nepagirl

I was sleeved on Thursday, May 8, and got to go home on Saturday. I'm sore and tired but happy I had it done! When I got home from the hospital I immediately weighed myself. .. what a mistake! All that fluid weighs a lot! My weight started going down after I started peeing, especially since the I.V. is out. The first 24 hours were the worst. I came very close to regretting this decision. I was so nauseated that I couldn't finish the swallow to check for leaks without redecorating the x-ray room with spray art. Luckily, my doc saw enough that he felt confident there were no leaks. The soreness had eased a lot and I'm no longer nauseated (phew!!!). Now I concentrate on getting enough fluids to avoid dehydration.... and sleep. There is nothing like my own bed after two nights on a hospital bed!

So far I feel ok. The smell of my daughters fish sticks were a little hard.... I have to drink protien shakes with 20-30 grams of Protein per drink. Less than 200 cal per drink, less than 5 grams of fat and sugar per drink. I get 4 shakes a day with almond milk. I can have low fat/low sodium soups like healthy choice, one serving 5x a day. Cream of wheat, applesauce/ pudding low fat sugar free. Veggies are free Here's a sample menu : That's almost exactly like mine, except no applesauce I'm on Premier, too! I like Muscle Milk better, but I had coupons for Premier plus they went on sale so I stocked up. They are good enough. Can't beat that 30mg of protein!

I just started mine today! I pretty much resent the heck out of anyone chewing within sight of me LOL. This too shall pass (so I've heard). Your diet sounds a lot like mine, except I can't have veggies. The doctor doesn't have a preference in shakes, just as long as there is at least 15 grams of Protein, and less than 20 grams of carbs per cup. Do you have a calorie restriction? Mine is supposed to be 800-1000 calories a day.

They submitted it on Monday. Quick turn-around!

After all these months of worrying, I just got the most glorious, wonderful, exciting phone-call ever!!! Insurance approved the surgery, and I am all set for May 8! liquid diet starts tomorrow! I'm having a "Last Hurrah" dinner tonight, and I'm filling my fridge with Protein drinks for tomorrow! I can't stop using my exclamation key because I'm too excited!!!!!

[quote name="Sbennett2992" Where are you having surgery? I'm at Wilkes-Barre General with Dr. Neale Me, too!!

Scheduled for May 8 (barring any problems with insurance). Woohoo! Looking forward to losing the weight!

I finished all the paperwork, did the 6 month supervised diet, scheduled the surgery date (May 8) and now I wait for insurance to approve!! I have CoventryCares (Medicaid) in Pennsylvania and I've heard they take just a few days to approve. I am so very excited! After losing my job, I was in a position to qualify for Medicaid. This surgery is truly the silver lining I need. Not only will I be healthier, I will be visibly healthier and be able to present a professional appearance in the job market (right? That's how this works, right?). Anyway, my surgeon is Dr. Neale in Plains, PA (near Scranton/Wilkes-Barre). He seems very competent and has done over 125 surgeries with less than 1% complication rate (he was very honest about it). I am struggling with "food funerals" and the 2 week liquid diet really worries me. I did a trial run for three days, and it didn't seem too terrible. Plus following a liquid diet when I didn't need to made it much more difficult than when it's doctor ordered...I hope. I'm less worried about the surgery than about the possibility of loose skin. With really big thighs and a mom-of-2 belly flap, I hate that my thighs will probably have that icky loose skin that can't be covered by a one-piece bathing suit and I'll have to tuck in my belly like it's a dang dress-shirt. Never mind that, I know I'll have to roll up my boobs like a pair of socks before tucking them in my bra because those girls will be losing mass, too. TMI? Sorry. Fingers crossed the insurance company will approve it! All vanity aside, I'm really looking forward to being healthier.

May 8, too! (Insurance willing)

I rarely drink caffeine now. I used to be a big soda/coffee/tea drinker and I knew it would be a problem if I didn't wean myself slowly. Now, all I drink is Water and herbal tea. I'm allowed Protein drinks, cottage cheese, light or Greek yogurt, broth, decaf coffee or tea, low sodium tomato or V8, Cream of Wheat or farina, sugar-free pudding, cream Soups, milk (2% or less), sugar-free Jello, sugar-free popsicles, and at least 64 ounces of water. It's got enough variety to keep me interested (I hope). And I hope it keeps me full, too.

Congrats!

I am so close to having everything done! I did the 6 month supervised diet, psych eval, EGD...pretty much everything except for the PCP letter of support (waiting on an old medical record to get there...any day now!) Now that I'm almost there, I'm stressing about the preop diet. Postop is no big deal since my stomach will be a lot smaller (obviously). My stomach can hold a LOT of food and I worry that I won't be able to handle a whole week of just full liquids without breaking down and bingeing. I decided to do a week-long trial run of the preop diet. If I can handle that, while knowing I'm under no obligation to, I can handle 2 weeks of a doctor-ordered diet with the surgery as the prize, right? Has anyone else done this? How did it go?

Omfg too funny!

My problem is, I love it all LOL. I can eat them just fine, too. I could eat two, or three, or more servings of each of them! But man, I wish I hated the taste of it. Imagine how easy weight loss would be if you didn't like the taste of your favorite foods?

I am afraid of falling down just like you (except for the running...I'm not sure I'll ever get into that). I hope admitting it here will help you! I go through health spurts that never become life-long habits. The longest I have ever gone is 6 months. I hope I will have the right mindset come surgery time! I have a few months before I am there, so I'm working on it. Maybe you could set up alarms on your phone? I did that for my daily meds and eventually I stopped needing the reminder (my only good habit).

Among the huge list of foods I hope taste nasty after surgery, chocolate is close to the top. I also hope cheese, mashed potatoes, wine, any kind of alcohol, sour cream, cream cheese, ice cream, soda, chips, Oreos and snack cakes find themselves on my "Foods You Couldn't Pay Me To Eat" list.

Wow! Way to go!

You look fantastic! Don't listen to the haters LOL. I've heard it all, including the most recent: "Everyone gains it all right back." Not freaking true. And anyone who says you don't need it never walked an inch in your shoes. I hope I am as successful as you!

Wow! You look great! If I may ask, have you had any problems with skin?

Yeah, I'm close to Milford so WB is a stretch. I doubt I will be going to the support group. I didn't even physically go to the seminar. I just watched the online version. I was so worried about the 6 month diet requirement because all the nutritionists they recommended are close to them. I was thrilled to find one willing to work with me 5 miles away (and can I tell you that finding anything less than 30 miles away is a freaking miracle LOL). Still looking for a psych, but I'm just starting so there's time! We could probably start a NEPA group or thread in the local section of VST, right?

Wow! I want to get to that point, too. Way to go!

I think get it. I am (hopefully) getting sleeved in the Spring. Right now, all I can do is look at my teenage daughters and wonder how much of their lives I missed because I didn't have the energy. All my 20s, half my 30s...wasted. Edit: I had an opportunity 10 years ago to get the bypass. I (smugly) decided I was better than that. I probably should have gotten it then, but now I am honestly happy the sleeve is available.

The plus-size models always look so cute in their outfits. I try stuff on thinking it will flatter me as much as it flatters the size 14 model. All the "flattering" jeans and dresses do is accentuate my knock-knees, big thighs, and dazzle anyone I meet with waaay too much cleavage and sequins. That article is dead on!

I don't know about all of you, but my first meeting with the NUT was pointless. I have read, researched, followed, researched, learned, internalized, researched, and read more on nutrition than most nutritionists. My problem is self-control. I know how to get all my Vitamins, I don't know how to stop wanting that extra slice of cheesy awesomeness that is pizza. We know when we're missing something vital. I think it's totally ok to "cheat" on the NUT when they tell us something along the lines of "no veggies...ever." I don't drink milk because unprocessed milk (by that I mean plain ole milk that hasn't been turned into cheese or yogurt) does not have a nice effect on me. I lurve my veggies and know that there are a ton of them that have just as much Calcium as milk. When I told my NUT all of the above, she was still way concerned about my calcium intake, because, you know, milk is the only place to get calcium...says the NUT. All I am saying is, if your NUT's advice is giving you scurvy, feel free to take matters into your own hands.

Congratulations! The before and after pics are so inspiring! I hope you don't mind me saying this: one of my, and my significant other's, worries is losing the gazongas. I've always been chesty and even at my heaviest I still have a great rack. If I have to lose them, I'll be ok since I know I'll be healthy, but I honestly don't want to lose them LOL. You may hate them, but they are giving me hope!