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

Ron -

ooops! I just sent you a message on another thread telling you about this one lol, but I see you found us. Glad to have you as part of this group!

Thanks Kathy... Cut and paste is a wonderful thing.

Hi everyone I am jumping into the July surgery group. I was supposed to have surgery June 29th but got bumped to July 13th. I will now be starting my liquid diet on June 29th.

After struggling with infertility for 3 years my husband and I decided to put the baby business on the shelf. I am now getting to do surgery as something for myself!!!

I look forward to hearing everyone's stories and getting to know everyone!

I have a question about the pre-op liquid diet.

Is the diet simply to help you lose weight and shrink your liver for ease of surgery. If that's the case, then why does it have to be a liquid diet?

I've been running about 700 cal/day for a week now and have lost 15 pounds. We were invited to a Memorial Day BBQ and I broke my diet and ended up with almost 1600 cal that day and once I had a chicken creaser salad with blackened chicken but still stayed below 800 cal for the day and one other time I had a turkey club on whole wheat toast ( still below 700 cal) and still lost 15 pounds.

So what's the true story? Liquid diet or just keep it below 800 cal/day. By the way, on the liquid diet it says you should be between 800 - 1000 cal/day.

Would like to know. Thanks

I would double check with you nut/dr to make sure but here are the reasons my nut has her patients do it-

* shrink liver

* easy and quick way to loose weight the less you weigh before surgery the less risks for complications

* help prepare you for diet after surgery

* it also helps clean out digestive system... kwim

Here is my opinion about it-

If they tell me it will help I will do it. I am honestly dreading it but I feel like I can do any diet for 2 weeks ( I know it is technically longer with post op I just don't feel like I will want to eat pasta). I also know that I am addicted to carbs and sugar and that those 2 weeks will really help me kick the habbit.

Grady -

The preop diet is a hard thing to sort out. I have seen posts from people who had anywhere from a month of Clear liquids, a week of clear liquids, full liquids, liquids plus one lean cuisine type of meal a day, 3 days of clear liquids to no preop diet except nothing after midnight the night before surgery. I would say do the best you can do with what your surgeon wants you to do and don't sweat it if you slip a little now and then. My patient coordinator told me clear liquids, full if I couldn't stand it for a 10 days prior to and she mentioned that business about shrinking the liver, but she said it was mainly to get started on the weight loss as they wanted me to lose about 15lbs just prior to surgery. Who knows, maybe it is just a jump start to training you to eat less. At any rate - good luck!!!

Kathy

Hi Libby!!! Glad you are here!!:biggrin0:

Kathy, it would be really neat if we were getting sleeved in the same place I know everything will go well for both of us, though. I'm like you, it seems that time is standing still for me, I want this done and I want it NOW!

I'll arrive in San Diego around 11:00am on 6/30/10, the driver will pick me up at the airport and take me to the hospital for all my pre-op testing. I think I'll spend the night in the hotel that night (maybe the hospital, not sure) and have surgery the morning of 7/01. I'll spend 7/01 and 7/02 nights in the hospital, 7/03 in the hotel, and fly home to OKC on 7/04 getting home around 10:00pm. I can't wait!!

Ron, welcome to our board! I'm also looking forward to being able to tie my shoes without squishing my flabby belly and getting red in the face. I'm also looking forward to shopping at Victoria's Secret again (they don't sell fat girl undies there). I look forward to going to the movies and not having to raise one of the arm rests on my chair so my hip can spill over into the next seat (or onto the person sitting in that seat). So many ways life will change for the better. Maybe I'll mourn food once I'm not able to eat it anymore, but I'm actually looking forward to not being able to eat much. Maybe because physically I feel so bad when I do overeat. I don't know, I'm just ready to have this big old stomach OUT!

As far as my pre-op diet, Dr. Aceves just wants me to eat a low carb, high Protein diet the week before. No liquid diet, no clears, nothing like that. Yay me!

I hope we get more July sleevers on here, this is fun getting to know everyone and go through this together!! :biggrin0:

Ally-

OKC is only about 3 hrs away from me in Kansas! Maybe when this is all said and done we will get a chance to meet. Although I will admit I always get lost in OKC because it is crooked! haha There is a Kansas girl for you - everything must be sqauare and everything must be based on a N-S-E-W direction. What area of nursing do you work in?

I am totally envious of your preop diet! At least I know that if slip up it won't actually make to much difference. I wonder how soon it is okay to exercise? I think I want to try to start right away working on arms and legs at least to try to minimize skin sagging. A friend of mine had the lapband done a year ago and has lost 100lbs - she is 42 and she looks fabulous - no skin sagging at all! I hope I will be that lucky.

I thought of another thing I want afterwards - I want to sit in a booth at a restaurant without having to cram myself in there and without having my boobs resting on the table! lol

Kathy

Ally... Now thats what I wanted to hear about your pre-op diet... If you look at the carbs on those Protein shakes it's not like there's none there. The bars are better with 2 grams of carbs but 150 cal. Shakes are 160 cal and 8 grams of carbs. So is it the calories or the carbs? salad has no carbs and darn near no calories either. Watch your dressing and have chicken with it and no to low carbs, calories from the chicken mostly, and great protein as well. What could be wrong with that?

Anyway, they told me 21 days before surgery but I started 32 days before just to see how it would be. It's really not that bad for me. I've got bags of Protein powder and bars in the closet now. Choc, vanilla, strawberry, and banna.

TIP!!!

Put your chocolate powder in your coffee and it's like having a mocha latte in the morning. ONE MORE THING... Make sure your coffee is a max of 130 degrees or your protein powder will not dissolve but clump up... Not good

Okay, one meal down and 2 to go.

If you like broth, the best you can get is called "Better then Bouillon" It's 10 cal and 2 carbs and comes in many flavors.

Lobster, Clam, Vegetable, Beef, Chicken, Mushroom, Turkey, Ham, Chili (but I think this one's for making chili) and they're all good. It's in a small jar and is the consistency of pudding. Mix it with hot Water and stir.

I think I drifted a little off topic here, but hey, it's good info.:biggrin0:

* I want to cross my legs to put my socks on and not feel like I ran a marathon.

* I want to pick something off the floor and not have to get on my knees to do it.

* I want to be able to sit in a booth at the local restaurant and not have to always ask for a table.

* I want to have to ask the waitress for a doggy bag when dinners over.

* I want to be able to shop anywhere not just the big and tall shop or online.

* I want to be able to button the top button of my dress shirt.

* I want to buy a shirt where the first number in in the size is not an X or maybe 3 of them.

* I want pants where the waist is not twice the length.

* I want to sit in an airline seat and not have to ask for the seatbelt extender.

Edited June 7, 201016 yr by grady691

Hi all. I am Jennifer and I will be sleeved by Dr. Aceves in Mexico on July 2. Ally, I will be there with you! I arrive in San Diego on July 1, sleeved on the second and per Nina will spend the rest of the time in the Hospital until I leave the morning of July 5. Ally, I wonder why you go back to the hotel and I stay in the hospital?

Anyway, I am 5'4'' and weigh 210. I am so ready to feel better about myself and be able to wear clothes that fit me well and make me feel good about myself. Right now, I don't feel so good about myself and it is starting to affect everything I do. I have 3 girls and they don't have the best role model. That is all going to change. I am so excited I can hardly stand it!

Jennifer, I'm not really sure I go back to the hotel on the night of the 3rd, that was just what I got after reading the instructions one time. Guess I should go over them again, huh! :001_tt2: There's gonna be another guy getting sleeved on 6/30 (I think) down there with us, his username is CavyGuy, we'll have to make sure to check on each other and say hello.

Who is traveling with you? Have you started buying Protein supplements and soft foods yet? I'm so excited!!

I wouldn't be surprised if I was the one who got where we stay when wrong. I am good like that! I am so psyched that I have someone to look forward to meeting!

I think we just finally decided tonite that I am going alone. One of my issues is I don't take care of myself. I worry if my husband comes along, I will be concerned about what he is doing, if he is entertained, fed, etc...and will not focus on me. Is that crazy? I want to take the 5 days I am gone, and focus on me and not worry about my husband, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 2 lizards and my parents. That is where I am right now. I feel pretty good about it!!!!

What about you, who are you bringing?

Yes to the Protein supps. I have the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury sampler, the Chicque (spelling is wrong) sampler and the nectar sampler. I have tried NOTHING. Too scared! What about you, what have you bought/tried?

I'm not bringing anyone either. I have a 17 month old grandson who is VERY attached to my mom and I, and there's no way we could BOTH leave him here, it just wouldn't be fair to him. He's too little to understand. My aunt was going to come with me, but she can't get off work in time to come with me. Actually, I'm really excited about coming alone. I look at it as a huge adventure, and I'm excited to meet you, too!

I haven't gotten any supplements yet, I'm such a procrastinator!! There's an Isopure zero carb vanilla that I want to try, and of course, chocolate! Isopure also has clear Protein drinks that I'd like to try. I found them on GNC.com, I'll probably just order them, I can't ever find time to just go shopping.

Seems like time is creeeeeeping by! I'm so ready!

Ok, from your picture, you don't look old enough to have a child, let alone a grandchild. You look so young.

I bought my plane ticket today, so I am going. I have to send my deposit in to Dr. Aceves. That is on my to do list for this week. My flight was expensive, my fault for waiting so long I guess!

I am going to start hunting down more stuff for after surgery. I got a really cool catalog in the mail today from Bariatric Eating (I think the website is bariatriceating.com). They have a lot of stuff that looks like it will be helpful. I haven't made it into GNC or VitaminShoppe yet b/c I am embarrassed to be looking at bariatric stuff in person. ISn't that just awful?

We are going to have such a good experience in Mexico. Can't wait!!