MINI-Me

A big welcome to both of you. The first few days, I wondered what have I done. But, then the recovery really speeds up. I'm on soft foods now & the restriction/lack of hunger are unbelievable. What a great tool!

From what I was told, a 36 ensures that you can swallow pills and gives enough room for a scope should they need to look. Also, the boughie is only the size of the tube they put down to guide the suture line. If they don't go up close on the tube, you aren't going to have that size. Make sense?

First of all, welcome. I'm sure that is possible. One person lost 53 pounds in 7 weeks and recently posted her success.

You've been given some great advice above. I don't have anything to add except to say that I am thinking of you. I'm so sorry you are going through this. It's enough to be having issues with your sleeve - it's totally wrong to be treated this way. We can send bad vibes his way for you!

You look awesome. I showed pictures to my husband - he can't wait for my weightloss phase to be over. (I'm trying to believe he was just thinking of me thin & not looking at how smokin'hot you are! LOL)

I had a 36. 40 isn't that much bigger to make a difference. Glad to hear that you are progressing well.

I was allowed to sqeeze lemon juice into water and decaf tea since day 1 of surgery. Are you planning on just using the juice or taking in pulp too?

Have you tried something simply like a heating pad? Another option is Massage Therapy. My husband had a sciatic issue with his shoulder and it helped tremendously. Some insurance companies even cover it (usually if you have chiropractic coverage, you have massage therapy coverage). I also have regular MT for my knee. I am a firm believer in MT after seeing it's results. Good luck - hopefully you can find some relief.

OK - I must admit that I feel like the Ground Hog. because I saw my shadow today! And ... it was slimmer. I usually hate seeing my shadow because it looks so much thicker than my companions. But today, I noticed it was thinner than usual. Yahoo! OK ... the laughs can begin now. :001_smile:

Thinking of you. Let us know how you are doing once you are feeling up to it.

I so want to add caffeine back in ... but I am going to hold strong (barely!) ... I might try to add it back in around 3 months out. But, don't worry. Your secret is safe with me!

How are you feeling now?

Best of luck for a successful procedure and speedy recovery. Update us when you feel up to it.

Sury - What kind of liquids are you trying. Plain Water doesn't go down well for me. I've done Crystal Light, Kelloggs Protein Water, etc ... but my all-time favorite is warm decaf tea. I have no idea why, but it seems to go down so much easier and the warmth just feels good on the inside. At this stage your hydration is your #1 priority - suck on sf popsicles, try the tea, or maybe even a squeeze of lemon in your water. If you aren't able to drink tomorrow, you should probably call your surgeon and seek their advice. You do not want to be dehydrated. We'll be thinking of you.

I seriously doubt your body will hold on to the weight. You are going to be eating such a small amount of calories, your body will have to respond. My friend had the surgery in Feb 09 - she was like me with a BMI of 33. She lost 80 pounds in less than 6 months. In fact, she was how I learned about this particular surgery. I think you are right to consider the lifelong change. I know I sure considered it. But, when I looked all all the options and knew my battle with weight maintance was lost, it was a fairly easy decision for me. I am loving watching the pounds come off. No, I won't be losing a huge amount each month, but I won't be gaining either. If it takes a year, it takes a year. Maybe you can talk more to your surgeon - does he have any experience with lower BMI patients he can share with you? Best of luck. We are here to help if we can.

Welcome to the Loser's Club. Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.

Sounds like you are making good choices. Enjoy! (And put Bossy Lady in her place!)

Duh on me! What kinds of issues do artificial sweetners cause? I've never had issues before, but it might be good to know symptoms in case I develop them post-op.

I hope this isn't a silly question, but what are "PPL problems"? Thanks!

While everyone is a different, I would strongly suggest doing a bit more research before making such a drastic change to your body. You will still need to manage your weight and watch what you eat to be successful and healthy. I am also a "lightweight" (BMI was 33) and have fought being overweight my entire life - a lot of it is genetics. My immediate family is all morbidly obese & I could see the future ahead of me with increasing numbers in the "bad" lab categories. My final wake-up call was when my dad passed away from obesity-related complications last year. If you look at the stats and see that VSG is for you, then by all means, have the surgery. We will be here to support you. As far as your questions, I have put my answers below. However, I am only 3 weeks out so hopefully some long-timers can address them as well: Has anyone had a relatively low BMI (30-31) with only 50 lbs to lose and been successful? How fast did you lose the weight? I have lost 18 pounds in 3 weeks. First week was 10 and 8 in the following 2 weeks. Were all of the side effects after the surgery worth it? For me yes - this surgery is keeping me from following my genetic path of any early death or being around to see my kids have grandchildren. Is there anyone who has had it for a while and regrets it? Can't answer that one past the 3 weeks. But for me, no regrets. Is it possible that with a starting low BMI you can not lose enough weight because the VSG causes you to eat too little? I think everyone slows down as they get close to goal. I don't expect to lose 30+ pounds my first month or two. But, time will tell how I really do. I hope this helps. Let us know what you decide to do.

Just wanted to let you know that I was thinking of you. Good luck today!

When did most of you "long-timers" start eating protein bars?

That is fabulous!

Not too bad ... they were about $1.75 each piece.

That would be fun!