Dr-Patient

I am so tempted to put my pictures in this thread! Hmm. I'll go back to sleep a bit and see how I feel about it when I really wake up :-).

Baby first.

1. Any chance you might be pregnant? Just asking.[ i.e., possibly conceived just prior to surgery date?] 2. Also, [not saying you have it, of course, but just an FYI]...people may get a partial bowel obstruction, in which patients may still pass some stool.

I just saw this my my email. I thought you might be interested in this April meeting in San Diego: Join us in San Diego for Fun in the Sun Join hundreds of WLS patients for an amazing time in San Diego on April 10 - 12, 2015. The WLSFA annual Meet and Greet is more that a meeting up with friends. It is also a time to learn about life along the WLS journey as speakers present relevant topics. Exhibitors present products and services and partner with us with free samples and opportunities. But most of all - we save lives one grant at a time as we raise funds together to give the gift of a changed life to one or more people in need of WLS. For more info and to register: http://www.wlsfa.org/meetgreet/ Early Bird Special ends TODAY! Don't miss out.

My colleague-friend [my VSG surgeon]--who is a leader and a pioneer in endoscopic surgery (he's taught many doctors in other countries, etc.; is well published; teaches other physicians, etc., and now, bariatric surgery)--knows Ariel Ortiz very well and says he is a WONDERFUL surgeon. In a general conversation my doc and I were having two weeks ago about the state of medicine today, etc., he just so happened to mention Ortiz' name. I told him that I've seen that name here, on BP. He said, "oh, yeah; he's a great doctor/surgeon." In fact, they are doing something together in the Dominican Republic (or soon will be). I say, go for it with Dr. Ortiz. Congratulations on a great choice.

@@yungshi ...uh...don't start the year being snippy. geez. @@finediva is saying you might not have the DESIRE to eat, but just DO it, because you need to. PLUS, she was VERY kind to give you nice Protein amounts for easy foods to get in. So, yung...did you really need to give attitude and be so aggresive and snarky? Obviously you NEED to eat something, because you're already unnecessarily cranky. Just sayin'. An apology to FD might be a nice thing for you to do, imho.

There are rare exceptions, but we don't like patients to lose weight when pregnant. You need adequate nutrition, Vitamins, etc., for proper fetal growth, placental sufficiency, etc. You did NOT waste your surgery; you lost 80 pounds that made you healthier to get pregnant, stay pregnant and have a greater start to a less-complicated delivery. Bottom line: Speak to your Ob-Gyn and have him/her be in regular communication with your bariatric surgeon and nutritionist re: diet, vitamins, etc. Congratulations!! [if the pregnancy news is a good thing/welcome news for you!]

Tell them you've been having mind-blowing sex twice a day, an hour each session, for 30 days, and you've burnt great calories! Just say "I've been taking care of me, limiting my carbs" and call it a day. Don't worry yourself with what they think or wonder. You can only control what you do and how you react. Folks will talk no matter what.

@@Kindle Wow. I signed on just now to post a very similar thing!!! But I'll just add my comment to your post. All these new year's 'weight loss' resolution commercials; and which weight-loss program to join; and to 'lose 5 pounds the first week,' etc. Marie Osmond. Weight Wathcers. etc. I do NOT have to WORRY myself with that stuff anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoop, whoop!! Whippeee!!!!!!!!!!!! Hot Damn!!!!!!!!!!!! The FREEDOM that VSG/WLS gives is remarkable!!!!!!! And it IS freedom from the dread and the 'let me try this again this year, this week, this coming Monday, this.... blah, blah blah., knowing you're only going to fail again. We have F-R-E-E-D-O-M!!!! Thank you, God, that I decided to take the step to VSG/WLS. It gave me a wonderful 2014 and I anticipate only greater happiness in 2015.

Oh; a doctor. I thought you'd discovered JESUS's last name :-). LOL. Happy new year.

Definitely aim to well-hydrate. Try to eat, remind yourself that, yes, you have to get in some Protein, etc. But don't worry...you'll soon be able to eat more. I hated that I couldn't even drink--guzzle--Water for a good while. I still can't guzzle, but I can drink good swallows. That improves, as does your ability to eat and actually, later, even needing to remind yourself to stop eating or to eat slowly. Again, do what you can, but for now, enjoy the lack of hunger (as long as you get in much of what you must).

I, too, over indulged. Between thanksgiving, then the weekend of Dec. 12-15, and again that following Monday, I baked sweet potato pies, Apple cobbler, plus a Bunch of food for guests. I ate more carbs--rice...yum. I also HAD to eat my pies. But unlike before VSG, I could only eat a little at a time, not the whole darn thing! I'd been hanging around 184 pounds, but today am 189. Oh well. Overall, I'm not beating myself up too badly and will hunker down so, in early 2015, I can get to ~165. We're not in prison. We have a tool, and thank God it really does work.

Leaving staples in a bit longer happens sometimes when physicians/surgeons want to try to keep the edges of the wound well-approximated (next to each other; not opening up). With obesity, wounds can [open] just due to the stress on the incision. Have you seen anyone clinician post-op yet--a PA, anyone? I am a bit surprised that you have staples for every incision; were you done laparoscopically--belly button and a few other small incisions? Using staples on each of those small incisions is a bit...different. BUT... The main thing is to keep the area nice and clean; and after cleaning well, dry the area well to help prevent moisture, infection. If you've no bleeding, pus, redness, fever or breakdown/separation, you can likely keep them a few extra days without problem. If any of those things happen, call the doc's office. I'm sure he would [or should] have someone covering for him in his absence. Merry Christmas.

Not everybody you think is a "friend" actually is. In a sermon, I once heard "...I'm leaving you behind!" Sometimes you have to just leave folks behind if they can't get on board as you better yourself. That's why I didn't tell many folks--especially WOMEN friends--because folks hate, and women can be catty. @@KeeWee, and others...check this out: The best quote I ever saw about "HATERS' is: "And when you do your thing, remember...you will have 'haters,' but never let people get you off track. Sometimes even family members will become jealous, try to derail you and destroy your spirit. But no matter what obstacles come against you, you can make it if you treat people right, stay focused on your goal and stay true to yourself and your God." I LOVE that. It's in a book I recommend to all women cuz it has stats in there for Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans. It's the only book I've found that gives the public thost comparative stats, but especially Black female patients. It's about health, sex and happiness when many social issues affect Black women's health and diagnoses are more advanced. (It's a great stocking stuffer, imo.) Oh! Denzel's wife Pauletta wrote the foreword. That's good. I love Denzel. Living Well, Despite Catchin H***: The Black Woman's Guide to Health, Sex & Happiness: http://amzn.to/VX8wRk . FYI: The "h***" is stuff like low marriage stats, others behaving badly, reflecting on everyone; something called "colorism"; education/work inequity with Black men (more women achieving than men); domestic violence, etc. And the SEX section is HOT!!! (Sex isn't only for your man, it's also for YOU to enjoy, etc. How to enjoy, but also to watch for the STDs and hi-risk guys ("down-low"), etc. hypertension, weight issues, DM, fibromyalgia, eye diseases, etc. Head to toe info. I might post the quote in a original post because it's so strong a message for everybody. Enjoy your success; enjoy your man. Later for those haters.

Hi. It is likely due to the weight loss (in a good way); the obesity may have given you longer/heavier periods. But...to rest your mind re: if it's perimenopause, have your OB/GYN check new levels of FSH, LH and estradiol. Make sure you know what day of your cycle it is when the blood is being drawn. Remember, 'Day 1' is the first day of your cycle.]

I've tried the unflavored and it worked well in different things. I love Unjury's 'Chocolate Splendor', but alas, I can't use Unjury because it has Splenda (sucralose) in it; that blocks my weight loss. Too bad, cuz I've got at least 40 shake packs, different flavors. Oh well.

So, how did everyone do yesterday!? Did folks who hadn't seen you in a while see the 'new you' and celebrate? How'd you manage the food?, etc. Share your day's happenings.

Hello, all. My VSG was Dec. 4th, 2013...the day that changed my life. IF you had your VSG last year December (2013) and this is your 1-year surgerversary month, share your stats and maybe a picture. Also your NSVs!

Do NOT lie down. Do not drink anything to push it down; that will Only add to your pressure and may give chest tightness. Try to relax. Breathe slowly through your mouth, if necessary. The pressure/discomfort should pass. If it's going to come back up, it will. Take it slow and easy. Eat slowly at first Because the food needs time to get to your sleeve, and you do not have the room you used to have, even for puréed foods. Hopefully by now (as I type), the discomfort has passed.

@@Forsythia Guy sometimes irritates me, but it's Giada that is really annoyiing, with her fake smile. So phony. Grrrrr.

Good for YOU!!! @@WL WARRIOR

I DO still LOVE to cook. "Not being able to cook!" was one of my pre-surgery concerns/anxieties/fears. Being single, and post-VSG, I don't cook big meals as often as I used to, but I want to keep up my cooking skills. When I feel like 'gettin' down' and cooking, or even trying new recipes I see, I do it and give practically all of it to friends [like yesterday, though I had some of all I fixed, including some starches/carbs/pie]. Having the VSG hasn't affected my ability, nor love for cooking. I cook. I still watch The food Network, etc. It's worked out fine. Thank goodness!

This was my first Thanksgiving post-VSG. I had a nice day with a friend who came by. I ate more calories than I've had in 51 weeks (next week--Dec. 4th--makes 1 yr VSG), but I'm happy to report my portions were definitely smaller. I even had sweet potato pie, which I hadn't baked since my surgery. OMG--delish! But again, slices were MUCH smaller than what I used to eat. My "pig out" was that I ate rice, a dinner roll and pie, not that I pigged out on tons of food. Since I've been between 186-184 the past 2 months or so, I don't want to weigh the rest of this weekend because I don't want to (possibly!) see 190. I'll have a few leftovers today, then back to basics. By Monday, I should be a sure 184 again. I wanted to be at 175 by my surgiversary, but as in other posts, I've been less than rigid about all the rules. I'll eventually get to 175, then ~160 goal.

Oh my. I'm so sorry to hear of these complications. Did you speak to your surgeon? (Were you done here in the states?) Sending prayers your way that things will turn around and that you'll get, and feel better soon.

I can relate. My VSG was Dec. 4, 2013. On Dec. 19th--two weeks post-op--I felt like I wanted to cook a lot of food. I did so: I baked chickens; wild rice; sweet potatoes; string beans; squash casserole; sweet potato pies; lemon cake; something else (can't remember) and I took it to the two men who helped me with my surgery. The guy who took me to/from surgery; and the other guy who housed me for the first 3 days post-op and brought me home. I didn't eat any of that stuff except for two swallows of the sweet potatoes that I smashed [allowed 'soft' foods]. I just wanted to COOK again; and I still can cook now, so I didn't lose that pleasure of cooking and watching others devour my food. That was a 'fear' of mine--that I "wouldn't be able to cook a lot of food again." Wasted energy. I can still cook for others, and now, just portion for myself. Congrats on your success, and enjoy cooking!