Disney

Your anesthesiologist will come talk with you before surgery. Just be sure to mention your history with nausea and they can give you several different things to *help* prevent it. Nothing is guaranteed though. They can offer decadron and Zofran for sure. Phenergan also. I ALWAYS used to get sick with surgery and since they started with those meds I mentioned, I have not been sick once since. Good luck to you!

Congrats on getting the scales moving again. And 120 lbs is freakin' awesome!!

Good luck! Please let us know how it goes!

Please don't let those comments get you down. You have done a fantastic job and will continue to, I am sure. Just keep on doing what you're doing. Obviously it is working. People who have not walked in our shoes are completely clueless and sometimes say things before their brain can stop them. You are SO right about the biggest loser contestants. Losing weight is their full time job while they are on the "ranch" and it is not realistic for most of us. Hey, and guess what? Tell your mom to research and see how many of those biggest losers gained back a significant amount of their weight within months of getting off the show. Sometimes weeks. They are few an far between that keep the weight off for any period of time simply because they don't have those cooks, trainers, nutritionists, coaches, and giant cash prize motivating them anymore. At least you have this tool that will help you keep it off in the long run.

Keep your chin up. Your friends here understand and will listen to you vent anytime!!

That is great! What an accomplishment. You should be proud of yourself!

Great job! You look really great

Actually, a lot of the 'low/no fat' foods are higher in calories to make up for the lack of flavor when they cut out the fat. As far as sugar goes, that is the only way I can tolerate food/drinks is with real sugar. I just can't stomach the taste of artificial anything and have been that way my whole life, not just since surgery. Carbs do trip up some people's weight loss and can cause cravings, but studies have also been done (just google it) about splenda, and other sweeteners triggering cravings also. Just do what works for you. You can try it and see if it affects your weight loss. It has not hurt my weight loss at all, but everyone is different and it's a trial and error thing. Good luck to you!

Sounds like everything is coming along nicely! Thanks for the update

It's definitely normal. Although I am not quite 7 months out, so I can't speak about how long it will last. I have found that some things are too sweet that I also used to enjoy. For instance, on my little girls bday, the cake and ice cream were just overwhelmingly sweet. I mean just ridiculous. I never used to think that. I only ate a couple bites and I was full, but that is all I wanted anyway.

I also find myself making healthier food choices now. I love to eat a good salad and fruit! I could eat fruit all day everyday. I am dreading when it all goes out of season (very soon here). I just don't crave anything at all, so that helps!

Way. To. Go!!! Great job. You look fantastic.

just finished tracking for today... I've had 1066 cals and 34g carbs with 86g of protien... good on the carbs and protien front but perhaps the cals are a little high, especially as I haven't really moved much today and well, over the last couple of days! Gonna keep a good watch on this, cos the last thing I want is a big gain. I can handle the 3-4lb bounce but more would really knock me back at the moment!!

Suggestions welcome.... xx

Sorry to hear of your injury, Coops! Sounds like you have a handle on the tracking of your food intake. I think that is the best way you could prevent any weight gain while you are out of commission as far as exercise goes. Keep your chin up! Maybe it will sort itself out quickly

Hey sleeve brother! You have done an excellent job! Congrats on the transformation

Well, like you said what goes in comes out. So, liquids in, liquids out. It will be that way till you start on more solid foods. Also, you are right, your tummy (what's left of it) is really angry right now and needs to settle down a bit before it will get back to normal. My surgeon had me on liquids for 3 weeks, so it was tough, but things started going well again after soft foods were re-introduced.

Good luck and hang in there!

So I'm in the process of getting my tests and evaluations done before I have surgery. I will not be able to talk to a surgeon until I've had a psych evaluation and a nutrition consult. At first, I seemed to be okay. I accepted the fact that I would not be able to eat as much food and I am slowly coming around to the concept of not being able to drink with meals.

But this evening I could not stop myself from binging. I'm scared about not having half my stomach. I'm scared about the long term effects of the surgery (including leakage, hunger pains, cravings, Vitamin deficiancies) and possible weight gain. I'm 29 years old and i'm 5'7 and fluctuate between 285lbs and 293lbs.

Has anyone else had this problem of binge eating?

Most go through this. Binge eating is never a good idea, but we (probably) have all done it. I had a good last meal the night before my surgery after a week long low carb diet. My surgeon suggested it, so I knew it was ok. It is hard, but before after your surgery, you will no longer even think about it. I know I don't. I never think about food anymore and I used to wake up thinking about what I would eat for lunch that day, and so on. The chance for leakage goes way down after the stomach fully heals. There are usually no hunger pangs or cravings thanks to getting the source of the ghrelin hormone removed for the most part, and you won't become Vitamin deficient if you take the ones your doctor suggests. Also, you can have labs drawn and keep on top of it if any certain ones become low.

Oh, and you won't have half your stomach left, it will be only about 15% depending on your surgeon

Good luck to you!

Me too, I left Mexicali on a Saturday and went shopping in San Diego from about 10 till 4 in the afternoon. No pain at all. Just got a bit tired by the end of the day. Everyone is different though, so just take it easy and see what you feel like doing. There is no right or wrong, just what works for you. I took the flight out the next day and did just fine on the trip home. I was not alone, but you should be able to find someone who could maybe lift your bag into your car for you. I felt like I could do it, but I really followed my surgeon's orders about lifting cause I did not want to jeopardize the staple line or incisions. I think you will do great! There are sooo many on this site who have gone alone. Good luck to you!

That's really great!

Congrats on a job well done!

Yep... this resonates with me too... I felt guilty in the beginning but I don't now! I work hard to lose every pound and although I don't broadcast my weight loss, when it is mentioned I just say, 'thank you' and change the subject,

More recently, in work, I was in the staff room chatting and my weight loss came up, I foolishly said, 'Oh yeah, I feel great and I just have 14 more pounds to go!' *insert cheesy grin*. A work friend, turned to me and said 'Oh really Coops... from where? You are already a loli pop head!' *insert laughter*...

No this might seem like a little bit of staff room banter... but the lady who made the comment it TINY! She is a little shorter than me at 5 1. She went to put a jacket on and it was a little tight... she said that she would put it on the 'to lose weight pile' It is a size 6 uk. Now, she had the cheek to call me a loli pop head - and this isn't the first time. So this time I plucked up the courage and said 'Tell you what, when I get to my goal weight I can borrow from your 'to lose pile'!' *insert more laughter* I didn't mean to sound bitchy, it just sorta slipped out!

The lady in question didn't like this ... but I am sick to death of people telling me that I am too small when I am still medically obese and weighing in at 168lb... that is still a lot of weight to carry for my height and frame.

Funnily enough though, my 'larger' friends are really pleased for me and chuffed that I am losing weight and getting healthy! It is a funny world!!

Good on you, Coops! Sometimes when people say things like that lady did, they just need a good comeback like you gave her. They are inevitably not prepared for it, but they need it all the same. She's just jealous of you, that's all. I guess she thinks making snarky comments like that will make her look better somehow. Just makes her look pathetic and petty if you ask me.

Keep on keeping on, Coops! You are doing great.

For people you cannot get away from easily (family, co-workers, etc.) who continue to make comments after you've said something, I would be very direct and say "When you say something like that, it makes me feel bad. Please don't do that." Follow that with disengaging from conversation with them by walking away or, if you can't walk away, turning away and busying yourself with anything else. Stick with that every time they do it. Don't rise to the bait or engage them at their own level.

Of course, we can always come here to rant and rave about them! You'll find my personal rant in the Rants and Raves section here: http://www.verticals...h-less-than-me/

Lynda

AMEN....well said. Some people have zero tact and no filters before they speak.

You look great and I love your hair

Thanks for sharing your pics!

I don't know about the one on your tummy or shoulder blades, but the one on you ankle should be fine. We don't lose a ton of weight right there!!

FANTASTIC!! You have done a great job. Thanks for the pic!

Meg- I too have often thought about the long term with the sleeve. It seems that many have issues in the beginning and at some point, buyers remorse, but what about in 4 years...in 10 years...in 20 years??

I recently had an MRI on my knee, and I was wondering could I have this with the sleeve? all those staples?

My husband thinks I've lost my mind. So extreme...and my insurance doesn't cover it, so I would be self pay. I just keep researching and reading these forums It's really helped.

The staples they use are Titanium, they will not be affected by the MRI.

As for the issues we might have in 4, 10 or 20 years? Well, we just all hope for the best. Know one can know for sure, but there have been lots of cases of stomach cancer, etc where patients had this much of their stomach removed and have done very well. Those are the only real long-term examples we can look at. I am sure if you did a search on google, you could find out some info on those kinds of cases. Remember, hindsight's 20/20. In 20 years, we might be regretting this. Maybe not, though! On the other hand, if we didn't have this surgery, we might just be 6 feet under in 10 or 20 years. I like my chances with the surgery!

Thanks for sharing your pics! I just love to see comparison pics. You have done a fantastic job. WAY TO GO!!!!!

You definitely will have to just do what works for you. The only thing is to follow Dr's orders right after surgery about eating, etc. After you can eat more and easily, you can find what works for you, plan wise. I don't track at all, I don't count carbs or calories and I eat when I feel like eating something. Listen, you can eat so little, even when you are years out (from what I have read), it is not gonna hurt you to eat several meals a day. I mean, not big meals, but if you eat the same amount of calories in 3 meals or 6, what is the difference? I have been told by my nutritionist that several smaller meals is better for your blood sugar than 3 bigger meals because keeping the blood sugar steady is key or may cause cravings. The thing with me was, I couldn't eat enough Protein in 3 meals. Just remember to try and get your protein in first with all those little meals.

It's working for me. I have been plugging right along with losing, but everyone is different. Again, your Dr's plan must be followed in the beginning. Better safe than sorry. Good luck!

Congrats! Great pics! We have almost the same start and end weights. I am going for 145. I hope to be as close to my goal as you are when I'm nine months out!<img src="http://cdn.verticalsleevetalk.com/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif">