kwindham

OMG ppl are cruel! I have a couple tales to post later when I have time but it just sickens me to see how cruel ppl are! Young kids don't always mean it maliciously but teenagers and grown ups? Just wrong in every way!!!

I was terrified. What if this is a mistake, what if I dont wake up, etc? But I was determined to have a healthier life, the one I was living was misery. I couldn't dig my own holes to plant my flowers without losing my breath. I remember pasting a huge smile on my face when they where wheeling me from preop to surgery and telling my parents as they wheeled me out "see you on the losers bench" but I was scared half to death. Being scared or doubtful is human nature, its a defense mechanism. But ultimately only you can make this decision. Weigh the pros and cons. Do you want to struggle with your weight the rest of your life or do you want to permantly lose it? Deep inside is where your answers will come from. Good Luck!

:D

No didnt have one but you can request it be taken out before you are awake if you want to. Most drs will try to accomadate a patients wishes. My dr wanted me up walking the halls within 2 hours after recovery, so leaving a cath in would have been pointless.

my doc said 2 weeks, and trust me, I was counting down the days to jump in my pool. He cleared me at 4 weeks for beach swimming in Hawaii.

I had a total hyst at 30 and have been a burning inferno since, but since the weight started coming off the symptoms are going away. Talked to my surg about it at my 8 week and he said don't stop the hrt yet, talk to my gyn but it was okay to half the dosage. Sooo excited about this side effect of vsg! :~)

I was cleared at 2 weeks for swimming and took the oppertunity to hop in my pool and do some exercise with minimal impact!

That airline attendant should be reprimended. That is terrible that she just ignored your request. Feel so bad for you, but like another poster said, dont carry these neg feelings around. Realize you are going to get slimmer and healthier very soon! Hugs!

I know the feeling! I was riding 201-202 for several days and thought I will never hit onederland, but I did! congrats Mrs Riene!

To me its not only what others think, I just think my health is none of there business! From preop to 3 weeks post op my hubby was in Saudi. Before surgery he tried to talk me into post;poning until he was home saying You will not be able to do this alone without help. You will need help etc. After a while he saw my point and relented. I have support from my mom, she had bypass 23 years ago and I knew my hubby (no matter how hard he tried) would not understand how I anticipated feeling after surgery (head hunger, etc) He is a 30 in the waste, same size as my teenage boys, and has never been overweight in his life. He eats only to survive, he doesn't sit down to eat to enjoy food, he eats when he is hungry and stops when he is full. He has never overeat to my knowledge and to him eating is something that is required to survive. His entire family is slender whereas my whole family is either very overweight or obese. I dont think he can REALLY understand why everyone is not like him. He doesn't get that people eat to be entertained, feel better emotionally, or just because it taste so durn good! Or whatever reason we all have for overeating for years. I am def not blasting him because he does try to understand, I just dont think he is really capable of COMPLETELY understanding because of our different backgrounds and habits. There are still times I have to catch myself from telling my kids, "clean your plate, dont waste that food"! Old habits die hard but I do not want my kids to grow up obese. On the flip side, I knew I would have support from my parents and baby brother. my family has battled obesity my whole life! At the time of surgery my mom had just had total hip replacement 4 weeks previously, but still she followed me around the halls after surgery to do my required postop walking using a walker, when I would fall asleep walking she would pat my face and say wake up you gotta walk. Her and my dad stayed at the hosp the whole day until baby brother got off work to come stay with me. He took off for 3 days to stay the night at hospital and bring me home and stay with me at home for a couple days until I was sure I could get around alone. My point is, we all really need some type of support, but it doesnt really matter where it comes from as long as they understand how hard this can be. I have never regretted the vsg, but it isn't always an easy journey. Sometimes you feel like an infant learning how to eat, what works, what doesn't, etc, finding your limitations, figthting head hunger, and realizing you CANNOT have a cheat meal anymore. its not like a diet when you could take a day off and go to the buffet and pig out. Its simply not possible unless you enjoy pain and vomiting. I stand by my decision to keep my surgery to myself. This journey can be emotionally draining at times and I simply dont need negativity in my life from people who choose to sugarrcoat sarcasm. It is my journey and I choose to surround myself with people who are genuinly proud for me and say to heck with the others.

I told my 2 Bfs, parents, baby brother, and hubby. I did not tell my oldest brother or my teenage boys. Brothers wife is a ***** and he would tell her, and my oldest son (16 going on 30~thinks he know eveything) has no concept of social boundries so I told neither of my boys. Its no secret I have had twice yearly scopes for bleeding ulcers, so the few that asked, such as my brother I told I was getting those ulcers fixed by a surgeon. Obviously I would be on liquids mushies etc after having ulcers repaired. The other general people that I see in town etc who comment I just say I have been on a diet with high Protein limited calories etc under the care of a nutritionist. I feel it is NOBODY'S business what youdo with your body. yes there are a few out there that would be honestly proud for you, but mostly people are just cruel, esp in a small town like mine! They will say oh she took the easy way out, which is totally not true but hurtful all the same. At my preop seminar my surgeon told a story of a man that had vsg and came back to a seminar after the surgery and said this is not the easy way to lose, it is the hard way! My surgeon stressed this to us, the VSG doesn't make it easy, it just makes it possible! just my 2 cents FWIW. But I think you should tell only who you are comfortable telling. I dont like lying either, esp to my brother, butI come first in this battle, no one else!

Hit onederland this morning!!! Whoo Hoo! Sooo exciting! Now to just get the last 69 off!!!

First off~~~have a wonderful time! I love cruising!!! Second, traveling after the sleeve requires some thought. I was not 12 weeks yet, but at 4 weeks went to Hawaii for 2 weeks. Talk about super nervous, but my surgeon assured me I would be fine! I waited until the week I was leaving to pick up a few neccesities as I was down a size already. Coming home those same pants that were slightly tight when I left were falling off my butt! I was careful about what I ate but didn't stress to badly, just made sure I got my Water in and ate meat first. Found out that ribs were my best friend, they settled so easily with no discomfort and they tasted wonderful after a diet of fluids and eggs for 4 weeks! Just take your time eating, and enjoy the cruise!!! if you dont want your tablemates to know, push your food around your plate, Ive done it several times and no one is the wiser!

Yay! Congrats!

You will be fine! Yes it will probably hurt, you may have nausea, gas, and you may be sore. My mom said my first waking word was "it hurts" and my nausea was terrible. I maxed out on zophran and phenergan, plus i had the patch behind my ear. My dr wanted me up walking within 2 hours of being in my room. I did NOT want to! But I was coaxed out of bed to walk. Held the railing with one hand and the nurse had my arm on the other side. I continuously fell asleep trying to walk. Mom would pat me in the face and say wake up and walk. My mom had total hip replacement 5 weeks prior to my surgery and she will tell you I took care of her for the 4 weeks she was unable to get up and down etc. and stayed in the hospital with her for the 5 days post op. She says I told her while she was patting my face waking me up that I said "I wasn't this mean to you!" It is uncomfortable, and sometimes pure misery. I am now 6 weeks out and sometimes feel like a baby trying to learn how to eat, but would I do it over again if I had known how miserable it would be? Absulutly 150%!!! I feel like I have my life back! I feel better than I have in years!!!!

From first appt with surgeon to surgery less than a month!

My dr cleared me for diet soda @5 weeks

My dr cleared me for A cup of coffee @ 3 weeks. Regular caffeinated coffee! Yay! I have one cup in the morning to get woken up (so not a morning person!). I have had zero problems, but ask your dr!

I ate watermelon starting about 2 weeks postop

At that stage, I was tired seemed like all the time. It just depends on how well you think you can handle the fatigue & trying to learn how to eat away from home. At 3 1/2 weeks I flew 16 hours to Big Island, HI (still here btw) My dr knew I was going before surgery & said I could travel @ 2 weeks to places where there were medical facilities. At my 3 week postop I took a list of things I wanted to do & he cleared me for everything but Scuba (to much weight) and zip lining (the brakes sling you pretty hard sometimes). However, I can snuba, hike lava fields (tough hike), snorkel, deep sea fish, parasail, swim, etc. I have to say, some of those things I wouldn't have been able to do preop, 30 lbs makes a huge difference in how you feel! I haven't had any problems yet except for finding food I'm comfortable trying in public. We have been to Outback 3 times because I can eat there ribs(ok only 1) and they are so tender they melt in your mouth! Btw---grand canyon is awesome but last time we were there it wasn't the easiest walk along the rim. Uneven ground but they were doing work on it so it may be better now. In any case, watch where your walking and don't trip on uneven ground. Ouch!

Yay, congrats!

Thinking about you and sending well wishes your way! Update when you can

lol

Thanks for all the replies. I went to sams today and bought a case of premier Protein, and I will try that tonight. I also went by Vitamin world and bought some Syntrax and a couple other kinds. I then went to smoothie king and bought a gladiator (45g P) took one sip and promptly got rid of that. UUUgggghhh. I hope I can stomach at least one of the others I bought today. I have already tried about 10 kinds and they all have a smell/aftertaste/something that I just cant take. I have not vomited since surgery and have no desire to start vomiting, but Im a little weird, if it looks/smells/taste weird it will hit my gag reflex and promptly come back out. I have always been that way. Camarillo~~~I LOVE my home and land and critters. Very very peaceful and serene, but lots of work! LOL Right now I have brand new baby lion head bunnies and a baby faiting goat. Cutest thing you ever seen!