Kermit

You will. It might not be as spectacular as in case of others but it will happen. I'm now 2 years after my surgery. I stopped losing weight in the last 4-6 months. I decline to worry. I was size 28 now 16 and very, very happy about it. Summer is coming and with it more fruit, better weather....more chances to loose more. Maybe... I'm very happy with myself presently.

I was connected to sliding scales with insulin pump in hospital. My insulin was monitored by my diabetic consultant. My rates dramatically changed after operation. No complication post op! No problems with infections. No leaks. Had a test 6 weeks after my op. All was good. Left hospital 48 hours after surgery. Weight loss was spectacular in the first 6-8 months. It slowed down later on but with help from yoga and pilates classes plus lots of walking body shape is continuously changing, for better! Took me up to 4-6 month to up my energy levels. Problem mostly with finding a correct balance between carbs an proteins. Not enough carbs means very tired and slowing down with a weight loss. You will soon learn by trial and error! Had a great support from my pump clinic: meeting with my nurse every month to change my pump's settings. Insulin resistance "vanished" after 6 months!!!! Wonderful! Today, over 2 years after my surgery, I'm nice UK size 16. I'm full of energy and my body is still changing shape. I eat absolutely everything in small portions.I eat in public places and attend dinner parties. I don't advertise that I had VSG. It's my business only! When pushed and questioned: "have some more" I very firmly respond- "no, thank you". No explanation added. I love my life and wish I had this done years ago. No bigger problems with hypos now than before sleeve if anything situation is better. Good luck!

It's only the beginning. I promise it'll get better. The discomfort you're experiencing, difficulties with finding a comfortable position in bed, "teething" problems with your new menu..all of this after few months will be forgotten. Benefits are GREAT. The NEW YOU, the one who always was residing inside you, will start emerging. It'll be the most amazing feeling seeing her looking at you in the mirror. I know. It happened to me and others like us. Life can be wonderful again.

Are you back home? My doc, diabetic one, adjusted my levels in the hospital, before I left. He, very kindly, left me his email address, too. Same with my "pump" nurse. Having their help "on tap" and monthly visit to the clinic glucose control went rather well. The biggest "problem" was to get my head to adjust to new insulin needs.

Darling, just enjoy life and the rest will come. Maybe not as fast as we would like but life has its own ideas most of the time. After years of hating myself and pushing "stones" up the hill this is so different! Have fun, go out with friends, don't make yourself unhappy with trying to provide "correct" answers. Just go with it and your body will take care of the rest.

Yes, you will. As type 1 our weight loss might not be as spectacular as others but a weight loss is a weight loss! I'm very comfortable size UK 16 (USA 14) hips, top 20 ( USA18). I stoped my rapid weight loss about 6 months ago. My body shape is still changing. I do yoga and Pilates. I work as a shop assistant so 6-8 hours a day I'm running on the shop floor. I eat as normally as I can. If I fancy something sweet I have some. No dramatics! I never thought that I'll ever be less than size 28 ( USA26). I feel young (at 56) and I'm enjoying my life tremendously! So I might never be size 12 or 10. I don't care. Most importantly, my quality of life is fantastic. I like myself, I like what I see in the mirror 1st time in 15 years. I'll say to you: you are 50 pound lighter now. I know that you can feel the difference. Relax in to it. We're not in competition! After 50 years of age slowly is more beneficial than too fast. You know: stretched skin etc.. I did it slowly, no great problems cosmetically. Thank you, God for that miracle. I eat, I have great fun when I'm out with my friends. I don't give long explanations about size of my portions. I eat what I can because I want to stay thin. Thin people don't eat big plates of food! If they did they wouldn't be thin any more. Don't worry, stress isn't very helpful for us, ex plus or super+ people.. Stress for many of us meant food and more food. Now food is a friend. I never thought that I'll ever say those words, ever. Life is amazing at 56, almost 2 years after my op. I love every moment! Good, bad and indifferent. I have now a choice when before I didn't. VSG is a miracle!

One thing I forgot to mention: I'm in Kent, Meopham.

Hello, congratulations. I took it day by day. Didn't obsessed about amounts of food and drinks. Just "went with it". It's over 14 months for me since surgery and I'm still applying the same guide lines: eating and drinking in small amounts, slowly and as often as I need. One advice, pay great attention to the nutritional value of your food. Keep taking necessary supplements. That's very, very important. Good luck. I think you'll find this forum very helpful in finding answers to your questions.

I've problems with sleep. Nights are the worst for me! Can't sleep, even when very tired. Mind is on overdrive. Thinking, trying not to ponder over difficult matters. Next thing: I'm reaching for food. A little bit of this and a little bit of that... Not gaining weight but not loosing either! Still changing body shape. Hoping for some solutions in my life, soon I hope.

Sorry Jo, I'm not very clear. It'll be your first consultation with a surgeon? I received mine after being accepted for a surgery by my trust. Meeting with him was about what type of a bariatric procedure I would like to follow.

Good luck, ladys. It'll only get better from now. Pink Grace- sorry to here your news! I hope this problem will be sorted out soon.

When is your op? How are you responding to the injections?

Hello Darling, we're all different. I took it slowly, one pill at the time. Crashed the ones I was allowed to. While in the hospital you can take your meds, if you're nervous, in liquid form. It'll give you a small respite after surgery. I had mine at King's College at Denmark Hill. I was visited, on my last day, by a hospital pharmacist. She came for an information about my drugs requirements. 3 hours later I was supplied with enough meds to last me for next 4 weeks. Can you find out about system in your hospital? Some offer meds, some only prescriptions for meds. In both cases you'll be winning.

Hello, I must say: I never had taken any medication in liquid form. That's applied straight after my op. Never had any difficulties with that part of my life. At 56, with diabetes on board for more than 20 years, I have a nice collection of pills to take every morning. Don't worry too much. See how your new stomach will react.

Sorry, a bit of a finger trouble with my smart phone. Back to sleeping: I spend few nights in my armchair. Than my body become feeling more comfy and bed was ok again. Food; very gently, lots of soups, my food mixer become my best friend. You'll find your way and you'll be amazed how quickly weight will start "melting' away. My memory of those first 3-4 months are slowly fading, a little bit like with a childbirth! Every day, when I look at myself in the mirror I can't belief it's me. My knees are good, I don't consider any more a knee replacement surgery. I participate in social activities, having meals out with friends. I just eat very tiny bites where before I would have a starter and all the rest. One of the biggest niggles after my op was a pain in my right shoulder. A bit of gentle rub from my hubby worked wonders. I felt very tired in my first 5-6 weeks. Advice given to me by members of the forum was to up an intake of carbs. It worked like a charm! Very shortly I had enough energy to lead normal life. Don't know what else to add, ask and I'll do my best to answer.

Ok, surgery took place in King College, Denmark Hill, done by Mr Patel. It was over quickly and I was home on a 3rd day. First 24 or 48 hours are when I needed some pain and sickness relive. The first few weeks sleeping arrangements were a bit tricky. My first postop 5-9 nights I spebd

Hello, Kermit's here. Just to wish you good luck. I hope this surgery will change your life as much and for the better as it transformed mine. I'm over 13 months old sleeved, insulin pump dependent diabetic type 1. Doing very well and enjoying life again.

Hello, it's late here (UK) so just a quick answer. I had my op done last August. I'm a pump user for more than 6-7 years. VSG is a miracle for me. I was size 28 at the beginning, presently 16. I'm progressing slowly but steady. I've consultations witho my pump nurse or doctor once a month. My pump settings have to be changed on monthly basis due to my weigh loss. I stoped taking lots of other drugs: statyns, metorformin, .... All because my weight started coming down. I feel great. Making 4-6 tests a day, so I know what's going on with my sugar levels. Overall my control is not bad. When sugar drops- normal treatment. I feel wonderful, full of energy, 20 years younger! Iove my life now. I even started to love myself. I wish you all the best!

Hi Debs, it's Kermit here. How are you getting on?

Hello again, I wanted to add one more thing: for those of you who are using smart phones. I have a HTC DESIRE HD. This phone is using an android platform. I discovered a great app to help me in keeping checks on calories eaten and burned. It's called: CALORIE COUNTER. It's free, very friendly and easy to use. I'm diabetic and the way this app breaks components of food in to Protein, carbs, fats and cals helps me greatly in calculating my insulin.

Hello, 9 weeks since surgery. 2 stones down, tops sizes from 28-30 down to 22-24, bottoms down to 20 in Next from Evans 22-24. Feeling great! Eating all types of food. My daily calories intake is 1000-1500 a day. 1500 only on weekends when I allow myself to have a little treat, 0.5 of chicken Kiev for example and few spoons of Pasta. Sometimes I'll have a small desert: tiny slice of cake, mi-am, mi-am...Energy levels going up - had a spell of 4 weeks feeling totally washed out, asked forum for an advice: more carbohydrates ( from USA sites ). It worked! Piercing pain in my shoulders due to swallowing air when eating is almost gone. Comes back only when very tired. Started 2 weeks ago my Advanced Pilates classes, still the heaviest girl in the group, but who cares! Renewed my membership in a local gym and next week I'll put on my new set of sweats from Next and will start pumping Iron. Don't want to loose muscles but fat only. Friends keep telling me how much I'm changing for better. Strange thing is my brain knows that my body is reshaping but emotionally I've problem in accepting this. My son lost in the last 2.5 years over 14 stone in weight, when I talked to him about it he said that when shopping today his first choice is always XXL not M. Looks to me like our emotions are the last to adapt. Weird! Went eating out and have lots of fun! My husband tells me that I'm a very cheap date! Hm......I choose to see this as a compliment. After all I can just about to manage a starter and few bites from plates of others, for taste you understand. Life is good and is getting better! I LOVE MY SLEEVE.

. Hello Debs, Didn't ignore you, just very busy in the last 4 weeks. Plenty of visits to the hospital clinic in Denmark Hill. Almost every week! I'm diabetic type 1 on the insulin pump and after my op all settings has to be changed. It's a process done gradually, bit of a trial and error thing! You're asking about my progress. On my last visit, Friday, I lost 2 stone, that's from 16.07.11. For me that translates in going from tops ( I'm top heavy) size 28-30 to 22-24. Bottoms are now size 20 in Next from 22-24 in Evans. I'm very happy with that! It's not as spectacular as others but I was warned that my loss of weight will be slower due to my medical problems. I say when you're 55 ( I'll be in October) slower is better for you. Last week, after being cleared by hospital I returned to my Pilates classes. I'm still the heaviest girl in the group, but who cares! Got to start keeping fit! I renewed my membership in a local gym and this week will start weight training program. My aim is to keep loosing fat not muscles. In regards to my food, I'm eating everything. The key words are: very slowly and chew, chew, chew.....My calories intake is about 1000 to 1500 (weekends only). The biggest difficulty is my intake of Protein. Ideal amount for us a day is around 45-50 grams a day. Sometimes I struggle with it. Generally my energy levels are increasing. That's very good news for me. First 4 weeks after surgery I felt totally washed out. Put this question out on the forum and response was: eat more carbohydrates. Made changes to my diet and things slowly improved. What else.... pain in my shoulders. That's almost gone, too. Comes back only if I'm very tired. I'll say one thing about King's program for candidates for bariatric surgery: IT DOES NOT EXIST. I was left, after my initial consultation with a surgeon, to my own devices. Same thing goes for follow up after a surgery. NOTHING. I hope that you'll get more that I did. All my advice and support comes from staff in my diabetic clinic and pages of this forum. 95% of knowledge I have comes from here. I understand that you have few other medical complications. I hope that staff in those clinics will offer you support as mine did. Try to read about SVG as much as you can find on the Internet. I went to the hospital prepared for all sorts of complications. The truth was I did rather well after my surgery. It's a MIRACLE. One more word, it's about 6 months waiting time from seeing a surgeon to the landing on his table. Good luck! .

Sounds familiar. I'm in to my 4th week after surgery. Doing well, I think. First 2 weeks-lots of bad pain between my shoulder blades. Ugrr.... Painkillers and friendly rub used to help a lot! Nights were, hm... full of lots of pillows, alternating between my bed and my armchair. Only in the 3rd week could I properly and gingerly allowed myself to stretch. Presently, in my 4th week, I can say I feel comfortable in bed. Soreness in my side is almost gone. The biggest problems is tiredness. Very simple task drains me totally. I just feel TIRED all the time. Some of the members suggested that I need to up my intake of carbs. OK. I'll try. Debbie, it will get better. I promise.

All I'll say guys, you're better people than me. I kept quiet for the whole 2 years it took me to have my surgery done. 6 months before D-day my husband opened by "mistake" one of my letters and wow!!! For the next 2 weeks I heard: - you're perfect as you're now - you can die!!!! ...well, you get the idea. At that stage I was considering a band. Soon after I changed my direction and decided to go for VSG. I think you already guessed that I kept this to myself, too. I was under a very strong impression that my hubby would brick doors and windows to prevent me going ahead with it. Sorry, but a girl has to do what a girl needs to do, sometimes. I'm now in to my 4 week after a surgery and doing well. However, before I even came back from a hospital around 20 people heard from my other half about my life " threatening operation". All terms of descriptions were used with an exemption of a "bariatric". I'm sure that 90% of those people had a very good idea of what I had done. My attempt for keeping my privacy was disappearing alarmingly fast. About 5-6 days later I had to had a talk with my other half about his actions. Hm... It went relatively well, I suppose. My "privacy" issues are not applicable now. I'm still rather upset about it. I would've liked to have a choice about informing others.... Very suspicious part of my brain is trying to whisper to me that someone was looking for a sympathy for himself more than caring about my feelings. Of course, that's very uncharitable part of me and I dismissed this motion straight away! I think I understand your feelings very well. On my part I love my husband and I want to believe that his actions were motivated by better reasons than my "darker" self was thinking for a moment.