vegasneon

Kathleen,

Wow! How wonderful. I wish the best for you both. I just read your post about the "shotgun" wedding and him sending you the invite. Great stuff !!!

I will be thinking about you both and praying for your dear hubby on the 12th.

Congratulations on how well you have done yourself too !

I don't ever regret having surgery. However I don't really encourage my friends and co-workers to have it because none of them seem willing to put the work in. I feel like they would be blaming me for the hard times and since this is a change for forever I don't want that responsibility. Maybe I'm not giving them enough credit.

Everytime I have re-ordered NOW I have gotten the best price at Netrition dot com. Best price is a 10 lb bag so it lasts me a long time. My family laughed at how big it is.

If you have Winco where you live they sell it in their bulk bins. My preference though is NOW brand which I buy from Netrition online. It's light and fluffy and mixes easily in anything.

I have some days when I just seem to need more food. Just stick to the healthy stuff and you should be fine.

Ooops sorry, didn't see your question until now. No, I didn't know about the epidural beforehand as far as I recall. It seems so long ago now. I think maybe Dr Q told me the day of surgery but I'm not sure.

I agree with talking to your surgeon if possible. Maybe he is not aware that the NUT's advice is perhaps different than he would like. Maybe no one else has inquired. I do know that a lot of NUTs don't seem to know what the H they are talking about.

I couldn't drink cold plain Water for 10 weeks. Sample just a bit and then take it slow if you can drink it. Some people never have a problem. For me even a sip was painful and felt "hard". Adding just a little flavor somehow softens it.

If it weren't for this Forum and others I would not have been confident enough to go through with surgery. I still have not met (to my knowledge) another person IRL who had this surgery. The information and opinions of other Forum users have been invaluable.

I think a lot more PCPs are accepting of it now then you might think. When I had surgery I didnt have a PCP but my husband was telling his Dr about my surgery and he was all for it. I just got a PCP last month and his only question was why Mexico and then how much was the price difference.

Seriously, the best thing you can do is not compare your weightloss to others here. I did that too much for my own good. I have always lost slower than others and you just cant compare with people that have a lot more to lose or are younger or fitter or whatever. Just do your own best.

I still love this Forum but I quit calculating how long it took this or that person to lose how much.

Congratualtions, I think you are doing great!!!

LOL I bought some shorts and when I was putting away the laundry I couldnt figure out who they belonged to. My granddaughters are still little kids and I'm the only woman in the house. It just didnt seem like those could be the same navy blue shorts I had bought and worn that week. I figured they had shrunk but they still fit.

I used to be able to eyeball clothes to know if they would fit- now I'm not even close.

Congratulations and thanks for sharing. Very inspirational.

Funny I said for years- why cant you do the diet without the surgery!! Never did get an answer but back then I never found this Forum (if it existed) and never found one of the diet plans.

Soooo of course this is purely MY OPINION. I think physically you might be able to do it but it would be pretty close to impossible to continue mentally for very long. Well even physically it would be real hard when you get hungry. Believe me, the fact that I CAN NOT eat more has been a saving grace many times when something tasted really good. Also I never got hungry until last week (over 6 months out) and so far that only happened 3 times.

However just Portion Control and eating healthy which is essentially what we do works wonders.

Theres a post somewhere that lists a LOT of different after surgery diets/instructions. If you need more info let me know.

As much as you can without causing pain or aches. Everyone is different, do what you can.

Dont worry. You will lose. There will be a lot of times when you dont lose for a couple weeks or a month or whatever. Just keep doing what you are suppossed to. Keep a good mental outlook and trust in the positive changes you are making.

I know its hard, sometimes I feel like its been forever since I lost a lb and then I look at my calendar and its been 4 or 5 days when I could have sworn it was weeks!

Plus the 3 week stall is the most common one.

Your'e gorgeous and you look great! I love these kinds of posts!!!

When you have questions about medications, talk to your surgeon. The internet is not the right place to get medical advice.

I respectfully disagree. I am asking for other patients personal experience, therefore this is the correct place- a forum for VGS patients to share thier opinions.

I am permanently disabled due to an upper back injury - I take Norco, Lyrica, soma, and oxycodone. The way my body metabolizes these drugs has definitely changed since surgery. The doses are the same, but the effect doesn't last as long. That has been a real issue for me.

Thank you, that was useful info. I would have guessed that meds would work better for us now but I guess not! I'll have to ask/research those first 3. In all these years I have only been prescribed oxycodone, hydrocodone, codienne & percoset & Tramadol. I think the first 4 of those are pretty much the same thing.

Vegasneon- When were you sleeved? I ask because I had spine fusion surgery four years ago (L1-L5) and am still dealing with increasing pain with any activity. My back surgeon and primary doctor have both told me that my weight is a definite factor so I had the sleeve 12/2 and am waiting for another 50+ lbs to come off before considering any more treatments. I do take hydrocodone 10/325 which relieves a lot of the daily pain.

Have you tried steroid injections? I had them prior to surgery and then again six months ago. I wouldn't say they're a cure-all but it definitely alleviates some pain.

Hope you find some relief.

Mary

I was sleeved over 6 months ago. I probably wasnt clear that I turned down fusion surgery but now wonder if I should re-examine that option. I wouldnt do it until I was at goal weight for awhile if I still have all the same problems then. I'm not real hopeful though because it started when I was 17 and has been the same through many different weights. It seems from people I know, thin or fat that fusion seems to be hit or miss regarding relief.

Hydrocodone 10 used to work for me too but now does nothing. Its very weird. I never did have steroid injections- thanks for that idea. I see a new Dr next month for back & neck issues so I will ask about that.

Thank you all

Barring a specific recommendation from your surgeon, NSAIDs are just fine for sleevers. RNY patients are the ones who shouldn't take NSAIDs.

I thought I had read again and again we shouldnt take them either. I did ask my surgeon, I told him I relied on them a lot and didnt know what I would do without them and he said just wait 4 months. Now I have a PCP and he agreed with no NSAIDS but he isnt a Bariatric specialist either. Anyway the 3 times I have taken them since I was over 4 months they havent done a thing for me.

If I cant find something that works for me besides Codeinne I may have to re-consider having my back fused. Blech, and that still leaves me with Sciatica that needs relief sometimes.

I really have trouble seeing myself as I am. I was always told I was a big fat blob growing up and I believed it. I felt I was just as big at 180 lbs as I was at my high of 298. Now I weigh 200 lbs and I feel the same. My best friend and husband keep telling me I look different and everyone else pretty much says nothing. I know I am wearing smaller clothes and have lost some chins but as long as I have a big stomach (abdomin) I dont think I can feel smaller. I fear this giant belly will be the last thing to go.

I've been having major issues with my back and other things lately and I am not getting any relief from Oxy, Naproxin or Tramadol but Codeinne still helps. Has anyone else experienced this or has anyone been told that pain meds will work differently with a little stomach? I know we arent suppossed to take Naproxen anymore but I was desperate and it used to help somewhat- now nothing. I know we can take Tylenol but its always been too mild for my back when its at its worst.

TIA

_{The last paragraph says}

_{"LaPook also notes that Vitamins can benefit people with certain conditions, like celiac disease -- where the body cannot properly absorb nutrients -- and pegnancy, where folic acid helps prevent birth defects"}

_{well that includes us. We are taking Vitamins because our bodies may not absorb enough nutrients from food alone.}

_{There have always been Drs that say vitamins are a waste of money. I lived my whole life without vitamins until I had surgery. I take them because maybe it would be a mistake not to.}

I was sleeved by Dr Q in May, 6 months ago. I really liked Dr Q and all the nurses and the driver. My husband liked them too.

here's a direct link to my blog post about surgery day

http://gastricsleeve2013.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/surgery-day/

and then days 2, 3 and 4

http://gastricsleeve2013.wordpress.com/2013/06/08/days-2-3-4/

msg me if you have any questions or email me vegasneon at cox dot net.

When I was at your stage I ate 1/4 a cup for a meal. Later I moved to 1/2 cup. If you have a NUT ask them to advise you on the amount you should eat.

Sorry I haven't been on for awhile. Thank you for your comments and no I did not see it as "evil"

I have to ignore huge bowls of candy daily and other treats, I just tell myself "that isn't food." It just irked me to be presented with a big cake "for YOU" when it is NOT for me if I don't want it to be there.

Usually I don't even take notice of these things, I was not in a great mood! LOL

Thanks for the well wishes!