serenity1959

The conventional wisdom is that good relationships get better after WLS, and bad ones get worse. Your DH is not being supportive at all. I am so sorry. You deserve better.

I am so sorry! Prayers sent your way.

I have really been going back and forth as whether to post here or not. I guess I am sort of a "forum person" in my hobbies and areas of interest, but I have to be honest, I have avoided posting on this site or even looking at it for a couple of reasons. I found this site only a few days before my surgery but when I found it I found more negativity and frightened people then I found inspiration. Actually, I have gone here and gotten the (bleep) scared out of me by a few posters, every time I see their posts I get knots in my stomach. The main poster that does that to me has a screen name that starts with the letter "i". Everybody is terrified of leaks and all the negatives of this surgery and I just haven't been able to relate to many of the topics. Below I will share some of the basics of my journey so far.
First off, I am a 35 year old male who is 6 feet 3 inches tall. I wasn't fat my whole life, I actually weighed 218 when I was 19 years old. That was pretty close to a "perfect" weight for me. I got into a business where the guys I worked with partied, ate, and drank to excess. Over the years I ballooned to 445 lbs which is where I have been for the past 2-3 years. In 2010 I was considering the lap band but chickened out. I was back on in 2011 but chickened out again. In 2012 I HAD to make a decision because I was put on Metformin for borderline diabetes and Lisinopril for borderline blood pressure as well. That was it. I started again with the nutritionist appointments and made an appt. to see my surgeon who is located downtown Chicago a few miles from my house. My first appt. with him was in early October 2012 and he suggested a VSG instead of the lap band because of the large amount of weight I wanted to lose. I left thinking about it and did the rest of my pre op requirements such as upper GI, psyche, EKG, etc. I saw my surgeon again on November 14th, 2012 and we decided on the VSG (which I really didn't know a lot about). We set surgery for December 21st, 2012.
Because I am a big fella, my surgeon put me on a 28 day pre op liquid only diet (to shrink my liver and loosen my skin) which I started on November 23rd, 2012 (the day after Thanksgiving). The first few days were tough but I have very strong will power and stuck to it, following the requirements to the letter. I didn't cheat even once. Again, not even once. After about 12 days it was smooth sailing and I just plugged away and kept up the exercise plan that I had been doing for over a year which was just walking 1.5 miles, three times per week at my local YMCA. I didn't weigh myself even once the entire plan and weighed myself the morning of surgery. To my astonishment I lost a staggering 49 lbs!!!!I I couldn't even believe it, to be honest with you I began to sob like a little girl! I went from 445 to 396. I was just so shocked. My surgeon told me that I broke his practice record which was previously 45 lbs for a pre op diet. Again, I LOST 49 LBS IN 28 DAYS!!!
On the morning of December 21st, 2012 I was ready for surgery at a major hospital downtown Chicago. I arrived, valet parked, checked in, and was laying on the table prepped for surgery within 1 hour just waiting for the anesthesiologist. I was in surgery about an hour and a half later and the surgery took 2 1/2 hours. I am going to cut the details of my hospital stay down so readers aren't sitting here all day reading. Any questions just ask me. I wanted to leave the hospital the next evening but my surgeon said that he wouldn't allow me to break two records and that I should stay another night. Quick recap, I was checked into my room after surgery at 6pm Friday night and was discharged from the hospital at 11am Sunday morning, less then 48 hours after entering my room.
Upon arriving home I checked my weight, expecting to have lost a few lbs, and actually gained back 2 lbs due to all the fluids that were pumped into me. I was back up to 398. My recovery went ok I think, I was in a lot of pain along my largest incision which is about 3+ inches wide. I was on Tramadol which sucks. It took me 9 days to finish the 25 pills that I was prescribed since I was skipping doses. I was home on Sunday morning and by Wednesday morning I was off to the YMCA where I walked only one lap around the track. I limped around and talked to my friends there before going home. I was back at the YMCA on Friday and actually walked 5 laps (a half mile). I finally weighed myself on Friday, one week after surgery, and I was down from 398 to 391. I weighed myself again on Sunday afternoon and I lost another 4 lbs from Friday to Sunday, 9 lbs in 9 days, ending up at 387 lbs, 58 lbs down in 38 days.
So that's basically that. It's been over 10 days now since surgery and I am feeling like a million bucks. Here are the "scary" parts. I am using the term scary because after reading this site I would have thought I was going to die from this surgery. I HAVE NOT been nauseous even for one second since surgery. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOT thrown up, or even gagged for that matter, not even once. I AM ABLE to drink 60ozs of Fluid per day. I just started puree on Saturday, 8 days out, and it's been perfect. I had 4 ozs of low fat cottage cheese (which I LOVE) today as well as only one Protein Shake, a bowl of Tomato Soup, and plenty of Water. I AM NOT hungry, EVER. I just eat to live, that's it. Today I feel the best that I have felt since surgery. Every day gets better. My goal is to lose 220 lbs, 100 in three months from the start of my pre op diet on November 23rd. I WILL do it.
I know I left out a bunch so fire away (or ask any questions that you want).

Well, I was sleeved this morning at 8am. I woke up in some pain and it took a while to fully wake up. Over all it's been way better than I expected. So far the hardest thing has been the internal gas left from the laparoscopy, gas-x doesn't help, and the cotton mouth. My incisions don't hurt. I've been able to walk 10 laps of the floor in 2-4 lap increments.
I'm so excited about the future! Can't wait for Clear liquids tomorrow. Beautiful clear Water sounds wonderful.
I'm thankful that it's gone well.

The doctors have more experience with our altered stomachs than we do. Do you really want to risk popping a staple and having a leak? IMO, you should follow the guidelines your doctor gave you.

I am pre-op, but my DH isn't thrilled about this whole thing. He keeps reminding me, "you like to eat" and says I have not tried hard enough to lose the weight. From everything I have read, yes, there will be changes. We will not be able to eat all the same foods we used to. We may not enjoy the same restaurants, either. Our bodies will be changing and we will be self-absorbed about getting in enough liquid, Protein, exercise, etc. I have heard it makes good marriages stronger and poor marriages disolve, for the most part.

Hi, are you a fellow southerner? I live close to Columbia, SC. My date is August 5th. It is completely normal to be nervous!

I was obsessed until I was sleeved in February. I researched everything about the sleeve. I scoured the web looking at the various ways different surgeons performed the surgery, and watched videos of the procedure. My wife was just as obsessed and would stay up late looking at recipes, Protein products, Vitamins etc.it all worked because I am now 60lbs lighter and shrinking. Good luck to you.
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I've definitely been obsessed--but knowledge is power, right? I guess I'm obsessing because I want to know as much as I can about the things I can control (like how the diets work post-op, and Vitamin needs, things to have on hand when I get home, etc.), because I know there may be lots of things I can't control (surgery complications, healing time).
This forum has been a huge source of inspiration and information--I don't know what I'd do without it!

I am OCD when it comes to researching and you tubing the gastric sleeve and all the pre- op doctors appt. I truly believe that with such a big decision ahead it's totally normal and is to be expected. I actually watch and read the post and videos with my mom( my number 1 supporter!)

I think that accurately describes how I've been acting too! I probably talk about it too much and think about it even more. But it's the first time I have ever felt like I was truly empowering myself to change my life and my health - like taking control of my weight rather than letting it control me - which is how I have always felt!

Glad I'm not the only one!!! Maybe in our case OCD is "normal." lol

I'm obsessed too. Can't stop watching you tube videos, googling different things pertaining to surgery, and in the process of ordering some cookbooks
For WLS patients.

Oh, yeah, I am totally, completely obsessed. I read WLS forums EVERY SINGLE DAY. I have bought and read numerous books. I have researched the **ll out of it. Have a date of August 5th and have already started trying samples of Protein Shakes to weed out any yucky ones. (I figure if they are sickly sweet and have a strong aftertaste NOW, they won't be better afterwards.) Have purchased several Tervis tumblers for Protein shakes, a magic bullet, presently looking for a food scale. Already scouting around resale shops to determine the good ones since I don't want to spend too much on clothes I will shrink out of. DH tells me I am obsessed and shakes his head, but I already knew it.

Also, you are going to need to monitor your reaction to foods. Some folks discover that they cannot eat certain carbs because if they do, it triggers their carb addiction and makes them hungry all day long.

This is something you really will need to decide for yourself. Is his illness life-threatening? You will really need to be able to focus on yourself and your recovery after surgery.

You can always add sliced oranges, lemon, grapefruit and mint to your Water. It will flavour it and you have a handy snack too

I like Vitamin Water Zero, it has several flavors that are more mild than the Crystal Light.
Good luck!

You should definitely talk to your surgeon about it. There's a tendency among people who have been successful with weight loss surgery to think their way is the only way but the truth is we all have our own struggles and this is a huge decision you should make with your surgeon taking all of YOUR individual habits and problems into consideration. Best of luck!

I'm on the other side of my S date!!!
Arrived yesterday730 am for 930 am surgery.
All went well. Small hernia repair, out of recovery & got to my room around noon'ish.
Was super tired til 4 or 5pm. Walked around the floor 3 times.1st time not far.Dr stopped in to check on me & said all went well. Was still kind of out of it so it was a quick visit. Held off on pain button til 8pm. Back/shoulder discomfort kicked in. Not sure if it's all the gas they pumped into me or the bed at a 44 degree angle.
Dr came by this am to check on me.
Starting my Roadside Lemonade now. So if all goes well today with my sipping and walking I may be sleeping in my own bed tonight. All in all so far so good! I've heard from a couple of sleevers from yesterday who seem to be doing well. Have a great day everyone!!

Me at Almater Hospital.

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/74149-dr-aceves-mexicali-and-me/
This is my experience.

I used Dr. Aceves. My experience was amazing. First night in hotel, preop. 3 nights in hospital. My mom was with me. My room was private. She had to feed herself but stay with me no extra charge. If she opted for hotel over hospital it world have been on her dime.
Dr. Aceves is 8750 out the door for a straight up sleeve. I posted a detailed account on the forum too.

My mom was sleeved in mexico a year ago she looks amazing still. My best friend was sleeved in mexico over 2 years ago and has keep it off and looks amazing as well.