Stacy160

I'm a year and two days out, not quite to goal yet and have been basically at a standstill for four months (my own fault), and I have not had one single moment of regret, even at the beginning. I'd do it again every single year if I had to!

It really does depend on your policy... some might cover complications even if they didn't cover the surgery -- most don't, it seems. My policy specifically excluded anything related to weight loss, including surgery, AND including any complications resulting from bariatric surgery. Call your insurance company and see what they tell you to be sure!

YES, you can do it, and 3 months is plenty of time to train!! Especially if you're already doing 2K. I went from 0 to 5K in two months using the C25K program, and before that I'd been able to run one mile straight exactly ONE time in my life and that was at age 14. I tried many times, but it took outgrowing asthma and then losing 60 lbs before trying again, but if I can do it anyone can, so go for it!!

How about just giving them a wide-eyed, incredulous look, saying "WOW." and finding a reason to walk in another direction? They won't know if the answer was yes, or if you were insulted that they'd be so bold to ask, or what, but they'll definitely get the idea that they were out of line asking in the first place.

I can't add much, but I'll say that I'd never have the bypass (RNY) because the regain stats are just scary. My aunt's had two WLSs, the second one being RNY, and has put all her weight back on each time.... she's by far not the only one I know personally who's done that. At your weight though, I think I'd be leaning more toward going with the DS, and as others have said, the sleeve can also be extended to the full DS later if you don't get where you want to be with the sleeve alone. You'd still have the nutritional issues that you get with the bypass, but NOT the regain. Has your surgeon discussed DS with you, and if so, what's his reasoning for starting with the VSG and not going straight into a DS? I'm just curious.

At a year out, I've finally learned the secret IS Miralax. Tried it before, but only when things got stopped up (which is pretty much constantly if I'm eating right), but it takes having it consistently to keep things moving along. For the last week I've been taking it as directed (one capful mixed in liquid a day) and things have been WONDERFUL--I mean, as these things go. Heh..."go" ... get it? Anyway, it's early and my caffeine hasn't kicked in yet. Like Sarah says too, it mixes in completely, NO residue, NO taste, nothing. If you have a Sam's membership, you can get their brand at about half the cost of the name brand and it works just as well. I'm totally sold on the stuff now, just wish I'd been consistent with it earlier! (and, it does not cause dependency, so later on when you can fit in more healthy carbs and fibers so you don't need it anymore, or as much, your body will still remember how to function normally without it.)

I've always had short (for my height), wide feet, but for the last 10 years I've had to wear extra-wide shoes, most of which had to be ordered online because stores just don't carry them. I'd been wearing a 7.5 4E, but since surgery I'm back in a 7 (obviously the length didn't change, I just don't have to get them longer to get more width), but in a regular wide and sometimes not even that. My new very favorite shoes are a regular old size 7 pair of high-heeled clogs, and my running shoes that I had before surgery but didn't use (but do now!) are a little "baggy" feeling. It's awesome!

I read somewhere that the reason plain Water feels so icky early out is that because of its Ph, it tends to sit on top of the acid in our stomachs, and that having some sort of flavoring in it (crystal lite, propel, tea, whatever) changes the Ph so that it mixes in. I have no idea whether or not that's true, but I know that plain water for the first 3-4 months just felt kind of "hard" and uncomfortable... I'd have to take a few sips, wait, and sip again, whereas with Crystal Lite or Propel I could take a few chugs (I'm talking several weeks out here, not immediately post-op. It still took me 45-60 minutes to get through a bottle of Propel those first few weeks). Then, I dunno if it's because the swelling went down or what, water started getting easier and by about 6 months out, felt completely normal with full chugging and no issues at all.

That could be a phantom itching sensation as the tiniest nerves heal back together, but at 12 days out everything should be closed and you should be able to put anything on them. I loved Bio Oil... still have 2/3 of a bottle left and I've taken to putting it on my face at night.

While I was in the hospital (just overnight) they put pain meds and anti-nausea meds in my IV, but I couldn't tell you what they were. I came home with a bottle of liquid something-or-other... I'd know the name if I heard it! But I never even had to open it, and didn't have any nausea. Yay!

Oh, I luuuuuvs me some steak. I had a few tiny bites of very tender steak right about 6 weeks out and it's always sat very well in my sleeve... better than chicken, early out. When we eat out, if it's not a buffet (where it's so hard to NOT overeat because you want a bite of everything and not feel like the money's wasted on you), then usually I get something sensible with sensible sides (if included, like veggies as opposed to mac & cheese), eat what I'm comfortable with, and take the rest home. That way either I get another meal or two out of it, or my son (if he's home) gets it, or hubby gets it, or something. I don't feel bad ordering a full meal, 'cause it'll be eaten anyway, eventually!

Nobody can tell you what to do, but the thing is that even if you don't have any health issues yet ... and you're lucky if you're not even having joint or spine problems yet ... you most certainly will eventually. Most people ride the weight-loss roller coaster for several years, with many One Last Good Tries, before admitting that it's just not working and something has to be done. But when you know, you KNOW, even if it makes you nervous and you start having the "what-if" thoughts. If despite having those feelings you still know that it's time, then it's time.

At the one support group meeting I went to, they had samples of this for us to try. I'm pretty sure they said it took the place of the Multivitamin but not the calcium. If you've looked or noticed, how does it compare price-wise to the multi chewables?

LOL... I would say day of surgery was Day 1 (did they give you clears in the hospital?). Lots of us were on full liquids right out of the gate so I think you're good to go today. Enjoy your soups and smoothies!

Nope! But as soon as I had that $100 million in the bank, I'd throw a huge party with all my family and friends, eat like a pig, drink like a fish, hit the Chinese buffet the next day, follow it up with Dairy Queen, take a cruise and eat all the wonderful food I could (to get my money's worth, you know), hit up every restaurant I've always wanted to try, always packing it in to maximum capacity... get the idea? Lots of people here -- I'm not one of them -- HAVE lost all their weight, some of them numerous times, losing and gaining the same hundreds of pounds over and over through the years. The sleeve is about REALLY getting it off, in a healthy way, once and for all, taking control of your life, learning to love a healthy lifestyle, and never looking back. All I can tell you is that in the end, even if you're one of the unlucky ones with complications, you won't regret it.

4 months. No, really! But don't let that scare you... here's why: Even from the beginning, I always had a week or week and a half during every month where nothing happened on the scale... this is normal, your body occasionally holds Water when it senses that it needs to regulate itself, then it decides everything's OK, and you magically "lose" several pounds overnight. Thing is, you're still losing fat during that time, which is why you'll constantly see people wondering how their clothes can be getting smaller when they're not losing any weight. As for my big stall, which I've finally broken through over the last week... well, it wasn't exactly a stall. What happened was that I'd started running and allowed more carbs into my diet.... usually healthy ones, like Fiber One, fruits, nuts, things like that, but more carbs nonetheness. Then I slowed down on the running as the weather got cold and crappy (I'm in Michigan) and eventually stopped altogether around Thanksgiving, and didn't adjust me eating to compensate for it. Then the holidays-hoooo, boy, I completely lost my sense of purpose there for a couple of weeks. Amazingly, I did NOT gain weight and I 100% have the sleeve to thank for that! So it wasn't really a stall, but more like I slipped into maintenance mode. I have come to realize though, that I can not lose weight if I go over about 40 grams of carbs a day on a consistent basis. Here's the really good news: I've been back on the wagon, doing super-low carb and lots of Protein, since Monday, and so far I've got 5 pounds and great restriction to show for it. I slipped under 170 lbs. yesterday, putting me less than 10 lbs away from my first long-term goal! I say first because I'm pretty sure I want to go another 12 lbs. or so past that. I have gotten completely off-track... well, kinda not, because my point is, don't let stalls worry you. They're normal, they happen and your sleeve DOES WORK and will ALWAYS work!! If it seems to last longer than you think it should, re-evaluate what you're eating and make sure you're taking in enough protein and water, and not to many carbs. For many of us, they really are disastrous. Hope it breaks soon for you!

"Pureed" means put in a blender and pulverized to liquid consistency, or the equivalent (refried beans mixed with a little water/milk, chunky soups blenderized, etc)....not solid food and especially not solid, dense meats. Be very careful these first few weeks, you don't want that stuff trying to squeeze through there with all the swelling and unhealed scar, and ending up busting your sleeve open.

If I go over about 40, my weight loss comes to a screeching halt, not matter where I am with the calories. Kinda sucks when the vitamins alone take up 15 of those 40!

$11,200 with Dr. Mark Pleatman in Bloomfield Hills, MI. That included $200 initial consult fee (which my insurance did cover, minus the co-pay), his fee, the hospital fee, anesthesia, 1-2 nights in the hospital (typically one, but if for some reason an extra night is needed, it's covered), meeting with the nutritionist and exercise chick, support group, and two years of follow-up visits. His office specializes in out-of-town patients and from what I hear, they're great about helping people handle arrangements. I'm lucky enough to live only 45 minutes away, so that wasn't a concern for me. I've been very pleased!

I was 44.... wish I could have done it 15 years before that!

You know what, I had that here and there for the first couple of months after surgery, then it went away. Now here I am at almost a year out, and 2-3 weeks ago, there it was again! Almost like a burning, pulling sensation in the tissue right under the skin? I'm thinking now it must be a scar tissue adhesion... I can't feel it standing up, and keep forgetting to check it when I'm laying down, when it should be more apparent. If I remember, I'll let ya know if I find anything.

Nope!

Ricotta cheese with a little garlic salt, spaghetti sauce, and mozzrella or parmesan on top (microwaved) always made me very happy.

Different doctors have different guidelines, but most eventually allow anything you can tolerate. I was cleared for all solids at 6 weeks and had lots and lots of pineapple (YUM) in the summer, without a problem.

Try a little bit of A-1 steak sauce (or equivalent). It's my secret ingredient in cabbage Soup, which I frequently make with chicken instead of hamburger, and it really adds a nice flavor. I had chicken broth on a liquid day a few days ago, trying to detox from the holidays LOL.... while Greek yogurt works beautifully in tomato soup, ummmmm.... not so much in the chicken broth. It didn't dissolve or thicken it up any, and with the broth being clear you could just see bits of yogurt floating around in it. Not appetizing! Since you can't really throw any herbs in there (I would have suggested some basil maybe), I guess the steak sauce is my only suggestion. Let us know what you come up with, I'm curious!