LAN2k

A great thing is that your surgeon is one of if not the best! That should put you at ease right there. Where eating is concerned just know that you won't be eating for a while after surgery because you will need to wean yourself sotospeak back to solid food in due time. After that you will be able to eat any food you want but in small portions. If you really want to shed weight in a permanent way then this is taking a huge step because the change is real. As far as sleeping, go to a natural food or health store and ask for Hylands Calms, or Comfort...it is homeopathic formula and won't affect your upcoming surgery at all. Just follow the instructions on the container. It really works to get you to sleep without any side effects. Best to you.

I am now taking a medication called Remeron but in generic form, for depression...and Klonipin .5 as needed for anxiety. I am much better except that getting out of bed in the morning is a struggle...and my appetite has INCREASED though my sleeve won't accomodate it...thankfully. Thanks for sharing your story with me. I look forward to be weaned off these drugs hopefully soon! Best wishes back at you!

I enjoy shrimp, boiled and then with a bit of olive oil fresh crushed and chopped garlic, a little garlic powder, sea salt and pepper, then I squeeze some fresh lemon and sometimes use shrimp cocktail sause as well. I also like filet of sole, Orange Ruffy, I enjoy white fillet boneless fish because it goes down so well and all the above are high in protein. You can also get cold cuts, thin sliced cheeses and meats, like roast beef, ham or turkey and roll them up with a slice of cheese. I buy cracker barrel cheddar cheese individually wrapped packages and fresh mozzerella. These are some of the foods I can eat. I like fresh baby spinach steemed and broccoli florets. I can't seem to eat fresh fruit yet.

I had a BMI of 35 had pains in both knees, heel spurs, and stress fractures both feet, and sleep apnea. I really hustled to get to an orthopedic doctor and have x-rays and MRI's that confirmed that osteo-arthritis was the cause of the bad knees and one hip as well. I also had the heel spurs and stress fractures put into the report even if the insurance company didn't count them-I figured the thicker the paperwork of ailments the better my chances for approval. I put myself through a gruesome sleep study that required me sleeping under surveillance at a sleep center twice! It paid off because I was diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea. My surgeon went to bat for me and collected his ammunition along with his letter and I was approved 2 weeks later! I totally understand your husbands concern. It is major surgery and lifestyle change. He loves you and is likely afraid of the possibility of something going wrong. If you can get him to visit your surgeon and allow him to ask questions, maybe go to a seminar and read posts from this message board, maybe he'll reconsider. Best wishes I hope you will come to the right decision for you both.

yum I never believed I'd desire food again but this puts me over the edge Tiff.

Hi Shylady. It's great that you feel so GREAT! It should only get better as time passes. I had excessive bleeding from the largest incision and the nurses while in the hospital. My surgeon had changed my dressings twice and the nurses had to change it also. When I came home from the hospital (5days later), the home nurse became alarmed because I was bleeding so much from that incision (also the bulb that hung was very full). She changed my dressing, called my surgeon and he had me get labs done that day and called me that night and said the labs were perfect. The bleeding lessened and finally the drain was removed and all healed nicely. I hope that you continue to heal and reap the benefits of having the sleeve. God bless you and your family. I will keep your mother and daughter in prayer.

Your description does seem to be similar to the sleeve. Tonight I shared a meatball hero minus the bread, After one bite of the second meatball I had to stop, pain in my chest. I am sure I ate too fast and the semi chewed up ground meatball mix (which probably contained bread crumbs) got stuck in the esophagus. I wanted more but had to stop. It took about 20 minutes of pacing and by the time I drove home another 15 minutes I was fine. Come to think of it the few and only times I have eaten ground beef it did not go down easy. I may not be ready for it.

I'm wondering if the whey powder and/or Chike are artificially sweetened. If I drink or eat anything with splenda, (sucralose), I get alot of gas and the runs.

Ditto here and welcome. You are a pioneer in the WL industry! Please keep us posted as you progress with your maintenance.

Hey Chancie, It's so good to SEE you-looking great! I was wondering how you were doing and just hoping you were "living" and well. Thanks for the update Tiff's right you are an inspiration and wow what a success!

Congratulations what an accomplishment. I wish I had that stamina. I have all to do to get myself to walk on the treadmill and then I increase it to a rapid pace but that's it. Best wishes I hope you make it to do that run with your daughter.

Can you tell me what DH stands for and why he/she was/is dead set against the sleeve? As to knowing when your full...with the sleeve early on I just felt a fullness in my chest, (esophagus) area. Now at 5.5 months out I feel a fullness similar to before I had the surgery, like in the belly full. If I eat a food I'm not ready for then I feel it sort of stuck in the esophagus and I stop eating and walk and wait it out. I hope you will stay connected the people here are supportive although your procedure is probably news to most of us. I wish you success and good health.

Congratulations your doing well so keep it up and keep us posted as you progress.

I did! And that is exactly what I did only my band was the one I was given at the hospital when I had an incisional open hernia repair in my upper abdomin. I was so glad I'd washed it and stored it with my towels, sheets and pillow cases. It wrapped around my mid section and velcro'd closed and it was just perfect. I wore it until I was sufficiently healed and the hanging belly didn't hurt my incisions. When I went out I wore it under a sweater. It worked great for my abdominal surgery and it worked just as great for the VSG..

That is odd. Perhaps he, my surgeon is mistaken! I hope so. Thanks Tiff.

I'd be curious to know what pain/back meds you had taken? My surgeon told me I can not take ibuprofen. I used to take 600 or 800mg precription strength for pain, either headache or back pain. He said it could be dangerous and cause ulcers. He told me to take tylenol instead. Tylenol never helped with my headaches.

Congratulations from me too! You will be in good hands with Dr. Aceves based upon what everyone says he's got the track record to back it up. Good for you.

I would check with your doctor and tell him the way that capsule is making you feel. I crushed pills for about 4 weeks and used a 1oz plastic shot-like cup, mixed it with about 1/2 oz apple juice, and drank that down and immediately sipped some more apple juice to wash away the bitter taste. After that my surgeon told me that as long as I was able to swallow pills it was OK to do so. It seems that opinion differs from surgeon to surgeon...go figure!

I will!

Thanks I have not been able to drink Protein shakes since the surgery I lost my desire, but I just might try this one thanks again.

I'm 5.5 months out. The sipping gets better in time so does the eating but you must be patient and not let it get to you...I know it's easier said than done. I needed to get on some anti-anxiety medication, (Klonopin) to help ease my fears. It took around 2 months before I was able to drink more fluidly and 4 months to eat a bit more. I still need to be careful, take it slow and not drink too fast or eat too much. But it's much better now than it was in the initial stages. Not every one's experience is identical. Try to stay calm and realize that in time you will have more capacity for intake and skill in accepting the limitations.

Love ya Tiff... leelee, Don't be afraid to ask those hard questions. I did not ask my surgeon about his sleeve history. I was uncomfortable to put him on the spot so desperate to find a surgeon that was in the vicinity of where I live. I suffered with so much anxiety and fear after the surgery that something was or might go wrong and some of that was because I really didn't know enough about my surgeon's history.

Flaxseed peanut butter shake? Can you post the recipe for that? It sure must be healthy!

Tiff if I could start my life over I think I'd want to have you for my mother!

Thanks for that Tiff I just printed off my coupon. I love this brand and especially with the fruit on the bottom. I've been buying this brand but already premixed. I hope I can find it with the fruit on the bottom.