LAN2k

Ouch is right! Sorry I'm no help. What about taking B12 sublingual (melts under the tongue! I take 2500mcg (1 tab) a day. I'm curious to know what the dosage is that you will be injecting daily?

Congratulations to Shauna, (hard to believe you were only in the hospital one day!), and Coco and all recent sleevees! You all seem to be doing excellent so early out. I wish you all smooth sailing as you go...Pumpkin thanks for sharing a bit about your surgeon. At 5 months out I'm still learning from those of you who are just starting your journey.

I'm looking forward to your update...in any event I hope your feeling better.

Your surgeon is not ethical and the staff he hires are a reflection of who he is. It's disturbing to know that there are people like that in such positions. I think that he should be held accountable and I hope you can document all that has happened. You may have a lawsuit against him and with good reason. If you do see him again I would be sure to document everything and if possible take another adult with you to be present with you at all times. I did that nearly every visit to my surgeon. It's like having a witness. When I complained to my surgeon early out about how little soft food I was able to eat without feeling pain, over the phone he said he'd have his secretary set up an endoscopy. I received a call that day with an appointment for the following Tuesday. Your on track though by consulting outside of this guy since you need to get the right help. I hope you get a good bariatric weight loss surgeon to take over for your after care, if not perhaps you can get a good GI specialist to take you on. I wish you all the best and will be praying for you too.

You shine Tiff not only do you look lean as a model but there's a glow in your eyes which reflects your gratitude and I am so happy for you. Thanks for sharing...your beautiful inside and out.

Hi Aura, I wish I was in a healthier emotional state. The status and arrangements of my life changed dramatically right (2 wks.) before my surgery. I came out of it with extreme anxiety and morbid depression. I am in therapy with a psychologist who specializes in treating WLS patients, and a psychiatrist that has prescribed an antidepressant that is helping me, and I take anti anxiety medication as needed, pretty much every day. This is a life altering surgery. Your relationship with food does change like it or not and there is no turning back. I am concerned more about my capacity to psychologically handle my life without my best/worst friend and comforter, food (as I knew it). I have an awful sinus condition as well and I'm not sure if it is surgery related but has been with me since. It's mucus that accumulates in my throat maybe from a drip maybe from my stomach, I don't know. That is most immediate on my agenda to have diagnosed and resolved. I worry that my immune system may be compromised since the surgery and possibly now I've an allergy to my cats. I don't know. What I do know is that the majority of people here have made the choice to have the sleeve after much research and contemplation. Most are elated as they see their weight drop and have embraced the changes they've had to make where eating habits are concerned. I hope you will rely more on folks like that rather than I as you venture into the possibility of doing this for yourself. I'm not fully back yet, to myself that is. My opinion is tainted by my emotions which are going through a period of greif and loss. My psychiatrist looked me in the eyes and asked, "Why do you persist to fear your surgery? Did you research? Was your surgeon and the facility reputable? Did you feel you put yourself in capable hands?" I said "yes, at the time I did..." She then told me it s time to stop then and move forward with my life...When she said that I felt strength for a moment I believed she was right.

I'm only 5 mo. out and ALL of your concerns are valid and worthy of valid answers. I am no expert and this surgery is about 5 years out as I understand. However some on this board have done extensive research on gastrectomy surgery which has been performed for decades. I am confident that you will receive responses that will address your concerns. I would also suggest you continue to visit and post any findings you come upon in your investigation of this surgery. Initially I looked into the Lap Band and within a month of research had no doubt that was not for me. I found the sleeve to be the most sensible of all WLSurgical procedures out there and based upon what I found here and upon what WLSurgeons who perform the VSG I went forward with the surgery. I'm down 70lbs but admittedly I now, after the fact, have concerns both immediate and long term. I'm glad you have put your concerns here and look forward to following this thread. In any event thanks and best wishes.

I'm so sorry not to have come here straight away after getting myself this little netbook while I'm waiting for my computer to be delivered. The power outage killed the hard drive apparently my surge protector doesn't have more than a years worth of power! So since I haven't had a working lap-top since 2001 I purched this little netbook. Alas I'm able to communicate with this message board, apart from few friends and my family this has been a source of support...thank God and thank you all for your encouragement and kind words of support. xxxxxxxxxxooooooooooooooo I really do hope we all will thrive in good health, physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. God bless.

At 5 months out I'm still learning! I ate a few bites of a pork chop some of the meat was dry and so I thought I chewed it well enough. It got stuck and I was at my mother's house and just stood up and started to raise my arms up and down and walk..then I asked my mom to tap on my back (like a baby being burped)...after around 15 maybe 20 minutes I felt better and it went down. One thing I can tell you so early out is to really take it slow. I don't think anyone was as anxious as I was and I am learning as I go what my limitations are. I wish you peace of mind hereafter as you progress in your weight loss journey with the sleeve. Best-Lis

Wow I just checked out the protein bar and it looks perfect in everyway until I saw "sucralose" I just can't handle the artificial sweeteners. Too bad I wish they'd use stevia or some other nutritive type sugar.

Hi Mary, I bought a netbook and this is about the 5th time I've composed a reply to your post here! For some reason a finger hits something on he scratch pad or keyboard and it changes the page just as I'm about to post my reply! Here I go again...maybe I just need to keep this short and sweet. Anyway I wanted to thank you so much for your thoughtful response to my thread here. I recently read a blurb in the readers digest about differences between generic and brand name drug/medications. I was not at all surprised since I have bit of suspicion. What it said was that there have been documented differences in the effects of some generic drugs and what makes them differ is the filler content used plus some other stuff. It seems that if it comes in a generic than the doctor prescribing it will not write DAW (dispense as written). Is it because insurance companies won't pay for the brand name if it can be obtained generically? I will ask my pcp next visit. My PPI is Aciphex and I get the brand name because there's no generic for it yet. It was filled and covered by my insurance so maybe the cost isn't too high...I'm going to the pharmacy today and will ask. This board has and continues to help me because of people like you, Tiff, Daisy, and so many others...some have had smooth sailing all around and others have had to overcome tremendous obstacles and have like Tiffykins. What's remarkable to me is when a person gets through but continues to participate here to support others. So I want to commend you for being sensitive to the issues and complications that may come up for some of us having this WLS, and for having the foresight to seek council prior to and in preparation for any possible outcome. But most of all I want to wish you a very smooth and uneventful surgery and recovery. Please keep us informed as the time draws nearer to your surgery. I don't know where you live but soon it will be spring and I'm so glad. Having surgery in the winter makes it a bit harder to get out of doors. Living on LI, NY, I look forward to longer, warmer days. Thanks again Mary.

Hello, I just read this and I'm hoping and praying that by now you have seen your doctor if not are feeling better. My heart goes out to you and I'm sorry you are experiencing difficulty. I'm 5 months out and still not used to the way things feel going in and I've been on antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication since having the surgery so the going is sadly not as easy for some of us. Tiff had to really tough it out for a while since she had complications. She is an inspiration because she's kept a positive attitude and was determined to emerge from it all as a success. She has and as a result has made herself available to all of us. There are many people here that care. I hope your problems resolve quickly and that you will stay connected and keep us informed.

How awful. I'm so sorry you are in such pain. Your right to be concerned about having your surgery I sure hope that you heal quickly. Maybe your surgery can be rescheduled?

Prayers for your safety in healing and recovery. God be with you throughout Marie.

Hi Tiff, I am so sorry that you've been suffering like that! I know I've had a sinus problem where mucus accumulates in the back of my throat but I can't cough it up, swallow it down, or blow it out of my nose! It's like a glob that just sticks in a space somewhere in there and it has been very disturbing. I made an appointment with an ENT but I am afraid to be scoped and/or sprayed with any numbing stuff in my throat I'm figuring it's some sort of sinus infection. I sure hope you and your family continue to get better. Please keep us informed.

Hi Daisy, Thanks for the encouraging words. It's snowing here and I'm in the slience of my apartment w/migrain or maybe a sinus headache. I stayed in bed late today and I'm feeling down and out. Hope to get myself out of this mode soon. I hope you are doing well. Have a blessed day.

I read your post right before calling it a night and was relieved. I'm still drinking Vitamin water in place of regular water 5 months out and still lost my desire for regular water but I dilute the vitamin water with water. Thanks Tiff

The important thing is to watch because if the blood is coming from irritated tissue then you may take extra care like what Tiffy said with wipes. You might even try using an ointment for that area. But it the blood is coming out from the internal bowel then you probably would want to get examined from a doctor. I suspect it's from irritation due to loose stools.

Hi I finally broke the bank and bought myself a "netbook" ! I'll get my desktop up and running....in due time...but for now this little netbook is kind of cool and I think I will like the portability of it. Well I'm doing alright with the Remeron generic but I often wonder if the quality is inferior to the actual Remeron. It has helped to lift the depression but not entirely and it has helped to stimulate my appetite but now I must curb my desires especially late at night whereas before taking the drug I force fed myself and ate nothing after that and my last "meal" was about 6 or 7pm the latest. Zumba does look like alot of fun but I am so lazy! I should tell you that had been part of the reason I gained weight to begin with even as a kid I was always on the sluggish side (the stuff yourself and take a nap type). Come to think of it that may have been a form of depression. Anyway I'm so glad to be back online and able to communicate with all of you again. I ate mozzarella cheee tonight around 3 oz!! and it was late about 40 minutes ago...so I'm a bit nervous to go to bed. Has anybody eaten food late at night? I was told nothing 3 hours prior to going to sleep. I hope nothing awful happens as a result because I don't know how much longer I can keep myself awake. I'm really rambling aren't I? Sorry. Thank you all for your sensitivity and feedback.

Hi all, I just want to let EVERYONE here know that during the snow storm here in the North East, the power went off and on a few times in a row and my desk top computer crashed! I'm at my mother's house now using her PC to write this. Anyway I had to get on the phone with HP and troubleshoot and my files were wiped out so I'm waiting on the mail to deliver recover CD's and then I'll get back on the phone with HP and have them walk me through the steps to "restore" the computer to its original factory settings. I'm so pissed because I want to keep up with you all. To those of you who have recently had your surger God bless and keep you. To those of you about to I wish you all the best. Your all in my thoughts and prayers. I can still access this website from my cell phone but it's slow and a pain in the butt!

That's a smart way to go...where do you get LiquaCel? Is it artificially sweetened? Seems highly concentrated and helpful.

I've been looking at the adult education courses being given this spring in my town, for a moderate fee. I'm just up and down with motivation though. Some days are better than others. My PC crashed when the electricity blinked on and off a few times during a snow storm. I won't be able to restore it to the factory settings until HP mails me the CD's and then I'll need them to walk me through the process via the phone to get it up and running again. At the moment I'm on my mother's PC at her house. The classes sound great though, the Thai Chi, Zumba, Ballroom, and many art classes are offered. Thanks Daisy and Carolyln. I am going nuts at home without a computer!! I'm thinking of buying a lap top pronto! When my PC crashed and HP tried everything with me over the phone to get it up and running, my anxiety rose and the next day stuck inside due to the snow storm, I was crawling out of my skin stuck in an apartment that to this day does not feel like "home" with no computer and just a TV...I'm not much of a TV watcher especially days. Since my depression/anxiety I'm having a hard time reading actual books!! Oh well. I'll check back soon. I can use my phone to log on but it's pathetic and clumsey to use the keypad to reply.

Congratulations you certainly were well prepared and educated prior to the surgery. I commend you for your hard work and recognition of the many blessings you have had with family support. I look forward to reading future posts from you as you continue along your path to a new found freedom. One more thing that struck me when you said that you were/are used to hiding. As I have shed so much so fast and have approx. 30lbs. to reach goal, I have found myself not wanting or desiring to buy new clothes. I know I have been depressed and am being treated medically and psychologically for it since the surgery, however I suddenly realize I too in some subconscious way was using food and obesity to hide or protect myself. From what I now must ask myself as I try to unravel the causes that got me to become overweight to begin with.

It looks to me like you are and will continue to do just fine. As for feeling cold? OMG since the surgery and I'm almost 5 months out--I am always cold, putting extra clothing on instead of raising the thermostat since the dry indoor heat is worse. When I go out of doors I wear gloves, and hat and make sure my neck area is covered. I'm seeing myself like a really geriatric person! God help me.

Wow Daisy I can't believe all of the good and fun things you do to keep yourself occupied and satisfied. The Zumba is that like latin type dancing I think I saw an informercial for on TV? It really looked appealing. I just hope I will soon feel that energy, motivation and will to put myself out there and get things going. I'm sort of going through a "mid-life" crisis along with everything else! Thanks for your vote of confidence though, it's so appreciated. I've got to build my life back up from scratch it seems.