African American Sleevers

[Kalimomof3 613]

I am sleeved I am in my room waiting for the nurse to home so I can do my laps... I am so thirsty I will be glad to have my swallow study later... Pray for me all goes well my doctor is worried that the length and shape of my stomach may cause my new sleeve to fold up on itself once it gets food or anything in it because it is shaped like letter J.He said he thinks I will be fine but it is a concern . I am just getting to the forum because the dilaudid I am on makes me loopy.Anyway as I said please pray I don't need additional operation:)

[SugarTee 10]

I am sleeved I am in my room waiting for the nurse to home so I can do my laps... I am so thirsty I will be glad to have my swallow study later... Pray for me all goes well my doctor is worried that the length and shape of my stomach may cause my new sleeve to fold up on itself once it gets food or anything in it because it is shaped like letter J.He said he thinks I will be fine but it is a concern . I am just getting to the forum because the dilaudid I am on makes me loopy.Anyway as I said please pray I don't need additional operation:)

Kalimomof3 you will be fine and Blessings go Out and Up to Yo, I will be praying for you! Today is the day for me... I am here waiting in the waiting room for my surgery... It's at 1015. I had to be here for all the prelims. Will keep everyone updated. Ready to start my new Journey.

[Momroxx 75]

I am sleeved I am in my room waiting for the nurse to home so I can do my laps... I am so thirsty I will be glad to have my swallow study later... Pray for me all goes well my doctor is worried that the length and shape of my stomach may cause my new sleeve to fold up on itself once it gets food or anything in it because it is shaped like letter J.He said he thinks I will be fine but it is a concern . I am just getting to the forum because the dilaudid I am on makes me loopy.Anyway as I said please pray I don't need additional operation:)

Yeah! Girl you did it!

Stay positive and continue to listen to your doctor. I will keep you in my prayers. Don't try to do too much too fast. As mothers we are used to getting things done and then" keep it movin"as they say. But listen to your body and heal well.

I don't live too far from SAMMC let me know if you need a motivator,support,and just someone to talk to....I am also from Cali....East Palo Alto,San Jose,Sacramento areas.....again praying for a you to have a speedy recovery and a smooth adjustment to your sleeve.

[Momroxx 75]

@SugarTee,

Praying for you too. Let us know how you are feeling when you feel up to it. God bless you on your journey.

[FDclerical 318]

Congratulations Tatylish! We will keep you in our prayers! Please update us as soon as you can...and by the way isn't your birthday today? I thought I saw that in one of your posts...

Hiiii. Yes it was my birthday and I am now 3 days post op at the hospital now. I am having very bad nausea and might stay an extra night. Gas pain is under control and I am walking a lot. Please prepare for the pain. I have no morphine pump. The medicine does work but this surgery is no joke.

I feel happy and blessed no leaks or blood clots. Just trying to rest it up:) it is verrrrrry hard getting liquids in. I am stuffed honestly just from 3 sips of chicken broth! !! Surgeon wants me drinking 5 bottles of liquid Water and Protein Shakes. It will be a challenge but iI'm sure the more I heal the easier It will be.

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[54AndCounting 2]

Hello everyone,

I've been away from the site for quite a while, but noticed this group and couldn't resist jumping in. I had the sleve procedure done December 20, 2010. I've lost 85 pounds and have not had any serious issues. I have sisterlocks so I haven't really had or noticed any Hair loss. If my hair has thinned (was never particularly thick) it's more likely due to my number of years on the planet and not the procedure.

As for scarring, I have the tiny marks on my middle, but nothing I'm really worried about. I wasn't planning on becoming a bikini model at 56 so this is not an issue for me. The skin issues haven't been an issue and any cosmetic surgery (to get the "girls" up off the floor) has more to do with my new found bravery with surgery and a desire to do a little self improvement.

I have only been ill (vomiting) a couple of times and that was at the beginning due to hard-headedness and forgetting and having liquid while I was eating. Needless to say, I've been careful not to do that sort of thing anymore. Otherwise I've had only positive experiences following my surgery and my insurance covered this. Before November of 2010 they hadn't, but lucky for me they did a policy change in November and I was ready and waiting with all the preliminary work having been done.

I just wish this had been an option for me years ago. The sleeve changed my life and my outlook so much I don't even have words to express it. I'm thankful for having made the decision and thankful also to Dr. Wood who did my surgery at Harper Hospital in Detroit. The man is a wonderful surgeon and a great human being. Great bedside manner, excellent surgeon, and Harper has a wonderful bariatric unit. I'll always be grateful for the care and attention I received before, during, and after my surgery. My surgeon is also African American - not that that should make a difference, but sometimes it just helps to feel like you and your doctor are on the same wavelength...

Glad to be seeing "less" of myself and I wish that for all of you as well.

Pam

[Momroxx 75]

Thanks so much for sharing your story.....it gives me(who is still in the pre approval stage) the encouragement to go on.

[evonnrae 39]

Getting sleeved tomorrow morning. I've been fine up until now. Trying to not let my emotions get the best of me in my last final hours before my big day. I'm looking forward to the journey up ahead. I will keep you all posted on how things go.

[icon23 273]

Hi All,

First of all, sorry for the long message (I also posted this in the Self-Pay & Mexico forum, but I would like advice from my sistas and brothas here as well). I'm new here--I've actually been lurking for about a week, but I just decided to join. I've been overweight all my life and I've been considering WLS off and on for years, but I just told my bf and my bff about it this week and they aren't being entirely supportive. My bf is supportive of me having the surgery, but he's against me going to Mexico to have it, although he won't (and can't) stop me from doing it. My bff is the person I asked to travel with me and she's not totally against it, but she is adamant that she won't travel to Tijuana because she thinks it's too dangerous, so she'll only go with me if I get it done in Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, which is more expensive (but she also started crying at the thought of me going alone). She also wants me to wait a year and to go on a diet and exercise plan with her (mind you, she's only 30 lbs overweight) to see if I can lose enough weight that I'll change my mind.

I'm a grad student, so I don't have a lot of money, so the added expense of going to Cancun or PV is significant. I'm also 37 and I really felt like I dodged a bullet when I was told after my last checkup that I don't have diabetes--diabetes runs on both sides of my family and my mom was diagnosed as diabetic in her 40s, so I feel like a ticking time-bomb. I could actually give a grocery list of all of the obesity-related health issues that run in my family, which is the main reason I don't want to wait anymore. Since I am in school (and spending the winter holidays with loved ones), the earliest that I can get it done is spring break (end of March), which I think is my preference. I have also considered waiting until summer break, just in case I need more than a few days to recuperate, but I would want to do it at the beginning of the summer. If I wait until the end of the summer, I might be able to talk my bff into going with me since that would be a 9-month wait from now, which is sort of close to a year--I am not willing to wait exactly a year because I'll be in the same situation with being in school and unable to go until the end of March. The problem is, even if I wait until the end of summer to get her to go, I will wind up having to pay at least $1500-$2000 more (surgery and airfare) to go to someplace that she feels comfortable. So my dilemma is: do I go in March (to TJ) and hope that I don't have any issues returning to school the following week, do I go in June (to TJ) when I have more time to heal without having my school/work commitments, or do I go in August (to Cancun or PV) when I hope my bff would go with me, although this means a lot more money? I mostly feel okay with going alone until I start to think about what happens if something does go wrong, so any advice and/or words of encouragement would be appreciated.

PS. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who just got sleeved or are just about to, as well as with everyone else, no matter where you are in your journey!

[bajanqueen70 47]

Getting sleeved tomorrow morning. I've been fine up until now. Trying to not let my emotions get the best of me in my last final hours before my big day. I'm looking forward to the journey up ahead. I will keep you all posted on how things go.

Evonnrae, our prayers are with you!

[bajanqueen70 47]

Hiiii. Yes it was my birthday and I am now 3 days post op at the hospital now. I am having very bad nausea and might stay an extra night. Gas pain is under control and I am walking a lot. Please prepare for the pain. I have no morphine pump. The medicine does work but this surgery is no joke.

I feel happy and blessed no leaks or blood clots. Just trying to rest it up:) it is verrrrrry hard getting liquids in. I am stuffed honestly just from 3 sips of chicken broth! !! Surgeon wants me drinking 5 bottles of liquid Water and Protein Shakes. It will be a challenge but iI'm sure the more I heal the easier It will be.

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Taty so glad you're doing well...hopefully that nauseousness goes away soon and you can recover peacefully at home! I pray for your swift recovery...

[Kalimomof3 613]

Ok so I had my swallow test yesterday and the contrast has a hard time making it through the loop at the bottom of my J shaped sleeve...I haven't had anything to drink since before surgery. My doc is letting me try clear liquid today to see how I tolerate it as the contrast did move through just VERY SLOWLY... I feel like things are waking up down there my sleeve is making a lot of noise and I have started ton pass gas. I am hoping that everything was just sluggish after the anesthesia and that all is going to be well. I was also having a problem with urine retention in my bladder after the anesthesia which is resolving on his own so I am hoping this thing with the sleeve is more of the same and I am going to be good to go:)I hope everyone else is doing well!!!

[FDclerical 318]

Taty so glad you're doing well...hopefully that nauseousness goes away soon and you can recover peacefully at home! I pray for your swift recovery...

Thank you soooooo much! !! I am home now soon happy. I was very low and depressed today regretting my decision but I feel so much better and happier more confident. I can't tolerate anything unless it is warm room temperature which is OK it is a crazy ride and I don't want to regret my decision. I guess the feeling of fluids going all the way down is so uncomfortable it was making me not want to drink. Feeling better nausea is pretty much gone and incision pain is very minimal

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[New York Beauty 20]

I brought my scarf was to weak to put it on so my short blonde bob was curling up and the nurses would brush my hair when I was vomiting. They were so sweet!

[Kalimomof3 613]

Hey everyone,

My Doc let me go home today. he can't say I am 100% in the clear but I am tolerating a Stage 2 full liquid diet without any nausea or vomiting . He wants to take a conservative wait and see approach which I am glad about. So keep praying for me that my sleeve heals and functions the way it is supposed to despite it's odd shape:)