IMWORTHIT2013

Just a quick update fellow sleevers! It's been 11 months and I am down 76 lbs! Currently 132 lbs For anyone that thinks they can't do this ... You can! Stay positive and know the skinny healthy person is inside you!

Welcome and congrats on your surgery. I know this is the tough time buy I promise it gets better each day... and it is worth it! I was sleeved on FEb 6th this year and as of tday have lost 30lbs. I feel great, work out, and follow EVERYTHING my surgeon says. I will ay that liquid seems to be the hardest things to get down for me personally. It feel "hard" to get down. In addition ... anyhting but water (i.e Crystal light/ gatoraide/etc) seems to taste sooooo sweet it is unbearable. I learned to stay away from the tea as it dehdrates ..even if it says decaf. Everone is different but this was my experience. See if you can get a go for a G2 to keep you hydrated during this time ( this is key !!! you do not want to get dehydrated!!!) It worked for me! I wish you the best and hope you have a great success with this great tool!

40 lbs before November - I think so! I have lost 30lbs in one month since surgery. I was a lower BMI ( I was 5'5 210) but it is just falling off of me. I make sure to follow all of the things my surgeon tells me! I agree the seamstress is gonna go nuts with you! Good luck and prayers to you.

It is ketosis! Try upping your carbs a bit to level it off. When I was on liquid it was a regular thing and it was impossible to get in what my doctor was advising. It was embarrasing and finally my doctor allowed me to chew gum if necessary. I deal with the public so it was a necessity! After you are on regular foods for a bit and are getting better nutrition it should subside ( I keep carbs at under 45-50 per day and protein at 70-90 grams) Weight will fall off! Good luck!

You will know! I had my first "awkward" moment when I ate tunafish in front of a collegue . Within two minutes my mouth was watering and my stomach wrenching, I had no contl and ended up getting sick in the sink ( foamy mucus) it was plain nasty.... Remember to eat slow and take your time. This is a learning experience! I think I have ruined myself with tunafish for life however ..LOL

I have had this a few times and it happens when I eat too fast... mainly in transition from liquids to soft foods. It is nasty and yes you have absolutley no control. Make sure to breath in and out of your nose ..it helps ( not through your mouth) I had it happen in front of a client after I had a light lunch I brought while traveling. Can I say ...Awkward!?

I am ten days post surgery today. I have lost 15 teen pounds since my surgery day- 20 over all . I am still in ketosis right now and my body is very lethargic as it does not like this starvation mode. I was advised by my doctor to up my carbs to 70 per day! yes 70 per day this next week... which I find almost impossible to do. I am having a bit of challenge getting in the required nutrition but I am doing my best to stay on par and forcing in the liquid ( 1 ounce every 15 minutes becomes a full time job ... ugh! ) . I will say I am getting REAL sick of the same old stuff and am trying to mix it up a bit more. My doc wants me to drink the G2 for liquid instead of water for the carbs but I just cant stand the taste. He wants me to get in 64 oz which I told him is absolutley impossible. Im lucky to get in 32 oz . I just cant get it down. Ive added in ice pops for more carbs. Getting it all in is the hardest part of this journey thus far. I am a athlete by nature and work out regularly but have been unable to do so yet as frankly I just dont have the energy. I know it will come slowly but surely. I guess I should sit back and enjoy the weigh loss for now, but I miss my workouts! I have gone down from a 16 to a solid 12 already which is fantastic. ... This has been hard but it is the best thing I ever did for my furture and health. I believe in preventative maintence as my weight was starting to climb as my elderly family memebers did at this age. This tool will help me stay in control of my eating habits and avoid the probablitly of morbid obesity down the road. I am so glad to hear all of you sleevers are doing great and I wish you the best of luck in acheiving your goals! If you have any liquid ideas let me know ... Like I said I am so over this phase of liquids already....it is so redundant!

Congrats to her and to you! I amfive days out myself and only struggling to "get it all in" . I am on my way and I hope everything goes well for both of you. How much have you lost?

Hang in there ! It gets better! I had my surgery on the 6th and it has been quite a road. In reality this could be "head hunger " that is plauging you. Remember your stomach is very small and it cannot hold very much right now. The rumbling andgrumbling are normal but dont necessary mean hunger. Make sure you are getting 70 grams of protein and 30 grams of carbs. Your body needs this to function! Your stomach is very volitile right now and very sensative. The staples could possible be compromized and cause a dangerous leak if you should decide to eat solid foodso early. I am not your doctor but I want to make sure you are ok! I know it is hard but you will be sohappy if you can just hangin there and let the ghrelin get adjusted . You can do it!

Ok. So i am four days out of surgery and doing much better. The first three days ..well they were rough, but that can be expected... After all it is surgery. I joined this forum to get support and encouragement from others ..not dangerous and incorrect advice that some seem to be giving. Promoting eating solid foods after sugery within the first three weeks is just insane to me. Your stomach has staples in it and solid food could cause a leak! Anyone who does not get this and is more worried about what food they can get down right after surgery is not compliant to the protocol. Peroid. This is an indicator that some folks might not have been "mentally " educated and screened prior to the surgery. Not trying to scare anyone, or make them feel bad.. Just stating the facts. Members are only doing a disservice to fellow newbie sleevers saying it is ok and no big deal to eat solid foods within the three week post surgical peroid. I just find this unbelievable that jokes ate being made about it. Shame on you! To my knowledge these members are NOT doctors and are not experts in the what the medical implications of not following the sleeve protocol could be. You do not know each individuals situation nor is your situation the same as anyone elses. I hope in the future that folks will give anyone reaching out for help the right information. Information that all sleevers are given prior to surgery. i understand know each surgon has a different protocol but NONE of the surgons I approached/ interviewed in my research and selection allowed solid foods in the first three weeks. I did tons of research before making my selection based on the median of data that I collected. They ALL stated it was dangerous and could cause leaks. There are obviously some folks who were not educated as well as others prior and post to their surgery. Giving out wrong info is only hurting newbies not helping them... Had to get this off my chest.

I just shared these responses with my surgeon who called for follow up today. I am four days out of surgery. I wanted to know if he was using "scare" tactics as you claim. I disagree with these responses. This is very dangerous and could lead to tears and leakage within the first three weeks. in addition you are only setting yourself up for failure with vsg if your wondering how quickly or what you can put in your mouth other than what is on protocol. Vsg is a tool not just a quick fix . It is as mental as it is physical. All of this was taught to me with the vigorous protocol I was put through prior to surgery.... Just sayin... Go ahead and eat what you wish ...I'm following protocol from the # 1 US sugeon in VSG. You are NOT doctors and are only fooling yourself if you think this ok. Love me or hate me.. Just callin it like I hear it!

YOU ARE NOIT TO EAT ANY SOLID FOOS FOR THREE WEEKS VERY DANGEROUS! CALL YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDITALEY!

Hi It sure sounds like we had the same surgery date .. FEb 6th. I too went through the same feelings. I actually went home Thursday after surgery. I was MISERABLE andwas weepy too. MY husband has been incredible through all of this. I was self pay so this was all my decision. Did I really need to do this? I kept asking myself in the hospital. Yesterday was the worst day of all days. I was miserably sick and just wanted to crawl under a rock and die. Today I feel a lot better. I think a lot of this was due to the anestesia used not theprocedures. Answering my own questions of did I need to do this - the answer was yes! They found a paraespohogal hiatial hernia that could have been major down the road that was repaired durning the surgery. I think we both need to keep our eyes on the prize and realize it will take a lot of hard work to get to our goal. This is about changing our lives not just a quick fix and boom we are thin. YOu need to want toget better and keep a positive frame of mind, I know right now that may be hard but it has helped me through all of this. Everyday is better! Just think in 6 months your gonna be incredible! Lets stay in touch and hope you feel better soon.. Yesterday I could hold NOTHING down. Today I am on my second protein shake and drinkinga G2. Feeling so much better than BM. I am on IV fluids at home for dehydration as perscribed when I left hospital as a precaution. Maybe you should ask your doctor to do the same. IT has made a huge difference in how I feel! Stay strong and know you did the right thing - for your life!

I self paid in USA and got top notch care . I paid 13500. Mexico was not an option for me whatsoever.

Im on day 2 out of surgerynand feeling miserable. I am on iv fluids at home and have nausea and a TERRIBLE headace. I am praying things will get better soon. Right now im asking myself... What the heck have i done? Cant swallow it hurts , pain, and nausea. Just want this part to be over! Ugggh!!!

Hi guys my name is Kerry and I live in Maryland. my date was February 6th ....Thats right!!.. I am offically sleeved!! Surgery day weight was 203.6 and a today I was 208.6. This gain is totally normal as they will pump you with fluids after surgery. I was self pay as i have no health issues other than obesity however my gall bladder needed to be removed so my cost was reduced tremendously. Unfortunatley when they got inside they found an additional hiatal hernia which had to be repaired. Yesterday I was miserable and was put on Morphine. I slept most of theday/evening and basically had only a few ice chips. This pain was not from the VSG surgery but from the hernia repair in which they had to stitch my diaphram. Ouch. Today was a entirely different story! I woke up feeling much better, walked several times, and consumed 30 ounces of liquid. I was sent home! Yes..i am snuggled up in my own bed recovering nicely and a walking on the tread mill every 5hours. I do have walgreens coming tomorrow to administar iv fluids (they sent me home with mine still in) for the next three days and will be administering Lovenox myself in the stomach for the next 12 days. All in all it was a seemless procedure minus the additional hernia repair which caused most of the pain. I have no difficulties with the liquid and am able to do 4 ounces every 20 minutes. I am alternating b/nprotein shake and g2 to get the right balance of protein and carbs. I am excited about starting the second part of my journey... A new slimmer and healthier me! Good luck to all you february sleevers! Ill be thinking of you!!!

Sounds like everything turned out ok. You are a lot braver than I . I just couldn't do the Mexico thing ... especially if I saw a cardboard box as an ELG machine. LOL ! All of my pre testing was very imporant to me to make sure I was in the best medical shape possible and the box thing would have thrown me over the edge...LOL. I have followed a 1 week liquid diet and it has been just fine prior to surgery. I am instructed not to eat soft foods for 6 weeks after ... only liquids to make sure my stomach heals properly. I am following each and every protocol my Doctor has given me. He is the President of my Sates Bariatric Association so I know his credentials. I met with him several times before my scheduled surgery to ask questions and to make sure I was making the right decision for myself and by choosing him. I am not a super anal retentive person however I felt for my personal satisfaction I needed toreally feel comfortable with the person cutting my somach out! Everyone has a comfort zone and I know each and every doctors protocol is different and that it all depends on the comfort zone we have. I am glqd your surgery went well and you are happy. That is all that matters I am in surgery in four days ... so excited and nervous all in the same breath!

I use liquid stevia . You can buy this online through amazon and it comes in MANY MANY flavors! ( English Toffe, Grape , Orange , Rootbeer, etc) It is awesome! Give it a ry Gemini youll love it !!! .. You can also get this a whole foods but it is more cosly there! I use it in tea, other drinks, to add swetness to jusabout anything.... yum:) The brand I use is sweetleaf but there are several others. Sweetleaf taste great .

Costco has great pricing on these! They are premixed and can be carried along with you everywhere when you need them at a moments notice . They taste really good and I love them. Costco has Vanilla and Chocolate ( Chocolate is my favorite ) Enjoy! 160 cal / 30 grams protein / 4 grams carbs - Just awesome!

Hello fellow sleevers I am in the final stages before surgery ( less than a week! ) and things have gone very smooth. I started the all liquid diet Wednesday January 30th and I am just fine . No hunger, no headache, feeling good. I picked up all of my medication today including the following items Emend for nausea to be taken 3 hours before sugery, Nystatin Mouthwash to be swished and Swallowed 4 days prior to surgery, Diflucan 1 tab to be taken 3 hours prior to surgery, Hibiclens wash twice daily until surgery date,and the biggie Enoxaparin to be injected daily in stomach 12 days after surgery( to reduce any blood clots DVTS) . I am self pay and ended up paying around 416.00 for all of this medication in addition to my surgery. Just giving all of you self payers a heads up... it is costly. I've gone through ups and downs( mentally) in preperation for my surgery and have a great team of doctors, nutrionist, psycologist, nurse pracs, exercise therapist, and doctors who are doing a great jobin educating me that this is a CHANGE FOR LIFE. This is NOT a quick fix and it will not be easy. It will require lifestyle changes. My biggest struggle is I am afraid of myself and failing... because as you all know this will only work as good as you adhere to the protocol! It will require WORK! As you can see I am not a high BMI patient but struggle with my weight and am aware that it is the right choice for my future. 208 today could mean 250 tomorrow. I know the drill. I will keep everyone posted about my journey and hope all of my fellow Febuary sleevers are ready for the new person waiting inside of them! Good luck to everyone!

I am in the final stagea before surgery and things have gone very smooth. I started the all liquid diet Wednesday January 30th and I am just fine . No hunger, no headache, feeling good. I picked up all of my medication today including the following items Emend for nausea to be taken 3 hours before sugery, Nystatin Mouthwash to be swished and Swallowed 4 days prior to surgery, Diflucan 1 tab to be taken 3 hours prior to surgery, Hibiclens wash twice daily until surgery date,and the biggie Enoxaparin to be injected daily in stomach 12 days after surgery( to reduce any blood clots DVTS) . I am self pay and ended up paying around 416.00 for all of this medication in addition to my surgery. Just giving all of you self payers a heads up... it is costly. I've gone through ups and downs( mentally) in preperation for my surgery and have a great team of doctors, nutrionist, psycologist, nurse pracs, exercise therapist, and doctors who are doing a great jobin educating me that this is a CHANGE FOR LIFE. This is NOT a quick fix and it will not be easy. It will require lifestyle changes. My biggest struggle is I am afraid of myself and failing... because as you all know this will only work as good as you adhere to the protocol! It will require WORK! As you can see I am not a high BMI patient but struggle with my weight and am aware that it is the right choice for my future. 208 today could mean 250 tomorrow. I know the drill. I will keep everyone posted about my journey and hope all of my fellow Febuary sleevers are ready for the new person waiting inside of them! Good luck to everyone!

I have a pre op diet of one week as well starting tomorrow..AGGGGH! This is the only thing I really have anxiety about as I dont know if I can do it! I know that sounds lame but just thinking about it gives me a slight panic attack . I believe if you are a lower BMI this is why your pre op liquid diet is only a week TODAY is my last preop visit before surgery 2/6/13. I have a "class"for surgery today at the hospital following the final preop with my dr. I also have an anestesia screening two days before surgery next Monday. They are very detailed in this process! I am self pay and that is the only thing I can say I am not super happy with. I have YET to get the final numbers on all of this! I will be getting that today as my husband is coming with me and he is paying .... he wants answers! We have a general idea but I want a final number today. Good luck to all my fellow Feb sleevers! I am nervous and excited all in the same breath! I know this will change my life and I know it WILL take work. Stay strong and know the outcome is worth the life long benefits!!!

I would like an invite too.. me three!

I am scheduled Febuary 6th and I am self pay. I am to do a pre op diet of 70-80 gramsn of Protein and 30 grams of carbs starting today. This is to consist mainley of Protein drinks and one small low carb meal. I have a low BMI and am generally a healthy person ( no diabetes, no high blood pressure,etc) . I was required to the following testing which I have completed prior to sugery 1.Informational Seminar 2. Pre Op Support Group 3. Inital Visit 4. Blood Work within 30 days of surgery 5. Chest XRay 6. Abdominal Ultrasound 7. Echocardiagram 8. CArdiac Clearance 9. EGD Endoscopy 10. sleep Study ( I was waived as I am low BMI and have no snoring issues) 11. Pulmonary Clearance 12. Pre- Op Bariatric Class 13. Mental Health Evaluation 14. Exercise Program ( must complete 2 prior to surgery 10 are included ) at Adventist Cardiac Care 15. Nutritional Consult 16. Diet History for 1 week 17. Personal Letter This sounds like a lot but it was worth all the effort to know I am riding myself from the chains of obesity. I am currently 207 and am looking to lose 67 punds from surgery. The tough part about being self pay is that you mentally tend to get off the wagon on what changes need to be made. That is where I am 14 days out from surgery and am a little uneasy about how I will do once surgery day arrives. I am also having my gall bladder removed as they found polyps during my ultrasound as well as a umbilical hernia repair. I will keep you all posted on my progress as we move towards surgery day ... it is coming up soon. Attending the support group tomorrow and altough i carry my weight well the bottom line is I am still 207 ( 5'5) and need to come to a grip with the fact no matter how hard I work out I am fat. My surgeon is Dr. Barry Greene of Advanced Weight Loss Surgery http://www.myawls.com . They are considered a CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE and I am glad I am in Dr. Greene's care as he is a leading doctor in the field of bariatrics and has over 15+ years doing this type of surgery. I know many of you have traveled to Mexico to do this surgery but this just wan not an option for me as I preferred to stay in the states and in the care of US doctors. If anything were to happen ( GOD forbid) I would want my family to be close and to be able to be there with me. Dr Greene and his Assistant Linda have been fantastic throught this whole process. I feel safe and in good care but still have a bit of anxiety as I am afraid of failure. Keep your fingers crossed for me and a few prayers wouldnt hurt either. No matter what the case I support ALL sleevers as I know what it is like to be obese and feel miserable 90% of the time. I am looking forward to my new found freedom from this miserable and dibilitating ( whether mental or physical) disease! Thanks and best to all my current and future sleevers! Kerry

Riding a horse in the Caribbean and seeing the photos afterwards .. just disgusting! Not wanting to participate in all of the things I love on our recent cruise because I was "too fat" to try them ( rock climbing wall, flow rider , etc ) Not wanting my husband to be intimate with me because I am ashamed of my body Seeing photos of me ... period ... all I can say is OMG!