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

Hello again, Well I am 4 days out of surgery on 7/26 and the gas seems to be getting better. I slept in the bed half the night last night so thats good. I am still having trouble swallowing anything! I had half a protein shake today and boy am I paying for it. Everything burns burns burns going down. When it gets to the bottom it burns more! Is anyone else experiencing this? Also I am having like reflux burns too! Please tell me that this is going to pass. Ican't believe that I read some people will be going back to work in 1 week. I still haven't let my kids come home yet they are visiting their grandparents indefinitely. Help any suggestions anyone??

I have not experienced any burning. Have you called your doctor's office?

I really enjoyed reading your post Calibre! It's nice to know I'm not the only one with these "fifty-something" issues! This is the very first forum type thing I have ever participated in, so I'm trying to get the hang of all the aspects of this site.

Also, thanks for the tip about the "ticker!" I'm working on it now. My attemps to be mostly private initially somewhat backfired. My husband mentioned it to one of his sisters & now they are calling to check on me (which is sweet & yet ...) -- one put a note on my Facebook page saying "glad to hear your surgery went well." I gently removed it and then sent her a personal message thanking her for her thoughts. My husbands family are all thin -- so lucky!

How do you "gently" remove something?

Hello again, Well I am 4 days out of surgery on 7/26 and the gas seems to be getting better. I slept in the bed half the night last night so thats good. I am still having trouble swallowing anything! I had half a protein shake today and boy am I paying for it. Everything burns burns burns going down. When it gets to the bottom it burns more! Is anyone else experiencing this? Also I am having like reflux burns too! Please tell me that this is going to pass. Ican't believe that I read some people will be going back to work in 1 week. I still haven't let my kids come home yet they are visiting their grandparents indefinitely. Help any suggestions anyone??

Hi Traci~

Sorry you are having trouble swallowing. What does your doctor say is the cause? I've had zero trouble drinking or eating anything and I was sleeved on July 12 and didn't think that there should be any buring or anything.

Jill

Traci : I hope you're better by now; just read your post. My doc put me on Pepcid Complete chewable twice a day post-op. Once in a while I notice break-through burning and it's usually when it's time to take another dose.

I can't imagine going back to work in 1 week either. We can really fool ourselves into thinking we had minor surgery because it was laproscopic. That's how I was fooling myself. But everytime I looked down at the drain from my abdomen draining blood tinged fluid I was reminded that it's not minor surgery! So heal well and be good to yourself and not rush back to work.

How do you "gently" remove something?

Oh, ... that. I just deleted her post, wincing that I might hurt her feelings! Not so gentle I guess. : )

:confused1:Hello,

Well, thanks for everyone kinds words I am feeling a little better today. Of course we had to go the ER last night to get me so fluids. I've been reading everything I can about complications and it seems I have them all!! What was I thinking that I would bouce back???? I am suppose to be on solid liquids for another week or anything that I can puree and get through a straw but no straw, you all know how that goes. I read someone today was having the same trouble as me and they were able to tolerate some scrambled eggs so I said what the hell give it a try! I can't drink anything without feeling nausea so how bad could it be? I did it and ate very very slowly a scramble egg chewed to nothing and had NO problems. Go figure??? Why do the liquids hurt so much??? So anyway tomorrow is 1 week and see the Doc on Tues. I am going to try to eat something again in a little while as through all this I have bouts of hunger/nausea/diarrhea. The docs gave me so meds to get my stomach going and it seemed to help but it also helped me get diarrhea. Anyone else having any problems like these?? please tell me its going to end!

I was sleeved on Thursday and woke up with a drain, a catheter and my period (ECK!). I was okay the night of surgery but Friday was hell. I stayed an extra night because I wasn't drinking enough fluids. My esophagus kept spasming. They discharged me on Saturday. I have been home and trying to drink every since. Its tougher than I thought it would be, this is an uphill battle for me. Does anyone else have these throat spasms? I'm have to brace myself for a drink after every swallow.

No problems with spasming. My mother had stomach spasms a few weeks after lapband, but medication stopped that. Not ongoing, medication, just something she used short term that stopped it and it didn't return. Sorry I don't know what it was.

My biggest issues with eating and drinking are that absolutely nothing tastes very good, every swallow is... what? noticed? Not really uncomfortable, just an awareness that's annoying. Very little food is... how do I say... doesn't feel filling, but feels like I've had enough without really feeling any enjoyment/satisfaction. But then I really don't have any hunger, I just eat because I should. I don't look forward to meals, even social meals. There's absolutely nothing that I enjoy eating. I can have soft foods. I always thought that would be a dream come true, but I miss enjoying meals. Even on the strictest of diets I've always enjoyed meals. When I first had pureed, food did taste good. But now nothing does. Hopefully this will pass. It's not a pleasant thing.

How do you "gently" remove something?

I was wondering about that too. :001_smile: Is it sort of like grabbing a bandaid and just ripping it off fast?

I've been keeping pretty low-key about my surgery, but my mom knew about it ahead of time, and she tells E-V-E-R-Y-B-O-D-Y. The way the female gossip mill works in my family, even my distant cousins have heard about it by now. :thumbup:

I'm actually glad that one of my aunts had surgery on July 29, because it took the focus off of me. Everybody's worrying about her health (she had a kidney removed that failed quite some time ago) and getting her moved into an assisted living place. And, she's a drama queen and likes being the center of attention, so less attention on me and getting asked constantly what my weight is. :wink0:

Hi Traci~

Sorry you are having trouble swallowing. What does your doctor say is the cause? I've had zero trouble drinking or eating anything and I was sleeved on July 12 and didn't think that there should be any burning or anything.

Jill

The first 36 hours after surgery, I couldn't take my pain medication. It burned like acid, going down. I finally made it out of sheer desperation, but what I found out is that a lot of liquid pain medications have an alcohol base, something about making it mix properly. That would definitely cause more pain on stomach surgery people, at least initially. If you're still on liquid pain medication (or on any liquid medication at all), you might talk to your doctor about a diabetic formulation, which I've always thought tastes absolutely foul (blech!), but might be easier on your stomach.

I found that once I got the pain initially under control, that keeping it controlled (as well as controlling the nausea) got a lot easier. And I've found that omeprazole (generic for Prilosec) can help too. Immensely.

You know, one thing I'm seriously looking forward to on August 12 (my first day of pureed food) is being able to put other things in my Protein shake. Like blueberries. Or strawberries. Or mix it with yogurt or cottage cheese. Or any number of other things that make me start salivating just to think about, merely because it's DIFFERENT. I am so tired of SWEET-SWEET-SWEET!!!

I don't think I'll ever be able to eat Jello again, and even broths have utterly lost any appeal. The one good thing about getting so sick of drinking anything sweet is that it's dead-easy to drink Water now. I put in about a teaspoon of lemon or lime juice in every glass, with ice, and it is soooo refreshing.

We are back home and doing great! Kathy went first then me. We both got up the first day and did a little shuffling (would not exactly call it walking) around. Surgery was Fri and home on Sun just as expected. Took our first shower this morning, boy did that feel good. Been doing broth, gatroraide and water, so far everything is going down ok. Popcicles are very good. Got on the scale and from the moring of surgery I have lost 23lbs already, that is crazy. Now to just keep getting our strength back. Good luck to you all, thanks for all the good thoughts.

Hi, I had my surgery on July 16th. I had the gastric sleeve plication. I'm so glad I found this website. I'm sure it's going to help me through some difficult times. I've been overweight practically my whole life. Starting at about age 14. I am now 46. I have wanted to have a weight loss surgery for many years. I considered having a lap band and actually had an appointment to have it done in Mexico. Our insurance was horrible and with it would have been double or more. I read about the complications and wasn't willing to go that road. My aunt was scheduled to have the gastric sleeve and decided to investigate that route. I called a health travel company in Mexico and was able to schedule my surgery for the exact same day that my lapband was originally scheduled. I really wanted it then because of my vacation time from work the next week. I needed that time to recover. From the time I made the appointment to the time I had surgery was 2 and half weeks. WOW!! Fast huh? I hear of people waiting an entire year. I guess that's because of insurance. My experience in Mexico was wonderful. Everything about it. If anyone wants to know anything about it I would be happy to tell you. Please e-mail me.

I had the Gastric sleeve plication. The difference in this surgery is instead of cutting off part of the stomach, the part that would get cut off is rolled and sutured instead. Less invasive.

I lost 8 lbs before surgery only because I was so nervous. I've lost 9 since with a total of 17. Slow compared to some people but I'm happy. In years past if I didn't lose faster I would have been discouraged and probably quit. You can't quit this diet. That's the good thing. I have'nt experienced any serious pain from eating the wrong food, only slight discomfort. (The hard boiled egg didn't sit well.)

I now weigh 217 and want to get down to 150. Wish me well?

I look forward to hearing from some of you.

Julie,

Did you have surgery with dr. Corvala? If so! I was hoping you'd come online, I never gave you or your mom my email info. Glad to hear your doing well!!

Welcome aboard!

Carol

We are back home and doing great! Kathy went first then me. We both got up the first day and did a little shuffling (would not exactly call it walking) around. Surgery was Fri and home on Sun just as expected. Took our first shower this morning, boy did that feel good. Been doing broth, gatroraide and Water, so far everything is going down ok. Popcicles are very good. Got on the scale and from the moring of surgery I have lost 23lbs already, that is crazy. Now to just keep getting our strength back. Good luck to you all, thanks for all the good thoughts.

Oooh, congrats to both of you! Sounds like you're doing well. I'm so glad it's so successful for you already! Just keep up the "shuffling." You'll be dancing around before you know it.