Sleeve tattoo

Surgeries have been cancelled for not following the pre-op diet. It's good that we can all share our unique experiences, but IMO we also need a little onus for the permissions we give others by doing so.
rapf - discuss your challenges with your nutritionists. They, not we, are the ones who should be OKing any exceptions to your pre-op diet. Pre-op diets vary widely, by surgeon, and surgeon has circumstances under which they're most comfortable operating. Trust me, we want to cater to them a little. Someone posted not that long ago having a really hard time with the pre-op diet and was OKed to add in some chicken or tuna without any problems. But do it on their advice.
BTW, the pre-op diet is a bit more systemic than most people think. It's often attributed to wanting to shrink the liver, which is true, but you'll gain more than that. And your nutritionists should know the systemic advantages and be able to coach you or tweak your diet so that the benefits are still possible:

The only thing I struggled with was experiencing severe PMS symptoms..explained by a PA that when women lose a bunch of weight rapidly we also burn estrogen and it caused me ( and my husband) extreme difficulty. I had to get a prescription for Wellbutrin but only had to take it for a few months before things started to level off. I was miserable as I was MAD MAD MAD all the time...I don't know how my husband put up with me.
So..if you experience something similiar, just keep this in mind.

For me it has change it has gotten better. I feel the changed was with me. It took me a long time to find my soul mate. So I think that is very important to know. How strong is your marriage? these are the question you need to ask yourself. Sit down and discuss on what your mate feels about WLS. Explain your feelings. Tell your mate why this is go for you and the marriage.
I was with a man that use to tell me he loved me just the way I was but when I met my husband I told him that I never want to hear those word again. Every body has a problem with something.
So as for me I am happy to have done this for myself. I am having more loving moments with hubby. He can't keep his hands off of me. I walk more and able to do more around the house.
I am finishing off school and going back to work.

At first, I told my family I was starting the process of having the surgery...their reaction was not supportive at all. Crappy comments mostly...Even had one in-law snidely say "Well, don't think your body will look like it did when you were 20..." My surgery is scheduled for the 23rd and I have only told 4 people. I find that most people do not understand being overweight, nor being overweight with health issues. I say, if you want to tell everyone, go ahead. If you want to keep it between you and your hubby, go ahead. This website seems to offer a lot of support. We are all in this together!

I only told my husband and I told him not to tell anyone else. But he told a friend of his, so I'm sure it's leaked out to other people. I decided not to tell other people myself because I didn't want to get from other people the same shocked and horrified look I got from my husband when I first told him that I wanted the surgery. He wasn't supportive at first, but he finally came around.
Remember, a person is smart; PEOPLE are stupid. I just didn't want to have to explain it over and over to everyone. The office I work in is filled with gossipy, bitchy, small-minded people and the last thing I needed was to be the subject of all that negative behavior. Nor did I tell my friends. I'm not really sure why, but I felt it was very, very personal and none of their business. They know my weight goes up and down, and can even fluctuate as much as 50 pounds within just a few months. So my weight loss won't really be that big of a surprise to them. They've seen me at 165 and they've seen me at 255.
I didn't tell my family either. I don't get along with them all that well, and again, I felt it was none of their business. They're all lifetime yo-yo dieters anyway.
But I think it's different for everyone, and only you can decide what's best for you.

I don't volunteer it to anybody except my wife, best friend, & mom. But I also don't consider it a secret, these are the people I talk to the most. If anybody asks notices I don hesitate to lay it out for them.
The reason I don't volunteer the news is, it's become my experience that most people have no idea what VSG is and immediately equate it to RNY & all the horror stories tied to it. I simpl don't have the time or desire to educate 1/2 the local population on VSG

I am sorry to say that I still feel like a failure because I can't control my own portions, I have to resort to getting my stomach cut out.
I'm not telling anyone except my husband. 2 friends know I'm "in the process" but they don't know I'm scheduled.
At work, I'm going on vacation and working at home. People at work are cool, but we don't sing kumbaya together at breaktime.

I haven't read through all the posts here, just now saw this thread actually....
NONE of my family know I had surgery. The closest relative lives 8 hours away and I did go back and see a few family members last Fall, they saw I had lost a fair amt of weight. I think I was weighing around 190 then... I am not all that close to my family and many of them are just so quick to make judgmental / critical statements about things they know nothing about.
I have told a few close friends that I knew I would be able to count on for their support and this has worked well for me. There is only the HR person at work that took my paperwork that knows I had the surgery and that is it. When people compliment me on my weight loss and then ask the inevitable question, "how did you do it", I simply tell them that I cut out sugar and processed foods and focused on dense Protein and vegetables. I am not lying. I am simply omitting that I had surgery to help me stay on that eating track. It's quite frankly none of their business. Yes, some would probably be very supportive if I told them about the surgery, but I am just not interested in taking the chance of backroom conversations that I would likely hear bits and pieces through the rumor mill. I'm there to do a job, that's what they pay me to do.
It is a personal decision. But, I am also very private about everything in my life. I barely have a FB account only because a few friends insisted. I don't even use my real last name. Anyways, good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Initially I was only going to tell my hubby, and my sister. But I've decided to tell my parents too. Basically immediate family only. I feel like it would be hurtful if/when they eventually find out - to know that I went through a major surgery and kept it from them.
I don't have a surgery date yet. I have just recently decided to do the sleeve rather than the lap band, I feel like the sleeve is a harder thing to keep secret than the band since the weight will probably come off faster.

Just wondering if anyone is keeping their sleeve a secret and how it worked out for them? I know you need a support system but I am only telling literally 2 people, besides my hubbs of course! We live far away from family and only see them a few times a year so they will not be able to really support me in any way and i only have a few friends who see me on a regular basis. I just don't want to tell people i had to get surgery to lose weight and have to validate my reasons to them. Do you think its wrong?

Best of luck to you as you continue to lose-- I love reading posts like this (I won't be sleeved until November). You're an inspiration!

Hello all! I have been a member for a couple of months but have been a little shy about posting. I was sleeved April 19, 2012. I went to a free seminar that the surgeon had back in July of 2011. After much prayer and thought I decided to go through with the surgery. I had to do a 6 month supervised diet and at the time I was annoyed at the fact that I had to wait. Now that I am post op I am so glad that I had the 6 months to prepare. I think that if I hadn't had the 6 months I would be completely lost now.
The day finally came for surgery. I wasn't nervous at all. My post op course has been uneventful. I have been truly blessed. The worst part for me was the first week and the 2 day stay in the hospital. The only thing that bothered me about the hospital is the On-Q pump was in the way and I did not like the effects of the anesthesia. The first week I was home was a little trying because I had a lot of head hunger and couldn't sleep.
Now at 10 weeks out I feel back to normal (with the exception of not eating a ton and people bugging me about how much weight I have lost). I seriously feel like that I have not had anything done. I am not the faster loser and I have been fighting within not to compare myself to others. I understand that everyone is different.
For all the pre-op people I pray that you have an amazing journey and are complication free. For all of the post-op people I pray that this journey will be the biggest gift you could have done for yourself and for strength to keep up with this lifestyle change.

I was never hungry in the beginning I was setting my alarm to remind me to eat-- you MUST get in your protein--- drink shakes, make hi pro Jello, pudding and ice pops!

Good luck, everybody! I, too, am on the bench with you guys tomorrow. I have a 9 o'clock surgery CST. We are going to rock this sleeve!

Don't worry Shannon- I'll be the first July "guinea pig" in our group as I have to go in at 8am (my time) tomorrow morning, and time-wise I am 8 hours ahead of you! I'm pretty nervous but I'm ready.
I'll be right beside you and Patrick !
Good luck to us all!

Good luck to you patrick also!

Good luck. Make that recovery your b***h!

I have to be at the hospital tomorrow at 8:30 and surgery is at noon. I am on liquids only today...and plan on drinking lots of Water to hopefully get a head start on hydration....
I am still nervous.....but when those negative thoughts start in, I remind myself of all the positives.....
I am also a little pissed that food is such a negative thing for me. I mean, I love it - we eat to Celebrate, when we are sad, bored, happy, etc....
And unlike booze or smokes, you can't just walk completely away from it.
So this sleeve will help me moderate what I have not been able to do by myself....and it kind of makes me mad.
Have any of you watched a thin person eat more than you do and shake your head?
Well, I know life's not fair -and this is the hand I was dealt. So off I go tomorrow to have most of my normal stomach removed so I can begin the journey to a normal life not limited by my size....
Sorry for the rant.....I love this site and the friends I have made. I appreciate the support and the fact I can vent my emotions....and know that many of you have felt the same way.....
I think I will go and have some broth now......
Shannon

Surely you are someone outside of your surgery and struggles with our weight. You have interests and dislikes and families- jobs and hobbies. And honestly- yes it is exciting to have this stool and to be on the journey- but hasn't there been enough focus all our lives on just our weight?
I know VST is dedicated to our VSG stories, but I sort of think that who we are makes our VSG surgeries that much more meaningful.
So I'll go first...
I'm Danielle. I'm 27 and I have three sisters and one nephew. I am unmarried and have no children. I work full time running the office for a respiratory company. This semester I am also attending college full time via online classes. I'm now also trying to squeeze in going to the gym three times a week.
I suffer from PCOS and had this surgery to help increase my chances of having a family of my own one day.
I am a TOTAL girly girl! I love the color pink, I like Hello Kitty the way others like Betty Boop or Tinkerbell, and I HATE HATE HATE spiders! I'm not much of an outdoorsie person- my idea of roughing it is five girls and one bathroom. That being said I do love to garden and can't wait for spring.
I love anything to do with 16th century european history and am a total fanatical nut when it comes to Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I. My favorite movie and book of allllllllll time is Gone With the Wind. I love watching old movies with my mom- our favorites are Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, anything with Doris Day and the Tammy movies. We also make a point of watching A League of Their Own together whenever it is on tv. I'm close with my Dad but sometimes I feel like we don't have anything in common.
Prior to surgery I loved home cooked food! (Along with chinese and pizza hut haha) I still enjoy cooking for my family (One sister, my parents and I all live together for economic reasons) and resumed cooking them meals within a few days of coming home from the hospital. I have a dog, she is a chihuahua/yorkie mix. Her name is Gypsy and well... she is sort of a monster!! I <3 her tho!
Now it's your turn!! Tell us who you are!

i talk about everything regarding this surgery plus helpful info...and updates on my progress...
http://youtu.be/z3qXaPCm2r0