Hi everybody,

I've been lurking on the boards for so long that I felt it was time to come out of hiding and say how much inspiration you've all given to me without knowing it. You are a great source of information, comfort, and camaraderie -- it feels wonderful to know that I'm not alone.

My real name is Michele. I'm originally from St. Louis, MO but I've been living in the Houston area (The Woodlands to be more exact) for 14 years. I'm 49 years old and I have a host of problems that I hope are going to be greatly improved by the surgery -- diabetes, high blood pressure, low thyroid, high cholesterol. Diabetes is the main one. My mom was about 100 lbs. overweight and died when she was 62 from the complications of diabetes. It's taken several of my friends too, and I just don't want to go out that way if I can help it.

It's funny, I'm a conservative Republican but I tell everyone "Thank you President Obama!" If it weren't for Obamacare I don't know where I'd be. Because of the PCIP program which is part of the Affordable Care Act, I am able to get insurance and I couldn't afford it previously. I was turned down for other insurance and the Texas Risk Pool insurance was twice as expensive as what I pay for deductibles now. Anyway, my insurance covers bariatric surgery. I had to be on medically supervised weight loss for 6 months, then they approved me. Because of previous surgery I had on my ears this year, I've already met my out of pocket maximum so this surgery is free for me. I have been truly blessed.

This past year has been an epic saga trying to get to this point. After doing everything I needed to do for six months and gaining approval for the surgery on the first try, I found out my surgeon was out of network because the medical group he was a part of fell apart and he joined with a new group and my insurance couldn't find him on their network anymore. Finally my insurance suggested that I find a different surgeon so I looked around and found one who has a lot of good reviews online -- and this is going to be my hero - Dr. Dexter Turnquest. My surgery is scheduled for Monday the 19th at 1:00 pm. I'm so excited that it's finally happening yet I'm feeling more nervous and I have more trepidation than I thought I would.

My surgeon allows only Clear Liquids for the first week (yep the week of thanksgiving - maybe i can find some turkey broth). Then after that I go on the soft diet. He said he wants his patients eating their Protein, not drinking Liquid Protein, so I'm glad I won't have to be on the Protein Shakes -- I'm sorry, they're mostly awful.

I worry what it's going to be like to be at home and not chowing down. I wonder what it's going to be like not to eat certain things, not to eat as much as I used to eat. I wonder if I'll get really depressed because that's been my coping source all these years. But I know that God is on my side and He has brought me to this and He'll help me get through it. But I can't help wondering and worrying a little if it's going to be really hard.

Can anyone recommend things I should have on hand for that first week when I'm home that I would regret if I didn't get? My friend is going to spend the night with me the night I come home (which will be Tuesday afteroon) but after that I'm mostly going to be on my own sitting in my little apartment. Please let me know if there were things, medicines, food items, that you were really glad you had around.

Anyone else live in The Woodlands area? I would love to go to a support group and make some new friends. I think it would help me get out of myself and help me take the focus off ME.

There's so much more I could say so I'll just leave it at that for right now -- thanks again to all of you for being here!

You sound like a really upbeat person, sippsters! That will help you get through your harder challenges. But I'm sure that with your attitude, success is a slam dunk! We'll all be rooting for you on Monday!

I just came out of lurking today, too! I also used to live in Huntsville, so I'm very familiar with the woodlands. I'm self pay, and will probably sch this week for sometime in December. Would love to stay in touch.

There is a section called stickies where there is list of stuff you need to take to the hospital...might be under faqs

Blessing and peace to you!

Darla

HI! Congratulations! You'll be loving and living life again very soon!! (that sounded like an ad for VSG, huh!)

Sippsters! Welcome! Yahoo for you!! Congrats to happyfam too! I'm glad you gals have come out of the woodwork, so to speak, and I'm even more excited for both of you that you are on your way to success!! I was just sleeved Nov 3rd in Tijuana Mexico, I was self pay, and I went through ALighterMe, the total cost was $4,750. I can't even begin to tell you what a life changing journey this has been for me, even in such a short period of time! First, to address your worries about hunger, for me, I have zero hunger after this surgery. When your stomach is removed, they remove the part of your stomach that contains ghrelin, which is the hunger hormone that causes hunger. This is not to say I haven't been head hungry (Had the desire to eat), but physically, no hunger to speak of. This is a HUGE relief for me! I am (was?) I foodie extrordinaire! I am thankful not to feel the hunger pains, the toughest part for me has been being sure I get everything in in a day! I know it sounds silly now, but when you have a stomach the size of a highlighter pen, it really is a chore to get in 64 oz of water AAND 60 grams of protien. Every surgeon is different, and has different diets, I know I am on clear liquids until I am exactly two weeks out, and then I can start on protien shakes and progress from there. It may sound like a blessing now that your surgeon says you can go straight to pureed protien, but I would still get some shakes, since the liquid in those will count toward your water intake, and the last thing any of us needs is to get dehydrated! A lot of people reccommend in the early stages sugar free popsicles, but for me, warmer liquids go down much better and feel better in my tummy. I'm not allowed caffine, so I have a bunch of green tea, and herbal berry teas (blueberry is my fav!) As far as getting through Thanksgiving, I am going to Vegas on vacation with my husband, just me and him, and if he wants to pig out on Turkey and ham and all the fixings, I am sure there will be PLENTY of all you can eat buffets he can go crazy on! My biggest tips from my experience would be to have plenty of liquid protien, I drink Isopure, and I have unflavored protien powder I add to stuff. Also, I ordered a TON of protien powder samples from all kinds of manufacturers to try once I am on the protien shake phase. Don't try them now, because your tastes will DRASTICALLY change once you have this surgery, I can't explain it, but they just will. THings that were gross before suddenly taste great, and vice versa. I would be happy to talk to either of you about my experience! I am glad you both popped up, and I look forward to you two being able to share in this success! It will happen!! Congrats again!

I am also a recent participant and I am so thankful and happy to have found this. It is such a blessing to feel a part of a community and not alone in this life changing experience. The encouragement and support is invaluable. I am very excited to be on this journey with you. My surgery is Nov.29th with Dr. Alvarez in Mexico. I am kinda wishing now I had looked into Tijuana. I have only heard good things about surgery there, and it's half the cost. But all is set now, deposit, plane fare ect. At this point all I am is happy

I would be happy to talk to either of you about my experience! I am glad you both popped up' date=' and I look forward to you two being able to share in this success! It will happen!! Congrats again![/quote']

I am really looking forward to your advice. Feel free to take me under your wing! Thanks for the encouragement!

Well welcome! I was all over this site before my surgery, and I agree, it was a great resource. I still frequent it just to keep my head in the game. And don't worry about missing out on Thanksgiving week one, the LAST thing you will want is food during that first week. You will barely be able to get down liquids. But don't worry, it will normalize and you will be able to enjoy food again in the future just in much smaller portions. Good luck!

I wanted to follow up and let everyone know how well my surgery went. I was very surprised how little pain was involved post-op. Any little bit of pain I had was very well controlled with IV morphine. I'm now on Lortab liquid and down to just 1 or 2 doses a day.

My surgeon was excellent, everything went as planned. I was shocked that a procedure like this only takes about an hour. I woke up dreaming about flowers and at first didn't remember that I had just had surgery. It was amazing.

I want to just say that the nurses and everyone involved in my care were just great. I had the surgery at Houston Northwest Medical Center, in the New Beginnings program. I really recommend it if anyone is considering it.

So my surgery was around noon on Monday and I was on my way home at 2:30 on Tuesday. I was concerned before the surgery that I would be hungry and missing Thanksgiving this week, but you guys were right -- I didn't want food at all. It's now Friday and I still am not hungry at all. I'm praying it stays this way.

I'm on clear liquids only until I see the surgeon for my post-op appointment next Thursday. Then if all is well, I'll be cleared to start on soft foods. My bariatric coordinator said that he doesn't want his patients on Protein Shakes at all. He would rather we get our Protein from "real food." That was a surprise to me, and also that I go straight from clear liquids to soft diet. I'm looking forward to it, but not because I'm craving food but rather because I'm excited about the adventure I'm on.

I'm going to be back to work on Monday - I'm a Web Developer at an advertising agency. I'll need to make sure I keep getting my liquids in. I hope I won't forget to do that throughout the day. I also hope that my energy level will be good and I'll be able to concentrate on my work. Has anyone else gone back to work a week after WLS? What was your experience with it?

Also, is anyone on this board involved in any support groups in The Woodlands, Spring, Magnolia, or Conroe area? I am very interested in going somewhere. The hospital I went to has one, but it's at 6:00 and it would be really hard for me to make it there after work on time.

I wanted to follow up and let everyone know how well my surgery went. I was very surprised how little pain was involved post-op. Any little bit of pain I had was very well controlled with IV morphine. I'm now on Lortab liquid and down to just 1 or 2 doses a day.

My surgeon was excellent' date=' everything went as planned. I was shocked that a procedure like this only takes about an hour. I woke up dreaming about flowers and at first didn't remember that I had just had surgery. It was amazing.

I want to just say that the nurses and everyone involved in my care were just great. I had the surgery at Houston Northwest Medical Center, in the New Beginnings program. I really recommend it if anyone is considering it.

So my surgery was around noon on Monday and I was on my way home at 2:30 on Tuesday. I was concerned before the surgery that I would be hungry and missing Thanksgiving this week, but you guys were right -- I didn't want food at all. It's now Friday and I still am not hungry at all. I'm praying it stays this way.

I'm on clear liquids only until I see the surgeon for my post-op appointment next Thursday. Then if all is well, I'll be cleared to start on soft foods. My bariatric coordinator said that he doesn't want his patients on Protein Shakes at all. He would rather we get our Protein from "real food." That was a surprise to me, and also that I go straight from clear liquids to soft diet. I'm looking forward to it, but not because I'm craving food but rather because I'm excited about the adventure I'm on.

I'm going to be back to work on Monday - I'm a Web Developer at an advertising agency. I'll need to make sure I keep getting my liquids in. I hope I won't forget to do that throughout the day. I also hope that my energy level will be good and I'll be able to concentrate on my work. Has anyone else gone back to work a week after WLS? What was your experience with it?

Also, is anyone on this board involved in any support groups in The Woodlands, Spring, Magnolia, or Conroe area? I am very interested in going somewhere. The hospital I went to has one, but it's at 6:00 and it would be really hard for me to make it there after work on time.[/quote']

Was it a healthy choice at 100%? How was your behaviors before the surgery as to getting things under control?