Diana Anderson

Hey Moonrisen, I'm the patient in the household and I've got to say, Drs. Billing and Crouthamel, two of the three surgeons in the practice, worked on me on 01/17/12. I couldn't be a happier camper. Period. From the posts I'd read on this site pre-op, I'd expected a few things, like, shoulder pain, gaseous emissions, and some pretty harsh pain but none of it happened. Oh sure, I did accept the painkiller injections in the hospital (Evergreen in Kirkland and, yes, also a great experience) but I honest and truly had just one day of pain and that was it. I can also hip you to the nutriton peiple this practice uses. Pacific Nutrition and Wellness. They're in the next building north of their offices. Watch out for the PN&W front office staff, they can be a tad rude but I've dealt with two nutritionists and one exercise physiologist and have no complaints with them. I've already lost 72 lbs from my high (or should I say low!) of last summer and I'm employing new ways to live. Baby steps, they really do work. Well, I didn't intend this to be a novella. Stay in touch with what you decide to do, I'll be interested and good luck!

There are some great ideas here -- my husband habe turned into quite the nag with "eat slower" and "take small bites, will you?" He's getting on my last nerve with it but, he's right. I spent too many years rushing through lunch as an insurance professional and missing Breakfast so that I could catch my bus for work. Those days are over. I was sl;eeved 01/17/12 and I've dropped 51 lbs from highest weight last summer and, I swear, I'm eating as slowly as I can! I can't read between bites -- long term diabetes and visual complications have left me legally blind so I use my sighted husband's eyes for the important stuff. He wouldn't have the patience to read me a page or so between bites. My point, I really do try to eat slowly each day but I'm also concerning myself with the short-acting insulin I just injected. Everyone has their reason(s) for their behavior, I just refuse to be trapped by my past eating mistakes and doing my best each day to stay with the program as laid out by my exercise physiologist, nutritionist, surgeon and endocrinologist.

Once again, it's me. I did finally receive the long-awaited call back from the surgeon's office and, he believes that my coughing fits are due to 1) overfilling my sleeve or 2) eating something too fiberous. He was right on both counts ... I had gotten my first 1/2 cup of spaghetti in a month or more and probably did overindulge a bit and yes, I had eaten a few florets of broccoli on Sunday. I hope this'll help another new sleever out there who may have some of these same symptoms!

It's me again -- I forgot to mention in my first posting that, yes I did have a hiatal hernia repair done at the same time ... thanks for reminding me that this just may be part or all of the problem.

Hey fellow Sleevers, I'm finding it difficult to get a call back from my surgeon's office so, let me ask any one out there ... I've had a couple of experiences involving waking from a few hours' nights sleep with really bad coughing fits? It happened to me last Fri night and then again last Sun night. Now, I realize that with my checkered medical history of asthma, sleep apnea and an asthma variant cough, it may be this that's causing me such fits. My husband jumped out of bed on each occasion to run for the faimly "barf bucket" but, thankfully it wasn't needed. I took a couple of hits from my rescue inhaler and I was soon back to sleep. Has this happened to anyone else out there? Is it due to my stomach nerves not working due to 32 yrs of type 1 diabetes or perhaps acid reflux creeping back up my esophagus. Hmm, I've have had quite the history of GERD so, this may be a player. I'll keep trying to get an answer from my surgeon's office but, do let me know if there are any suggestions with how to aleviate these rather unnerving events. Also, let me share, I'm down 30 lbs. since my surgery and I'm otherwise a happy camper!

I'm a newby on this site (just a reader, thus far!) and I wanted to drop a quick topic ... I just found out yesterday that my insurer has approved the lap sleeve for me! I couldn't be more excited/scared/nervous/giddy but, if you've already gotten your sleeve, you know what I'm referring to. Please drop me a quick note to share the good, bad and ugly of the "must knows" to help me from having some sort of hideous gaffe or boo boo! I wait to hear from you and yes, I really do want to whole truth! :coolgleamA: Diane