Hi All!

I wanted to start a thread for African-American sleevers (no worries I HEART all sleevers from the rainbow). I just thought, no scientific proof, that African-American sleevers may respond to the surgery different than our lovely non-African American sleeved sisters and brothers. I wanted to know if we had the same skin issue, hair problems, and other surgery related issues. Also, how to deal with the culture shock. African-American "soul food" may be something of the past... or not. So I was just looking for a space to voice culture related issues and concens.

PS- I TRULY :heart: ALL SLEEVERS.

I'm needing some prayer and cheerleaders. I'm exactly one week from surgery and down 13lbs. I should be excited but I feel so bad the weight loss means nothing! I still can't get everything down and daily pray that I don't dehydrate due to severe heartburn. They kept me in the hospital for 4 days because of it and still no combination of drug is working. I'm concerned about potential hair loss and needing to live with this pain. ..It's way too much. Really feeling like I made the wrong decision right now. Who knew that heart burn could be so significant? ??@!@@@

Diva chin up! It's hard, it is but you have to focus your energy somewhere else. Read, walk. What are you taking in! Water? And protein shakes? What are you eating. If you are laying down a lot it will make the heartburn worst. If you are stressing yourself out, that too will make the heartburn worst.

I'm needing some prayer and cheerleaders. I'm exactly one week from surgery and down 13lbs. I should be excited but I feel so bad the weight loss means nothing! I still can't get everything down and daily pray that I don't dehydrate due to severe heartburn. They kept me in the hospital for 4 days because of it and still no combination of drug is working. I'm concerned about potential hair loss and needing to live with this pain. ..It's way too much. Really feeling like I made the wrong decision right now. Who knew that heart burn could be so significant? ??@!@@@

Just be patient with yourself. One thing I have learned is that everyone's journey through this wls path is different. There will be times where you are like I can not believe I did this to myself. But you have to wait until you get over your hill. Take it easy and don't rush the process. As far as the hair loss I was fortunate enough to be introduced to a company that has a product specifically for your hair growth right before my surgery and it has been great. My hair has actually gotten thicker and grown a lot.

I'm needing some prayer and cheerleaders. I'm exactly one week from surgery and down 13lbs. I should be excited but I feel so bad the weight loss means nothing! I still can't get everything down and daily pray that I don't dehydrate due to severe heartburn. They kept me in the hospital for 4 days because of it and still no combination of drug is working. I'm concerned about potential hair loss and needing to live with this pain. ..It's way too much. Really feeling like I made the wrong decision right now. Who knew that heart burn could be so significant? ??@!@@@

Just be patient with yourself. One thing I have learned is that everyone's journey through this wls path is different. There will be times where you are like I can not believe I did this to myself. But you have to wait until you get over your hill. Take it easy and don't rush the process. As far as the hair loss I was fortunate enough to be introduced to a company that has a product specifically for your hair growth right before my surgery and it has been great. My hair has actually gotten thicker and grown a lot.

Diva I am sorry about the complications you are experiencing. I am a little over a week out and physically have not had any issues (knock on wood) so my prayers and positive energy are with you. I did think yesterday like wow I made a permanent decision regarding my body that I could not do on my own and briefly was like what did I do. I realize we are both in the beginning phase so will experience a lot of these thoughts and I know it doesn't help when physically you are suffering. I know you will get through it and I know that this was not a easy decision and pray in the end will be happy with the decision we made. You will feel better...

Diva I am sorry about the complications you are experiencing. I am a little over a week out and physically have not had any issues (knock on wood) so my prayers and positive energy are with you. I did think yesterday like wow I made a permanent decision regarding my body that I could not do on my own and briefly was like what did I do. I realize we are both in the beginning phase so will experience a lot of these thoughts and I know it doesn't help when physically you are suffering. I know you will get through it and I know that this was not a easy decision and pray in the end will be happy with the decision we made. You will feel better...

I think we all have that thought "I can't believe I did that". So funny to get confirmation that we are not alone in out thoughts.

@@itsreallyK and @@BrandNewTrina, welcome. I'm fairly new as well and while I haven't had my surgery yet, I've been doing a lot of research therefore I'll pitch in when I can. Congratulations on your decisions to have WLS. Good luck to the both of you.

_{Thank you @ Denise73 good luck to you as well}

@ SweetCryss Did you have your surgery in Dallas @ the Nicolson clinic? I'm new to this and I have pre op tomorrow. I don't know what to expect.

@ SweetCryss Did you have your surgery in Dallas @ the Nicolson clinic? I'm new to this and I have pre op tomorrow. I don't know what to expect.

Yes I did mine in Dallas with Dr Nicholson at the North Star Surgery Center are you familiar with him?

Just be patient with yourself. One thing I have learned is that everyone's journey through this wls path is different. There will be times where you are like I can not believe I did this to myself. But you have to wait until you get over your hill. Take it easy and don't rush the process. As far as the hair loss I was fortunate enough to be introduced to a company that has a product specifically for your hair growth right before my surgery and it has been great. My hair has actually gotten thicker and grown a lot.

Please tell us about the "product specifically for your hair growth".

Yes, please do tell. I need help with my hair!!

Howdy all. I had my sleeve on 5/5/14 in Chicago with Dr. Eric Hungness at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. So far I've not had any issues with it. I had a very easy recovery and very little pain. I was back to work after 7 days. I'm back at the gym now (cardio only for another couple weeks). Right after the suregry I dropped 27lbs in the first five days I was home (which just struck me as bizarre). I am getting all of my protein and water, so I haven't had any issues with losing hair or anything like that. I also don't seem to have issues with nausea if I go too long between meals (I try to avoid that though by always having a protein shake around at work). The weight loss has slowed down to a more expected level. Ultimately I would like to get down to about 150lbs. At my heaviest I was around 335 (I am not sure, as my scale topped out at 335), and settled in around 306 pre-op. I'm currently 275.

Howdy all. I had my sleeve on 5/5/14 in Chicago with Dr. Eric Hungness at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. So far I've not had any issues with it. I had a very easy recovery and very little pain. I was back to work after 7 days. I'm back at the gym now (cardio only for another couple weeks). Right after the suregry I dropped 27lbs in the first five days I was home (which just struck me as bizarre). I am getting all of my protein and water, so I haven't had any issues with losing hair or anything like that. I also don't seem to have issues with nausea if I go too long between meals (I try to avoid that though by always having a protein shake around at work). The weight loss has slowed down to a more expected level. Ultimately I would like to get down to about 150lbs. At my heaviest I was around 335 (I am not sure, as my scale topped out at 335), and settled in around 306 pre-op. I'm currently 275.

Hi Forsythia, welcome! Wow what great progress. Just goes to show how each body is unique. I had my VSG on 4/28 and Im about 30+ down from my highest and 20+ from surgery. I gained about 10lbs of IV fluid weight while in the hospital so I had to get that off at the beginning… Can you tell me how you are getting all your protein in? I am struggling with that!

Hi Forsythia, welcome! Wow what great progress. Just goes to show how each body is unique. I had my VSG on 4/28 and Im about 30+ down from my highest and 20+ from surgery. I gained about 10lbs of IV fluid weight while in the hospital so I had to get that off at the beginning… Can you tell me how you are getting all your protein in? I am struggling with that!

Howdy all. I had my sleeve on 5/5/14 in Chicago with Dr. Eric Hungness at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. So far I've not had any issues with it. I had a very easy recovery and very little pain. I was back to work after 7 days. I'm back at the gym now (cardio only for another couple weeks). Right after the suregry I dropped 27lbs in the first five days I was home (which just struck me as bizarre). I am getting all of my protein and water, so I haven't had any issues with losing hair or anything like that. I also don't seem to have issues with nausea if I go too long between meals (I try to avoid that though by always having a protein shake around at work). The weight loss has slowed down to a more expected level. Ultimately I would like to get down to about 150lbs. At my heaviest I was around 335 (I am not sure, as my scale topped out at 335), and settled in around 306 pre-op. I'm currently 275.

I have two protein shakes a day with at least 30g of protein (usually as snacks - this morning at 6am I had 3oz of chicken salad as breakfast, then had a shake here at work around 10 am). At work I drink the premade Premeir Protein Shakes (you can get them at Wal-Mart, online at Amazon or in some grocery stores). At home I drink the Body Fortress powder, which is also 30g. That's 60 right there. With the body fortress, I use silk soy milk so that adds in another 6g. Because I am Diabetic, I've basically been trying to low carb the heck out of everything. So I will eat lots of Chicken and yogurt (greek has more than regular). And I weigh everything on my food scale so I know if I have 2 oz of chicken how many g of protein I am getting. I've become a bit of a control freak since I started this process. But if I don't weigh and measure and keep track I worry I will just revert back to old habits. I still have things I need to work on. the sleeve didn't magically make me like vegetables. So I've got to work on finding ways to prepare them so that I will eat them.