Beadingnurse

Robin, One more thought and you have probably already done this...but you should check in with your gastroenterologist before surgery to see if you have any additional precautions. Better to be over prepared! By the way...your surgery and mine are on the same day!

Hi Robin, I don't have Crohn's Disease but I have heard of folks who do and who still have weight loss surgery. Talk to your doctor of course but it shouldn't be a contraindication since Crohn's primarily affects the large intestines and the sleeve shouldn't affect that functioning. My surgeon said that almost everyone will have a drain after surgery (Jackson-Pratt or something similar) but you may or may not go home with it. Posters on this site report having it removed while still in the hospital and others have it done later at a post-op appointment. Another question for your doc! As far as gaining weight....some folks appear to initially gain in the hospital from IV fluids, glucose, etc but tend to drop that in a few days/week. Over the long haul it seems to me like most people DO lose although there is no question that you can work around the sleeve if you are determined to regain and drink a ton of high calorie drinks or slider foods all day. I haven't had the sleeve yet but I have been reading on this board for a long time and I am just repeating back to you what I read. Good luck with your surgery and let us know how it goes!

Your results are fantastic! I will be doing the happy dance if I have results like yours after surgery! Makes it all worth while doesn't it? Congratulations...keep posting on your progress! :party4:

I love the

4 days is a long time in the life of a cold and assuming that you have already had it for a day or two...you may be fine by Monday. Your doctor may or may not go ahead anyway...totally depends on the doc. I had major abdominal surgery with a fresh cold and my surgeon said, "he wasn't worried about it". It hurt like heck when I coughed a lot after the surgery but I didn't split a stitch! Honestly, if it was ME, I wouldn't call the doc this early because this might be a mild cold and you might be feeling fine the day of the surgery and I would HATE to have them cancel my surgery needlessly. I'd wait until the day of surgery and show up and let them assess you then. Rest and take care of yourself in the meantime.

My nutritionist said he didn't trust the "net" carb figures so if that is all he has, he doubles it and assumes that is closer to correct. He suggest going with the carb count and not net carbs if you have it. I won't be sleeved until 2 weeks from today (yea!!) but pre-op I am on a 30 gm carb diet and won't be increasing that much post-op.

Noel, I started my pre-op diet yesterday and I have to be on a high Protein, low fat, low carb (no more than 30 gms) for the next 2 weeks so I know what you are going through. Personally, I think I have been going through carb withdrawal...feeling headachey and cranky but I am counting my blessings since some folks have to do a Liquid Protein diet for a week or two before surgery. I signed up for a free food tracker on myfitnesspal.com and that is VERY useful. You can put in any food and look at the nutritional info before you eat it....assuming you have access to a computer with an internet connection or a smart phone. They have free apps for IPhones and Blackberrys and maybe the android phones? Anyway, that is helping me. I am eating and plan on eating lots of protein in the form of grilled chicken breast, grilled salmon, tuna, eggs, deli turkey slices, etc. Green veggies such as green Beans, brocolli, brussel sprouts, leafy greens all have very low carbs. I really like the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury brand of protein mixes and I love the Atkins chocolate Splendor Protein Drink...it is like drinking chocolate syrup! Be careful with fruits as you can blow your entire carb budget quickly. I am pretty much assuming that all bread, starchy veggies and pastas are off my list for the next two weeks. It will be worth it though!

Well said! It is hopeful for me to think about future eating in this way and that few foods will be off limits...we just have to savor the bites we have. Congratulations on the thrill of trying on a bathing suit that is too big! I can't even imagine that yet.

Heather, You might ask your doc if he/she operates at more than one hospital. Mine does. Since I am self-pay he basically told me to pick the place that I wanted to go. You might not have that option though if your insurance is paying and you certainly don't want to anything to slow down the process. I am an RN too and I think as a profession we are pretty open and non-judgmental (with a few spectacular exceptions!). If you ARE going to have your surgery where you work then I'd tell all of my new colleagues about it and try to enlist them to watch over you after your surgery. :angel: We are nurses and like to take care of people so I suspect if you ask for their help, folks will feel compassionately and protective toward you. Who knows...some of them may have HAD the surgery and can really understand where you are coming from. Take care and let us know how it goes.

AMEN Christal! Been told the same thing...I am not "that big"...whatever that means... but our stats are similar and I know exactly what you mean. My insurance won't pay until I get heavier and sicker (I am diabetic) and I won't wait. My PCP said this surgery will save my life so I don't care if others look at me and say I don't weigh enough, YET. What nonsense! I am self-paying and having my surgery on April 12. Good luck to all of us!

Thanks for the info! I've purchased some samples from other places and I am surprised at how much variability there is between products. I love the unjury chocolates, chicken and unflavored and have absolutely hated some of the other samples I have tried. I don't want to waste money by buying a bunch of stuff that I won't eat so the samples are a good way to try stuff out.

Get off your hiney and pack your bags Crosswind! Yes...you are scared! You'd be nuts not to be but guess what...you are almost THERE!! You have that cushy first class plane ride waiting on you (I read and loved one of your other posts!). Go back and re-read what you wrote then as it was one of the most inspiring posts to me. I read it out loud to my husband and he thought it was great too. You know another diet won't work long term for any of us. We have all been there and done that. I am sure the sleeve will ultimately SAVE many of our lives and you will be one of them. Go pack honey...it is okay....we can't WAIT for you to get back and post one of your brilliant essays and tell us what it was really like. By the way...I'll be posting how scared I am in a couple of weeks before my surgery and I expect you to give me a boot in the butt then too!

Ooops...I should have read all of the posts before responding to GoofySpice as I see Katmagmom has already done so and did a better job explaining it. :embaressed_smile:

Goofyspice, I am right behind you on April 12th!!! I posted the same question separately and didn't get any advise so I am going to go through ALL of the April Sleevers and try to add them as friends. You do that by clicking on the little person icon under a person's picture or avatar. You will see a tiny little "minus" sign over the picture after you add them and you also use icon that to remove someone as a friend. There may be a better way to set up a group on here but I don't know what it is. Be warned April Sleevers as I am going to try to add you all as friends :party4:....feel free to ignore me and an I promise not to take it personally. :wink1:

Here is one I NEVER thought I would look forward to but I realized today that I am looking forward to exercising! It has always been a 4 letter word to me but I look forward to going to the gym and not being embarrassed at how I look. I tried yoga a few years ago and felt like I couldn't breathe in a lot of the positions because of my stomach. I look forward to losing enough weight to try it again. (in some killer cute exercise clothes of course!)

:broken_heart: You WILL get there Heather and just think what a story this will be to tell later....you might even laugh about it (okay...probably not)! It feels heartbreaking now but in the big scheme of things it is just a bump in the road. I am grateful that you shared your sad tale with us because I start my low carb pre-op diet on 3/29 and this will help me tow the line. My surgeon has a reputation for canceling surgery too if the prep has not been done correctly. Your doctor probably did the right thing and I know I'd rather have a surgeon who is interested in minimizing complications and if they can do a better job with a smaller liver...it is our job to give it to them! Let us know what date you get your surgery rescheduled for so we can send you good vibes.

Sorry---off topic...just noticed that Ooopseedaisy has her 2nd surgeon's appt tomorrow and surgery next week! That is exciting! Congratulations and good luck....you will be joining the loser's bench soon too!

I started using myfitnesspal on the recommendation of others on this Board and I love it too! It does have a Blackberry app now too. It's very easy to use.

Goofyspice...glad you are waiting on your sister...I think that was a good decision! I will be right behind you....my surgery is scheduled for April 12 in Austin, Texas. Good luck to all of us April Sleevers!:cheer2:

You folks posting on the day of your surgery blow me away! Amazing....trust me, you don't want me posting on the day of my surgery. All grammar, spelling and decorum are likely to go out the window! Congratulations on feeling well enough to post!

I am sorry...I am sure you are completely bummed. The good news is that Monday isn't far away and you will be there before you know it! Let us know how it goes for you.

Try some different products. I got samples from Unjury, Chicke, Netrition and Vita Lady and there is a huge difference between products and flavors. I love, love, love the Unjury Chocolate Splendor and Chicken soup but the Strawberry from Chicke made me want to throw up. I haven't been sleeved yet so I am trying to identify what I can tolerate first. Maybe mixing it up a bit will help. Good luck!

Hi y'all. I don't know all of the ins and outs of this website but I was wondering if any of you know how to keep track of each other (all us April Sleevers that is)! Do we add each other as a friend? Not sure but I'd like to do it somehow. I think we can offer particular support since we are all going through the same things within days or weeks of each other. Anyone have any idea if that is possible or if anyone is interested? My surgical date is set for April 12 in Austin, Texas.

My boss had great advice when I told her I was going to have the surgery. She said not to tell anyone at work because even if my small team of a dozen folks or so are supportive, we work in a company with over 1,000 employees. She said that the story will get retold and revised and pretty soon I will be the woman who had a face lift, boob job and tummy tuck while I was at it and that people I don't even know will be checking me out. She has worked at our office for a long time and said she has seen it happen. I am doing what one of the other posters mentioned and that is to take sick leave but tell everyone (except my boss) that I am on vacation. Good luck with managing everyone's crazy expectations. You might try just laughing when they say something stupid like you are sure they must be joking.

Add one more to the list of April Sleevers! I saw my surgeon today and now I am scheduled for April 12th....I am doing the happy dance and counting down the days! :party4: