wendy1974

Congrats on your sleeve! It sounds like you had a pretty good experience (all things considered!) It's awesome that you are so upbeat and getting your liquids in... I hope the swelling goes down soon so that it's not as uncomfortable for you to sip... Isopuke, that had me LOL, I've not tried it for myself yet, but hear that it is an acquired taste? Well, Good Luck & thanks for posting your experience.. I can't wait to join you on the other side of the OR table!!! Wendy

at the Weight Loss Surgery seminar I went to, they said that after surgery we could no longer chew gum, even sugar free? Really? I really like gum and want to know if that is just them being over cautious or if we really, truly never allowed to chew gum? Obviously not a deal breaker, but I think I will be just a bit disappointed. Thanks. Wendy

That's just what I thought. I don't go through that much, but I do like to chew gum while waiting for my 8yo daughter to finish up her guitar lesson or karate classes... and at night if I have gum, I eat WAAAAAY less than if I don't have it... Please update after you ask, I'm curious as to what other doctors will say... thanks. Wendy

Hi Everyone... OMG, I feel so old... Class of '92'! I'll be 37 this July... Next year is my 20 yr reunion. I have skipped every reunion so far because of my weight. I was like 120 in HS and 267 now, so yeah, I just had no desire to be 'that girl' so I never attended... So hopefully I'll get my sleeve soon, rock-it like so many of you have, and then go to my 20 yr reunion with my head held high and if not 'skinny' than at least healthy!!!

Hey Krzy, Congrats on surgery and 22 pounds!!!! WOW I can't wait till I can post something similar! I won't meet with my surgeon until 5/9, but supposedly I'll get a surgery date then. I'm also a type 1 diabetic (28 years). I've been using an insulin pump for about 12 years now and LOVE it! How much insulin were you on before surgery & now? Was/is it tough getting your insulin adjusted before/after surgery? I know, I'm full of questions, I hope you don't mind... Congrats again!!! Wendy

Boy, I'm just all full of questions tonight! I know I should be writing them down to ask the surgeon on the 9th. But sometimes, it's seems so much better to ask the people who have actually LIVED THROUGH something! So, I've had symptoms of CTS for years (9 to be exact) and they have been getting worse as time goes by (and I get larger). I had a hand surgeon tell me that if I were to loose weight, the symptoms could lessen and maybe even go away completely? Has anyone on the boards have that happen? I was just wondering if he was speaking the truth, or just blaming another sickness on being fat? Thanks. Wendy

I won't have my surgery on the 9th, but I get to meet with my Surgeon for the first time Not quite the same, I know, but it's something! The office coordinator told me I will get to schedule my surgery date at that first appointment, so we'll see. Hopefully I won't have to wait tooooo long. The sooner the better, I say!! Good Luck to all of you! ((And although I'm more of a cheesecake kinda girl, that red velvet cake looks pretty awesome!)) Wendy

WOW. Thank you all for sharing.. I am about >this< close to needing surgery for my CTS, but I don't look forward to the recovery with three kids and two of them in school right now. I'm planning on waiting until after I get my sleeve and loose a bit of weight first, (then I can tell the stupid hand surgeon to SUCK IT! when loosing weight doesn't work! LOL!! ) OMG... I am sooooo sick of people (doctors) blaming EVERYTHING on my being overweight, or because I'm diabetic (type 1, for 28 years)! A few years ago, during the winter I got the flu like three times! Of course it was blamed on my diabetes & not eating properly (how they 'knew' what I ate I'll never know... they just ASSUMED because I'm overweight, that I don't eat healthfully)!!! UGgghhhh, I just hate that! So anyway, I've got my fingers crossed that it does go away and my fingers won't tingle and burn every night and I'll be able to sleep through the night without waking up and having to sit with my arm dangling straight down till I can feel my fingers again! Or take 600 mg of Motrin before I go to bed so that my wrists don't kill me when I wake up in the morning! LOL Thanks again. Wendy

In the past, I've always gotten really sick if I take pain meds (like vicodine) on an empty stomach. Sometimes even Motrin will upset my stomach if I don't eat a carb serving with them... what is it like after surgery when you not only don't WANT to eat, but CAN'T eat? I hope that doesn't sound like a stupid question, but I'm such a wuss when it comes to pain! LOL Thanks. Wendy

So, I've been playing phone tag with the Bariatric office AND my primary doc's office, trying to get the right info faxed to where it needed to be..... I finally got my medical records to the right place and I got my appointment to meet my surgeon on May 9th! Hubby's taking the day off and going with me. I'll get all the info I'll need and I'll get my surgery date! I'm so excited!!! (did I say that already?) OMG... let the countdown begin! LOL 18 days and counting!!! That's all for now! Not a major milestone or anything, but it's a first step!! Wendy

Hey Bilka. I'm not exactly sure what her reasoning was behind her statement, I didn't have a lot of time to talk to her that night and was on information overload. I will learn more when I schedule my appointment with the surgeon. I believe I will work closely with her to gain approval from my insurance company. I've discussed this with my husband and he is really supportive of me getting the sleeve, but really doesn't want me to get RNY, which is understandable. He told me that whichever I end up doing, or even if I want to NOT do anything, he will support me. Or at least that what he says, we'll see when he has to watch our three kids while I go to the gym 5x a week !!!! LOL I am so excited for this opportunity. I have been overweight for soo long! I can't remember the last time I got to buy myself something in a 'regular' size clothing store! When I do, I just might pass out! Oh yeah, I Pm'd you... Wendy

Hello Again! Well, I did the seminars and the first hospital (I'll call it hosp. "A") I went to, I didn't really like, although they are a "Center of Excellence" or something or other, I just wasn't feeling 'it' with the Nurse coordinator lady (she gave about 95% of the 6 HOUR seminar), the other 5% was the nutritionist (but she couldn't get her laptop to work, so that was really useless!) I was also dissapointed because the surgeons didn't even show up to introduce themselves... The following night I went to the other seminar at another hospital (we'll call this hospital "B") (only 2 hours this time ). This hospital is much closer to home & I really liked the format a lot better. Much more 'laid back' and casual, but really informative. Both of the hospital's bariatric surgeons presented the material and I really appreciated that they took the time to show up and do that! Now, this hospital is NOT a 'Center of Excellence' but I felt much more comfortable there. This is where I start having issues. The nurse lady, who I really like tells me that VSG's don't really work on type 1 diabetics and especially on women. She told me that men have great results but that women usually do not? I was surprised that she said this because of all the success stories I've read on here, and on the web in general... She was really pushing RNY surgery, but I don't know if I really want that... I haven't made the appointment with the surgeon yet because the office is waiting for my Primary doc to send over my records, but they should get them any day now... I'm going to tell him how I feel and get his opinion. I'll keep you guys updated. Thanks for taking the time to reply!!! It's nice to know that I'm not alone! Sometimes it soooooo feels like it w/ being a type 1 and overweight. When I say I'm diabetic, people AUTOMATICALLY assume type 2, and that really bothers me! I don't know why, it just does... So Thanks again. Wendy Now

After speaking to a nurse at one of the WLS seminars I went to, she told me that the sleeve doesn't work on women as well as men long term? Also, I have type 1 diabetes and she said that the sleeve would be 'no good' for me? I am so confused. I actually went to two different seminars, at two different hospitals, and at the other seminar the nurse coordinator told me there was no difference between the two surgeries based on my diabetes. My BMI is currently at 42, if that helps. I was really looking forward to the sleeve because the thought of 're-plumbing' my insides kinda disturbs me.... Oh, and I have BCBS of MI so I should be able to be approved for either surgery. I haven't actually talked to the surgeon yet, but I'm hoping to get in for an appointment next week. HELP ME MAKE UP MY MIND PLEASE! Wendy

Thanks Tiffykins! I appreciate you taking the time to reply to both sites.. I wanted to get as much input as possible, I figured better too much, than not enough, right? Also thanks for pointing out the pouch/stoma issue. Unfortunately, in my experience, if there is a complication to be had, I'll find it. I had my wisdom teeth pulled when I was 22... ended up with a numb lower lip cause they hit the nerve (well, half my lip). I had my tubes tied after my 2nd was born, one grew back together (almost completely back together) and Now I have baby #3!!! I am really taking a careful look at the complications for this one, cause I want to do this to make improvements in my life, not more trouble! So thanks again! Wendy

Thanks for responding... First, congratulations on your sleeve. I never imagined it would be this hard to decide what to do.... But everything you said made complete sense. I'm about 98.9% I'm gunna do this. Unless the surgeon says I have no other choice beside RNY... Like you said, in the future I could always take it one step further if I really had no luck with the sleeve. Sure it wouldn't be ideal to have more than 1 WLS, but once RNY is done it's really done.... Take care! I hope you have an easy recovery! Wendy