Miss Mac

After I completed my pre-op progam, the surgeon's office sent in the request quoting my original weight on the first day I came in the door, I am glad he did because I lost over 20 pounds post-op and would not have qualified so easily.

I overbought several different brands. Turns out that my favorite is the

I have had it done twice....don't remember a thing. And also keep in mind when you see your surgeon pre-op, ask him if there is anything he can do to reduce the amount of residual CO2 in your abdominal cavity. My surgeon promised me he would extract as much as possible while he closed me up. Consequently, I did not have that agony to bear. You are yor own best advocate, so speak up for yourself.

So,here is what I understand from your rant. 1. Your sleeve was only a month ago 2. You felt prepared and confidant going in. 3. Pain management has been poor, and people need to speak up. 4. You called for your own re-enforcements to have an advocate on your side 5. Your hope for newbies is that they prepare themselves for a rough road that will mellow out after a while. My note for newbies who are reading this: People on this forum have their own unique way of expressing themselves. Some are meek, some are bold, and most are in the middle. I would encourage forum members to go ahead and ask your questions. Advice will vary based on how a person was brought up. We all can't be strong on the same day, so take what you can out of each response and use it to build up courage.

I know it's coming my way. I am at 3 1/2 months out from the sleeve and getting anxious about the impending hair loss. Thanks for you tip to place the hair in the garden somewhere. I will try it. Talking about gardens and such....there are tulips and hyacinths pushing their way up in the flower beds. Seeing the flowers cheered me up this morning.

I hope that you can get a better pain management going. When you can stay ahead of the pain, your recovery will be so much easier.

You are about to have a new birthday Congratulations!.....You will probably go into the O R as a bundle of nerves and then come out of Recovery knowing that you have just been given a powerful tool. For sure you will lose some of your stomach, but you will gain hope and strength. I wish you good luck and good health. Let us know how it goes. The surgery is a tool and the forum is a tool to help you stay on track with your bariatric team. See you on the other side!

I am surprised that you doctor even allowed 15 pounds so soon post-op. I had a 5 pound restriction for the first month, and then 10 pounds from that point until now (3 months). My hernia was not big enough to repair. So I am stymied at how liberal your physician was. Because you went way over he limit you were given, I agree that you need to contact your doctor ASAP.

constipation yes, headaches no

I just finished the survey. What surprised me was that it brought a lot of hidden emotions to the surface. I was expecting to just respond to the questions and then go on with my day........but now I have to reflect on how this surgery has changed so many other aspects in my life. How can I be a fairy happy person yet fall ino a dark space so unexpectedly? So, Loulou 11, I think the results of this survey will impact me personally in many ways. Thanks for posting it.

I have a few Protein bars on hand, but they are not a daily staple in my plan. Usually I will take one with me for the return trip home from 2 distant specialists that see on a regular basis. My favorites (Rocky Road and Lemon Merange protein bars) come from Bariatric Choice's website. They have many flavors. BariatricChoice.com From that same website, I also bought high protein chips and pretzles. My favorite chips are the pizza and BBQ flavors. They shipped quickly. But like I said I don't eat one every day. Hope this helps in some way.

At three months out and 50 pounds down, I can no longer wear my Celtic Claddaugh ring. On Saint Patricks Day, I got it out to wear with all of my other green fabulousness. The ring kept sliding off all by itself, so I put it back in the jewelry box. So...that and the shoe thing are helping to make my sleeve recovery more real.

If your boyfriend left tonight with the house and everything in it, you would still have your dignity and peace of mind for standing up to him and making an independant decision. Although you said he can be nice in many other ways, others here see red flags. You should at least Google "The Cycle of Abuse" to see if you can identify with any of those behaviors that are mentioned. If he doesn't come around soon, then you need to stop thinking - I love him, so why does he treat me this way? And start thinking - Why would I love someone who treats me this way? Weight loss surgery definitely impacts relationships. Stand your ground, Chad. If he doesn't like you having the surgery......oh well. This is not about him...This is about you. I speak from a place of domestic violence, where I did not see the red flags for ten years. I wasted ten years of my life with someone who was aggressive and verbally abusive. His meanness accelerated until I had to flee in the middle of the night. Just sayin' Chad, good luck if you two can work this out, but in the end, you must be responsible for your own health.

If you are eating too quickly and swallowing air, or running your shakes through a blender, you are incorporating air into your new tummy. You could just mix them up in a bowl, then strain them into your container to get undisolved whey Protein out. Gas X strips should help, too. Don't let any mystifying problem go too long without contacting your doctor. Also, nothing spicy for a while.

Reduced capacity New Tummy is your friend - "food" items made in a factory are not. You can focus on whole natural foods. Mine (and a lot of people here) are required to eat 60+ grams of Protein a day, mine is 70 grams. Fo 60 grams, that is 20 grams per meal. By the time you eat that, you will not have much tummy room for veggies, let alone fruit, bread, noodles, Cookies, pastries, Cereal, etc. With any gastric surgery, your body needs protein to function and rebuild. You have to decide between sweets or a longer life. Nobody wants to deny themselves of all of the comfort foods we love the most. There are plenty of Paleo, Primal, Atkins, and other low carb cook books, to help you find adjustment foods. Also, cooking at home is a key for your success, because you can control the ingredients. Starch makes you hungry for more starch. I had my share of food funerals prior to my surgery. Your sleeve is a tool that you can't keep hidden in the garden shed while you cheat. You have to take advantage of your new tummy. The first time you throw up or get dumping syndrome by eating too much sugar, you will be cured of eating it. Just be prepared to empty those cabinets and start cooking from fresh. Get creative, and try to make your favorite dishes in a low carb style. You will be glad you did. Also taking chromium picolinate with magnesium will help reduce sugar cravings. Start making youradjustments now before surgery. because it will be harder to make changes post-op when your are tired and washed out. Just an after thought.....we all learned the hard way how to balance food, beverage, and exercise to help the weight loss process.

Well, the few at the top of the list allow for other members of your direct family. For example, I did not die from an abdominal aortic anuerysm, but my mother did - not much older than I am now. Many of my family members are obese, some (like my oldest brother) top out at 420. He died at the age of 47 of a heart attack. One of my sisters has a gastric bypass, and another has a lap band. It is odd that premature death (of a family member I presume) is at the bottom of the list. I prepared a heartfelt letter to be included in my packet for submission to the insurance company. In that letter I mentioned my co-morbities and how each one was compromising my quality of life. I closed the letter by thanking them for their consideration, and letting them know that by approving my surgery, they were saving my life. Good luck with dealing with the paperwork process of all this.

Obesity Comorbidities To follow is a list of comorbidities (additional conditions or diseases) related to obesity which may help you in qualifying for weight loss surgery. They came from the National Institutes of Health. This is typical of the list that physicians and insurance comanies refer to for qualification. Family history of heart disease Family history of stroke Family history of diabetes Family history of heart attacks Hyperinsulinemia Diabetes High blood pressure Coronary-artery disease Hypertension Migraines or headaches directly related to obesity or cranial hypertension Congestive heart failure Neoplasia Dyslipidemia Anemia Gallbladder disease Osteoarthritis Degenerative arthritis Degenerative disc Degenerative joint disease Recommended joint replacement from specialist Accelerated degenerative joint disease Asthma Repeated pneumonia Repeated pleurisy Repeated bronchitis Lung restriction Gastroesophageal reflex (GERD) Excess facial & body hair (Hirsutism) Rashes Chronic skin infections Excess sweating Frequent yeast infections Urinary stress incontinence Menstrual irregularity Hormonal abnormalities Polycystic ovaries Infertility Carcinoma (breast, colon, uterine cancer) sleep apnea Pseudotumor cerebri Depression Psychological/sexual dysfunction Social discrimination Premature death

This is a list of possible co-morbities. I got it from a duodenal switch website . This info is what insurance companies go by as establishes by the National Instiutes of Health To follow is a list of comorbidities (additional conditions or diseases) related to obesity which may help you in qualifying for weight loss surgery. Of the 44, you will likely have one or two you van reach for. I wish you good luck and good health Family history of heart disease Family history of stroke Family history of diabetes Family history of heart attacks Hyperinsulinemia Diabetes High blood pressure Coronary-artery disease Hypertension Migraines or headaches directly related to obesity or cranial hypertension Congestive heart failure Neoplasia Dyslipidemia Anemia Gallbladder disease Osteoarthritis Degenerative arthritis Degenerative disc Degenerative joint disease Recommended joint replacement from specialist Accelerated degenerative joint disease Asthma Repeated pneumonia Repeated pleurisy Repeated bronchitis Lung restriction Gastroesophageal reflex (GERD) Excess facial & body hair (Hirsutism) Rashes Chronic skin infections Excess sweating Frequent yeast infections Urinary stress incontinence Menstrual irregularity Hormonal abnormalities Polycystic ovaries Infertility Carcinoma (breast, colon, uterine cancer) sleep apnea Pseudotumor cerebri Depression Psychological/sexual dysfunction Social discrimination Premature death

I spent the first week post-op losing the weight I had gained from IV fluids in the hospital Spent the second week losing some pounds Third week, lost a few more pounds, then hit a stall through week four. Week 5 lost a few more pounds. Weeks six through nine, lost a few more pounds. Weeks ten, eleven, twelve and thirteen,I totally plateaud (the entire month of March, in spite of low cal, low carbs, 800 calories, and everyday fitness routine including weights twice a week) So.....on March 30th, I took my max carbs down from 50 grams to 20 grams per day, put my fitness program on standby, and took my fluids level up from 64 oz to 80+ oz per day On Wednesday this week, I started losing again! It's about time. I was falling into despair over that darn plateau). I have heard it a hundred times that with compliance, the pounds will start falling again. So, hang in there. I am only ten pounds away from my third closet flush Just sayin' stick with your program. But I am suprised, pancake 1271, that at three months you are allowed 1400-1500 calories. My program has me at 800-1200. Every doctor and patient are different, I guess. At 900 calories I would start gaining weight. sbaily1, chin up dear. Don't let this process get you down.

I had to lose forty pounds before changing pant sizes. Meanwhile I noticeably lost in my face, chest, arms, and feet.

I'm in the Paleo camp here. I did not realize that so many of my inflammation issues were due to gluten until my three-month pre-op low carb regimen, and now three months post-op. The carbs I get (20-30 grams per day) are from veggies and minimal fruit. I don't even try to use alternative flours. I feel so much better without gluten - I am glad to be rid of it.

I agree with Cheryl2586. Other peoples' grammer and punctuation faults will not matter in ten years and will not matter in ten minutes. If we were grading English tests or sending out office communications for a boss, then it would matter. Since this is a more casual forum, there will be many "just folks" participating. Not everyone has the advantage of a college degree or a career as a journalist. So long as I can decipher what was meant, I am cool with it. This forum in particular welcomes everyone no matter what level of English compentency they have. Sure, I notice the glitches, but I do not let them bother me. With that said, I guess we should agree to disagree. This is an "opinions welcome" place to come.

Get medical attention as soon as you can. A couple of summers ago, I thought I had an exercise injury because my shoulder was so sore. The more I put BenGay on it, the worse it hurt. I called my doctor for some pain meds. He said he does not diagnose over the phone and that I shouldn't diagnose by "Google-itis" So, they got me in the next day. He took one look and said "you have shingles". IBecause I did not know , I was putting BenGay on shingles! He prescibed an anti-viral med and some pain meds, and increased my Lyrica dose that I was taking for neuropathies. I have tell you that the nerve pain from the shingles put me in a dark place for a couple of weeks, at the thought that sometimes it doesn't go away if you waited too long for treatment. The despair almost put me over the edge. Thank goodness the rash finally went away after two months. Don't be tough and wait this out. As soon as the roads are clear, get going to the doctor or E. R . If it's not shingles, the it's just as good to know what something isn't. I hope you can find a sure diagnosis. I wish you good luck and good health.

It is cold, wet, and windy here in Chicago. What lovely place are you from where the weather is so pleasant and warm???? I am jealous.

You will find that all of those aggravatingly slow days will collectively go by very quickly. Before you know it, you will have your sleeve. Then it will be time to think about who (besides you) is going to pass out the Halloween candy, and who (besides you) is going to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. Then boom! Time for Christmas shopping (or whatever holidays or special occasions you do at your house). This year will go by quickly. Last August I was dissappointed that I would have to do a four month program with a three month supervised diet, and then my packet would be sent for approval. And now....here it is three months post op and I am halfway past my goal! The time flew by. So....chin up....follow your program and think of where you will be a year from now. I wish you good luck and good health.