iegal

Thank you for post and responses. I too still see myself as overweight. Automatically go to the big girl sizes in stores and have even gone into dressing room with a size 20 (I am a size 6 or 8) to try on. When someone comments on me being being skinny or small, I have ignored them. Then walking away I realize they were talking to me and not someone else. What do I see in the mirror? I bear the scars of my abuse to my body.A girl I used to know decades ago with an addition few scars, strech marks, gray hair at the roots and flabby skin. The turkey neck is the worst. At least you have a rear end to speak of, where as mine has totally disappeared. Yet, I am happy with results and will never go back to my ways. Good news is that not too many people see us naked and looking good in clothes!

Minor delay in your jouney overall. Agree with other posters that this will only help you learn new habits. I did not have delay since I was self pay and still struggle with eating correctly at times. Look at this as just another opportunity to assit in being successful. Best wishes!

Congratulations on being approved. Sounds like you have done a lot of soul searching along with internet research to be prepared. Good luck on your journey!

Hello Apple-saucy; Congratulations on taking charge of your life. You are willing to step up and will see great results. Imagine all those things you want...like playing with the kids and husband. Not all dreams will come true within first couple of months but good things will happen as you continue to loose and change habits. Anxiously await to hear about your journey.

Hello ILKrista; Congrats on being approved for sleeve. Don't ever forget that "wake up" moment and how you felt. I still remember mine, which was different than other moments like not fitting into my "big girl" clothes. This feeling will help you resolve yourself through the journey ahead. Not always a fun road to walk but results of weight loss and improved health is worth second spent in the rough Patches. Good luck...and no regrets.

Hello Estella; Echoing the statements made. Be honest. Tell them about your support system after surgery. Why do you want the sleeve? Does surgeon have free support groups you can attend and would you be willing to go? Weight loss via sleeve is not magic, but a commitment with an real opportunity for being physically healthy. Are you willing to follow surgeon diet guidelines which are so very different from how you eat now? Remember to take a big breathe and smile before your appointment. I am six months out, feeling great, at my personal goal (75+ lbs lost) and still struggle at times with food. Sometimes I forget that I have been sleeve and put mounds of food on my plate. Sometimes I forget to take my suppliments...and feel it. I have no regrets and every moment of concern was worth it. Good luck and keep us posted!

If you are so worried about scars - did you check around for a sugeon who can use the SPIDER to do VSG surgery? This is the "scarless" VSG surgery where surgeon enters with one instrument via belly button. Around for just over a year now. Check out the archives of "The Dr's" TV show to see a short clip on spider VSG surgery. As previous posters stated, if you go in US, the scars are usually 5 small incisions, unlike Mexico patients with 7 or more. Compared to strech marks, who cares about the roadmap on your stomach?

NSV shout out! At the movies with my loving husband this week. End of movie we are laughing like two teenagers. He PICKS ME UP and gives me a piggy back ride out of the theater. I have not been picked up in decades as his 50somthing back would have snapped. Can not stop smiling. I love my sleeve.

No - but highly recommend my SoCal surgeon. Office right near SNA airport. (PS-I get no referal fee/kudos) Quebbemann is a VSG groundbreaker, passionate about WLS, has WLS experience that only other surgeons dream about and a stellar safety record. Good luck in what ever you decide. I love my sleeve!

Do you want to yo -yo for the rest of your life? Is this why you want to loose more so you have a buffer zone? What are you eating that causes you to gain weight and not be able to maintain?

Sickened by your treatment. Geez, you were not there for a haircut, but professional (see that word) medical advice. Find another bariatric surgeon. Bloodwork results can be sent to anyone, anywhere in NoCal. You have a lot of options, suggest you seek someone else out. ARGH. Fightin' mad now.

Okay - so you are hungry. Hmmm. What are you eating at meal time? Can you provide what is a normal day meal plan? What does your NUT say? Do you have a support group for post surgery? One of the ladies in my local SoCal support group never lost her hunger drive and she still has to monitor everything she puts into her body. Know you can make this sleeve work!

You asked...when does this get better? Soon, really soon. Hey, I did this surgery as an outpatient here in the US. I never had pain, but threw up for 2 days unless taking micro sips. You are doing so much better than me, as I did not even have strength for internet or TV first 3 days. Here are some helps. Get Gatorade G2 (low sugar) and do not refrigerate. I found room temperature drinks were easier to tolerate. Electrolytes are needed and you MUST hydrate. Don't worry about Vitamins, protien or other stuff. Get in liquids. I even drank luke warm diluted chicken broth like Lipton which tasted good. Make sure no noodles or chicken, just the broth. Micro sips only, no gulps. If you must, get a shot glass and fill it up half way. SLOWLY dribble drink down. This is your full time job, every 15 minutes to micro sip and finish 1 oz of G2. If you do not hydrate (PS-the 64oz recommendation I found impossible to meet first month) you will continue to feel horrid. Are you listening? You must learn to drink or go to emergency room and then learn to drink. Get a heating pad and put on low heat over your stomach. This was my lifesaver. I sat/slept in a recliner for first 3 days. Hugs - this does get better, I promise. Write me if you are depressed, I will pick you up and help carry you through. No regrets.

Hate to say the truth, but yeah you might have some loose skin. I bear a few scars from my weight, just like I have strech marks from being pregnant. BIG DEAL. Loose skin is going to depend upon your age and condition of skin now. I have seen a couple of people on VST post pictures of what their arms looked like pre and post surgery weightloss (after loosing weight) and skin looked pretty good. Some have to get surgery if skin is overstreched. I have lost almost 75 lbs and will not need surgery and am no spring chicken. I am sure if I work out more some of the skin will look better. I notice a turkey neck when moving certain ways, but none of my "tell it like it is" girlfriends see what I see. So, don't borrow worries. Do what you can, work out those those trouble areas (youtube has great home videos too), moisturize a lot and exfoliate. My goal was not to wear a mini skirt or bikini to costco, but to be healthy and active. Good luck! No regrets.

Well; Don't complain, my preop 2 week diet was ALL liquid, and I did not cheat even once. At least you are eating dinner. Yes, you will be sluggish. Think, if like most of us your body is used to a lot of calories, carbs (sugar), maybe some candy and caffine. You are depriving it and body is not happy so you have lower energy. But, good news. Things will get better. Remember to suppliment with Vitamins and drink at least 64oz of Water a day. Good luck! iegal

Welcome to VST! Great group of people on site providing a lot of good infomation, or at least intentions to provide good information. Make sure you take a look at this thread: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/10081-the-official-what-you-will-need-for-your-surgery-thread/ Talks about what other people felt they needed for surgery. I personally highly recommend heating pad (feels oh so good) and not drinking cold drinks. Lukewarm. Those two items would have saved me a lot of discomfort. Never felt "pain" but a lot of discomfort when drinking and acid stomache afterwards. Also - don't cheat on your diet. Oh so important so that the surgeon has easy access to stomach during surgery. Hard, but results are worth every moment of preop diet agony. Signed - your cheerleader - iegal

Congratulations on your upcoming VSG surgery. How are you measuring experience? Number of gastric surgeries?...that would be older barriatric surgeon, think that guy is in FL who performed a lot of old technique surgeries before RNY/ Gastric bypass, lapband or sleeve/spider sleeve. Or measuring best reputation along with thousands of surgeries? Highly suggest you verify all the surgeons say, which is easy to do with internet. Adore my surgeon & I did a lot of research before choosing him as a self payer. Worth ever penny and it was a lot of pennies, ouch. My surgeon performed first lapriscopic gastric bypass in US. He also was a trial surgeon for LapBand when new. Even better he performed first several spider VSG surgeries in early 2010. He can be seen on The Dr's TV show, talking about spider VSG. He has been on several other national TV shows talking about WLS and how it is a viable option for overwieght people like me, where dieting has failed numerous time. He is passionate about WLS, his patients success rate and post surgery support groups free for LIFE. May I add, he is non condeming, never once looked at me like I was disgustingly fat or as if I was just another way to make money. Quebbemann loves his career and excels at WLS surgery. Only cons - hard to get in for initial appt. and he is a little arrogant but rightly so with his sterling reputation. Trusted him with my life and I was not disappointed. Many really good surgeons here in US. Great post.

Sorry you are feeling betrayed. Husbands...argh-sometimes they just don't get it. But consider this too: Maybe husband is scared? Maybe he is concerned that you may change if you have been overweight for a while? Maybe he is excited and wants to brag about how you are taking charge and moving to the new you? Lastly, maybe is is just a man and does not understand the sensitivty needed on this topic. I did not tell my mom or kids until 3 months out. My dad still does not know. Only my husband & closest girlfriends knew prior to surgery. You can do this even with all eyes on you. The sleeve is not another fad diet. Follow the guidelines, get enough liquid, protien, limit carbs/calories (shocking to found how easy the last two item are) and you will ROCK the sleeve. Good luck and hugs to you.

I assume you want to fly after having surgery. I was not earied to fly until a full seven days after surgery. Took a flight on that eighth day with two legs for about 8 hours. Now, was I smart to do this? Hmmm. Question is how well you will be able to hydrate during that time frame. In 15 hours is it good to go without protien and just Water? Since you can not take in liquid protien through security yiou are going to need to consider this. Hydration is key after sugery. So - yes, you can probably do this, but consider what you are going to do if you have any complications? You are up in the air without medical attention. If you have a leak, you could be a a heap of trouble. Consider legging your trip into smaller portions, where you can get a hotel room ,rest and drnk some liquid Protein. I was exhaused after return trip and slept for the next week to recover from lack of hydration and protein. Ask your surgeon. If on day of flight, you are not feeling right (would say gut feeling here) rebook. Good luck!

Hello and congratuons on your start of a journey to a new you! Each surgeon is different. I had an EKG, had to have a normal mammogram in last year, LOTS of physc evals (my surgeon is a stickler for who he takes on...or maybe he was questioning me ) tons of blood given, upper body ultrasound to check to see if I had gallstones (I do) and had to had a good report on annual physical within the six months. All meds were reviewed. Lots of questions asked more than once. Support group attendance. Nice to know that long term health was important. Good luck...and I have no regrets. Love my sleeve!

First off - MINI ME...I want to tell that story too. Hilarious. My son would have slept in the car rather than even slept in the same room with me. Mid 40's and I am just past my 5 month sleeve anniversary. Making the decision to have weight loss surgery was good. Choosing the sleeve - a miracle. I see others who are on this site who had revision from LapBand to sleeve. Thinking to myself, what ta disappointment and I commend all of those former LapBand patients for contining the fight and getting the sleeve. I am so fortunate and blessed to have been sleeved, even as a self payer in US. I was lucky, my surgeon recommended it although I had never heard of it.. Girlfriend has lapband for just under a year and a has lost 40 lbs total, needs to loose another 30. With the sleeve in five months I have lost over 70 pounds...forever. Did I mention I am blessed? Thank you for the forum, wish I had found this site and support prior to deciding on the sleeve. My choice was the best for me and I have no regrets. For those of you researching, a lot of wonderful people who share a wealth of experience here.