S@ssen@ch

#1-I'm very sorry that you're going through this. #2-Your private health information is none of their business, not even your employer has the right to your private health information. It sounds like you've already shared it, but regardless, I agree with others. If individuals are going to management with their opinions on your personal health information, I would speak with HR. I see harassment all over their behavior. #3-You having weight loss surgery should have no effect on THEM. So, why are they so up in arms? Even if they have to cover your shifts, it would be no different than if you had any other life-saving surgery. You're doing this to better yourself and make yourself more healthy. Why would they object? It's not like you're bringing Typhoid fever back to the office. Sounds like you work with a bunch of selfish people. #4-Be prepared. It is normal for your relationships to change during this journey.

@AlwaysCruising You might want to give it some time. My GERD got much better after a year. I still get a "flare-up" once in a while, but honestly, the only reason I went to a GI doctor was because I wanted to discuss long term options. I was feeling good but was concerned about long-term PPIs and I was not interested in revision. #1-I didn't feel my condition was severe enough to consider that. #2-If I wanted the bypass, I would have gone for it the 1st time around. My GI doctor offered me the LINX procedure or the STRETTA procedure. The LINX is a ring of metal/magnetic beads that they install at the place where your stomach and esophagus meet. The magnets keep it closed so that the acid doesn't keep going up into your esophagus. The STRETTA procedure thickens the lower esophageal sphincter with radiofrequency waves. Same principle as the LINX, it helps close off the sphincter so acid doesn't wash into the esophagus. I was NOT interested in having more hardware installed in my body and I have seen the good things that radiofrequency can do for other conditions, so I chose STRETTA. Unfortunately, my insurance plan doesn't agree and I'm facing paying for it out of pocket. That's what we had planned before COVID hit. I'm not having any problems that would warrant anything urgent, so I wait. Advice for you or anyone with GERD: do your research. There are a lot of lifestyle changes you can make and supplements you can take to help them. God knows I've tried most of them and spent lots of $$ on so-called GERD cures/treatments. So far, what works best for me is sleeping on a wedge and NEVER eating within 3 hours of bedtime. I actually have 2 wedges and if I feel that it's bad, I will sleep on 2 of them (not fun, but it helps) to reach about a 45° angle. I make sure I get plenty of fluids. AND, for the game-changer: DIGESTIVE ENZYMES. I started taking digestive enzymes with my dinner and my reflux got lots better. I read an article that theorizes that a lot of GERD is caused by undigested food in the stomach when you go to bed (hence, no eating within 3 hours of bedtime). I must have slow digestion or something because as soon as I started taking the digestive enzymes, I noticed a big difference. No bloating. No rock-gut. Significantly reduced reflux.

In a nutshell: mileage may vary. Me, I can tolerate about 3/4 of a McDonald's hamburger and a few fries. Not even the kid-size portion of fries. So, while a Happy Meal might be ideal, I just get a hamburger and steal a few of hubby's fries. My hubby is a fiend for hamburgers, McDonald's or otherwise and where we live there are a lot of well-known local hamburger places. We have them fairly regularly, probably once a week (more if I'd let my husband do it). For a standard 1/4 pound hamburger, I can usually eat about 1/2 of the burger and a few fries. I have also opted for a bunless burger on occasion and can eat a bit more of the burger, but still not the whole thing. Now, if we are making them at home, I will eat just he patty with steak sauce (sort-of a steak burger) and I can usually eat the whole patty as long as I don't have any sides with it.

In my experience, worsening GERD with VSG is a bit of a hit or miss. A friend of mine who encouraged me to have the sleeve had silent reflux with the lap band that turned into early-stage Barrett's esophagus. Her surgeon actually recommended the sleeve for her and she hasn't had issues since. Her Barrett's resolved and she's very happy. I also had reflux with the lap band. Not so bad as to develop Barrett's, but annoying just the same. My lap band surgeon recommended conversion to the sleeve. I didn't do it when I had my lap band out, mostly because I was afraid. Fast forward about 6 years and I had gained most of my lap band weight. I suffered from occasional nighttime indigestion, but otherwise had little signs of reflux. My doctor and I decided that the sleeve was the best option for me. About a month after the sleeve I started getting heartburn. This was easily remedied with a PPI (Nexium). It was pretty bad in the 1st year and I had some issues with esophagitis. So, I saw a GI doc. Today I will still have occasional nighttime reflux, but I practice a lot of habits to reduce my risk of nighttime reflux. For the most part, my reflux is well-controlled. I have it, but it's not unmanageable. My GI doc and I are considering Stretta in the future, but it's been pushed asked until the COVID-19 risk is gone because it's not urgent or anything.

I have a shelf in my pantry with 3 or 4 flavors and a canister of unflavored. I always keep some on hand. I use the unflavored when I have yogurt for breakfast for an extra protein boost. I typically don't drink protein shakes regularly, but I keep the others when I feel I need to re-focus and get back on track.

Mine are a little "deflated", but I have no plans to have a lift or implants. A good bra seems to make them presentable for the public. The only plastics I am remotely interested in would be for my arms. These saggy, flappy things are an embarrassment.

I was a patient of Dr. Curry when I had my lap band several years ago. When he removed my lap band, he offered to convert me to a gastric sleeve, but I declined at that time. I chose Dr. Curry after I lost faith in my original surgeon. (The original surgeon misdiagnosed gall bladder problems as anxiety, causing me to suffer for nearly 6 months.) Dr. Curry had an excellent reputation and I drove almost 4 hours to see him because I trusted him to help me. I also liked that he was easily accessible. Back then, he was very active on another obesity/bariatric social forum like Bariatricpal and I really appreciated what he was doing for the obese community. Dr. Curry was easy to talk to and I felt he took his time with his patients to explain things. He always made me feel comfortable and confident about everything we did/did not do. If I hadn't moved to Texas, I might have gone back to him when I reached the point where I was ready for the sleeve. One minor complaint and it's not Dr. Curry's fault. When he took out my lap band, his office "forgot" to get insurance approval before doing it. I had a lot of after the fact fighting with the insurance company to get it covered and avoid being taken to collections.

Totally agree with catwoman7 above ^. Everyone's a little different in this department. You may be one of those people who don't get that same "full" sensation. I personally couldn't eat a whole egg for months and wouldn't have dreamed of having toast with it. I can do it today, at almost 2.5 years out my capacity is a little bigger than those early days but I still take it slow and the last couple bites of toast may or may not fit.

For insurance reasons, I also had my surgery out of state and had to fly home. I had my surgery on a Tuesday and flew home on Thursday. My surgeon knew it going into it and had no objections or even specific advice. Just a few pointers: You shouldn't be lifting much right after surgery, so you're going to need someone to handle your bags and/or put your items in the overhead bin. I recommend that you either fly with a buddy or let the aiport/airline know that you need assistance. Make sure you have some water or SF liquids with you to make sure you don't get dehydrated. Be prepared for some extra gas pain. As the plane ascends/descends, the pressure in the cabin changes and so does the pressure in the gas that's still in your body. It was uncomfortable for me, but not intolerable. Also be prepared for some extra jiggling/bumping around. My surgical incisions and sore belly felt every bump going down the runway and as we got in the air. Again, uncomfortable but not intolerable.

If you are experiencing pain or difficulty as you advance your stages, simply take a step back. Like Arabesque discussed above, if soft foods are not working for you, go back to puree for a couple of days then try it again. And, as always: Take small bites (like baby-spoon bites) Chew well Eat S-L-O-W-L-Y. To the point where you put your fork/spoon down in between bites. If you have trouble with this, put it down and sit on your hands for a little while.

I've always had big legs. My dad said that our family doesn't have legs, they have tree trunks. <love the name by the way>. My legs were one of the first places I really noticed my weight loss and they have slimmed to the point I have a little bit of a thigh gap. The breeze in my nether regions can be a little unsettling. Sorry if that's TMI, but if any group can understand, I"m sure this group can. I'm a bit lumpy/bumpy from the knees up. I wouldn't say I'm Shar Pei material, but it's jiggly and loose, especially in my inner thighs where I used to have "chub rub." From the knees down, I've slimmed. I still have bigger ankles and would never be able to wear an anklet, but not the stumps/cankles I once had. In fact, I can actually see the definition of my ankle bones these days. Huge improvement.

I'm 2.5 years out and I can honestly say that nothing has made me barf. Very early on, say in the 1st 3 months, rice or anything "doughy" like bread/pasta/noodles gave me the foamies. Other than that, nada. However, I do get a little nauseated and just don't feel good if I have something with a very high concentration of sugar. Say...fudge. I can eat 1 cookie, a small piece of cake (very low/no icing) or pie, but if I have something that's extra rich/decadent, I get a sugar dump of sorts (not dumping syndrome) that makes me deeply regret the indulgence for about an hour. Once in a while, I do have something that hurts a bit going down. It's not anything specific. I usually chalk it up to not chewing well enough, eating too fast, or plain eating too much.

I'll also add that you need to find something you enjoy doing (or at least don't HATE). If you don't like cardio (ME), no amount of forcing myself to do it or finding an "exercise buddy" is going to make me do it regularly. Like someone said above, I didn't really exercise much in the first six months outside of my QiGong (cousin of Tai Chi) class. I realized that I felt so good doing it, that I have now kept up with it for nearly 3 years! A record for me. Since the COVID shut down, I realized that as much as I enjoy being at home (I also work from home), I sometimes need to get out. So, I started walking my dogs. I realized how much I enjoy it. I don't walk at a brisk pace and thanks to my dogs I do have to make the occasional stop for them to check out the markings of other dogs/relieve themselves/etc. BUT, I get about a mile in pretty easily. Recently I realized that if I DON'T move, that I hurt. I work for myself and sit at a computer most of the day. My back was KILLING me. So, now I walk every other day and on the non-walking day, I do a combo QiGong and Yoga routine. Moral of the story (sorry it was so long): find something you LIKE to do and/or something that makes you feel good. You don't need to spend lots of money on a gym membership, but if you feel you need that kind of accountability, it's money well-spent. My only investment, aside from time, is comfy clothes to work out in (including a supportive bra) and walking shoes (which I have several pairs).

@Barbwired. It IS a tough decision. I strongly recommend that you have a heart-to-heart with your surgeon about it. I saw your other post on it and I totally understand your reluctance to do bypass. I was the SAME way. I didn't want it then and I don't want it now. I will do everything I can to avoid that and told my GI doctor so. That's why he recommended the Stretta or Linx. If it makes you feel any better, I went without my Lap-Band for years and was able to largely maintain my weight. In 2014, my life turned upside down and I used food to cope. Managed to gain all my weight back by 2016. It took me an additional 2 years to decide to have the sleeve.

I took 1 week totally off work and worked from home the 2nd week. Went back to the office at week 3, which included a 1-hour commute (both ways) and a 9+ hour day. By that time, I was eating 2-3 ounces of pudding consistency food. I packed a lunch bag with a protein shake and 3 of those tiny "meals" so that I could eat more frequently. Once I was up to regular food, I always kept protein bars on hand, just in case. That being said, I suffered from exhaustion for several weeks after surgery despite meeting all of my nutritional goals. It was the running joke in my household that every Thursday, you could count me out for family TV time because I'd just fall asleep as soon as my butt hit the chair. Just a word of caution. My job is sedentary. If you are a floor nurse, you're likely on your feet most of the day. Having been a floor nurse in a previous lifetime, what is the likelihood of you being able to take regular nutrition/hydration breaks? Unless your job/employer can accommodate frequent rest periods/breaks, you may want to consider extending your leave until you are able to tolerate being on your feet and have a good grasp on how to incorporate your nutrition/hydration needs in your work environment.

I didn't really care for the bariatric chewables and found that they made me nauseated after taking them. After a lot of experimentation, I settled on VitaFusion gummy vitamins. I know schools of thought were that gummies were a no-no, but it was honestly the only ones I could tolerate for the first 6 months or so. Then, I switched back to standard vitamins that you swallow.

@Barbwired Having reflux after the sleeve is a bit of a coin toss. Some get it. Some don't. Before being sleeved, I had a discussion with my doctor about reflux potential and they always gave me a non-commital answer with a cautionary warning. Ultimately, my doctor and I felt that my reflux was largely related to dietary practices, a general state of obesity, and a small hiatal hernia that I had. A friend of mine had really bad reflux with the lap band to the point she had Barrett's esophagus. Her surgeon actually recommended the sleeve and she's had NO ISSUES with reflux after it. Me, I started getting heartburn within a month of having the sleeve. I immediately started taking Nexium, which took care of the heartburn. Flash forward to about a year. I was waking up with a sore throat that I knew was reflux. It kept getting worse and while I have never woken up choking, I knew the reflux was a problem. I tried every home remedy and every reflux supplement I could find. I modified my eating and behavior to reduce reflux. I sleep on a wedge. When the reflux is at its worst, my wedge can be at about 45°. It's not sleeping "sitting up", but pretty darn close. I saw a gastroenterologist and told him that I wasn't interested in revision to bypass. He offered me a choice between Stretta and Linx. I was in the process of scheduling Stretta when COVID hit. Today, my reflux isn't really that bad. I'm not 100% sure why it's been better, but I'm not looking that gift horse in the mouth. I sleep on my lower wedge and am comfortable with that. I do not eat after 7pm. If I do, I will generally go to bed later than usual or make sure I've had a whole glass of water before bed (flush out the sleeve). I take my Nexium religiously every morning and I take digestive enzymes with my evening meal (THAT seems to have made a BIG difference in my reflux). I have prescription Carafate, but haven't needed it for about 2 months. Best of luck.

I'm about 2.5 years out. I can pretty much eat anything, just in smaller quantities I can eat 1 egg and 1 piece of toast, that's it I can eat 1 cup of old-fashioned oatmeal I can eat 1 individual serving size container of yogurt (I eat Skyr and mix in chia seeds, 1 TBSP Unjury, and 1 TBSP granola) I can eat half of just about any sandwich (maybe more if it's sandwich bread, but definitely half for bun-type sandwiches)(I DO NOT eat "sub" sandwiches, nor have I tried) I can eat 1 piece of regular sliced pizza. I can eat 1 taco (hard shell and soft shell varieties) and maybe have room for a couple bites of rice/beans. I can eat about a cup of any meal for dinner (this includes separate meat or a casserole-type. Even pasta.) If I'm having a soup/salad combo, I can eat about 1/2 cup of soup and sometimes half of the sandwich (depending on who made the sandwich) I can eat about 1-1.5 cup of a tossed salad as long as I don't have too many "fixins" on it like meat and I don't do croutons. I can eat 1 small apple, banana or about a cup cubed melon/fresh pineapple/etc. That's only if I'm eating it alone. If I'm eating it with a meal/as my dessert, maybe a couple bites. I can eat much more popcorn than I care to admit. It's like it dissolves in my belly and next thing I know I've eaten like 3 cups. So, I portion it out and when I empty my portion/container, I'm done. I CAN drink small sips of soda, but I don't. Same goes for champagne. (which I REALLY like as a Mimosa) I can eat about 1 cup of ice cream (hard and soft varieties), then I hit my STOP point. And overall, I still have to eat pretty slowly. If I go into auto-pilot and start shoving things in my mouth to quickly or don't chew fairly well, I have pain/discomfort.

#1-contact your doctor immediately. He may have treatment/wound-care recommendations for you. Here's my 2-cents (for what that's worth): Staples are metal. They will not dissolve. You may have had internal stitches that are designed to dissolve. They may have dissolved before the wound was completely healed. I'm no doctor, but I can sort of see the difference in the texture of your skin surrounding the wound leading me to suspect that the reaction you had to your wound care solution may have delayed normal healing of the incision. This is an open incisional wound, but it doesn't appear obviously infected to me. Now that the wound is 4 weeks old, they're not going to re-stitch this. So, you're going to have to heal "from the inside out." Keep it clean and follow your doctor's wound care instructions. Disclaimer: I am not a licensed medical doctor. Any statements above are not intended as medical diagnoses or advice. If you have questions/concerns about your condition, please contact your doctor..

Just had a recent conversation on this topic. My response would be the same.

A port and a drain are 2 different things. The lap band system includes a port that is implanted under the skin that allows the doctor or his staff to inject fluid into the lap band system in order to adjust the band. The drain you're referring to is a post-surgical drain. Depending on the circumstances, which may or may not be directly related to the type of surgery, the surgeon places a drain into your surgical areas to drain away excess blood and fluid. It's to help reduce swelling and the chance of infection as well as to promote healing. It's usually connected to a little bulb that applies gentle suction and "sucks out" that extra fluid. It's temporary and aside from the minor inconvenience, not terribly painful.

I've gone through several "phases" of vitamin use in the 2+ years since sleeved. In my first few months, many vitamins gave me really severe nausea after taking it. I didn't vomit, thank goodness but I sure felt like crap. At various points, I've taken the bariatric versions but find I feel and do fine with the regular ones. I've also taken the expensive "organic" and "all-natural" ones. I really don't notice a big difference other than the hole in my wallet. My "go-to" is Women's One-A-Day. I get the giant one from Costco and it lasts me quite a while. As I approach menopause, I will probably change over to a 50+ or silver version, but other than that, I have no plans to change. *I also take calcium citrate +3, a hair/skin/nails formula. No issues.

Pain is subjective, meaning that everyone experiences it differently. My first day or 2 was the most pain. It was easily managed with the prescription pain medication they gave me in the hospital. After that, I would say that I was "uncomfortable" but not enough to break out the big guns in terms of the medications. Tylenol was more than enough to handle my discomfort. I'd say by the 4th day, it was pretty rare that I had enough pain/discomfort to even need Tylenol. Probably one of the easiest surgeries I've ever had.

Not enough info. As Pckeys (above) mentioned, you need to identify the circumstances around the nausea. Do you get it after you eat certain foods or drink certain things? Are you getting it on an empty stomach? Are you getting it after you take your vitamins? How frequently are you getting it? How long does it last? Me, I had nausea every time I took my vitamins for the first 2 months or so until I figured out the best time of day for me, with food, and even type/brand of vitamin.

I'd stick with creamy soups like the tomato bisque or mushroom. Less obvious than if you were fishing chunks out of other types of soups. Eat slow and enjoy the company. This may surprise you, but more likely than not they'll be so focused on themselves and the conversation that they probably won't even notice what you eat or how much you do/don't eat.