apply for a dream job that came with a crazy raise and got the job! I've found pride in myself and my appearance. I've become more than what I eat and how I look.
I haven't been the most well-behaved sleever. I feel I should share that in the interest of honesty. When I got the crazy, awesome promotion I started making some poor choices. I have yet to gain weight but I am in the world's longest stall due to poor food choices and a lack of focus on diet. I haven't lost a pound since December. I recognize that I haven't lost the last thirty pounds because of my less than ideal food choices but I am okay with this for now. I know that I will soon be ready to lose the last thirty and I will focus and finish what I started. My goal is to be at or under 175 by 18 months. I feel this is very doable. However, I recognize that this is my journey and I will finish it when it is right for me. Right now, I am enjoying the ride and life in general.
I would like to take a moment to thank all of you for your constant support, opinions and advice. I've found this forum and the people it consists of a lifeline on more than one occasion. Bless you all!
Of course, a surgiversary post isn't complete without photos!


PS- I swear I am not a big drinker... it just happens that pics normally occur when I'm drinking.

Hmmm... I'm reading her responses and wow in just the last 5 I've read I can see she's really misinformed on a lot of issues. Which makes it really hard for me to listen to pretty much anything she really has to say about any of the issue.
Here's a few just because:
Losing hair IS true and very common with the VSG AND leaks can be detected up to MONTHS post op. This is ridiculous in itself...
My sleeve removed around 85%, and I believe my Surgeon is one of the more aggressive when it comes to this. I don't believe surgeons remove "90% or more" of our stomachs. We wouldn't be left with anything! Anyway, this person has NEVER had WLS!! How am I supposed to take anything she says at face value. She says so herself, if you want the truth talk to a WLS patient of which you would like (ie, sleeve, RnY, band, etc...) and find one who is post 10 years. You will have a very hard time finding a VSG patient of more than 10 years out. Most partial gastrectomies at that time were solely for reasons of stomach cancers and ulcers.
Meh. I have no opinion of this blog other than it's really not something I personally would use as a means to get REAL research or information from.

I don't think you're going to find anyone here 10 years out--this forum is only about 3 years old and the VSG as a stand-alone procedure has only been done since about 2007.

Thank you! and no i dont exercise lol.. I eat what i want when I want and have yet to walk, run, or hit a gym. Dont recommend anyone follow those habits.. but hey im only being honest...i WANT to start working out. Ill be in miami for memorial day and want to b close to fitting in a bikini if not in one...
my weakness are CHIPS..any chips LOL
I just gotta find a routine that works SOLELY for ME and stick to it.. everyone will progress at their own stage anyway ya know?

Honestly, the two week liquid diet was extremely difficult for me. I had the Protein Shakes and chicken broth. The chicken broth was like having steak to a starving stomach. The first 4 days were the hardest, but then you hit a groove and it really does get easier. The Protein shakes will help curve your appetite, if you use like 1% milk. I also drank zero calorie poweraid for variety. Ate sugar free Jello and chewed it to make me feel like I was eating. I looked at as my part in the deal, cheating was not an option, I told myself if I cheated, they wouldn't do the surgery. I think how much you lose depends on how big you are in the first place. I started my liquid diet at 297 and I lost 23lbs. I just had my surgery on the 23rd and I am down to 265. I never thought I would drop this quickly. It keeps me going though, cause the liquid diet doesn't stop after surgery. As a matter of fact, my dr. requires another 4 weeks! It's all about allowing yourself to heal, cause you do not want leaks! They are bad news. At least now on my liquid diet I can have some Soup like cream of mushroom, etc. Getting all the protein after surgery is a challenge, I am relying on Isopure a lot, so tired of the shakes. Anyway, you can do it. I never thought I could as I have never been successful at a diet, so if I can, anyone can.

pussnboots, good luch on the surgery date! dont lose hope!! I had a lot of moments where for either insurance or personal reasons i felt that surgery was just never going to happen, but if you stick with it your day will come too!

Had my first meeting with my doctor yesterday after the seminar a few weeks back and now the ball is rolling.. Met with the nutritionist as well which was very informative. Glad my wife was with me and she is so supportive of this for me as my 15 year old son is as well.. Now all the testing starts and I wish they started tomorrow. Unfortunately, I need to stretch this out for another 4 months because of Aetna, but I can wait because I know in the long run, this is all going to be so worth it..
At some point I need to spring on mom... Not really sure what her reaction will be, as long as she realizes this is for me and my health and I would just like her support. We shall see!! Hope everyone is well.
-Randy