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I have 5 incisions and 1 drain. They ran 1 IV in my left arm before I went to sleep, and I woke up with another IV in my right arm and a foley catheter. They pulled the catheter the day after surgery (one of THE most uncomfortable things for a man) and they never did use the second IV spot once I woke up. One time before I was discharged, they had to draw blood for a final test, and wouldn't get it from either IV site, so they stuck me 3 times (the nurse blew it twice on the back of my right hand) and finally went in and got it in that big vein on my right inside elbow. A week after surgery, I went back and they pulled the drain. Sorry to make it sound like a needlefest, but you may as well know the truth. I have a full blow PHOBIA when it comes to needles (totally irrational fear, even to the point where I get antsy when I smell rubbing alcohol) , but I the needles weren't all that bad. I kept telling myself that just a little bit of pain for a brief time will make a world of difference ... and it does. Oh, I forgot, when they discharged me, they have me taking 2 shots a day (small bore needles, almost no pain at all) in the stomach for a blood thinner. I'll be on this for 30 days.

This really is pretty good tasting, IMO. It also gets you a lot of protein for not a whole lot of drinking or calories. 12oz of 1% milk (8.2g protein, 102 calories, calories from fat 21, 2.4g fat, 12.2g carbohydrates) 3 scoops of GNC Pro Performance AMP Wheybolic Extreme 60 Chocolate flavor (60g protein, 280 calories, 10 calories from fat, 1g fat, 7g carbohydrates). Mix together, chill, and drink over 3 sessions. You get 68.2g of protein for only 382 calories, and best of all, it tastes GREAT. Also, the GNC powder that I listed has amino acids which should aid in recovering from surgery. http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3509954

I have BCBS of Maryland and this time I had no problems getting approval for VSG. Granted the State of Maryland passed a law that says if you sell health insurance in the state and you have a BMI of 50 or more (or 45 or more with 1 mitigating problem ... diabetes), they can't deny you. They approved me 2 weeks after I met the minimum guidelines with no problems (letter from primary care doctor, evaluations from dietitian, nutritionist, a psychological review, and 6 months of monitored weight loss ... I went with Weight Watchers).

3 days post-op and I've finally had the best nights sleep so far. The pain wasn't all that bad, by far the most uncomfortable thing was the catheter. They took that out the 2nd day post-op. Couldn't sleep more than 30-45 minutes at a time at the hospital. First night home, only woke up 2 times in 7 hours. Not much wound pain, still have a drain in, and that is the worst feeling one, but nothing that I can't stretch out an Oxy pill for 6 hours on. The bloating is the biggest complaint I have so far. Still glad I did it.

Best of luck

I'm also having it done on the 20th! Good luck

Good luck!

I've been struggling with my weight ever since I was a young teen. Even when I played sports in high school and college (football, lacrosse, and wrestling), I was heavy. Once I graduated college and settled down into my career, computer information systems, it only got worse. I've tried every diet known to man, working out at the Y, everything. I pretty much cruised along for 20 years this way, until a friend of mine who was overweight dropped dead of a heart attack at a trade show in Las Vegas. That was my wakeup call. I started going to the doctor more and even though my blood work is perfect and aside from having very minor sleep apnea (9.0), I knew this couldn't last. So 3 and a half years ago, I entered into a 6-month bariatric program at Union Memorial hospital for the Roux-en-Y procedure and even though they checked with my insurance in the beginning, after having done the whole 6-month program, when they scheduled the OR, insurance denied it. I tried appealing, but no luck. So I went back to failed diets again. Then last year, the state passed a law saying that if you sold insurance in the state, they could not deny you bariatric surgery if it was a medical necessity. I found out what all the requirements were, and although I had completed a similar procedure 3 years ago, they would not consider that as part of the 6 month monitored weight loss monitoring because they will only take it if it is less than 2 years ago. So back to Weight Watchers again for 6 months. I came to find out that the previous bariatric center only rented out space from the hospital and they went out of business. Luckily for me, there is a top notch bariatric center here in Maryland at Johns Hopkins, and best of all, my new insurance would cover it! So after doing their program, I find myself once again waiting with baited breath for the surgery ... this time the Gastic Sleeve ... to be done, and look forward from starting 2011 on a high of 525 pounds and possibly ending it with a low of 425 ... with maybe another 100-150 to go beyond that.