AWholeNewMama

I had the same horrid drain experience as other people here, I have heard of the open wound option in very large patients but, your starting BMI wasn't very high? I'm sure he has a reason but, it sounds painful. Just hang in there, the first six months is really tough for all of us. I caught C-diff in the hospital that I just got over! We all have some war story but, in the end, we get through it and are stronger and healthier on the other side!

My drain was taken out the day after my surgery, thank goodness. At least I'm not dealing with that right now, too. That was NOT a fun procedure, for sure.

same here, I had a drain I'n the hospital and when they took it out, omg, thought I was gonna die.

I had an abscess in one incision. Drained constantly was so painful I had to hold my breast on the left side up every time it walked. Constantly had to change bandages and bed sheets when the Fluid leaked through the bandage. Took about 3 weeks before I felt semi normal and about 5 before I felt like me again. All the other incisions were fine. It was on my left side and very painful. Antibiotics and pain meds, warm compress and when I had to go out, I wore that thing they give you to wrap around your abdomen and a body shaper.

I did not have an open incision, but I went home with a drain in one of them. I had to wear it for a week. When they pulled it out, it was the most horrific pain I've ever experienced. I'd rather have all 4 of my kids with no pain meds than have that thing pulled out again! Then I ended up getting an infection in another incision. A round of antibiotics took care of it good though.
My whole right side where the drain was, was VERY painful, especially the week it was in.
I hope you get feeling better soon!! Keep an eye out for any infection symptoms. Take your pain meds and stay hydrated! Keeping hydrated will help with the pain too.

Congrats!!

@@onikenbai I'm so glad to hear you finally figured it out! I agree with previous poster who said you don't sound like the giving up type. Keep on fighting, and you'll make progress. Better late than never! Good luck!

I have the Mirena IUD and I absolutely love it. I'm on my second one. No side effects, and NO PERIODS! I know some OB/GYNs won't do IUDs for people who haven't had kids yet, but from what I've seen that's outdated info. My doc DOES do them for people who haven't had kids.

Happy to see a few Chicagoland folks here! I'm in NW Indiana, desperately clinging to "Chicago suburb" status.

I'm pre-op, but I can tell you that I went to my surgical consult last week totally committed to the sleeve, but my surgeon changed my mind, because of all the reasons you listed. Primarily, I have GERD and have had ulcers, and he told me that the sleeve could make that worse, and it can be difficult to manage. From where I stand, I'm doing this surgery to improve my quality of life, and if I'm miserable because of GERD pain, that sort of defeats the purpose. Like you, I also think I need the dumping syndrome component/consequence of the bypass to keep me on track.
Good luck with whatever you decide!

Happy to see a few Chicagoland folks here! I'm in NW Indiana, desperately clinging to "Chicago suburb" status.

I'm pre-op, but I always have low vit. D levels. I supplement with 2,000 IU daily, per doc's orders, and I've found that it makes a huge difference in my mood.

sleevedup,
Thank you so much for that link to the 1990 follow-up study of middle-aged British patients who underwent a gastrectomy (mostly due to stomach ulceration) between 1955-1960. You're a great researcher. I appreciate the fruits of your research.
The study's most interesting findings were that the patients suffered deficiencies of Iron, B12, and Vitamin D (associated with osteoporosis). One should review the study to understand it much better than these few keystrokes suggest about the outcomes.
However, my major thoughts about this study and the patients studied has to do with the quality and variety of food, eating habits, nutritional follow-up and lifestyles (including smoking habits) of typical middle-aged Brits 10-15 years after the end of World War II. Compared to environmental and nutritional conditions today in the UK, the US and other developed countries, those earlier patients' environmental, nutritional and behavioral factors were abysmal.
Today, VSG patients' food supplies, Vitamin therapy, ready and attentive medical care and (if one minds one's nutrition well) our opportunities to live healthy lives are (in my judgment) considerably more favorable than those of the patients in the 1990 study.
Yes, I'm putting a positive interpretation on these findings (compared to my own prospects as a VSG patient). But I certainly do not equate my own future outlook as a VSG patient with the experiences and outcomes of the 1990 study's patients who were operated on 60 years ago.

My surgery was yesterday and it went great! Pain was minimal, and everyone at the hospital is awesome. Passed the leakage test today and get ice now. I've been up walking around without much assistance and feeling way better than I thought. Thanks to everyone on here for the support.
Anyone getting ready for their procedures, take an extension cord and Chapstick. The best things ever.

I have the Mirena IUD and I absolutely love it. I'm on my second one. No side effects, and NO PERIODS! I know some OB/GYNs won't do IUDs for people who haven't had kids yet, but from what I've seen that's outdated info. My doc DOES do them for people who haven't had kids.

My initial consult is next Wednesday, and if the timeline is anything like the last consult I had with this surgeon, my surgery will be March or April.

@@JenSul
to all above "expecting" sleevers et al
good luck with pending approval
hope your date is sooner than later
you are all on your way to a healthier, happier, longer life
who deserves it more??
good luck
kathy

Reschedule it for 6 months out and take that time to think, get counseling, try to do it on your own, whatever you need. You will only fail yourself if you do something you are not ready for.
As for getting rid of something "God put there for a reason"? (No disrespect, just a quote.) If your appendix burst, you'd remove it. If your gall bladder went bad, you'd remove it. If your wisdom teeth came in, you'd remove them. I grew a freaking brain tumor the size of a lemon, I removed it. Well, my surgeon did.
If your heart was sick, you'd fix it. If your kidneys were failing, you'd fix it. Your stomach is failing you. Fix it.

I have the Mirena IUD and I absolutely love it. I'm on my second one. No side effects, and NO PERIODS! I know some OB/GYNs won't do IUDs for people who haven't had kids yet, but from what I've seen that's outdated info. My doc DOES do them for people who haven't had kids.

@@JustWatchMe, as a fellow Chicagoan, I love your Lake Shore Drive cruisin' fantasy.
I dream about simple stuff like taking my kids to the beach and not feeling self-conscious. Or taking them to a waterpark. Or on roller coasters.

@@JustWatchMe, as a fellow Chicagoan, I love your Lake Shore Drive cruisin' fantasy.
I dream about simple stuff like taking my kids to the beach and not feeling self-conscious. Or taking them to a waterpark. Or on roller coasters.

Okay, I know this is possible and I hope this site will make it so. Can you lock a room based on your profile so one doesn't "accidently" go into the wrong room? what example I wish to use is the posting by females in the guys room. I am sure there is some code in the persons profile (identifying ones self as male or female) which would open or unlock the guys room (likewise for ladies gone wild room). not only should you not be able to post in the room, but the room should not even be visible to the other sex. if the OP wants the other sex to see the post, the OP should post it in an appropriate room.
Don't wanna be mean about anything, but just trying to get the room to be used as it is intended. I feel that some men (myself included) would post more private men only questions but do not because of all the opposite sex traffic.

*First is my MAJOR scale victory, I am 100lbs down as of Sunday. Hw 290, Sw 282, Cw 190 from a size 20/22 to a size 8/10. Shoe from size 9W to an 8 regular.
*I no longer snore at all, which is big for me since it recently started and was so loud and disruptive to both my family and I. Now, nothing at all, they say im so silent they wonder if im breathing. I sleep so much better and more comfortably.
*Also, the late night cravings have gone away and I never wake up at night anymore so no more late night snacking.
*I no longer have pain from my Fibromyalgia and have stopped my medications completely!!!! I hate meds!!
******Sad to say that I have had serious negative responses to "MY LIFE" decision, here are some of the daggers in my heart...
-I've had family tell me, I didn't need the surgery, I was pretty enough even though I was "BIG"! As if I am so vein that I would do something so serious to my body just to look good...smh
-I was told, "I don't like this on u, it's not YOU, you're not meant to be this small"...SMH
Then, "I could never make myself sick every day just to look good". WAH? Who's that, I'm not sick at all...uneducated speakers make me wanna vomit if that's what u mean...UGH.
-another family member, "don't lose no more, we have enough crackheads out here, wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea". WTF???
THEN THE ABSOLUTE WORST OF ALL.....
-My husband threw me a big party when I hit my first goal of 200lbs. I invited all my favorite girls to a Glam Session to do makeovers and a photo shoot (my first pics public photos other than on BP) as a girls night but also as a celebration of my successes since at that time, I had also gotten a raise at work (Which is also suspect), a new luxury apt and a new car. I struggled over 2 years to gain these things from a 1 bedroom box apartment and no car to the new life that my hard work paid for. Do you know one friend was heard saying, "Why she gotta show off, now she think she something special because she lost weight, who's gonna shrink her head?" This hurt me the most because my husband offered me anything I wanted to Celebrate and all I asked is that he treat me and my girls, 17 of us to catered food from Carrabbas (My Fav), dj for the room, make up sessions with Mary Kay, we had a pure romance presentation, a man that was selling jewelry to enhance our look and a photographer to document the whole evening and take personal photo shoots as well, all this at no cost to them and this man made that happen just to celebrate me and my accomplishments and I was extremely thankful beyond belief but also so hurt by not only the person making the comment but the 4 that entertained her, 2 by saying, "that's alright, when she fall, she gonna fall hard" "she got a new 2014 car but just asked me for $60 bucks just last week, she's a phony" -this was when I lost my bank card and had to wait for another and she was with me so I asked her instead of calling my husband. Lesson learned!
Basically I learned that people are not always who you think they are. Thank God I did what I did for me and not to impress anyone or seeking anyone's approval. I am happy with my decision and since I've noticed that ppl seem to be down for you as long as you stay down in life...on their level perhaps but the minute you move up, now your not good enough for them. I have since been uninvited to 4 events and the excuse was, " Oh I thought You'd be busy or traveling" REALLY? I was suppose to be celebrating but I literally cried for 3 days. Beyond the gains (materials) and the losses(weight), I thought I had support. I learned an ugly lesson that day and here's some I wish to pass on...
Make your moves for YOU!, Seek only approval from YOU! Make sure you have a true support system. Then my daughter sent me a comment picture that reads,"Don't dim your light simply because it's shining in their eyes" That's for you too. Be positive and don't let the haters tear you down.
I don't have a positive relationship with my family, been on my own since 16, so these women have always been around but now that I can't even share my life losses or gains with them...my husband is taking me away from it all, no more pain, no more tears, no more haters, we are moving to California, his home town and I will make new friends and hope and pray to share a good life together. He even says we will renew our vows so I can get a new dress vs the size 26 I had to wear in Jamaica. After 18 years, we will renew our vows in Santa Monica!!! Haven't told any of them yet but I bet they act like they care... but they probably don't and who cares, I'm over it!! It will be a last minute goodbye and an AWESOME 2015!!!!

I am happy and I will continue to be, I could have uplifted others but I will reach out to the real ones and help bring them up and we can pray together for those too busy hating on others to ever come up in life!! Good riddance to em'...
Love you guys, needed to get that out!! Thanks, whew!

I can better write and talk about my surgery now, sorry Yesterday I try to talk and aloud the phone to type for me. I went and had the sleeve it went very well and yes I had pain meds to fight the pain. I was up and down all night I went into a time of just throwing up but today I feel so much better and I was told that If I feel better that I could also shower this evening. I just thank God that I made it through and now I am on the road the road to recovery. I am glad that everyone had laugh at my first writing I am sorry about that. Keep the faith.

And yet "anesthesiologist" is spelled to perfection. That's just plain talent.