docbree

I am schedule November 15th with Dr. Elias Ortiz in Tijuana Mexico. I can't wait

I don't have a date but it should be in Nov. also , I go to my surgeon on July 15. Good Luck.

Nov 12 is the new date for me and I'm soooo excited! Dr almonza

Hi everyone
It is starting to look like I will be scheduled for Nov 2014!!!
So far this July I will have met my 5/6 required PCP appt's required by my insurance.
Good luck to everyone.

Yes! I am! I cannot wait! I'm getting sleeved at the end of November! I'm so excited! Today I got my medical clearance and have only 5 more meetings to go with my surgeon! Someone shoot me a Facebook message. Facebook.com/wilsonstephanie. ... This is a private decision for me, none of my friends know, but I would love to find an online WL pal that I can talk with! (Just remember it's private for me so don't post anything online; please!)

Awesome! November is shaping up (haha! - that's what we will be doing after November - shaping up lol) to be a great month. We will all have so much more to be thankful for
Good luck to everyone!

I'm scheduled for 11/5!!! I'm super excited to start my new life and see what the year brings me.... good luck to everyone...

I am not sure exactly when my surgery will be scheduled , it has to be around Nov. I too am in the middle of my weight loss ( dr. supervised) for my insurance . I think 6 months is too long, it gives you too much time to think but I wish all of you the best of luck and hope to hear from some of you .

I am hoping to have surgery in mid November! I also have four months until I finish my medically supervised weight loss program! It can't get here soon enough imo
Good luck! I hope everything goes very smoothly for you.

I think @@JanetPRN said it best:
"I have to make peace with my past so I can fully enjoy my future. Until then, this question will cause me to squirm, and will be perceived as an invasion of my privacy."
A lot of people feel ashamed of their past, of their weight, at their past inability to control themselves and thus many people on this forum mention that they perceive their pre-sleeve selves as weak. I think we each have to do what JanetPRN said, we "have to make peace" with our past selves.
When each of us post-ops started this journey, we started it because we needed help to gain back control. The thing is, a lot of people need help in all areas and walks of life. Our need for help is no different and we should not feel ashamed of our need. Instead we should feel PROUD that we had the STRENGTH to admit that we needed help in the first place, and the COURAGE to do something about it. Because trust me, I have friends and relatives that refuse to admit that they have a problem; whom try to take the first step, but retreat when their foot is half way in the door; or they get their foot in the door but fear to take the next step. I have sat there and comforted one relative--who was in panting tears--because she could not get herself to go to the first bariatric meeting that she had set up. She could not get her self to get up and go because she FEARED that if she went through with it, she'd have to let go of the one constant comfort in her life--food--and she was not ready.
It takes strength and courage to do have done what we post-op people have done. So, when someone asks, "How much weight have you lost?" I readily reply, "Almost 100 pounds." At first, I felt the emotional internal response of, how embarrassing or I should be ashamed that I had to lose that much, but I do not feel that anymore. I needed help, I got help, and I have worked hard to change my life style and habits, and I SHOULD NOT and WILL NOT be ashamed of my numbers.
I have made peace with my past and have began my trek forward. Now, there is nothing wrong with being private. Let us remember that people will be people, and sometimes their invasion into what some of us deem private is not purposeful or done in malice. They are just in awe of our transformation and their curiosity gets the better of them.
I wish all of you the best of luck, both externally and internally.

I didn't feel weird at 30 pounds. Or 40. Or 50, 60, 70. I was even OK the first time I said 100. Then the total, complete embarrassment clicked in for no reason that I can put my finger on. I think it was the wide eyed look of amazement. There was no judgement at all, but the absolute wonderment made me feel sort of like a circus side show.

Now when people ask, I simply say, I lost "a small person", or "a lot", or "way more than I should have had to". I smile and leave no more room for further questions.

Comfy Blue, I get sooo uncomfortable when people ask " how many lbs have you lost?" My stats are are almost identical to yours ( size 20-22 down to szv10, 73 lbs lost. ) In the beginning , it was nice when people noticed I had lost some weight. Somewhere after 50 lbs , the " how much" question started to make me quite squeamish. Part of it has to do with me facing the reality of how far I had let myself go. I am going to admit it, I look at my 'before' pictures and I am still so disappointed and yes ashamed, of myself . Last weekend , I saw people I generally see 1-2 times a year. I was cornered by 6 women who wanted to know my " secret" to successful weight loss. 2 of them knew the truth from my husband ( the chatterbox!) so being coy or vague was out of the question. I answered that I had worked with a surgeon. But that wasn't enough for this crew- they wanted to know how much ? I did not want to answer , so I said "a bit" . They kept at it and when I evaded the question , they started to GUESS !! Can you believe the nerve of these people? The consensus was I had lost 110 lbs already ( nope - 70 , but still not going to tell them) . My weight was none of their business before or after my sleeve. This ruined my night . I am quite open that I had WLS , but my husband , sisters, mother or closest friends never, ever ask " how many lbs? " what makes casually acquaintances think they can? That's ignorance on their part fueled by shame/ embarrassment on my part. I am thrilled with my physical results so far , but I have to work on myself. I have to make peace with my past so I can fully enjoy my future. Until then, this question will cause me to squirm , and will be perceived as an invasion of my privacy.
I am so grateful for this forum. People here understand each other's struggles and honesty .

I am tentatively scheduled for surgery November 2014. I have 4 more weight loss visits to complete. I am so excited and wait to loose this weight.

I'm 30 mo post op and still have restriction:) having a sleeve was the best choice I made! I used to eat constantly and never felt full, I use food as my drug of choice and I have to work on that daily. Yes the sleeve is a tool and yes you have to make life style changes but it works if you make those changes:) I have learned that carbs trigger craving for me so I have chosen to stay with a low carb lifestyle, no white proceeded stuff which helps me control my cravings:)

Fresh Salmon sashimi is why God made fish. It's buttery and luxurious and sexy if made with quality fish, and packed with all kinds of Omega 3s and Protein. Great Beginner Level Sashimi, that you can eat with a little soy or fresh lemon juice

My surgeon nurse called me back and she thought I knew why I was taking it and that it was strange he prescribed it for my surgery and none of their other sleeve patients. I don't have high or even slightly elevated bp. My BP the last time I was at my surgeons office was 105/70. I don't even need a minimum dose to keep it lowered. Anyway, the nurse is going to call the cardiologist and speak to him herself and make sure it's for me and what he saw that would require that I take the medicine and no other patient they have sent to him for cardiac clearance. No migraines either. Thanks everyone for listening to me ramble on and on. I'm feeling better since my surgeons office called me and said don't worry we will get this straightened out. No need to worry until 9/22 day before surgery.

Kandis - I have not had surgery yet, so I don't know what you're going through or how to help - but I have had problems with depression my whole life and your post really touched me and made me wish I could help. I'll be thinking about you and praying for you - and I'm sure you'll get lots of great advice from the wonderful people on this site. Take care and God bless.

Kandis - I have not had surgery yet, so I don't know what you're going through or how to help - but I have had problems with depression my whole life and your post really touched me and made me wish I could help. I'll be thinking about you and praying for you - and I'm sure you'll get lots of great advice from the wonderful people on this site. Take care and God bless.

@@JustWatchMe
I'm on Humira (along with Mobic, sulfasalazine, plaquenil). Couldn't tolerate methotrexate - ended up with high liver enzymes. Humira has been a God send - but I still need NSAIDs on a daily basis. I developed bleeding last summer from ibuprofen - but I was taking a LOT. Also take a lot of tylenol :/

@@Rach8610
go to the main gastric sleeve forum
there are different threads
"Weight Loss Specific Gastric Sleeve Surgery Support Group 100+ lbs"
"Weight Loss Specific Gastric Sleeve Surgery Support Group 200+ lbs"
you can discuss your desired weight loss with others looking to lose similar amounts
but............don't forget us
we're all pretty smart Cookies too, and can't wait to hear from you
we are all different in our weight journey
time it takes to lose weight, % of weight loss, how much you lose
NEVER NEVER EVER!!! compare yourself to others (people have been shot for less!!! )
complications i.e. leaks can happen
you can read about them on this board
its good to know problems can happen, don't keep your head in the sand
that being said - mmmmost people have no complications
97% or so success
when you read the bad stories they stick out in your mind - don't dwell on them
there are many many many good, normal stories that just don't stick out
for example i had no issues, couple of normal side effects like gas, tiredness - but all went well for me
hopefully you will be problem free too
"Big Book on Gastric Sleeve" is a great book to read
you'll get plenty of info (i get money each time i say that )
surgery one week from this wednesday - the 17th
WooHoo
good luck
speedy recovery
kathy

I was prescribed atenolol once for Migraines and a slightly elevated bp. The dose was tiny, but just enough to keep my bp stable and to ideally make my constant headache go away. The doctor probably prescribed a very small dose that will ensure that your bp stays stable during the surgery. I don't see this as being a great practice, but it's not going to hurt you. Ultimately, it's just a beta blocker, so it's not really for a heart condition as for hypertension and beta blockers are often taken by snipers, surgeons, or other professions for the off-box use of lowering their bp, which tends to make you less jittery. You will be getting far more dangerous drugs after surgery in the form of heavy narcotics and during surgery to knock you out...atenolol is the least of your concerns.
Call your doctor back and tell him that if you not given a full explanation for the reason that the drug was prescribed without requiring any form of expensive appointment you will file a complaint and post a few dozen negative reviews about his practice online. People tend to respond better to honey, but if you've used up all the honey, vinegar can work just as well.

I feel like my point didn't come across crystal clear, I would never advise anyone to go into bariatric surgery blind - EVER. Yes, read the complications forum, know what you might face post-op, but there is no sense reading it right before surgery when your anxiety is at its highest. I had to unplug for a good week before surgery or I would have driven myself mental.
I researched VSG surgery for about 3 years before I had my surgery - I didn't go into this blind, it's a huge decision, because for me basically everything in my life changed I'm a 32 year old single male living in an urban area, I partied...my ass off, and now that isn't my life anymore, it was hard as hell to say goodbye to and it took me a long time to be able to say goodbye to that life. Know that things will be hard for weeks after surgery, there will be pain, you might puke, you might have a stricture but if you follow what your doctor's orders are word-for-word you'll more than likely be okay. I've been lucky (NO I've been disciplined) and haven’t had any complications or vomiting, but you know what it's hard, you have to deprogram the old you and do a lot of thinking before you eat and drink.
Good luck, but please don't let the small risk of a complication prevent you from getting healthy.

@@docbree thank you so much for your kind words, I struggle with anxiety and depression as well. I might bring this up to my therapist next week. I had no idea I would feel this low. I tried a coping mechanism this morning , and I did some breathing exercises, but I still feel low. Thank you for your prayers I could really use some.
Kandis

Kandis - I have not had surgery yet, so I don't know what you're going through or how to help - but I have had problems with depression my whole life and your post really touched me and made me wish I could help. I'll be thinking about you and praying for you - and I'm sure you'll get lots of great advice from the wonderful people on this site. Take care and God bless.

The Dr's surgical technique has more impact than bougie size, or so I'm told. It will relax some over time, but if it's really too small or you have a stricture or whatever, I think the only ting you can do is have your surgeon stretch it. I think they can do it like they do an EGD, but you should talk to a professional if it's that big a problem.