Doug100

I'd be happy to share what I've learned over the past 18 months. You can send me questions via private message by hovering your mouse over "joatsaint" on the left and a menu will appear that has a "send message" button.
I've tried to keep everything as simple as possible from the beginning. If I get too caught up in all the details of buying special plates, utensils, supplements and what to eat, it just makes things a pain.

Aygad,
I have struggled with depression. My Dr. had me do a mental health evaluation before surgery. Best thing ever. I'm off a lot of medication and could not be happier. I've been drugged up for years. Now colors are brighter, I'm actually happy. You never know where this Journey will take you. I'm looking forward to the future now. Can't believe this is me. I'm so thankful.
Jenn

Are you asking if there will be trouble getting approved because you have depression? Or that you're feeling depressed over having surgery?
You'll see lots of people on the board who have depression and are either approved for or have had the surgery. I am treated for depression and haven't had any issues getting approved (except the psych took FOREVER to send over his clearance letter).

At about a year out I eat 3oz (sometimes 2) of meat and about a tbsp of veggies. And I'm very comfortable with that.

Here is what I can eat today for my main meals at almost 3 years out:
Pork loin (last night's dinner): 3 slices about 3/8 inch wide, 3 "normal" forkfulls of mashed potatoes, peas
Hamburger: half patty with lettuce, catsup, mustard and bottom half of bun, folded over, like a hamburger taco. A couple of potato chips or 2 or 3 fries.
Chicken: One leg and wing OR 1 thigh OR 1/3 breast. 2 broccoli heads
BBQ Ribs: 2 ribs with meat on both sides, 1/3 baked potato with butter/sour cream, 2 asparagus spears
Chili: 8 oz meat with Beans and veggies
Salad: A little larger than a Cereal bowl with romaine, spinach and about 1/3 can of tuna OR 2 oz of chicken OR 4 medium grilled shrimp
chicken fingers: 1 1/2 with about 5 baby carrots and a handful of chips
Hot dog on a bun: About 1/2 with catsup and mustard with kraut
Subway tuna sandwich on wheat: 3/4 of a 6" with lettuce, onions, banana peppers, honey mustard. Finish the rest of the sandwich an hour later.
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As far as no snacking ... well ... everyone is going to have to find what works for them. I have a banana in the morning, an apple or an orange in the afternoon. I'll grab a cookie around 8:00 at night. But I am at goal and this is a part of my maintenance plan.

I had my VSG surgery 6 months ago on 11/14/13. This has been an amazing process!
I have learned a lot in the past 6 months...
* One bite too many will cause unbelievable pain for hours - it's not worth it.
* A bagel is a gateway drug.
* There is life after losing A LOT of hair.< /p>
* I was more hung up about my weight than other people.
* I like to cross my legs now that I am able.
* I actually like to exercise.
* I don't mind flying on a plane now that I fit in the seat.
* I can eat around my sleeve, but I don't feel good physically or mentally afterwards.
* I have a sleeve of steel which is a double edged sword.
* There are days I will still feel like The Fat Girl.
* The mental part of this process is more than I expected and has taken and will take more effort than I expected.
Some negative thoughts that come to mind:
I have had moments of "What the hell did I do to myself" even as recently as a couple of weeks ago.
I sometimes feel like a fraud - only 5 people know I had the surgery (please don't judge, I have my reasons) - there are days I feel like I took the easy way out...I know this isn't true, but it's how I feel sometimes. I know there hasn't been anything easy about this, but that bias, that perception that some have still sticks with me. I feel like there are some people just waiting for me to gain the weight back.
I have some "friends" that haven't said anything about the 70 pounds I have lost. I have another "friend" that doesn't speak to me any more.
My weight loss has slowed way down the past 2 months - it's discouraging.
Some positive thoughts:
I feel awesome. I feel better today than I did 15 years ago.
I can shop at a "normal" store - no more Plus Size clothes for me.
My health is so much better than 6 months ago - blood pressure is down, not on the verge of diabetes, labs are great.
I can make it thru the day without a nap - I used to lose 1-2 hours a day napping because I couldn't get thru the day.
My relationship with my husband is better - this one is on me, he never made me feel bad about my weight (he never uttered a word)
I'm a better mom - I'm more active, more attentive, I have more patience.
I'm a better employee - I have more focus and I don't have such a short temper.
My life is better than it was last year.
Even though my loss is slowing down, I'm losing inches (3 pounds lost last month, but I lost 5 inches!)
This has been an amazing process and I am so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to have this surgery. For those newbies who are thinking about having surgery or are going to have their surgery soon - this is a life changer. I know you're scared - I was, too. This is an opportunity for a do-over. Would I do this over again? Absolutely - my only regret is I waited until my mid-40's to do it!

I normally would not tell you to do something different from your surgeon's recommendations, but from reading about others experiences, the Prilosec seems to be a pretty standard postop procedure. Even with 40mg I still took Maalox a few times in the very beginning (after my surgeon said it was OK). Acid is a bitch! and you will get through this!

So I hit 1 year post op last month. Here is my story.
Right before my 30th birthday I decided that enough was enough. I had been on the waiting list with my ex-husbands insurance for gastric bypass, then we divorced and I lost my spot anyway. I had lost aprox. 60 pounds on my own after the divorce through lifestyle changes, mainly cutting soda (a huge addiction to me at the time) and being more active, these small changes helped a lot because of the extreme sedentary life I lived during my stint as a house wife (with no kids). After losing the 60 pounds I got down to about 215 but jumped back up to 235 pretty quick. My ideal weight -I thought- was about 200 maybe 195 and I knew that I couldn't drop any more weight on my own, after all the 60 was tough, and I gained half of it back. I knew that I had to figure out how to get surgery. The reason I was on a waiting list to begin with is because I am young, with no health problems other than my weight and the insurance I had only approved 40+bmi with no comorbidities. I was always around 38 or 39 bmi. So I had it! I started looking and found surgery options in Mexico for around $4500-$6000. Mind you I was a 29 year old college student with a $12/hour job, newly divorced, living with my mother because I had nothing to my name. So November 2012 I decided I would save the money and do it!
I got my income tax for around $2000 and worked 50 hours a week at my regular job and got a part time graveyard $8/hour security job in a bad neighborhood in a shopping center (I guarded a parking lot in the dark!). It was all worth it! I finally found a Dr. (Juan Garcia) and a US company to book everything through (Ready4AChange) and booked my trip! The total cost of everything including my airfare was almost exactly $5000.
April 15th. I made it to Mexico. Flew into San Diego and the driver picked me up from the airport (even took me to walmart) then took me across the border to Tijuana and to the Marriott. It was a very nice hotel. I met 3 other people who were with the same company having surgery with me the next day (there were 5 or 6 of us total).We bonded ate dinner that night together and all rode together to the hospital in the morning. Even though there were a few of us, we all got wonderful treatment like we were the only patients. Only the 5 of us were in the wing our rooms were on and we all knew what rooms we were in incase we felt up to talking after surgery. We were in the hospital for 3 days and I don't really remember much except the last day. They keep you very nicely doped up so the pain is totally manageable and give you everything you need right away so you can just doze all day! Day 3 in the hospital we were all up and walking and I bugged the nurses enough that they let us take out IVs outside to the patio and get some sunshine
We went back to the hotel on Day 4, I think. Stayed in the hotel with room service bringing all the broth and popsicles we wanted. The Dr came the next day to the hotel and tended our dressings and answered any last questions we had before leaving. After 5 days we got driven back to the airport at the time we needed to get to our flights and went home.
It all happened with out a hitch, for the most part. The surgery was wonderful. I wasn't nervous or hesitant at all. The Drs and nurses were amazed I was alone, after all I was a 20-something woman all alone in another country about to have life changing surgery! My support group was intact at home, but I wanted to do it alone.
So now its been 1 year. I still throw up 2-3 times a week because I don't know when to stop eating, and I get chest pains almost every meal. I am glad that I have these bad side effects because I eat too much and need to learn!! If I am good then they don't happen, so they are my fault totally.
I have lost 87 pounds since surgery and a total of 130 pounds from my heaviest weight. I wear a size 5 pants now and work out a few times a week (could be more, but I am working on that). My eating habits are SO GOOD now compared to what they were and I love to cook now. I try to eat fish three times a week, tuna for lunch one day, salmon for dinner, and another fish for dinner. I also try to have one night of chicken for dinner every week. I try to eat out only 1-2 times per week.
I am getting scared because I think for the first time I have gained weight since surgery, I think I have gained a couple pounds while I was sick for the last couple months (hurt leg then broken tooth ouch!) and didn't work out. I can eat a lot more now that I think I should and I think after finals are over next week I will go on a liquid diet for a few days to try to shrink my tummy back down. I can eat more of certain things and then when I eat dense, Protein rich foods (like chicken and tuna) I get full really fast! Last night I ate a whole bagel with cream cheese, then about an hour (maybe 1.5 hours) later I ate ANOTHER ONE! I had micro vomits after and even threw up in my sleep (still trying to control the acid reflux).
So my only issues one year out is that I feel like my stomach is stretching, I have severe acid reflux (that can be controlled if I remembered to take a darn pill), and I very badly need a tummy tuck!
I would do this all over again in a heart beat. I feel so much more alive and vital and HAPPY since my surgery, and I was not depressed nor did I have low self esteem or problems having fun before, but this is like more than I can describe a million times better way to live than how I was before. I feel so bad for people who think they cant afford it, or are too scared to try the surgery. Living 100 lighter makes life easier! Everything is cheaper, clothes, groceries, eating out. Everything is easier, taking the stairs in a parking garage or at the library is done with out a thought (except that I don't want to wait for the slow elevator), I don't worry about things I sit or stand on will break, I want to go on roller coasters at parks. I want everyone who ever lived a day as "morbidly obese" to live one day in my shoes and realize that for $5000 (I have seen less these days too!) your life can be so different. I was in a size 24, now I am in a size 5. If I got a Tummy Tuck I could probably be in a 3, and I could wear a bikini (I have lots of skin on my lower abdomen that keeps me from wearing one now). The money might seem like a big hurdle, it took me almost 6 months to save and I got almost half in income tax. But it was worth the extra work, every day. Its worth it to do anything you can to save that money! BTW, it took me almost 9 months after the surgery to get out of debt that the surgery put me in....but again...TOTALLY WORTH ALL OF IT!!
I think that is my total story, sorry for the long winded-ness. I have never told it all on a forum and thought that maybe I should add to the information out there, after all I met one of my dearest and best friends on a bariatric surgery site, found out about my surgeon, and found all my confidence and information on a site like this one

I'm interested in this thread! This pre op with all this fake sugar! Crystal lite, sugar free jello:(- pudding! Yuck!!!

yesterday i wrote a longish reply to this and before i could send, the app crashed!
just going to say, i belong here and we should ask alex to let us have our own forum. i am a stranger in a strange land here and in my surgery date club.
will try to recreate my reply later!

S I got dressed in my size 14 skinny jeans this morning I thanked God. One year ago today I got my sleeve. I went from 310 lbs down to 175. Size 24-26 to a14-12. My big thrill has been being off all my type II meds since Jan. I had my come to Jesus monument and did not want to die over something I had some control over. I work overnight and I am a single mother of 3 boys one with sever autism. I can't die now! I am also a RN some I have no excuse to say "I don't know?" I feel so much better. Thank you guys here your support. Without you all I may not have been able to make it. For those who have not done it, do if you think this tool will help. It is a tool and you need to change your relationship with food. It's my friend now but not my love!

Hi Doug,
I am too big right now for yoga too, but as soon as I feel I can do it, I want to start again. I have done yoga for a couple of months at a time, a few different times in the past, before I got bigger. I think I just want to feel I am not squandering this opportunity. I want to make the most of it and I need a giant change in lifestyle. But, I also don't want to obsess about it.
So nice to find someone else with some interest in this area.

I don't see much about this topic in forums. I'm looking to connect with like minded people or discuss these interests with anyone else interested. I envision my new life with lots of clean eating, organic whole foods, meditation, rebounding, yoga, spending time in nature, oil pulling, juicing, dry brushing, etc. I've already dabbled in it over the years, but want to take it much more seriously (although not too seriously) - if that makes sense to someone, we are kindred souls and I'd love to connect. :-)

You can do this. You had the courage to get your sleeve in the beginning. Picking up where you are will require only what you have done before. We All need to find our inner peace and enjoy the moment, not getting bogged down with other's issues. Peace.

In talking with clients I am constantly reminded of the dietary myths that circulate to leave people confused about weight management. Here I bust some of my favourite weight management myths.


Myth 1: Don’t eat after 7pm (or 7:30pm or 8pm, etc)
Our body doesn’t switch off at night. Our metabolism continues ticking over as our heart pumps blood, our lungs breathe, our muscle tissue repairs, etc. This happens all day and all night. In fact, we burn calories when we are sleeping, just as we do when we are awake. Our metabolism does not shut down at 7pm, so there is no reason to stop eating at any one particular time.
It is important however not to leave all of our eating until the evening. We should fuel our body regularly throughout the day so that it can perform at its best. This is even more important following weight loss surgery, as you can no longer eat the size of meals you once did. Therefore, you can’t skip your meals during the day and expect to meet your nutritional needs at night. Regular meals throughout the day are also important to control your hunger. Being ravenous at the end of the day is another trigger for overeating late at night.
Some people find rules that they should not eat after a particular time at night appealing, as this is when they tend to overeat. Overeating at night can act as a ‘reward’ for getting through the day, or as a way to relax and wind down. It may be habit as we watch TV or a movie. This is when night eating is problematic, as it is not eating for hunger. Do you eat for reasons other than hunger at night? What else could you do to relax? Could you sort through those photo albums that are overflowing, have a bubble bath or phone a friend you haven’t spoken to for sometime. What about a jigsaw puzzle, a crossword, scrapbooking, sketching or even an evening walk? The options are endless.
Myth 2: There are good foods and bad foods
food is neither good or bad, it is what we do with it that counts. Of course, some foods are high in energy (calories/kilojoules) and have little nutrition, so these should be eaten in small amounts. However, food itself is morally neutral. We assign it the ‘good’ or ‘bad’ label, or define it as ‘allowed’ or ‘not allowed’. By labeling food in this way, we are then ‘good’ or ‘bad’ if we eat it.
A better view of food is one where all food is morally neutral. You have permission to eat any foods you choose, you can choose eat those that are more nourishing, most of the time. I often say to clients that there are 21 meals in a week, if one or two are not perfect nutritionally, it is not a problem. If the balance is reversed however and only one or two are nutritious, then this is not going to help you achieve good health.
Some foods that provide little nutrition may provide much enjoyment, so may play a very valuable role in your diet in other ways. You can and should include foods that give you pleasure, it is managing the amounts of these foods that are important in achieving good health.
Myth 3: Carbs are fattening
Nothing is fattening in isolation. Anything can be fattening if you eat too much of it. Food is made up of combinations of carbohydrate, Protein, fat, Vitamins, minerals, fibre and Water. Carbohydrate, protein and fat provide energy, the other nutrients do not.
If we look at the nutrients that provide us with energy in their most simple form:
• Carbohydrate contains 4 calories per gram
• Protein contains 4 calories per gram
• Fat contains 9 calories per gram.
Whilst not a food, alcohol contains 7 calories per gram
As you can see, carbohydrate itself is quite low in calories. So why does carbohydrate have such a bad reputation?
The problem with carbohydrate containing foods is the way we have come to serve and eat them. We heap rice, Pasta and noodles on our plates, leaving very little room for protein foods but more importantly, vegetables and salads.
Low glycemic index, carbohydrate-containing foods can be quite nutritious and when eaten regularly, in appropriate amounts, help us manage our hunger through the day. We just need to look at how we serve them. For example, rather than serving spaghetti bolognaise as a plate or bowl of pasta topped with a little meat sauce, serve equal amounts of meat sauce and pasta on half the plate with a side salad on the other.
Myth 4: You can do some extra exercise to compensate for eating ‘bad food’
The problem with this myth is that is feeds into the ‘good food’ and ‘bad food’ myth. If exercise is something we do when we eat ‘bad food’, exercise is seen as a punishment. Exercise can help you feel good, help you sleep better, give you more energy and help you become healthier. It should be enjoyed for these benefits.
Myth 5: You need to eat every 3 hours to keep your metabolism up
Every body is programmed differently and will have a slightly different metabolic rate. Some bodies will need to be fed more frequently than others. If we set a basic meal pattern, our body will let us know how much we need to eat.
If we provide our body with appropriate fuel three times a day, it will then let us know if we need to eat more often, we just need to tune into the signals. If we start the day with Breakfast, our body is given the signal we are starting the day and can help regulate how much we need to eat through the day.
You may have heard a ‘rule’ after weight loss surgery to eat only three (or less) meals per day. I strongly believe that there is no one rule that fits every person. The only way you can tell if you need to eat between meals is to tune in to your hunger and satiety signals. If you are genuinely, physically hungry between meals it may be fine to have a small snack. If you are eating as you feel bored/tired/frustrated/lonely or simply watching the clock, then you need to work on another solution.
Myth busting your way to success
Whilst the internet has brought a whole world of information to our fingertips and can help share dietary fact, it has also perpetuated lots of dietary fiction. Think about some of the food facts you have come to believe over time. Write them all down and take them along to the dietitian in your weight loss surgery team. They will help you sort the fact from fallacy.

I only found out my husband didn't want me to have surgery until after it was all done. When I asked him didn't speak up before , he replied that he did not want to be reason I did or did not do something for myself. He felt his priority was to support my decisions, whether he agreed or not. He's a keeper.
Your life will change. In a way , so will his. Change is good. Check your reasons why want this. Doubts are normal at this stage of your journey.it helps to verbalize to your family why you are having WLS , but first make sure you believe it.

I'm male, currently 60 years young. I had a VSG on 9/10/13. I gone from 430 pounds in May of 2013 to 269 as of today. Down 91 pounds since my Sleeve operation. My journey has been a long road to get here. I started in 1976 when I had to lose 40 pounds to get to 250 for an entrance weight for enlistment in the US NAVY. I tried to diet on my own while serving and yo-yo style was what happened. My health suffered. After I got out and was preparing to get married I wanted to lose weight again and used a DRs supervised exchange diet. Then after it worked I was back up even more. Next was NutriSystem. Lost 100 pounds then gained 130. Then it was the Nutrition Clinic, local hospital based program. While there I used the Protein Sparing diet that put me into ketosis. Lost 150 pounds then within two weeks started to load it on again. They put me into a group therapy program that was worthless. Some years later I decided with help from my family to try Weight Watchers. Again, losing was working. My high point was 482.6 pounds. The WW scales couldn't weigh me, I had to go to my docs and use his scales then tell the leader. I lost 192 pounds that time and thought I could hold it. I received program material from Duke University interested in my story as I had lost over 100 pounds for more than a year. I was so ashamed when the weight started to come back. I never filled out the paperwork. It used to infuriate me that I am smart enough to understand why I got fat and why couldn't I keep it off? That was about 2004. In 2011 my doctor suggested I look into WLS as it most likely would prolong my life. At the time I weighed 460 pounds and had trouble doing normal life functions. Everything. So I looked into what was available and decided on a surgeon about 40 miles away and visited the Cayuga Medical Center In Ithaca to go to an introductory program. I signed up that night. Started my rounds of doctor visits, Center for Healthy Living visits for classes and nutritionists and NP visits. Then it was off to the Psychologist. The surgeon had me get my heart checked out with a Cardiologist. That probably was one of the best things about this journey. Long story short they found an abdominal aortic aneurism that was 12.5 cm. I ended up getting a AAA repair at Rochester General 12/23/11. The surgeon there said it was the largest one they had ever seen in a "live" patient. Fast forward a bit over a year and I started my journey over and had a successful VSG. I now eat a plan of very low carbs and concentrate on protein and fluids. Thank you for reading. My goal weight is 240. My surgeon considers me a success now.

I wanted to improvemy quality of life..period..I wasn't sick.or diabetic or any pressure issues..but I was miserable..I couldn't and wasnt enjoying any of the things a young mother should enjoy..I started a new career and almost turned down a promotion because I didn't want to fly and be embarrassed in any ay about my size on the plane..I wanted to drivemy husband wild instead of feeling lie we just have sex because we love eachother....I want to go on a cruise and go rock climbing and repelling and ride carnival rides.....I could go on and on...ool

My buddy came over the other day and the first thing he said is "Hmmmm, you look the same. After taking eight months of prep and all the hospital stuff, I figured you'd look all sickly and in agony" Ya know, that's my feelings too. I think it's all a scam. the so-called "hole-scars" are burn marks. The shakes are meds to make us feel full and gassy. Our spouses are in on it too. They put drops of that stuff to make you puke in all the food over 3 bites. They cater to you so you'll feel needy & whinny. It's just a sham. There was no surgery. Yea......that's the ticket.....you can't fool me.
Then again......maybe not.