Birdy18

It's worth admitting it and moving on! I start my pre op diet (for two full qeeeks) on Monday. What did you cheat with?? I've heard of others saying that they replaced all meals with liquids but got to have lean Protein and leafy veggies for dinner and I wish I had that!

I'm definitely worried about my willpower but it's not over yet! Keep going you can do it! Were the headaches awful??

@Cita - Thanks for sharing! I hope that's what mine will be like. Since it's an option and my surgeon teaches that, I am definitely moving forward with the single incision.

It's also great knowing about your energy level because I'll be starting a new job after my surgery (about 3-4 weeks after) and want to be in good shape for that!

Did you have really bad gas right after? Any other tips or watch outs?

I just got approved!!!!!!!!!! So much relief, and I'm so excited!! Not excited for pre op diet, but very very good news!!! yay

When is your date birdy?

Aug 20!! I scheduled the surgery and have gone through nearly all tests - but I'm still waiting to hear back from BSBSIL about approval. That's now keeping me up at night. I'm so nervous!

How was it having your surgery at the University of Chicago? That is so weird because I work at the University of Chicago but decided to my sugary at St. Joseph's because it is closer to my home. I live on the north side of the city, also when I met the surgeon I knew right away he would do a good job.

I'm having my surgery at St Joseph's as well but with Dr. Tiesenga. Did you already have your surgery with Dr. Lutfi? How did it go? He was at the seminar, and I just loved his attitude and demeanor!

I have BSBS IL PPO and my forms were submitted last Monday. I'm so nervous about approval. I have a BMI of 41.5 so it's over 40, with no other health issues. I really hope I find out soon! Let me know how your process has been and how the surgery at St. Joe's went! I too am on the north side!

Hi birdy, I hope you will recover well too! A tummy pillow is just a small (but long enough to fit widthways accross your tummy) but really firm pillow that you can press against the tum when you get up, walk etc. The pressure really helps to support your poor tum and it also helps with the pain. For me it was kinda like a security blanket too! LOL Anyway I don't know what I would have dome without it. I took a small cushion I had at home to a tailor to add more filling so it was much firmer. It was perfect. Good luck!

Gotcha! Will stalk around for a firm security pillow. I went back to my doctor and told him I had changed my mind and would move forward with the single incision since he is experienced at that and is teaching doctors in the Chicago area how to do it. They also said the recovery and pain would be slightly less, so that's a good sign!

Izuri - I know what you mean about stretch marks! I'm in the same boat. But less so for cosmetic reasons, I've heard that recovery and recuperation time with a single incision was slightly less and since I've never had surgery before EVER, I'm going to give it a go!!

I was lucky, first day was the worst but they kept on top of my pain with meds. Since then I have recovered in leaps and bounds. I did a lot of walking around the ward and my firm tummy pillow was brilliant to press against me while getting up and walking. I have really had an extremely smooth recovery. I'm swimming 30 minutes of breaststroke every day now ( im a month out today) until I'm cleared for more strenuous exercise . I suppose I was about 10 days out when I stopped feeling like a bit of an invalid.

That's amazing! Thanks so much for sharing. I hope I recover similarly! Also - I've heard a few people mention a firm tummy pillow but I'm not sure I get it. Why do you need this? You just hold it against your stomach? Is it just like a firmer sleeping pillow? Haha, what am I missing!

My VSG wa done with three incisions and my belly button incision is the one that healed fastest with the most invisible tiny scar.

Thanks for sharing! How was the pain and recovery time?

Hi everyone! My surgeon asked if I wanted to have my VSG with a single incision vs. the multiple small incisions. He said there was a slightly higher risk of a hernia with the single incision through my belly button, but that it was up to me. Is anyone else having this? Or, has anyone else had this with success? I'd love to know if you had complications, how you felt, etc.

I did a search and found a few people who had it done, but didn't see a ton of comments about it. Any help would be appreciated!

You look AMAZING and thank you so much for sharing your story. I think it's really easy to get sucked into these boards (I think I overdid it the past few weeks), but reading the success stories and seeing such amazing and inspirational photos are what calms me and makes me think that I can do this too.

Out of curiosity - you had no pre op diet? No 1-2 weeks of liquid diet? How come?

Thanks again!

It is definitely not just you! I can absolutely relate to your thought process. I was offered an Aug 20 or Aug 28 date, I opted for Aug 20. Things have happened really quickly for me too - from seminar to nutritionist and psychiatric appointments, my pre op diet starts in 6 days. I too am starting a new job in the next month and the decision coupled with fears of energy levels at a new job, insurance concerns, and a big trip in September have my head going a mile a minute.

However, I know I want this. And I know the sooner I do it, the sooner I'll be to recuperating, past the liquid diet stages and working toward a better and healthier me! It helps when I just breathe and take one day at a time - as corny as that sounds. Good luck to you - you can do it!

AMAZING. Great job!! I love hearing great updates like these - my surgery's scheduled in 28 days (who's counting? ), and hearing great positive attitudes and success stories are great. Also, what a cool way to look at your weight loss!

I totally get how you are feeling, I am going through the mental part of this whole thing without professional counseling but I am managing to stay calm focused and cheerful thanks to this site. My family is not supporting me with this decision so you can imagine how hard it is for me with this. I think we have to be mentally ready for this before we undergo sugery. I have grown from this experience and I haven´t even ha the sugery yet! Birdie18 just think first things first. First I believe is getting ready mentally, then emotionally, then gathering strength to do this the best way, at least that´s what I´ve been doing. I think we all here understand what you mean about the weight loss fails... but don´t give up on something you can´t go a day without thinking about! I think you can do it!

Thanks for the words of encouragement! I've decided that I'm only telling my immediate family (dad, mom, brother) but not anyone else beyond that. You can just PM me any time you need the support! I know I need all the help I can get. One step at a time!

I'm so glad I found this thread. Everyone's responses are so helpful - it's definitely something I'm fearful of. Part of me is questioning if I can "last" that long - through the pre op liquid diet and post op, but it does help knowing that I just don't yet know how I'll feel post op yet, so it's hard to wrap my brain around it.

I think it's natural, having gotten to the stages where we are, to simply question if you can do it. I know it will be challenging (for me, mostly mental) every day and having tried and failed at so many different weight loss diet and lifestyle attempts, my biggest fear is - what if it won't work? What if I'm not mentally strong enough to do this?

Reading people's experiences and positive encouragement and support makes me think I can.

Two full weeks for me too! I'm on Optifast, 6 servings a day and I have decided to do 3 shakes, 2 bars and 1 Soup. I'm not quite sure how I feel yet but I definitely miss food!

You get to have bars as in something you can chew?? I wonder why I can't, then? I feel like I'm going to miss chewing something solid!

Me too! So far so good but it's only been a few hours!

Ahh!! Good luck - please keep us posted. My doctor has us do 2 full weeks of liquid diet - no solids at all. I won't lie - I'm nervous about being able to do that! I've done cleanses, fasts, etc before and since I am so addicted to carbs, I got major headaches and was really irritable by the second day! How long is your pre op diet for?

@duckydoom @cmaxwell331 Thanks so much for sharing your FMLA advice and experiences! I'm a total dope with that kind of thing so an email to HR will be coming from me to ensure I'm covered.

@cmaxwell331 - So sorry that back and forth is happening to you. My doctor's team has yet to submit my insurance paperwork, but it is completely understandable that you'd be frustrated - I definitely would be. Keep us updated!! Venting here is healthy and needed!!

I submitted my time off request and my FMLA request on the same day. I was approved for the time off already, but the FMLA is still pending at this time (but it won't affect me being able to take the time off). I took two weeks as well, one for vacation, one for recovery. I just told my supervisor that I'm having stomach surgery. I work in an office full of women and they tend to be nosy, lol.

Funny - I too work in an office full of women and agree on the nosey trend.

So this may be a stupid question, but can you explain how FMLA applies? My doctor told me that I shouldn't need more than a week off but should take the full week to be sure, so not sure how this works. I was just going to let my HR know and assumed that since I have 60 sick days, would be able to apply those. Am I missing something? Or should I go about this differently?

I'm hoping for late August... I have 2 appointments left with the nutritionist, 1 on the 17th of this month, and the next is August 7. Health New England should take no more than a week for approval, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! When did everyone notify their employer of surgery? I'm planning on taking 2 weeks to adjust to my new diet, one will be vacation time, and the other will be sick time (we have a bank that goes toward short term illness, maternity leave, etc), I just have no idea if I should wait for a surgery date or if I should give them a heads up first. So glad to have found this forum!

I just found out my surgery date is Aug 20th and am debating the same thing. I don't think my employer has a 30 day notice, but I'm planning on taking 5 days off. I'm also not saying what surgery I'm having, just that I have to have a procedure and will likely take sick days (I have 60). I'm thinking of telling them about my "necessary procedure" within the next week or so - I'm hoping that won't be a problem and that it doesn't sound sketchy!

When are you telling your employer?

Is everyone else bursting with excitement or are doubts setting in. My surgeon said it was my voice between the band and the sleeve and after considering the pros and cons for each, I picked the band. However, with so much time between the decision and the surgery, I keep wondering if I should have gone the other way. I just wish 13th of august would hurry up so I don't have to worry about being indecisive.

Hi! First time posting. I'm scheduled for Aug 20 and initially wanted to go with the band, but now am wavering between that and the sleeve. I've read complication stories for both, and they're shaking me up. I'm also of course worried that the band won't work for me. I know no matter what, it will be hard work on my part - but depending on when you ask me, I could be swaying more toward the band or more toward the sleeve.

It's good to know I'm not the only one! What made you feel better about your decision? I'd have to say I'm 90% toward the band: been around longer, adjustable, visits for accountability...