Tiffykins

Heck, just for good measure, I'll ship my husband, kid, and dog to hang out with all your husbands and kids. . . I'm at my wit's end, and seriously wish my period would start. I almost flipped my lid today when I couldn't get the stopper out of the kitchen so I could run new dish Water. I was screaming at my kitchen sink, seriously! ! !

No regrets, and remember the post-op diet is just a few weeks compared to the many years that you are adding to your life by getting to and maintaining a healthy weight. You will still be able to have all of your favorites, not immediately after surgery, but at some point, you'll get to eat whatever your little heart desires. I was worried about the anesthesia component more than anything with my surgeries, but I had faith in my surgeon and anesthesia team. You'll mourn the big portions you aren't getting to have at some point or another, but you'll rejoince that your hiney is taking up 1/3 of the chair instead of all of it. Those are the little things that keep me going. Like today at the doctor's office, I sat in the chair, and looked down and could see the grey material of the seat when before my thighs and butt covered the entire surface area of that chair. Makes all the struggles worth it. Stay strong, and just know that it's going to work for you, there's ups and downs, but the ups last way longer than any of the downs.

I thought I would chat for a bit.

Congrats for getting your date, and many well wishes for your upcoming surgery. We'll all be here for you through your journey. Keep us posted as things progress.

Wooohoo excellent news Mini ! ! !

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I was always a pretty jolly, happy go lucky kind of girl pre-op. With that being said, I am still the same, but I feel I am more in touch with other emotions. I have found that my stress level is a bit higher than it was pre-op. I get a little more moody at times, and it's frustrating for myself and my family. Overall, I'm ecstatic with my weight loss and appearance. I am with Mini about quality of life. I feel like I'm actually living instead of going through the motions. I can and do many things that I couldn't pre-op and that brings me great joy. I have noticed recently that my shopping habits are borderline obsessive. I feel like I shop constantly, and I seriously need to get a grip on it. It's not just clothes shopping, it's grocery shopping, cleaning supplies, all kinds of stuff, we don't necessarily need, but I buy it. I'm still a work in progress. For the most part, I am happier being skinny. But, it's more related to how I'm living than my actual body weight. I hope that makes sense.

3grams of carbs per chewable, and yes I counted them in my carb count daily. Any carb I ingested was counting in my 30grams per day.

Robin, I'm so very sorry that your husband is not being supportive. Mine was extremely supportive, but he also knows me well enough to know that no matter what he said, I was going to do it. One of my main goals was to get to healthy weight so we could conceive a baby, and I could have a healthy pregnancy. He may feel like he's going to lose his eating partner, and that your new healthy lifestyle may change his lifestyle. A lot of men get insecure when they fear their wife may start looking better than them. My husband dealt with this, and I told him "what makes you think you were the better looking one in the marriage to begin with?" Least to say, we worked through it, and he was a little more "possessive/jealous" when he finally noticed more men noticing me and checking me out. I'll pray for both of you. Keep your spirits up, and do this for you. Maybe he'll come around once he realizes the many benefits that this surgery gives us.

I'm super happy for you ! ! ! I'll be out of the state for your revision, but know I'll be thinking of you, and checking the boards when I get home to see how you are doing.

Congrats on your amazing results thus far, you look great ! ! !

I haven't heard anything negative about this particular surgeon. here is his patient review page from OH, maybe you could check with some of those members that had surgery with him. Bariatric Surgeon Profile - Sergio Verboonen, M.D., F.A.C.S. Also, if you haven't already post this on the VSG board on Obesityhelp.com and see if you can get more information on him. Best wishes.

Those shots don't taste like Kool-Aid. They taste like super thick cough syrup with a hint of sweet tart candy LOL. That is my experience with them. They aren't the best form of Protein, but it's better than no protein. They are super sweet post-op for most. I had dilute them down because they are so syrupy and sweet.

I'll PM you my phone number if that will help. You can call me at your convenience and we can chat. Sometimes it's tough explaining things over the net. Seriously, don't hesitate to call me.

It makes sense. Since we can not consume decent portions of high iron foods, we need to supplement with iron. Even with my band, I had to take a multi with iron because you can't consume enough iron-rich foods for our bodies to not get low in iron. When I made the stupid mistake of switching to an adult gummy a few months back, 2-3 weeks into taking them, I was lethargic, fatigued with little activity, and I couldn't figure out why. I thought it was my calories, nopers was tracking was doing good. Decided to read the label of that adult gummy again, and it had zero iron. VOILA, I switched back to my other multi and low and behold within a couple of weeks I felt so much better.

Just use caution when progressing your diet. Just because you feel healed doesn't mean you are. Everyone is different and you may not lose your desire for food, but a lot of sleeve patients go through that stage. I still have it some days so even at 9 months out there are little struggles that no one really talks about. As for the vitamins, if you want a capsule to swallow, I would check out the Twinlab multi capsules. They are a more complete Multivitamin for adults, and are recommended by several of the Vitamin gurus that I follow pretty religiously on OH. Click on the spreadsheet icon within this link. This is a comparison chart made by Jill on OH that lists all of the popular vitamins used by bariatric patients. I'm switching to the Twinlab multi and I order all my vitamins/supplements from vitacost.com You don't have to log in, or sign up to view it and save it. Just click on the spreadsheet chart, it'll pop up an excel document. Link for vitamin comparison: http://cid-afaf4604e9981bb6.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/VitsComparison.xlsx I place a big order, and they charge a flat rate of $4.99 for shipping. Here's the link from vitacost.com for the Twinlab multi that is listed in the comparison chart. Twinlab Daily One Caps with Iron -- 60 Capsules - Vitacost $8.63 for a 30 day supply (I will take 2 of these capsules just like I take 2 of current chewable multi) On the agave, from what I've read it's on the "low glycemic index", but it's got 5grams of carbs per ounce so it's definitely better than other sweeteners if you can tolerate it, it is high heat processed just like the other sweeteners so it's not a raw or whole food. It's processed much the same as maple syrup from what I've read on it. In regaining your health, changing your eating habits, and switching gears mentally really helps. Once you're a few months out, making healthy choices gets more difficult because you are cleared for regular foods, temptation becomes stronger, and if you give in this early out, how are you going to manage those temptations once you are a few months out, and can eat that 1/2 container of ice cream? That was my biggest concern to be honest. It wasn't about just the physical weight loss. It was about completely changing my relationship with food, and my lifestyle had to be remolded. My mentality with food had to change, head hunger became a thing of the past, and I am in control. The sleeve makes it easier to avoid temptation, but if I wanted to, I can easily eat an entire can of Pringles, but I choose not to because honestly, why would I want to screw up all the hard work it took me to get where I'm at today. Seeing a nutritionist is a wonderful plan as long as they are familiar with Bariatric Eating, and your nutritional needs. I'm not sure which food stage you are on, but if it's mushes/purees, the enchilada isn't terrible, but there are plenty of mushies/purees and even soft solids out there that are better options.

I don't have any recommendations on an Iron because my multi has iron in it. Also, be careful taking iron you can't take it around other supplements, I think it has to be staggered around your calcium citrate. It can also cause constipation. Flintstones Vitamins – Gummies That's the link for the Flintstone gummies supplement facts. It breaks down exactly what you are and aren't getting. Also check out this excel spreadsheet if you can, it shows you exactly what it is in adult vitamins that you're missing out on in childrens vitamins. You don't have to sign in or log in to any program to see the excel spreadsheet. Flintstone gummies aren't on there, but there is a Flintstone complete on there. Just click the big spreadsheet icon, and it'll open into an excel document. VitsComparison.xlsx - Windows Live I think MidwestGirl and Thinoneday both take a high quality iron supplement, you may want to shoot them a message and see what they are taking. If you can swallow pills, I would look at the Twinlab multi as it is a more complete multi and with 2 capsules you would get all of your iron and all the other vitamins/minerals that as an adult your body needs. Once my GNC solotron chewables which is the last Vitamin listed on the chart are gone, I'm switching to the Twinlab multi. I will order it from Buy Discount Vitamins, Supplements, Low Carb and More at www.Vitacost.com along with my next order of my Omega 3s, flax seed and calcium citrate. Vitamins/supplements, and even Protein powders are available at deep discounted rates on Buy Discount Vitamins, Supplements, Low Carb and More at www.Vitacost.com

The only flavor of the nectar brand I liked was the cappucino one, and I only drank that for a couple of days before I gave it to my neighbor that had RNY 6 yrs ago. I tried over 20 different brands and flavors, and only found one that I could tolerate. Actually 2, but I really hated drinking them. Muscle Milk light ready to drink wasn't too terrible, and I could choke that one down if it was practically frozen. Optimum whey extreme milk chocolate is the one that I truly liked for taste, texture, and lack of Protein smell. Optimum whey is available at GNC, but I order ours from here. My husband uses it as a recovery protein after lifting weights. There is a sample pack available on this website. Bodybuilding.com - Optimum 100% Whey Protein - With Faster-Acting HYDROWHEY! On sale now!

Hi, and welcome to VST. Congrats on getting your date, and I'll keep you in my thoughts as your day approaches. I honestly can't remember how much I lost the first 6 weeks and I didn't track it anywhere, but around my 4 month mark, I had dropped 75-80lbs.

Gum like many other non-digestable food items pass and go into the appendix or straight out the pooper.

AWESOME on all of it ! ! ! Keep it up. . .

AWESOME on all of it ! ! ! Keep it up. . .

A lot of the patients here that had hernias repair simultaneously seem to have this issue especially when moving to mushies or soft solids. Can you possibly sip some warmer liquids to help relax your sleeve before you eat? I know that seems to help. I had some peppermint flavored green tea tonight, it was fabulous, and really made me feel better. I'm having some nausea and the peppermint in the tea really helped my tummy relax.

Do a lot of research on any of the surgeons, and the facilities that they practice out of. As for the surgery, you listed many of the reasons many of sought out WLS to begin with: Living longer, healthier and happier. You deserve it, and no one should tell you any different. Best wishes in your research, and research, research, and when you think you know everything, research some more.

The Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy procedure (also called Sleeve Gastrectomy, Vertical Gastrectomy, Greater Curvature Gastrectomy, Parietal Gastrectomy, Gastric Reduction, Logitudinal Gastrectomy and even Vertical Gastroplasty) is performed by approximately 20 surgeons worldwide. This forum is titled “VSG forum” to include the two most common terms for the procedure (vertical and sleeve). The earliest forms of this procedure were conceived of by Dr. Jamieson in Australia (Long Vertical Gastroplasty, Obesity Surgery 1993)- and by Dr. Johnston in England in 1996 (Magenstrasse and Mill operation- Obesity Surgery 2003). Dr Gagner in New York, refined the operation to include gastrectomy(removal of stomach) and offered it to high risk patients in 2001. Several surgeons worldwide have adopted the procedure and have offered it to low BMI and low risk patients as an alternative to laparoscopic banding of the stomach. It generates weight loss by restricting the amount of food (and therefore calories) that can be eaten by removing 85% or more of the stomach without bypassing the intestines or causing any gastrointestinal malabsorption. It is a purely restrictive operation. It is currently indicated as an alternative to the Lap-Band? procedure for low weight individuals and as a safe option for higher weight individuals. Anatomy This procedure generates weight loss solely through gastric restriction (reduced stomach volume). The stomach is restricted by stapling and dividing it vertically and removing more than 85% of it. This part of the procedure is not reversible. The stomach that remains is shaped like a very slim banana and measures from 1-5 ounces (30-150cc), depending on the surgeon performing the procedure. The nerves to the stomach and the outlet valve (pylorus) remain intact with the idea of preserving the functions of the stomach while drastically reducing the volume. By comparison, in a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the stomach is divided, not removed, and the pylorus is excluded. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass stomach can be reconnected (reversed) if necessary. Note that there is no intestinal bypass with this procedure, only stomach reduction. The lack of an intestinal bypass avoids potentially costly, long term complications such as marginal ulcers, Vitamin deficiencies and intestinal obstructions. Comparison to prior Gastroplasties (stomach stapling of the 70-80s) The Vertical Gastrectomy is a significant improvement over prior gastroplasty procedures for a number of reasons: 1) Rather than creating a pouch with silastic rings or polypropylene mesh, the VG actually resects or removes the majority of the stomach. The portion of the stomach which is removed is responsible for secreting Ghrelin, which is a hormone that is responsible for appetite and hunger. By removing this portion of the stomach rather than leaving it in-place, the level of Ghrelin is reduced to near zero, actually causing loss of or a reduction in appetite (Obesity Surgery, 15, 1024-1029, 2005). Currently, it is not known if Ghrelin levels increase again after one to two years. Patients do report that some hunger and cravings do slowly return. An excellent study by Dr. Himpens in Belgium(Obesity Surgery 2006) demonstrated that the cravings in a VSG patient 3 years after surgery are much less than in LapBand patients and this probably accounts for the superior weight loss. 2) The removed section of the stomach is actually the portion that “stretches” the most. The long vertical tube shaped stomach that remains is the portion least likely to expand over time and it creates significant resistance to volumes of food. Remember, resistance is greatest the smaller the diameter and the longer the channel. Not only is appetite reduced, but very small amounts of food generate early and lasting satiety(fullness). 3) Finally, by not having silastic rings or mesh wrapped around the stomach, the problems which are associated with these items are eliminated (infection, obstruction, erosion, and the need for synthetic materials). An additional discussion based on choice of procedures is below. Alternative to a Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass The Vertical Gastrectomy is a reasonable alternative to a Roux en Y Gastric Bypass for a number of reasons Because there is no intestinal bypass, the risk of malabsorptive complications such as vitamin deficiency and Protein deficiency is minimal. There is no risk of marginal ulcer which occurs in over 2% of Roux en Y Gastric Bypass patients. The pylorus is preserved so dumping syndrome does not occur or is minimal. There is no intestinal obstruction since there is no intestinal bypass. It is relatively easy to modify to an alternative procedure should weight loss be inadequate or weight regain occur. The limited two year and 6 year weight loss data available to date is superior to current Banding and comparable to Gastric Bypass weight loss data(see Lee, Jossart, Cirangle Surgical Endoscopy 2007). First stage of a Duodenal Switch In 2001, Dr. Gagner performed the VSG laparoscopically in a group of very high BMI patients to try to reduce the overall risk of weight loss surgery. This was considered the ‘first stage’ of the Duodenal Switch procedure. Once a patient’s BMI goes above 60kg/m2, it is increasingly difficult to safely perform a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or a Duodenal Switch using the laparoscopic approach. Morbidly obese patients who undergo the laparoscopic approach do better overall in their recovery, while minimizing pain and wound complications, when compared to patients who undergo large, open incisions for surgery (Annals of Surgery, 234 (3): pp 279-291, 2001). In addition, the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass tends to yield inadequate weight loss for patients with a BMI greater than 55kg/m2 (Annals of Surgery, 231(4): pp 524-528. The Duodenal Switch is very effective for high BMI patients but unfortunately it can also be quite risky and may be safer if done open in these patients. The solution was to ‘stage’ the procedure for the high BMI patients. The VSG is a reasonable solution to this problem. It can usually be done laparoscopically even in patients weighing over 500 pounds. The stomach restriction that occurs allows these patients to lose more than 100 pounds. This dramatic weight loss allows significant improvement in health and resolution of associated medical problems such as diabetes and sleep apnea, and therefore effectively “downstages” a patient to a lower risk group. Once the patients BMI is lower (35-40) they can return to the operating room for the “second stage” of the procedure, which can either be the Duodenal Switch, Roux–en-Y gastric bypass or even a Lap-Band?. Current, but limited, data for this ‘two stage’ approach indicate adequate weight loss and fewer complications. Vertical Gastrectomy as an only stage procedure for Low BMI patients(alternative to Lap-Band?and Gastric Bypass) The Vertical Gastrectomy has proven to be quite safe and quite effective for individuals with a BMI in lower ranges. The following points are based on review of existing reports: Dr. Johnston in England, 10% of his patients did fail to achieve a BMI below 35 at 5 years and these tended to be the heavier individuals. The same ones we would expect to go through a second stage as noted above. The lower BMI patients had good weight loss (Obesity Surgery 2003). In San Francisco, Dr Lee, Jossart and Cirangle initiated this procedure for high risk and high BMI patients in 2002. The results have been very impressive. In more than 700 patients, there were no deaths, no conversions to open and a leak rate of less than 1%. The two year weight loss results are similar to the Roux en Y Gastric Bypass and the Duodenal Switch (81-86% Excess Weight Loss). Results comparing the first 216 patients are published in Surgical Endoscopy.. Earlier results were also presented at the American College of Surgeons National Meeting at a Plenary Session in October 2004 and can be found here: www.facs.org/education/gs2004/gs33lee.pdf. Dr Himpens and colleagues in Brussels have published 3 year results comparing 40 Lap-Band? patients to 40 Laparoscopic VSG patients. The VSG patients had a superior excess weight loss of 57% compared to 41% for the Lap-Band? group (Obesity Surgery, 16, 1450-1456, 2006). Low BMI individuals who should consider this procedure include: Those who are concerned about the potential long term side effects of an intestinal bypass such as intestinal obstruction, ulcers, anemia, osteoporosis, protein deficiency and vitamin deficiency. Those who are considering a Lap-Band? but are concerned about a foreign body or worried about frequent adjustments or finding a band adjustment physician. Those who have other medical problems that prevent them from having weight loss surgery such as anemia, Crohn’s disease, extensive prior surgery, severe asthma requiring frequent steroid use, and other complex medical conditions. People who need to take anti-inflammatory medications may also want to consider the Vertical Gastrectomy. Unlike the gastric bypass where these medications are associated with a very high incidence of ulcer, the VSG does not seem to have the same issues. Also, Lap-Band ? patients are at higher risks for complications from NSAID use. All surgical weight loss procedures have certain risks, complications and benefits. The ultimate result from weight loss surgery is dependent on the patients risk, how much education they receive from their surgeon, commitment to diet, establishing an exercise routine and the surgeons experience. As Dr. Jamieson summarized in 1993, “Given good motivation, a good operation technique and good education, patients can achieve weight loss comparable to that from more invasive procedures.” Next: Advantages and Disadvantages of Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy >> This information has been provided courtesy of Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco (LAPSF).