Talked to my husband today about getting gastric sleeve

[TracyBar 132]

Fantastic! My husband was worried about it being dangerous and said he wanted more information. I showed him a surgery on You-Tube and he saw a few interviews from my surgeons office and he was all in once he read about it. We need our hubby's on board.

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I'm glad you have the support of your husband. My husband too is very supportive. I like you was immediately thinking the same thoughts. However that's just human nature. My husband agreed because he knows my family history and he doesn't want to loose me any sooner than he has to. I unfortunately am having to do six months of physician supervised diet and exercise before my insurance will approve it. I'm on month three and very discouraged. I find these forums very helpful and they seem to calm my nerves. Knowing that there are others going through what I am going through is very helpful.

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My husband (like me) was a bit put off by the removal of so much of the stomach. And like me again, wondered "why so much? Why not 50%?"

[theantichick 2,204]

My hubby was all for it as well, once I reassured him about the safety of the procedure. He doesn't give one whit about my weight as far as how I look, he thinks I'm beautiful regardless. He knows my weight and other health issues are keeping me from being able to do the things I want to do, and he'd love for us to be more active. He also wants to make sure I'm around a really really long time with him. I'm so lucky to have my guy... he's happy to change the foods that are brought into the house so I don't have to struggle as much with temptation, and he does most of the cooking and is willing to try new recipes and whatever I need. He figures it'll mean a healthier diet for all of us, which is a good thing. I wish everyone could have this kind of support.

[TracyBar 132]

My hubby was all for it as well, once I reassured him about the safety of the procedure. He doesn't give one whit about my weight as far as how I look, he thinks I'm beautiful regardless. He knows my weight and other health issues are keeping me from being able to do the things I want to do, and he'd love for us to be more active. He also wants to make sure I'm around a really really long time with him. I'm so lucky to have my guy... he's happy to change the foods that are brought into the house so I don't have to struggle as much with temptation, and he does most of the cooking and is willing to try new recipes and whatever I need. He figures it'll mean a healthier diet for all of us, which is a good thing. I wish everyone could have this kind of support.

My husband is an easy-going guy. Never cares what dinner is, just appreciates that he gets home late from work and there's something to eat. I'm pretty sure he will like it better when I'm more slender, just simply because not only will I look better but I'll be happier. And healthier. When I told him the other day what I was thinking of doing, he didn't say too much until I said that it will mean I will be much less likely to have to deal with weight-related issues like diabetes - he was pretty quick to say "well, that's all the reason you need then to do it". Just feel so much better knowing he's o.k. with this. Guess we're lucky huh? :-)

[theantichick 2,204]

My husband is an easy-going guy. Never cares what dinner is, just appreciates that he gets home late from work and there's something to eat. I'm pretty sure he will like it better when I'm more slender, just simply because not only will I look better but I'll be happier. And healthier. When I told him the other day what I was thinking of doing, he didn't say too much until I said that it will mean I will be much less likely to have to deal with weight-related issues like diabetes - he was pretty quick to say "well, that's all the reason you need then to do it". Just feel so much better knowing he's o.k. with this. Guess we're lucky huh? :-)

Yep, for me it took 20 years and 2 marriages to complete losers to be in a place in myself that I could find and recognize this guy as the gold mine he is. All mine needed to hear was that I would likely be able to lose the CPAP and my pain with my auto-immune arthritis is very likely to improve, and he was on board but had a few concerns about the risks. Talked those through with him, and his only question was "how soon can you do it?" He appreciates the warnings about the hormone dump that has the potential to turn me into a fire-breathing dragon for a while after the surgery, but says it will be worth it if I end up healthier.

[melanies 3]

Wow, I think we have the same husband! ???? I had my initial consultation with the surgeon (lap band to sleeve revision) to get as much info as I could to present idea to my hubby. I was scared, didn't think he would support it, but he was so absolutely supportive! His main concern is complications, but I gave him some info also and he is 100% on board. Really makes this decision a lot easier when the support system is there. Way to go!! ????????????

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[TracyBar 132]

My husband is an easy-going guy. Never cares what dinner is, just appreciates that he gets home late from work and there's something to eat. I'm pretty sure he will like it better when I'm more slender, just simply because not only will I look better but I'll be happier. And healthier. When I told him the other day what I was thinking of doing, he didn't say too much until I said that it will mean I will be much less likely to have to deal with weight-related issues like diabetes - he was pretty quick to say "well, that's all the reason you need then to do it". Just feel so much better knowing he's o.k. with this. Guess we're lucky huh? :-)

Yep, for me it took 20 years and 2 marriages to complete losers to be in a place in myself that I could find and recognize this guy as the gold mine he is. All mine needed to hear was that I would likely be able to lose the CPAP and my pain with my auto-immune arthritis is very likely to improve, and he was on board but had a few concerns about the risks. Talked those through with him, and his only question was "how soon can you do it?" He appreciates the warnings about the hormone dump that has the potential to turn me into a fire-breathing dragon for a while after the surgery, but says it will be worth it if I end up healthier.

Yikes. I think I have many more details to discover! Hormone dump?! Please explain! lol Funny, my husband said the same thing "how soon can you do it?" Wasn't until you said that that I remembered he said the exact same words! I believe my increasing weight has been a real concern for him - but what husband is stupid enough to actually VOICE any concerns when it regards their wife's weight! LOL I've had testing for sleep apnea but the doctor said it wasn't really bad enough to require a CPAP. But I can tell the weight around my neck is causing discomfort and breathing issues. It just crept up on me! Anyway, if there are other things regarding this surgery I should know (and I really need to know the good, the bad and the ugly) please enlighten me! I've had a few concerns from things I've learned just in the last few days - the latest being that this surgery means that you may need to wear a medic alert Bracelet and that concerned me (even the wallet card option gave me pause). I can't wrap my head around the necessity for removal of SO much of the stomach. Why 85%? Why not 75% or 50%? And now the hormone dump! These are things one needs to understand.... :-)

[KristenLe 5,980]

@@TracyBar I believe they remove enough of the stomach to reduce the Ghrelin hormone (hunger hormone) and the part of the stomach that can stretch. As you are losing weight rapidly - the hormones stored in your fat are released (hormone dump) and can make you emotional, moody, sad, depressed. Etc (major PMS type symptoms). As long as you know what is causing this and can deal with it (without using food as many of us do pre-op) - you'll get thru it unscathed. You can combat it with exercise. The hormones often increase your sex drive too - so there are some pluses.

Edited July 26, 2016 by KristenLe

[theantichick 2,204]

@@TracyBar - hang around here and read as much as you can. I'm hardly an expert, since I haven't been through it yet. But there are recurring themes to the "please help!" posts.

As a past ER nurse and paramedic, if the only health problem I had was the VSG, I probably wouldn't wear a Bracelet, but I would put a card in my wallet with my ID that had bright red edges and said EMERGENCY MEDICAL INFORMATION and had the "no blind NG, no NSAID" info printed on it along with emergency contact info. Anatomically speaking, the blind NG won't be nearly as much of an issue with the sleeve as it would be with a bypass or lap band. And that's not something that's needed immediately in an emergency situation. It's highly unlikely anyone would be putting in a blind NG or giving NSAID's before someone had pulled your ID out. If they are, then they're doing CPR and an NG is the least of your worries. Something like a drug allergy is much more important for medical personnel to have immediately. I have to wear a bracelet for my many health problems and drug information, so I'll just have this added to the record.

Let's see... the things I've seen recurring on the board that I've made note of:

There's all the post-op "what can I eat" and "I can't keep fluids down" posts - get your doc to pre-emptively prescribe Zofran.

And then there's the advice to be deadly serious about getting your fluids and Protein in - most common reason for ER visits post-op appear to be dehydration, and Protein is needed for healing.

There's the "don't take as much stuff as you think you need to the hospital" posts. Lip balm, computer/tablet/phone, and gas-X strips seem to be the only consistent advice.

There's the "don't buy cases of protein stuff beforehand, because your tastes are very likely to change". I've gotten a variety of stuff to try pre-op, and will likely keep a variety stock for after.

There's the tons of posts about Constipation, and apparently some surgeons don't want you taking certain meds for it post-op, so definitely get instructions for dealing with that from your doc. The change in diet apparently does you in, plus pain meds are notorious for causing it.

There's the "I'm crying all the time and regretting this surgery" for about a week or two post-op. The vets say by and large this is due to the massive hormone dump. Fat cells store estrogen along with a bunch of other hormones, and as you lose the fat cells, these hormones dump into your system and it seems to create a PMS-type of situation for a while after.

Then there's the stalls that appear to happen periodically through the weight loss period, so we should be prepared for that.

And of course, all of the advice on how to not break the bank staying clothed as you go through sizes like crazy.

I think that's the major ones.

[theantichick 2,204]

Oh, and another post just reminded me... if we don't stop caffeine well before the surgery, we're bound to get withdrawal headaches.

[Ale Nunez 80]

My husband has been very supportive too, specially because he's a very fit person so he wants me to be as active as he is. And of course, health reasons.

[loafee 4]

@tracyBar. I was very nervous about discussing the WLS with my husband. I thought he would be agains t it. But he was very supportive as well. I am happy for you.

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[Valentina 2,642]

Oh, and another post just reminded me... if we don't stop caffeine well before the surgery, we're bound to get withdrawal headaches.

You forgot "The Great Straw Debate".

PS: I never gave up caffeine and I'm still alive and thriving... just say'n

[daniotra 298]

Hormone dump is rough. It happens because fat stores hormones, estrogen in particular, and that gets released when you are losing quickly. I was crying the other day because my son's poopy diaper made me lose my appetite in the middle of a meal. And later the same day I called my husband crying so hard he could only understand about a third of what I was saying because I felt bad at snapping at the kids. Think mega-PMS.

The worst thing for me post-op is the bad taste in my mouth and certain foods taste -terrible-. I can't eat flavored yogurt or real lemonade right now. It has a nasty, nasty flavor to me. I'm hoping that will go away when the bad taste in my mouth clears up.

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[TracyBar 132]

Wow, I think we have the same husband! I had my initial consultation with the surgeon (lap band to sleeve revision) to get as much info as I could to present idea to my hubby. I was scared, didn't think he would support it, but he was so absolutely supportive! His main concern is complications, but I gave him some info also and he is 100% on board. Really makes this decision a lot easier when the support system is there. Way to go!!

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It sure does make it easier!

[TracyBar 132]

@@TracyBar I believe they remove enough of the stomach to reduce the Ghrelin hormone (hunger hormone) and the part of the stomach that can stretch. As you are losing weight rapidly - the hormones stored in your fat are released (hormone dump) and can make you emotional, moody, sad, depressed. Etc (major PMS type symptoms). As long as you know what is causing this and can deal with it (without using food as many of us do pre-op) - you'll get thru it unscathed. You can combat it with exercise. The hormones often increase your sex drive too - so there are some pluses.

Increased sex drive? Except that the husbands have been a victim of hormone dump so maybe getting close won't be doable! lol