Tiffykins

I think the biggest thing to take into consideration is that the sleeve honestly makes the decision-making process of "what" to eat so much easier. We all know we need to get in the Protein, we all know that carbs are evil, they made us fat to begin with, and we all know that we have trigger foods, and habits that got us here. Really, until you are personally a few months out, living day in and day out with the sleeve, it's so effortless to eat and feel good about using food for fuel. And, Sparkle, don't let that myth about keeping your protein intake up with keep your hair from falling out fool you. There's plenty of members here that got in their protein from their first week post-op, and they were getting in 60-80 grams a day, but they still lost hair. It's a result for a traumatic surgical event, and anesthesia. It's pretty inevitable for most WLS patients to lose their hair to some degree. Mine started about 3.5 months post-op and last 3 months.

LOL, I'm a Sagittarius. Pretty much all of the profiles of sagis have fit me to a T.

If you haven't seen this, I found this on OH, and think it'll give you an idea of honestly how minimal difference in a 32 and 40 really is. Just a visual to offer more pictures of how minimal the difference is between the sizes your concerned about. Here is a fabulous link for bougies. It physically lists every size of bougies, with the millimeter measurements. Scroll to pages 3 and 5 to see the table of reference for bougie sizes. http://www.medovations.com/pdf/Esoph...Dilatation.pdf

No, it's a measuring tool that the surgeon uses as a guide. That is why bougie size is only part of the equations, surgical technique, every patient's stomach length, and surgeon's experience making sleeves play a much larger role in determining overall sleeve capacity than just the bougie. My stomach is about the circumference of a nickel to maybe a quarter, maybe a quarter on a good day when I have drank some warm liquids, and my sleeve feels looser. I had a 32fr, and when I had my gallbladder out, my surgeon also scoped me, and he showed me the pictures. My stomach looks amazing, not too narrow, not too wide, and he said he would estimate that I could only hold about 4-5 ounces of dense Protein per meal. He predicted absolutely correctly because that is exactly how much I consume of a medium steak with a little A-1 steak sauce. I still chew the heck out of my food as well to aid in digestion.

When I very first moved to meats, yes, I had issues with stomach intolerances. I even looked into using vegan alternatives such as tempeh and seitan to get in my Protein. Because I did not tolerate any of the Protein shakes, so I had to get it from food sources. I prefered seitan over tempeh, and used it temporarily. I could not tolerate any beef at all in the very beginning. I would wait 1 week and try it again, but prepared in a different way. I was able to eat ground beef (97% lean) with spaghetti sauce, and extremely soft beef strip steak from a chinese place here in beef/broccoli. I had no issue with tuna or chicken, but I got so burnt out on those and needed some variety. I was still on mushies at my 1 month post-op, and progressively moved to soft solids. I didn't eat true steak for super dense protein for awhile. I have only been able in the last couple of months consume more than 3ounces of dense protein without a problem or discomfort. I had to hover right at 2-3 ounces of meat for several months . It may not necessarily be the protein. It could be the texture of the meat, or anything you may be adding to the meat, like if it's tuna, the mayo may upset your stomach. My stomach was very sensitive new things, and I tracked what I ate so if I had a reaction I would know what caused it, and I would avoid it for awhile, and go back to it in a few weeks.

I'm so glad this information helped. Believe me, I'm one of those super-geeky researchy type people. I armed myself with as much information as I could before deciding on VSG. So, I know how important it is to get as many facts. My husband always says "you're such a hot little geek." I'm not sure if that's one of those backhanded compliments, or if he just thinks I'm hot LOL LOL. You're going to do fabulously with the sleeve, and we'll all be here for you to support you through this life changing experience. I have lots of links that I actually paid for from medical journals, and abstract studies, research literature, but due to copyright infringements, and the terms of service, I'm not allowed to copy and paste the articles here or anywhere else for that matter. Most articles are between $5 and $10. The most expensive ones I paid for were around $31.50-$35. I can supply links if you or any other members are willing to pay a little money to get the articles and research literature. I found the information invaluable, but I'll be honest, I spent a lot of time Googling certain terms/conditions/verbage in the articles because it is literally A LOT of medical mumbo jumbo. And, I think my brain cells nearly imploded with all the information overload I put them through during my researching.

Bougie is simply a measuring device they use to guide the stapler when they excise the large portion of the stomach. This tube is slid down your esophagus by the anesthesiologist during the surgery. It is placed in the stomach, and then the surgeon uses it as a guide to align the stapler correctly. That is why it's so important to find a surgeon that has performed at a minimum 300 sleeves. The reasoning is that statistically the complications decrease, and the technique is improved with more surgeries. The bougie is just a measuring tool. It's a very small part of the equation for this surgery. Surgeon's technique, and experience play a much larger part than the bougie size.

Holy crap that needed a warning ! ! ! I almost tinkled on myself laughing so hard. I will have to say now that I've lost weight, shaving blindly or my feel is no longer an issue. I think it's a little saddistic to slap wax on such a sensitive region. I have a huge pain tolerance, but there is no way on God's green Earth will I volunteer to have myself or someone else wax my parts.

My only piece of advice is that you have to realize once you have one slip, your risk quadruples for another slip with the band. Personally, the instant restriction, no fills/unfills, no food restrictions, and absolutely fabulous quality of life post-op sleeve gives me the confidence to say that life with the band absolutely sucks, and the sleeve has been the best decision I have ever made for myself.

Amazing results, and you are smokin' HOT ! ! ! I have heard so many fabulous things about Dr. Alanis, and glad you had a great experience.

People lose slower because: #1 they don't follow the rules post-op and either consume too many carbs, or do not change their eating habits in hopes that the sleeve will just magically fix their weight problems. If they choose to suck down a 2,000 calorie milkshake from Sonic instead of eating 200 calories of steak, they can't necessary expect surgery to help them lose weight. And, yes people do this. They may not admit it publicly, but they do it and wonder why their weight loss is stalled. #2 Because every person is different, and several factors go into the losing weight equation. If someone is insulin resistant, have thyroid issues, or maybe they only had 80 pounds to lose versus someone that has 150 pounds to lose. Losing for these people may be a bit slower, but possible. #3 Maybe they don't or can't exercise due to physical constraints, or scheduling conflicts #4 Maybe some are slow losers because they were not properly educated on what life during the losing stage would be like, and they don't make the proper choices with foods, nutrients and exercise Boughie size does matter if you're comparing a 40 to 60. But, I asked my surgeon on Monday what the measurement difference is between a 32 and 40, he told me in terms of measurement by circumference it is literally less than 2-2.5mm after the swelling resolves post-op. I asked him is the fundus is removed just as adequately with a 40 because I knew that was one of your concerns, he said yes, because the boughie is used to measure diameter, not how much of the fundus is removed. If you haven't seen this, I found this on OH, and think it'll give you an idea of honestly how minimal difference in a 32 and 40 really is. Just a visual to offer more pictures of how minimal the difference is between the sizes your concerned about. Here is a fabulous link for bougies. It physically lists every size of bougies, with the millimeter measurements. Scroll to pages 3 and 5 to see the table of reference for bougie sizes. http://www.medovations.com/pdf/Esophageal_Dilatation.pdf I'm honestly not trying to convince you stick with your surgeon, but I think you need to have as much information as possible to form an educated, and true thought process on this surgery. In this situation, I would of probably chosen to have a bit bigger bougie size. I'm having a very difficult time maintaining. I've dropped 10lbs in the last 17 days. And, I've increased my calories, carbs, and doing my very best to eat more, but I am honestly not able to consume anymore food per day. I'm about to make the horrible decision to start back on Protein drinks and possible weight gainer because I can not and do not want to lose anymore weight. Many people think they want to have the problem of not being able to get the loss to stop, but when you drop 133 pounds in less than 9 months, and you are not able to get it to stop, there comes a time when it gets a little scary. I'm 5'2" weighing in today at 130 pounds. I'm wearing a size 7 jeans, and most of medium tops are too big on me at this point, I've just recently moved to small tops. Really, I think you have to be dedicated to changing your habits and lifestyle with any size bougie. I'm not sure what the hangup is on bougie size, but there comes a time when you have to accept that your surgeon is far more educated, trained, and well-versed on this subject matter than any of us out here on the internet. I'm not trying to be harsh, but I'm brutally honest, and at some point support isn't about blowing sunshine and rainbows up someone's hiney. In all reality, you have to decide if the sleeve will work for you. You can still eat half a gallon of ice cream with a 32 fr bougie just as you can with a 40fr, 60fr, or with the huge stomach we have before surgery. It'll slow ya down some, but you'll still be able to bad choices regardless of bougie size.

WOOT WOOT, I'm telling ya it works. I know others aren't as strict, but honestly I can attribute a huge part of my success to my carb limitations early on. Keep it up, and you'll keep seeing the inches, and numbers on the scale drop.

Loser, I experienced the same thing early out. I found that I used so much of that 'press and seal' stuff to keep stuff good in the fridge because I just didn't want to eat something again. Once I found something I liked, and could tolerate again, I ended up burning myself out on it. I made my own chicken salad by boiling a boneless/skinless chicken breast in some broth, added a little egg, and light miracle whip. I did this, and froze at least half of it to have later in the week. Those little pre-made packets in the supermarket didn't appeal to me. Prilosec and Protonix work just as well as Nexium so if your insurance wants to be a P.I.T.A, see if you can get your surgeon to consider either of those options for you. Both are available in generic. I honestly love my Prilosec even though my insurance will Nexium, I opted to go with Prilosec so if I try to wean off of it in the future, and realize I can't, I can grab some OTC until I can get a new refill from my surgeon without having issues.

Hey Cricket, and welcome to VST. The sleeve is absolutely fabulous, and you will do fabulously. I honestly can't say enough wonderful things about my life post-op. There's ups and downs, but honestly, the victories outweigh any of the little speed bumps we experience along the way. Best wishes and keep us posted on your progress.

I am seriously contemplating giving belly dancing a try. We have Fit TV channel on our cable. There's a show called "Shimmy". I sit and watch that just mesmerized by all of it. I finally have a waist, and think I could actually get into this one. I just have to get over the jigglin' and maybe I'll give it a whirl.

It's really not that difficult to get used to. Adding liquid to our stomachs, pre or post-op simply liquifies the food, and moves it out of the stomach quicker. I drink right up until I take the first bite. I do not have to wait the 30 minutes before eating. With RNY/Band, the patients have a pouch, and liquids hang out dripping through a little opening. Our stomachs are fully-functioning normal stomachs just smaller, so liquids go in, hit the pyloric valve and leave the stomach. Anyways, I made the mistake of taking a sip while eating when I was earlier out, and it hurt like crazy. Instant cramping and discomfort. Now, that I am further out, I admit that I do sip with my meals occasionally. It is not full drinks, it's just enough to wet my whistle like when I'm eating something spicy or salty. It no longer causes me discomfort, and I do not get hungry any sooner by doing this. Well, I don't get hungry at all so it doesn't effect me one way or another.

Cheers Lee ! ! ! You're doing great. I took extra probiotics for the diarrhea, and it seemed to help.

I think it's a fabulous idea to start pre-op. Those little changes will come in handy during the post-op diet, and first few months after surgery. I had the eating habits pretty down pat because of the band so having that foundation really helped me eat with the sleeve early out. One other thing that really helped me was sitting my utensil down in between bites. That was a big habit to change, but it helps tremendously. Good luck, and keep us posted on how things go.

Are you on an acid reducer like Prilosec or Nexium? Less than 30 carbs kept my weight loss dropping, I didn't have a stall for 6 months. Not one week went by that I didn't lose weight. 600-800 calories were my recommendations daily intake with 60 grams of Protein per day. Try some soft solids, such as chicken salad, tuna salad, soft cheeses, and can you drink milk, soy milk, to help with your protein intake? Most people hit a stall around the same time you are experiencing one. It's not uncommon, and you have to give it time. None of us got fat overnight, it isn't going to fall off of us overnight either. So, you have to make adjustments, stop stressing as it won't help the cause, and be positive. You're only a month out, and you can and will be successful, if you believe you will be. If you surround yourself with pessimistic thoughts, it's only going to wear you down. Sometimes, taking your measurements, and seeing if your clothes are fitting differently will help you see changes when the numbers on the scale aren't giving us a lot. Don't give up.

Glad you had a good consult, and that you are willing to put up a good fight for your health. Keep us posted.

Fruits are high in carbs, and I avoided them like the plague. Certain veggies are high on the glycemic index, carrots/corn, so I avoided them as well. I only had Protein rich Snacks during my quick loss phase, and just didn't budge. If my protein didn't have 4-6 times of protein grams to carb grams I didn't eat/drink it. Switch to greek yogurt from the non-fat yogurt, you'll get in more protein than carbs.

Hey chickee, I found this profile on Obesityhelp.com of a Dr. Myer patient for you. big-gurl's Profile

The sleeve is a wonderful tool for WLS. I've been very pleased with my results, and my life post sleeve. But, no one can tell you if it's the right option for you. I can tell you why I chose WLS, and how I knew it was the right decision for my life. I struggled my entire adult life with being overweight, and a volume eater. I dieted off and put back on over 400 pounds in the last 10 years. Losing 30, gaining 40, losing 60, gaining 50, so forth and so on. I knew that I needed surgical intervention to get me to goal, and to help me maintain the loss. I was great at losing, but I was even better at gaining it back. The scarring is minimal. It's a laproscopic procedure with one larger incision about 1.5 inches long. Depending on your own skin, complexion, and how you heal, will determine how your scars will appear. I'm about 2 shades above pastey white. I have had 4 laproscopic procedures in the last 16 months, and 2 different procedures that placed drains in my abdomen, so I have 16 scars on my abdomen. My tummy resemles a connect-the-dot activity page, but I have zero plans of trotting around in a bikini, or flashing strangers my stomach anytime in the future. My scars a rosy pink color, and are fading. My scars from my first lap procedure/lapband placement (October 2008) are very faint and just look like little pink dots on my stomach. For me, I'll take the little scars over fat rolls any day of the week. Best wishes in your research.

Vent away, and I forgot to add onto my original reply that if you have facebook, or want to email someone for support, I'll be there for ya. You can find me on facebook through my email address: tifjb1@yahoo.com just add a little message that you're from VST and I'll accept the request. I agree with everything you said, and being in a different country away from your family is stressful, throw kids, military, and every other day stressors in the mix, and we're bound to be a bit emotional.

You need to just take a good poo then weigh. . . I know you're gonna hit onederland and it's going to be remarkable.