Brian88ss

JessiL--I'm writing to you as Brian88ss' wife. I'm 14 months out from my VSG (sleeve) surgery. Your post has struck a major chord in me. I've lived with anxiety my entire life, and it became acute in 2012. I sought help through I psychiatrist and counselor. I also live with chronic arthritis pain that I was told would be greatly reduced by several physicians (hasn't happened), which has really ratcheted up my anxiety. One of my friends, who is a psychologist (not the one I see) said, "when you live with anxiety, there's good news and bad news-the good news is you're going to live. The bad news is, you're going to live." I am working on something called mindfulness meditation (living with the anxiety and pain, but putting it in the back of your mind-like the needle on the record is down, but you don't have to always listen to it." I also switched from Xanax to clonazepam (which is like a longer-acting form of Xanax). That being said, I know that our population (bariatrics) is at a huge risk for cross-addiction (alcohol, pills, shopping, gambling, etc.) and I struggle with tension headaches, for which I take a medication that has a sedative in it (I have noticed myself using it more recently, so I know the anxiety is ratcheting back up ). What I do know, is there's hope. NEVER give up hope. You had this surgery to improve and extend your life (I have to tell myself that lots). I also know that one of the best anti-anxiety exercises out there is exercise. I'm not even talking anything hard-core, even getting outside for a walk can help (I know this because I use it as one of my tools to deal with what my friends and I call "the big A." When my husband read me your post, my heart totally went out to you. Please know there are people out there who care about you (and they are people you may not even know!). This is going to sound really weird, but I'm going to try something new-adult coloring books (you can find them on Amazon and if you have a Prime membership, you get a discount and free shipping. My online anxiety group has been raving about them, so I thought it would be worth a try. Remember that you are special. You have a purpose in this life. And you are the only "you" in this world. Thinking of you and sending you hugs and good vibes. If you want, you can message me through my hubby-I'm trying to limit my time online right now, as that might be a contributing factor to the increased anxiety. Please do take care and know that you are not alone. Julie

If I were to guess why one of the reasons the post op diets vary so much from bariatric center to bariatric center is probably due to the fact each has a different NUT and each try to utilize their nutrition differently. Since you come out of surgery on such a low calorie diet they way you get your nutrition is limited to only a hand full of options. It's like taking ten people to a grocery store and giving them each a hundred dollars to spend on groceries and tell them to make healthy choices and then check how each one spent their hundred dollars. It's really not that much different, you have a budget of calories, and with that each program spends that budget differently. Some programs make higher priorities on different nutrition than others and choose to more wisely spend their calories on certain things it's probably up to the NUT that came up with the guidelines that the program. Also worth mentioning that those guidelines are the ones that their program has seen results with so if it working why change it. There are a hundred different ways to get some where but they all lead to the same place. But rest assured they all wish you to achieved your goal that is one thing I definitely can say they all are saying the same thing on. Follow the rules and you will succeed. I say that if you believe in the program you're in stay the course and listen to what they recommend, because they are ultimately the ones you will have to go to if a serious issue comes up, and if they didn't recommend it they more than likely won't have research to know how it will effect their program and they would only be speculating at that point. I guess what I saying in a long winded round about way is if you trust your program follow it, because each program is different and you got to have faith in something this is a hard enough thing as is without making more variables for you and your team at the WLS Center.

Hey Bariatric Pal Friends, I would like to let everyone out there know there is two different Weight Loss Support Groups in the Des Moines area. I have attached the schedule to the Mercy Weight Loss and Nutrition Center, and provided a link for the Unity Point Bariatric Support Group schedule. Hope to see you there, and Good Luck in your journey no matter where you are at on it. Brian (This doc will open in Word if you don't have it sorry for the inconvenience.) Mercy Weight Loss and Nutrition Center Support Group Schedule.docx https://www.unitypoint.org/desmoines/classes-and-events-details.aspx?id=baab9cdd-0a9c-4905-a9dd-85957470da8b&typeid=06328734-e072-4e5e-ade9-f2950da28ca2

I also wanted the sleeve as a first choice because of my wife's great success with hers and the fact it is the lesser evasive surgery of the two. But since I have a diagnosis Barrett's the sleeve was out for me. When the weight loss center nurse told me my surgeon probably won't do a sleeve on me because of the Barrett's that's the same attitude I had, it wasn't the procedure, it was the benefit from the procedure I was looking for. Best of Luck...

If you have your heart set on the sleeve and your surgeon will do a sleeve with your diagnosis of Barret's you must also see if your insurance would allow for a sleeve to bypass revision in case reflux gets to bad. Most insurances will only cover 1 procedure per lifetime check the fine print. My surgeon wouldn't do a sleeve on me because of my diagnosis of Barret's so I had the bypass on the 15th of June. Hope this helps. Best of Luck.

Congratulations, on making it to Onehunderland!!! Good for You. Im slower than all of you. 214 6/10 when I came home. Today 199.....

Sarabeth, I am truly sorry your having a rough time of it. But I think that if you weren't so emotional about this there would be a problem. It really shows how serious your taking this and like me I'm not a very patient person but like everyone else has said it will pass. If you need too lean on your friends here. Best wishes. Brian

Mine is June 15th at Mercy West Lakes in West Des Moines.

Awesome for you! You have a nice weekend too. Enjoy!

Wow, sorry to hear that. Hope everything is going better. I'll be thinking of you.

I'm doing good. I'm now just over the two week mark post op and have lost 42lbs! Yeah me! I'm getting better at knowing how much to eat so I don't get the overfull feeling or the "stuck". Feeling. So I guess I'm gonna live and feel very good. Thanks for asking. Don't worry you'll get those last few pounds I know you can do it!!!

Amylynn, How are you doing? Everything going well for you? Brian

Good luck you July 15ther's. I had mine June 15th. Brian

I'm doing ok still trying to get used to eatng slower. I've worked in construction most of my life and only get a short time to eat so it's so hard to retrian my brain when you're used to eating in a short time frame. Waaah!, Waaah! (My weekly whine) Brian

They are the Bomb dot com. Brian

Good last supper! Best of luck tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you. Brian

I eat any Popsicle brand sugar free Popsicles they are 15 calories each.. Hope this helps. Brian

I live in Newton, Iowa

If you want there is a Facebook group with lots of Bariatric recipes that might help you make better choices. It's called Rock's Kitchen find it and ask to be included and I have found lots of very good recipe choices. Best of luck. Brian

I am sooooo jealous cause my program won't allow beef til 5 months post op. Very happy for you cause beef was a big part of my life pre op. Now it will have to be in moderation post op. Best of luck. Brian

I had the same issue when I took my pre op prep the mag citrate didn't clean me out like I was told it would. So after I was very constipated and bloated, I finally took some mira lax to get things moving. I was told and it's true once everything gets moving again inside you'll feel much better, for me that was about a week and a half post op. Brian

Hey, How's everyone doing? Just checking. If there is anything anyone needs I'll do what I can but I was just checking in to say Hi and I'm thinking of everyone. Brian