Hi All!

I'm looking for sleevers in the DMV area. I hope to be sleeved in August and it's really hard to find good support groups in this area. Feel free to post here or send me a message!

I'm from Maryland and my surgery is scheduled for Oct. 5 at Johns Hopkins by Dr. Lidor.

Hi, Solize - Dr. Lidor performed my sleeve surgery on August 24th. I'm down 18 lbs so far. It is tough, but I'm so glad for all the preparation that Johns Hopkins requires of us. Make sure they give you a belly band before you are discharged. A week afterwards, I pulled muscles in my abdomen. Also, I met with an occupational therapist while in the hospital. She gave me several tools to help me through the first few weeks. One of the best was this long gripper stick thingy (my husband calls it my robot hand) to help you pick things up off the floor or help you put on pants. Take advantage of this help! I didn't really need the physical therapist at that point, but kind of wish I had taken advantage of his help now. The nursing staff was really lovely.

- Alyson

Hi' date=' Solize - Dr. Lidor performed my sleeve surgery on August 24th. I'm down 18 lbs so far. It is tough, but I'm so glad for all the preparation that Johns Hopkins requires of us. Make sure they give you a belly band before you are discharged. A week afterwards, I pulled muscles in my abdomen. Also, I met with an occupational therapist while in the hospital. She gave me several tools to help me through the first few weeks. One of the best was this long gripper stick thingy (my husband calls it my robot hand) to help you pick things up off the floor or help you put on pants. Take advantage of this help! I didn't really need the physical therapist at that point, but kind of wish I had taken advantage of his help now. The nursing staff was really lovely.

- Alyson[/quote']

Hello and thanx for the info! Its good to know I'm able to chat with someone that had the same procedure that I'm having by the same doctor. I will be sure to make note of the belly band. How many days did u stay in the hospital? I go tomorrow to see her and the anesthesiologist.

What are the tough parts for u in your recovery?

I was only in the hospital for one night - they released me around 7 pm on Saturday evening. My mom stayed with me on Friday night (she's good at that stuff - I had my husband and dad go back home). Having someone there was really helpful. They can walk the halls with you, make sure you sip on something, help you to the bathroom, remind you to hit the button for the morphine, etc.

While I have been lucky not to have any nausea or vomiting, I have had some issues. The first week it was acid reflux. I couldn't get enough fluids in and had spasms in my diaphragm. A visit to the ER (on the advice of the nurse, who wanted to make sure it wasn't heart or lungs) solved that problem. They gave me an iv of fluids, a shot of prevacid, and a GI "shot" (lidocaine and other things to drink to help soothe my esophagus). My primary care physician increased my dosage of protonix to twice a day, and that has helped. I can now drink fluids much more easily.

The second week the issue was constipation. Senna just did not do anything. The nurse recommended Milk of Magnesia, which was really rough, but ended the problem. Dr. Lidor recommended miralax at the 2 week follow up appointment, and that has been perfect.

Eating has not been a problem. A friend who is 2 years out on her sleeve recommended a GREAT cookbook called Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery. It will indicate what is okay to eat and when. You just have to puree the hell out of everything. My dad and I made several of the recipes, pureed them, and froze them into ice cube trays. Each cube is an ounce, which really helps you with portion side. We made the chicken and mushroom Soup, chicken beau sejour, pot roast and veggies, and beef stroganoff. All are great and keep me sane. The family enjoyed the pot roast and beef stroganoff too. I look forward to trying the Dover Sole after a month - I don't think I will have to puree fish during my soft stage. If you can do this ahead of time, it will help.

Otherwise, I seem to have pulled muscles in my abdomen (overcompensating), which is painful. I think that the nerve endings are also healing, and this hurts too. I wasn't really prepared for that. Remembering to drink all the time is also hard.

Have you ordered any Protein samples? powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury and Chike have sample packs. I like Unjury's chocolate supreme and strawberry sorbet the best, and have ordered the unflavored to add to food. I also have their chicken soup and wil order the cheese sauce when it comes out in October (it is seasonal). Chike's orange creme isn't bad either, but is kind of thick. I prefer to mix them in shaker bottles (another really good thing to buy).

Feel free to "friend" me!

Hello All,

new to the forum and just wanted to add my two cents. I live in DC and had my surgery in DC with Dr. Rickford at Providence Hospital on 8/29. They also have a support group that I will be arrending soon.

Hey, I lived in DC and was sleeved August 13 by Dr. Averbach in Catonsville MD. The best surgeon out here, google him! Start weight 316 and now 274. My weight has stable out for the last 2 weeks, so I pushed my workouts and waiting for the scale to move!

I live outside of Frederick, MD - having surgery at Frederick Memorial Hospital w/ Dr. McKenna

I'm in Washington, DC and was Sleeved at Washington Hosp Center by Dr. John Brebbia on June 26, 2012... feel free to add me if you want.

@ tinfoil Hello, I also had mine by Dr. Tran on the 12th. He was GREAT, how was your experience and have u been to any support groups there yet?

Hiya! Sorry I'm so late, but yes, I love Dr. Tran, and I've been to two support groups at HUH. If you haven't, definitely come to the one in October. Dr. Tapscott and Alfreda are having a behavioral psychologist come and talk to us about dealing with the holidays, and since this is my first set after being sleeved, I REALLY am kind of freaking out, because my fam is still freaked out about my sleeve.

PS: does anyone in this group want to hang out at some point? I mean, I love going to dinner, happy hour and stuff with my friends, but then I order too much food, eat too fast, and look like a freakshow when I feel sick. Although, I can still enjoy my cocktails. So there.

Hiya! Sorry I'm so late, but yes, I love Dr. Tran, and I've been to two support groups at HUH. If you haven't, definitely come to the one in October. Dr. Tapscott and Alfreda are having a behavioral psychologist come and talk to us about dealing with the holidays, and since this is my first set after being sleeved, I REALLY am kind of freaking out, because my fam is still freaked out about my sleeve.

@Tinfoil, No I haven't been to a support meeting but was curious about one. I was in the office today for my 1 month post op and another lady was there asking about the support group this month. I and seriously thinking about going especially with the holidays coming and be being a fresh post op I will definitely have concerns. The only thing that I didn't like about the whole process were the residents. OMG I had to explain my whole life story twice, but they were all so pleasant and willing to listening before judging, the whole group is just wonderful. Maybe I'll see you at the October meeting. Not sure yet, but I'm thinking!!

Hi All,

I live on the Eastern Shore but work in PG County. If anyone wants to plan a get together I would love to come! I was sleeved in Mexico by Dr. Aceves. I am going back in November for plastics.

Not an easy journy by far but sooo worth it!

PS: does anyone in this group want to hang out at some point? I mean, I love going to dinner, happy hour and stuff with my friends, but then I order too much food, eat too fast, and look like a freakshow when I feel sick. Although, I can still enjoy my cocktails. So there.

I'd love to come hang out at some point... I'm getting sleeved next week so it will be a while though . Right now I'm unhappily STARVING on my preop diet wondering why exactly I can't have lean Protein when other people can on theirs .

PS: does anyone in this group want to hang out at some point? I mean, I love going to dinner, happy hour and stuff with my friends, but then I order too much food, eat too fast, and look like a freakshow when I feel sick. Although, I can still enjoy my cocktails. So there.

I'd love to

Just wanted to say HELLO ...in Centreville (Fairfax county)..I work in DC...My surgeon will be Dr. Moazzez/INOVA Fair Oaks....

so i think i have pretty much decided I'm gonna do this lol

Just wanted to say HELLO ...in Centreville (Fairfax county)..I work in DC...My surgeon will be Dr. Moazzez/INOVA Fair Oaks....

so i think i have pretty much decided I'm gonna do this lol

I was sleeved by Dr. Moazzez on 9/20. Go for it!