NenaLinda

Hey, not to worry. I am now 48 and my one daughter is 14. I have plenty of energy to keep up with her and to be honest, I am not the oldest mom when it comes to the kids in her class. It is not so strange to be an older mom. When she was 5, I adopted a 14 year old. So now I have a 14 year old and a 22 year old in college. Add to that the fact that she is Guatemalan and do we get stared at!!!! I am also a single mom. You will do fine. I know you have to wait but I am sending lots of pregnancy wishes to you to hang on to until it is time. I hope you love being a mom as much as I do. All my best to you.

I said the same thing and i turn 32 in November myself! haha So it looks like ill have to wait until im 33 but its still doable. I heard losing weight can make you very fertile so i wish you luck on that!

I have three, one under each tit tay, then my belly button was cut open from side to side in one line. All have healed beautifully...

My date is July 24th as well. I just told my family (mom and sister) yesterday. I am vacillating between being so excited and ready to just a little nervous, which I know is normal. But overall, jsut really, really ready. Good luck to yoU!

And thank you for cheering me up about my surgery. One thing I am afraid of is problems during the surgery, but I have lost all the weight I need to and I listen to the doctor and nutritionist. And because of what you all have said I feel confidant that everything will be fine. Thank you.
Shelbi

We all go through a rainbow of emotions before and after surgery. It is normal to have second thoughts. My surgery was much smoother and my recovery was quicker because I listened to my doctor and stuck to the Protein Shakes. Try Premier Protein chocolate -- It almost tastes like chocolate milk. Also, feel free to check out my blog because I write a lot about how I survived all the fears, emotions, and one month of Protein shakes. I'm 4 months out and looking back at it, that one month seems like a far away memory and I have no regrets.

I wanted to introduce myself - My name is Amy and I am 33 years old. I am married to a wonderful man and have been for 12 years. We have two great boys who are 5 and 7 years old. I am a labor and delivery nurse and I truly do LOVE my job. Nothing like being a part of the miracle of birth, it is such an privilage to be able to be there for the families!
I have currently have the lapband unfilled inside of me. I had surgery to have to placed in Sept of 2011 so not quite a year. I had the surgery and was very hopefully it would be the tool I needed to get my weight off. It went okay for the first few months but after that nothing but problems with pain and not getting restriction. My band has been unfilled for 3 months now. I was just going to get the band out and no do the conversion to the sleeve. I had found out once the band is in insurance doesn’t really like to take it out. After much thought and researching I had decided to convert to the sleeve. My insurance has aproved the conversion to the sleeve!!
My surgery will be July 16th. I have to be at the hospital at 5am for a 7:30am surgery. I will be staying 2 nights in the hospital. My band will be coming out and I will be sleeved. I would be lieing if I said I wasn’t nervous. I am but also excited. I chose the band orginnaly because it wasn’t as “permanent” as the sleeve. Once part of your stomach is gone… its gone.. !
I want to be healthier.. I need to lose about 115 lbs which seems just overwhelming. My boys deserve a mommy who has the energy to run around with them. I deserve to be healthier and have more energy for what life has in store for me. I am so thankful I have a hubby who is so supportive, a family who is always willing to help and friends who I can count on. I look forward to getting to know you all as we proceed forward on this healthy lifetsyle we are choosing!!!
Amy

My boyfriend brought this to my attention today. He said it was on yahoo. Wasn't sure what kind of surgery it was, or what it was called so i just googled it and it said its the sleeve...... THROUGH THE MOUTH???? has anyone heard of this????
A new type of weight loss surgery was preformed at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. This new type of bariatric surgery removes a section of the patients stomach though their mouth.
The bariatric procedure called sleeve gastrectomy, which is also known as gastric sleeve, sections off a part of the stomach and permanently removes up to 80 percent of the stomach. With bariatric surgeries, the stomach size is reduced which makes the patient eat less and feel fuller faster.
A common approach doctors have been preforming the gastric sleeve procedure had the doctor make an incision in the stomach to remove the sectioned off stomach tissue. But with this new technique for bariatric surgery, the surgeon can remove the patients stomach tissue through their mouth.
The patient, who had the surgery in August 2010, is reportedly recovering well. In the one-hour procedure, the surgeon employed a combination of techniques, including laparoscopic and natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery. Using the laparoscopic technique, the surgeon made five minimal incisions in the abdomen, through which cameras and other instruments were inserted, allowing the surgeon to divide the stomach into sections, and then close it with staples. Following the laparoscopic portion of the procedure, an endoscope was inserted into the stomach through the mouth, and the divided segment of the stomach was removed.
The benefits to using the surgical method that allows surgeons to go through the mouth to remove the stomach sections, instead of through wide incisions are numerous. The approach causes less trauma to the abdomen region, lowers risks of developing a hernia and causes less post operative pain for the patient.
At the Center for the Treatment of Obesity at the University of California San Diego, where the surgery was preformed, surgical options for minimally invasive bariatric surgery are evolving. In the future, the purpose of this type of bariatric surgery is to assist morbidly obese patients to achieve long term weight loss goals, leave few scars and involve as few surgical devices as possible.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5439350

I am right there with you. My surgery is on June 28th but was given this day mid May. I was counting down. I started my pre-op liver diet and now it is driving me really crazy as u am ready for this diet to be over with. Soon it will be here before you know it.

ONEderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats!!!!!!!!!

Thanks everyone!! I'll be two months on 6/19 and I was kind of hoping to be down 50lbs since surgery (which may seem like a lot but I had no pre-op diet) and I won't be there, but it looks like I'll only be about 5lbs off

I bought for weeks 1-2:
- powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury Protein powder (I use this for every meal)
- chewable bariatric Vitamins (I purchased these and the Protein at my surgeon's office)
- Calcium citrate + vit. D supplement chews to preserve my bones
-Tons of different low sodium broth options (chicken, beef, turkey, french onion, Tomato, etc.)
- Crystal light
- Diet tea
- Mio Water flavorers
- 4 bags of frozen fruit for smoothies (which I was told I could have 3-4 days post op. This will vary depending on how you're healing, and how your sleeve reacts to certain fruits. Mine hates pineapple.)
- Seedless watermelon to suck on (spit out the pulp). I love this, because it makes you feel human again, putting something "solid" in your mouth!
- Cottage cheese (for smoothies--it's really good and an ok source of protein)
- Ground Flax Seed with berries (for an additive to shakes and smoothies)
- PB2 (Peanut Butter Powder--just add Water for Peanut Butter with no fat! A fun addition to banana based smoothies. Also comes in chocolate peanut butter flavor, that tastes sort of like a reeses)
- Greek yogurt--an excellent buy. It tastes good, blends well in a shake, and has TONS of protein.
- Hot cereals like oatmeal and cream of wheat (served VERY thin)
- A variety of low calorie fruit juices to sip (I got 5 cal cranberry, and it's pretty tasty!)
- A non-caloric sweetener like Truvia or Splenda, if you like your tea sweet, or your smoothies a little sweeter
- Diet Jello cups
You'll be amazed at how far food can go when your tummy's only 2 oz! One single serving of Greek yogurt takes me 3 sittings to finish. I'm 1 week post op right now, so that won't last forever, but it's made me a real cheap date as far as the grocery bill is concerned!
My advice would be to not buy too much of the stuff you know you'll be only eating during the first two weeks. You'd hate to have stuff left over, when the sight of it turns your stomach (like pineapple!)

I had my surgery a little over a week ago. Right now I'm able to to eat things like small amounts of lowfat yogurt, sugar free Jello and pudding, cream Soups as long as the solids are strained out of them, and the thing I look forward to the most lol... runny cream of wheat for Breakfast. Any type non caffeinated beverage, juices as long as they're diluted with a little Water, no OJ right now though.. probably an acid thing. Sadly I've found I have no tolerance for milk any longer and I used to love it.

I'm so excited and nervous! Walking into my appointment today, I almost turned around! I was so nervous of the "what if's".... What if I'm too big for surgery... what if he thinks I'm not a good fit for the surgery I want... what if he looks at me and tells me I'm not trying hard enough with other options (my mom's suggestion: "Why don't you exhaust all of your other options first honey!") What if he likes everything and first surgery date avalible is in December... what if!!! Thankfully my husband was by my side and I'm too chicken to tell him "lets turn around and hide!"
What if nothing! ***Happy "I'm getting surgery" dance!!!!****
(never thought I would be happy about going into surgery willingly! needles *cringe*)
He approved me for surgery, he said two weeks of shakes/ less than 1,000 calories a day and surgery on June 13th!!!
Bonus: Work is good with the days off, kids are going to hang with my mom and my honey is going to be by my side (he is my rock!)
On a side note: The girls in my office are always having some sort of weight loss something going on... I think the current thing is $5 to weigh in each week for 6 weeks and at the end the "biggest loser" gets the "pot". They have always invited me to join in, but at twice their weight I've never been interested in everyone knowing my actual weight. Today they told me they didn't want me to join... that they all knew they would lose!! (this actually makes me happy!)
Happy Tuesday everyone!

hello.. I had the band in for about 6-7yrs was all good, then one day just stopped working , i started to regain and didnt matter what i did could not get the scales to move back down... I had my band removed 8 weeks ago. then exactly 2 weeks ago today I was sleeved.. i know its early days but so far I am sooo happy with it, down 7kg in 2 weeks .. pain wise i honestly thought the lapband in and out is more painful, but seriously not that bad,, the sleeve has given me no discomfort at all except obviously the first day but more in the wound site that the stomach it self.. was up and about the next day and still have no pain at all... but then i have a mind set that because i have chosen to do this to myself then I really have no right to complain about pain .. however i guess if I was really in sever pain then I would be crying like a baby lol.. for me it was easy and painless and best move I have done.. good luck with your surgery x

I agreed I have been cyber stalking this forum and getting more understanding of the ups and downs... Scary but worth it. So congrats on your date! I should have all my paperwork done but Friday. Friday I go for my psychological evaluation and that is the last thing I do! But my surgeon is so booked I would have to wait till mid July or end of July! Which six bc I work weddings and need to recover before a couple weddings! so wanna date already! I have date envy!

I finally spoke to my surgeon this morning in great length,(the day I went for consult, he was still in surgery) I have all my visits that are required in ONE day in the same hospital! June 8th! Can't wait! I asked him about a pre-liquied diet and he advised he doesn't do that, he just requires nothing to eat or drink after midnight, the day of surgery! He advised it is 'torture' to put someone through that, the 7 days post op is enough! I found him very genuine and answered all my questions and he said I'm probably looking at at surgery date of 1st or 2nd week of July.....so pumped!

Congrats on making the decision to change your life! Your story is similar to mine. Work out like crazy only to play around with 10 lbs. for what seems like forever. I am towards the end of all of my pre op requirements and have a date of July2nd. I am ready but also very nervous. I just want to be on the other side, sitting on the loser's bench. It really helps hearing stories from sleeve veterans. Everyone is so helpful on this board!

Congratulations on taking THE step in changing your life and welcome!

Greetings world! Long time lurker, first time poster - go me. I figured it was time to get in on in and do the support thing early to prepare, so here I am!
I got the call about an hour ago that I officially, really, truly, no-foolin, have a real surgery date. I'm going in on June 13th with Dr. Hart (Atlanta Bariatric Center / Emory Hospital Johns Creek).
I was originally going to go band back in January but backed out of it to give it more thought (a lot more thought) and landed on the idea the sleeve would be better for me. And now, here we go. Whew ... yikes ... what have I got myself into?! I'm scared, nervous, excited, thrilled, and a little nauseous at what I've got myself into and I know I have to get my big girl undies on and face it head on but wow, now that I have a date I'm a bit scared of having a real date. With real people. With real people who really are going to cut into me. Yeah, I'm tripped a bit, but very excited.
I think what I'm most scared of (other than the whole notion of being put under), is that I can't for the life of me visualize success. Is that weird? I don't know. I can't picture myself thinner - I can't picture myself doing athletic type activities - I can't picture myself literally as a smaller person, but I know it's going to happen.
I start my 2 week liquid diet on Friday (joy, just in time to miss Memorial Day bbq.) Does it count as a liquid if I drink a bottle of BBQ Sauce?

Sounds like pre-wedding jitters :-). One step at a time, you're doing great! First, you will lose weight if you want to and work the sleeve. It's a tool but it's still up to you. Accept that you are human, will make mistakes but want to lose this weight. Make sure you are mentally ready. food separation is the most difficult thing we go through. Make sure you have lots of support around you. Water is learning to keep it always with you and sip, sip, sip. I've lost 215 pounds so far and I've really enjoyed this ride. You will too! We are always here to help.

If the tuna works go for it but add some lube to it like mayo or something. I'm six weeks out and at 4 1/2-5 weeks tuna did not sit well and I haven't tried again. Layered taco dip is my go to ff refried Beans, sour cream, cheese, a little salsa, all good for you. At three weeks unless ok'd by your dr. you should still be on purees and mushies. Be careful... I know your hungry or (think you are) which is my issue. But move slow cuz the consequences can be uncomfortable.