Tracytma

I remember being pre-op and my favorite thing to do was look at progress photos and dream
I am 6 months, 10 days post op and I am down 128 pounds total. This isnt a very great pic since I have been sick, but i still took it because anything is better than my before!!

So happy you are feeling better with the exception of your shoulder pain. I had my one week today with nurse practioner. I do need to get more Water down, and protein, but other than that everything is good. I don't see the NUT until Monday and hopefully she will tell me I can have an egg too! Dying for solid food! I did have cream of wheat that I let get too stiff and it was no picnic getting that down! LOL Congrat's on the weight loss! You are on your way!

Awesome news! I too start soft food Tuesday and I'm counting the minutes it seems!
Have you tried a heating pad on the shoulder/back pain? Hopefully that helps!

I had my 1 week followup today. The Dr was very pleased to see I looked and felt really well. The pain from the surgery pretty much stopped on Thursday night. However Friday I developed terrible lower back shoulder pain. I think it is from the PT having used the belt around my back and underarms to get me off the toilet on Wednesday. The Dr didn't seem to address it so I am going to my PCP tomorrow and see if there is a shot or something he can give me as that pain is worse than the surgery pain I had. The surgeon said the incisions were healing well. He was glad to hear I am having no problems with keeping down the liquids, Protein Soups and shakes, Jello and popsicles. He told me Tuesday I can start to eat an egg a day along with what I am doing now. I was very happy to hear I had lost 13 pounds since Jan 26th. I am sure I will be in twoterville by Saturday. So looking forward to seeing a 2?? in my weight.

My surgery was 10 days ago and I can honestly say I feel pretty close to normal again!!! I had sushi with no rice yesterday and today and not having any trouble with it. I'm ready to start exercising now... :-) I live in the New Orleans area so it's Mardi Gras time. I was able to enjoy parades this past Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I packed my bag everyday with the foods and liquids I can have. It makes it so much easier when you prepare. I'm ready to start cooking again. I found great recipes on Pinterest for bariatric patients. Today is my first day back at work.

Depends on how far out you are. My surgeon gave me the ok at 2 wks to have a scrambled egg if made very moist. I add milk before cooking. I have also blended Noodles and Company's hot pot entree. It tastes better that way. Check with your doctor. I also found GENEPRO powder supplement that I add to everything! It doesn't taste like anything but you get your Protein without having to constantly drink the shakes. 1 tablespoon equals 30gm protein.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Those are my favorite thins to read. I like hearing about how everything is from someone who is doing it right now. I guess thats my issue. I like to be extremely well informed before anything. Even though I feel informed about the lifestyle change, its hard to know what I am going to feel. If that makes any sense. Thanks for calming me a bit though.

I work for a hospital and got nervous before my surgery as well. Talked to the counselor at the hospital the day before and she reminded me that I didn't have to have the surgery, it is my choice. We see people that come into the hospital and are rushed into the OR. She reminded me I WAS IN CONTROL. Yes I was. That calmed me. I have lost 28 lbs since 1/2/16 before the preop diet and 18lbs since surgery on 1/14/16. You will have rough days but it is so worth it. I had the sleeve and my hiatal hernia repaired. I wish I would have been a little more prepared for what to expect for the hernia repair. Live and learn. Breathe and enjoy the ride. It will be worth it!

Wednesday afternoon the PT came back and I did a short walk with the walker. I have yet to have a BM. I am finding that Powerade zero is going down easier then the protein Soups and shakes. After my follow up I will post the first weeks results.

My surgery was Wednesday. Woke this morning feeling a ton better. If I could get rid of the gas pain in my shoulder for good I think I'd feel like a new person. Had one BM during preop liquid diet and one on surgery morning at hospital (think that one was nerves) none since and I am on liquids until the 10th. I am SO just wanting some real food even though I am not hungry. I am super struggling with these liquids. And also everything sugar free tastes so artificial and nasty

Thanks for making me feel better. I know there are so many benefits. I am not too worried about pain. I usually do pretty good. Anyone want to discuss bowel movements? How's that work on a liquid diet? Should I be concerned?

@ssflbelle Hey Lady! So glad you are home! It's great to hear from you! Sorry your surgery sucked, and that you are still having pain. I am also having trouble getting down 64 oz of Water each day, but I don't feel dehydrated, and I did finally poop yesterday! I see my surgeon for one week f/u next Wed too! I told him he is the Stephen Hawking of robotics! Mine was done using the DaVinci robot. Do they have you doing anything for the low BP or is back to normal now? I did come home with no diabetic meds which was one of the reasons I did the surgery! I had the catheter too, and it came out early Wed morn. Were you even able to get up and walk at all? They say that is the best for the left shoulder gas pain. My Dr did tell me not to worry about the Protein Shakes as much as Fluid intake the first two days home because they are much more filling than Clear Liquids. I have snuck in some unflavored Protein in my Crystal Light tho. Let me know how you are doing after your one week checkup! I'll be thinking of you!

@Licia2210 Don't panic! It's really not that bad! LOL I am 4 days out, and went shopping today! I didn't do any lifting and hubby had a step stool for me to get in our truck, but I needed fresh air! Going in all I kept telling myself was "I just have to go to sleep and when I wake up it will all be behind me". I didn't dwell on the pain, or what I would feel like after. I figured I was taking it one step at a time. I was very relaxed going into surgery. I never needed any pain med's! No gas in the shoulder pain, no incision pain, no nausea. I just felt like I had overused my stomach muscles (not that me, the no exercise girl, would know what that felt like! LOL). I did feel some tugging on the trip home when we would hit a bump in the road (I had an hr ride) but not pain. So, sip a cup of tea, relax, kick back and think instead of happy thoughts! Like how stunning you are going to look this summer, and how much you just increased your life for your child! You can do this girl! My thoughts and prayers are with you! Good Luck!

Hello. My date of my VSG is February 22nd. I am starting to freak out. I had my endoscopy last week and have my pre-op testing Monday. I don't know why I am suddenly so scared. Almost thinking of cancelling. I won't but I don't know what has come over me lately. What if I hate my new lifestyle? Any idea what the recovery pain is like? I am also sad to leave my toddler at home for a few days while I am in the hospital. I just want to relax a little lol. Wishing I Could calm down. Send me some positive thoughts.

Thanks everyone! Surgery went well. He also fixed a hiatal hernia I didn't know I had. He said it wasn't bad tho just needed tightened. Very little pain, never used pain killers at all. They did have me on liquid Tylenol every 8 hours. Was up doing my first walk 4 hours after I got to my room. Never had gas pain in the shoulder, my surgeon doesn't leave the air in. I was peeing like a champ. No nausea. It was so not what I thought it could be! My hard part is getting down 60 ozs of liquids each day. Belly starts feeling bloated. Hope you that are to have your surgery yet, I pray it goes as well as mine! Hugs to everyone for being my support!

Hi everyone! I'm really new here but already loving all the info and support.
I just got confirmation today that my surgery will be on 20th Feb! I've got 50kg/110lb to loose, So excited to start this new chapter pre-op tests on the 13th- wish me luck!

@@katladee, Happy Holidays to you, too! Sounds like we're in the same boat. I wish I hadn't let hubby sway me not to be on the pre-op diet over the Holidays. I'd be able to have the surgery and have two or three weeks post-op before he left the country. Oh, well! Maybe we'll be sleeve buddies! Dates sound about right.

@@Ali_, your surgery is the day before my endoscopy. So jealous! I think you need to decide who you think will be supportive. Later on, it might not seem so important to keep your surgery quiet. My husband and grown-up daughter know and, hmmm, I let it slip to my hairdresser. I told my older sister this weekend. I toyed with the idea of waiting until we see each other just to hear her say, "OMG! You've lost an entire you!" Then I decided she'd probably be afraid I was sick since I had a cancer scare last year. Now, if my mom was still alive, I would not have told her. She had a history of sabotaging me my entire life. She used to buy me 3X clothes when I was in high school and a size 12/14. I'm toying with starting a weight-loss blog, so clearly I'll be blabbing it to the world!

@@rgallardo, it's interesting to see how other doctors and insurance companies require. I have that last required class before mine will submit. Here's hoping your insurance company is on the ball and approves you right away. I'm actually excited about the timing of my surgery. I told a friend, this is the first time I will actually keep that New Year's resolution!

Hey, @@MRSJONES305! You're on the home stretch. Has your doctor given you a tentative schedule or do they wait until they hear back from your insurance?

@@katladee, I've talked about my upcoming surgery on Facebook and have told my immediate family (and my hairdresser!). I'm a very private person, but my husband wanted me to meet a co-worker (via Facebook) who had the surgery done just before I saw the doctor for the first time. I haven't bandied the fact around, but haven't gone out of my way to keep it quiet. I'm what they call a "displaced worker" (means I was laid off and have been off for more than a year). I'd feel differently about telling co-workers.

@@ssflbelle, sounds like we're on a similar schedule. You've come a huge way already! Would you mind sharing how you did it? I'll definitely check out your blog. My therapist (recommended by the Bariatric shrink) and I discussed my fears of regain and lack of follow-through and just a ton of stuff. Anyway, I told her I've always enjoyed writing (and still do). I want to start a blog about my journey partially to share and inform but also to keep me "honest" as time passes.

@@jenniferANTM, you lucky dog! Your surgery is the day after my endoscopy. I'll definitely be thinking about you!

@@Kathy Krebs Robertson, Hooray! I'm a little envious of you early to mid-January sleevers! Nah. Not really. (well maybe a little). I love living vicariously through everyone here who will be getting sleeved around the same time I am. Has your insurance approved you? Any final hoops your doctor wants you to leap before the 11th?

@@cindyw41, way to start the New Year off right! What did you discuss in your classes? Were they with other people? I had to visit the dietitian each month. Honestly, she didn't teach me much of anything (Protein first, Water sips, etc.). She was no help when I wanted her advice on how I should be eating during the 6 month monitored diet. "Oh, by now you've dieted enough times you know what to do!" Argh. I wanted her to advise me so I could eat close to the way I'll be eating after my sleeve. This forum was a great help. I looked at my doctor's post-op nutritional guidelines and read a lot here and am happy with what I've done. I would have loved a more informative dietitian, though!

@@mistycal, wow! You're moving right along! I'm a little afraid of my endoscopy. I had my thyroid removed last year and had complications (I couldn't swallow for a week and had to remain in the hospital). Mind you, the ENT says it was probably because he couldn't avoid bruising my larynx a bit because of the size of the thyroid. But the whole experience makes me nervous about anything being stuck down my throat! It's a completely different procedure, but try telling my nerves that. I'm just glad I'll be out when they do it!

@@mya.mys, Dec. 28 definitely means you can hang out here. There is a December/January sleevers thread somewhere if you haven't found it. Tell me if you want me to hunt it down so you can maybe find some sleeve buddies there.

Welp, the monthly support forum has not been updated for 2016. I know there's a thread somewhere for December & January sleevers, but thought I'd include you January peeps in honor of the upcoming year. Share your dates, doctor/nut/psych visits, tests, hopes, and whatever else you want to share pertaining to your surgery. Feel free to offer encouragement and cheerleading as warranted. Maybe everyone can link up with some sleeve buddies!
I'll start. I have 100 to 130 pounds to lose (no goal set yet). My sleeve was supposed to be in January. Instead, my husband needs to go out of the country on business in the middle of the month and can't guarantee he'll be back, so I'll probably be sleeved in February. It's frustrating to me because my insurance requires 6 months supervised diet. I finished that the week before Thanksgiving (U.S.) I'm scheduled to attend the final "class" they require all patients to take on Dec. 17. My endoscopy is Jan. 13. I could easily have made it in December, but hubby didn't want me restricted over the Holidays. (I had thyroid surgery with complications last year just before Christmas, so I understand how he feels.) Still, you can imagine my frustration now that my surgery needs to be pushed back again!
Who's next?
*Mods please move this to the appropriate forum when you update the support groups.

Hey there Eagergirl! I just got my date! I'm Feb 19th too! We wait so long to have a date... and now that I have it, I FREAKING OUT! How are YOU feeling? I go between super excited, and then nervous kicks in! I was a previous bander, so I know what I'm getting myself into! The support is really important! Hoping to find a few buddys!
Best of luck! Keep in touch!
Tracy

Surgery on 2/15, first day of pre-op diet. 3 Protein shakes a day and a lean balanced meal under 300 calories Lean Cuisine or 3-4oz lean Protein, 1 cup veggies, 1/2 cup starch and a light snack (string cheese and small apple).
Feeling ok, trying to distinguish body hunger vs. head hunger. I'm a bit worried about catching a cold/flu since co-workers are sick.
Nervous about surgery in general since it will be my first. Husband will be with me during surgery and overnight. He's been supportive but I know he is worried as well. Trying to read up and prepare everything also been training my mindset.

I just had mine...it is normal to have anxiety. Surgery was easy...45 min laproscopic. The hard part is the routine after but it is doable.

My surgery date is Feb 16th.... The closer,i get the scarder I get

Feb 12 for me. So ready to get that part done and start healing. A little nervous though as with anything I guess.

Hey there Eagergirl! I just got my date! I'm Feb 19th too! We wait so long to have a date... and now that I have it, I FREAKING OUT! How are YOU feeling? I go between super excited, and then nervous kicks in! I was a previous bander, so I know what I'm getting myself into! The support is really important! Hoping to find a few buddys!
Best of luck! Keep in touch!
Tracy

Holy crap! Surgeons office just called and moved me up a week! Surgery on Monday the 8th! Pre op tomorrow!