I noticed a few July folks posting on other threads and thought there might be enough of us to start our own thread (rather than hijacking whatever threads we find with a July surgery in them) - so I invite anyone with a July surgery to post their story here so we can support each other and share our experiences.

I'm C and my surgery is scheduled with Dr. Aceves on 15 July. I'm 29 and married to an Army man - we're currently stationed in Germany. We have two year old boy/girl twins. I'm choosing to self-pay because Tricare does not currently cover VSG and none of the overseas military facilities do the procedure at this time. To complicate matters, our next assignment is (as of right now) in Yerevan, Armenia. Getting this surgery in a remote location like Armenia isn't even a possibility. I'm not willing to wait more than two more years for this surgery.

I started my research in the summer of 2008 when my doctor diagnosed me with Type II (I developed gestational diabetes with my twin pregnancy and it stuck around afterward) and suggested the band. After much research I decided the sleeve best suits my needs.

I'm 5'1" (and some change), 240 pounds and I would be happy with any weight under 160 pounds. I haven't weighed less than that in more than ten years and I have been plus-sized since high school.

Please, hop in and share your own stories so I can share this journey with others instead of doing it alone! If I am successful my mom would like to have the surgery, too, but she's very nervous because she has never had surgery before.

~C

I do not know how to update my ticker. Anyone know? I went to the ticker website but didn't see where to login at. Feeling kinda dingy! Please help : )

Hi everyone I am crystal, my surgery date is 7/12 which is tommarow. I am really excited, so far i have lost 20 pounds before surgery I feel great. Today I am on a liquid only diet which i thought would be harder than it is I havent drank much at all, I made a protein shake and had half of it. Wish me luck!

Hi everyone! I'm getting sleeved Thursday and I am so excited! The preop diet has about made me crazy, I have clear liquids only for the next 3 days so that should be awesome lol. I'm going to Tijuana and the weather in Kansas has been almost 100 - wonder how hot it will be there??

I'm enjoying all the posts as I'm recovering. Wish all the recents and soon to be's the very best! For those of you having your first WLS it's even more exciting. Well at least it was that way for me. I was absolutely tingling with excitement when I was being banded and even soon after. This time, while I'm delighted that I don't have the fear of regaining all my lost weight and will likely lose a bit more, it's not the same level of excitement. Just musing here, but it's kind of like when you have your first child or grandchild. Then next one is every bit as precious and loved but the fact is the transformation to "mother" or "grandmother" happens only with the FIRST. So too for me with this second surgery. I'm happy it's going to be great, it's just that while the RESULT is just as valuable, the transformation to myself has already been experienced. Okay, I'm rambling... blame it on the pain meds.

Keep up the posting. With all this time on my hands I'd love to reply to just EVERYONE! Know they are being read and appreciated by many!

Edited July 11, 201016 yr by Ellisa

Hi everyone...I'm totally new at all this. Only been on here for a few days.

My surgery is in 1 week (July 19). I am very excited.

I am 43, 246 pounds, 5'5"

My Pre-op instructions were simple:

- Day before surgery be on a liquid diet and drink 1 bottle of Magnesium Citrate. That's it.

My list:

- go to another store besides Walmart, Lane Bryant and Cato to buy clothes

- not handing off 'playtime' with my 9 year old active son to my husband who is fit

- a general 'feeling better'

- not being the fattest one in the room

- not dreading meeting my skinny friends

- not having a backache anymore

- having my joints feel better

- not being so tired

- KNOWING I'm healthier

- sleeping better

- being able to bend over to paint my toes

- putting on my shoes in a non weird way

- CROSSING MY LEGS

- not tugging at my shirt all the time

These are just a FEW things I could think of.

My surgery is July 19th too. I am going on my preop diet tomorrow. It's making me very nervous. I have never been successful on one before. You are so lucky to only have to do it for the day before.

Don't forget squatting!!! I'll never forget the day I discovered I could squat down to get in the bottow drawer. I LOVE squatting now. LOL

My surgery date is 7/26. I am becoming more and more excited as I read posts on this website I just found!

I keep reading of varying pre-op diets. On my handouts it only mentions 1 day before. But I keep hearing of other ppl doing 1-2 week pre-op diets. Hmm, well, that's all I know. Oh, and as of tomorrow, I am going cold turkey on the sodas. Wish me luck!

Kee posting and lifting us up! it's encouraging to read about all the successes and truths about the surgery:)

My surgery date is 7/26. I am becoming more and more excited as I read posts on this website I just found!

I keep reading of varying pre-op diets. On my handouts it only mentions 1 day before. But I keep hearing of other ppl doing 1-2 week pre-op diets. Hmm, well, that's all I know. Oh, and as of tomorrow, I am going cold turkey on the sodas. Wish me luck!

Kee posting and lifting us up! it's encouraging to read about all the successes and truths about the surgery:)

Sanct,

Yes there are a variety of pre op and post op diets. I was banded 2 1/2 years ago and have several family members banded and GBSed. So I felt pretty confident answering questions about those surgeries...the answers usually started with "everybody is different but..."

I'm the only person I know personally who's been sleeved. The same surgeon did my band and sleeve. In my case, my pre op diet was just NPO after midnight the night prior. It wasn't a given that I'd come out "sleeved;" saving my band was the goal, but my hiatal hernia was too big for the doc to trust the repair would hold with the band in place. But it was a possibility. The determining factor for my pre op diet was that my BMI is way better than when I was banded and even pre band, the bulk of my fat is not in the belly area. Others with my surgeon could have a complete two week liquid regime.

My post op diet is a stricter variety than many of his band patients. Why? If the sleeve were my initial surgery or the band had been removed and the stomach a chance to heal first then the VGS procedure done the risk of leakage would have been lower. Ah but the risk of anesthesia doubled (two surgeries).

So while some going to my doc are able to have pureed the day after being sleeved didn't apply to me. I have to be on clear liquid an entire week. Then I begin pureed, but it must be very thin at first (more of a full liquid) and gradually thicker as tolerated. I really don't mind it except when I smell food. LOL But if I drink something I'm okay. And I'm drinking tea and eating popsicles all the time. So it's really not so bad. It's really not... have I convinced myself yet???

Your big day is coming up soon! Wishing you the best!

Hi Ellisa, I'm going for the band removal, hernia repair, and sleeve in one shot, mostly because I don't have insurance coverage and really can't afford to break it out into 2 surgeries, which would of course be the safer option. Like you, at least I'm starting with a lower BMI this time (about 30), and I have some concerns about the leakage risks. When you say you're on clear liquids for a week, can you list exactly what you're allowed to have? Especially in terms of protein... Thanks!

Thanks Elllisa! I'm sure the layover won't be too bad, but I still hate sitting in airports with nothing to do.

At least it will take a while to pass through passport control and customs, and then I can probably sit down and eat at a restaurant to take up some more time. I'll have my books with me, too, so I'll be fine. I guess I'm just impatient to get my surgery!

Euphoric it sounds like you're doing well. Sorry that you can't do more with your daughter - I'm worried about the same thing when I get home to my almost three year old twins! I just click on my ticker in my signature for updates, by the way.

Crystal, I hope everything is going well for you today! Be sure to post your experience when you're up to it.

Welcome to tlkeuler, sunshine, sanct and chica! Time will fly by and you'll be getting ready for your surgeries before you know it.

chica, you might try Isopure (I warn you that some people hate it) or unjury. Unjury has unflavored Protein that mixes well into Crystal Light and they also have a chicken broth flavored protein that I'll use post op. I can find IsoPure at my local commissary and I know GNC sells it, but I had to buy Unjury from their website. Shipping was very fast, though. I had my order in four days and I'm at an APO adddress in Germany.

KathyM, I'm sorry to hear you're on clears now, but it's only three days and you'll be sleeved before you know it!

I hope everyone continues to do well. My flight leaves tomorrow morning and by tomorrow late evening I'll be in San Diego. I cannot believe how quickly time flew by for me!

Take care everyone, my thoughts and prayers for everyone healing and for those about to have surgery this week.

~Cheri

Hi Ellisa, I'm going for the band removal, hernia repair, and sleeve in one shot, mostly because I don't have insurance coverage and really can't afford to break it out into 2 surgeries, which would of course be the safer option. Like you, at least I'm starting with a lower BMI this time (about 30), and I have some concerns about the leakage risks. When you say you're on clear liquids for a week, can you list exactly what you're allowed to have? Especially in terms of Protein... Thanks!

Chica,

I wasn't given a list. He simply said clear liquid for one week. My understanding is that clear liquid means you can see though it. I?ll tell you what was served to me in the hospital, though each tray would have been two days worth for me. LOL In the hospital, I consumed mostly ice chips and an occasional bite of popsicle. The ice just was more appealing to me then.

Coffee/tea

Jello (sugarfree)

Apple juice

broth (low fat low sodium)

Kool Aid type popsicles (sugarfree)

I haven?t tried juice I was afraid the acid might be too much. I do eat a lot of broth. I?ve been eating regular pop sickles because my hubby accidently got the ones with sugar. The calories and sugar are minimal since I don?t eat that many of them.

I?ve emailed the dietician regarding protein because I think it helps with hunger issues. She agreed and said that GNC sells some clear liquid Proteins. (I?ve used them in the past.) I wasn?t really told that protein is a huge issue at this point and so far haven?t made the 30 mi. trip to get clear protein. And I really haven?t been hungry. I?ve emailed the dietician yesterday with a whole list of questions since this is all so new to me. I expect to hear from her today.

BTW, I have a drain. One of the purposes of it that is leakage, it will come through the drain and we will know quickly. How I asked? Eat a purple pop sickle and if the drainage changes color, I?ll know. LOL

I went into my lapband with so much more understanding because my DH was banded 2 ? years before me. I?m paving my own way this time. I don?t know anyone personally who has had it done. But this forum has been very helpful. Of course I check things with my doc or his staff. They are only an email or phone call away and very prompt.

Hi everyone I am crystal, my surgery date is 7/12 which is tommarow. I am really excited, so far i have lost 20 pounds before surgery I feel great. Today I am on a liquid only diet which i thought would be harder than it is I havent drank much at all, I made a Protein shake and had half of it. Wish me luck!

My surgery is today also! Good luck on yours! I can't wait to hear from you.

---------------

Thank you everyone for your kind words. In 5 hours give or take I will be on the losers bench!! Yah!!

Thinking of all the people having surgery today. Good vibes your way!!

Hi all I am new on here I just found this site and like it already. Well I started out 1 year and 7 months ago on this weight loss surgery. My insurance company would not approve the sleeve after I was denied 3 times and fought them for over 6 months. I finally rolled over like a dog and gave up and settled on the lapband ( Big Mistake ). I thought well I can work with this and make it do what I want it to do.....NOT. This thing I had inside of me sucked to the max, I had a hole by the port that never healed, I couldn't feel any restriction after about 3 months after 3 fills. Finally to make a long story short the band failed by leaking and the port rejected from my body and came out of the skin a year to the day of my surgery. I in the meantime found out that my insurance company started approving the sleeve 3 months after I got the band (Imagine that) Anyway the insurance company approved me for the removal and revision to sleeve if there wasn't to much scar tissue to do both then they would give me later approval well guess what to much scar tissue. I am now so excited that on July 19th I will finally get what I wanted in the first place My sleeve. So all of this cost the insurance company a total with the 3 surgeries $76,292.00 when if they would have gave me what I wanted in the first place the total cost would have been $26,350.00. No wonder insurance cost so much. So I am hoping to be a regular on here after my surgery. :thumbup: