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If your WLS program provided a guide, I suggest you use that. But many people do not receive a program guide when they have WLS. If you fall in that boat, here are some links to guides that I have saved from this forum over the years. If you have any to add, post a comment with a link. Kaiser Fremont Bariatric Program Guide (this is my program's guide and it covers VSG and other WLS) http://mydoctor.kais...rics/binder.jsp The Cornell Weight Loss Surgery Program: Dietary Guidelines for Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy http://www.cornellwe...gastrectomy.pdf Institute for Advanced Bariatric Surgery: Preparatory Surgery Guide http://www.laplose.c...urgeryGuide.pdf Institute for Advanced Bariatric Surgery: Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery Diet Guide http://www.laplose.c...veDietGuide.pdf Northwest Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: Laproscopic Gastric Sleeve Diet http://www.northwest...ectomy-diet.pdf Ellis Medicine Program Guide http://www.ellishosp...pGuidelines.pdf Here are some additional guides posted by Misty (read her post here: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/85182-list-of-vsg-post-op-diets-from-surgeons/) Auckland Weight Loss Surgery (New Zealand) - Patient Information Book Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy http://aucklandweightlosssurgery.co.nz/downloads/Laparoscopic%20Sleeve%20Gastrectomy.pdf Brigham and Women's Hospital - Dietary Guidelines for Sleeve Gastrectomy http://www.brighamandwomens.org/Departments_and_Services/surgery/services/generalsurg/WeightLossSurgery/PostOpSleeveGastrectomyDiet.pdf Columbia University - Sleeve Gastrectomy Discharge Instructions http://obesitymd.org/postop_sleeve.html Goodnight Surgical – The Sleeve Gastectromy Guide (PDF) http://goodnightsurgical.com/doc/Sleeve_Gastrectomy_Guide.pdf HealthPoint (New Zealand) - The Sleeve Gastectromy Information for Patients (PDF,Must be downloaded, can’t be viewed online) http://www.healthpoint.co.nz/download,267405.do Johns Hopkins - Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Guide http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/johns_hopkins_bayview/_docs/medical_services/bariatrics/nutrition_sleeve.pdf London Bariatric Group (UK) – A guide to eating and drinking after Sleeve Gastectromy http://www.laparoscopicconsultant.co.uk/pdf/post-op-sleeve-gastrectomy.pdf London Obesity Clinic (UK) - Eating after Sleeve Gastectromy http://www.obesitycliniclondon.co.uk/pdf/eating-after-sleeve-gastrectomy.pdf Miami HOPE Center - Patient Education Booklet Sleeve Gastectromy http://www.miamihope.com/docs/Patient_Educational_Booklet_Sleeve_Gastrectomy.pdf Murfressboro Surgical Specialists - Dietary Guidelines Post-Op Sleeve Gastectromy Procedure http://www.murfsurg.com/dietary_guidelines_sleeve_gastrectomy.htm North London Obesity Surgery Services (UK) - Eating After A Sleeve Gastrectomy http://www.whittington.nhs.uk/document.ashx?id=1948 Northwest Obesity Center – Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve Diet http://www.northwestobesitysurgery.com/pdf/sleeve-gastrectomy-diet.pdf Peachtree Bariatrics – Gastric Sleeve Patient Manual Guide http://www.peachtreebariatrics.com/docs/Gastric-Sleeve-Patient-Manual.pdf Pinnacle Health (Australia) - Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery Patient Manual (Word Doc, must be downloaded, cannot be read online) http://www.pinnaclehealth.org/pinnacle/media/Images/Sleeve-Gastrectomy-Patient-Manual.doc St. George Obesity Surgery (Australia) - Sleeve Gastrectomy Pre and Post Operative Information for Patients http://www.stgeorgeobesitysurgery.com.au/pdf/sleeve-gastrectomy-booklet.pdf St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton (Canada) – Bariatric Surgery Guidebook http://www.stjoes.ca/media/PatientED/U-Z/PD%206000%20Bariatric%20Surgery%20-%20Gastric%20Bypass%20February%2029%202012.pdf University of Missouri - Guidelines Before & After Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy http://www.muhealth.org/documents/bariatric/Bariatric%20Booklet%20VSG.pdf Upper Gastro Intestinal Surgery (Dr. Talbot, Australia) - Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy for Weight Loss http://www.uppergisurgery.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/sleeve-2011.pdf Virginia Hospital Center - Your Complete Guide for Nutrition and Exercise Following Sleeve Gastrectomy http://www.surgicalassociatesvhc.com/Nutrition-and-Exercise-following-Sleeve-Gastrectomy-82011.pdf Walter Reed - Nutritional Guidelines Handbook http://www.wrnmmc.capmed.mil/Health%20Services/Surgery/Surgery/Bariatric%20Surgery/Shared%20Documents/Nutr%20Guidelines%20Section%20Handbook.pdf Walter Reed – Nutrition for Bariatric Surgery Presentation http://www.wrnmmc.capmed.mil/Health%20Services/Surgery/Surgery/Bariatric%20Surgery/Shared%20Documents/Nutrition%20for%20Bariatric%20Surgery%20Presentation.pdf

Post-op life has been incredible so far. Even when I was in the hospital right after surgery, I was so positive. I was so thankful to the nurses, doctors and hospital staff - and I told them so endlessly - that many of them told me that I was the sweetest patient they'd had in a long time. Why? Because I was so thankful to be alive, to be doing okay (in pain, but no complications), to have them helping me, to know that IT WAS DONE... I just couldn't help but want to thank each of them so much for being there to help me through the hardest part (first few days post op). It was wonderful. Through all the pain and discomfort, I was guided by the idea that this is exactly what I wanted. I was exactly where I wanted to be. It was only gonna get BETTER from there. And it has. SO MUCH!!!! So, last Thursday was my 12 weeks post op. My stats: High weight: 459 Surgery date: 417 Today: 370. In 11 more lbs, I'll be at 100lbs down. And my high weight is from November 2012, so in LESS THAN A YEAR (cuz I know 11lbs will be coming off soon) I will have lost 100lbs. This surgery is my miracle. And I am an agnostic cynic who doesn't really believe in miracles. At my highest weight, it was impossible for me to have any sense of fashion or feeling cute in clothes. All my pants had to be ordered online and were usually somewhat ill-fitting. Almost all my clothes were bought from catalogs because plus size store tops were just too snug, even in the highest size. About 6 yrs ago was the last time I was able to buy pants at a store. Tops were okay, but jeans/pants were too small. Well, now just about everything I have is way too big. So, I started pulling clothes out of "the archives" a few weeks ago. I had held on to some of my nicer work clothes from Lane Bryant from about 5-6 yrs ago when I could still fit in them. Now, even those are all getting too big. The smallest size I remember being in my adult life is 26/28 and 12 weeks post op IT'S TOO BIG. I still find it so hard to believe! Well, I went clothes shopping this weekend. I waltzed into the Lane Bryant outlet and grabbed a pair of 28 jeans thinking "I'm sure all my old clothes are stretched out/worn in. So we'll see just how much more I have to lose before these brand new ones will fit", guessing that I'd get them pulled up but would have trouble buttoning them. Wrong. More like "Um, Miss, can you get me a 26?" A 26!!!!! And yes, I realize this is still big. I have a long way to go still, but just the idea of buying something in a store - something smaller than I would have bought even 5 years ago - it blows my mind!!! I got a bunch of cute tops in size 22/24 - and by the end of summer THOSE will be too big because they are already just a tiny bit big in the shoulder area. Anyway, aside from the clothes shopping (which I always LOVED back when I could actually shop in stores, so it kinda made me giddy to be able to do it again!) - I also have some NSVs. I've started parking on the 3rd floor in the parking garage at work. I was on the 2nd and would take the stairs every day. There are 5 floors, so I want to work my way up. Not sure how long it will take, but I just want to be able to do it! I can cross my legs at the knee. My thighs are still so huge (UGH), but small enough that I can cross my legs, and I was NEVER really able to do that comfortably in my LIFE. I moved my seat up in my car about 2 inches. Never thought that would be something I'd have to do because I'm almost 6 ft tall, but without my gut (well, with LESS of a gut) I felt a mile away from the steering wheel! I no longer fear any chair. Sometimes arms with chairs were just too tight and I couldn't sit in them. Now, I don't have that problem. Next challenge - sitting in a booth at a restaurant! this last one may sound snarky - but I have an overweight friend who's been acting a lil jealous of me lately because my weight loss is getting noticeable. I'm REALLLY close (if not already there, really), to being smaller than her. I've ALWAYS been the biggest friend. Always. I know that may sound petty - but I am just so sick of being the fattest person in my family, at work, in the store, of my friends - I have always been the fattest person... and now - I'm not! however that comes across, there is something about that fact that makes me proud of what I've accomplished! And last but not least - I met a guy. He's a really good one, too - so far. I haven't shared all my secrets with him or anything, it's still really new. But I do thoroughly enjoy him and want to see where this could go. It's got some potential! I haven't had the confidence to date in YEARS, and I go on this one blind date and am lucky enough to meet a really great guy. Another miracle? I dunno. Maybe I've been overdue for some miracles in my life! lol Anyway, that's about all I got to share at this point. Hope everyone else is doing well out there, too! <3 <3

After 2 months of all the appointments and requirements, I am going in for my sleeve! I have started at 223# and have lost 18# on the preop changes I have always been overweight so this journey of bringing the outside to what the inside feels will be so welcoming. I turned 50 in February and want to feel better and get off the blood pressure medicine and cholesteral. Yah for a new day!!!

After more than two years post-op and almost three years on this board, I've decided to create a blog. I never made one before because I didn't want the responsibility of keeping up with new entries and dreaming up fresh and exciting content to share. But I've come to recognize that blogs, even when they are abandoned, can provide a permanent link to some great information. So, I'm going to use my blog to answer questions that I see come up over and over in the online VSG community. I'll put each topic in a separate entry so they are easy to link to. A bit about me: I'm a retired techie. I wrote techincal documentation for end-users, administrators, and programmers. I also worked on websites and UI design. After retiring, one of my projects was getting healthy. After years of trying to lose weight including a stint with Weight Watchers in person, Weight Watchers online, hiring a personal trainer, hypnosis, and a brief fling with Alli, I decided to try weight loss surgery. At first, I wanted the band. After learning more about it, I decided on the sleeve. I had VSG through Kaiser Fremont in May 2011. I got to my personal goal in March 2012. I've been staying there since. I hope you find the information I provide useful. Lynda

Two days away and I will have crossed the finish line. Today I have been eating SF Popsicles all day along with broth. I don't fell hungry. I just could not drink another Slimfast! I plan on having SF jello for tomorrow. I will be packing shortly. I'm so excited. I don't want to over pack. I have to drag that stuff three flights up once discharged. So light is the way to go. Thinking of wearing a maxi dress or draw string shorts; Simple comfortable clothes. Hope it's not super hot when I'm discharged. I plan to walk the hall until my first post op visit. Then if all cleared I can do the stairs and I can walk the track. I also wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for their kind words and thoughts as well as the great advice and feedback to all the sleevers on this site. It has been a great help. Continued success on this journey! Karen

So today I noticed I have another heat rash.. It's my underarm.. Its extremely painful but not as intense as the one under my belly and thighs. I felt like a baby was ripping through every single pore in all of the regions. lol literally burning and swelling all over the place. It is worrying me because I think I might be losing weight too fast. I mean I am still fairly new to the band. I regret letting myself get this far before I decided I needed help... weight wise. I watched some body sculpting surgeries and it honestly freaked me out. I know for sure I am going to need the following: arm lift, boob lift, corset trunkplasty, thigh lift, ankle lipo, my calves might need a little lipo, a but lift/transfer of fat to reshape my bottom. I don't think I will be able to get around having most of that done. I am still early in the game to think about it, but it is something I am going to have to face. I am still not eating enough protein.. I know, I know... 60-80grams a day. pffff I can't even get to 600 cals still. I had half of 1/2 cup of oatmeal for breakfast. for lunch I had one salmon patty. and for dinner I had One chicken tamale(I peeled off most of the "shell".) Tomorrow I am going to the store to by my meals for the week. That way I can make healthier choices and buy more protein induced foods. Anyone tried asparagus ? I want to try it but I don't know how to cook it or how it taste. does it taste like broccoli or string beans?? I think I am still drinking too fast. I haven't puked or felt like something got stuck. I am just so damn thirsty. My job doesn't have air right now and its been 98-104 degrees. So I have been trying to sip but I know im not getting 64oz of water per day. Even my sleep is jacked up. I know that my band and I will start to work together and things will be better but for now things are not going so smooth. it could be worse, I could still be 380lbs. I can't wait to weight myself. First goal is to get to 299. It looks like I might end up losing over 100lbs in one year.. im more than half way there already and I still have five months left. I just have to keep telling myself that I am fighting for my life and that I can do this.

On Tuesday I start my official pre-op liquid diet. BUT as I said, I am doing a trial run for 3 days beforehand.....and, the first day went fine. Always the planner, I figured out how many hours they should be spread over, and made a schedule as a guide The only thing I'm doing differently today is starting at an earlier hour.....I couldn't get all the shakes in yesterday because I didn't start until 8:30, which meant I had one every 2 hours......yikes! Who'd think you could get so full! So here I am at 6:30 a.m., sipping and typing LOL And, to get out of the heat yesterday we went bowling (how fun).....and yes, I even walked into the bowling lanes with a shake.....A few hours later, we drove by a DQ.......hubby looked like a little kid....."Hey, you want ice cream?" I told him to go ahead because it was time for another shake anyway.....Neither of us have had DQ in years.............and when he got back to the car, he offered a lick off his cone......Luckily I don't like vanilla soft serve LOL........BUT I had to give him a hard time....."Seriously, you are offering me ice cream? [yes] Honey, if this was Tuesday, would you offer me ice cream then? [no]" He had his held down as if in shame, but looking at me with a gleam in his eyes and that boyish charm of his..........I just hope he was testing me...

10 POST SURGERY: I find that I am still sore. I guess I should not be surprised. No magical healing potion is available. So here is the deal. I feel okay when I stand up and move around. I feel okay when I am reclining. No exercising as of yet, I do walk around.( Hopefully, I will be cleared to exercise again after my two week follow up on the 25th of this month.) However, I find I am in the most pain when I have to seat up in a chair - or seat up in a drivers/passengers seat. Generally, I start to ache after 30 minutes are so. Not sure what is happening here, but seating up hurts my left side - where most of the incisions are. I have to lean to the right to relieve the pain. Though, leaning back and to the side while driving is supposed to be cool, exude confidence, whatever, it really doesn't help me when I am driving. (The Commercials lie!) Its also not comfortable when I make a left turn. Usually, when I come in I enjoy seating in my lawn chair in the bedroom watching TV. Yes I know that sounds like a story in and of itself. ( The short version: I was looking for an computer chair to work with my computer armoire which is closer to the floor than I expected when I bought it. After a long shopping day and no luck finding a computer chair, I went to look for new bathroom accessories at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. While waiting for my mother to finish shopping, I pulled out a lawn chair and set down. It had a head rest and it was very comfortable. I bought it on the spot. I mostly seat and watch TV and fall asleep in it.) So now that I have explained that I can move on. So I try seating in my lawn chair only to discover this is not comfortable. So I go on Amazon, which owns a fourth of my paycheck every pay period, and I look at inflatable furniture. I settle on a reclined chair and ottoman set. Today was my first day using it. It works wonders. Although, I'm afraid I'm doing more sleeping than watching TV. Somehow furniture never works out like I plan. I also use an inflatable wedge to sleep elevated at night. It too works wonderfully and is one of the pieces I have bought FOR the intended purpose of sleeping. P.S. NO I DON'T SLEEP ALL THE TIME. LOL. BUT Pre-surgery, I often had very restless nights, many times choking in my sleep. I maybe got 3 hours of rest a night. Post-Surgery and Hernia Repair, I seem to be sleeping like a baby.

Do You Weigh After a Poop? Started by joatsaint joatsaint Posted Today, 4:31 PM Is anyone as crazy as me? I jump on the scale pre and post poop to see the difference. It doesn't count on my "official" weight loss chart or anything. Or am I just being too OCD? johnlatte Posted Today, 4:33 PM yes, that's a bit ocd sarahr Posted Today, 4:37 PM I did a few times when it was umm substantial LOL Gross But no difference. DO you see a difference? And why not count it? katikati Posted Today, 4:41 PM Guilty. Did it today, lost two pounds. No joke. I consider it less OCD and more of just a marvel because I'm only pooping every three days, so it's quite the event. laura-ven Posted Today, 4:42 PM If I did I'm not telling! But OCD runs in my family... Kristina J. Posted Today, 4:45 PM My husband is as fit as can be, has never had weight loss surgery and considers weighing pre and post poop one of his favorite past times! This is my prize... This is what God gave me... VSGKirk Posted Today, 4:47 PM I only get on a scale once a week, but when I do - definitely after a nice BM, emptying my bladder twice, stripped nekkid including removing my genital piercing... quite the ritual, but it works for me! joatsaint Posted Today, 4:48 PM I can always rely on you guys to make me feel soooooooooooooo much better about myself. And I don't count it because it's only temporary. I'll have another torpedo in the tube by the next day. laura-ven Posted Today, 5:06 PM LOL.. I see a new thread. "I'm not fat! I'm full of ****" bunnyg33 Posted Today, 5:09 PM VSGKirk, on March 1, 2013 - 4:47 PM, said: I only get on a scale once a week, but when I do - definitely after a nice BM, emptying my bladder twice, stripped nekkid including removing my genital piercing... quite the ritual, but it works for me! Sounds like my routine but I do not remove my piercings, too much work. I do take my glasses off though lol. bethxxx Posted Today, 5:13 PM I always weigh after a poop, I never weigh before hand to see the difference though, I just poop then weigh. I also get naked, take off my jewelry and hop on and off like 3 times, just to be sure hahah Kristina J. Posted Today, 5:15 PM Let's not forget that this must ALWAYS be before our shower!! We all know that a shower can add, what? 10 pounds of water weight?!? johnlatte Posted Today, 5:34 PM I can't even believe that I came back and read the rest of this thread. Workingonnewme Posted Today, 5:39 PM Lol..I do it all the time! joatsaint Posted Today, 5:53 PM bunnyg33, on March 1, 2013 - 5:09 PM, said: Sounds like my routine but I do not remove my piercings, too much work. I do take my glasses off though lol. And as we all know, glasses add 10 lbs, unless you wear those new ones with the helium filled frames. When I go into the doctor for post op weigh-ins, they ask me if I want to take my shoes off. I say no, but I do leave my cell phone in the car. That thing is heavy! TD41 Posted 48 minutes ago rofl some of the responses are hilarious... I weigh myself after a bm as well... so i am happy to know im not alone

Today I got THE call.....well, the email actually...the subject line: "APPROVED!" the body of the email "call me so we can go forward". I had been in touch with Stefanie for a month or so following my progress and keeping her updated with the status of all the tests and various appointments. When I saw the email, one eye started leaking (who, me cry? No, that wasn't a tear rolling down my cheek....I didn't realize how concerned I was about getting approved right away--..that was against the odds due to new ins. rules---but they approved me anyway................this morning I was a wreck---no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get through to the dr's office w/o interruptions----I started to wonder "is this a sign? perhaps I shouldn't go through with it" But I squashed those thoughts---and quick! People kept coming in and out of my office (usually it's a dead zone), someone set up an appointment with me & an auditor, but neglected to tell me---so I had to stop everything and play gopher, digging through files for the required records---I'm always the last to know LOL.....so I tried to call a little later, and while I'm on the phone, someone picks up a random extension and starts dialing, disconnecting me & my doctor's office--and they did this twice! I was a nervous wreck to begin with, and all of these shenanigans just made me more anxious and shaky----and I was shaky for a few hours afterwards---too excited and thankful and scared to death, all at the same time. It's hard to imagine in 20 days I will be sitting on the losers' bench. It's taken me years to get to this point, and many thanks are extended to the VST members who shared their experience, offered their input, and have been candid about the good and the not so good parts of WLS......thank you. I "think" I'm ready for what's ahead....I've been reading everything I can about VSG---I am absolutely obsessed.....BUT is anyone REALLY fully and completely prepared for this? I don't think so---until after the actual surgery.....I'm so glad that I know I may have buyers' remorse initially, hormones will be out of whack, there can be stalls along the way, and everyone's body does not lose at the same pace.......the liquid pre-op diet is not fun, but hopefully I'll keep my attitude in check....if not, you have the right to call me out due to my bad attitude LOL ..I believe if I can't follow the pre-op diet, I have no right to show up for surgery come 8/6.............because the real challenge will be what comes after the surgery.....Be good to yourselves & those around you......Until next time......