MrsMurky721

Surgery 8.18.14
HW 330
SW 317
CW 250

@@ojibway
???????
I'm very confused. Are you saying you cancelled your surgery because your family or friends did not want you to have it? Is this correct? Or do you mean that you were hoping that they would help pay for it and then they told you no?
I guess I'm a bit confused because I don't want the surgery based upon the opinions of my friends and family. I'm doing this for myself. Even if every single family member or friend were against this surgery I would still get it because it ultimately is about my health and my body, not theirs. Right now my sister is dead set against me having the surgery and tries to scare me by claiming she has psychic premonitions that I'm going to die and be horrible pain. So my response is to cut her out of my life until after the surgery. I don't want her negativity in my life right now. And this is sad because she needs the surgery more than I do. She thinks that she can do this on her own and now is into this crazy notion of hypnosis to make you think you have a lap band. Well, good luck to her but I'm getting the surgery.
Good luck to you but I would never cancel my surgery just because my family and friends didn't approve.

You are incredible. It had to have taken so much strength and courage to do what you did. Thank you for taking that extra step to help others live more healthy after you were done with turning your life around. You are inspiring others. You're inspiring me!

255

Today is actually 8 weeks and one day post op but when I got on the scale today I was down 50.5 lbs!!!!!!!!
I was so excited, I had to double and triple check!!
I got back to the my doc on Dec 30th for my next check up. I feel so good, and am not struggling with my eating. I am doing two shakes a day and one small meal (what my doc wanted me to do) and because the weight is coming off it makes it much easier to stay on track. I am trying to work the hell out of this sleeve as much as I can in the early months.
Just wanted to share, this site has been so helpful I hope that I can be helpful to all you out there just starting your journey!!

Ok for those that have asked, I had a long conversation. Neither the doctor that did her original surgery yesterday. His response was that she is in the one percent where things happen. They dont know exactly why but thinks probably that the part of the stomach that was cut away didn't have enough blood flow left to allow it to to heal, so the stitches that were placed during surgery didn't hold and her stomach completely had opened... We may never really know! But yesterday she had a speaking valve on her trache so she could talk, drank some ensure, and did some exercises with therapy which included walking! We are praying she will be home with her kids by Christmas!

Now I am feeling better about my situation I wanted to tell my story in the hope that it will help other people. Like most others I have a long history of struggling with my weight and when I found out about the sleeve I thought I had found the solution.
I went through a company called Weight Loss Forever in Canada and had my sleeve in Tijuana with Dr Pompa. I was impressed with the doctors and the facility and was well taken care of. I had hardly any pain and was able to drink without many of the problems I read about on this forum.
When I got home I followed the plan strictly and was losing weight. However I was so hungry all the time and I didn't feel I had any restriction at all. It got worse after a few weeks of recovery. When I questioned this with the support from Weight Loss Forever I was told I had to learn to work my sleeve. I didn't know what I was doing wrong. I did lose weight by eating the 800 calories I was told to eat by support. But it was so hard, I felt I was starving and still no restriction with any kind of food. This went on for months and I felt such a failure and that it was all my fault. I just couldn't relate to anything I read on line. I remember being asked what my favourite foods were by somebody at WLF. I mentioned pizza and was told that that was the great thing about the sleeve - no foods are off limit and I would be satisfied and unable to eat more than the toppings off one slice. Five months out I could eat several slices! No restriction at all, I could eat the same as my friends if I let myself.
Then a friend was sleeved by a different surgeon. I couldn't believe the difference. As she recovered we continued to compare and she lost weight easily, due to the food restriction she had from her sleeve. We started off at a similar weight but she passed me, continued to lose weight and is now 70lbs lighter than me and close to her goal weight. I have been able to lose some weight in the past but could not keep it off and that's what I was doing. I asked advice at Weight Loss Forever several times and was brushed off and ignored.
Then my friend persuaded me I should do something about this. I contacted another group in Canada, (Thanks Adele!) and they asked me to have an Upper GI series of XRays, which I did. The doctor said everything looked healthy. The images and report were sent to Dr Aceves in Mexicali and a day later I was told I had a huge stomach. I asked if I had stretched my stomach because I knew I had been overeating. I was told no, it was a surgical failure. The doctor had only removed a small part of my stomach and simply left too much. I asked a couple of times if it was my fault and was told absolutely not. I cried. I knew I had done what was asked of me initially but for somebody at last not to blame me was awesome.
I was told that I could be sleeved, no problem, because there was so much stomach left, it would be like an operation on somebody that hadn't had surgery. My friend wanted me to show the results to Weight Loss Forever and Dr Pompa but I wouldn't want to be operated there again, so I paid again.
I was sleeved by Dr Aceves on 19th March, just 8 days ago. It was a good experience, very little pain and I was lucky enough not to be nauseous either. I have photos of my actual surgery and Dr Aceves actually took photos to show me how much he removed.
I was lucky enough to meet some very cool people in the hospital, including AmandaRaeLeo. I am home and there is a huge difference in how I feel. I am able to get in the liquids required, but I really do need to sip, sip, sip. A sip to many and I feel like I have a brick in my chest! I am not hungry, not finding liquids difficult to stick with (apart from finding Protein I like) and 11 lbs downs already! My friend keeps saying I told you so!
There is always going to be a negative comment or two about a surgeon and I am not writing to push my surgeon. There are lots of good ones out there. I just wish I had googled a bit more, not only before my surgery, but when I was made to feel such a failure. I am finding that the hardest to forgive. When somebody told me to google Dr Pompa too large sleeve, there were lots of hits for people with similar problems. Then I started to think and realised that of the few people I met through Weight Loss Forever, I knew two that had been back - one was at the hospital when I was sleeved the first time and the second is actually a WLF member of staff.
I admit to being quite bitter, I think anybody would in my situation, but I tell my story to encourage people to do lots of reasearch before choosing a surgeon. But also if you go through a company as many Canadians do, to make sure that you have one that will go to bat for you if you have a problem, rather than blaming the patient. It's easy to appear to be supportive when everything is going well, but a sign of a good company that takes your side when there are problems.
Sorry for the long post, but it's been a long road! I feel better for writing it and hope it helps a few others.

Sleeved 11/18/14

My name is Justin Wiseman. I would love to share my story with you. I have been bigger than everyone around me for as long as I can remember. I have my report card from kindergarten and there in black ink under my weight is 100 lbs. Wow, 100 lbs at 5? All the doctors my mom took me to said I would grow out of it, but the only thing I grew out of was my pants. Well actually jogging pants because that was the only thing my mother could find to fit me. food was my world, it was my everything. It made me happy and took all the pain away. By the time I was in middle school I was over 250 pounds, and when I graduated high school I was over 400 pounds. After high school I pretty much stayed home. I hated leaving my house. After everything that I had been through I never wanted to feel humiliated again. By 25 I topped the scale at a massive 600 pounds, and at the age of 26 I was given only months to live. I was suffering from severe complications of cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure. As I began planning my own funeral I had the ultimate “aha” moment and finally realized exactly what I was doing to myself. Desperate for one day of complete freedom before I died I began looking for options to shed the pounds. Being too big to be operated on I was left fighting the battle on my own until I was healthy enough to be cleared for surgery. Over six months I lost 130 pounds, and was actually healthy enough to be taken off several medications. I then had gastric sleeve surgery and over the course of two years I lost a total of 420 pounds. In the midst of the battle I made what I call my “Live IT List” kind of like a bucket list but my focus was on what I wanted to live for, not do before I died. With that my “Live IT List” was born and my desire to live was unstoppable. I got my one day of freedom plus a whole lifetime more. My focus has now shifted to helping others in similar situations along with doing my best to help eradicate childhood obesity. I was a child in the 80’s and the epidemic keeps growing. My story was extreme, but there are so many out there facing an even worse fate….death. I am the perfect example of what childhood obesity actually turns in to, and I have made it my mission to put a face on the cause. We hear a lot of statistics but people tend to overlook them, but if people asctually see what it turns into the impact is so much more. I feel like everything I went through was for a reason and if I can help save someone's life it was so worth it. I spend my days helping as many people as I can find their freedom and I really hope I one day get a chance to share my story with the world and throughout the schools. If you want to hear more of my story my blog is theliveitlist.tumblr.com my public page www.facebook.com/theliveitlist my personal page is www.facebook.com/justinwiseman13 and follow me at twitter.com/theliveitlist

Just like SuperDave, I've been using a baby spoon to train myself on the size of bites I should take. It's been working out well. I was having problems with things coming back up but then I realized it had nothing to do with the food I was eating but that I was eating too fast! I slowed it down and everything is fine now! Except that I still want to eat fast! I have a problem with self control LOL!

Just like SuperDave, I've been using a baby spoon to train myself on the size of bites I should take. It's been working out well. I was having problems with things coming back up but then I realized it had nothing to do with the food I was eating but that I was eating too fast! I slowed it down and everything is fine now! Except that I still want to eat fast! I have a problem with self control LOL!

The toughest thing for me has been the thought of overeating. I eat anywhere from 600-1000 calories a day. My doctor says I should be at 1200 but because I have kidney disease I cannot eat a lot of Protein so it has to be more balanced. But when I hit a 1000 calories I feel like I have overate. I am so scared because I have lost 75lbs in 3 months and I am afraid that I will stop losing or ruin my pouch. My wife says I'm crazy but I don't know.

I remember first and foremost that I am human, that it is in my power to control what goes into my mouth, and that if it happens to be a cookie then so be it. I refuse to beat myself up over food anymore.
But...I also keep in mind that 1 cookie isn't going to kill me but 10 Cookies will certainly derail my goals and will cause some serious stomach pain & can turn into a bad habit again
I plan everything I eat so since we are in the holiday season I've allowed for a few "treats" here and there. If I find I don't want it after I've gotten in all my necessary nutrition, then great! If I still want it, I do this: breath in the aroma of the treat, take it in (sight) then take small bites and savor every flavor. I find that pretty much satisfies me. I limit the treat to one small cookie or a 1/4 cup of dessert or a max of 2 oz of the item. This is about 1-2 times weekly.
CBT takes some time to rewire your brain so I acknowledge that I am still fragile & human above all else.
I also refuse to be "that person" who poo-poos someone for eating something that lacks nutrition. To me nothings worse than that.

I am only six weeks out and the sleeve has already saved me. Not for the reason you think. Yes I have lost 40 lbs and gone from a BMI of 42 to 35...but that's not the reason.
On Dec 14th I started vomiting violently and thought I had caught the stomach bug. When it didnt go away I went to see my surgeon. I was dehydrated so he pumped me full of IV fluids and gave me three seperate shots of anti nausea medicine while I was there to try to make me feel better. When the nausea didnt let up at all he ordered an ultrasound to check my gallbladder.
I went for the ultrasound and found out my gallbladder had to come out and THEN they also noticed a possible mass in my left kidney. So then my surgeon ordered a CT scan to further investigate the mass....
So to bring you up to now....the CT was done. I was referred to a specialist and got the news. Turns out I have a stage 1 kidney cancer mass in my left kidney. See if I had never had the sleeve, the rapid weight loss wouldnt have aggravated my gallbladder. And as my specialist stated, I probably wouldn't have found the cancer for another 5-10 years and it would have been a much bigger monster to fight as kidney cancer has no cure once it metastasizes.
So on new years eve I will be having my gallbladder removed and six weeks later I will have a partial nephrectomy to remove the cancer. Hopefully pathology will report it as a non agressive grade cancer and my prognosis will remain awesome with no further treatment besides CT scans every 3-6months.
I am so very thankful as I am only 28 years old and I plan on having a long healthy life.

I'm only joking.. Just in a playful mood.. My lunch was a goats cheese, pulled ham, mushroom and spinach omelette thing cooked in egg whites and two whole eggs.. I make a big pan, slice into 6 and that gives me 6 lunches.. Works out at 151 cal (also a teeny bit of coconut oil)

@@Lipstick Lady, discussions are good because I think many of us have (had) the same line of thinking as you did before your epiphany. Sadly, some people never have that "'light bulb moment" and posts like this are eye-openers. This has the potential to be someone's light switch.
Btw, I have a confession: I still do sit in judgement of who should and should not wear leggings. It's because my thighs look like hell on wheels so I must judge. It helps me sleep at night. ????????

I am one of those people. I carry my weight very well and compared to other people in my support groups, I was always the smallest one there... But I have tried everything and no results whatsoever. I don't feel I'm abusing it, or taking the easy way out. I have tried just as hard as people bigger than me, and deserve to be respected just as much. A lot of people would talk about me because of this... A lot of people asked me if I was post op and it was embarrassing when I had to say no. I am now post op and feeling more confident than ever, and my feelings are what matter. I couldn't have had the surgery if I wasn't a candidate! That's the most important part. If they meet the requirements, they are perfect candidates! No if ands or buts about it!

I never even thought about considering WLS when I was "only" 50 pounds overweight. It took 100 pounds to get me to a place that surgery sounded like a reasonable option. Looking back, I could have saved a lot of heartache and aches and pains (and $$$ buying all those "fat" clothes) had I done it 10 years ago. Oh well.
And then what about all the other "unnessesary" surgical procedures that people utilize to help them feel better about themselves and their appearance....nose jobs, boob jobs, liposuction, face lifts, butt implants, even hair implants. Are these all cases of abusing surgery since they aren't being done for health reasons? Personally, I think you need to work on liking yourself from the inside, but hey, if it works for them, and they are willing to take the risk and spend the $$$ then I guess good for them.

That's right!! If you don't have all of the facts, watch what you say about others " abusing WLS" pleeeeaaassee! Give me a break! You don't know my story, even though I'm only 60 lbs over weight doesn't mean I'm not sick. I have high blood pressure, sleep apnea, asthma, joint pain in ankles( from carrying that extra 60 lbs) and plain and simple my 5'00 ft frame just can't handle this extra weight! So mind your own business and know your facts before making a broad spectrum of a statement trying to get a riot started, cause you just might not like it!

I would agree that you cannot judge without knowing the whole story. I lost 150 pounds on my own before surgery. Many thought I should stop there and be happy with what I had done. The surgery was to help me finish strong and keep the weight off. What a person and their health care providers decide is right for them is really between them and is nobody elses business.

I lost 40 lbs before surgery and the intake nurse at the hospital actually tried to talk me out of having the surgery saying I didn't have that much to lose. I literally wanted to hit her. She had no idea of what I had already gone through in my life of weight loss struggles. I had 70 more pounds to lose and wanted it to stay off forever. I was approved for surgery by the surgeon and by my provincial health care plan, so really it was no ones business but my own. And that's exactly what I told the nosy nurse in January of 2014.
I am now 11 months post op and am at 145lbs. 5 lbs from my goal. I wear size 5/6 jeans and can share clothes with my 16yo daughter. As opposed to the size 24 pants I wore previously.
So really, just because we are lightweights, doesn't mean we don't matter or that we don't "deserve" surgery. We have our own struggles and weight related health problems. ( we also have feelings too)

Ugh...Okay....how do you know someone else's Before, During and After WLS journey? There are some of us on here and I'm sure on other boards who chose to change their lifestyle BEFORE weight loss surgery.
I had to attend a seminar and 3 nutrition meetings with a nutritionist. I learned all kinds of facts and tidbits about being obese that stuck with me. So much so that I made a deal with myself....If I could make some changes now...I could get this surgery. I had my surgery on 12/16/14 after losing 50+ lbs on my own....at a bmi of 32.
So I guess I'm one of those "people" who took advantage of WLS. H*** yes, sure did. You are not aware of my struggle with obesity since I was a kid. You are not aware of any part of my journey. But I am. i will lose the 42 lbs I have to reach goal and I will not gain it back.
Guess I need to remind some...Weight Loss Surgery is a TOOL. And please remember....Everyone is on their own journey...RESPECT them by giving the benefit of doubt.

I hope to get whatever pain meds she was on! LOLOL !
But it seems like you're doing well from what I gathered, so that's great!

everyone in this house eats SOOO damn much food
@@ELI.p.m
YOU are the one that has to deal with food in general
you can't tell the world to have Water and Protein shakes
doesn't work that way
it must be hard being around all that food
don't ask others/family to change "their" habits
you gotta stop with the eating of chips et al
cake,spicy food
stop eating all those foods
you know you shouldn't even "say" such words as cheesecake
you want/need to lose your weight
you made a wise decision to have WLS
please don't screw up now!!!!
get a mindset that you MUST do this for your health and happiness
are you having trouble drinking / do you hurt when you swallow??
if not, then you must push the fluids
whether you like it or not!!
set a timer every 15 minutes to drink, drink, drink
at this early stage Water is more important
then again at 1 month post op you do need your Protein too
look at yourself in the mirror
say what the heck am i doing??
i need to lose this weight
i finally went through a major surgery to help me lose weight
i gotta get back on the stick!!!
now DO IT!!!!
"do or do not, there is no try"
hopefully you'll get back on the boat safely, before you start to sink
good luck
kathy

Oh my gosh tell me about it! It really does suck! And I work as a manager/cook in an Italian joint. The smell of pizza as your brush garlic butter on the crust.. heavenly D: This is my 12th day of pre-op dieting (surgery is in 2 days!!! AHHHH!!!!) and it has gotten easier but I was tempted soooo bad when I opened the fridge to get milk for my Protein shake last night and there were meatloaf and brownies hanging out. Just calling my name. But I was a good girl and had my Protein.
One of the only ways I've been able to stay on track is by thinking about how awful it would be to wake up and the surgery not be done because my liver was too big.