This question comes from my blog. There are so many people on the boards that have solid pre-planning advice and "If only I'd known_____" wisdom, I thought I'd post it here and see what our VSG post-op folks and veteran sleevers have to say!

• If you could tell a pre-op'er like me only THREE things-- to remember about the weight-loss journey, to do either pre-or post-op, or to understand about VSG, what would they be?
  

I don't know it I have three things...

But I would say go into it with no preconceived notions and a totally open mind. Just like parenthood or life for that matter you can read every book out there and mentally prepare yourself up until the moment of change.

But the fact of the matter it is just like having children. Your sleeve experience will be its own unique individual self.. So you will do best going with the flow and not trying to put it all in a nice box with a bow on top.

1. Research, research, research ...and more research!

2. The less anesthesia and pain meds you have the faster you recover. Narcotics mess with the mind and can lead to depression and make your body overwhelmed to not want to do anything.

3. The minute you wake up from surgery start walking and walking and never stop. The more you keep in motion the faster you recover. It can be hard, but not as hard as a long drawn out recovery time.

That's three.. In this response

Show off ^^^

Pre-op -1) have a serious introspective session with yourself about why you are having the surgery and how that will impact the rest of your days. Fully understand your relationship with food and eating. Be ready to make a serious attempt at changing how you go about life and how eating impacts your daily living. Don't have the surgery if you aren't willing and fully commited to make significant life altering changes.

2) Develop a good working team, including your surgeon, your nutritionist and your PCP. These are the people that can get you through the first six months without tons of anguish. If you don't have access, to a nutritionist, find one. It is worth every dime you invest.

3) It will be painful, it will be, at times, unpleasant -- deal. Understand that you might have to drink a nasty tasting Protein drink or eat mushy peas for a few weeks. You are adults, whining won't make it one bit better.

4) Get your butts in gear, if you sit on the couch watching Ellen and the View, and never elevate your heart rate except when you go to the fridge, then you are going to have a much tougher time post op. Be able to at least walk one half mile without getting severely winded. The more you do, the better you will do post op.

5) The pre-op diet is given to you for a reason. It isn't "guideline". Yes it is tough, but by following it, you end up doing much better on the back end.

Post - op

1) It hurts.....probably not the worst pain that you will have, but it still is pretty uncomfortable at least for the first couple of days.

2) Recovery time depends on you. The better the physical shape you are in, the better your recovery will be. If it takes weeks and weeks to recover from this surgery, then you really need to work on some serious physical conditioning.

3) Follow the plan. It sucks to be on liquids, or purees or mushies, but you have to let the stomach area heal up. Once it does, then you won't even realize that you are missing 85% of your stomach...well mostly.

4) Everybody is different. You may lose 50lbs in the first month, you may lose 10. You aren't doing anything wrong, every BODY is different and the weight certainly didn't climb up on your ass last Tuesday, it isn't going to fall off a week after surgery.

5) Don't get dehydrated...your life will absolutely SUCK, if you do. Don't complain about Water tasting like dreck, drink it anyway. It tastes like water.

Oh you only wanted a couple right....sorry.

These are great, Johnlatte--thanks!

1. Attend a support group pre and post op if possible - Pre-op, it will give you valuable insight into what life AFTER surgery involves. Post-op, it will give you fabulous support to keep you going and answer questions.

2. Know that most people can feel marginally miserable and/or depressed in the first few weeks after surgery (and many think "what on earth have I done to myself?"). Know that it will pass and you will get into the groove of things, and all will be fine.

3. Before you do this, make sure you are aware that WLS involves permanent lifestyle changes - if you are expecting to going back to eating pizza and pasta 3 weeks post-op, you will be very disappointed. This is definitely not the easy way out, and it involves committing yourself to a lifestyle change.

4. As long as you fully understand the previous 3 items, this will be an AWESOME decision you are making - I am extremely happy with my decision, and having great success!

Listen to your doctor, follow your plan

Be patient

Only weigh yourself once a week