Walking Girl's VSG Story :)

[walkinggirl 90]

Following the lead of others and using this thread to post my story and subsequent updates.

First appt: 10/22/15

Surgeon appt: 11/11/15

Insurance approval: 11/23/15

Pre-op appt: 12/31/15 - all clear for surgery!

Surgery scheduled for 1/26/16

My stats (I still need to do measurements)

SW: 290

HW: 315

Height: 5'5"

Liquid/pre-op diet starts 1/12/16! Exactly one week to go!

My husband is going to have VSG done as well, and has already started the process. He has to have a sleep study though due to his neck circumference, and they cannot get him in for an appt until March. Was hoping we could have surgeries closer together, but we will make it work.

[LATINGODDESS 31]

Good luck to you both.

[walkinggirl 90]

1 week into pre-op diet update...

One week down, one week to go! The pre-op diet hasn't been as horrible as I thought. My plan is all liquids...I can choose from Protein shakes, Meal Replacement Soups, broth or SF Jello. I get so sick of Protein shakes! broth and Soup are definitely getting me through. I have to admit that I did cheat a little this past weekend. We traveled out of town and I ate some roast beef off of an Arby's sandwich and some grilled chicken and salad. I am fully committed from here on out though. I am also happy to report that I am down 8 lbs from a week ago today. Starting to get a little nervous for the surgery next week, but still overall very excited for the process to begin!

[walkinggirl 90]

Day 10 of pre-op diet and I am fully back on track. Over 11 lbs lost so far and I can definitely tell a difference in my body already. Specifically, my back fat seems to be melting away, lol! Weird, but I will take it. Made a trip to the grocery to stock up things I will need for after surgery, ie. Soups, liquid Tylenol, sugar free Jello and pudding. My surgeon does liquids only for 1 month post-op, so I'm going to have to get creative. Found a couple of good bariatric food blogs to get ideas from. Also, I made some creamy vegetable Soup to freeze and have on hand starting next week. Can't believe the day is almost here!

[sjrn16 16]

Wow congrats. Please keep you thread posted your progress I'm sure you will do great and you are off to a fantastic start

[walkinggirl 90]

Well, it is Sleeve Eve. I am completely losing it...so nervous!!! I really didn't think I'd feel this way, but putting my kids to bed tonight really pushed me over the edge. I have faith that iI will be okay and I know I am doing this for the right reasons, but I can't help but think about all the "what ifs." AHHHHHH.

On a happier note, I an down 14 lbs on the pre-op liquid diet. Will get my final weigh in tomorrow before surgery.

See you on the flip side!

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Best of luck with your surgery and keep us posted on how you are doing.

[walkinggirl 90]

Surgery went well today but I am not doing too hot. Super nauseated/dry heaving every time I try to stand up. Not sure if it's anesthesia, pain meds or just the surgery itself. So there has been no walking. Hoping tomorrow is better. In quite a bit of pain too. Feel like there's a pit in my chest ????

[walkinggirl 90]

Time to update:

I went home on the evening after my surgery. I was going to stay in the hospital that night, but I started feeling better that evening, so I posted to be in the comfort of my own home. I was afraid of being dehydrated, but so far so good.

Day 2 and 3 post op were BAD. So weak. So nauseated. Couldn't drink. WAs horrible.

Day 4, I feel like I have turned the corner. I was able to get a shower today. Made some Protein pudding to eat (which was AMAZING). I am doing some laundry and going to take a walk in the sun in a bit. I can honestly say that I was regretting this decision, up until today.

The only thing I can still complain about besides still feeling weak (which is to be expected), are these crazy hunger pain feelings. I have been told that they aren't really hunger pains, that it is acid. But I am on an acid reducer already, so not sure. Hopefully my body will adjust.

Oh, and my weight. I weighed 268 this morning. Started at 288 first day of 2 week liquid pre-op.

[walkinggirl 90]

Struggling, struggling today...

Hunger.

Is it head hunger? IDK. All I know is that my stomach rumbles and grumbles...painfully so. Like in the way I always attributed to hunger pains, you know...the ones when you haven't eaten all day and feel like you could eat a horse. Everyone says it's head hunger or acid. Well, I'm on acid medication, so....I just don't know. My appointment with my surgeon next week can't come soon enough. Trying to work through this, but today was just not a good day for me. Furthermore on that note, I seriously need to quit Facebook, because as I scroll through my newsfeed, it seems like 1/2 of the posts are pics of food. food that I can't have. Food that makes me want to gnaw my arm off. The struggle is real y'all.

liquids.

So apparently liquids go right through your sleeve and you don't feel restriction, which is where I'm at now. That's fine. It is just hard to not get a signal from your body that you're full. Combine that with my hunger issue above and, well, it is really hard. Just a little over three weeks until purees...it can't come soon enough! I just need to try to focus on letting my body heal right now.

Weight.

The scale hasn't moved since I got home from the hospital. Not freaking out...not reading anything into it. But just making note of that. Dear scale, please move soon

Walking.

On a happier note, I did get out and walk a mile today and it felt good! Gotta keep it up.

Edited February 1, 2016 by walkinggirl

[walkinggirl 90]

Just checking in!

I am now 8 days post op. And guess what? The scale still hasn't moved since I got home from the hospital 6 days ago. Good grief, someone take this scale away from me! Surely it has to move some time! I am following the diet to a T, so it has to happen eventually. Keeping the faith

Other than that, my stomach rumbles and grumbles are continuing. I *think* I have concluded that it isn't really hunger pains -- that it is a spasm of some sort. It seems to happen more when I am eating something a little thicker like yogurt vs. a liquid.

That's all for now. Feeling really good and stomach soreness is all but gone, which is a huge help.

[walkinggirl 90]

THE scale MOVED TODAY!

That is all

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I think it's very normal to have a rumbley stomach early out. I know mine was. I THINK it's because a lot of what you are eating and drinking is passing through the stomach and being digested in your intestines. Once you are more healed and can eat more solid foods, it should subside.

[walkinggirl 90]

Not too terribly much to report. scale is still moving, slowly, but I will still take it.

I start Couch to 5k yesterday on the treadmill. My goal after this surgery has always been to run a 5k. I was actually surprised that it wasn't harder for me. When I've tried to run outside, I felt like I was going to die. Maybe running on a treadmill is easier? And I was running at pretty much the slowest pace ever, lol. But hey, I still ran!

I also started some resistance training with both bands and weights. This morning, I went for a short hike through the hilly woods to keep myself from getting sick of the treadmill.

liquid diet is getting olllllldddddd. I made some Protein pudding out of avocado yesterday which was a nice change of pace. Dreading a Superbowl party that I have to go to tonight and seeing all the yummy food that I cannot have!

Edited February 7, 2016 by walkinggirl

[walkinggirl 90]

I'm long overdue for an update!

I saw my surgeon last week and he was pleased with my progress. I am still technically on a liquid diet until 2/26, but I have been adding some purees/smoothies to help get in some fruits and veggies. I am so, so sick of all the sugar free junk and Protein shakes.

I started the C25K program and wow, I am slow and out of shape! I finished week 1 and was thinking about going back and doing it over again to try to increase my running and walking speeds a bit. But hey, I am still running!

The scale is moving, slowly but surely. I am finally down in the 250s. I was able to move down a size in my jeans too. Yay!