kaykay

I also don't know anything about Dr. Veniga. For anyone considering Dallas, I would recommend my husband's surgeon, Dr. James Davidson. He is very experienced in all kinds of baratric surgery including sleeves. We paid $12,500 as a total package, 2 night hospital stay. www.bscdallas.com

I suspect that if you hang in there you will begin to see a weight loss regardless of what you do about carbs. My husband hasn't counted carbs, and he has lost almost 100 pounds now in less than 6 months.(His surgeon's office also have no rules regarding carbs. Their only recommendation or rule is "protein first." They also suggest 3 meals a day with two 100 calorie protein snacks, if needed, and no "grazing.") That said, however, I think most will, indeed lose faster and more consistently if they watch the carb count and keep it down. (This has been just my observation from people on this forum and another one.) And as has already been posted, if you tend to have insulin resistance, this may be even more true.

My husband had terrible headaches for a couple of weeks following his surgery. We think it was mostly caffeine withdrawal actually.

My husband also had his surgery at Forest Park last summer. The facility is beautiful and we were impressed by the nursing care he received there.

So sorry to hear about your friend. My husband's doctor prescribed Lovenox, a blood thinner, to be given by injections for about 2 weeks after surgery to help prevent this.

My husband does still have hunger and has all the way through. He is 8 weeks out now. He says, like McMadame and Tennjen, that the difference is that it is much more easily satisfied with so much less food than before surgery.

Some surgeons offer some kind of insurance called BLIS. I don't know much about it but it apparently pays for complications if there are any. Apparently, the surgeon has to be part of this group that participates in BLIS insurance. It is a risk to consider when you are self-pay, (my husband was self-pay too) but at the end of the day, I think a lot of people end up feeling like it's worth the risk to go ahead and proceed with it.

I agree with this. Jage, the first 3 weeks or so your weight may fluctuate quite a bit before settling down to showing what you've actually lost. Don't get discouraged!

I do believe in prayer and I will pray for you. I totally believe that the Lords' will is going to be done for you here. It is a bummer to have a kink thrown in the works. Hopefully, it will all work out by the 15th, your original date even.

I have to second this.

Early on my husband was using a lot of these liquid things that looked like "bullets" that were called New Whey. They were protein. He didn't especially like the taste of them (thought them too sweet) but they had very concentrated protein, about 42 grams for just a few ounces of drink. They helped him get his protein in a fairly concentrated form. He bought them at The Vitamin Shoppe (probably any health foods place sell them, maybe even the grocery stores.)

If you wanted to stay closer to home, there are several bariatric surgeons in Dallas who have a lot of experience doing sleeves. The "package deal" fee most are charging here is around $12,500. Sounds like, though, you have made your decision and feel comfortable with going to Dr. Aceves. Wishing you the very best~~

Are you taking the same amount pain med you were taking in the hospital? I'm not sure if Vicodin is the same as Lortab or not. I think it is. My husband had quite a bit of pain after his VSG but the Lortab worked very well to control the pain. (Actually, at first in the hospital, he was on the very strong Dilaudid injections, then they moved him down to the Lortab.) He took it (the Lortab, I mean) at home too. I can't remember the dosage but it was a FULL little medicine cup, not a half. If your pain meds aren't doing enough, I think you should make sure you are taking the full dosage allowed. If this still isn't doing the job, I would suggest calling your surgeon's office. Maybe they can make a change.

Praying for you~~~

I know all the surgeon's have their own "rules" and thoughts on things, but just a thought here~~ my husband's "rules" do not allow salad for several months. I think because it is considered difficult to digest. Also, they recommend a little pineapple juice if things feel "stuck." One caveat, though, pineapple juice is not allowed at first. I'm not sure when it is allowed in...but just a possible tip for those of you who are further out... Thanks White Rice for the olive oil tip too. I will mention it to my husband. So far, "stuck" feeling isn't something he has had to deal with. There have been a couple of times when he felt mild nausea when he thought he overate perhaps and also when something seemed too "rich" for him. Also, Oregon Daisy, my husband was told that VSG does NOT usually cause "dumping" syndrome like RNY, but that it does happen sometimes with some. Also, Caro, yes, praying for you since you asked!

I think it's the grazing issue. I think the surgeons, (such as my husband's who recommend 3 meals plus 2 snacks,) are concerned that you will be able to consume too many calories if you are just eating on and off all day and thereby, defeat your sleeve's purpose. Each person probably has to find what works for them. I think the surgeons are just trying to help people not intake too many calories in a day.

Yeah, my husband's surgeon recommends 3 meals a day plus 2 Protein snacks (only if needed.) I think the thing they are trying to prevent here is "grazing" all day. I think they are concerned you could eat small amounts all day long and end up "cheating your sleeve" by getting too many calories in per day to lose weight. Their rule is "protein first." So they also emphasize getting enought protein. I think he is probably getting enough now that he is able to eat a little fish and eggs, etc. Way up north, my husband saw a video with a surgeon doing a sleeve and he was saying that the ghrelin levels go down gradually. They don't do a nosedive just because you had surgery. Also, some have mentioned to me that additional acid-reducer sometimes helps feeling of hunger. My husband is already on Prevacid. Are you taking an acid-reducer? So I guess we will see what happens. Everyone is an individual I guess. I know that he is way less hungry on small amounts than he would have been pre-surgery.

My husband is about 3 and a half weeks out now from surgery and doing well. Has successfully started soft solids this week and is tolerating them well. He is a bit discouraged tonight because he feels like he is frequently hungry. He was hoping to have the appetite diminish more than this. Small amounts do satisfy him...temporarily...then he finds himself hungry and able to eat more. I know some have said they were barely hungry at all.:crying:What do you think? Was anyone else this hungry? Will the ghrelin levels go down more?

My husband's surgeon also wants his patients to take additional B12. It is thought that the stomach reduction may cause a need for this. I can't remember the science on it, but somehow the stomach has a role in absorbing or digesting B12. (For example, my friend had cancer and had to have a complete gastrectomy. Because of that she had to go get a B12 shot periodically.)

I think a lot of times when we are under stress, we get a little edgy. Even if post-surgery is going well, all the changes are bound to be stressful IMO.

My husband was on metformin and glyburide(sp?) before surgery. At his one week, post op visit, (without any sugar regulating meds)his sugar levels were already dow to 107. (pre-diabetes level) So they told him for right now just to stay off the meds and see how the blood work looks later on.

I agree. There reaches a point when the continuing obesity is a lot bigger risk than bariatric surgery.

Just wondering if there is some point when you can be pretty sure that the danger of a leak has passed?

Cajun, are you sure that the stomach itself does not sense pain?(I do remember that you are a nurse.) My husband seemed to feel that it did especially when he came first came out of recovery. He was not talking about gas pains or skin incisions. He felt he actually had internal pain from his stomach. He did have it lap, but also have gall bladder out simultaneously.When they got him to the room, they gave him an injection of Dilaudid which controlled the pain.

Praying for you. Please keep us all posted on your progress as you can!