Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Surgery September 5 And Last Minute Jitters!



Recommended Posts

Hi I am having my sleeve next Wednesday and my doc has me on a preop diet of smaller portions of things like cottage cheese, chicken and corn... I didn't realize how important it was until I read some of the articles. I haven't been very good about it.. Am I screwed!?! Also one of my family members googled my dr and it looks like my doc has had a few people make bad comments! When I researched her before and I had some feedback from a nutrition class that she was a good surgeon... Does anyone have any knowledge of dr Valerie Halpin from Oregon?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Good luck tomorrow!! I did two weeks and followed it to a t, but that was me. I had a lady that had here surgery with Valerie the same day and she didn't follow the diet at all. She came through it just fine, but from my understanding the diet accomplishes two things. It shrinks your liver so they can get at your stomach easier, and it also gets you set for the lower calorie intake after the surgery....so you aren't trying to eat the same portions. Either way, you should be fine....its just better if you do follow the diet. LIke I said in the message, if you have any questions on anything, no matter how silly or gross you think it maybe, feel free. I felt weird about all those questions at first....but everyone has them. Be more than happy to tell you my experiences! Again, good luck tomorrow...everything will be fine and you'll!! :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello,

I am not yet sleeved and seeing Dr. Halpin. How was the no catheter? Was one night in the hospital enough for you? Did you have any complications?

Best,

Sannah

Sent from my iPhone using VST

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi there!

The no catheter was great! I hate those things.. It's such a short surgery and your up and around so quick after... However if you need one they will give it to you! One night was fine for me... No complications at all and no side effects... I am 11 days post op and did the 5k race for the cure yesterday! Ha! Dr Halpin did a great job! When are you being sleeved?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi there!

The no catheter was great! I hate those things.. It's such a short surgery and your up and around so quick after... However if you need one they will give it to you! One night was fine for me... No complications at all and no side effects... I am 11 days post op and did the 5k race for the cure yesterday! Ha! Dr Halpin did a great job! When are you being sleeved?

Hello!!

Good Morning!! Thanks for the reply!! Congrata on your sleeve and success!! Did the 5k at Race for the Cure!!! That is great!! So nice to hear!! Mind if I ask a few more questions?

How long was the procedure?

What stage of food are you in now?

Any specific challenges since surgery?

Did you experiece any nausea post op?

October 1st will be my last weigh in with the clinic. My insurance requires a six month medically supervised weightless period. The clinic said I could have surgery in November!! So, my fingers are crossed!!

Pardon my typos. Using the iPhone and I have a miserable case of carpel tunnel.

Sent from my iPhone using VST

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

No problem ask as many questions as you want!! I did! Ha!

My procedure lasted 50 minutes! She's that good! And I followed the preop diet to shrink my liver so it makes for an easier surgery

I started purée foods yesterday...

No nausea at all thank god!!

Main challenge is just getting to know my new stomach and slowing down eating/drinking.... Feelings of being to so fulll after eating such a small amount has been a little weird.... Social events have been a little challenging because everything revolves around food.... Having to explain my surgery to friends/ family who are ignorant and opinionated was an exhausting and irritating challenge!! Although I have gotten to the point that I don't give a crap what anybody thinks!! I did it for me!

So are you from Oregon? You should join my new Oregon sleevers group!!

Ps..... I've lost 20 pounds!!! Yippee!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

No problem ask as many questions as you want!! I did! Ha!

My procedure lasted 50 minutes! She's that good! And I followed the preop diet to shrink my liver so it makes for an easier surgery

I started purée foods yesterday...

No nausea at all thank god!!

Main challenge is just getting to know my new stomach and slowing down eating/drinking.... Feelings of being to so fulll after eating such a small amount has been a little weird.... Social events have been a little challenging because everything revolves around food.... Having to explain my surgery to friends/ family who are ignorant and opinionated was an exhausting and irritating challenge!! Although I have gotten to the point that I don't give a crap what anybody thinks!! I did it for me!

So are you from Oregon? You should join my new Oregon sleevers group!!

Ps..... I've lost 20 pounds!!! Yippee!

What Oregon sleevers group are you referring to? I would like to join, I am in Portland.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

No problem ask as many questions as you want!! I did! Ha!

My procedure lasted 50 minutes! She's that good! And I followed the preop diet to shrink my liver so it makes for an easier surgery

I started purée foods yesterday...

No nausea at all thank god!!

Main challenge is just getting to know my new stomach and slowing down eating/drinking.... Feelings of being to so fulll after eating such a small amount has been a little weird.... Social events have been a little challenging because everything revolves around food.... Having to explain my surgery to friends/ family who are ignorant and opinionated was an exhausting and irritating challenge!! Although I have gotten to the point that I don't give a crap what anybody thinks!! I did it for me!

So are you from Oregon? You should join my new Oregon sleevers group!!

Ps..... I've lost 20 pounds!!! Yippee!

Congrats on your 20lbs!!! So nice!!! ;)

Thanks for the heads up on the challenges, gives me something to think about and how to prepare. I hear you about social engagements being food centered; this will be interesting.

I was born and raised in Portland! Recently purchased a house in Milwaukie/Oak Grove are and regretting this. I am a Portland girl and the burbs are not so wonderful!!!

Have you been to the support groups at Legacy? I went and it was mostly bypass people and generally speaking they were older. It was okay, for me this site is more helpful.

Sounds like your surgery was a great experience!!!

Where do I find the Oregon group? I would love to join!!!

Best,

Sannah

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What Oregon sleevers group are you referring to? I would like to join, I am in Portland.

Hey Frza,

I was curious too. I figured it out and sent you an invite. Incase it does not work I went to Salpals profile and under Social Groups was the Oregon Group, which I clicked and then added myself.

Best,

Sannah

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Sannah!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi there!

The no catheter was great! I hate those things.. It's such a short surgery and your up and around so quick after... However if you need one they will give it to you! One night was fine for me... No complications at all and no side effects... I am 11 days post op and did the 5k race for the cure yesterday! Ha! Dr Halpin did a great job! When are you being sleeved?

Awesome Awesome Awesome!! When I had mine I expected a lot of pain and such....but it really wasn't that bad. Dr Halpin was awesome!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Sannah!

No problem! Did it work?

Sent from my iPhone using VST

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Awesome Awesome Awesome!! When I had mine I expected a lot of pain and such....but it really wasn't that bad. Dr Halpin was awesome!!!

How far out are you?

I think it's easy to get caught up and think about what could go wrong with this surgery. You three have shown me that I may not die from surgery.

Sent from my iPhone using VST

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • KeeWee

      It's been 10 long years! Here is my VSG weight loss surgiversary update..
      https://www.ae1bmerchme.com/post/10-year-surgiversary-update-for-2024 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
      I'm down 31 pounds since the day of surgery and 47 since my pre-op diet began, with that typical week long stall occurring at three weeks. I'm really starting to see some changes lately- some of my clothing is too big, some fits again. The most drastic changes I notice however are in my face. I've also noticed my endurance and flexibility increasing. I was really starting to be held up physically, and I'm so grateful that I'm seeing that turn around in such short order. 
      My general disposition lately is hopeful and motivated. The only thing that bugs me on a daily basis still is the way those supplements make my house smell. So stink! But I just bought a smell proof bag online that other people use to put their pot in. My house doesn't stink anymore. 
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×