Thinmint

Can't wait to see what you do......

Remember this is for the rest of your life so don't stress about it. You can eat whatever you want and I do..... just not very much. I had a cake donut today it took half a day to eat it but I sure enjoyed it. Also you can view the surgery on line to see what they do - if you listen very closely to the doctor doing the surgery you will note that what he says aobut how normal you should be when it is done. [nomedia=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcYH5lWa9Rk]YouTube- Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy[/nomedia]

I was self pay as well and my doctor did a pre diet consult with me. Protien shakes in the am and Noon then a normal lean and green meal. However with the lean and green meal take my watch off and put it on the other side of the plate and make everything last 1/2 hour so whatever it takes to make the meal last 1/2 hour do it. So I cut things up very small and ate very slowly. What I found is I was full before I finished what use to be the 1st round. See my picture album and you will see side by side picture every week pre surgery through 17 weeks now and I am at 95lbs lost so far and feeling wonderful. It will not be as bad as you think the protien somehow makes you feel less hungry and trust me after the surgery you will feel full very quickly and that is a true blessing.

My doctor said eat what ever you can stand and don't worry about all the pureed foods and replacement meals. I have never pureed any food since surgery. I have had great success and eat whatever I want. Of course I can only eat small amounts but at least I feel full and that's the success part.

It should be OK because they will load you up with antibiotics because of the surgery. I was also sick but my surgery went fine. By the way if you have acid reflux please get an acid reducer because you will notice the acid more and sooner. I thought I would not need the acid pill any longer but that is not the case. You can read my blog on (I did it) to hear the story from start to finish on the surgery itself.

Below is a copy of my experiences and if you go to my pictures you can see a sideways view of my progression over the weeks.

Well I had the sleeve done - This is the story. Left for Vegas on Tuesday got off the plane and headed for my appointment for Pre-surgery - everything was a go. So my wife and I hit the strip and I played black jack and won.... not much but still won. We ate normal and I did not drink alcohol. Went to bed on time for a 7:00am surgery at a surgery center. We had signed up on one of those package deals where the hotel is included. So we were up and headed to the center (by the way rent a car it is better to have the freedom to go) I went in and filled out some more forms and headed to the prep room. Met the anesthesiologist he went through a few items and the nurses were wonderful. Then I saw my Doctor (Thomas Umbach ) not long after that I was being wheeled to the surgery room. I was give something that made me feel very sleepy but could understand everyone. Then told to breath deeply two breaths and I don’t remember anything except being woke up saying surgery went fine and it is done. This was about 10:30 or so I think. Surgery was about an hour and recovery 2 . I took some pill for pain and they started me walking. It did not hurt to walk so I kept going after hearing everyone on this site telling me how walking really helped. Dr Umbach also installed a pain drip system that hung around my neck and had some small tubes planted around where the surgery took place, with a big ball that would dissipate in 3 days, this provided a pain free experience. I was released at noon to go back to my hotel which I walked and slept and drank water (very very very small sips) the fist night I had some small discomfort felt like acid reflux so I called the doc on his cell phone which was nice about 10pm and he said I could get some pepto or any over the counter acid reducer I wanted. My wife drove out to get it and also got liquid Tylenol which I recommend very much. I burped a lot and had to raise my arms when drinking water to get it down. The doc said for the first day my stomach would be swollen and until it went down it would be a bit tough. It was, but by the end of the next day it eased up. Sleeping and walking is the trick and the Tylenol made everything right as rain. On Friday we went back for a follow up with the doctor, and everything was perfect so we said our good bys and we headed for the Hoover Damn wanted to see it. I even drove – I don’t feel the surgery hardly at all it is the drinking that lets me know it is there. So we got back from there and got our flight out back to Kansas City – Because I have traveled so much we both were in first class so that was nice, bigger seats if you know what I mean. This is the first day back home and since the 2 weeks prior with the protein shakes to today I am down 27 lbs. I am just starting to feel hungry this whole time prior I have not had a desire to eat. I have force the drinking because I know that is good for me. I hope this helps with those who have not taken the plunge yet. I plan to keep you up to date on the progress. My doctor told me to walk everyday so my wife and I are headed to the gym in a little while, course I will be on slow mo for a while. Thanks for listening and hope it helps someone else.

I think we all feel the same way, it is kinda cool to see others, get hints, and generally identify with those who have had the same thing done. Keep fighting and I am watching you so don't go off the deep end.

This will be the best thing you have ever done...... and you can't believe the results.....

Excellent - find the pills to swallow and you will not taste the bad stuff..... I changed over to that and it went a lot better. Also check out my pictures and weight chart you might want to do this it has been excellent to show folks what is really happening. I did side views which is the worst possible angle for pictures you can have but it shows the real progress. Keep us posted on your losses.

Jeff

Congrats - now for the learning how to live with a great change..... Eat very slowly and chew it to bits is all I can say for now. If you eat to fast you will not feel the pain until it is tooooo late. Slow and search for the feeling of when to stop. You will find it does not take long to get full.... I am at 11 weeks and down 73 lbs. See my pictures of each week side profile

Just try to enjoy the not hungry part.... and try to get in the protein. It will help with how you feel (strength wise). If you don't you will feel weak and if you get up to fast you will be taken back.... as you move on down the time line you will get to eat but it will be much like what you just did for a while then it will change again and you can eat more. This is the period for great weight loss, and yes I am a guy and I get cold my wife calls me a little girl when I use to be a full on heater myself. I used to never be cold, heck that changed quick so it must be even worse for women. Good luck with your journey

Melting Man

I use to think the same thing... but I also know the larger a person is the more food they need to keep at the same level. The smaller a person the smaller amount. So I had mine done almost 5 weeks ago with no pain at all and have lost 54 lbs including pre-op diet. I am taking vitamins daily, and I am told it takes 6 months or more to get to a more normal state. So I have 5 months to chill out and enjoy the great weight loss, yes I don't get to eat very much until full, however, I am trying everything and I can still eat just about anything - the thicker the meat the harder it is for chew time.

Melting Man.....

PRE-OP diet - they told me it would help moving the Liver out of the way for surgery. All I know is it helped with the post OP because if you think the amount in pre-op was small just wait. The great thing about post op is you really don't care if you eat but you know you have to..... Good luck and it is the best thing you can do....

Almost 5 weeks out and melting away

DeeDee I saw this flyer for cheap vacations to the beech and or cruise's - I have not called yet but will when the weather is a bit hotter. 1-800-563-5036 (I mean so cheap it sounds to good to be true) just say you saw a flyer on it.

Hope that helps....

I'm not sure what kind of Job you have but I had 3 days off plus the weekend and was back to work. I also was a self pay and my wife would not let me go to Mexico so I went to Vegas with Dr Umbach and had such a easy surgery I felt no pain from the surgery at all. Good luck with what you do.... it is worth it.

20K You better start looking around that is out of line.... I wanted to go to Mexico but my wife stopped that.... I found Dr Thomas Umbach in Vegas for 9,900 and I felt nothing from the surgery. Excellent doctor. You must be at the high end.... with the plane trip and hotel just a bit over 10K half of what you are talking about.

I just had it done coming up on 4 weeks now.... I can tell you I was concerned but it was actually the easiest sugery I ever had. Now the eating part is a different story. The amount you can eat in the first few weeks is very very very little. However, you don't feel hungry so heck that is sort of easy also. You look at food differently like how can anyone possibly eat a subway foot long. When I know I have eaten 1 and 1/2 of them myself. When I see ads on TV I can't believe what I am seeing in the full plates of food. The amount you need to be full will surprise you. Go for it I have now lost 49 lbs and still going. I am also going to the gym and just sort of walking on the eliptical machine. I hear the band only limits food so you still feel hungry with this you don't feel the hunger and if you do it is no where even close to what you use to feel.

One thing you can do but might be to late this year..... sign up with FSA with your employer and get the whole amount upfront tax free. Of course each pay check will have a certain amount removed. But if you have been putting in 401K maybe you can stop that and start this for a year and be done with it all. That's what I did and it was great.

Good Luck and I have to take the same amount of pills..... I swallow all of them - don't like the chew type. Yuck....

Trust me it will not be easy to get it all so the vitamines will be important. You get full so fast it takes most of the day to drink one shake.

I am 4 weeks out and finally trying new foods, I still can't eat very much before I am full, so I have changed the way I approach it. I take a very very small bite and chew it till it becomes vapor, my fork is on the table and not in my hand. I also talk more at dinner, that helps with time. So just as I am full the rest of the group is finishing up. Seems to help make it more normal. By the way I have been to the gym almost everyday, can't stand chewable vitamins, switched to only swallow pills, and have lost 47 lbs so far.

I had the same experience - did not really feel the surgery but the intake was way different. I don't think I ate anything for 2 days only water.

I am in week 4 and I am using a water bottle that does not tip because it has a built in straw. I swish it around a bit before swalling but use it exclusively.

I wish they would close that road because I have been down it as well. I reached my highest weight and planned to get the band when my doctor recommended the sleeve. I researched it a lot and found it to be the answer. I am at the end of week 3 and have never really felt the surgery part only the restriction of food and drink. Pre and Post surgery I have lost 46 lbs. as time goes on I am finding out how much I can eat comfortably. My only issue to date is I had acid reflux before the surgery and it is bothering me some now, I guess I should take some pills again but I have held off. I had a lot of folks praying for me so I will try to remember you in my prayers. I assume you will do this after your baby is born???

240 man you have me beat already..... I started at 311 .... the 1st two weeks you will find you can only eat very very little and feel comfortable. They tell me it eases up after that and tonight I felt it was starting to happen. Good luck and get some liquid tylenol after day one I took some and slept like a baby. For the first 3 days I felt like I had a lot of acid so I also took some acid reducers. Outside of that everything was great. Hope yours is just as good.