Tiffykins

I had mine out at 8 months post-VSG. I had to cut full fat foods too for about 3-5 months, no avocados, no Peanut Butter, no full fat salad dressings, Italian dressing nearly killed me with pain after GB removal. I also had to completely eliminate red Pasta sauce/ketchup/barbque sauce.

I didn't get any GI upset, but I would get the referred shoulder pain after eating those foods that it was unbearable. The shoulder/collarbone pain was my #1 symptom, and it lasted for several months after GB removal.

I had the same exact symptoms you had right down to the pain with eating and drinking. I really thought something was wrong with my sleeve because I didn't have the typical GB symptoms at all. I actually ignored it for over 2 months because I was getting into maintenance, adding more foods, more calories, more fat, and just thought it was food issues. I had some vomiting/diarrhea with some super fatty, heavy creamy foods, like super rich lobster bisque over scallops one night, and then a heavy, heavy alfredo sauce, and goat cheese. So, I really thought it was just new food upsetting my body. Then, when the pain got so severe where I couldn't drink more than about 14oz over a 24 hour period, my husband took me to the ER. It was misdiagnosed as a UTI, and the stupid ER doc refused to do an abdominal U/S, stuck me on antibiotics, gave me fluids and sent me home. I went to my surgeon the next day, GB u/s showed 3/4 full of stones and full of sludge, and I had to wait 4 days to get surgery. I was a bland soup/cracker/yogurt diet with the antibiotics for those days to allow the inflammation to decrease, and the infection to go to before surgery.

I did not cut fat that low because I just couldn't, but finding trigger foods wasn't difficult after GB removal. I'd take a few bites, and the pain would start so I eliminated that food for a couple of months, and then tried again.

I haven't had any issues going back to eating full fat, and all the stuff that bothered me initially after surgery.

Yes, if you start putting the right foods in your body, your body will respond.

Are you on acid reducer/PPI?

If you have health insurance, look for a counselor and therapist to help with the food issues. I hate support groups so they aren't always the answer. I think they are more enabling than anything, and honestly, think that many people just go to be told that it's "okay" they're not gaining weight etc etc. Well, that's just not the case.

My recommendation is to cut carbs, set a meal plan, and stick to it. Yes, I realize if it were that easy, you'd be doing it, but you have to start somewhere. Start tracking your foods on myfitnesspal.com and start being accountable for what you put in your mouth.

hair loss is part of it, but getting in your Protein, Vitamins and nutrients will help regrowth.

Initially, you'll have to eat small bites, and chew to mush, but not because of the pouch/stoma combination like what you have with the band. It's simply because of the swelling and trauma your stomach endures after being sleeved. But, it doesn't last forever. I eat normal sized bites and chew like a normal person and have since being about 7-8 months out. I never did the pencil eraser sized bite thing, but I did chew to mush. Digestion begins in the mouth, it prepares the stomach to accept food so it's important to chew well.

As for pain post-op, it was minimal, except for the incision where they removed my port. I had a flipped port that had migrated so my port area was full of scar tissue and adhesions. I still have sensitivity in that area even at nearly 29 months post-revision. The gas pains are the same, the sipping post-op is the most often reported side-effect of sleeve surgery regardless if a patient is a revision patient or a virgin sleeve.

food can get stuck if you eat too fast, or don't chew well enough. I've never had a true stuck episode like I did with the band. Personally, I think the band helps us beat the eating curve with the sleeve.

The key to sleeve eating is 1) measure your portions by volume 2) chew well 3) do not eat and drink simultaneously 4) and stop looking for this elusive full feeling, undereating your sleeve will give you 2 things a) keep you from overeating keep you within your dietary guideline for calorie/protein/carb intake

I do not eat until full or stuffed because it leads to that "one last bite" syndrome and inevitably that one last bite is going to come up. I puked enough with the band so I have zero desire to do it with the sleeve. I did it a couple of times early out. I didn't get a full signal for months, and even then it was and still is a single hiccup. I don't rely on a full signal to tell me to stop eating. Finding satiety is the key for me to stay successful. As time progresses, the sleeve matures to maximum capacity, and your capacity will change so learning to measure food, not eat until full or stuffed has served me very well in maintenance by keeping me from overeating even though I can eat double the amounts I could today from what I could eat at 2-3 months out. There are no foods that I can not eat. Scrambled eggs still sit extremely heavy in my stomach, but poached, deviled, egg salad, hard-boiled eggs all work fine. Pork chops for whatever reason are heavy as well. We quit eating pork products 2 years ago after my husband's last deployment so I don't miss them at all.

Best wishes with your revision. Getting rid of the band was the best thing I ever did for myself and my life. I've had an amazing 2 years post-op, and look forward to my future.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww you look amazing ! ! ! Many congrats ! ! !

vitacost.com is my go to online pharmacy when I need to order stuff. I get my organic ground flax seed there, and when I was experimenting with Calcium Citrates, I ordered several from them. Plus, they carry a variety of Protein powders/mixes and my husband uses them when he's bulking up. They have flat rate shipping regardless of shipment weight so I would make a bulk order once every couple of months, and be set. I think my favorite thing about vitacost is that they carry everything, I can get my son's mulit, skin stuff, lotions, and various other crap that I could pick up at a retailer, but some of the brands they carry aren't available in our area. Plus, I get coupon codes and various other discounts that I use to cut costs.

I've been using Celebrate Multi Plus and their calcium citrate for nearly a year so I order direct from Celebrate.

I get my sublingual B12s at Walmart for about $5-$6.

I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo IN on this one ! ! !

Tatum will be here 1 November, we're traveling home to Texas for Christmas and I have a major goal to have ALL of my pregnancy weight GONE by the time we leave Florida on December 23rd.

SN- Tiffykins Current Weight - 163lbs (33lbs gained in pregnancy) Back to maintenance weight - 125-130lbs (I'll be content at 130lbs, and then allow myself my normal 5lbs bounce of 125-130lbs)

It may never go away. Unfortunately, it's just a side effect of the sleeve.

Please be aware of Barrett's Esophagus if you haven't heard of it, research it. Even silent reflux sufferers who are not diligent with their PPI end up Barrett's esophagus, and it can lead to esophageal cancer.

Prilosec is my go-to. I'm on Nexium right now because of the pregnancy, but I am going back to Prilosec once Tatum gets here. And, I'm about 90% sure that I'll never go off my PPI.

My body is carb sensitive meaning that if I eat carbs, I won't lose weight. My body will burn those foods instead of fat. Even "good carbs" are not my friend if I want to lose weight, so I restrict all carbs to no more than 30-40gr of carbs per day for maximum weight loss.

Some people are carb sensitive as in; if they eat carbs, they want more carbs, and feel hunger. I do not suffer from this issue, but I also limited carbs very strictly in the losing stage to avoid any stalls or slow weight loss.

Hi there, and congrats.

The key to nutrition post any weight loss surgery is taking care of your body. The baby will take from your body what it needs.

Your doctor will give you a calorie range with carbs and Protein numbers that you need to shoot for each day. If you have 35lbs to lose, you might not gain much at all until the end. Most WLS patients who get pregnant before goal typically do not gain weight, and continue to lose for the first couple of trimesters. So, don't be alarmed, and Celebrate not gaining weight in pregnancy.

I'm 6 days away from delivery of our daughter. My starting pregnancy weight was 130lbs, with a normal BMI, and I've gained 35lbs which is perfectly in the normal weight gain range for my pre-pregnancy body weight.

No extra Vitamins are needed. You'll just to make sure you continue with a good pre-natal, keep you B12 and folate numbers good, and do not slack on vitamins.You'll need a sublingual B12 since our bodies do not absorb b12 properly. I was prescribed to take in 1700-1800 calories per day, a minimum of 100gr of Protein and a minimum of 100gr of carbs. You can not get into ketosis so no low carbing it. Ketotsis causes fetal brain damage. The recommendation for most pregnancy caloric intake is a simple addition of 200-400 calories over the normal daily intake. Water intake is vital, and I've had to really work on that one.

I struggled immensely with weight gain for the first 2 trimester even though the bulk of my gain has occurred in the last trimester. It's a mind twist losing all of my weight and growing out of my clothing. I don't care what anyone says, pregnancy weight or not, it's a real fear, and it's very difficult to manage. I don't care if people say it's "baby weight, it's normal, you'll lose it" I lost 145lbs and regain is scary. I've let go of the weight gain issues because I'm just so done being pregnant at this point. VSG has not complicated my pregnancy in any form. I did not have morning sickness or any nausea. If you have lost your hunger, do not be alarmed by the insane, and absurd cravings. I had them and I gave in. Also, if you have worked out, continue to do so at a decreased level as it will help with the fatigue and other pregnancy issues. I am not an exercise person nor did I work out, so I never did it in pregnancy.

And, yes you can lose weight after the baby is born. I plan on going right back to low carb as soon as I deliver to drop the weight as fast as possible. I lose exceptionally fast when I low carb so that's the plan. I have gained mostly in my abdomen, and my hips are a bit bigger. I still wear a size 6/8 in maternity pants, small and medium tops, and wore my own tank tops through the entire pregnancy. I really am all belly.

I've updated throughout my entire pregnancy in the pregnancy after VSG and in the success stories forums if you'd like to peruse those topics where I have shared the good, bad and ugly.

Best wishes!

You are simply gorgeous ! ! !

ROC moisturizers give the best "tightening" feeling. I use Mary Kay Timewise and it does help tremendously.

As soon as I recover from Tatum's arrival, I'm getting botoxed and Juvedermed UP ! ! !

You'll need to have a contrast study done to determine what is going on with your sleeve and sleeve size.

What are you eating? Do you feel any restriction with meats? Are you drinking with meals? Carbs go right on through so those won't give you restriction, and if I eat carbs with meat then I can eat more.

I know a few people who had surgeons not perform the surgery properly, and they end up with odd shaped sleeves, or the majority of their fundus is not fully dissected which leaves their capacity way bigger than those of us who had the surgery performed correctly.

You can start with your surgeon, but if you can't or don't want to go back to that particular doctor, a gastroenterologist should be able to order the test for you.

It really depends on what is truly going on with your stomach. If the surgeon cut too far from the pyloric valve, or too far away from the esophagus, it can all play a role in your capacity and/or lack of restriction. A couple of people have ended up with an hourglass shaped sleeve and that causes lots of issues.

Those patients are typically left with only dieting, and having to do the calories in/calories out, and behavioral modifications to be successful. They have restriction with certain foods, and rely on high Protein, low carb meals, structured meal plans to keep the weight off. I also know one of VSG'er who experienced the same thing, and after her contrast study and upper GI series, it was found that the surgeon didn't remove even half of her fundus(the stretchy part of the stomach), and she is now revising to DS and having her sleeved stomach reduced in size because it's not even remotely close to being the correct size.

Absolutely radiant ! ! !

That added some weight training and you'll lose big time. Just free weights will help. The cardio you're doing is FABULOUS, but it won't build the muscle mass like weight training will, and with building muscle, you'll burn fat faster, and lose the bulky/bumpy fat. You might not lose a lot of pounds while building muscle SO do not get discouraged, just keep plugging away.

I only lost about 20-25lb pounds, but dropped from a size 8/9 to a size 2.

meat, cheese, eggs, beef Jerky and greek yogurt were foods I relied on during my entire losing stage. I avoided carbs because I was scared of the "eat a carb, crave a carb" thing so I completely avoided them entirely to keep myself in check and not feel hunger.

Are you on a PPI? Sometimes, acid overproduction can cause false hunger/silent reflux. You might not have true reflux symptoms. I didn't have reflux, but I was getting hungry about an hour after I ate. Went on Prilosec 20mg once daily, and never felt hunger again, and even to this day (outside of the pregnancy stuff), I never experience hunger.

Eating super dense foods, that are Protein rich, are the ones that will keep you satisfied the longest along with increase fluids definitely help.

Can you pack hard-boiled eggs, cheese sticks/chunks, beef Jerky for your night shift??

We're getting so close, and I was finally able to get my maternity photo shoot done so thought I would share with everyone.

Update on the medical stuff super fast; 2 weeks ago I was put on prednisone to help my platelets stabilize. They had dropped down into the 70Ks and normal is 150-400K, the anesthesiologist didn't feel comfortable with my numbers that low to have an epidural or spinal block so the steroid therapy is the only thing that they could give me to get my numbers up. 10 days on the pred and my numbers are up to 121k, still not within normal range, but over the 85k that is needed for the spinal WOOT WOOT. If it weren't for VSG, I would not be able to have this treatment. I thank God every day that VSG was possible because if I would have gone with RNY, I'd be looking at general anesthesia for delivery since steroids would cause major issues with a pouch.

We're scheduled for the csection on 1 November. I'm so ready for her to get here. This last Thursday, I was released from the high risk ob because everything is spot on for both of us. Tatum is now weighing 6.5-7lbs, and I'm super uncomfortable. Hanging in there, and trying to stay off my feet. Luckily, I have had zero side effects from the pred other than major hunger, and major irritability.

I have officially gained 35lbs, and will probably gain at least 5-7lbs due to the prednisone therapy that I have to stay on until delivery. I gained 5lbs in just a week once I started the pred. But, the doctors are elated with my progress and honestly, I do not care anymore about the weight. I'm just ready for her to get here, and be done being pregnant.

Thank you all for your continued support, encouragement and friendship ! ! !

Maternity picture time

10 days from delivery - weight gain to date 35lbs

Life is well pretty fantabulous ! ! !

Yes, log all of your diet attempts with weight lost and gained. Put down your WW stuff, any other diet attempts like Atkins, or workout regimens, then document if you have issues working out with your joints due to your weight. I documented back 5 years, some of the numbers were guestimates, but I just logged it from the last 5 years, and submitted it with my paperwork to the surgeon at my first consult.

You're sleeve is at that pivotal time where it matures and you can fit more in.

The key is to feed it the right foods, Protein rich and nutrient rich foods that will keep you satisfied longer.

There is minimal stretching with the sleeve, but with slider foods(carby, crunchy, popcorn, chips, pretzels etc) those will slide right on through and are just empty calories.

The stomach isn't going to shrink back down, it just doesn't work that way. The key is continued to eat small portions of the right foods and if you're hungry adjust your calories/carb/protein intake to counterbalance your hunger. If you went off a PPI, it could be silent reflux causing the hunger, if you weren't on a PPI, unfortunately, hunger can and does return for some sleeve patients.

It really sounds like fear and him not really being ready to accept that you HAVE to do this for YOU. He'll still be able to his food, he'll still be able to do whatever he wants with his body. I never made any concessions in our family meals (other than making some healthy substitutions) because I chose to have VSG. I still cooked all the same meals, we still ate out, we still had social functions to attend, and I never expected anyone to cater to my post-op eating. I still bought ice cream, Snacks, and other foods that I simply avoided during the losing stage.

My husband and I struggled with post-op life, and me losing weight. But, he knew I was going to do it.

I'm pretty brutally honest, and told my husband, "I'll take saggy boobs and excess skin over you putting me in a pine box 10-15 years early because of obesity-related diseases and conditions."

You might have saggy skin, you might be wrinkly, but what does it matter if in 20 years he's having to hire a nurse to wipe your hiney, or bathe you himself because you are not able to do so??? That was a true concern of mine, I was petrified that if I didn't do something NOW then what would our future really hold?

Hang in there, and I hope he understand how insensitive he is being during this already stressful time.

I'm 28.5 months out. No issue with weight regain as long you continue making good food choices. I eat very liberally in maintenance, and do not diet, but I don't eat a bunch of crap foods either.

I've gained 35lbs in my pregnancy and I'm 11 days out from delivery.

It's not hard to regain weight with ANY of the surgeries. At the end of the day, it still boils down to the choice you make on what goes in your mouth.

None of the surgeries will stop you from sucking down a 2000 calorie milkshake.

As for long term, the sleeve has been performed for nearly 10 years as a stand alone procedure, and as the first stage to DS and RNY since the early 80's for super morbidly obese patients (500-600lbs) as a safer alternative to help them lose 100-200lbs before the complicated malabsorptive component was added in a second procedure.

And, all this surgery is a partial gastrectomy which has been performed since the 1800's for stomach cancer/ulcer patients. Be it the gastrectomy is performed vertical or partially with just sections removed due to diseased tissue, gastrectomies are not new to the medical world.

I can really relate to your post. My husband became the food police, and started offering me little bites of his ice cream or other junk food while I was in the losing stage. I always declined, and then the comments would start. We had to really sit down and talk about my issues. He does NOT understand the need for surgery, even though he was supportive and knew that I was going to lose weight he was NOT prepared for me to get so small. He wanted me to quit losing at around 175lbs, and felt that was small enough.

The comments about leaving him after you lose weight are directly tied to his own insecurities and there's nothing you can do but reassure him that you'd leave due to his behavior whether you were fat or skinny. My husband got really possessive, and would make me uncomfortable in public with his constant need to touch me and "claim" me as his property. He pulled some major b.s. on me once when a man came up and was just being polite by saying "hi, how are you?" He rushed over, slid his arm around my waist, and kissed my forehead. I looked right at him and said "Stop hiking your leg on my thigh!". He was so mad that another man would even speak to me, and it did cause a lot of conflict. What he failed to ever recognize is that I got hit on before even at 270lbs yet he was never intimidated or threatened by other men when I was fat. It was a long road for us, but we communicated and worked through it.

Once I reached goal weight, I continued to lose another 25lbs. It got even worse, and we really had to sit down and talk it out. I had to remind him that I was healthy, that I was not starving myself, that I was eating double the calories and carbs that I ate during my losing stage, and that I was under direct care of multiple doctors. He still to this day tries to get me to eat more because my surgeon believes I need to maintain around 140lbs instead of 125lbs, and that I would not look so thin. So, I made the mistake of taking him with me to an appointment where my surgeon addressed my maintenance weight. I've never been able to live it down, and now with the 30-33lbs weight gain in the pregnancy, and the urging of my ob's to keep my weight around 140lbs once I deliver, it is even worse. He's hidden the scale, he's back to being the food and medication police, every day I hear how much did you eat today, did you take your meds, and Vitamins, did you drink all your Water? Every day it is a battle. At this point, and being over 2 years out, it's a lost battle, he's lost a lot of his possessive tendencies, but the fact that my face and neck has plumped out in the pregnancy, he likes it better. He has a preference for me to be a bit bigger, and a little more fluff, it's just so difficult. I have no magic answers or solutions.

I just want you to know you are not alone, and I wish I had some fabulous solution, but alas, it's a struggle for us even being this far out. It spurs a fight/argument a couple times a week because he knows that I plan on getting back down to my original maintenance weight. He's so mad that I have moved my pregnancy clothes out of the closet and have pulled out all my "tiny" clothes in preparation to wear those again.

You should probably cut carbs, increase Protein and stick to clear fluids. Eat Protein rich and dense foods, set a meal plan and schedule and stick to it.

Liquid diets won't guarantee weight loss and can actually cause Water retention.

Wow... thank you very much for your reply. At this point I know I want the VSG. I am just so scared that insurance won't cover VSG and I will have to get RNY as an alternative since I can not afford to pay out of pocket. That is my main concern now. So I guess I have to wait and see.

And you can appeal, there is no reason to just let insurance deny you. I can help with that as well.

Don't just have a surgery because insurance will cover 1000s of people win appeals for VSG for numerous reasons, so please just don't give up and get a surgery that you will regret in a few years.

And, partial to full gastrectomies have been performed for stomach cancer and ulcer patients, those patients have other issues with having a diseased organ, however, most are able to live very normal, fully functioning lives without most or all of their stomach.

Personally, I don't miss my stomach. I have good Portion Control, I eat normal foods, lost all my weight, and knew for many reasons that VSG was my answer.

I recommend perusing over to Obesityhelp and checking out the Revision board and look at how many complications and revisions are being done for RNY patients.

I don't think you are crazy, you're in the research stage, and you're doing great. Think twice, cut once.

You deserve the best life possible especially when choosing surgery.

I never had buyer's remorse or thinking "oh sh*t what have I done?" I knew what I had done, and I knew the rewards would pay off.

LapSF Two Year Study

LapSF Five Year Study - abstract only

LapSF Five Year Study - presentation (requires Windows to play)

Literature review on the sleeve - requires $$ to get the full text unfortunately

Sleeve best for over 50 crowd

Video of a sleeve with lots of education discussion

Video of a sleeve that is more about the operation

Ghrelin levels after RnY and sleeve

Ghrelin levels after band and sleeve

Diabetes resolution in RnY vs. Sleeve

Comparison of band to sleeve - literature review

http://www.iabsobesi...veDietGuide.pdf

http://www.cornellwe...gastrectomy.pdf

Some of this is outdated, but some of it is great information:

http://www.sleeveguide.com/

http://www.ssat.com/...ts/08ddw/O4.cgi

http://www.hopkinsba...tion_sleeve.pdf

Eglin surgeons use small bougies so this is just for informational purposes:

http://www.ncbi.nlm....aultReportPanel

http://www.medpageto...age/ASMBS/20937

http://www.associate..._pg2.html?cat=5

5 year post-op stats

http://www.ncbi.nlm....um&ordinalpos=1

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/20338286

Sorry for the craptastic formatting, but I'm too lazy to take out all the little funky "Font" thingies.

Pre Op /The Op

If self pay - What does your fee involve?

Is there some follow up care thrown in there, like labs at 3,6,9 and 12 months?

Pre op diet � what to eat/drink and how long for?

Do I get a nutritionist/psychologist?

What size bougie is used? (This is the medical instrument which determines the size of your remaining stomach)

Do you oversew the staple line?

How many incisions do you make?

Do you go in thru previous scars?

How many nights in the hospital � is there facility for someone else to stay in my room as well?

Do they need to be with me 24/ during my hospital stay?

How many leak tests do you do?

How many sleeves have you performed?

Complication/leak stats? How many if any deaths?

Who do I contact if I think I have a problem (most places give out an emergency number)?

Is the hospital equipped an ICU and blood bank in case of complications?

If complications do happen to occur, are these complications/additional surgery/days in hospital covered by the original quoted price of the surgery?

Would you remove my gall bladder at the same time if needed?

Can you give me some patient testimonials or do you have any before/after pictures of your patients that I could read/look at?

Is it standard operation procedure, ie: no nail polish, no body jewellery?

Do I need to stop taking any particular medication pre op? (Take a list of what you take and dosage)

Post Op

How often are the post op check ups?

Where are they? � is price included?

What supplements/anti acid drug would I need to take and for how long?

Do I need labs done post op? � Are these checked with you or my local doctor?

DO I get a dvd of the operation?

Post op diet?

How much weight would I be expected loose?

What if I loose too much, how to maintain?

Do you use heparin? � Will I have to inject it myself?

How soon after the op can I��drive, swim, work out, lift weights, lift my kids?