Tiffykins

I find it so comical that I can be personally attacked, be called names for a simple opinion and then those very people that have done it to me, sit here and point fingers at others. Especially with the hearsay comments. I have been accused of that on more than one occasion, but I've seen it so many times throughout this thread that I lost count. There's always 3 sides to every story, one party's side, the other's party side, and then the entire truth without emotion and based on simple facts. Unfortunately, no one has been able to get the entire truth because no one is willing to accept both people's side of the story without judgment especially one side of the story holds some sort of negativity against their chosen surgeon. Complications, and difficulties are shrugged off or the patient is blamed. For me, I find that absolutely disgusting behavior. While I do not wish any complications on any person, I am appalled by the fact they want to point fingers, and shame a person when they didn't have the complication, and have to endure the physical and emotional side of recovery. I often wonder how they would feel if those people if they were on the receiving end of the finger pointing, and have their complications/struggles shrugged off as 'ohh it happens everywhere, or what if they caused it'. Absolutely sickening. Seriously, it's okay for some to do it, and be coddled for it. But, heaven forbid someone say they wouldn't use a certain surgeon because the facility and doctor does not meet one's standards of care, it's crime against humanity, and holds no truth because I didn't have a personal experience with said surgeon. Well, the big difference here is that I've never bashed any surgeon. I've stated which surgeon I would use, I've stated why I would choose a certain surgeon over another, but not once have I bashed a surgeon, or any patient that chooses to use someone that I would not choose for myself. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, I knew I wouldn't use a surgeon that didn't meet certain requirements, or have surgery in a facility that didn't meet MY standards. And, regardless of what anyone person here thinks of me, my opinion will never change. Especially, when I see so many people come out in droves to defend a surgeon with the excuse that these things happen everywhere. Hmmmm, let's see I have never read, or seen any complaints of massive infections, leaks, perforated bowels from Jossart, Cirangle, Gagner, Ungston, Aceves, Zapata, Nicholson, Adencio, Kim, or Barker just to name a few of the extremely reputable, and well known sleeve surgeons in Mexico and the US, all of those surgeons have done surgeries for several more years than said surgeon/facility yet we never read about these types of issues. And why is that, in my opinion, because they take the necessary precautions and operate within certain parameters to ensure patient safety and a successful surgery without hoards of complications rolling out of their hospitals. Bottom line, hopefully those that have complications can share their experience and those with stellar experiences can share their story without judgment or feeling as if they are going to be bashed.

If you can check with your insurance company, or self pay to see a licensed dietician/nutritionist. You can not go through this entire journey without the assistance of someone that can help you through this learning to eat again. Here are 2 guidelines for post op VSG patients for food: http://www.cornellweightlosssurgery.org/pdf/dietary_guidelines_sleeve_gastrectomy.pdf http://www.iabsobesitysurgery.com/Media/Forms/SleeveDietGuide.pdf http://www.iabsobesitysurgery.com/Media/Forms/SleeveDietGuide.pdf Here is a thread with great information, and ideas to use post-op for food options. http://verticalsleevetalk.com/pre-op-post-op-diets/1822-dr-aceves-information.html To help simplify the guidelines, this was my surgeons guidelines. 600-800 calories per day no more than 30 grams of carbs per day 64ounces of Water per day a minimum of 60 grams of Protein per day They operate on our stomachs not our heads. That's a battle that we have to tackle. Some patients find counseling helps tremendously with their relationship with food. If your area has a local support group, you may find some assistance there as well.

I journaled in a notebook not online, I researched nutritional data for the sleeve post-op, I came here for support, and guidance from people that were considered veterans, I took walks to not be in the house. I was a volume eater, but not compulsive in my habit. I ate generally 2 very large meals per day, and was not really a grazer by definition. I loved food, and still love food, but I had to find something to do after my little 20 minutes meals of just 2-3oz of food the first few months. It was not an easy task to let go of the desire to eat large quantities, but then something clicked and I realized I really was satisfied on smaller portions. Stock your fridge and pantry with the appropriate choices, and that will help you considerably. I also will have to say that I have lost all of my physical hunger. I realize that not all patients experience this post-sleeve, but it is for me. At nearly 11 months out, I still have to remind myself to eat. The ravenous hunger needed to be controlled, and so did my portions. The sleeve gave me both. I think counseling and a support group are great tools for many people. I can't say that I had/have a true addiction to food as I've dealt with addiction in my past. It wasn't that difficult for me to give up the large volume of food that I consumed pre-op. Coping skills are definitely something I learned through other issues in my life, and I think that is what contributed to my ability to overcome a lot of the "food demons" we often discuss.

You can check out Dr. Gagner on Obesityhelp.com He was in Florida for a short time, and then went overseas to teach the sleeve and other bariatric and lap procedures to surgeons in Europe. I believe the last I saw on the Florida forum, he is now practicing in NY. He's one of the best, and has a phenomenal reputation. I have zero personal experience with him. But, his name came up during my research for my revision. Unfortunately, he was already in Europe when I was able to get my insurance stuff figured out for revisions. I liked his stats, his patient testimonials, and the sheer fact that he is a well rounded surgeon, not just for bariatrics. I did independent research as well on him as I did with many US and Mexico surgeons. And of course, there is the Weill Cornell Medical Hospital in NY, New York. Again, no personal experience, but their guidelines, stats, and reputation for bariatric procedures are well respected and documented. Best wishes in your research. I know one member here (bushidomaster) is having his surgery in NY, but I don't remember his surgeons name. You could find him through the member list at the top of the forum, and possibly shoot him a message.

Always feel free to shoot me a message if you need to talk, vent, scream. I promise it gets better. I highly recommend if the nausea does not ease to get a RX for anti-emetic meds. I was prescribed phenergan and reglan. Both helped, but made me too sleepy to get in all of my fluids and food. The phenergan would knock me out for 4 hours at a time. My surgeon switched me over to Zofran and it was a Godsend. No drowsiness, relief within 15-20 minutes of taking it, and I was able to eat and drink without issue. It was hard for me to squeeze in extra calories as well. I relied heavily on soft cheeses like Laughing cow (especially the flavored ones), and ricotta cheese with a bit of marinara sauce heated up in the microwave. Stay strong, and if you need anything let me know.

Your bodies need more calories to burn fat, and work properly. It's just how it works, and the dreaded 3 week stalls happens to probably 98% of sleevesters. If you are still on shakes/protein supplements, drink an extra shake. Try adding 100-200 calories a day through a Protein snack/meal for 2-3 days, then get back to 600 calories for a day. Our bodies have been through a traumatic event. We went from consuming 3000 calories a day to a mere 450-500 calories. Least to say, it's not happy about it, and isn't going to let itself starve. It's going to hold onto everything you're giving it. Shake things up, try to not stress, some people put away their scales because it's too stressful. Honestly, when in your life have you ever lost 34lbs in 6 weeks? How amazing is that really? How on God's green Earth could that be a failure? I think that is quite amazing to be honest. I know it would have taken me a solid 4 months of hard core dieting and excessive working out to drop 34 pounds pre-op. Relax, and look at the big picture, we didn't get fat overnight, we can't expect to get skinny overnight.

First things, first, you gotta clear your mind of those negative thoughts. I truly feel like we (band to sleevesters) kind of have the learning curve beat or cheated a bit. I didn't have spasms when I ate or drank. For the first couple of weeks, when I drank, I would get the little air bubble flipping feeling, it resolved and was not painful. The only time I had any type of spasm or sleeve pain is when I ate something that my body wasn't ready for. One bite is all it takes, then I didn't try that particular thing for several weeks. It was not difficult for me to learn to drink and eat with the sleeve. I didn't get nauseated until I was put on antibiotics. It wasn't food that made me sick, it was the drugs. When I was hospitalized in July, I ordered Chinese take out and ate it for a couple of days because the hospital food, SUCKED ROYALLY. I ate on beef broccoli and chicken skewers for a few days until I got burned out. One of the nurses kindly shared his wife's homemade burritos with me. I just ate the meat, cheese, and Beans, but it was heaven compared to was being offered by the hospital cafeteria. So, for me, I didn't have a difficult time eating until I was put on meds. Then, they prescribed meds to help the nausea and everything started getting better. Slider foods for me didn't happen until a few months ago and I was already at goal. Slider foods for me now are chips/crackers, rice, potatoes and Pasta. Early on, these things did hurt. One bite of stovetop stuffing had me bent over at the waist, and I had to walk around for a few minutes to find comfort. Lesson learned, and didn't try it again for several months. About the morning time eating, I hate Breakfast, I need to be awake a couple of hours before I eat. It's just how I work. I have coffee, and then I eat around 9:30-10am. I have found, just like when I had my band, that if I drink something warm, it relaxes that very muscular part of the stomach that is left. This helped tremendously early on, as we're swollen for several months post-op, and our stomachs have to get acclimated to taking in dense food again. Some people don't have this issue, but I did. I still drink warm fluids before some meals. I eat usually 6-7 meals/snacks a day now, and I often eat up until 10:30ish pm. So, I don't have a problem eating at certain times of the day, it's just I hate breakfast, and am a slow mover in the mornings. You'll figure it out, I promise. I'll be here for you, and I'll actually shoot you a message with my phone number, you can call or text anytime (I have unlimited texting).

Carol, you know I absolutely love you ! ! ! I'm so proud of your progress, and attitude from the very beginning. Just to let ya know about the chugging Water thing, I can easily take big gulps now. It doesn't hurt, it doesn't come back up. I do have to take a breath in between gulps, but it does get better. You're gonna feel amazing once you hit goal, and hope you share it with us. Cheers to you and your continued success ! ! !

Greek yogurt rocks LOL. I added Splenda to the vanilla flavor, and it was not too sweet, and not too bitter. I used it with the mushy stage as a sour cream substitute. My go-to Protein Snacks are: Beef jerky/Turkey Jerky Cracker Barrel 2% milk sharp cheddar cheese rectangles (they are individually wrapped) and sold at all the local grocery stores here. Pork Rinds are amazing. I like the flavored ones best. (I use the regular flavor in all of my recipes that call for bread crumbs) Turkey pepperoni tossed under the broiler in the oven or toaster oven on a small amount of parchment paper. (I do not like microwaved meat at all because it doesn't go down for me all that well) Cheese chips ( grate parmesan cheese into little piles on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or spray the cookie sheet with Pam, pop into the oven at 350 until melted thoroughly, remove from oven, let cool and VOILA little crispy cheese chips) You can also add garlic, lemon pepper, any other spices/seasoning that you enjoy. Oven-Baked Cheese Crisps Recipe Lettuce wraps with heavily seasoned chicken. Either Asian or Mexican flare are my favorites. The lettuce replaces the tortilla, and give a little crunch. I prefer bib lettuce or romaine hearts instead of iceberg. I'm a bit of a lettuce snob and refuse to eat iceberg. You can find a lot of recipes for lettuce wraps that you can tweak to make it higher protein/low carb. Good luck with the pre-op diet. I avoided fruits and starchy, high glycemic index veggies just because of the carb counts.

Krystal, I'll pray for some guidance at this point. I know you don't want sleep apnea, for me it's a pretty scary diagnosis. But, I know that God will carry you through, and give you the knowledge and peace you need during this time. Hang in there ! ! !

I'm not the norm, but I didn't exercise for the first 4ish months with the exception of some moderate walking. I never had a stall when I was low carbing it. I had a stall once I got close to goal. It lasted 10 days, then I dropped a few pounds to get me to goal. I did notice when I got real serious about exercise, and lifting weights, that my body definitely lost inches. My weight loss slowed down considerably over the last 4 months, but I've been at goal since Decemeber. It's taken 4 months to lose another 27 pounds, and honestly I haven't been trying to lose. I've had a heck of a time maintaining so like I said, I'm just not the norm on this sleeve journey. I honestly think a lot of my early on success can be contributed to me being compliant. 60 grams of Protein, no more than 30grams of carbs, and 60oz of water/clear liquids for the first 4 months. I also had a lot to lose so that changes things. The more we have to lose it seems we lose it faster. I enjoy working out, but I have to be really motivated at this point. I've also had to change my regimen to focus on toning and not burning since I don't want to lose anymore weight.

Diane, definitely will keep you in my thoughts. I agree liquid lortab/vicodin tastes horrific. If you get a refill, Walgreens can flavor it for you. The bubblegum was the most tolerable for me. This is a major surgery, at least in my mind it is, and we all recover differently. Take your time, rest when your body tells you that it needs rest, sip as much as you can, and try some sugar free popsicles. SF popsicles really helped me get in some fluids. Walk when you can, but don't overdo it. For my body, I walked, but I needed rest as well.

Many congrats on getting your date. You're gonna love the sleeve. For advice, follow your surgeon's recommendations. He's the professional, he's probably done hundreds of these surgeries, trust him, and follow his instructions to the letter. The first couple of weeks are typically more difficult, but each day gets better. Also, mentally prepare yourself that you may have a couple of days that just suck, but I promise the good days outweigh the bad. Keep your eye on the prize and move forward. Sip, walk, rest, then repeat several times a day. I made sure to rest/nap when my body needed as the body also needs to recover after a major surgery.

Absolutely fabulous on all your victories thus far. Hang on because there's more in your future ! ! ! Keep posting on your progress.

Your body probably needs more calories since you are working out for 40 minutes a day. We have to fuel the body for it to burn the fat, and build muscle. Also, while muscle is leaner and takes up less room than bulky fat in our bodies . A pound is a pound. So, have you noticed your clothing fitting any differently, or notice that certain features are more noticeable now. You could be losing inches and not pounds. I'm not sure what your menu/daily meal plan looks like, but if you can squeeze in a Protein snack to help with calories that would be your best option. If you're on regular foods, beef Jerky, string cheese, some Greek yogurt, etc would definitely help you some needed calories. Hang in there, your body is adjusting to a lot of changes.

I used the New Whey protein shots with my band because the other options just didn't settle with me. Even the New Whey is a collagenic whey protein so it's not the same as other whey protein options out there, and while it is not the best protein available, my nut said some protein is better than none. I diluted them in 8oz of the Sugar Free Gatorade or Crystal light with my band surgery. As for after the sleeve, I could not tolerate them at all regardless of how I drank them. I hurled every time, and they were way too sweettart tasting for me.

I was diagnosed with an idiopathic clotting disorder last year. I had always bruised easily, and was kind of a "bleeder" pre-op. I had to see an oncologist/hematologist before my revision to get the diagnosis. Anyways, my bruising is much worse now that I am more than half the size I was. The bruises last forever, and they hurt for much longer than they did before losing weight. I would check with your PCP and maybe have a standard blood panel pulled to ensure there is not an underlying cause.

Woohoo I'm so glad you are doing so wonderful and to see you posting. I can't wait to see your videos.

I eat hot salsa, and cook with Thai hot chili paste and sauce often. I am not a fan of the Cholula type hot sauce, and I've not had any issue with spicy food. Only once did I get some breakthrough heartburn when I ate some super hot jalepenos, and a chipotle ranch sauce. I always get my Thai food take out made hot especially chicken satay. I actually ask for more curry, and hot chili sauce be used.

I actually had a really difficult time adding in more calories, and more carbs because I was so strict with carbs and what I put into my body for the first 4 months. I still find it difficult to eat more Snacks, and other off the program foods. I essentially have to graze to maintain my current weight. It's a total mindtwist, and I have to make more of an effort to not overindulge. I still eat Protein first 85-90% of the time, but there are occasions where I eat veggies and carbs only. I typically make up for the lack of protein in that meal with a protein filled snack later in the day. I have actually found that I'm eating my last "snack" past 9pm just so I can hit my target calories. It's definitely a slippery slope for me. Foods that aren't supposed to be sleeve-friendly are completely slider foods for me. Foods that a lot of people completely avoid are the only foods that seem to help me maintain. I still have amazing restriction with only 4-5oz of dense protein with a couple of bites of veggies. For more mushy foods, I can squeeze in 8oz if I take my time eating.

Since being sleeved, I think I spend about the same amount of money on actual groceries if not $50 more a month. The only reason I have found this to be true is because the choices in food I'm buying. I stopped buying canned veggies, we opt for fresh meaning more expensive, I also buy frozen veggies, instead of ground beef we buy bison when it's available or I prefer to buy a less expensive cut of steak for our beef Protein consumption. I also started buying organic items, and other higher/more nutritious options that always seem more expensive than the other alternatives on the shelves. I became extremely label conscious post-sleeveI have a husband and 11 yr old son and while they have welcomed the changes in our menu, they still eat the same amount. I also never make prepared/boxed/frozen meals which are super cheap, but so not a good choice. I do purchase boxed and flavored rice, and some Pasta salads, but all of our veggies are typically fresh meals are made from our spices/seasonings/items in our pantry. It gives me control over the amount of sodium, preservatives, and I know exactly what's going into our food. Now, for dining out I save tons of money. If I go out with my girlfriends, my meal lasts for 2-3 other meals. My son and I share an entree typically when out as a family. That eliminates an entire meal because he would usually order an entree, but bring leftovers home because the kid menu didn't appeal to him. I don't buy a lot junk food, but I do keep some Snacks in the house for the kiddo. I do one large grocery shopping trip once a month at our commissary, and I typically spend around $200. I usually have to make a couple of trips to the local Wal-Mart for a gallon of milk or other staple in the fridge.

Greek yogurt hands down. The Oikos non-fat plain, you can add soy sauce, chili powder, minced garlic(the kind in the jar, not raw cloves) worchestershire sauce, AI steak sauce, it can be heated with cheese, for me it's a staple in our family menu. My husband and son have zero idea they are eating greek yogurt instead of full fat sour cream. I don't even buy sour cream anymore. All of my recipes that call for sour cream, get greek yogurt now. A1 steak sauce has 15 calories, zero fat, and 3g carbs per tablespoon. Considering you're only going to be eating tiny portions, you could use 1 teaspoon because it does have a stout flavor, but I truly love it. I didn't acquire a taste for greek yogurt on it's own, but adding other stuff to it really helped.

My revision was covered by insurance. But, my husband is in the military, and I had to meet certain requirements again, I had to have the procedure at a military hospital that performed the VSG, I couldn't travel more than 100 miles from our home base to have it done, and if we happen to get orders, and I go to a base that does not do the sleeve, or I have complications related to the sleeve and I have to go to a civilian ER my insurance will not cover any of the costs of the complications. So, while some may consider Tricare a cadillac insurance policy, we have to jump through some hoops and take some risks to have the surgery of our choice. I am beyond happy with my choice of VSG for my revision. I had the option of RNY or a band revision. No way in hell was I going to have another band put in, and RNY just was not an option for me. I'm sorry that your band surgeon made those comments about your slippage being your fault. I had the same issues with my band surgeon. He actually blamed my port flipping on me having wild sex. Sadly, my husband was off in NJ for pre-deployment training, so I wasn't getting laid. The stats with the band have declined especially in the last year. Even the manufacturers of the bands have had to change their stance, and safety warnings as stats are pouring in for revisions. 1 in 4 band patients will have to have a revision of some sort due to slippage, erosion, port flipping, esophagus dilation, severe acid reflux within the first 5 years of having their bands placed. Calling your insurance company maybe the very best option to find out about revisions. A lot of insurance companies are going to a "one WLS per lifetime". I'm not familiar with your insurance, but I hope you get some answers soon.

I haven't been diligent about using my Mederma, but mine have faded considerably over the last few months. They've also shrunk in size as I've lost weight around my upper torso. One thing my dermatologist suggested for any keloids that may develop with any of my scars (15 in all) is to come see her, and she would inject a corticosteroid into the keloid, and it apparently shrinks the keloid so it lies flat instead of being raised. She did advise me for large keloids that the injections are not that successful, but for the small lap sites, or incisions that she had seen good results if recognized and treated early.

You're really doing great, and your surgeon is right, ya gotta relax and not beat yourself up. Many congrats on your loss so far ! ! !