Norma

That is something to shout about!!!!!! Congrats. Thanks for sharing such wonderful news. I hope to join you sometime.

I am sure that what you are feeling is acid and not hunger. There are many non prescription acid relievers on the market. Just go to your pharmacy counter at nearly any grocery or walmart type store. Zantac, Prilosec, etc. Don't have to wait for a doctor's appointment. It is not a good idea to eat more than 3 meals a day as that will start a habit that is hard to break and will lead to grazing which will make it harder to lose weight.

I'll be thinking about you. Have a safe and wonderful surgery!

Congrats and welcome to the losers bench. I wish I had some of that morphine now--I am headed to knee replacement surgery in a couple of weeks.

My doctor stressed that he wanted us to only eat 3 meals a day. He stated that he wanted us to retrain ourselves to eat only at mealtime and that if we ate 6 times a day that we eventually would be eating too much to sustain weight loss. He also does not want us to drink at meals or for 30 minutes after meals as liquids will serve to push the food out of our stomachs and we will get hungry faster. I find it odd that doctors vary so much on what they recommend.

I had sleeve with Dr Aceves on Oct 30 2009. It was wonderful and the best surgery experience of my life (I have had 17 prior surgeries). I did not have any problems with nausea from anesthesia like I normally do. I also had no pain. I have never had better care from a doctor or a hospital. Dr. Aceves saw me 3 times a day every day in the hospital and took time to answer all of my questions. Dr Campos went over all of my medications and aftercare plans. They are the best. Don't worry about going to Mexico--Ernesto, the driver, will pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel and to the hospital. It is safe and friendly. PM me if you have any questions.

For the first 31 days, your pills must be liquid or crushed or broken into small pieces. Have you tried adult gummy vitamins? Slice of Life has some that are good. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether the medications that you are on can be broken or crushed. After you are on full solid food you can take your vitamins and medications in pill form.

You will be on soft mushy foods on that day. Be sure to get your protein in before the party. You can have cranberry, stuffing, mashed potatoes, moist meat in tiny bites. No one will notice what you are eating and you will not have to cheat. Take it slow and quit the negative thinking that you are going to be depriving yourself. Enjoy the party and being with the people and what how much everyone else is eating --it will amaze you that food takes up so much of other people's time and energy. Stay focused on what you are gaining from having this surgery.

please list what you have tried. I use Campbells V8 tomato soup in the green box. I eat jello sugar free chocolate mousse pudding. I eat cottage cheese. I have gone out to Applebees, Granite City and Jason's Deli and had soup (tomato, cheddar ale, cheddar broccoli, potato, mexican tortilo). I like crystal light popsicles.

I used isopure by crushing ice and adding crystal light packet and watering it down to taste. I did not give myself the option to jump to soft foods as I did not want to overstress my stomach. I took each day an hour at a time and what kept me honest wa knowing that in 31 days I would be on regular food. I looked at each step as retraining myself to eat in normal portions and I will be allowed to eat regular food in four days. You can do it.

I have heard that we need 5 months of anti acid so that our tummys can heal.

Are you taking an anti acid med like Nexium, Zantac or spomething? I take 2 a day.

I don't even know your doctor's name but if he is pushing you to a band, find another doctor. Find someone who does sleeves and has done at least 500 of them and find out his or her complication rate. Lap band doctors are not pleased with the competition and have quite a racket set up with charging $150 + for fills and all the followup care required by the band. If people learn that the sleeve is a better surgery and start going for it, lap band doctors will have to learn a new surgery and will need better skills. Don't let your insurance company push you around. You have to decide what you want for your body. I turned down gastric bypass on 3 different occasions with 3 different insurance companies in the last 12 years. I finally went to Mexico for the sleeve as a self pay and am estactic that I did.

I feel for you and your mother in law. I am sorry that she has experienced this but doubt that she failed to ask questions. Some doctors and their coordinators are more interested in the dollar than in patient care. That happens in the US and in every other country. No one should make a decision such as weight loss surgery based on cost of surgery alone. It is important to research the surgeon and the facility and to not believe just what you are told by the surgeon or his staff. There is an excellent post on this board on how to research a surgeon. Everyone should do a thorough job at that. However, it is a terrible thing that unethical surgeons are allowed to stay in business.

I picked the best doctor and hospital so have had no pain, no nausea, no problems. I did a low fat, low carb, high protein diet for 2 weeks prior to surgery--drank a protein shake for breakfast and had lean meat and salad for lunch and dinner. It would be worth it to see if your insurance would pay if you went to Dr Aceves in Mexico. I chose him because he does 3 leak tests and doesn't use barium which could cause complications if it leaked into abodmen. He has done 700+ sleeves without a single leak. He uses a full hospital and watches you for 3 days after surgery. He comes to see you 3 or 4 times a day himself in the hospital--you don't get that kind of attention in the US. Important things for the hospital is to take GAS X strips and a heating pad for use to dissapate the gas they use to inflate the stomach. I did not wear my own clothes in the hospital as I had an IV and a drain. The hospital gown was fine with me. I loved taking a shower each day. Be sure that you know how the anesthiaologist is going to put you under--I liked having the epidural and the general and that in Mexico they deliver your anti nausea meds by IV. In my previous surgeries in the US, that has always been done by gas and I have extreme nausea and cold rigor chills which did not happen at all this time.

I had the sleeve on Oct 30 was released from hospital in 3 days and could have worked 2 days later. I took 2 weeks off because I needed the mental health break from work.

try juice or broth or egg drop soup. You might want to test your blood sugar as that might be lower than usual due to lack of intake.

I bet that Down is correct--it is either nausea or acid that you feel, but it is not hunger. I vomited the blue stuff because I thought I was gurgling gas. Talk to Dr Aceves and I'll bet he will give you something for acid. I haven't had hunger yet but I have had issues with acid especially since i have to take so much anti infammatory meds for me knee. Dr Aceves told me to double my Nexium so now I am taking 40 mg bid and no more growlies.

(((((((hugs))))))))

Welcome! I can't answer your insurance questions as my insurance covered nothing related to weightloss. I am sure that you can get a date fairly quickly once you are approved. Definitely go for the sleeve over the band--no maintaineance vs very time consuming followup--IMO the band should be outlawed. I have lost over 40lbs and haven't even been sleeved for a month yet.

I have Snoopy and Woodstock and Tigger and Pooh over my breasts and so far so good. I will probably need a breast lift eventually to relocate my breast to my upper torso so who knows? I am trying to think of what my next tattoo will be-I am thinking of doing one for each 50 lbs I lose. Any ideas? I might go with tribal but would like something really unique.

Welcome to the forum. I like your attitude and hope you keep posting and enjoy getting to know everyone.

I sometimes use a sippy cup or a lidded cup with only a straw so that the smell does not get to me.

I believe your stomach is pretty secure. Take it easy by lowering the bed to flat and don't try to climb in or out but I think it would be pretty difficult to tear your stitches. Glad you are feeling so good. The few seconds of taking the drain out on day 3 was the most painful seconds for me.

Jenn, are you still taking the Nexium? Is the nausea connected to acid reflex? I had to increase the nexium to twice a day. When you get to full liquids, try RTD 51 shakes or Oh yeah shakes. IF the protein drinks are too sweet, water them down and add crystal light packets to your taste. I also used egg drop soup and wonton soup (minus the wontons). You will get through this.