hills&valleys

Personally I think anytime you go under general anesthesia an overnight stay should be required particularly if you are under for over an hour. General anesthesia used to require an overnight stay but insurance companies have been responsible for the change in policy for obvious reasons. The last two times I had general anesthesia I was hard to wake as well having excessive lingering effects for 12+ hours. Turns out I am highly sensitive to anesthesia. After my VSG surgery, I was not able to stay awake for almost 8 hours. Even with assistance I was unable to stand and walk. Within 12 hours I started to rally and by 20 hours I was heading to the spa for a massage.

Today marks my one year anniversary of my VSG. This was the best gift I could have given myself. As promised, I am back to give my 12 month update. I hope all will follow up with status updates so the results can be tabulated. 1. Basics: GENDER, AGE (at time of surgery) , HEIGHT - F, 62, 5'5" 2. Total Weight lost in the 6 months BEFORE surgery (if any) - 6.5 LBS 3.Weight on DAY OF SURGERY. - 202.5 LBS 4. Weight at 1 MONTH POST surgery - 187.4 LBS 5. Weight at 3 MONTHs POST surgery - 170.8 LBS 6. Weight at 6 MONTHs POST surgery - 149.2 LBS 7. Weight at 12 MONTHs POST surgery - 134.2 LBS

Welcome to the group. Use the search tab to find success stories and detailed accounts of member's journeys. There are so many good threads just jump in and comment on posts which you find inspiring or have questions. As a newcomer, asking questions on existing threads is the easiest way to establish a dialog and build rapport. Again, welcome and we all look forward to your participation!

Kosher pickles and the pickle juice were the saving grace for me. They were not on the approved food list but based on the nutritional information should be unless the patient is on an extreme sodium restriction diet. I confessed my addition to my doctor and amazingly pickles are now included on the group's pre-op diet.

I am so happy to hear that you have taken control of your life rather than letting others control you. For the sake of you and your daughter, love yourself and put yourself first. You can't be there for your daughter unless you are first there for yourself. The vast majority of WLS patients will tell you that their only regret is that they didn't have the surgery earlier. The members of bariatricpal.com are very supportive and knowledgeable. Reach out....you are among friends and not alone.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and a successful journey to better health. On March 1, 2023 before heading to the airport traveling to Piedras Negras, Mexico for my scheduled March 3rd VSG with Dr. Alvarez at Endobariatric; I logged my weight and recorded my measurements. I have kept a running spreadsheet, updating the stats the 1st of every month. Ten months later, I am down 75 pounds and fitting comfortably in a size 6. I am not finished. I had set my goal at 112 which in reality is too thin for me but I wanted to allow for the common 5 to 7 pound regain from the lowest weight, hopefully settling in the 117 to 118 range. I have not had one moment's regret. This is the greatest gift I have given myself and look forward to a healthier and more active 2024.

@BabySpoons Love, love, love this....saved it!

Several years ago, I experienced something similar but it was mainly during my daily walks. At first Meralgia Paresthetica was suspected but it turned out to being related to my hypothyroidism with a TSH level at 192. The symptoms you describe does check the "boxes" of Meralgia Paresthetica but you should consult with your doctor ASAP. https://www.aocd.org/page/MeralgiaParesthetic

"her comment to me was that she was so glad to know I had weight loss surgery because I looked like I was dyeing from cancer cancer lol!" Classic example of passive aggressive behavior. I can relate. My mother was obsessive about staying thin. Through my preteen and teen years I would yo-yo between average size to slightly chubby. Within weeks after my youngest child was born, I moved out of state. Two years later I moved back to my hometown. I was thinner than my mother. She would make comments that I was too thin (I wasn't). I was almost 30 and she was in her early 50s. She secretly started abusing diuretics and laxatives to drop pounds in an attempt to be smaller than me. She ended up in the hospital with electrolyte imbalances and deficiencies. Years later, my daughter was battling with about 35 to 40 extra pounds. She asked me to help her with a low carb diet which is how I maintained my weight at 115 to 117 for most of my adult life. She lost the excess weight and I was bragging about my 22 year old daughter's victory to my mother. My 73 year old mother, who was weighing in about140, replied with the most selfish and disgusting comment imaginable...."Great, now I am the only fat one in the family!" I very sharply responded with "That is digusting! Be happy for her. It's her time now." Be prepared.....people who once secretly pitied you, emotionally supported you and openly cheered your success may now feel threatened by the change in the dynamic. My mother's self-worth was so closely tied to being the most svelte of any woman in her circle. When I surplanted her claim to fame, my mother felt assaulted. My daughter's weight loss after my mother's gain was the final blow to her ego. Because of my mother's sabatoging and competitive nature, I chose not to tell her about my choice to undergo VSG.

It is contradictory to label this a victory. Yesterday I was standing beside the porch (approx. height 24"), a gust of wind blew me over onto the porch. Fortunately I was not injured but was "blown away" with shock at the realization I had lost enough weight that non-gale force winds could knock me over. But a true NSV, I now have my thigh-gap back!

You look fabulous!!!

Since we all started at different weights, heights, etc., I find comparisons to be best evaluated by percentage of body weight lost. At 6 months, I had lost 28.5% of my body weight. Now at 7 months and one week, I have now lost an additional 4%, for a total of 32.5% of my starting weight. Comparisons are a gauge but be careful when comparing yourself to others. We may all be vying for the same destination of better health and slimmer selves but our journey is uniquely our own with hills and valleys.

Considering there are a multitude of thyroid disorders, without a specific confirmed medical diagnosis, it would be impossible to offer an opinion as to how WLS could affect your prognosis. As someone who has dealt with the extreme swing from stroke-level hyperthyroidism cause by the autoimmune disorder of Grave's Disease to a partial thyroidectomy during the early weeks of an unknown pregnancy which placed addition stress on my remaining thyroid causing the destruction of all thyroid function; I have run the gambit of thyroid crisis scenarios including a couple of life threatening emergencies with myxedema comas. I am closely monitored by a team of endocrinologists who specialize in unique cases. How WLS could affect your particular thyroid issue would be best answered by an endocrinologist who specialize in thyroid disorders. As far as my 40 years of experience dealing with the thyroid roller coaster, my tsh, uptake, t3 levels and thyroid medication dosage were never affected by my weight. Good luck to you!

I second @Shazzie2017.....music. if I am down or stressed I start with slow, soulful music gradually increasing the tempo elevating my mood until i feel like dancing in the streets!

Today, marks my 6 month surgery anniversary so I wanted to update my stats. I will update again at the 12 month marker. I look forward to seeing the results of the survey. 1. Basics: GENDER, AGE (at time of surgery) , HEIGHT - F, 62, 5'5" 2. Total Weight lost in the 6 months BEFORE surgery (if any) - 6.5 LBS 3. Weight on DAY OF SURGERY. - 202.5 LBS 4. Weight at 1 MONTH POST surgery - 187.4 LBS 5. Weight at 3 MONTHs POST surgery - 170.8 LBS 6. Weight at 6 MONTHs POST surgery - 149.2 7. Weight at 12 MONTHs POST surgery - TBD

After all the challenges and complications you have experienced, we can all share your tears of joy from peeling off the layers which had imprisoned you for so many years! Your positive attitude will propel you to reach your goals successfully....Bravo, Bravo, Bravo!

Sleeve patients need to adjust their eating "technique". We need to take smaller bites, chew to "mush" consistency and take longer pauses between bites. Making those adjustments should help the food go down easier. Keep in mind that our new smaller stomach pouches can be finicky, especially in the early post-op months....foods that we have never found disagreeable now could cause issues. I have only had pain and spasms when I have eaten one bite too much. Rather than fighting the urge to throw up, I give in and hug the porcelain alter ridding myself of the "foamies" and the one bite too much......instant relief! You will soon learn your food volume limits.

As others have stated, in the early weeks there really is no signals so you must measure your portions. When I first started introducing solid food my full signal was a runny nose followed by silent air burps. At almost 6 months post-op, I have gotten better at visually measuring my portions and stopping before I am full; but I still get the air burbs if I eat until I'm full.

Everyone's recovery is unique but based on averages, most people have regained the majority of their strength and beginning to settle into a new "normal" eating routine at 8 to 10 weeks. Remember to use caution when introducing new foods. Our tummies can often be disagreeable for the first 6 months.

I was also self-pay. After tons of research, I chose Dr. Alvarez in Mexico. Granted his fee is substantially more than the majority of surgeons in Mexico but after reading too many horror stories about some of the surgeons in Tijuana, I wasn't willing to sacrifice my health for a bargain price. I am sure the majority of surgeries performed in Tijuana are successful but we all choose our path and surgeons for our own reasons. I only packed a rolling carry-on for the round trip flight. It probably weighed less than 20 pounds. I was able to lift the bag to place in the plane's overhead compartment without any issue. I think if you must lift any weight (slightly) heavier than your surgeon's guidelines, the important issue would be to lift "straight-on" and make sure your torso is not twisted. I wish you success in your journey. I can attest that I have not had one moment of regret in getting sleeved. My health has improved immensely and hopefully yours will too!

WLS was the best thing I have ever done for myself. At 5 months post-op, I feel better than I have in 10 years. I am no longer just "existing" but living a full life with energy to spare and improved health. Almost everyone who has had WLS say they only regret they didn't have the surgery years earlier. Good luck to you.

Thank you so much for sharing. So many people have posted about weight regain, especially with VSG. It is inspiring to hear your testament of long term success. Lifetime vigilance and dedication in embracing a new and healthy relationship with food seems to be the deciding factor. BRAVO!!!

Most of my adult life I maintained my weight at 117 pounds with exception of two periods lasting a couple of years that I packed on extra weight. With dedication and vigilance, I was always able to lose the excess.....until "The Great Weight Gain of 2012". None of my previous successful weight loss tactics were working and when I hit the 10 year mark of struggling to lose the extra weight; as well as, growing health issues from the added weight, I accepted the fact that i now was unable to fight this battle alone. I chose my goal weight of 112 in anticipation of the common regain from the lowest weight acheived to allow myself a five pound alarm system....in hopes of never seeing the scales above 117 again.

Abusers (emotional, physical or both) lacking control of their own lives, target people with low self-esteem to feed their need to feel power over another. As you lose weight and gain more self-confidence, he will feel he is losing control over you and the mental abuse will escalate. He will sabotage your journey at every turn fearing you may realize you have better options! What exactly is he bringing to "the table"? It appears you are completely supporting this man and providing a roof over his head for the meager price of cleaning and dinner on the table. A lazy man is bad enough but a lazy, abusive man is nothing more than a parasitic piece of trash. You deserve so much better.