disappearingme

When I went to my surgeon's seminar, I remember him saying something like 99% of people above a certain BMI would regain their weight if they lost it without surgery.

Has anyone seen a statistic like this before? The reason I ask is that I am doing a persuasive speech for a class tomorrow night about why WLS is not the easy way out and would love to use this statistic if I can find a proper source for it.

When you take PPIs and antacids like many sleevers, your stomach can not absorb many kinds of Calcium. The only one that does not need an acid environment is calcium citrate. If you don't have enough Calcium in your system, your body will pull it out of your bones. A side effect of taking PPIs is unusual bone fractures. As far as those who do not take any PPIs, I don't know, you would need to ask your Dr. I hate taking a bunch of pills every day... but the calcium is an insurance policy I hope I never need to cash in.

Thank you for explaining this!

I take Lemon Creme Calcet Bites. They are delicious, it's like eating dessert. I'm going to buy some chocolate ones, too.

I had my surgery on January 17th and everything went great. I even lost 20 lbs in the first 2 weeks! My surgeon said it was impressive and was very happy with me. Shortly after I started purees (about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks in) I stalled. I knew to expect this, so I stayed calm and knew weight loss would pick back up. Well, here I am now, five weeks out tomorrow and I still haven't lost! I've actually gained 2 lbs. Please tell me this is normal and the scale will go back down soon. I've been exercising, mostly walking. I plan to join Curves next week. I'm having a little trouble eating much, I'm lucky to get in 500 calories a day and Protein shakes do not sit well in my sleeve yet. I'm working on it, though, I'm sure it'll come. Without a Protein shake, I can average 45-50 grams of Protein a day of my surgeon's required 60. My NUT says to do three small meals plus 3 Protein Shakes, but I'm lucky to get 1 shake in! If I do 3 shakes, I won't eat anything else, because there just isn't room. I'm wondering if this is the cause of my stall, though. I'm getting my Vitamins and fluids in just fine.

This will end soon, right? I can't believe the scale hasn't went down in over 2 weeks. So to see a 2 lb gain this morning is just shocking! I had gained 1, but this morning it had a friend. I had a Novasure Endometrial Ablation a year ago, so I don't have periods anymore. If it's my cycle, I wouldn't know, but I guess that could be an explanation. I know people say Fluid retention, but would that last 2 weeks? I felt a little backed up so I took some milk of magnesia, which helped the problem, but like I said, now I'm a pound heavier this morning... thought I would be less!

I left the hospital drinking 2 ounces every 15 minutes (dietitian recommended) and had no issues getting in my 64 oz of Fluid daily.

I called my nutritionist first thing this morning. She said going 10 or 20 over probably isn't a problem. My highest was 71 and she said that was fine. She said you don't want to go much more than that because it will wash the electrolytes out of your system.

I turned 33 in November and got my sleeve last Monday!

I've never heard anyone complain about too much, just not getting enough. I'm going to call my nutritionist tomorrow, but I'm starting to wonder. I have absolutely no problem getting my fluids in, and I've never had any nausea. I always get 64. In fact, yesterday, I got 71. I just got my sleeve on Monday (1/17) Is this too much, do you think? Should I slow down? I try to average 2-3 oz every half hour. I'll be on clear fluids until 1/31 and purees start then.

I got my sleeve on Monday, came home Wednesday and things have been great. I even met my Fluid intake of 64 oz. today!

I have some pain, but it's manageable. It's mostly right in the center of my chest and in my incisions. I'm pretty sure the pain in my chest is from the hernia repair. It is not a constant pain, it only hurts with certain movements and if I take a *really* deep breath. I'm still using the incentive spirometer, and when I reach the top it hurts. Is it possible that the pain is from the hernia repair? It's definitely not the stomach, it's in the wrong spot.

Sounds great to me! You reminded me to get peppermint tea. I've also heard people talk about papaya enzymes to help break up Proteins (?) and relieve the "stuck food" feeling, overeating and foamies.

I'm less than 48 hours from surgery now, and somehow it still doesn't seem real! I honestly don't think I'll believe it until I wake up from anesthesia and it's been done.

This morning, I took the magnesium citrate and started clear fluids. Nothing to eat today or tomorrow, nothing to drink after midnight tomorrow night. I'll be at the hospital at 6:30 am Monday and surgery is at 8:30!

I already got my prescriptions filled for liquid Roxicet and Axid, bought some liquid tylenol, Powerade zero, fruit juice (to be diluted) and have made 16 4 oz. containers of sugar free Jello. I'll probably make more jello just so I don't have to worry about it later. I have my bag mostly packed, but only with essentials. I've got instant beef and chicken broth on hand, as well as Decaf tea and sugar free drink mixes. Somehow, I feel like I'm forgetting something!

I'm a student, and classes start back up on Tuesday. I've already let my professors know that I'm having surgery so hopefully that'll be okay. Babysitters are lined up. I'm ready to go but still a bit nervous.

Any last minute advice?

That sounds very yummy, I bet my husband would love it, too.

She had a leak on the staple line (or so the non-bari surgeon told me). which caused infection in her abdomen. She is still draining infection now ( tube coming out of her side).

The weight loss center has been open but not with that Dr. Ahuja.

The nurse( in the hospital) told me that they were still training for bariatric patients. I did not realize that if we had problems their would be no one to help. I guess you can just HOPE it goes well and that you don't need anything after the surgery.

You should ask what happens if your not here Dr. Ahuja will you notify me? Who if anyone will fill in for you. Ask how many he has preformed exactly and what HIS complication rate is.

The gas pain you feel right after surgery is common but you will not leave the hospital with it. If you have pain in your left shoulder it is probably something pressing against your diaphragm witch refers pain to your left shoulder This is common Knowledge at Barnes but not at Dr. Ahuja's. Knowing this would have saved my wife from days in ICU and weeks in the hospital and a scar from the middle of your breast to below her belly button. Placing a drain early would have prevented all of this. But as their was NO DR. around it went to far.

My wife started at 298 she was 267 ( the shakes for six weeks) at surgery and is 240 now. not that weight really matters when your just hoping she lives.

It is possible to be very nice and incompetent at the same time. Thats how I would sum-up Dr. Ahuja's office.

I wish you luck and I will pray that everything goes well for you because if it doesn't that pretty much all your going to have.

Thank you for your fast reply! I looked your email address up on Facebook and added your wife as a friend. If you'd like to add me yourself, my address is lisa@momproject.org (I know some people don't like their spouses as friends with the opposite sex, so I didn't add you myself, no offense, just didn't want to cause issues!)

I've heard of leaks and read about all the signs and symptoms. I'm so sorry nobody noticed them. I did know Dr. Ahuja was gone, but I'm surprised they didn't tell those who were going through surgery. He's back now. I'm actually supposed to have my surgery Monday, but I will ask him about immediate complications. Did your wife have the leak test on Day 2? Did she stay on Clear liquids for 2 weeks then purees for 2 weeks? Sorry for all the questions, I'm trying to cover my bases! I do appreciate your honesty. I actually asked about a JP drain and was told no. I wonder if the policy will now change.

I hope your wife continues to improve!

I'm very sorry that your wife had such a bad experience. You said that it wasn't gas, may I ask what the complication was that sent her to BJ in St Louis? I do know that there are risks with the surgery and complications do come up. I know that the surgery is not a guarantee for everyone, but I also know that a person can do fine. I actually started this process in March of 2009, so New Life Weight Loss Center has been open for at least 2 years.

How is your wife doing now? Has her problems been resolved?

I'm seeing Dr.Ahuja as well. My surgery date is January 18th. I have gone to the Monday afternoon support group meetings. I really need to attend some more.

We'll be in the hospital at the same time. Good luck with your surgery! Are you scheduled for the pre-op group tomorrow?

I know there are a few people here, but no idea how to tell! I'm seeing Dr. Ahuja and my surgery is scheduled for January 17th. I've been talking (mostly on Facebook) with some other people in the area and it's been really nice to keep in touch!

I mostly attend the evening support group, but I've been able to make a couple Monday afternoons.

I used to be highly dependent on caffeine. I had 2-3 cups of coffee a day plus 4-5 cups of sweet tea and/or soda. I had always had bad headaches in the past when going off caffeine, so I was scared to try again. But, I wanted the sleeve more than I wanted the caffeine! So, I weaned myself off slowly. I decreased my caffeine consumption by one cup a day. I did not have any chocolate, excedrin, or anything that contained added caffeine. Once I got to one soda, I stopped the next day. No caffeine at all. I went through heavy withdrawal for about 3 days, including headaches, and it took a week or two for the sluggishness to go away. But, I feel so much better now being off of it! I don't have near as many headaches as I used to. I supplement with Decaf tea made with splenda, plus the Great Value sugar free Drink Mixes and Sugar Free Hawaiian Punch. Good luck!

I'm two and a half weeks away from surgery, and it still doesn't feel real! I started this journey over four years ago, researching my options and trying to get funding. The sleeve wasn't available to me then, so I was going to do RNY because that's what my aunt and a friend had. But, my aunt had some complications and she just looked sick, and it worried me. Plus, I'm in Southern Illinois and I would have had to drive to Chicago (five hours away) for the surgery and that also put me off. So, fast forward to 2009. I attended an info session at the new bariatric center in a town close by. I decided to go for the RNY. I was told I had to do a six month diet, so I started that and in the meantime, the surgeon was let go. So, this summer, I found out there was a new surgeon and had heard good things about him. So, I attended yet another info session and learned about the sleeve. I was convinced right way. I made my consultation and saw him for the first time on October 29th. I've gone through all the tests, got clearance from everything and I'm now scheduled for surgery on January 17th!

I'm having a hard time this is actually going to happen, though. When I went for my consultation, I was put on the Fast Track (six weeks til surgery.) that was in October. But, I couldn't get my psych consult until the end of December, so they scheduled my surgery for January 10th. I went on 12/28 for psych and they didn't have me on the schedule! But, they got me in for the following and I got cleared by psych yesterday. In the meantime, my surgery was rescheduled for January 17th because my surgeon will be out of town. Then, I started freaking out because I'm in college and my classes (and my husband's classes) start January 18th. So I have to juggle classes starting and trying to get my kids to school while I'm in the hospital. It seems like Murphy's law is in effect, and I'm encountering all sorts of obstacles.

So, again, I keep feeling like this is too good to be true! Am I really going to get my sleeve? I don't think I'll believe it until I wake up from surgery with my sleeve!

My husband fell off a roof last January and had several surgeries. He ended up taking Lovenox for about a month. The shots weren't bad at all and they were very easy to administer.

I got my date the other day! It will be January 10, 2011. It still doesn't seem real. I feel like something will happen between now and then to prevent it from happening.

I got it, thank you so much!

Wonderful information, thank you!! Will you send me the pdf? lisa@momproject.org

Oh nevermind, I misread your post. I didn't see the testing part, I thought it was consultation. Good luck!

I blogged about my consultation: http://theamazingdisappearingme.blogspot.com/2010/10/consultation.html

Basically, they took my weight, gave me an exam and went over insurance requirements. I already knew that I wanted the sleeve, so we didn't really go over options. They put me on what they call the Fast Track because I have minimal insurance requirements and no serious health issues. They gave me a list of things to do. I already knew some of them, so I got them done before I even had the appointment. I just had my PCP send me for the stress test and the sleep study. All I have left to do is the endoscopy, chest xray, labwork and psych eval. Hope that helps!

I had a Nuclear Treadmill Stress Test. First, they set up an IV and put in some thallium to do a SPECT scan. Then they set up the treadmill test, hooked me up with an EKG and blood pressure cuff. Stage one was just a walking pace. Stage two was a slightly faster walking at an incline and stage three was more of a fast run/jog. I only made it just over a minute into stage three and I was done. My heart rate got to 168 and I was on the treadmill for about 4 minutes. The first part wasn't bad, but the second was tough. A minute before I stopped, they injected me with more thallium and took my blood pressure again. I was so out of breath and light headed and it took quite a while for my heart rate to come back down to 100. Then, they put me back in the SPECT scan to take more pictures. The whole thing took about 4 hours.

I'm supposed to get my sleeve in January, but don't have a date yet. The soonest I could get my psych eval is December 28th. But, I saw my surgeon on October 29th, and he put me on the Fast Track, which means I could have went as early as six weeks out. So the only thing holding me up is psych! I'm guessing they can't submit to insurance until then, but it shouldn't be an issue.