Sadlers1999

I don't think the bleeding is "typical," so I definitely think your instinct to keep having it looked at is right. As for your statement, "CAlled three times on Friday and they have all new people..." What kind of surgical center is it? Is it doctor-owned or part of a hospital? I have had similar problems because the Centura system fired the main doctor at it's Bariatric Center (due to his SALARY) and then all his old staff left to pursue other jobs (because they were pissed)...So now I feel like going to the Bariatric Center is a joke, but at the same time, I am not having anything like bleeding. Please keep us posted on what is up. I mean, if the outside incisions are bleeding, that may not be something too alarming, but what about the incisions underneath?

So, we are all almost done with week 3 (since week 4 is on Monday). Unlike many of you, I have been allowed to eat soft and pureed food for a while. A lot of people talk about not getting enough protein and/or water, but my problem is getting the 5 mini-meals/snacks. Fortunately, I can get my protein requirement by drinking an isopure every day, but I don't think that is what my NUT is going to want. I just find it almost impossible to eat on time while parenting my kids. On Tuesday, I was doing the stuff I need to do to get the first two out the door. (They walk to school.) Then I made a scrambled egg and took it with me in the car because I had to get my daughter to preschool. I didn't really eat the whole egg until after I delivered her. By that time, another 45 minutes had elapsed and the egg was cold. I ate it anyway. Today, we had a birthday party. Because we were hosting the birthday party, I didn't have time to drink water. By the time I drank water and waited to eat lunch, lunch was close to 2PM. By 2PM, I am supposed to have a protein "snack." I just can't follow the plan given to me pre-surgery, because I am always taking care of other people. I think this situation may apply to people who return to work, too...depending on their jobs. Obviously, some work is flexible and if you need to eat/drink, you will have time. But, I can imagine that other jobs (e.g. nurses, retail workers, etc.) may present the same problem that I am having as a SAHM.

Depending on how much time you get for lunch, you should use at least half of it to walk around the building...inside or outside if possible. I just gave my husband a pedometer and just walking 15 minutes improves his "steps per day" immensely.

@Jcoufs, COnative, Heyher, Willbethinthisyear - Sorry for all the drama that I brought to this thread, but this is the first time I found someone who had their sleeve done at the same place as me. Since a support group was brought up at Parker Adventist, do any of you belong to support groups other than online forums like this one?

Please keep us posted. We want to support you whatever the outcome.

I heard about VSG over 2 years ago and finally took the steps towards having surgery by attending a seminar in May 2012. (I hope Iggychic reads this because this is another story of a "Bariatric Center of Excellence") There was only one doctor at this hospital's "BCE" and he conducted the seminar. I made an appointment and had a three-hour appointment in July: 1 hour with doc, 1 hour with NUT and 1 hour with social worker/mental health person. At the time, my insurance was Cigna. Cigna reduced the wait time to three months instead of six. Yeah! Finished my 3 nutrition classes in November and scheduled surgery for December 17th, so my sister could be out with me to help around house with kids. ONE WEEK after my surgery was scheduled, I get a phone call from the "BCE" telling me that the doctor I was seeing has left the practice to start up his own practice. (He also lost priviledges to operate at that hospital location.) Since it was late November, I KNEW that my insurance would be changing for the worse in January and the only way I could keep my surgery date was to stay with the "BCE" and not stay with my doctor. It was very unsettling, but like most people who have this kind of surgery, I had hit a wall re: weight loss and at my age, I really felt like if I didn't do something soon, I was not going to have the quality of life to enjoy my kids (who are still young). So, I met briefly with the new surgeon at the BCE. I found out he had joined the practice over the summer, so I assumed that this meant he had nothing to do with the other surgeon's leaving in November. I had surgery on 12/17. My healing has been great. Haven't lost a ton of weight, but I haven't had some of the bigger problems people contend with post-surgery. Saw my surgeon on 1/2 and scheduled an appointment with the NUT for end of January (6 weeks out).... Today I was at my local costco when I ran into my original surgeon....shopping for bulk egg whites and Greek yogurt...They're in the same refrigerator section....I greeted him. Of course, he didn't remember me from July, but that was okay. I asked him about his departure and he told me he WAS LET GO DUE TO HIS SALARY. The "BCE" is a practice that is really run by the hospital and the hospital wanted to save money, so they hired the second doctor at the end of the summer because he was so much cheaper (having less experience than the first doctor). Now, I should say that based on the care I got from the second surgeon, I don't think he did anything badly because he was less experienced. In fact, in some ways, he was probably MORE cautious about certain things...But what really upset me was that the original doctor told me that pretty much the ENTIRE STAFF of the "BCE" was leaving the "BCE" and coming to join his practice. So, my appointment with the NUT? She has already left the "BCE" but the "BCE" hasn't called me to let me know. Maybe they don't think they need to because the NUT is not a doctor and as long as they have another NUT in place, it's all good to them. However, from my perspective, I felt like my relationship was more certain with the support staff in place. Now that I know it is gone, I feel really like the health care system has let me down. In the future, I could potentially switch over to the original doctor and his staff, but currently they do not take my new, lousier insurance with United Healthcare. So, let this be a warning, just because a center/practice has the words "Bariatric Center of Excellence" does NOT mean anything!!! Excellence my A$$!

I will pray for you, but hopefully the mass is isolated and in a part of the stomach that is going to be removed.

I guess what I was thinking is that if you didn't want to pursue this surgery, your stomach may have continued to have all those problems. So, indirectly, the WLS surgery has helped you to be proactive about the general health of your stomach. I also agree with you that it is surprising that you didn't have reflux given the situation.

Where'd you have your surgery done? And, what kind of pre-op/post-op diets did you follow? Any advice?

I literally got my fitbit 5 minutes ago. Husband ordered it weeks ago but it was on back order! If I figure it out, I will try to friend both of you fitbitters. In the meantime, I have a more regular pedometer keeping track of my steps.

Well, since I have been averaging 8,000-9,000 steps, 10,000 was an accomplishment. I work out on an elliptical machine or treadmill for an hour averaging 3.5 miles per hour and that does NOT get me to 10,000 steps. So, I will have to get faster (more efficient) if 10,000 or 12,000 are the numbers to get to.