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VSG tomorrow 8/27



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Tomorrow is finally surgery day. I’m having my surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. I started this whole process back in January, had to endure 6 months of nutritional visits (due to my insurance BCBS of Michigan and a BMI of 37 at the time) and then some delays in testing due to COVID.

In January when I first started the process, I weighed 256lbs. at 5’8 and now I’m down to 226lbs. (I lost 14 pounds during the 2 week pre-op liquid diet).

I’ve suffered with Hashimoto’s for years and weight loss has always been very difficult. Last year I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and fatty liver disease. At that point I knew I needed to make a change and like so many of you, diets and every diet pill you can imagine didn’t result in any weight loss that would last long term.

Pre-op testing yesterday included an ultrasound of my liver and pancreas (my gallbladder was removed years ago) a meeting with anesthesia, lots of lab work and a COVID test.

I found out today that one of my blood tests revealed that my Factor VIII is high and I will be taking Lovenox injections as a blood thinner post op for 14 days.

I’m to be at the surgery center bright and early (5:30 am). Tonight I have been instructed to drink 24 ounces of regular Gatorade (not sugar free) and another 24 ounces tomorrow morning 2 hours before I leave my house (so I’m really getting up early). Apparently this aids with recovery and reduces post op nausea and volume which I know I suffer from due to other surgeries.

I will try and post updates daily so that others that are pre-op can get a little insight on the experience.

I’ve learned so much from everyone’s posts on this site and from the forums I follow on Facebook and that has helped immensely.

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Good Luck!!! You will do great. You've already come so far!! 💪💪

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Blessings on your head!🤗

Please let us know how you are doing. My surgery is Sept. 2nd and I...I don't know how I feel really. Just kind of numb.😶

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Welcome to the club and now enjoy the journey

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Well today I officially joined the losers bench. Surgery went really well and for the first time, I didn’t experience any post op nausea which I normally do even with EGD’s, my hysterectomy and my ball bladder removal.

Prior to surgery they gave me Tylenol, Celebrex and Gamapentin and that combination seemed to work well for me. I’ve been sleeping off and on all day .

I’ve drank about 10 ounces of Water for far and I’ve walked the halls a few times.

I did ask what size sleeve I was given and the fellow for my surgeon told me a 32 French.  I don’t have any clue if that’s small or not.

I will say the care here at Cleveland Clinic has been amazing so far.

My husband spent the better part of the day here and he has gone home now.

If everyone continues to go well, I will get to go home tomorrow.

One thing- my first trip to the bathroom was well, interesting, as I had no clue I was peeing and when I stood up thinking I was done I realized I was still going and had to clean myself up some 😂.

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Congratulations!!!!🥳🎉

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Many blessings sent your way! Good luck and congratulations! ❤️

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I’m less than 24 hours out and have been able to drink 20 ounces of Water so far Gas pain hasn’t been too bad.

If things continue well I should be able to go home today.

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Having my first Protein Shake in the hospital. I’ve noticed that for me, Water goes down much easier than the shake. The shake doesn’t taste bad it just seems to make my stomach ache a little.
Nurse brought me in an abdominal binder and it does seem to offer support and comfort when I’m standing or walking.

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Well it’s my first night at home and boy am I experiencing the gas pain. Hopefully this won’t last more than a few days. Dr. Sent me home with a prescription for liquid hydrocodone but I do not take any narcotics because I tend to get very very sick taking them. For now, I’m just using liquid Tylenol which is doing a decent job.

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I had my surgery on Thursday and today is Saturday so I’ll go with today is Day 3. Lots of gas pain last night but I was still able to sleep 3-4 hours on two separate occasions. I’m still so very puffy/swollen from the IV’s. I can tell by my feet and hands that I am holding Water which might be a good thing to help combat any dehydration. So far I haven’t had any real difficulty sipping on fluids. I am taking baby sips. My goal is to have two Premier Protein shakes and one Protein H2O today which will mean I hit my protein goal (80 grams). Since 40 ounces of that is liquid, I just need to drink one pitcher of the water cup that I took home from the hospital that measures 20 ounces of water and that will put me at 60 ounces.
One thing I forgot to mention is that my left had /forearm (where my first IV went) is so swollen. They had to replace my IV because the one of my hand became infiltrated the morning after my surgery.

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I was able to get my goal of Protein and Water today (day 3). On average it is taking me almost 2 hours to finish each shake. I have absolutely zero appetite and have to keep telling myself to take sips.

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You are doing very well! Congratulations on getting your Protein and Water in. 32 French is a small sleeve (depending on how closely the surgeon stapled to it), mine was a 36. I did fine and I'm sure you will too!

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I’m still holding a lot of fluids and quite puffy but I’m trying to not let that discourage me. Nothing is worse than getting on a scale to see you’ve gained 5 lbs during surgery (which I’m guessing is all IV fluids).
I’ve been lucky in that I haven’t had any nausea issues and I definitely do not have an appetite. My husband and kids ordered take out yesterday and it didn’t bother me at all, I sat at the table with them sipping on my Water and could care less what they were eating.
I am still waking up at 1:00 am because of pain and I take a dose of liquid Tylenol and can go back to bed. I’m a side/stomach sleeper and cannot sleep how I normally sleep.

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    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

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      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
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      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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