Lisanne

Thank you all. I really appreciate it.

I'm Lisa and I'm currently 45 yrs old and a single mom to two kids (one is married and over 800 miles away, the other is a teen and lives with me). In my former (healthier) life, I was an RN. My health declined and as of 2002, I became disabled. My goal, at that time, was to pursue weight loss surgery, lose the weight, regain a healthier Me and go back to work. The plan didn't work too well. Over the years, I researched weight loss surgery. With my insurance (medicare), it took awhile to find a provider that would accept the insurance, not to mention, medicare is very picky. After alot of ups and downs, I went to Mexico in 2008 and got my Sleeve. There were some complications, but it wasn't too bad. I left the hospital on time and had no problems afterward. My start weight was 396. I was miserable. My diabetes was out of control. I had hypertension. I was also confined to a power chair. Within a year, I had dropped 100 lbs and was below 300 lbs. I was ecstatic. I hadn't been that "skinny" in years. Then the weight loss slowed, then stopped. It was becoming harder and harder to remain on my "diet". From the beginning, I could always eat more than other post op Sleevers. I also never lost my appetite like many others do. I began having other health issues, then personal issues. In 2010, my husband of 23 yrs left me for someone else. My life spiraled downward after that. At first, I avoided food. I stopped eating altogether. I lost about 30 lbs. Once I began eating again, I didn't care what I ate. The depression that I had battled my entire life raised its ugly head and got very comfortable in my life. I turned to all of the wrong things. Now, 2013, my weight has crept up over 300 again. This is devastating to me. Obviously, I am not a success story. I think in the beginning of my journey, I was a bit naive, perhaps I wore the rose-colored glasses at times. I understood that this surgery was merely a tool and that I still had to do the work. I was willing to do the work. I just needed the help that the surgery gave me. I am determined to at least get below the 300 lb mark again. I am back with the Protein shakes, low carbs, drinking tons of Water. With my physical limitations, I haven't managed to make myself exercise yet. I know it's going to be very painful but I realize that it's necessary. So, that is my story....or at least a few of the highlights. I'm an open book and will answer any question posed to me.....AND I'm willing to listen to any and all advice. I can use all of the help and support that I can get. Lisa

You are very welcome. Good luck with ur journey!

Beleive me, I get grouchy with diets too....which is why I didnt stick to mine like I should. I managed to lose 11 lbs on it, but starting at 396, that wasnt even a drop in the bucket, ya know? I kept telling myself it was only 2 wks and I could do it.....and I could have, I think, esp if I had known the consequences of my actions...or lack of actions. So, even if the doctor doesnt say u need a pre-op, it certainly wont hurt anything to do it.....and if they recommend or require it...by all means, do it and follow it closely. When I awoke and my husband told me what happened, my first thot was, OMG, did they give me my VSG or what? I was so scared when I finally talked to my doctor and he told me that he was able to perform the surgery. I was so relieved that I cried.. Good luck

Thankyou so much. I really appreciate it alot. I sure hope I can help someone avoid my mishap.. hugs.. Lisa

I agree with the others too. Trust your doctor. You have a much lower BMI than I did. Mine was 73 when I began my journey. I wasnt required to lose a certain amount of weight, which is why I chose my doctor. However, I was supposed to do the pre-op diet and I had guidelines...which I didnt follow. So, go with what your doctor says. Good luck.

Im glad that I could help. Good luck with your pre-op and surgery. :thumbup: Lisa

No, i dont have mobility issues, altho running isnt an option. I can walk just fine, esp after my 100 + lbs loss....My Gym has a track and a pool, plus the equipment. So, my problem is getting off my rear and going. I know I can. I have to get that motivation.

I dont think Ive ever heard it all put like that, but i think that is the right thing to do. I do hate exercising, but i hate being obese alot worse. I have Gym membership that Im just wasting. Ive been telling myself I have to get back to it, but have just not done it. Maybe its time to light that fire under me and get out there and do it. Thanks!

Thanks. I will look for it =)

Someone told me about TOPS, but when I checked into it, we dont have any groups here..the nearest is like 3 hrs away. We dont have OA either, altho I tried that many yrs ago and got nothing out of it. I was the largest one there and they treated me like a leper...sad

Drug addicts do have it easier, in my opinion...not saying its easier..but we do have to eat to live, they dont require drugs to keep breathing, ya know.. Counselling isnt a financial option right now. The only ones that except my insurance, have no idea about eating disorders....I tried it and it was a waste of my time and money. The only good that came from it was that I got to talk about my feelings......well, I can do that here, for free...lol

Those are my feelings as well. I think he did the best he could with what he was working with inside me....and truly, it was a good job. I didnt have any post op complications, etc.......except being able to eat more and still having my appetite. Getting the 2nd part of the DS isnt an option. I tried for that, thinking it was the solution. So, I have to deal with what I have.

I think I actually did contact my surgeons office at one point regarding the size of my new stomach. But by then it was too late and there wasnt anything that could be done about it. I couldnt afford to go back to him and have him try to make it smaller, not sure that he would have done that anyway. I had thot that since I had some complications during surgery, that he just wasnt able to get it small enough.....but since then, Ive heard of some of his patients having larger stomachs afterward too. In some ways that has been better one me, I didnt have some of the post op complications that others have with smaller ones.... however, the eating larger amounts certainly is a disadvantage.

ahhhhh thanks Judy. That made me smile and feel a bit better. Its nice to have support and friends...esp those who know what Im going thru. Im not sure how much of an inspiration I am...but thats nice to hear. I certainly have plenty of varying experiences :thumbup1:

Thanks for the support, Susan. I did the pouch test some time ago, or at least tried it. I just cant do liquids, even for a short time. I can manage one a day, but thats about it, otherwise it makes me sick. I think thats more mental than anything. Just the idea of going back to basics like that...ick. Ive always had that same mentality of letting myself enjoy small amounts of the foods I love. Ive never totally denied myself anything except for sodas which still bother me even with small sips. I imagine it always will but I dont really want them.....now chocolate on the other hand....well, lets say, we get along well lol I tried getting the DS back last winter, but Im just not financially able to do that. The surgeon who did my VSG, doesnt do the DS, but even if he did, I couldnt afford another trip to Mexico. So, the DS isnt an option. As far as my husband goes... I think thats pretty much a lost cause. He supports me in weight loss, always has. Hes always been supportive with whatever I want, however, its more of an indifference with him....he just doesnt have that emotional tie anymore, I dont think. I tried counselling, but couldnt find a counsellor that had any training with eating disorders (who accepted my insurance). I cant afford to pay for it out of pocket. Ive had endless time to think of options and have tried several, but so many things arent viable. I thank you for ur input. It always gives me more things to think about or re-visit in my thinking process.

That is how it is going for me lately. I guess Im feeling a bit sorry for myself, its so hard to pick myself back up. I just cant find the motivation anymore. I had a really good food day yesterday, but today started out awful. For breakfast, hubby brought home Mcdonalds. UGH! The only consolation is that it will be breakfast and lunch for me. If I could eat a really small/light dinner tonite, I would be ok.... hopefully I will have the willpower for that. I really dont know what to do anymore. My appetite and cravings are really high. I get hungry, I can eat alot.....*sigh*.....it has been this way since I had surgery, but has gotten worse over the last 8 months or so. I know I eat the wrong foods alot lately. My overall health has really improved since I lost the 100+ lbs, but recently I have been feeling really bad again. I have an almost constant headache and the doctors cant find anything that is wrong. I figure most of it is stress and worry, mixed with some depression. I even hate getting online anymore. I used to find such solace in the WLS groups im in, but now, I just find it super depressing seeing all the ones having success....altho Im really happy for all of them, it still hurts that Im not one of them at the moment. Im truly not giving up...I just dont know what to do anymore. It seems Ive tried everything. I even tried going back to basics with the Protein drinks. I lasted one day and was just physically sick with just the thought of drinking my meals. When I cut my carbs and calories, I do lose weight, but I cant keep at it b4 Im caving in for something off the diet. I know I need to get these carbs out of my system - at least the bad carbs. But thats my major craving of course. Maybe I should lock myself in a padded room for a few weeks... lol. I couldnt harm myself or anyone else with my crankiness. My husband can barely stand to be around me, my marriage really sux. :sad0: and thats just one of my stressors. Ok, Ive vented for the day. I dont think I accomplished anything, except getting it off my chest for a bit.. thanks for listening..

I dont have any regrets with my Sleeve...however, I think that I might have done better with something a bit more drastic like the DS. I had such a high BMI when I got my Sleeve and my Sleeve wasnt made as small as it needed to be. At this point, a year and half later, I am at a stand still with weight loss, but thats mostly my part and I take the blame. But I got WLS to make it easier to lose the weight....to give me a fighting chance. It did that in the beginning, but now its really hard again and Im having to struggle to lose anything and as with pre-surgery, that struggle is getting the best of me.

My diet has been off track for many months now and my weight loss (or lack thereof) really reflects that. In my head, I know what I need to do in order to lose the weight...but I cant get my body to do what I want. I still am able to eat too much, not nearly what I ate pre-surgery, of course....but still alot, nonetheless. Its really depressing. Ive been thinking about asking my doctor for an appetite suppressant, except that they have never worked before. I crave food and get so hungry sometimes. I get full pretty fast, but Im taking in too many carbs and calories. My food addiction has never been lessened by WLS. I always thought this was the "miracle cure". Wow, was I wrong about that. That shows how naive I was, but I was just so convinced and so hopeful...not to mention it was my last chance at living. Now, Im struggling and its my own fault, but still cant seem to work it out. I feel so guilty and ashamed over my inability to curb my appetite and effect change over my body. Theres been many times over the course of this journey that I have felt that I have wasted my chance and ruined my Sleeve.....I know thats not really the case. My Sleeve is functioning fine and still limits my intake by alot....but theres still the appetite and cravings for "bad foods". I guess thats my vent for the day.. Any suggestions that I can actually follow? lol

If you completely follow the preop plan, 10 days should be sufficient to shrink the liver enough. Theres no way to tell until the surgeon actually gets in there to do the surgery. Good luck

I guess that would be a hard choice to make. If she doesnt support your choice for surgery, I can completely understand why u would want to do it alone. However, she is ur wife and will be worried for you, which is probly a big reason why she isnt so supportive. For me, I could never have gone thru this alone. My husband went with me and I absolutely wouldnt have survived alone, I needed ALOT of help afterward, but everyone is different. You might do just fine alone, many do just that. Really think about your decisions. Weigh all the pros and cons and make the best choice for yourself. Good luck

My most important item that I took was my heating pad. I had so much gas and back pain, that my heating pad became my best friend. Also, be sure to take some entertainment - book, mp3 player, etc..... it gets kinda boring while u are resting. comfy clothes - loose fitting shirts, pants/sweats, slippers/socks I guess it depends on ur doctor, but I had to take my own bandages to change while in the hotel. I took some of those singles packets of crystal light to put in my bottled Water. I also took a couple of bullets with me, but I never bothered with them. The only thing I really wanted was water. I felt really crappy after surgery and for the entire week I was in PV, Mexico. But my health was really poor anyway. Oh, take plenty of cash, preferably $1 bills. You will need it for cab fare, tips, etc.. Good luck.

Unfortunately that doesnt stop the advice-givers....I just cant stand them.. my mom has always been stick-thin...makes me sick that I didnt inherit her jeans....anyway, she has always given me advice that is so far-fetched...it doesnt even warrant opening her mouth..she means well, but just doesnt get it...over the yrs, shes learned to stop saying anything.. I think she finally realizes she just doesnt understand and cant help me..

The fist few months, I lost on average of 5 lbs a week... but that soon went down. At this point, Im happy with 1-2 lbs, but would certainly love for it to be more. I find that when I drink more water, I lose better.. so I really try for that, but dont always succeed. I usually just forget, even tho I try to keep water nearby all the time.