Lookinupin2010

I know it's hard, but I've decided to not care too much about numbers. I'm just thankful that the scale is now moving in only one direction.....DOWN !!!! Sleeved 4/7/2010 Dr. Chiasson Total Lost so far: 32 lbs

You said you get hungry 4-5 hours after a meal. Isn't that normal? I don't get hungry....and I have paid the price for it. On Saturday, I realized that I hadn't eaten in 10 hours and my butt was dragging. I didn't know it, but my daughter and husband said I was acting weird...like I was drunk. YEAH....my blood sugar was probably dropping like a New Years Eve ball !!! I got a Protein shake (even though I still was NOT hungry) and I started feeling a little better....but it took until today to finally get my stamina back. Before we were sleeved, we ate 4 - 5 hours between meals. I know that my surgeon has told me not to look at the clock and base my meals on time rather than hunger....but if you don't FEEL hungry....what else can I do? I'm sitting here right now, sipping on my (what was supposed to be noon day meal, but it is 3 p.m.). Once again, I forgot to have my meal, but I don't want to get sick again. Maybe you should enjoy the fact that you get hungry 4-5 hours out. Stay in good health....good thoughts coming your way.:crying: Sleeved 4/7/2010 Dr. Chiasson Total weight loss so far: 32 lbs.

Before my surgery (4/7/2010) I had told my husband that I didn't want anyone to know, except a handful, and I gave him the very small list of whom he could share this with. He agreed. He has been incredibly supportive of this with me, more than I anticipated. He spent both nights in the hospital with me, him sleeping in a chair that was supposed to make out into a bed, but quite frankly fell short. He has been in search for Protein shakes that don't turn me off, without me asking. He drives me everyplace that I want or need to go....my blood pressure has been getting too low and sometimes I feel a little loopy, and I'm afraid to drive at 13 days postop with that happening to me. And he is constantly telling me he loves me. The PROBLEM: He is so proud of me, he keeps telling people that I don't want to know !!!!! I confronted him on it yesterday, and named off several people that I DEFINATELY did not want to know and he got a funny look on his face. He didn't admit it in words....but the look said, "Oh oh....I better tell them pretty quick not to say anthing !!" Anyone else have this with a loving spouse or parent that just couln't keep their mouth shut?:crying:

Thank you Pennie. You have actually become one of my mentors. :cursing:

UHC for me required the following: 5 year history of BMI of morbid obese sleep study psych evaluation nutritional evaluation blood work cardiology release pcp release with data on failed diet attempts in the past 5 years. The paperwork was submitted on a Friday morning, and my approval came back the following Monday. I was told however, on the Friday that the paperwork was submitted that it normally takes UHC 2-4 weeks. I think that it might be because of when the 'meeting of approval board' meets. I just hit it lucky, I guess. Hope all goes well with you...

Heartonmysleeve, Mine is tomorrow too. I have made the decision to not worry about what MIGHT happen. I hope that you can come to that place too. I'm excited, joyful and thankful that I have this opportunity. Remember back when we were still trying to get approval for this, and how strong the desire was at that time? And if you ARE using insurance to pay for it....remember how joyful and excited you were when you got that phone call that you were approved? So many are trapped and burdened by weight...I listen to my girlfriends talk about diets, food issues etc. just like I used to talk, only now I silently think, "Thank YOU, Lord, for finally being released from all that wasted time." We actually started being 'new' when we started our preop diets. So, I just hope that you can relax and enjoy this journey that begins for us tomorrow. Good thoughts being sent your way.....:cursing:

Tomorrow morning, bright and early at 7:30 (if all is according to hospital schedule) I will be starting my NEW LIFE !!! YEA !!! Not scared, no apprehension...just grateful for this opportunity.:scared0: Hopefully, I will be released on Friday and will check on all you others that have been sleeved this week.

Here might be another idea for you, that won't be so terrifying. If you belong to a weight loss support group, start a clothing exchange. Members bring the clothes that are too large for them now to the meetings. Members that haven't quite lost that much weight yet, can get the benefit of wearing them as they move down in sizes. You also will be able to benefit from others clothing. Saves money from the varying degree of sizes that we will and do go through and the clothes are shared among those who truly need clothing to get to the goal weight. :001_rolleyes: The support groups in Tucson came up with this idea several years ago. And it seems to be very successful. Just another idea thrown your way.:thumbup1:

My sleeve date is next Wednesday, April 7. My heart goes out to you, cause I know what you mean. 20 years ago I lost 180 lbs with diet and exercise, but as life got in the way.....guess what...here I am today at 352 lbs. This is such an incredible opportunity that we are about to experience. This is the TOOL that can finally set uf FREE of the bondage of weight. I feel like sometimes, God created this VSG for me, and others get to use it too...lol But really, we have had enough experience now to know how easy it is to put back on. The '4 Rules' my Dr. gave me are posted all through my house. 1. Protein first 2. Drink 64 oz. of Water daily 3. Exercise a minimum of 1 hour a day 4. NO SNACKING...if it has calories...it is a snack (eat only 2-3 meals a day) According to these rules, I should never have to count another carb, fat gram, or calorie. Now, I don't know about anyone else, but when I read that sentence, I literally started crying from relief !!! Do you realize how many years of our life we have wasted counting food instead of living life? !!! I have even stopped watching my favorite TV channel...(Food Network) I'm going to be 58 yrs old 2 days after my surgery. I already have the saggy chin, and saggy arms. So what....WE WILL BE FREE !!!!!!!!!!!!! WE HAVE THE TOOL, THE WISDOM FROM THE PAST, AND THE KNOWLEDGE ON HOW TO MAKE IT WORK THIS TIME. YEA FOR US !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Dr. gave me a prescription for Prevacid, but my insurance won't pay for it. Walgreens said it cost $270. I called my Dr. and the advocate I've been working with said I could take Prilosec. I also have some Gas X chewables.

All of my chewable vitamins came from Bariatric Advantage, and like Pennie I have to wait 2 weeks. My preop kit had calcium, B12, Iron and a multiple vitamin to start taking 2 weeks after the surgery.:001_smile:

My surgery is scheduled next Wednesday (April 7) and I may be wrong, but being in the hospital before for other procedures I kept getting asked over and over again by different hospital staff what meds I was on and the dosage. I'm planning on bringing that list with me. But now.....thinking about it, I probably will have to be on some other kind of blood pressure, and arthritis pills since I can't swallow them. But....I'm taking the list just in case.:001_smile:

The day you get approved is like the best day ever, isn't it? Congratualations....you are now on your way.:thumbup:

My preop visit was LAST Thursday. I had made a list of questions: How big is the bougie When will the drain be removed (my Dr. doesn't use one) How much weight did my Dr. want me to lose Can I take my Celebrex up till surgery (answer was yes, but not after) How long will surgery take (normally 3-4 hours) Actually, most of my questions were answered by him before I even got a chance to ask them.

I met with my pulmonologist for the first time yesterday. All the other visits were with the Respiratory Therapist at the sleep study. I have pretty much come to the conclusion that she has an 'attitude'. My Dr. is VERY pleasant, listened to my concerns and problems (unlike the RT) and agreed to lower my inhale to 14, take off the rate (which was set at 12 breaths a minute, which would normally be fine, but if I started getting relaxed, and sighed.....I would be out of sync with the machine, and feel like I was gasping. He also said I could use the nostril pillows instead of the mask, since I felt claustiphobic in the mask and kept having panic attacks, when the rate wouldn't let me breathe in MY breaths per minute ratio. I got the machine set today, and it felt like a world of difference. I think I might be able to tolerate this thing now. At least till I lose enought weight to see if I can get rid of it. Thank you all for your comments.....I felt much better reading them.:001_rolleyes:

Bless your heart....I had to chuckle when I read your post, cause I could see myself doing the same thing. I'm concerned about being on this preop diet for 2 weeks, when my time comes....after the surgery, I'm thinking that I will be afraid to eat much of anything after hearing what happened to Tiffy. But preop is the same state that my body is in now.....hungry !!!! And lets' face it....till we are well into this postop, we are going to fight the head battles that were facing that got us into this morbid obesity state anyway. Today is a new day.....new mercies every day....a fresh start every morning. Keep the faith....and you will do fine.:001_rolleyes:

Thank you all for posting. I needed this reassurance. When I see the Dr. on Wednesday, I won't feel like a whiner. (hate to sound whiney....lol) I tried the nostril thing when I went to pick up the machine at the distributor. I like it too....I like to sleep on my sides, so thought this might be a good choice. But the technician said that my machine was set so high that the nostril thing would leak too much air for me, and not work. Wish I had chosen it anyway now..... Thank you all again......:001_rolleyes:

When I started the process of appointments for the VSG, one had to be with a pulmonologist for a sleep study. On the first sleep study they diagnosed me with sleep apnea. I had suspected it for about a month or so, and was not surprised. They woke me in the middle of the night and put me on a cpap machine. It was awkward at first, but finally was able to relax and fall asleep. Then, the next day I was called from the hospital again, and told that after looking over my study more carefully, thought that I might need a bipap machine (allows you to inhale and exhale) and to come in for another study. I was really upset over this cause first of all each study is a deductible of $184 and being hooked up to all those wires is torture for me. But I kept saying, 'its for the surgery, I can do this'. The night of the second study, I was pretty reconciled to the idea of doing it all over again and feeling relaxed. The Resp Tech put the bipap on me and after getting used to it....i fell asleep. In the middle of the night I woke up having a panic attack and had to yank the mask off of my face. My head felt like it was full of air (no pun please) and my sinuses and ears were aching terribly. My sinuses were so full, that I couldn't even breathe with the mask off. The Tech came in, and told me that after I fell asleep, she cranked up the air pressure to what I should have. She wasn't going to reduce it till I told her that I couldn't breathe even without the mask because my sinuses were so messed up. She gave me some afrin to spray in my nose, then reluctantly put the air pressure down for me to fall asleep again. A couple of hours later she came to wake me up so I could go home. My ears ached for the rest of the day, and my sinuses were messed up for a couple of days. When I had to go pick up the machine from the distributor about a week later, he told me that he used a cpap machine also, but that this prescription was set much higher than his and that I was limited to the kind of mask that I could use. I tried on a couple and found one that I could sleep on my side with, but the pressure was torture on my ears. He said he couldn't lower the pressure, because it was the prescription given to him. The air pressure for inhaling is set at 18, but when I first turn the machine on, for about 20 minutes I can set it to 16 so I can fall asleep. I tried to use it for the first 2 nights and was so uncomfortable that I haven't used it since. I have an appointment with the Pulmonologist on Wednesday to let him see what is happening to me. As to whether he will allow it to be turned down, I don't know. But after hearing what the sales rep told me about his machine, and him actually looking at me like he felt sorry for me....I'm wondering what those of you who still use, or have used a cpap or bipap have the inhaling pressure set at..... My daughter brought home some info today about cpaps, and it said it is a gentle pressure of air that keeps your air ways open.....THERE IS NOTHING GENTLE ABOUT THIS THING.....IT IS TORTURE !!!!!:thumbup:

ThinOneDay... Thank you for your honesty.....I'm still awaiting approval from my insurance, and still in the anxious and planning state. I loved what you said, and if you don't mind...I would like to copy and paste it to a word document to keep for my future days of 'wondering if I can get thru this'.:thumbup:

Free2BeMe.....where do you find the PB2 here in Tucson.....sounds wonderful.....

I'll be 58 next month....I haven't been sleeved yet, but have all the requirements in and awaiting approval. During my consult, I asked my Dr. if I was too old and he chuckled....then said, 'Of course not'. I just love that Dr......

I too, had to go in for 2 separate nights. I agree with DeeDee....have them do it all the first night. Seems as though the excuse for me too was "AFTER they went over my records of the night before".... Felt like the hospital was taking advantage of my insurance company in that they didn't do it right the first time...:tongue_smilie:

My surgeon explained that the lapband doesn't take the ghrelin (sp) hormone that controls hunger away....it that true? I also am up in years...I'm 57 (almost 58) and weight 360 lbs. I was looking into lapband, because I had never heard of VSG till the seminar. Once I heard that lapband can actually make you MORE hungry than you are before the surgery, I knew that was NOT where I needed to go. This VSG is like a blessing to me, cause hunger is what gets me into trouble. If the hunger can be decreased by this surgery for at least 6-12 months...WOW !!! He stated that there is not enough data in to tell how long if ever the hunger comes back again from the pancreas or liver. Anyone have any statements about this?

When I finally get to that stage, I will be on 1000 calorie diet for 2 weeks. 2 meals with Protein shakes and dinner of 3 1/2 oz protein, 1 cup of veggies with 1 tsp evoo, and 1 cup of fruit with 1 tsp evoo..... Hope I can survive the hunger issue...... Through all the tests I've been through in the last 3 weeks, I just keep telling myself, "It's for the surgery....It's for the surgery" lol

Praying for Gods' loving arms to be wrapped around your entire family.....