IrishEyes

Good luck to all my fellow 9/17 sleeve buddies. I'm at the hospital now waiting to be called.

Irish, I'm 7 Weeks out surgery 7/30/12 and started eating salad about 2 Weeks ago my Dr, said it was fine so I've had salad everyday since. However others say different

I like that only nice people need apply:-) . We need a retreat where we could all meet. Maybe a central location that would be fun
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Aviiva we should start a thread that says 'only nice people allowed. Kindness only!'.
I wont post now where some of those people post. I'm here for friendships.

I found this thread interesting and kept thinking that the VST forums is a great way for single people to meet up with each other. There are literally 1000s of men and women who are now feeling more confident, looking hot and waiting to meet each other on this forum ( not talking about the happily married ones of course). Or maybe there needs to be a WLS Dating site.

she needs to be supportive and not be stressing you out... i'm being very selective in who i'm telling and one of my very close friends is actually doing this with me. you just gotta relax and deal with the issues when they come up.. as my granny would say, "stop borrowing trouble." lol

Honestly, after 2 months post op I still really enjoy having the nectar and matrix brand of shakes. I do not care too much for the fruit flavors (one of those post op taste changes), but the "sweet" flavors, such as vanilla bean, chocolate and Oreo, are very good. Usually I have a shake made with soy and green powder mix for Breakfast ( not as bad as it sounds; you get used to it), a shake mixed with Water for 3 pm and a shake mixed with water at bed. My total Protein intake ends up being around 125 gram a day if I do not miss any of the 6 meals(approximately every 3 hours). Sometimes it is more around 100 grams because I miss a snack or am unable to eat something with about 25 gram protein for a main meal. I do not eat much else besides the Proteins, sometimes some veggies if I have room. The protein at night is important because it keeps the metabolism going into the night. I usually have extended release protein because it will give me up to 5 hours of food for metabolism. Always eat a good source of protein for breakfast, right when you get up. All this protein really helps drop the lbs with a relatively easy exercise program ( walking up to an hour a day) I was planning on starting weight training this last week, but had a nasty cold ( today I think is the last of it). Another bonus from the high protein, low carb and low fat diet is the body is really shaping up ( in 38 size pants that are getting lose where pre op I was struggling in a 46 size). No hanging skin anywhere too. I am down almost 90 lb in 10 weeks - about 70 lb to go. Sometimes i will lose 3-4 lb a day, but average is about 1 lb a day. And there have been stalls: 3 so far. The best thing to do with a stall is just to keep on program and wait it out. There is no need to give a stall any headspace because it will end no matter what. You may break it with something extreme, but usually this will not be the case. Your body will be more cooperative with you if you keep stress low and sleep enough. Sorry if i am rambling on. Good luck.

Cas714 Never had PreOp diet- some doctors don't require it
one reason you are put on a pre-op diet is to help shrink the liver, this helps the surgeon/you during the WLS
some dr.'s want you to loose 5% or 10% of your weight pre WLS
this pre-op stage, getting ready to change your eating habits,drinking, eating less, etc etc. - these are habits that will become your new way of life - in other words, you are easing into the new Sleeve world
that being said................you didn't follow the pre-op - but thats over with, whats done is done - the present is all you need to worry about
today, tomorrow and the future---for the rest of your life - you must be diligent with your new way of life in respect to your food habits, how you deal with food
follow the rules of the sleeve - otherwise you get 1,000 whips with a wet noodle!!
resqme4 - girlfriend the above goes for you too
both ladies have a wonderful nap tomorrow through WLS - and a great recovery
shortly you'll be on that long, forever journey through Sleeveland
good luck

Hi I'm 39 and was sleeves on 7/30/12. I'm down 28 lbs so far. I'll be honest, my main reason for doing the surgery was because of still being single and wanting to marry and have children. I'll admit in these first 5 weeks I have noticed a little more noticings from men. Everyone has always told me it wasn't my weight but I thought and felt differently! We will see.....
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I had my EGD this morning. The final step before being sleeved next Thursday.
All went extremely well this morning. No problems at all. Cleared for surgery.
Not sure what juice they used on me today, but it was pretty potent. I came home and slept it off for 5 hours. Still feeling sluggish, but doing very well.
Six days to go. The liquid diet has allowed me to drop a total of 15 pounds. Another 15 would be wonderful, but I'd be ok with another 10.
Let's get this party started!

Don't over analyze either..... Your Doctor will know best

The best advice I would give anyone would be..... DON'T PRESS THE PAIN PUMP if you came bare it.... The meds make you sick and not able to drink the required amount of liquid to go home. I didn't need the pain meds at home.

I FEEL amazing!!!!!!!! I definitely do not feel like I had a major surgery just a week ago!!! The cravings are GONE! I haven't even considered a carbonated drink. I have been baking and cooking for my family and I don't want any of it. It's a very strange feeling!!!

Oh I can't wait to get back on the dating scene again !!!! My surgery is coming up soon and being 23 and obese has dropped my confidence level really low. I know after I get down to my goal weight I'm going to let out my inner tigress!!!!

I had a plan to start online dating as soon as I hit 150. I made a profile about 2 weeks ago, have been messaging guys on the site. The weight loss also gave me the confidence to respond to a personal ad on a local message board. We've been emailing and texting. I have a date to meet him for coffee on Monday.

Single...42..sleeved... And down roughly 80 lbs. Since 6/29/12.. I met a guy I've been dating for about 6 weeks now... He knows about my surgery... Picks on me when i burp after eating... Shares his dinner with me... And the biggest concern he has.. Am i going to stop seeing him after I've lost more weight... Its odd to be on this end of that feeling i think??? it seems like each jean size i lose.. The more confident i am...

I am so sorry for all the members who have had complications. When you read those stories it is scary. This surgery can be life saving, life changing and there is a chance of life taking. I am just being honest. We all know there is a chance, mostly very small and you do best by researching and educating yourself. This forum was very important to me when I was researching, as there are so many individuals and experiences.
I was at a point in my life where I not only needed to get the weight off, I needed a tool to help me keep it off. I was right on the line for diabetes, had knee issues, high blood pressure, breathing issues and was DONE. I turned 46 the day I was released from my surgery, I have a lot of living left to do and wanted to have quality of life.
I searched, read and reached out to a couple folks here on this very site for information which was real life. I spoke with my doctor and for me as I was not a smoker, did not drink much (wine 2-3 times a year) and was willing to forgo carbonation for the rest of my life, I knew surgery was for me and the time was then. My surgery did cause a complication, I ended up with an abscess along to drain line and had another surgery to remove the abscessed tissue before the infection spread. They removed a large chuck of my stomach and I had cell treatment to grow layers of skin for months so I would not have a hole in my tummy area...it worked great. Now, over the past almost 10 months, I have learned new things about myself. I CAN exercise, I CAN leave a plate of food empty, I CAN wear size 12 pants, and I CAN like what and who I see in the mirror. I WILL be healthy, I WILL be around for my grandchildren and to retire with my wonderful husband.
I am over 100 lbs down overall, still have 30 to get to my goal. I have really slowed down in my loss but, I am living a very normal and healthy life.
Sorry for the length of my post. I am just grateful to my husband for his complete support and dedication to my success (I do feel support is a key component when you are thinking of this surgery), to Alex and his team for putting this site together and to all the members who share their experiences with all of us.
Best to you in your personal journey.
YES I would do it all over again

May God hold you in the palm of His hand and guide you through this whole process. Sending many prayers for a successful surgery and uneventful, speedy recovery to all being sleeved today... ((hugs)) too!!

I was September 6th and feel AMAZING!

Hi Joisey! I feel the EXACT same way. Just really started yesterday. I will be sleeved on 9/21. I actually have my pre-op appointment this Wed 9/5, because my surgeon will be out of town closer to my surgery.
I am a phase I diet which is fine and don't begin full liquids until 9/14. So have not had to deal with the emotions that come along with being hungry, yet, which is good. But find that I have been so busy with appointments and getting clearances and not that it's all completed, the anxiety is setting in. With pre-op in two days, I know this is the trigger for my anxiety.
I also feel the same about why I am going through all of this. I want to feel good in my body again, in my skin. I have so many constant pains it would bea waste of typing to mention. Primarily its my back and joints. It's about health for me too. And practical things, like seats on a plane, etc. I am too young to feel like I am 90 yrs old. I am only 42.
I am surprised at my level of anxiety in a way because it's not like this process is happening over night. I began the process in April 2010 with my first seminar. It was 2 wks after I turned 40 and had decided that it was time to take control of my health. Made all sorts of appointments to check everything out. Physical, pap, bloodwork, etc. That's when I got the nerve to ck out the seminar. I was thinking of LapBand at the time and was excited to get the ball rolling. I received a call from the gyno and they needed to do ultrasound of my ovaries, which happened fairly often for me due to cysts. After the ultrasound the nurse said to get dressed and then I would be speaking with the dr. Seemed odd but not a real red flag. Walking to his office, did feel like a red flag. As I sat down and saw the way he was looking at me, was a red flag. He tells me I have a tumor the size of a large grapefruit on an ovary. Tells me he is sending me for bloodwork right away and referring me to an oncologist. Driving to do the bloodwork I was thinking, oncologist means cancer, right?? Of course I knew this but my head was trying to process it all. May 18th I meet with the oncologist and May 21st had open abdominal surgery. During those 4 days in between I read up on ovarian cancer and prepared for the end of my life. The size of the tumor means it had most likely spread, all over, and the 5 yr survival rate was not good. At the time it was 80% don't make it to 5 yrs. I woke up from the surgery and first thing I asked is "where did it spread to?" I kept getting same answer from nurses then family. Nowhere. It did not spread. I still to this day feel like a walking miracle. Apparently the cancerous part was surrounded by a non cancerous tumor, it it was encased. My surgeon hadnt ever seen that, and he is (I later found out) a world renound surgeon. I never found the right time, right man to have children with. And the dr said I needed a complete hysterectomy. He gave me 5 yrs to get pregnant. I tried to preserve my eggs but no fertility clinic would freeze eggs when a patient had ovarian cancer. Potential of freezing cancer with it. Well, dr said in Nov I had to have the surgery as soon as possible because my risks of cancer coming back were too high. He based it on bloodwork and, my weight. March 2011 had my hysterectomy. Very hard emotional time. Actually hardest in my life.
That surgery was robotic, Da Vinci. SUCH a piece of cake recovery!! I recommend to anyone who has the choice to choose robotic surgery, take it and run with it!! Recovery was amazing. I was apprehensive going in because of the unknown and the surgeon not operating in the operating room but working from a seated position, in another room via robot. I just can't say enough about that experience.
July 2011 went to another seminar for WLS and here I am 22 days from surgery. And I am anxious. I have to remind myself that I have been given another chance at life and want to make the most of it because tomorrow isn't guaranteed, for anyone. All of us going through this are doing so much more than just losing weight. It is literally transforming our futures. Our quality of this God given, precious life. And when our quality of life is better, our loved ones have a better quality of life too. We need to think of the memories yet to be made. Memories we will not be able to create in the current state of our bodies.
Joisey, let's think about the exciting future ahead of us when we get anxious. We know that it's a tough road ahead but haven't we been living a tough road, everyday, anyway?? Yes, we are facing surgery soon and we feel like this is the beginning of something difficult but actually it's the end of a difficult time. It's the end of the hard parts of physical life and the beginning of a wonderful transformation that will make our lives physically easier.
Godspeed my new friend. You and all going through this process will be in my prayers.

September 20th with Dr. Moazzez in Fairfax, VA. Pre-op testing is tomorrow. It's getting closer! Yay!!

I'm 33 not married, no kids also. I totally understand what you mean about depressing and embarrassing. I'm not back on the dating scene yet, but here's to believing! We have to remember that we are worthy of love.

I met the love of my life post sleeve (2-3 months post-op, 50 pounds down) Definately made a big difference in my confidence. I could be myself. I think you will find dating is much easier post sleeve-- confidence makes a big difference!

I am thrilled! Went to the Dr today and I've lost 17 lbs since my surgery 6 days ago! He said I was "way past" my goal and am out of the morbidly obese category already! I am STOKED! I've moved to creamy liquids which he included oatmeal so the minute I left I got the first bowl of oatmeal I could find! I am much happier off of Clear Liquids and I actually have a little something in my tummy-- hoping it brings lots of energy with it lol