Husky2Healthy

emilygrace- If you 'do NOT understand how people can go through the preop process, the op, and the postop period, and decide to just ignore the instructions they are given.' Then do a post about it instead of placing it on someone's post, who was being totally honest and open about their struggles. Your comments were not rude, they were simply not empathetic, encouraging nor compassionate , and felt condescending. I don't believe that was your intention. Everyone's journey is different, so that means everyone’s struggles, addictions and battle are different also. This may not be your experience, and you are lucky. But hopefully if someone else is going through what I experienced, they can realize, they are not alone and it gets better.

Today is much better, I am back to full liquids only. And I have found a therapist a couple of blocks from my home and she had 2 late nights a week she sees patients. She specializes in patients who have food issues AND had WLS. It is crazy how easily I found her, now let's see if she is on my insurance plan. Thanks so much for all the support. You can also see videos on youtube under the same name Husky2Healthy. Best, and thank you all so much! Steven

Thanks ALL, that helps make sense about not feeling anything going on in my stomach. I expected a feeling of 'uh, uh, uh, no, no, no' to warn me. I am def going to cut back to just liquids because I am just wanting to feel that warning. But if it will be a while before I feel 'that feeling', I will just stick to the rules. You know us guys we can be pretty pigheaded. Thanks for all the input!!

I am ravenous, all I can think about is food, and when can I eat next, and what I can eat when I am on solids, I am obsessed with eating. The only thing I can say that is positive is I am all about the proteins. Maybe it is because I am going stir crazy since I have not been able to work and think about other things. Who knows, but all I know is this can't be good.

OK, this is ridiculous, Houston is a major city with over 6 million people and there are no support groups? My doctor's hospital has a group that meets once a month, but it usually help by reps for a product or such. Why is there not a group that meets to discuss the struggles or victories the WLS community has. Unless I am happily wrong about this, this just seems so wrong!! Any Houstonians heard of any support groups? Best, Steven

Thanks VenusBlue, but that is actually my doctors hospital support group I was talking about, LOL. Unfortunately, they are too infrequent and are 'topic' based. But I appreciate the help!

PLEASE, OH PLEASE, share your Cheeseburger soup recipe. I am assuming that is for the mushies stage and not full liquid stage. Today is my last liquid only stage, and I start full liquids for 10 days, yippee!!!!

OK, I am in the hospital, iv in my arm and I am about to go in to surgery at 3:45 pm Central time. I am not nervous, anxious or scared, I am just ready and thirsty and would kill for a hamburger. Thanks for all the support! Steven

Back home today on May 8th, Sunday. OK, now I understand that you really can't understand the surgery, the gas and pain until you experience it. My surgery did not happen until 8 pm at night, yes, nothing to eat or drink since midnight the night before. No fun, but the surgery went smoothly, six incisions rather than 5, and no drain. I was pretty out of it. Day 1 I was fine until the first evening then I had severe nausea and dry heave and bile vomit with blood. The doctors got it under control. I was suppose to go home on 2nd day after surgery, but they kept me one more night. That is when I was able to tell the difference between pain from the surgery (which was really nothing) vs. Gas. WALK (5 laps for me), USE YOUR BREATHING EXERCISE THING EVERY HOUR (ten blows to at least 2000) , PERIOD!!!! Seriously, the gas is horrible it feels like someone grabbed your heart and started squeezing HARD, the slowly releasing, evenly spaced like contractions. Day 3 the last day, zero pain from surgery, but till contracting gas pain. Gasx does not relieve it, only walking and breathing machine helps get the gas out. Strange thing is when I came home and got on the scale, I somehow put on 2 lbs. ,oh well. The journey begins, thanks for all the prayers and support. Best, Steven

Today is the 2nd day of my 10 day liquid diet before my suregery, May 5th. I know it has to be done, I am not even fighting it. I know if I shrink up my liver before hand, my scar will be smaller, and my surgeon will have an easier time and hopefully less pain. It is no brainer, yes it will be tough, but I quit smoking 4 years ago and that was a lot worse. But I seriously just need to vent, the WHOLE office smells like smoked BBQ ribs, I can hear my co-workers chewing on the bones and moaning how good they taste. I don't even like ribs, but they sure sound good compared to this watered down tomato soup I am eating!!!!! Did I also mention, my hand to God, there is a bake sale going on all day to help those in Japan. I kid you not, cookies, brownies, bunt cakes, fudge, ect!!!!! If I go to the ice machine, I can see the baked goods, sigh... OK, I am done whining, only 8 more days to go...

Thanks for letting me vent and the support, day 3 is much better for me. Best-Steven

I use Puritan's Pride B-Complez Sublingual Liquid under the tongue. It is pretty inexpensive. But I also tried Celebrate Vitamins' B-12 Sublingual in Cherry and it was good also. If you click here: http://www.celebratevitamins.com/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=sample They will send you about a dozen different vitamin samples including the B-12 Sublingual for free and no shipping. I asked for the samples on a Friday, they were here Tuesday! Some I liked, others I did not care for. But I did order their 90 day suppleymutlivitamins toady. Hope that helps!

I am with Raine, I can't have everything so sweet or fruity tasting, I also need to break it up with something that is savory. I made my own chicken stock, but I have also heard that Racheal Ray's Chicken stock is pretty good too. For lunch today, i am having sodium reduced tomato soup WAY watered down with a scoop of Peanut Butter blended up and heated. Good luck!

I am going to Dr. Eric Wilson with UT Physicians, his main office is in Bellaire right off the Loop, but performs surgery at Memorial Herman on Fannin. Here is a Youtube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL7SPx_88nI I like his staff, they are busy, but very good about calling back. I also like that they do a 3 separate body scans so you can see how and where you are losing weight. It may seem gimmicky, but I hope it will help inspire me. I went to LapBand Houston first and I really felt like they were just trying to make a sale, Dr. Wilson really spent time listening to me and provided me with different options. Check him out.

Welcome always nice to have another guy on here. I grew up being a Sears Huskie's Toughskins kid, so I can totally relate. Good luck, Steven

I use Calorie King, I love it, and I can share the account with my family members. www.CalorieKing.com

It is all about shrinking the liver, just keep telling yourself that, 'The smaller the liver, the less the pain will be and the smaller the scars.' Let it be your Mantra! Good luck, I start my liquid diet on April 25, and I am going to try to stay busy and active all those week nights! Good luck!

Also Hall's Refresh is great, it is also sugar free! http://www.gethalls.com/halls_refresh.aspx

I will be right there with you starting on April 25th, I am going to try and drop back to eating 2 meals and 1 meal replacement drink the week before. I know it does not help you, but I am with you in Spirit!

I am totally a texture eater! I love the crunchiness of foods, chips, celery, carrots, ect. Now, I don't have problems eating soft foods, but I have a very hard time with things like cooked tomatoes or overcooked veggies. So the 2 week liquid pre-op diet will be interesting. I am afraid of getting bored with the texture, the lack of crunch. So when I am able to eat solid foods (but not right way of course) what are some crunch friendly food items that don't seem to give your Sleeve much problems? Thanks, Steven

Thanks maggiep, yes mine is all sleek and silver with a humidifier. I came straight out and told them, 'I can't sleep with it, and it is what it is.' My primary care dr did not really care. The sleep apnea people seemed unconcerned, they got paid already. I will try again on the weekends, but I can't be a zombie at work anymore

Just don't burn your bridges, my BCBS required me to have a letter from my primary care physician stating the last 5 years regarding my weight and lab work. You may have to request copies and you want them to work with you. Even though it is the law that you are able to get your records, they will take their sweet time. They kept telling me the doctor only did letters on Friday, their 'half day' and then he took vacation, the he had a conference. I still have not gotten the letter, but BCBS finally waved it because I had copies of all my lab work for 10 years. I am now approved for VSG surgery on May 5th. Also if you had a Phych evaluation, sleep apnea testing or anything else, call them and have the re-write the letter for WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY. I had to get all my letter re-written because like you I was going to do the lap band first, then realized VSG was a better choice for me. So all my paper work had Lap band written on it, and they made me get new letters changing it for VSG approval. So just don't burn your bridges, breathe and remember everything happens for a reason, and take it one day at a time. Best of luck!

Congrats! Another male VGS voice! I see your incision marks and that they shaved your stomach. Did you have any problems at the incision sites with the hair growing back?

You also can have 'Double Milk' Milk plus Powdered Milk.

I am on, although I only have a few videos, all pre-op (surgery is on May 5th). My channel is Husky2Healthy : http://www.youtube.com/user/Husky2Healthy?feature=mhum