BlackBerryJuice

I'm also from Canada, with a relatively low starting BMI, and also ended up going to Dr. Aceves. I had briefly considered the lap band before, but never really had the money. This time I happened to have access to a large line of credit and my worries about repayment are minimal, so having WLS actually became a realistic possibility. The things that really triggered my decision to go ahead were: 1) having lost 50 lbs with tremendous effort for like the 5th time in a row and then regaining like 5 lbs every time I'd have one candy bar - I just couldn't fight that battle anymore, I felt that my whole life revolved around food - whether consuming it or restraining myself from consuming it 2) learning more about obesity in medical school and realizing it's MUCH more complex than plain willpower (which I often suspected - how come I had the willpower to hold down 2 jobs and go to school part-time but not to resist a candybar?) and that there's a huge physiological aspect to it Thankfully, I somehow stumbled upon this forum and noticed Dr. Aceves had sleeved many people on here, and then someone (I believe, OregonDaisy) recommended that I contact him directly. I spoke to one of his coordinators and she strongly suggested the sleeve. I dwelled on it for about 2 weeks, doing lots of research about the side effects of the band, the benefits of the sleeve, and reading the experiences of other Dr. Aceves patients. Altogether, it took me maybe 2 weeks of good hard thinking to decide that I wanted WLS and another 2 weeks to realize I wanted the sleeve. Once I made up my mind, I was dying to have the surgery ASAP! Unfortunately, due to my own schedule I had to book 1.5 months ahead. I definitely had lots of time to rethink things during those 6 weeks, having never had surgery before and being worried about travelling to Mexico, but in the end it always came down to the fact that I KNEW I would never get my weight under control on my own - and I'd only get fatter and more miserable if I waited any longer. I didn't want to have to worry about getting tummy tucks, arm lifts, and what not, so I wanted to have the surgery before I got to 300 lbs and grew like 50 lbs of extra skin everywhere. I'm definitely very happy that I had the surgery when I did, even though I didn't have any disposable income at the time, so I do have to repay the debt eventually when I start working.

Exactly, like someone above said, according to these, almost any obese person has an eating disorder. And every North American between Thanksgiving and Christmas! I actually had serious eating issues as a teen and onwards - bulimia with binging/throwing up as often as 4 times a day at its worst, and binge eating so much, I'd pack on a steady 10 lbs a month. In fact, I had put on 50 lbs in 6 months prior to my surgery, right after losing it over the course of a year! So I'm sure if I had disclosed all this during psych eval for insurance, I would've been labeled a basketcase and ineligible for surgery, as well. Mind you, I did have to fill out a lengthy health history the day before my surgery, and I was honest about my prior history with bulimia (I hadn't thrown up for almost a decade by then) and binges. My Dr. just asked how long since I had last made myself vomit and once I said it had been a decade, he said he wasn't worried about me. I did get some therapy for my bulimia back in the days, but it was absolutely terrible and I don't credit any of my recovery to it, it was all my own initiative and my own hard work. Re: binge eating, I read many books about it, etc, and while the principle of treatment is great (#1 tenet is to never let yourself get hungry), when you are obese, it's awfully hard to follow it. I mean, how can you lose weight without ever getting hungry? It's impossible, your body's not stupid and the leptin and ghrelin are going to kick in and rise until you finally give in and overeat/binge. I shadowed an eating disorder psychiatrist back in 1st year medicine, and she saw some very obese people with major BED issues, as well. One woman had gained 100 lbs in a year! I asked her how she deals with very obese pts who obviously need to lose weight and she said she puts them on a 2500-calorie diet so they don't get hungry and encourages them to lose weight through exercise - the hunger from food restriction just triggers more binges. Well, good luck losing 100+ lbs via exercise only! It's an awful lot easier treating someone who's underweight, in my opinion, you can't just tell an obese person with an eating disorder that she should keep eating, because it's not healthy, either. Anyway, the rambling tangent aside, I've experienced a binge drive TWICE since my Aug. 9th surgery and both times found it fairly easy to overcome. I've been seeing a good counselor since my surgery, but recently we've both discovered that we rarely talk about eating these days - I simply don't have these issues anymore. I do find myself eating mindlessly by the computer sometimes, but who doesn't - as long as I rein myself in and choose things like fruits or vegetables, I don't stress about it too much. It's truly amazing how much of this "binge eating disorder" I had must've been triggered by hunger and messed up gastric hormones. I really do think that this surgery has the potential to cure this illness, which makes me wonder if BED is truly a mental illness or if it's primarily based on physiology. I even saw an obesity specialist about a research proposal re: bariatric surgery and emotional eating/BED, but he said that while the topic is interesting to him, I'd have to do a master's to pull it off, and at this point, I'm not ready to make a commitment (maybe after I graduate medical school in 2 years). But I really do think that this surgery cures some people of their eating issues - obviously not all, as I've seen some people on this forum really struggle, to the point of making themselves vomit after surgery - but I do think that the psych evals they have now may be overly stringent. It's one of the reasons I wanted to do that research project - to see if the results would make it possible for more people to become eligible.

Just keep doing it, you can never get it right the first time around, it takes a couple of tries.

Did your doc say anything or did they just rehydrate you and send you home? I'm assuming they've ruled out all serious issues, e.g. leaks. I had some issues with nausea right around week 2-3 and both the emerg doc and Dr. Aceves told me it was likely due to acid overproduction and suggested I take my Nexium 2x/daily instead of once a day.

That's ridiculous! I lived in the US for a while, and one time I got a doctor's bill by mistake (it was supposed to go to insurance) - was shocked to learn that my visit for a stubborn sore throat had cost $1200! That didn't include a SINGLE test, either! I think here we bill the government about $50 per visit, depending on the province. I blame the lawsuit culture in the US. I was blown away when I found out how much docs pay in malpractice insurance there (upwards of $250,000/yr for a young doc with no lawsuits on record). Here it's only about $2000-3000 a year, no more than $25,000 in high-risk specialties like obstetrics. It's very hard to sue a doc frivolously here.

That looks really good! I can't interpret some of them, as our measures are different (e.g. mmol/L for glucose rather mg/dl or whatever it is they use in the US), but the ones I can, look great!

Couple of tips that help me with exercise: 1) find a time that works for you - I CAN'T stick to a morning program, for example, it's gotta be in the evening. 2) Sign up for a class - bootcamp is great. I've also signed up for a couple of dance classes - that way I'm actually learning something practical. I've always wanted to try ballet, but my weight made it challenging - even though I wasn't the biggest person in my class when I first tried it at around 175, it was just too tough on my feet. Now it's much easier. I got inspired by a male classmate who started ballet at 19 and went on to have a professional career, which defies everything they ever tell you about professional ballet. 3) Find a buddy. My boyfriend wanted to try ballroom dancing with me. He has 2 left feet and is completely tone-deaf, so the laughs alone were a good enough reason to sign up. 4) Try a sport. I used to play for a community soccer league. Now my boyfriend and I play badminton sometimes. If I had an elliptical at home, I wouldn't be terribly motivated to exercise, either - it's just too boring. 5) If you live in a place with a harsh winter, get involved in some winter sports. It's my 2nd year cross-country skiing and I find it to be great exercise. Plus it makes me feel slightly less miserable about winter. We also go skating on occasion. 6) Set a goal. I loathe running, but in the past, I'd sign up for 5Ks and 10Ks to get myself to train. Having a race to train for should give you that extra push. 7) Find a gym that's close to your house. I've got a 1-month bootcamp pass and I just know that there's no point in using it until school ends, as the gym is about a 20-min drive from my house, and during the school year, I'll have all kinds of excuses (both legitimate and illegitimate!) not to go. If it's too much of a hassle to go work out, you just won't do it.

Stop skipping my ballet ballet classes. I skipped like 1/3 of them in the fall semester. Exam weeks are particularly bad for it, but this semester I think I only have 2 exam weeks during ballet.

I also started with salads and fruit about a month out, they never caused me any problems. I tried nuts (pecans) about 2 months out, and I felt rather uncomfortable...however, recently I've eaten some and it didn't bother me, so maybe waiting til about 3 months is a good idea. Portion control is an issue, though, as nuts are really high in calories.

UnderArmour compression clothes are pretty potent.

Tuna....LOVE canned tuna!

I remember someone posted that you are not allowed to have pumpkin seeds, coconut, and one other thing (something equally obscure). Apparently, the cellulose can ball up inside your stomach and cause an obstruction.

Any chance you could be pregnant?My weight doesn't seem to fluctuate as much post-VSG as it did before the surgery. While my weight will occasionally go up a pound for a day or 2, it's never more than that (and usually I can link it to eating a bigger meal right before bed or not going #2 for a few days). A 6-lbs gain seems to be worth investigating.

Darn, US only! Anyone know a Canadian site like this? My boyfriend and I eat out daily, so it'd save us a ton of cash.

Nasty fried food smell makes me nauseous. I've always hated fried food, but now I feel sick just walking by a McDonalds and catching a whiff.

I wouldn't worry about it. 4.5 months out, I can eat quite a bit. There's still an occasional meal where I, for whatever reason, can't eat more than 3-4 bites (last night's chicken lasagna is an example), but there are many times where I eat a modest-sized meal - enough that people wouldn't wonder if I dislike the food or have anorexia or something like that. Today for lunch, I had about a cup of burrito mix with beef, a honey mandarin, and 2 small Cookies (1 inch in diameter or so). With this quantity of food, I actually have to make sure I don't have a snack too soon, because you can end up eating quite a bit in one day. It takes some time for the swelling in your stomach to subside, 3 weeks definitely isn't enough. And after several months, your sleeve will also stretch out a bit, accomodating more food.

Some meds will dissolve in a drink. There may also be a chewable or injectable option you can use until you're cleared to swallow pills. I'd call your local pharmacy and ask about each of your meds. Some meds shouldn't be crushed or dissolved (usually, the slow-release capsules), so it's best to run it by your pharmacist to make sure you are not ruining your medications.

Done!

Buy dress pants....I've avoided buying things that can't be tailored easily and cost a lot until I've maintained my weight for at least a month! My boyfriend and I are going to Hawaii at the end of February, I should be around goal by then, so I guess that's one thing I'll be doing. I'm treating myself to some windsurfing lessons there!

For comedy, I love the old favorite - "Naked Gun." Especially in the wake of Leslie Nielsen's recent passing. If you are not religious, you will probably enjoy "The Invention of Lying," I thought it was a very clever movie. Most Woody Allen movies are a safe bet. I don't know how heavy you like your movies....I personally loved "The Road," but it's kind of depressing. "Pan's Labyrinth" is a very good movie, but it can also make someone uncomfortable - there's definitely a fair bit of violence, as the movie juxtaposes this child's magic world with the reality of the Spanish Civil War going on around her.

I think you need to get a couple of consults from both bariatric surgeons and psychiatrists (ideally those who work with bariatric patients), it's not something that you alone can decide, because it could turn out to be a disaster. I remember one of Dr. Aceves' coordinators told me a story about a patient of theirs who got a pass to go to the mall with another pt the day after his VSG and ate an ENTIRE BIG MAC while he was there. His sleeve burst and Dr. Aceves had to perform open abdominal surgery on him to clean everything up and ensure he didn't die from sepsis. Obviously, this person had some sort of unadressed mental health issues to go and do something like that - and without the psych evals that happen if you go through insurance, he slipped through the cracks. You have to consult doctors who are experienced with Aspergers AND WLS to make sure something like that doesn't happen with your son. And if you go to Dr. Aceves for the actual procedure, I'd absolutely notify him of your son's condition so he's aware that your son may be in need of special care post-op.

I battle with boredom eating more so than cravings for junk food - thankfully, because while I have the time to be bored and/or eat mindlessly while studying, 6 months from now I won't have that luxury! With boredom eating, drinking tea helps me most - I've got all kinds of flavors, I just add splenda and sometimes milk. If that doesn't do it, I just try to choose healthier things - I've got some baby carrots, persimmons, and honey mandarins in the fridge, and they generally hit the spot. If I eat and still have head anger, I try to get out of the house and go for a walk. I have what I'd define as a "bad day" on occasion - I don't think I've ever felt out of control with a particular food since the VSG - but sometimes I'll just eat all day, or should I say, all evening. Today I had one of these non-stop eating days, I suspect my difficult morning workout played a role - lifting weights always makes me hungry later in the day! Plus I was freezing in the blizzard this morning and got a latte from Starbucks - a short one, but it still had 370 calories! I also automatically bought a pastry with my coffee, it was almost a knee-jerk reflex. I only ate half of it and threw the other way and didn't finish the offending beverage, but still, I didn't need either. I tried to follow my basic steps today - I did the tea thing, I did the fruit thing, AND I went for a walk in the evening - and I still felt like I inhaled pounds upon pounds of food. So I decided to see the extent of the damage and logged everything, down to the one piece of curry beef, and to my surprise, even with the sugary coffee and pastry, I had about 1700 calories (on the upside, almost 100 g protein! lol). Seems like a lot, but then I remembered that pre-VSG, I would consider that a good day, and I did do an hour-long workout that left me drenched in sweat with wobbly legs. If I hadn't had the coffee + pastry, I would've been at 1200, which is the top end of my normal range, so in the end this "bad day" just came down to one impulse buy. It's amazing how you get used to eating like a bird and what would've been a good diet day to a non-sleeved person seems like a catastrophe until you look at it more closely! I feel bad about eating that pastry and drinking the latte, but I gave myself a pat on the back for trying all of my overeating solutions rather than just giving up and moved on. I don't think ANY PERSON eats perfectly EVERY SINGLE DAY. I've been seeing a psychologist since the surgery and when he first asked me what my goal was for the therapy, I said "to be completely free of cravings and mindless eating." He told me that he didn't think anyone could ever achieve that, so we decided that we'd start with having more good days than bad days. Thankfully, my good days outnumber my bad days probably 15:1 and I consider that to be awesome. Pre-surgery, it was probably 1:1. I guess it's always a work in progress and setbacks are unavoidable. And if anything I've experienced so far is true, I'm probably gonna be another pound down tomorrow - it seems that anytime I have dessert, I end up losing weight the next day!

On a side note, does anyone know how that "excess weight" is calculated? Is it just all the weight in excess of 24.9 BMI? Because then I've already lost 90+% of my excess weight, and I'm just over 4 months out. It would've sucked to only lose 65% - I lost more than that last year on my own!

Ah, good point. I checked and it's carbonate. Sometimes I take it with meals, sometimes on its own....I quit my PPI about 2 months ago, though, so I thought I'd be producing enough acid by now.

Anyone considering (or know anyone who has!) a thigh lift? Lots of people seem to be talking about boobs, but as I'm sitting here procrastinating, I'm pondering the fate of my inner thighs. I definitely still have some fat in there, but I'm also starting to see loose skin - when I grab a handful, there's obvious wrinkling. I carry most of my excess weight in this area and it doesn't seem to look much better than it was pre-surgery - smaller, but still very flabby. It's gross, I have rock-hard quads but as you get closer to my groin, it's like a down pillow. I was doing jump squats in front of a mirror at the gym the other day, and while everything else looked fine, I could literally see my inner thigh flab bouncing up and down with every jump! For those of you who are at or near goal and are more pear-shaped, how have your inner thighs fared? How many months until I'd have to give up on this area ever tightening naturally? As far as the thigh lift surgery, does anyone have first-hand or word-of-mouth experience with it? I imagine the recovery is more difficult than with a VSG, getting around would probably be difficult for a while. Is it easy to rip the stitches open and ruin everything by just tripping or twisting funny? Just wondering in case I ever need to resort to surgery - if this doesn't improve, I might have to do it later, as I'm only 25, so a good 25 years of shorts are still ahead!