theantichick

I live in Arlington and work in Irving (161/MacArthur). I haven't been able to get to any of the meetings at my surgeon's office yet, but am planning to try again next week. I'd love to see area groups get started that maybe aren't affiliated with a surgeon's group. I know restaurants are a common meetup place, and that could be problematic for this type of group, but there are other options.

I haven't been on a long drive since the surgery, and don't know how I'll handle it when I do. To me, a road trip just isn't complete without things to munch on (I alternate between salty and sweet) while driving. I'll have to figure out alternatives of course, but hadn't given it any thought until this thread. Hm.

Oh, that sucks. I don't have anything to offer but my sympathy. I have had friends who suffered episodes of it, most went back to 100% normal, one friend has a slight residual droop to his mouth but it's not noticeable unless you look for it.

Completely forgot what I was going to comment about sodium. Most people can handle sodium in any amount with no problem. There are people for whom it will drive up their blood pressure, and another smaller group where the sodium doesn't get excreted right and their levels go up and cause all sorts of problems. My sodium has been slightly low since the surgery, but not enough to worry. I think it's because I'm not eating as much sodium in prepared foods as I used to.

I drink flavored lightly carbonated Water with no problems at this point, but everyone is different. I tried a Coke Zero the other day, from a fountain dispenser because I was craving a soda. First, it hurt like the dickens. Second, it tasted nasty. I think highly carbonated stuff will continue to be out for a while. I have a Soda Stream, and am going to try it next time I just really want a soda, because you can control the amount of carbonation. Also their diet soda syrups use sucralose which is better for me because aspartame triggers migraines for me.

Every surgery has the potential for complications. If your surgical team didn't go over them thoroughly with you, then you should insist that they do so. As a nurse, I do not believe anyone should agree to surgery without fully understanding the potential for complications along with how often these complications arise. @@GinaCampbell has had one of the worst experiences I have ever heard of. And not just for the complications that arose, but also for what I consider mis-management of the complications after they arose. It is worth noting that she is being treated in the NHS system which may be overall quite good, but I believe at least some regions have some serious deficiencies in their practices. I know that her case would have been handled quite differently by every single physician I have ever known or worked with here in the U.S. However, even here in the States, I have read many accounts here on BP where the surgery team absolutely has not done what they should in preparing the patient for the surgery, the demands pre- and post-operatively, and have not given them the support they need. If some of the stories I've read here are true, there are bariatric surgeons out there who don't give written instructions for post-operative care and don't give all of the information needed to make an informed decision. I consider both grounds for a malpractice complaint, honestly. It is vital to have faith and trust in your surgical team. You have rights as a patient to have your questions fully answered prior to consenting for the surgery, and to have clear written instructions for every stage of the process. If you don't have those things, ask for them or find another surgeon. Period. I think some people worry that if too much focus is placed on the cases that are outliers with severe complications, that people who are in the decision phase will get scared and end up deciding not to have the surgery that absolutely has the capacity to save their lives. Honestly, if the surgical team cannot put the fears to rest, the person shouldn't have the surgery. I was another person who wanted to hear the horror stories, because then I'd have a clear picture of how bad it could get. Then I discussed those concerns with my surgeon who was able to give me overall statistics of the incidences of those complications, along with her personal track record. Also, she was able to tell me if there are things I as the patient or she and the team could do to prevent the possible complications. Gina's case is not the norm, at least here in the States. But I agree that hearing her story and the stories of other people who regret their decision for whatever reason, are important. I believe that a lot of people have the surgery without really understanding the choice they're making and what it will mean for their lives. If the surgeons are not doing their part to mitigate this, then places like BP can help by exposing people to lots of different perspectives and experiences.

I cannot do very low carb because ketosis makes me very ill. The medical community is divided on the issue of ketogenic diets. There are a huge number that support it and bring good evidence that it's completely safe for most people. My personal take on it is that ketosis is a functional "backup" physiologically speaking for when we can't get enough carbs in our diet, and I don't think running permanently in a "backup" situation is a holistic plan. That being said, I don't think it's dangerous for most people.

I think it's more about lifestyle than the weight itself, but the end result may be the same. If I were on the market, I wouldn't be interested in dating/marrying anyone who would essentially sabotage the healthy habits I'm trying to establish. I'm lucky that my husband while carrying a few extra pounds right now is wanting healthy food in the house and an active lifestyle. I've actually been the one holding us back from that with my health issues that are slowly resolving post surgery. It would be very hard to be on this path with a partner who wasn't interested in a healthier lifestyle.

This is very true. I went to someone who specializes in body image and eating disorders. While it might not appear that we emotional/binge/overeaters have much in common with anorexics, the underlying issues tend to be very similar, if not identical. If you feel you need/want a therapist and don't mesh well with one you've tried, look for someone else if you can.

Many people have, and the board is full of the discussions about it. I personally have come to hate the word "cheat". Until you are released to full solid foods, you are on a diet progression prescribed by your doctor to ensure you heal the best possible after a major abdominal surgery. Deviating from those instructions is in my mind, not "cheating", it's willfully disregarding your physician's instructions that are designed to let you heal and keep you safe. I'm a nurse, and I will tell you that deviating from your surgeon's diet progression can be VERY dangerous. Some people will do it and have no ill effects. Some will land in the hospital, possibly the ICU, with a leak. A few will even die. Once you are cleared to a full solid diet, then it's just about choices. You choose to follow the plan, or not. The consequences are the changes in your success. "Cheating" minimizes the choice you're making. To answer the question, while I was progressing from liquids to purees to solids, no I did not deviate from my surgeon's guidelines. WAY too risky. Since having been released to solid foods, I have eaten things that weren't really "on plan" and I may have slowed my weight loss making that choice.

I have known people with every version of gastric surgery - lapband, bypass, and sleeve. Bottom line, once you are a ways out from the surgery, every single one of them can be "eaten around". I watched friends with lapbands drink sugared sodas and eat ice cream and cream-based Soups because they never addressed their emotional eating problems. I have watched friends with bypass find the foods that don't make them dump and eat way too much, or just graze constantly during the day and put the weight back on. The people I know who have had the sleeve aren't as close friends so I don't see their day-to-day activities, but they are all fairly recent surgeries as well. I am 3 months out and can already tell ways that if I were determined to, I could eat around the sleeve. What I'm trying to say is that the surgeries can be great tools, but if we don't do the other work needed, the tools can never function as well as they're supposed to. Months before I decided definitely to have the surgery, I started seeing a therapist about my emotional eating and other food issues. I knew I needed to get that stuff straight whether I had the surgery or not. Best decision I ever made. And while I'm still very happy with the surgery, if I'd been forced to choose between therapy and surgery, I'd take the therapy hands down. Having the two together, I believe gives me a better chance of long term success than either alone. As I've read here many times, the surgery is on your stomach, not your head. Both have to be addressed.

I'm a nurse and a professional dieter since my teenage years. My required visit with the nutritionist was a waste of time and money. I have yet to meet a nutritionist who was worth it. If I had access to a registered dietician, I suspect that would be a much more useful visit. I also suspect that if I didn't have a lot of knowledge about nutrition already, that she might have been of more use to me. What *has* been amazingly helpful for me was finding a therapist who specializes in food issues. She wasn't very much in favor of my having the surgery, but she's working with me on my food issues and emotional eating. She's worth every cent I've had to pay out of pocket for her services.

I use straws. My doc said that some people do well (even better) with straws, some don't. She said that the biggest downside to straws is the discomfort from swallowing air, but it's not dangerous. She let me use a straw from day 1 if I didn't have additional discomfort from it. Some people have instructions from their docs to never use a straw again, and their docs say that it can cause problems. If you search in this forum, you'll find heated and lengthy discussions about straw use. Many people here use them without issue.

Nope. Pre-op diet was hard and frustrating. Had trouble getting fluids and Protein in to start with, but every day it got better. My weight loss has slowed down, but it's still progressing. I'm already seeing awesome improvement in my health with 55# gone. I know it will just keep getting better. I occasionally want to eat more than I physically can, and think "why did I do this" but then it's over especially when I look at the health benefits. Like many others, I just wish I'd done it sooner.

GENEPRO and unjury unflavored I have found that both of these are good as far as not changing the flavor, but they do change the texture for me which is unpalatable to me.

Every physician gives different instructions for the food phases post-op. Generally, at 3 weeks, if it wasn't on a list of pre-approved foods, I didn't eat it. And my doc has almost the most liberal diet progression plan I've seen. chips are unlikely to be approved by a surgeon at 3 weeks post. They have sharp edges, take a lot to break down into the mushy consistency the sleeve needs at that point. Even docs who approve crackers like saltines that early are probably going to have an issue with chips. Guac I don't honestly know because I don't care for it. If it's blended well enough it might work as far as consistency. However, do you really want to take up sleeve space with anything that doesn't help you meet your Protein and/or Fluid goals? No two sleevers are alike, but at 3 weeks I was desperately trying to get fluids and protein in to meet my goals, and wouldn't have chosen anything that didn't help me meet my nutritional goals. Bottom line, your doc is the one who lays out your guidelines, you should check with your team. If your team isn't available and the information they gave you doesn't adequately answer the question, then there are two questions to ask: is it safe? and does it meet any nutritional goals? If it has the potential to be unsafe, don't go there. If it is likely safe but won't help you meet your nutritional goals then it is likely not worth it.

Morningstar stuff and Loma Linda brand meat substitutes are pretty good. I grew up vegetarian, and found some of my old childhood favorites (Loma Linda Big Franks) on Amazon. My sleeve is really liking the TVP, it sits better than meat for me. My only problem is that my family thinks it's gross, and even though I'm not asking them to eat it, they moan and complain anytime they "have" to watch me eat it. LOL. Seriously, meat substitutes don't taste like meat (IMHO) but if you don't expect that, if you let them taste like their own thing, they're pretty good. Granted, a lot of them look and smell like pet food, but once you cook it, it gets better.

I have Cigna, didn't lose anything during the 3 months. Didn't gain, but didn't lose. No issues getting it approved, went through on the first try.

The pre-op diet was by far the worst part of the process for me. I count myself lucky that my pre-op diet instructions were more flexible than others (2-3 shakes a day, with a low-fat meal and a fruit or veggie snack as needed) but it was still really hard with cravings and headaches and fatigue. Good luck! You can and will get through it!

Mine just started in earnest the last couple of weeks, and I'm coming up on 3 months this week. So far, it's just a lot in the drain/sink. I know a lot about hair loss because my daughter has alopecia, and I don't think supplements help all that much. One of the body's responses to trauma (which the surgery counts as) is to recycle hair and skin cells rapidly, which causes the hair to fall out. Keeping Protein up and taking Vitamins as needed should let it resolve fairly quickly, but I think it either happens to us or doesn't.

I packed a suitcase, and the only things I used were: change of undies toothbrush/toothpaste phone & charger lip balm Everything else was wasted effort. They wanted me wearing their non-slip socks, I used another gown backwards as a robe, and I wasn't focused enough to read anything, I just watched TV and played on my phone. I slept more than anything else. I didn't need my own Protein mixes, they had Premier Protein there. I do wish I'd taken a heating pad. For the most part, the hospital will have everything you need except your clothes, phone and charger. They even have toiletries if needed. Don't stress too much.

I am about to have to throw out all of my regular bras, as I've lost enough that they're gapping and not fitting well. I'm moving to Genie-style bras for most of the time, and will probably get one new underwire bra each time I have to re-size. I have been very impressed with the new Jockey fit system. I got it for my teenage daughter, and she said it's the most comfortable bra she's ever worn. The sizing pack ships with a tape measure to determine the band size, and then a set of silicone cups to see what cup size fits best. It doesn't follow the normal sizing because it takes into account how the volume is distributed. You have to buy the sizing pack, but they send a coupon for that amount off of your first bra order.

My sleeve seems to go in cycles. Eggs didn't go well at first, now they're fine. Some days the Protein shakes sit like a rock, other days meats tend to. I was raised vegetarian, and ate a lot of the Loma Linda (http://lomalindabrand.com/) and Worthington (which I just found out got bought out by Loma Linda) products. On a whim I ordered a couple of cans of stuff I liked as a kid from Amazon and am finding that they are sitting MUCH better in my sleeve. Might be worth a try. Fair warning: vegetarian meat replacements don't taste like meat. They don't have the texture of meat. Don't expect them to. If you treat them like their own food product and don't expect them to taste like the meat they replace, they can be quite good, though some people never get used to the smell/taste/texture.