Cococat

I just Googled, "Bariatric suicide." Apparently there is a small but significant increase in suicide among post-bariatric surgery people.

I know that is not what anyone wants to hear. But, doctors want to know before hand if their potential patient has any underlying psychological problems, hence, the psych evaluation.

The details are too involved for me to go into here. Apparently, some people eat because they are depressed and when that option is taken away by bariatric surgery, they have no coping skills and abilities. We all should go for psychological help if we need it. We all need support groups and visits with our nutritionists. Can't hurt!

Take your time. Ask your doctor everything that comes to mind. The Lap-Band has been used successfully by many people. Drew Carey and the guys from Pawn Stars have used the Band. Read some of the posts here relating to the Band. Nothing is perfect. Some people get scar tissue with the Band, some don't. Ask your insurance guy (if you are going through an insurance company) if they will pay for a removal of a Band, or a switch from a Band to a Sleeve ... just in case you get a Band but then go for a Sleeve.

I wanted a Band at first, because I thought it could be removed and offered me more flexibility in options, but after weighing my options further and finding out that my insurance would pay for a Band and its removal (if I needed it), but would NOT pay for a subsequent Sleeve,( if I needed it) I decided to go with the Sleeve.

In some ways, a Band seems like less of a commitment, but I am not sure it is less. I know that when you get a Sleeve, the part of the stomach which they take out contains the appetite hormone, so that you are not hungry. I do not know how that works with a Band. I do not know if after a Band one will still be hungry but not be ABLE to eat. You have to determine how you might feel - but ask your doctor first.

Jules:

I have to amend my statements a little further. You have a lot going for you IF you choose to do a sleeve at this point. That you are undecided, tells me something additional, though.

The only thing I think you are missing is ... MISERY. True, you seem to be annoyed with yourself and want to change your habits, but I sense no desperation, no misery in your words. If you read some of the posts about what finally made other people choose bariatric surgery, most have a deep feeling of sadness and misery - either from the way they have been treated by society, or the embarassment they have endured while in their obese state.

As for me, I was (am) miserable being fat. My physical body was suffering (blood pressure, knees, you name it. My self-esteem is still suffering.)

Don't get me wrong, I think you could do this bariatric thing in a snap. I think you would be very successful. I think it would lengthen your life. But I don't think you have a sense of total commitment yet. You need commitment to follow all the rules of eating and behavior modification and nutritional supplements that you will have to follow. At your present state, you may have to wait a few years ... until your knees, sugar levels, blood pressure, (and whatever) give you no other choice. And when the kids at the supermarket checkout start to call you, "Mr." and "Sir."

I came to the conclusion that I had no other choice - it was bariatric surgery or I was going to die in pain and misery. Life or death. You are still a comparatively young guy. There is no shame in thinking about it a bit longer. You may have to sit like a caged tiger in your cage of fat until you arrive in a mindset where you are throwing yourself against the bars of your fat cage, screaming, "Let me the f^@# outta here!" When you are emotionally screaming that, you will be really ready.

You have what is essential if you want to tackle any problem - you have a good mind. You have realistically and dispassionately evaluated yourself, and you know your weak points and your triggers. You know the origins of your tendency toward putting on weight. You should be commended for putting so much thought into your situation.

You seem to have what many people have and that is a Portion Control problem and are an emotional eater: food equals LOVE. BUT you seem to have a spouse who will be supportive, since she is careful with what she feeds the kids. She will support whatever you need to accomplish your goal. These are all good things.

Did anyone mention that in getting a sleeve gastrectomy, the surgeon cuts away a large part of the stomach which secretes a hormone which causes cravings? Ask him about it. I have experienced a drastic reduction in cravings. I no longer crave bread and wheat paroducts. It is good because wheat contains gluten and gluten can cause inflamation and aches and pains. This part of the stomach might grow back in time (years) and you ought to be cognizant of that.

After surgery, things which you liked the taste of, you suddenly might not like the taste of. It sounds strange, but I was a sugar addict but after the surgery, a lot less so. The Protein drinks I had to drink at first tasted good, but now are too sweet for me. I hope you get a nutritionist counselor with your surgery. He/she will tell you that there are many Protein Drinks available and tell you which ones to try.

As to getting too skinny and looking weak - You will be taking Protein and Vitamin supplements to make sure you will not lose muscle. Follow your nutritionist's rules. There are a million ways to cheat the weight loss and put back the weight (unfortunately). The sleeve is only a tool. You can restretch your stomach back to its original big size over time, but do not do that!

Another thing: Most of your weight will come off in the first year. That is your "Honeymoon Period" when the weight will fall off the easiest. Take advantage of that fact. What you will enjoy the most, I think, is the freedom you will get from not being a slave to food. I can walk by the bakery and not go nuts! I do not crave sweet, greasy, gooy-goop any longer. Food does not mean what it used to! You will understand that the refrigerator is NOT your friend. It has always been your enemy! HA!

This is another benefit: Since you will not be as tempted as you have been by food, it will not be a strain NOT to buy stuff that your entire family should not be eating. You will go by the cookie aisle without suffering. This will be good for the kids and everyone. My husband lost 5 pounds in the last 2 months only because we were simply not buying the things I craved. Your weightloss will have beneficial effects all around.

There was a story in the Wall Street Journal a week or so ago about intestinal bacteria, which said that some of our rising obesity problems might be related to the "bad" bacteria living in our gut, because the "good" bacteria has been killed off by antibiotics (both what we have taken as drugs and the antibiotics fed to animals). You might want to Google that. I found it interesting. I think the surgery stops some cravings, and changes the intestinal bacteria as well.

That's all I can think of now. I commend you on your clearheaded thinking. You will be all right.

1. At my last pre-op meeting with my surgeon, I asked him about pain management and how he handles that shoulder gas I was hearing about. He said it comes from CO2 pumped into the abdominal cavity to expand it and allow more room to work with his surgical instruments. This is the gas that rises post-op into the shoulder area. (Personally, I don't see how Gas-X strips would help with gas that is not inside the stomach or bowels, but many swear by it). Doctor said he would extract as much as possible before closing up. For what it's worth, I did not have any shoulder post-op.

2. About the value of a notebook: good in case you just want to write something down. My best example is when I had ro go to a rehab facility after my knee replacement since I lived alone and could not take care of myself right away. The first night, my pain meds were delivered over two hours late, so I wrote that down and names of every nurse and nurse-aid who promised me I would get my meds in a few more minutes.

Every time anyone came into my room for anything, I wrote down their name, what they did to me, what they said to me, and how they teated me. About midway through the second shift on the second day, a nurse came in and asked me if I was a journalist. Well, I like to write things down and was midway through writing a book about surviving domestic violence, so I said yes, I am a journalist and I am logging my experience so that I can write up an article about it later.

From that point on, every med was on time and I was treated like the Queen of England! I thought is was hilarious. Since it was working, I just rolled with it. So anytime I am in the hospital, I write everything down - just in case.

I knew I should have done that! I guess I was feeling lazy. But you put your finger on the problem - they thought you would write about them because you were writing everything down. I wish I had done what my friend had suggested and had brought a notebook. The nurses were okay, but were late with my meds and with taking me for ,AND my Latanoprost (eye drops which have the side effect of making your eyelashes really long!) mysteriously disappeared. Imagine that! The nurse looked panicked when I remembered that it was in the room but somehow must have been "misplaced." I bet if I had been jotting down all information and happenings, it might not have gone "missing."

A robe. You have to walk after surgery and having a robe saves your rear end from over-exposure. I brought two small pillows to prop under my elbows while in bed. I am sure they will supply you with as many pillows as you want, but they are bigger pillows and having my own felt nice.

They give you everything else. A friend of mine said to take a notebook and jot down everyone's name and everything that they gave you and did. I did not do it but wish that I had because one forgets so much.

If she has a band ... yet she is afraid that you will walk off after YOU loose weight ... she has a real problem being insecure. The good part of that is that she shared her insecurities with you. That shows trust between partners.

IDEA: You might suggest that the reason YOU got bariatric surgery was that YOU thought SHE would walk off on YOU because she was looking so good! Maybe that would make her laugh at how silly the both of you can be, and what a perfect couple you are. You even share the same neurosis!

You could say that she was your inspiration and that you wanted to loose weight so you would be in good shape to pop other men in the nose when they flirt with her because she is so slim and beautiful. Tell her she is beautiful every day of your life.

Just a couple of thoughts. But I also think talking these things through with a professional would be helpful.

EXACTLY!

I feel the same way - that we are surrounded with junkfood commercials. I can barely stand the sight of a huge burger with all the fixins', dripping with juices. Visual overload. I look at TV and see lots of people I think ought to try a sleeve. If you have watched "Dr. Pol - Animal Vet" you see REAL people living in the Mid-West on farms who look (except for the Amish) like they are all going to have heart attacks. That lady Vet (forgot her name) is suffering. I can see it. Dr. Pol's son is another one.

Waking up in the middle of the night because I couldn't breathe has, by far, been the scariest moment of my life. I have been thinking about having this surgery for about a year and a half but that definitely made me get more serious about it.

Hi,

Have you been tested for sleep apnea? That is when you have difficulty breathing when asleep and do not get enough oxygen. I have been using a CPAP machine to sleep since July. Sleep apnea can be remedied by getting a sleeve and losing weight. I was sleeved two months ago and I am getting a better night's rest. Look up "sleep apnea" on the Internet and find out the symptoms. Some of them are:

Waking up in the morning with a headache.

Feeling tired all day.

Waking up at odd hours and failing to get back to bed.

Lack of dreaming, since you are not getting into a sleep deep enough to have dreams.

Depression.

Good luck!

All I can suggest is, "If you don't like weight loss surgery, don't have it."

Like almost everyone here, I was scared too.

But I just kept thinking about how much I have suffered with my weight - the pain of not looking as good as everyone else - the looks that waiters gave me in restaurants - not being able to walk gracefully. The pain of carrying all this unwanted weight finally outweighed (pardon the pun) my fears. I could not eat anything in public for fear of other people wondering why I ordered anything other than a salad. I was not enjoying my life, so the quality of my life was zero. What kind of life did I have?

You are a young woman. Your skin will still have its elasticity. You will look and feel more beautiful as men suddenly approach you. Just the other day, my husband and I went to an orchid show. I walked ahead, and suddenly, a guy came over to me and started talking about orchids. He was about 40. I am 67 friggin' years old! Men are visual. If they like what they see, they will let you know. When my husband came over we politely said it was nice to have met and walked away.

Another thing: A friend of mine told me that if we are cleared for surgery, the doctors in the U.S. do not want to ruin their own statistics by having you die, either. If they really did not think you could do it, they would not let you anywhere near an operating table for their own sakes.

This advice is for people having their surgery in the U.S only, as I cannot vouch for doctors, statistics and risks, and follow-ups in Mexico.

Post surgery, I babied myself like crazy. Do not let people influence you as to what kind of exercise is proper or when to do it. Your surgeon's staff and support group and nutritionist will be your experts. (Some jerk bragged here that he or she went skydiving a couple of months post-op. Not my thing.)

If you are too frightened to get the surgery - you have not suffered enough as a fat woman. Wait a while until the pain, anguish and misery of being fat is worse than the thought of death. Nice though, heh?

We live in a litigious society. People will sue. Doctors have the right to protect themselves and their practices, or they might have no career. They have to follow the rules that a hospital has or they will not be able to practice there.

Sometimes that entails not taking on follow-up care from surgery performed in another country, so, ACCEPT IT. You sound as if you are >entitled< to any bariatric surgeon taking you on as a patient.

You would not risk your job, career, reputation or your financial solvency. Why do you expect a surgeon to fulfill your desires, yet risk his.

As far as your saying, "This is great to hear that not all doctors and hospitals have a $$$ and legal thing first but consider the patient." Cry me a river. You have unreasonable expectations. Get real.

Graham elliot from master chef is very open about his VSG. I love that because he is a foodie and a chef and is doing fine after surgery. Let's me know that I won't be too terribly restricted after I heal up.

"Restricted" is an odd term to use. It implies that an outside authority imposes what we may eat. Although your nutritionist will give you guidelines, her/his advice can't be enforced. But it is foolish not to follow them.

I can guarantee (almost) that your tastes will change. Sugar will probably not have its hypnotic attraction. I find it difficult to eat Pasta in any form. The sweet Protein shakes might seem too sugary after surgery; at least they did for me. But you MUST eat slowly. Learn to differiate between "head" hunger and actual hunger. Do not be surprised if you get constipated. Your body is adjusting. The only real restrictions will be to get in ALL the Water (liquids) that your doctor requires and the amount of Protein and vitamin/ mineral supplements you will need. If there are any absolute restrictions, carbonated liquids must be high on the list. No soda. Carbonated drinks make the stomach swell. Ditto bread products. I thought I would miss bread, but I do not crave it. If I want to be daring - unsweetened applesauce is my favorite go-to temptation. (I never thought I'd say that.) I buy the individual, small cups of unsweetened applesauce that kids use for lunches. I can eat a few teaspoons at a time.

Just to add my two cents - Has it occurred to anyone that some reasons that many surgeons here will not do follow up after care work on surgeries done elsewhere are - if they need to reference your records and paperwork, first, they have to send for the records and secondly, they will be in Spanish.

And, once they get your records, they have to find someone who can translate the records PERFECTLY from Spanish to English. Misread records or bad interpretations very likely would be a liability to the U.S. doctors. Doctors here already pay a boatload in the U.S. to keep themselves insured. That is another reason healthcare costs so much here.

So, do not blame the U.S. doctors if they will not provide follow-up care for patients operated upon elsewhere. It may not be practical and serving you might open them up to litigation. And, their insurance companies may be putting pressure on them to keep away from patients who have their surgery elsewhere.

PLEASE!

Check with the appropriate authorites (and I have no idea who they might be) to see if you can bring drugs into Mexico. Hydrocodone might be considered a restricted drug and Mexico, being Mexico, might not like foreigners bringing drugs over THEIR border. I don't want to read about you in the newspapers. In addition, you can probably get hydrocodone by prescription in Mexico, written by your surgeon if requested. Ask your surgeon ahead of time. And don't get caught trying to get hydrocodone pills into the U.S. when you return.

I eat a scrambled or boiled egg occasionally. Diet mayo. I have eaten tuna, mashed potatoes (bad for carbohydrates, but they are satisfying). Ground serloin patty (small) without the bread, but with ketchup. Beef meatballs and gravy. I sneak in Rice Chex. They are carbohydrates but satisfy my need to crunch and they have no wheat. chicken is good in small doses. I have lost my taste fo Pasta. (I can't believe I am saying that.) I try to stay away from wheat anyway. I still drink Protein drinks especially in the A.M. No salads yet. But I have eaten canned beets with low-cal Catalina salad dressing, which I like. Canned asparagus. Yogurt and cottage cheese. Mozerella and Halvarti cheeses. Jello. Minestrone Soup. Bannanas. Everything must be chewed very well. I eat very tiny portions.

THE BAD NEWS: My husband has lost 5 pounds without even trying!

Apparently, not bringing home ice cream and pastry anymore has had a beneficial effect uopn his weight, too. I must have been a bad influence.

Tried grouper and got a lousy fillet from Publix. It was on sale and my husband got a good one but I didn't. I never had bad grouper before. Didn't eat it.

There probably have been other "real" foods, but that's all I can remember right now. I have to look into Protein Bars. I haven't done that yet, but have to read the labels to see if they are any good.

All the best,

Cococat

You will be happy with Dr. Bass and his support personnel.

I never was all that "normal."

I am doing well. I am a bit tired. I find it hard to get all my Protein and liquids in.

Have lost about 33 pounds, depending on how constipated I am on any given day.

I can tell you that getting up out of a chair is a lot easier than it used to be.

I have an arthritic knee which limits how much I can exercise. I know if I exercised more, I would lose more. But, I do what I can and I am walking more.

Sleeve gastrectomy is something that changes a lot about one's life. Expect changes. Things will never get back to "normal."

I did not like my "normal."

I was sleeved on Sept. 10th by Dr. Bass from Ft. Myers/Naples. No complications.

Randy Jackson! He had bariatric surgery in 2003. He has diabetes and lost 100 pounds because of surgery.

Too many 'last straws' to count, but here's a couple -- son works part-time in the box office of a local live theater venue -- got free tickets to a wonderful performance I would have *loved* to have seen --- and I found myself asking him if the seating charts included the width of the seats -- humiliating to ask your son that -- husband ended up going alone because I knew I wouldn't fit in the seats - ( Other last straw - doctor sent me to get a baseline bone density scan -- got there, checked in, finally was called back - first stop, scales -- over 340, but was pleased w/myself because I'd lost 9 lbs. Woman took me in a room, I thought to explain test and have me change into a gown or something -- but no, she very nicely (I actually felt bad for her...) told me that their machine only holds up to 300 lbs. I profusely apologized for wasting their time, kept a blank look frozen on my face so I wouldn't start bawling in shame and embarrassment, and managed to get out of their and hightailed it thru the waiting room to my car where I broke down in complete and utter despair and humiliation. But wait, the story's not over -- a couple weeks later, I got a *bill* for the procedure, which wasn't done due to my weight. I then had to call the insurance company and explain the situation -- yes, i did check in, but no, they didn't do the scan. "Why not?" And i had to tell the clerk on the phone why not. Ugh.

Please think of all your embarassing experiences as your Angel's way of motivating you. We have to think of them as moments which galvanized our wills to get a bariatric procedure. After our procedures, every time we are tempted to break our diets because of "head hunger," we should remember how bad we felt at those embarassing times. We have all had them.

We must turn all of our negatives into positives. As bad as you felt at those times, you will feel just the reverse - great and happy - to the same extent except in the opposite direction when you are slim.

All the best.

All of us here have issues about extra skin. We will probably not look the way we did when we were kids. So? At least we will be alive. I try to focus on my health. I had a friend who although only a bit heavy, actually wore a jumpsuit into the pool! She was so paranoid about her body! She wore a French corset to bed with her boyfriend (14 years younger! They eventually married.) and covered as much as she could. Funny. She kept telling me that after 30, a woman needs props and went for lace everything in the way of undies. She was a terrible tease and guys just loved her. So, relax about the skin.

I was sleeved on 9-18-14. I am down 44.5 1bs. Weight on day of surgery 363 lbs. I am still so very fatigue. I am so happy about the weight loss. But I wish I felt better

For me, some days are better than other days. I still am fatigued. But it is easier for me to get up from chairs and walk. I have to be happy with small achievements. Take your Vitamins and Iron and Calcium too. Lots of Water to flush out your body. Protein helps keep the muscles strong. Keep the faith!

Never place your photo online anywhere. The photos placed here are not secure. This is common throughout the Internet. Photos can be taken off by anyone, using very basic photo programs and used for ANY purpose. GET IT? This is a security issue. Do not ever post your pictures online. Period.

I went to dogs shows last Thurs/Fri and was a little worried that I was not ready yet for that level of activity at 32 days post op. I did great! Drove 4 hours to get to the show site Wed afternoon with no issues. I showed 3 dogs in 7 classes on Thursday and 2 dogs in 2 classes on Friday. Had plenty of 'legal' food for me to eat in my ice chest, although keeping hydrated was a bit of a challenge. Show hospitality had fritatta for Breakfast, and I was able to eat a small portion with no issues. Legs were sore the next day, but my incision sites stayed nice and pink and I had no pain thru my midsection. I went out to dinner with friends - had a poached egg at IHOP the first night and a cup of tomato/basil Soup at Applebee's the second night. Ordered hot Water as my beverage and used my own tea bags to make my dinner beverage to sip during the dinner conversation. And I was able to wear show clothes that I haven't fit into for 2 years! Go me!

Way to go!

Bouff,

I got my sleeve in Naples.