KikiSue🙋🏼

I know that feeling of failing all to well. Going on 11 wks post op next week Tuesday. Down only 29 lbs. Weight day of surgery 242lbs. I'm losing extremely slow. Really didn't expect to lose this slow. I have hypothyroidism. But eating soooooo little anyone should of been losing more. But my body is holding onto every single fat..I feel soooo down at times. Especially when family is asking why I'm losing so slow. Where as a family friend had same surgery 2 yrs ago and she lost her weight fast . I hate being around my family. Cause they were against surgery and I took such a big risk and it's not going so well. I'm thankful that surgery went extremely well absolutely no complications. Thank God! .just little down with such little lost.

Wow, to me that sounds like you’ve lost a lot! Seriously, be grateful for what you have lost. My surgery was a month ago today and I’ve lost 9 lbs in a month. Doesn’t seem like a lot but I know my clothes are fitting much better, I’m taking much less insulin for my diabetes and I’m feeling better. Good things are on the way!

I graphed my loss which happened over my first 16 months after my sleeve and found a predictable and at times frustrating pattern. I would lose a big amount over one week and stall three. Every single month but I noticed during the stalls my clothes fit differently. I had no choice but to keep going since I had the surgery and I would have given up before because I felt like I was doing all the right things with no reward. But that reward came and I learned to be more patient in the process. When was the last time you lost so much in two months? Be present enjoy the ride. Cheers you're doing amazing!

Seeing the new posts to this thread, thought I would add an update. Thanks to those who posted. ME/CFS & fibro are real. It’s so great when we can come together and share our experiences. As anyone with these diseases knows, we are dealing with illnesses of isolation. If you haven’t seen it, make sure to watch Jennifer Brea’s documentary UNREST about ME/CFS. She’s created a movement that is actually making some progress in getting adequate funding for ME/CFS research.
I am now almost 10 months post op. Surgery date was 8/7/17
HW 223
SW 209
CW 140
i can only speak from my experience... my recovery was pretty easy. No complications. My doctor at Stanford is quite conservative and cautious (former head of American Bariatric Society), so I seemed to have more rules around surgery and food than other friends that I met online through this site who had surgery at the same time. I embraced the guidelines, understood they were there for a reason, and radically surrendered to the process. I was prepared for the worst, but expected the best.
Felt pretty awesome (for me) even the week after surgery. I was prepared for a massive crash, so I was grateful when that didn’t happen. I felt pretty great for a couple of months. Then started to have serious issues due to a tumor on my adrenal gland that has likely been there for years. In fact, the bariatric surgery probably helped bring this to light, as I was getting frequent blood work and we noticed a concerning trend.
So, I have been quite ill for months as other drs tried to figure what was going on with this adrenal issue. Will have surgery for that later in June. And it complicates the picture.
That said, my surgery was a complete success. I feel like the obsession with food has been lifted completely (I’ve done a lot of work with this over the years). A year ago, due to bone on bone knee and excess weight, I was barely able to walk to the bathroom and was ready to get a walker at the ripe old age of 46. I now move around the house and can do errands with little to no pain in my knees. I can even took a 2 mile hike a few weeks ago. I paid for it after a bit, just with knees, but it was possible.
My energy levels have been better. I still feel exhausted if I stop to think about it, but I have been able to get out of bed most days and get out of the house, which helps so much. My body feels like a friend now, rather than my foe.
It has been amazing to have the experience of losing weight this easily. It’s always been a horrible struggle for me. Especially in the last 10 years. Couldn’t lose. Only lost 1.8 lbs on 2 week pre-op Liquid Protein diet. At that point, the dr even admitted that he couldn’t guarantee that this would work, but said “we hope that cutting out the stomach will change your hormone profile and your metabolism.” And it feels as if that is what happened.
At my 6 month post op, when I told him I haven’t had any improvement with chronic pain (I also have a cluster headache syndrome and damage to neck and back from multiple accidents when young), he said that he is hopeful that around a year my inflammation levels should drop and, hopefully, I will start getting some pain relief at that point.
I feel lighter not just in body, but in mind and spirit as well. And, even though my decision to have surgery was 100% based on improving my health and being able to walk and postpone knee replacement, there have been other benefits as well.
I am smaller than I was at my wedding 25 years ago. I can put on clothes and basically everything I try fits. I’ve been doing a lot of shopping at the fancy local thrift shop since my sizes keep changing. The other day I bought a beautiful size 4 designer dress and it fit! That’s a number I never thought I’d see. This part is just one of the fun perks. But, something that is smooth and fun for me now, rather than a struggle to find something that would button over my 38G chest.
I’m so grateful my knee replacement dr started me on this journey. I was at the point where I loved myself and embraced my curves. But, I can love myself thin as well.
If anyone has specific questions or wants to connect, please PM me. I am happy to answer any questions, either on this thread or privately. Good luck to you all on your journey of healing! 💖

Here's my top 10 tips!
Start altering your diet now. Cut out processed food, or at the very least processed sugar. Practice eating your Protein first and then focus on non-starchy veggies. Find something that you like to drink that doesn't have calories. Try different caffeine free teas and Water additives. I still can't drink plain water....so you want to have something that you know you like. Cut out caffeine. Most programs allow caffeine back in relatively quickly, but caffeine can hinder your body's ability to heal. You don't want to go through caffeine withdrawal along with the aches and pains of surgery. Don't use Protein Shakes before you absolutely have to! I made the mistake of supplementing some of my meals with shakes to "prepare myself" for the pre-op diet. Big mistake. You will get to the point where they are DISGUSTING, and you don't want to increase the timeline of that by drinking them before you need to. Start incorporating exercising (even if its just walking) somewhere in your daily routine. It will make it easier if its already a habit. Practice chewing your food at least 20-30 times before swallowing. Muscle has memory and it will be so much easier if you already have this habit. If you screw up and swallow too soon after surgery, you will pay the price. Set timers and don't drink and eat at the same time. I highly recommend having at least 1 visit with a therapist to establish with someone for after surgery. Its not required, but everyone seems to have some emotional struggles afterwards. Whether its 2 weeks, 2 months, or 2 years. I personally wouldn't share with people, unless you know they will be 100% supportive. It is nerve wracking already and you need nothing but positivity. Plus its a lot of pressure from people who know you've had WLS, versus people who think you are on the weight loss track. People think that the weight is going to melt off after surgery, and sometimes it doesn't. You don't want the extra judgment. ***Newly added**** I also would remember that you need to make time for you! Make the time to shop healthy, meal prep, cook healthy, and plan ahead. It's not selfish to put yourself and your health first. Don't let people bring you down. Don't engage with the people who say "WLS is too dramatic" "You could just diet and loose the weight" "You aren't big enough for that surgery" "It's the easy way out". SCREW THOSE PEOPLE, they don't know. They will never know how triumphant our victory will be. Come up with a reward system of sorts. You want to acknowledge your successes. For my 50lb mark, I went and got pedicures with my girlfriends. For my 75lb mark, I bought myself some new dresses. For my 100lb mark, (which I haven't reached yet, so I rewarded myself 7lbs early) I already bought myself a really nice full length mirror.

Hi Belle [emoji1384],

Yep, me too! I'm only telling a few select family members. There is nothing easy about any of this! And I don't want to be under the microscope. I'm with ya!!


Kiki
Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty
Procedure day: 9/8/17

Hi, I'm a 51 year old male, 6'2" and 305 lbs (BMI 39), living in the Houston area who like many has struggled with managing my weight ever since college.
My weight began to yo-yo in my 30's and has fluctuated by 30 -50 pounds per year since then. Initially I could lose 20-30 pounds just by getting more active, cycling and some gym work. As I got into my late 30's I needed some caloric restriction and a much more active gym regimen. Also from my late 30's I began a gradual increase in my weight, adding about 25 pounds every 5 years.
In my early 40's I added things like CrossFit and severe caloric restriction, even with months of this I could only get down to a weight that was about 50 pounds over my goal weight of 225 lbs (BMI 29). At 45 I added a personal trainer 3x/week to my routine to try and get back in control, I was fluctuating from 70 - 90 pounds over my goal weight.I have kept up this regime into my 50's but have gotten as high at 330 lbs in the last year or so. I did a Vegan cleanse to bring my weight back down towards 300 lbs, but don't feel like this is a sustainable approach to manage my weight for the rest of my life.
ESG is a good fit with my work and lifestyle, I can't be out of the office for an extended period of time and prefer the endoscope to an incision.
I am considering two doctors in the Houston area, it would be great to hear opinions of those who have worked with them:
Dr. Todd Wilson - University of Texas Minimally Invasive Surgeons of Texas (UT MIST) Dr. Robert Marvin - Houston Surgical Specialists I haven't finalized a doctor or scheduled a date yet but have talked to both doctors and nutritionists. So far the prep and post procedure diets I have heard of are very similar. I'm happy to answer any questions as I progress and would love to hear from others in a similar situation or who have completed ESG.
Thanks for letting me share, it's really helpful.

Thanks for sharing! I look forward to hearing about your progress.

Good Evening,
After several months of research on this and other forums, I just had the ESG procedure on Thursday morning at the mayo Clinic in Rochester. I thought this might be a good opportunity to provide some information for others who may be considering this option - as these forums were invaluable to me when deciding how to proceed.
To begin with, I am a 42 year old male with approximately 39 BMI. Like most of the rest of you, I have been back and forth on the scale for most of my life. I have no other medical issues and consider myself in generally good overall health, otherwise (good range of motion, no real restrictions in life). In the end, I decided that I really wanted it to stay that way - and found that I have really been having difficulty getting into any sort of exercise or healthy eating routine.
I emailed a request to the Mayo clinic in early June for more information. They had me come in (about a 3 hour drive for me) for a day long set of procedures and consultations to discuss a range of weight loss options (from medication to balloon - as well as others). I was aware that they were one of the only facilities to offer the ESG (at least at the time) and felt very lucky to be so close to the facility.
The called me about 1 week after the consult and offered to setup a time for the procedure. I picked the first open date, September 21st. In addition, the Mayo Clinic is now requiring all ESG patients to attend a healthy living class that consists of baseline testing, nutrition coaching, healthy food prep, and exercise guidance. I promptly scheduled this for the two days prior to the procedure. At that point, I was required to pay the $15,000 for the entire program prior to final booking (you can pay in any form you wish).
Fast forward to last Tuesday - and I showed up at 7:00 am to being the Healthy Living Class. It consisted of complete body scanning, VO2 Max baselines, complete bloodwork as well as a lot of one on one coaching with doctors, Physical Therapists and Nutritional coaches. Over the course of two days, I had about 10-15 sessions that I can describe as extremely motivational, very informative and unbelievably professional and refreshing. Because the entire program is relatively new (myself and one other person were attending this week - and we are only the 14th and 15th to go through it) I felt like I received a ton of personal care and guidance - from some extremely compassionate and highly qualified individuals. Almost everyone I spoke to had contributed to books, medical papers, and professional publications. They were amazing.
My procedure was performed on Thursday (Sep 21) after I arrived at 6:45. I was out of the hospital by noon. I choose to stay at a local hotel with my wife until I felt good enough to drive (because of work, we decided to drive separately - meaning I had to drive myself home, eventually).
No real issues with the procedure, however, I was quite nauseous for two days afterwards - which I didn't really expect. The nurses and doctors all told me that everyone they have seen go through there (about 100 people thus far) all had nausea - every single one. Beyond that, a little stomach pain (no throat pain for me) but it's all manageable. They did provide me with an ample supply of medications (nausea, oxy for pain, antibiotics and sleeping meds) all included with the procedure.
Next week I begin my weekly phone in coaching (1/2hr a week for one year) and I will return in 6 months for a complete scan and more blood work - and again in one year to compare everything against my baselines.
I don't want to bog anyone down with too many details, but if you'd like to know more or have specific questions I would be happy to answer. I can't say enough great things about Mayo. I think I received incredible value for my money. If you are considering it - give Mayo a call. I can't imagine it going any better than it did and, because the program is relatively new (and you have to pay out of pocket for now) they don't have a long list of people waiting to go through it - and you have a whole team of people working with you to help achieve your goals. The focus is really on long term quality of life - and using the ESG as a tool to help retrain you for success.
Thanks to everyone on this forum who contributes. I wouldn't have even considered this if it wasn't for you.

Ok, so I'm 5 days post op and unless I drink too much/fast, feel, I feel normal. I am obviously still only on full liquids but never feel 'hungry'. I haven't had a random gas pain in the last 24 hours. I'm starting to walk more frequently as well because I don't feel as weak now. Hope everyone is doing well.

That's awesome Jim!! My ESG already was rescheduled once because the doctor had a conflict with the schedule. So now it's supposed to be THIS Monday 9/25. I was told that the office Precerted the procedure and it would be covered at 90%. Awesome, so I'm getting prepared and then thankfully I pulled the policy last weekend and it's listed as uncovered because it's labeled as experimental. I could just CRY!!! So at this point I have no idea if I'm going to be able to have it on Monday or it. Sorry for the book, I'm so frustrated as I'm diabetic, have high cholesterol and was really counting on this help to get me on the right track and get off of these meds and be healthy.
How are you feeling? Are you staying hydrated? How many days post-procedure are you now?
Good luck to you! I look forward to hearing about your progress!!

Since there isn't much out there about the ESG (from a patients perspective), I will try and update every few days. I'm 3 days post-op today and other than an occasional stomach cramp (usually too big of a drink), I feel great. No pains, nausea, etc. I wasn't going to get on the scale until the 25th (one week from procedure) but it's too hard to quell the curiosity. I'm averaging about 45g of Protein and 550 calories a day. I'm also averaging about 60 ounces of liquid (including the milk/water I add to the shakes). I don't really think I could do more than that at this point. Again, if I can answer any questions, please ask away.

Having struggled with my weight most of my life (was always successful at losing just not keeping it off), I started researching different WLS for years. I was turned down back in 2013 because my BMI wasn't high enough. So the doctor put me on a low carb (Atkins) diet and of course I lost weight, but eventually put it all back on, and then some.

Some stats for me:
45 M
HW: 340
Surgery Weight: 310

I met with the staff locally (Washington University in St. Louis) in late July for the first time. I decided to do the ESG because I thought it was my best option for non-surgical WL. I had some follow up tests with a nutritionist and the endoscopic clinic to make sure I could have the procedure. All told, it has been a fairly simple process, start to finish. Some of that may be because I was self-pay (my health insurance doesn't have bariatric coverage). All-in cost is about $16k. I will try and answer an questions for people who are considering it. The procedure was painless, and quick (I think they said 49 minutes under anesthesia) and while in recovery, there was a little stomach cramping but not horrible. They threw a little pain killer in the IV and was gone right away. I had the procedure at 1:30 pm and was home by 6:00 pm. I was able to drink about 16 ounces of Water last night and a serving of the Unjury chicken Soup without much issue. I can tell if I take to big of a sip, my stomach will cramp a little. I just was a minute of 2 before attempting another swallow. Today, I've had about 16 ounces of water and 2 Protein Shakes from unjury.
Good luck to anyone else who is either looking or scheduled for the procedure.

Jim

Maybe it is different for you, but for VSG it is 30 minutes before eating and 30 minutes after, for drinking. If it was 1 hour you would never have enough time to drink enough fluids. I would ask for clarification on this from your doctor.

Thanks for the kind words, all!!
As as far as diet advice, during rapid weight loss I followed my surgeons plan to a T. I just kept losing and losing. I got to 10 lbs below goal (my goal weight was 163 lbs) and started adding back in some complex carbs to stop the weight loss. I've been in the 150-153 lbs range ever since.
FWIW, I still can't eat 4 oz in one sitting. I usually max out at around 6 bites of anything. I still eat high Protein, moderate fat, low carb - usually 50 or less carbs per day - and I count total carbs, not net carbs. During rapid weight loss I stuck to less than 15 per day.
I eat around 1,000 calories a day, sometimes a few extra if it's a long run or heavy workout day. I eat mostly protein and veggies, with an occasional serving of quinoa or a slice of sprouted whole grain toast with PB2 in the morning.
I cook every morning, pack lunches for myself and my husband, and also cook dinner every night. I've learned how to use herbs and spices to flavor my food and I really do enjoy cooking delicious and unique meals - we don't do boring, lol.
Oh, and I still only drink Water, one 6 oz cup of coffee every morning, and dry red or white wine.
All of this is my day to day norm, obviously - but if we have a date night, I'll eat a few bites of my husband's Pasta, or we'll share some cheesecake moderation is the spice of life!

Congrats on quitting smoking!!! That is such a great accomplishment and I am sure your body is thanking you.
It sounds like you have all your bases covered. Be prepared for your tastes to change after surgery. I had the VSG so I know that is different then your procedure, but it might be similar. I couldn't drink cold fluids for the first 2-3 weeks. They did not feel good going down so if you have problems try room temp or warm.
Just keep sipping so you can stay hydrated. I wish you good luck and blessings for a easy recovery.

I have 9 days until my ESG. I'm wanting to make sure that I'm well prepared for all of this.
I already have: 2 and 4 oz containers w/ lids for sf/ff Jello, Protein Powder and fresh/frozen fruit for smoothies, unsweetened applesauce, a few jars of baby food, a daily log food journal (ordered on Amazon), my calorie fat and carb counter, several different kinds of sf/ff flavored water - some with extra B Vitamins for energy and some with electrolytes to keep me hydrated. Plenty of coffee and teas to replace my Diet Coke
I'm picking up my meds in a few days. I know that I still need to pick up some more broth and ff milk next weekend. I have logs printed to check my blood sugar every 4 hrs and write it down for my endocrinologist.
Is there anything else that anyone can think of? Is there anything that helped you most that I haven't mentioned?
I quit smoking 27 days ago - cold turkey, and feel great about that!!
I'm so ready for this!!!

I don't count anything but Protein grams and fluids. I didn't experience any stalls until I hit 9 1/2 months - primarily I think because I had problems with bulging disks in my neck that caused a pinched nerve and I had to stop exercising.
I eat 4 mini-meals a day consisting of protein first, then a multi-grain (2 a day) or fruit serving (2 a day), then veggies. One meal is protein & veggies only. At 10 1/2 months I probably eat somewhere between 1200 - 1400 calories daily. I'm very happy with my progress so far.

Belle,
The week of my procedure my doctors office called to reschedule it. It's now on 9/25. I was so disappointed, but understand that everything happens for a reason. I'm looking forward to 9/25, counting down the days actually!

I had the procedure on the 15/08/17.
The bad news
They said there would be some mild nausea and it would settle about 8 hours after the surgery. Well it didn't. It lasted 10 days. I lived on the vomit wafers. The pain from the gas also killed for 2 weeks Constipation is also difficult I'm used to being daily now it's at worst weekly at best every few days
Good news is ;
no pre op diet , BMI started at 33 I'm 167cm / 5ft 6. I started at 93.7kg. In first 2 weeks lost 7kg. Been at a stall for the last 2 weeks. With a fluctuating gain of around 500g up and down. Restriction is real. I've just moved onto soft foods so feeling a bit better.
Exercise (weights) restriction until end of week 6. So 2 more weeks to go.
Struggling to drink my 1.5-2l a day. Can't do Protein Shakes of any type. Trying to reach 50-70g of Protein per day. Some days is a struggle.
My diet looked like this.
No pre opt.
Day 1-14 fluids only that can pass through a thin straw.
Day 15-28 purée fluids that can pass through a thick straw.
Day 29 -42 soft foods / mash.
Day 43-56 start moving to a normal diet.
Just now I'm day 29 and my diet looks like this.
Breakfast - 1 egg scrambled,
morning tea - cheese stick.
lunch slow cooked roast pork 100g and tablespoon apple sauce,
afternoon tea yopro yogurt,
dinner fish, with garlic butter.
Dessert custard or chocolate milk or a banana paddlepop(125ml)
around 60g protein and about 800-900 cal
im trying to walk about 30 min at least 3 times a week will be hoping it to more when I can eat real food I find right now I fatigue very quickly and am still recovering from spinal fusion 10 weeks ago
favorite thing in liquid stage - cauliflower Soup
favorite thing in purée stage - mince blended, guacamole and cheese was nachos without the chips
good luck everyone

Well, I'm kind of disappointed, but I guess everything happens for a reason. My doctors office called and moved my procedure date from 9/8 to 9/25. I was getting so excited for next Friday and now have to wait a few more weeks [emoji849][emoji1361]. Oh well, I guess I have a few more weeks to prepare. It just sucks because I'm having my food funeral and probably packed on 5 lbs this week from eating everything that I need to say goodbye to!


Kiki
Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty
Procedure day: 9/8/17

I've tried the Vitamin Water Zero and didn't like it very much. I love plain ole water or even unsweetened iced tea. I could probably do the Greek yogurt with cinnamon.

Do you set a limit to carbs every day?


Kiki
Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty
Procedure day: 9/8/17

Enjoy that food funeral Kiki! I'm day six of my pre op diet and finding it tough going today. It must be really disappointing to be delayed, I hope it is smooth sailing from here. Mel.

If your husband is not supportive of it, is he going to be a negative influence ?(doubting your ability to help yourself do better with your diet and excercising more)...it's important that especially at home you have someone who is willing to make the dietary and activity changes with you, and telling you good things about yourself I feel like I'm functionally helpless right now, like I don't know how to do seething as basic as eat- if my fiancé was eating whatever he wanted around me, and wasn't generally willing to go through this with me, I'm not sure I could make it on my own....making healthier choices in the future is all I can promise myself, and he's promised to do the same with me, and he's been very sensitive asking guestions and checking with me for things that may or may not interfere (making future plans etc)...
We are getting married in December, and my goal is to be able to at least taste and be ale to tolerate my wedding food by then lol

Belle3endosleeve & Melesg ~
What kind of food plan will your doctors have you on? My procedure is next Friday (9/8), and I'm having it done at U of Chicago, which is about 2 hours away from my house. So I'm planning on scheduling appts with my endocrinologist & nutritionist here for follow-up.


Kiki
Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty
Procedure day: 9/8/17