LL1982

For some reason my comment posted twice. Anyway, let me know if you have any questions.

3 hours ago, Linda72 said:

Congratulations. I wish mine was over as well I'm scheduled on the 28th. I heard so many things about that gas pain that's what makes me nervous. But I also realize that everyone is different and so are their pain tolerance. Either way I have to go through it in order to have the surgery. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Thank you Linda72. You’re surgery will be here before you know it!!!

3 hours ago, nikkilee72 said:

Glad you are doing so well. How many nights did you spend in the hospital?

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I had a strong reaction to the anesthesia. What should have been 1 night turned into 2. The anesthesia slowed my bladder function down. I wasn’t able to pee on my own, so the had to catheterize me. Just remember, this is NOT the norm. I had a more complex and invasive surgery in 2013, and came out of anesthesia feeling pretty good. Whatever they used this time just knocked me out.

Hello everyone. Had surgery on the 30th, feels good to be on the other side of things. I was so afraid of surgery. It wasn’t without pain or discomfort, but all in all it hasn’t been that bad. I’m relieved to have gotten the hardest part over with. My stomach feels like I’ve done a thousand sit ups. I have absolutely no pain where they removed my stomach, and I’m even lying on my left side at night when I sleep. Really, everyone is so different. I didn’t have major gas pain, but the inflation of my stomach caused pretty bad left shoulder pain which fortunately only lasted about a day. I feel hungry, but I’m not starving. I have to take my sips slowly because if I sip to quickly and too much I start to feel nauseous. I think once the pain is gone and my energy levels are back up I will feel more excited about having the procedure done. For now, I’m just taking it one day at a time. If any of you have any questions please feel free to ask. Wishing you all the best.

Yup, I was sleeved on Friday the 30th, and woke up feeling hungry. My nutritionist was surprised, but my reasoning is that I haven’t had any solid food for over 2 weeks. I’m not bothered by it as I trust the process. I am actually quite relieved that I can’t eat whatever I want to. For the first time I looked in the mirror today and felt a true sense of hope. Don’t know if this helps, just wanted to share my experience.

14 hours ago, Deedee12 said:

I've had experience with the lapband which was the most horrible pain with eating I've ever experienced in my life.
With the sleeve, I know when to stop eating because you feel the restriction of your tummy. I won't call it pain rather discomfort and that's my cue to stop eating. It doesn't happen often because my caloric intake is small and spread out. I chew chew and chew. I eat slowly for the most part, it's when I go too hastily that I experience the discomfort.
With the lapband, it was outright pain like a heart attack!! Not this. TBH, I like the discomfort reassuring of my restriction.
Take care and you will be fine!!!🧡

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Thank you, thank you, thank you😊 Surgery is tomorrow! Yikes!

20 hours ago, Deedee12 said:

Sincerely, completely painfree!! Sometimes I question if I had surgery. My largest incision site pinches when I bend suddenly on that side. Otherwise back at work, walking 10K daily and generally just adjusting to the new lifestyle of food not ruling my life!
Don't be scared! You'll do fine and heal fast!!

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How has it been for you with regard to drinking/eating? Does it hurt when it goes down? That's part of what I'm afraid of.

17 hours ago, Deedee12 said:

Sincerely, completely painfree!! Sometimes I question if I had surgery. My largest incision site pinches when I bend suddenly on that side. Otherwise back at work, walking 10K daily and generally just adjusting to the new lifestyle of food not ruling my life!
Don't be scared! You'll do fine and heal fast!!

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Thank you, I needed to hear this. Just 3 more days away. I'm scared! Like I said before, the whole 80% of my stomach being removed just creeps me out. I have a friend though whose 2 years out and she eats what seems like normal amounts of food. Anyway, thank you again.

On ‎8‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 6:51 PM, Deedee12 said:

I agree!! That gas pain was unreal!! I was doubled over sometimes. But by day 3, it started to feel better. Walk, walk, walk walk. I sometimes wake up at night to do laps around my living room to relieve gas pressure and go back to sleep exhausted.
I never needed any painkillers the moment I was discharged from the hospital.
Getting my 64 oz Water is initially next to impossible but it gets better especially after I infused with fruits....still not at exactly 64 oz though.
Today was my post OP class education for what next 2 months would look like globally but with focus on diet. Afterwards they served lunch which mine was refried Beans vegan style with 1 oz diced canned peaches. Had 1/3 of the refried Beans and couldn't go any further. I think I only had 1 forkful of the fruit. I eventually finished the beans 2 hours later. I tried making 1 oz Protein Shake a few hours later just to experiment and couldn't finish it.

Otherwise I feel mostly normal other than the mild cramping from eating and continued burps from gas.

I continue to walk but home to make it to my spin class at the gym tomorrow if I feel up to it.

All this at day 4 post OP. This will be an interesting adventure/journey, I'm trying to embrace it but I won't lie, there are a lot of trepidation, self doubt etc.

Everyone please keep us updated so we can support each other 🧡🧡

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I'm scheduled for the 30th and starting to really dread this. Glad to know you weren't in all that much pain. How are you feeling now?

3 minutes ago, Linda72 said:

Hello. Congratulations. I wish mine was in August. You're going to be fine. Happy to hear you are doing well with the preop diet. What does your surgeon have you eating? That's what I'm worried about making it through that time and being hungry. At least you only have 3 more days to go. Good luck and keep me posted 😊

I'm on a clear liquid diet. sugar free sports drinks, Water, low sodium beef broth, sugar free Jello, and sugar free popsicles. I'm also allowed Protein Drinks and blended vegetable Soup every other day, though I have to stay away from the soup 2 days before surgery. I can't believe it's almost here. I had my pre-op labs and EKG done this morning at the hospital I'll be having surgery at. It's getting real. I'll definitely keep you posted and let everyone know how surgery went. Wishing us all an easy and speedy recovery.

Hello everyone,

OK, so technically I'm not a September sleever. My surgery date is August 30th. Not much went on with the August thread, so I decided to post on here as well. This weekend I was feeling really excited, today, not so much. The fear is starting to sink in. Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing about everyone's journey. By the way (I know I can only speak for myself), but the 2 week liquid pre-op diet hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. I've just gotten used to it.

Hello everyone,

I got my surgery date last week and was beyond thrilled. Fast forward to this week, and my excitement has turned into a lot of fear. My surgery date is scheduled for August 30th, and I'm really nervous and scared, and doubting my decision. I just need to hear your guys' experiences, and to know that the recovery is not all that bad. I'm going to go through with it, I'm just so anxious and scared right now. Plus, the idea of having a 3 ounce stomach just freaks me out. How are you all doing?

If any of you are new to the process, and have to go through the 6 months of mandated nutritionist and doctor's visits due to insurance requirements, TRUST ME, the time flies so quickly. In the beginning I absolutely hated the waiting period. My first visit with the surgeon was March 5th, and tomorrow I find out if my insurance will approve the surgery. Can't believe the time flew so quickly. It may feel like you have to wait an eternity when you first start the process, but trust me, it goes by so quickly.

On ‎8‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 11:52 AM, TamiTL said:

Hello...I'm so thankful that there are resources out there for us. I look forward to getting advice from you all. I'm doing pretty great so far. That "lump in my throat" feeling I had when I swallowed from the air they pump into you is pretty much gone...thank goodness. That was the most uncomfortable thing but smaller sips pretty much took care of it. I'm excited about this journey.

How are you feeling at this point? I might be sleeved in a month and I'm starting to get scared. How is the recovery process going for you?

6 hours ago, MarvelGirl25 said:

Isn't it exciting!? I already had my last visit with my surgeon last week and tomorrow I do labs at the hospital to get ready for the big day on Monday.

That's reassuring to hear about your sister-in-law! I sit all day anyways so hopefully it isn't too bad. I'll keep that virus thing in mind lol. Good luck on your recovery and with this wonderful journey!

It’s exciting, yet at the same time I’m really scared. I often wonder if I’m making the right decision. I never thought I’d have bariatric surgery, I never thought I’d get this big. At the same time I’m tired of being miserable, which makes me want the surgery. I wish you the best of luck. I’ll definitely ask you how it went😊

10 hours ago, MarvelGirl25 said:

No worries! That's a good explanation for the weight loss. If my coworkers were decent enough Id probably come clean but they're not. Hopefully you get to be honest and feel comfortable. I just happen to work in a small office with horrible people. Good luck to you too! My surgery is on 8/5, this upcoming Monday. I told my coworkers I'm going on vacation to Mexico lol. I only have a week off though. I'm scared its not enough. Did u have your surgery yet?

No, I see my surgeon for the last time before surgery this Thursday. I can’t believe it’s almost here. I get what you mean about the co-worker thing. Mine aren’t exactly decent either. My sister-in-law went back to work one week after having gastric bypass. My surgeon told me that if I couldn’t get 2 weeks off from work, that I could go back to work in a week. If you’re not feeling your best, you could lie yet again and say that you contracted a virus in Mexico😋 Best of luck to you!!!

On ‎7‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 11:25 AM, Pazza said:

Pain is no joke and I wish you all the best!

Exercise is important - just find something you enjoy and work to get a little better bit by bit. Walk the dog, dance, yoga, kickboxing, cycling, and the list goes on. Exercise is important as it helps to build muscle and deal with stress. My advice is to do something you enjoy and just focus on being steady/consistent. Then, improve in small bits, like 3 or 5 extra minutes.

I loved the recommendation for physical therapy. If that is an option, go for it. I had one show me how to tape my feet for plantar problems and it made a significant difference.

Thank you for your support. I've been to physical therapy and didn't see any major results. I really am hoping that the weight loss will reduce the pain in my foot, and maybe then I can return to physical therapy. But I love what you said about improving in small bits. I have a recumbent bike at work, and I've made it up to 10 minutes a few times without pain, though most days I only do 5 minutes. But I only do this a couple of times a week, if that. However, even if I just do 5 minutes a day, then increase to 6 minutes the next week, and so on, it's at least something. It's SOME form of exercise. I haven't been taping my foot like I used to, so thank you for the reminder about that as well.

On ‎6‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 9:43 AM, MarvelGirl25 said:

You see, I'm paranoid. My thought process is this: If I say hiatal hernia, once they see me dropping weight they will think I lied about the surgery and know that I did have stomach surgery but not the one I said.

Maybe a simple vacation abroad will do it? I wont get to use my sick time but it might be worth the hassle of trying to explain myself.

Sorry, didn't realize you quoted me until just now. I plan to tell people that the initial weight I lost from the "hiatal hernia surgery" motivated me enough to start exercising, eat right, and work my butt off. Who knows, maybe down the road I'll just be honest and tell people I had the surgery done. It'd be nice to get to the point where I don't care at all what other people think. Best of luck to you. When do you have your surgery? Or did you already have it?

Hello everyone,

Thank you all for taking the time to reply to my post. I guess one of my biggest concerns is the fact that for over 2 years I've had chronic pain in my left foot that doesn't allow me to do much. I don't know how to swim. I can go for a 10 minute walk or do about 10 minutes on the recumbent bike right now. I can also work out to some chair exercise videos, but that's about it. I'm hoping beyond hope that the weight loss from surgery will relieve the pain in my foot, allowing me to up my exercise/cardio. At the same time I'm scared that my foot won't heal, thus preventing me from losing the amount of weight that I want to. I've been to physical therapy, I have customized orthotics, and have received countless cortisone injections in my foot. Anyway, I was just wondering, how intensely did you all work out? Did you find that sticking to the proper diet was more effective for weight loss?

46 minutes ago, it'sonlythefirststep said:

I am 5’2” weighed 270 lbs and 1yr 4months after surgery I weigh 140 lbs doing great! Wish you luck in September

What do you attribute to your success?

Hello everyone,

I've heard and read that with the VSG one can expect to lose between 60-70% of their excess body weight. Anyone here who lost more than that? I'm hoping to lose 80-90% of my excess body weight, and was just wondering if any of you had any words of wisdom or advice on how you got to that point. Mind you I'm about 5' tall and weigh about 210 lbs., and will probably have the sleeve done in September. Thanks much.

7 hours ago, sshrader1208 said:

I’m approved!!

Yay!!! Congratulations and best of luck to you.

On ‎5‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 1:30 PM, lindycrush said:

I was sleeved 9/26/17. I hit my goal weight on 6/10/18. So a little under 9 months. I blew way past my goal though and lost an additional 25 pounds. I have been maintaining my weight loss for about 6 months now. I'm a bit skinnier than I planned, but it's kind of fun. I have never been this tiny! I have hit my goal weight many times throughout the years, but keeping the weight off is very satisfying. I am so used to either being on my way up or on my way down. I have never stayed put for this long. I see diet commercials pop up saying things like "do you need to lose weight?" and I'm all "NOPE."

Height: 5'9

SW: 268

GW: 170

CW:144.6

How soon after surgery did you start exercising? How often were you exercising, and what kinds of exercises were you doing?

Hi debra102364,

I too have horrible social anxiety, but I've had it since I was a teen. It just so happens that it's worse now after gaining almost 80 lbs. in 2 years. I actually started seeing a therapist for social anxiety just recently. She's using the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach. I had to explain to her that a lot of the social anxiety comes from a fear of being judged for gaining so much weight in a short period of time (I gained the first 50 lbs. in 2016, and have been struggling with my weight ever since). I feel terrible about myself. My last Dr.'s visit is August 1st. From there they submit for approval from my insurance company. If all goes well, it looks like we might be having surgery around the same time. I know one thing's for sure though, and that is this. When I weighed a healthy 125-130 lbs. I felt so much better about myself, and my social anxiety wasn't as bad. Weight loss alone will not resolve my social anxiety, but it will definitely help it. I'd like to say that I want to have surgery solely for health reasons, but I'd be lying. I'm tired of feeling bad about myself, I'm tired of avoiding my friends and family because of my weight, and I'm tired of not finding myself to be even remotely attractive. My mood has really shifted though in the last couple of months though now that the last Dr.'s appointment is getting closer. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Even if I'm being judged now because of my weight (which may or may not be happening), I know that soon I will feel better about myself, and know that this very difficult and long journey of being morbidly obese will be coming to an end. I know I will not lose 80 lbs. over night, and I know that this will take a lot of work, especially mental work. Crossing my fingers that I don't get denied, and that we'll both be on the operating table some time in September. Thank you for writing about this topic. Sorry if I've gone on a bit too long. Just wanted to let you know that I totally get it. Both social anxiety and obesity suck. Just glad there's a solution.

Please let us know how it goes! Wishing you a smooth and speedy recovery.