SarahS

You can have gallbladder issues at any time. Call your dr or go in. I just had my gallbladder removed on 10/23/11, 1yr and 3 weeks post op, but I had symptoms for 4 months before this. I just ignored it because I thought it was gas. The pain was pretty bad, but it would be over in 30 mins or less, so I tried to ignore it. This last "episode" would not go away, and I could not ignore it. Very painful. I had to go to the ER and have it out in a few days. I had to stay there for a few days until they could get it out. My liver enzymes had to come down first. I was pretty sick. I just posted it about this, so your thread caught my eye. I would get in to your doctor soon and just have it checked, it cant hurt. Don't compare yourself to others, everyone can have different symptoms and experience it differently. I wish I would have gone in sooner, so maybe I could have planned my surgery date! Keep us posted!

For everyone with their gallbladder removed, either before or after VSG surgery, how is your diet different now? They told me low fat, not more than 5g a fat per serving, but that is VERY hard! They also said no eggs. Thats going to be hard for me. I am eating very low fat for the next 2 weeks, but then want to add in some of the foods I was eating. My surgeon just said to go back to my normal diet after 2 weeks. I went in to the hospital on Sunday 10/23, in a lot of pain. It started at midnight, and I just tried to ignore it. I couldn't sleep all night. I tried to eat something around 11am, and couldn't, I couldn't even drink, I had extreme nausea. I was so close to throwing up, but never did. It was horrible. I went to the ER around 4pm Sunday and they admitted me. My pain was in the center of my upper abdomen, right under my sternum. I wasn't sure if it was gallbladder since this isn't the typical spot to feel it. They ran blood work and my liver values were very high. My AST and ALT were 500 and 600. I forget the other values, but they said I wasn't going home. My pain was probably coming from my liver. They admitted me that night and did an ultrasound in the morning. Tuesday morning I had my gallbladder removed and I went home that day. I am still somewhat sore, but feel SOOO much better without that gallbladder! I went to the bank Thursday and even out to lunch Friday (had chicken noodle soup). Ive been doing laundry and cleaning, but I am trying to take it easy. I go back to work Monday. I had been feeling some pains on and off for about 4 months. I wasn't sure if it was my gallbladder because it wasn't typical. I kept asking my VSG BFF, Jes, about her pains, and mine weren't the same. So, its not only important to not compare your weight loss to others, but also when you are having pain or other problems! I think I was in denial too, and I didnt want to have another surgery. The pains would only last about 30 mins and then would be gone. I just blew it off as gas pains. So, now its back to losing weight! It was just so sureal being back in the OR, a little over a year out. The surgeon that did my VSG, did this surgery as well. I told him this is the last organ he gets! LOL! For those of you without your gallbladder, please share your experiences! Thanks!!

WOW!!! Fantastic progress!!! You have changed so much in only 5 months!!! Can't wait to see more pictures along your journey!

I was thinking gallbladder as well, but then you said you had yours removed. But like someone else stated, you can still get stones, or some could have been left behind. I just had my gallbladder out 3 days ago, and my liver enzymes were 500-600. I had stones blocking the ducts to the liver. I hope they figure out what is going on soon! Do you have any symptoms besides the elevated blood levels?

Today I am 1 year post op. I haven't been on the forums in a while, but will probably be around more. I have a few recent pictures, but need to get some more! I will share those once I get some more pictures with my hair down, and makeup on! Today has kind of been an emotional day for me. Thinking back this time last year, I was all kinds of nervous. The pain after surgery was pretty bad, I won't lie, but I would do it all over again. This surgery really did save my life!!! I was on 3 blood pressure medications before surgery, today I am on NONE! My blood pressure was PERFECT the other day at the doctor. He said I am doing great. My labs are all perfect except my cholesterol. It was 202, which isn't horrible. I am not even sure what it was before surgery, so it has probably come down. I have a family history of high cholesterol, so it might just be something I have to deal with, no matter what my weight. But I will keep any eye on it, and have it rechecked once I lose more weight. I am at 236 pounds today. I was hoping for it to be lower, but I can't complain. I have lost 133 pounds!!! I look back on my pictures and can't believe I was that big, and I did not look well. People comment now how great my skin looks and how healthy I look. I get embarassed by the nice comments, but it feels good at the same time, if that makes sense. It's still hard for me to see myself how I really look now. I catch my reflection in the mirror and have to stare sometimes because I don't believe its me. I am guessing I will be that way for a while. Last year at this time, I could not even walk to my mailbox and back, without getting out of breath. I would shower, and not even be able to get dressed. I would have to lay in bed because I couldn't breath and I was exhuasted. Very, very sad for a woman in her early 30's. My mailbox is maybe 30 feet away. I would walk to get the mail, and back in the house, and have to bend over the kitchen counter to catch my breath. THATS SCARY!!! I have no problem now, and walk as much as 4 miles! I feel great. I wouldn't even grocery shop, because I couldn't make it around the store, even leaning on a cart. I eventually just drove thru drivethru's, which just added more weight. I love shopping now! The only issue I am having now is my knees. Its weird because they never hurt before, even at 369 pounds. The doctor thinks its arthritis, but I am going to the ortho to make sure. It is probably all the years of being overweight, and playing sports when I was younger, catching up with me. I am sure they would be a lot more painful now if I had that 133 pounds on them. I am also still losing hair, but I have kinda gotten over it. It will come back eventually! I still want to lose more weight, maybe get down to 175ish. My original goal was 165, but that may be too thin. I just can't wait to be under 200. The weight loss has slowed way down, but thats okay. I have come to accept that. As long as I am not gaining, I am good!!! I eat pretty much anything now, but try every day to stick to a plan. Its hard! People tell me not to lose any more weight, but I probably do look thin or healthy to them compared to what I was. I am in a size 18 misses, sometime even a 16!!!! I started at a size 30/32W!!! I have days where I am still down, mostly about my skin, but its much better to see all the hanging skin, than to see all the fat that was there. I eventually want to have plastic surgery, once I am at goal and have the $$$$ If anyone out there is thinking about VSG, DO IT!!! I can't emphasize how much I LOVE my sleeve! My aunt is a nurse at the hospital where I had the surgery, and she tells all her VSG patients about me And for those of you out there that think that you are a slow loser, WHO CARES!!! YOU ARE STILL LOSING! DO NOT COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS! I was caught in that "comparing myself to others who had this surgery" and it gets you no where, except feeling like CRAP about yourself. Just focus on your own weight loss and exercise plan and your sleeve will do what its suppose to do. Here is a slideshow I made, that shows my journey over this past year, in pictures. I hope you enjoy!!! http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4d6a63774d6a67784f44553d0d0a&blogview=true

WOW! What a difference!!!! You look GREAT!

Congrats!!! You are doing great!!! Looking great!

Congrats!!!! You look great!

I have to agree, all the pics I have seen on here of before/after everyone looks younger. I went to lunch with a friend the other day, who hadn't seen me in months, and she told me I looked younger, and healthy, not "sickly" like people she had known that had gastric bypass. So, I think it does have to do with the surgery. And like you said, the clothing choices too. There are so many more cute clothes at a size 16/18 compared to trying to find clothes at my biggest, in a 32 and 4-5X. I just feel cuter now too, so it reflects in the clothes. People already thought I looked young, so if I look even younger, I will take it!

Congrats!!! That is so awesome! What size is that dress?? You are so tiny! Also, were you 10 yrs old when you got married????

Amazing results!!! You look great!!! I wish I was as committed as you to the exercise! I walk sometimes, but need to be doing more. Maybe I will get my butt moving more now! And I bet you will be dating in no time. I would definately check you out if you lived near me :)

The Jewish Hopsital in Cincinnati.

I am 9 months post op and had my surgery at The Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati. I live outside of Cincinnati. Anyone else close to me?

The 4th of July was my 9 month sleevaversary!!! Wow, I can't believe it has been that long already! The weight loss has slowed WAY down, but it is still going in the right direction! DOWN!! I have lost a total of 130 pounds so far!!!! I have 74 more pounds to lose, but I may change that the closer I get. Its getting really, really hard to stick with eating healthy foods. I have started to walk some, I just need to stick with it and add in other things. I am amazed everyday how great I feel. Sometimes I still cry thinking about how I use to be, how I couldn't even walk to my mailbox. I will never, ever get to that point again! I am beyond happy with my sleeve! Even though the weight loss has slowed down, I have changed sizes in clothes and that feels awesome. I fit into my first size 16 in MISSES!!!! I am mostly in MISSES clothes now!!!! I still get some 1X tops because my dang arms! But I guess I can't complain because I need to add in some weight training. I started in a size 30/32 and 4-5X tops! Here are some of my stats: Starting weight: 369 Current weight: 239 Starting BMI: 52.9 Current BMI: 34.3 % of body weight lost : 35.2% % of excess weight lost: 63.7 % -130 POUNDS GONE FOREVER!!!! Here are a few pictures of me: This is from April 2010, I think I weighed around 355: 2 weeks before surgery, highest weight of 369 pounds A week ago, in a size 16 skort!!!! I was just trying on the skort, Im not going to wear it with this shirt, LOL I just like this picture because is makes me look smaller than I am, LOL 4th of July pictures Sun in my eyes, lol

Thank you!!!! No secrets here. I havent been too great at sticking to a healthy eating plan, so the weight loss might have been even higher if I was more strict. Just try to stick with a healthy eating plan and get some exercise in, if nothing else, just walk. I just know, for me, if I am too strict, I will fail. There really are no secrets or magic cures! It's all just hard work! Good luck in your journey

I was editing my post for the last 5 minutes or so, lol, so maybe thats why. You have probably seen all the pics before, but you can enjoy them again Love you!

Good job!!! Congrats!!! I can't wait to hit onederland!!!