Hi there,

New to this forum (signed up today)...I am scheduled to have my VSG surgery on May 24th with Dr. Alberto Aceves. Very excited but have many questions. Will be posting those questions in the days to follow and would appreciate any info and/or knowledge you can impart.

Thanks,

Welcome and this is a great place to get your questions answered.

Hey Sarah, and welcome. Post away, and congrats on getting your surgery set up.

Keep us posted on your date, and progress ! ! !

Wow! Thanks so much- that was fast!

Tiffykins- I've been reading tons of threads on this forum for almost two months now as a visitor and I must say you are quite inspiring and motivating. You've done such a wonderful job on your weight loss and you are always so supportive and positive in your replies and posts. It's very much a breath of fresh air.

Soooo, everyone, 1st question:

What did y'all (sorry, from Texas) say prior to your surgery, when people found out y'all were going to be away from work, school, etc...? I am taking a week off from work and while I want to be honest with what I am doing, (if someone hadn't been honest with me, I would never have started researching VSG), I don't want to spend the 2 weeks leading up to my surgery answering questions or defending my decision. And that leads me to my second question which is, what in the world did you say when you got back and started losing weight or people saw that you were eating drasticallly different, (i.e. the post op diet for one), unable to eat lunch out with them, etc..?

And don't get too comfortable, I'll keep the questions coming! Thanks.

LOL Sarah, saying and typing y'all is just normal for us Texans.

I was really open about my surgery. I worked in a small insurance agency, and we were really close so they were super supportive of my decision. I really didn't catch a lot of flack from anyone.

The best reply if someone does give you flack is " myself and my medical professionals know this is the best course of action for my future health, if I was having heart bypass surgery, would you be opposed?" That'll typically shut them up rather quickly.

As for the post-op diet, I didn't return to work after my revision. My post-op diet was between me and the walls of my house. Once I did start venturing out, people did notice, and I was open about my surgery. I am glad I was open. A very dear friend of mine that I have gotten very close with over the last 9 months or so had her sleeve surgery today with one of my surgeons and is doing fabulous. I get to see her tomorrow, and I am elated for her. She told me she would have never considered it if I had not been open, and she was able to see that as the months went on, I dropped weight, but was still eating out with her and the other girls every week. Of course I was almost 3.5 months out when we all met, and well into normal foods, but my portions were tiny. She's been a rock for me, and I hope I can do the same for her now that she is on her way with the sleeve.

If you aren't comfortable with telling people pre-op, tell them it's personal, and when you return, you'll fill them in on the details. That way you avoid all the questions, and possible negativity.

First of all, I thought yall was a word!! LOL (I am a Texas girl too...)

Secondly, I do nails in a salon, I talk alot and actually I find that when I am excited about something, it is really hard to NOT tell.....however, I am selective about who I tell. I completely agree about being honest, and if it hadnt been for one of my clients telling me about her experience with RNY I wouldnt have been researching this surgery either. And my sister and my dad both had bypass! Go figure!

I have told alot of people, and then there are quite a few that I havent told. One of my clients, for example, has a cousin that was supposed to have RNY and I asked her if she had had it done yet. Her response was surprisingly negative! She commented about how she would NEVER have that done because everybody she knows that has had it done looks to be about 75 years old in the face!! gasp!! Needless to say, she is NOT one of the people that I told. I think I will use Tiffany's line in response to people like that!

So, be honest....but be selective about who and when you tell.....follow your gut!