LadyH

We're here to support each other. The fact is, Goodmange's outcome is a real possibility for anyone. Preaching and lecturing is counterproductive: nonjudgmental tips and strategies are helpful & productive.

This is all so interesting. I start a 2 weeks protein shake/clear fluids only diet tomorrow. I don't have fatty liver. I have 80-100# to lose. I'd be interested to hear other peoples' stats just because it'd be nice to find some pattern or reasoning for all the differences in everyone's diets.

Hi--thanks for the note. That's really good to hear. I don't know how much more I can take, and I haven't even really started yet-hah! BTW, what made you think I'm a teacher? I don't teach, but thank you for teaching, especially during the pandemic and aftermath. I know how difficult it's been for educators. The kids need you so much!

I'm concerned about dehydration and constipation. When I look at expected intake and the diet post-surgery, it seems like it's almost guaranteed to be a problem.

Thanks--that info is very helpful!

Looking at your stats, you've lost 100# in 2.5 months?

I start mine on Wednesday for 2 weeks as well! All I get is protein shakes and clear fluids. Let's do it together!! I was supposed to have done all this last month and I was so psyched and happy to get started on the diet. Now I'm just angry and stressed out with all the delays and ruined holidays. (I also have to quarantine 2 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks after.) Plus I've gained 6lbs. since last month.

It's encouraging to see a person on this site who has actually lost the weight!! Thanks for posting.

Reading all the cases of fatigue and exhaustion worry me. Having to quarantine 2 weeks before, 2 weeks after, getting only protein shakes and clear liquids only for the 2 weeks of pre-surg. diet, not being able to go workout at the gym, or swim, or be outside because the weather is terrible. No holidays with family--second year in a row--and having been waiting for 6 months since being cleared for surgery has already depressed me. I don't think I can take months of feeling horrible and exhausted afterward. I feel like I've already lost a year of my life because of all the unnecessary and even bogus bs. The program I'm in throws in everything but the kitchen sink, charges from the patient obscenely for it, and leaves the patient twisting in the wind unendingly. ugh.

Don't know how your plan works, but "bariatric therapy" here runs $1700/hour.

I think we've all seen on this site that there are enormous inequities for access to care, bari teams, quality surgeons, programs, plans, preparation, diets, etc. We can't possibly know which elements are scientific and which aren't. The research is all over the place. The 30 day mortality rate deal has to do with how hospitals report their "success" rates. Yep--if you get taken off the ventilator on day 31, the hospital reports it as a "success" story with regard to mortality/complications, etc. It's an enormous gamble.

Bari surgery purveyors do oversell these procedures: medicine is a business, and bariatric surgery has its own marketing plans and strategies. If someone has said you must eat 800 cal/day forever, this is an eating disorder/anorexia. That limit should only be in place during the pre- & immediate post-surg diet. It's true the surgery is sold as a "cure," albeit the medical world also couches this procedure as a "tool" for a cure. It's also true that most patients never get to their ideal weight, much less keep off the weight they lose initially. It's also true that stomach amputation and the year prior to the surgery which requires generally unnecessary appointments, procedures, tests, labs, etc., is obscenely profitable for the hospitals and the only reason they offer it. Those of us who choose this outrageous procedure are desperate and hopeless. The medical world knows this. They choose to underreport outcomes such as Goodmanje's, who has a right to voice frustrations, concerns, and warnings. We're all hoping to be one of the "lucky" ones. And we're all willing to be permanently altered with no guarantees. Perhaps, instead, as with any business, we should demand there be guarantee of a reasonable outcome.

I've been reading that after the surgery, the patient will be weak and fatigued due to lack of nutrition as well as recuperation. I don't know if I can handle even more weeks of sub-human living after all the delays, pre-op stuff, and quarantines. Given that I have to quarantine for 2 weeks both before and after surgery, do 2 weeks of protein shakes and clear liquids only, and cold, crummy weather which prevents even outdoor activities, I'm already depressed after 6 months of delays getting surgery. I can't see friends or family, go to the gym, swim, garden, walk, or even be outside much due to weather. Ugh. Plus, Christmas and Thanksgiving are ruined for the second year in a row. I feel like a prisoner. Any ideas on how long the torture lasts after surgery?

I am so jealous you can "chat" with your surgeon. Here, they keep them locked away in glass cases, I guess. We patients are just strangers to them. I heard about the variant there--stay well!

Scratch that--found it! Thanks:)

I can't find the "VSG Gastric Sleeve..." facebook group--the link takes me directly to the giant bariatric pal facebook group/page-?

Be very intentional with the cardiac clearance. My nightmares started with that. I was sent for cardiac ""clearance", but ended up with a PA who decided to go full diagnostic despite my having no symptoms. First, she said I was probably lying that I didn't have any symptoms. She gave me 2 MISdiagnoses and put me on a drug that would've killed me had I kept taking it. She required I undergo a test that almost killed me, then demanded I get an angiogram. She refused to allow me to see an actual certified cardiologist. No cardiologist ever examined me. Then, this PA completely reversed herself 180 degrees, said I was ok to have surgery after all. This PA also failed to get the proper info to insurance/billing so I could even get an estimate for all this BS for over 4 weeks! Her completely incompetent handling of everything from the paperwork to the tests to the misdiagnoses cost me over 4 months of time and agonizing stress, thinking I was dying of heart disease. I also have snapshots of the monitors from the tests and the data from the test, and the actual numbers is not what this PA wrote up in her reports to justify all her crazy ideas. She changed my data to fit her narrative and plan for more and more expensive tests/procedures. Thank God my GP ended up getting me in to see a real doctor/cardiologist--this took an additional 6 weeks--and the only way to completely negate all the erroneous hunches and bogus guesses the PA had loaded onto my chart was to have an angiogram that proved the PA had been wrong about everything. She literally risked my life 3 separate times and caused harm. My cardiologist said to me twice that the PA "...screwed you, she really screwed you." But of course, me, my husband and our insurance still have to pay for the over $35K in bogus tests/appointments/procedures despite them being completely unnecessary and dangerous. It is scary that we have no control over who is calling the shots and how much of our "program" is just to bring in extra dollars for the hospital.

I was told there's a 20% chance of getting GERD after surgery, worse than that if you already have it. But, I, for example, also have a hiatal hernia which can cause GERD. The plan is to fix the hernia, then that, plus weight loss, can possibly alleviate GERD. It's 6 one way, half a dozen the other. But I'm with you--it doesn't sound very likely there's a great outcome.

This is so scary, but so common! I'm sorry you're dealing with this. When I compare all the different "notes" and records, as well as what they choose to omit, my charts and records are full of errors, too. Funny when they write notes, they never ask for patient input. The best docs dictate all their notes while the patient is still in their office so there's no errors/confusion. Lots of "spin" by staff to appear to give standard of care.

Thanks for the idea. I've already given up sugar and caffeine, but I'm a stress eater, so being stuck inside quarantined with nothing to do will be tough as I'll want to eat instead. Fingers crossed.

Woot! Have a slice for me. Keep me posted when you start that liquid pre-op diet and let me know any tips you come up with. Enjoy your food farewell!

Thanks so much for the encouragement. Sometimes, I want to scream. Other times, cry. lol I've never tried Korean shows. I'll look for those. I wish I could have veggies!! PS--Maybe they could just knock me out for 6 months or so-hah!

That's a great idea with the scheduled emails. I wish my server had that option! You'll conquer the battle and win the war.

Thanks for the perspective. I've thought about both those aspects. If my surgery gets postponed again, I won't be able to have surgery. I'm so disgusted with the medical/insurance system right now. It's such a racket.

I'm so stressed out from the 6 months of surgery delays and waiting to get this process going, I wonder if it would all be easier if I just started my pre-op liquid diet now, a week early. Does anybody know if that's ok? a problem? safe? not safe? I'm just so sick of waiting and waiting.