ShoppGirl

14 minutes ago, FutureSylph said:

I dislike the taste of plain nonfat Greek yogurt, but when I add a liberal amount of Lawry's chili-lime seasoning to it, it makes a tasty enough dip for celery sticks.

Greek yogurt also makes a good dip if you add in ranch dressing mix.

It really just depends on the surgeons schedule. I know someone who was self pay at my clinic and they were sleeved within 2.5 weeks of Their initial consult. I think that was just so they could do the preop diet.

I brought my iPad logged into Netflix and that was more than enough to occupy me the little time I was awake and not walking or drinking or eating (broth).

I had to watch a video, they gave me surgical soap to bath with before surgery and I had to sign some papers.

1 hour ago, GreenTealael said:

Anyone else absolutely hates taking the driver license picture? They use the most unflattering photo 😪

I hate it too. Sams club is even worse.

I have started with the stuff that I don’t really like or that will not be in style and put things that are really expensive or I liked a lot into vacuum sealed bags labeled with the sizes. I figure them I can go through and donate more as I get further and further out from each size.

10 minutes ago, SummerTimeGirl said:

UPDATE:
So I've been noticing that I have NOT been getting in many vegetables in since surgery, if at all. You know how they push for us to eat Protein first. Well I do that but end up just filling up on the Protein and thus getting in no veggies. Wondering if I should worry about that or not? I was thinking of just cutting back on the protein just so that I do get in some veggies but then I worry I won't get enough protein in for the day like I was doing before when I was having stalls. Sigh......what to do, what to do? Or should I just not worry about it for now? I speak to the nutritionist again next month and will mention it to her to see what she suggests as well.

As a side, I have now lost 44.7 lbs since surgery and 63.2 total since March but have yet to get any new clothes. Like I feel a lot of my stuff hanging on me differently but I don't really know if I could fit in anything smaller. I used to be in a size 28 for most pants. Like one pair was a 30. But I also have a pair of capris that are 26's. Whenever I would fit them again I'd know I lost weight. Well I have been fitting them for a while and they are finally getting loose too. But not sure I would fit a 24 just yet. Which seems weird to me. You'd think by now I should be fitting into a smaller size.

How much weight did you all lose before getting new clothes? Like I feel like I SHOULD be in a smaller size based on the amount of weight I lost but not really sure it's gonna happen. I don't want to buy stuff prematurely.

Also, how long before people started noticing your weight loss? Like how much weight did you lose before you had people say anything, if at all? I have NOT HAD ONE person say anything about looking thinner/different/etc. LOLOL Which is weird cause my husband who sees me everyday (and they say it's harder for those who see you often to notice it first) says that he can most definitely see and feel the loss on me. Weird considering no one else has said a word. And I just got done seeing a ton of family who haven't seen me in years and when they last did I was 60+ pounds heavier!! LOL

60 pounds is definitely noticeable. Perhaps it’s harder to see with the baggy clothes. Maybe they are more baggy than you realize.

9 hours ago, Anita221 said:

Going for a consult in August 26 for lap band to sleeve revision. I’m very nervous about the pain.

I don’t know about the Lao band removal part but many of us who get the sleeve have very minimal pain. I had nothing other than my stomach felt like I did about 1000 crunches.

23 minutes ago, Candace76 said:

About an hour away from my VSG surgery! 🤞

Good luck 🍀

2 hours ago, Jeseca832 said:

Hey everyone!! I had mine done on the 20th. I need some advice. (I hope everyone feels better soon that’s not feeling well from their surgery ). So my issue is that I’m not having any issues with the amount of fluids or Protein to get in. In fact I’m feeling hungry. I was supposed to be on Clear Liquids for a week post op. But I transitioned to full liquids today. And I’m still not having any issues. I get between 50 and 60 oz of Fluid in per day. I could drink a full 11oz bottle of Premier Protein within a half hour. I also had about 4oz of vanilla sf pudding within 10 mins. Is anyone else having this issue? I’m thinking to myself like did my doctor forget to cut it all out. 🤣. Now I’m worried that this isn’t going to work for me. I am feeling super frustrated right now. But trying to remain positive.

I was the same way. I could always eat or drink more than I should for that stage. I have just stuck with the portions I was supposed to be eating and I have lost 50 pounds at 4.5 months post op and the weight is slowly but surely still coming off. You should be just fine.

2 hours ago, Soonlee_W said:

I got home from VSG surgery yesterday.

Here's my story:

July 22nd I arrived for my surgery. They told me that Dr. Selim was running about two hours behind -not his fault, it had something to do with the way the people scheduled things. They put the IV which pinched a bit and gave me a shot in my stomach to prevent blood clots. I'm pretty sure they also took some blood. Around 2:30 I had my surgery. The pain was at most at a 3. The pain was in my upper chest right in the center. They said it was the gas. Around 7:00 I was able to suck on ice with no problems. Later they brought me the best lemonade I ever had! LOL I was able to sip the lemonade with no problems. After reading all these posts here, I knew I'd have to take tiny sips. I never got nauseous. I never threw up. I walked around at about 8:00. I was able to urinate on my own. I didn't sleep well - I was uncomfortable but not in pain. Every time I had to urinate they had to unhook me from the oxygen thing and the IV. At some point in the night they gave me a GasX to chew and a few hours later something for Acid Reflux. Around 4:00 a.m. she asked if I wanted something for pain and although I wasn't in any pain, I had hoped it would put me to sleep. I slept in 30 minute increments. Each time I woke up --I was able to walk with no problems. Around 6 in the morning, they brought me half a cup of broth. I walked to the door 5 times, took a sip, walked to the door 5 times, took a sip...and so on till it was all gone. I was able to have the broth and still work on that yummy lemonade with no problems.

Hubby came to bring me home around noon. We live about 45 minutes from the hospital. It was a hot Louisiana day. I could feel the warmth on my face and it was nice. It had been so cold in the hospital room. We got home and he made some Soup. It was so good --I strained it so I didn't even get the little specks of spices he put in it. It was hot n spicy like I like it. I weighed myself, I had gained 3 pounds!!!!

But then.....I realized my face was hot. I was running a fever. 99.9 I got scared. The papers say to call the Dr's office if you have a fever over 101.5, so I took some Tylenol and fell asleep.

Today (2 days after surgery) I'm fine. No pain at all but still uncomfortable in certain positions. I normally sleep on my left side and I am unable to that right now. Still feeling a bit feverish off and on but never as high as 101.5.

I cannot begin to write all the crazy things that have gone through my head. Maybe I can write about that later.

I haven't worn the Abdominal binder yet -- when do people normally start wearing it?

Also --would love to hear about those other two on here who had theirs the same day as me.

Glad to hear you are doing okay. I woke up from surgery with my additional binder on and they said I could take it off whenever I wanted as it was just for mY comfort. I took it off when I got home and didn’t notice any difference.

It seems to vary by insurance but also by doctor. I didn’t have to do any tests or procedures other than the pre op labs and I had psyc eval and nutritionist meeting but that was all and I had 5 months to do it between my 6 mandatory meetings with the PA at my clinic which satisfied my supervised diet appointments.

14 minutes ago, Soonlee_W said:

Tomorrow is my day. I'm not nervous AT ALL.

I've always looked for "signs." Like if there were bumps in the road as I was trying to do something, I tend to think it was God warning me not to do it. There have been no bumps -- so, I'm thinking God's got this. LOL

Today was all the phone calls from the people wanting their money, anesthesia and hospital. My debit card was declined even though I've got the amount needed. At first I thought it might be a sign --but guess what, the girl on the phone had VGS back in 2013. She just so happened to be my same weight and height at the time of her surgery. We talked and talked. So --I took that as a good sign. It turns out my bank puts a cap on how much you can debit in one day as a safety measure. I had to call the bank and tell them what was going on. Then they had to get approval. So it has taken all day to pay the hospital --but I'm expected there at 10:30 tomorrow.

School starts on the 9th of August. I'm hoping I will have had enough down time to teach without complications.

Good luck 🍀

Working with the nutritionist and working through any disordered eating with the therapist are a huge part of why the surgery is successful imo, if you are truly not sure you are ready for surgery you could try losing it yourself with the help of those two “tools” and see how that goes.

If you are going through insurance you may have to do supervised diet that is usually 3-6 months. But if not it just depends on surgeons schedule. My date was three weeks after my last required visit.

I absolutely wish I had done this surgery when I was younger. For me the weight gain was medication induced and I was not overweight at 23 but at 28 or 30…I wish I had done it then. You can get the weight off BEFORE it has a chance to take a huge Toll on your joints and wreak havoc on the rest of your body. And Huge bonus is your skin is more likely to bounce back on its own. If you are truly ready to make the commitments to change at this point In your life I say go for it.

3 hours ago, Nissi151 said:

Today is the day..On my way to the hospital now, my nerves are getting the best of me..I will let everyone know how it goes🧡❤🙏

3 hours ago, Jeseca832 said:

Good luck to you both.

I had sleeve so it’s not really an issue but I’m pretty sure it’s caused by sugar and fat. I also haven’t had a lot of sugar or fat though.

I craved chips too but don’t do it. You can seriously hurt yourself if you progress your diet faster than prescribed. Better to just find things to keep yourself busy so food is not a slow much of a focus during the first few weeks. I wouldn't trust myself with candy either. You may forget and eat it as opposed to just sucking on it till it’s gone. Are you allowed popsicles. Those were my go to for that phase.

They put some compression sleeve things on my legs in the hospital but never plugged them in. Finally I just asked if I could take them off since I wasn’t using them. I was up waking just a couple hours after surgery though so I’m sure I didn’t really need them.

I think you are doing great as well. What an idiot your surgeon is. You know they are really good at what they do but most do NOT have any people skills whatsoever. Keep on doing what you are doing and when you reach your goal weight you can strut in there and show him he was wrong.

I had a BMI of 35, i am about 4.5 months out and I have lost 45 pounds total (counting pre op). The weight loss now seems to have slowed to a crawl but it is still going down.

I have bipolar disorder (the depressive type) and I am on an antidepressant and a mood stabilizer. I am 4.5 months post op and I have noticed a few days of mild depression and several days of decreased energy immediately post op but those have stabilized now and I feel about the same.

I am not familiar with sertraline but as long as it is not extended release it will most likely work the same after the sleeve. If it doesn’t though, there are hundreds of other medications her doctor can try (probably a handful that work the same way sertraline works). I had to change my mood stabilizer because there was a minimum calorie requirement with my old one and I went ahead and asked my doctor to change it a few months before surgery (while I was on the supervised diet) just so I would know that I started off on a medication that worked post surgery (one less thing to worry about).

It sounds like she has a great support system in you at home. As long as she is honest with you about how she is feeling and stays in close contact with a doctor who is willing to adjust medications if needed she should be fine.

I had to switch from Latuda too. I switched to vraylar and haven’t noticed any difference.I switched ahead of time so that I knew it worked for me prior to surgery just to take away one thing to be worried about.

Congratulations on starting your journey and finding this site. There are a ton of kind supportive people on here. I hope you get your surgery date soon.