Rootman

YES it goes away. However even at 1 year 4+ months out if I eat too much I will get minor bouts of it, nothing like at first but still enough to gross you out. It teaches you to be very careful with the amount you eat and to STOP when you're full. Unfortunately some of us are stubborn and have to go through episodes of this to learn again to STOP.

Yep, you can do it yourself. All it takes is constant diligence, self control and will power. Oh, wait, it's the LACK of just those things that got us in this mess in the first place. I found that not only did I lack the self control but that things conspired against me. The are THOUSANDS of restaurants out there all serving larger and larger portions seemingly getting larger every year. food is cheap and abundant and high calorie, high carbs is the main ticket. Maybe you CAN do it yourself, ME, I couldn't. I needed HELP, and that came in the form of a weight loss surgery called a VSG. It's just a tool, not a cure all. After the forced restriction due to swelling of the remaining stomach wore off I STILL have to watch what I eat and make smart decisions. Luckily the FULL restriction lasted only 6 moths or so. By then I learned to eat right and lost a LOT of weight. I no longer face that grueling hunger I used to have, no longer crave everything under the sun and get full really fast - something I just NEVER used to get - FULL. So yes it is possible but hard. WLS is NOT the easy way out but it IS a viable way out. One that worked for me and thousands of others.

I need some advice. I don't know if I'm imagining things or not. Sorry this is so long. I've been having a weird problem leading back some time. I just went to the doctor (my PCP) and had stellar reports. Part of the follow up was to schedule a colonoscopy. The doctors office did the referral call and within a few days I got a call telling me to expect a packet in the mail with the schedule and other information in it I would need. Well I got it yesterday and my colonoscopy is scheduled for 1/4/2013 - 8 FREAKIN' MONTHS OUT! I could see a month or two, maybe even 3 - but 8 MONTHS OUT? When I called THE gastroenterologist's office asking about it the woman in charge of scheduling hemmed and hawed and never gave me an answer as to why so long a wait. I directly asked her if ALL patients are asked to wait 8 months and she would NOT answer me. This is not the first referral I have had to wait and wait for either. I had kidney stones a few months back and my PCP recommend I go to a urologist to get to the bottom of this third stone attack. I waited and waited and a MONTH later the urologists office called and asked if I still wanted to see the doctor. I was told it would be a 1 to 2 month wait to get in. This seems a little absurd to me. Since the symptoms went away I just skipped it. A while back I had a bit of cancer removed from my chest skin, it was squamous cell carcinoma. I asked to see an oncologist as this is the cancer that killed my Dad (albeit lung cancer). The referred doctor NEVER called back. Is this just dumb luck? We are in NW Arkansas, believe it or not an area of the country that is prosperous and has remained pretty well off in the recent economic downturn and is literally PACKED full of medical professionals. Two fairly large hospitals are within 10 miles of my house and others just 20 or so miles. I mean, really, 8 months for a colonoscopy? Am I being "targeted"? I can't imagine why. I have great insurance and have always paid all my bills. It makes the 6 month wait some have had for the VSG like a walk in the park. This year I switched to a high deductible insurance with a medical savings plan. is that an issue? I DO have the money for the entire deductible all ready and we are already almost half way through our $4500 deductible.. My PCP DID have some legal problems with the largest medical group in the area, he ended up being sued and counter suing them and WON. Would they be low enough to put his patients at the BOTTOM of a "list" - or is it the TOP of a sh*t list? Who can help me figure this out? The PCP's office just sort of brushed me off. I wonder if the doctor actually knows this is going on. Short of setting up another appointment to speak to him what else can I do? Am I just impatient or do you all think something else is going on?

Lets be honest here, complications CAN and DO occur for SOME, that is a very MINOR few people who have the VSG. EVERY surgical procedure carries SOME risk. Nearly everyone on the planet "knows someone" who "knows someone" that went in for like, say, something simple like a tooth extraction and ended up dead. My own brother nearly died because of complications due to his bunion surgery - the SAME surgery both me and my wife had with ZERO complications and wonderful results. My sister had BAD complications after her gastric bypass surgery, yet me and my brother had none. Life itself is a risk, especially life as a morbidly obese person. Let's face it, fat or thin, old or young, in or out of shape - we ALL can drop dead tomorrow. Life is a journey and we all end up at the same place - death. Sorry for being morbid but I just want everyone to know THERE IS RISK. There is a risk of staying obese too, with he heart problems, sugar problems, cholesterol problems and myriad other issues. it is however one thing we CAN control. But that control comes at a hard, hard cost, as anyone who has tried dieting alone to lose weight can attest - VERY HARD. So why not stack the deck so to speak? Why not take advantage of the odds and use a tool like the VSG to CHANGE the outcome of the life of obesity? It carries a risk, but so does staying fat. No kidding around here, YOU and YOU ALONE should make the informed, educated decision if WLS is for you. Search, investigate and talk to people about it then make your own decision. I did and it has transformed my life. I am thinner, more fit and FAR FAR healthier than I have EVER been my entire life. I'd do it again in a heartbeat - but am thankful I won't have to

What emlefe said ^^^^^^^^^

Kewl! I remember seeing this for the first time in my adult life about a year ago. That and I never realized my sternum had a protuberance (or outward notch) either till I lost like 100 pounds. Now I can actually push my fingers up UNDER my ribcage a bit and grab the edge! Ain't it great?

Yep, as others explained its usually your signal to STOP eating. I had them occasionally, very violent, very intense hiccups that actually made my back and arms ache they would hit so hard and I would tense so violently. If they are a major concern and really bothering you then see your doc as soon as you can, better safe than sorry.

Hmm, this does not sound right. First of all I'd recommend asking the doctor as pain significant enough to wake you at night is just NOT right. It may be really nothing as Lissa explained, then again it might be a leak or torsional problem. Please see the doctor as soon as you can.

I take a different approach, the glass is COMPLETELY FULL - half with liquid, half with AIR. Not to be a smarty bottom but I've always tried to challenge myself to look at things in a DIFFERENT light. You'd be surprised at how many times coming at things from a new angle indeed gives you a new perspective on things. That being said, I would say that coming off all her meds and losing SOME weight seems like a real winning situation to me. She obviously has additional issues that should be addressed by her, her doctor and perhaps with psych help. I am reminded of a stupid joke I heard years ago: Two twin brothers were known to be polar opposites, one a glass half full the other a glass half empty. Christmas came and they both received gifts. The glass half empty brother got a magnificent toy train, it was outrageously expensive, known for it's quality and exactness to scale and incredibly hard to come by. He opened it and immediately had a crestfallen look. His only remark was "It's the wrong color". The glass half full brother opened up his gift and it was packed with horse manure! He started to whoop and holler and jump around in excitement and run all over the house and yard. The other brother asked why he was so excited about a box of manure, "Well it's horse manure so there's gotta be a pony around here somewhere!" All too often we look at something and simply look through our greed and self interests and neglect the wonderful blessings we are given. You can look at the box of manure (glass if you will), see it merely as being packed with crap or see the gift of a pony, it's up to you.

I have to confess, we over did it on the carbs last week when we went to Branson for my birthday. I could really tell a difference that I had eaten so many carbs for a few meals. Felt sluggish and dopey. I tolerated it well with no adverse reactions to the food itself, it's just that my system seemed to really hate the massive influx of carbs. I was glad to get back on my more temperate diet this week.

I got nothin' but good news to write about sleeve wise this week, see my posts about exercising and recent lab tests. Having the opportunity to vent though I have to ask about an NON VSG subject. I've only ever belong to one "gym", it's an adult wellness center the city has (they used to be called senior centers but that's not PC ). So here goes; does every gym seem to have an over abundance of stupid, selfish, dirty, self centered people? I am shocked at behavior I see nearly every time I go. 3 times now I've seen small smears of fecal matter on seating, once on the bench, once on a chair and another in the shower on the fold down seat. First of all don't people wipe any more? Don't they have enough brains to sit on a towel? And why fold the shower seat up to hide your mistake, why not use the provided body wash and clean up your mistake? Quite a few times I've walked into a shower room - which is a big private bath room, sink, toilet and walk in shower - and been resented with a massively plugged up toilet, and they ALL have plungers sitting right next to them. Are people actually that nasty that they not only can't clean up after themselves but actually leave this for others to see and not at least report it to the staff? 4 times, count 'em 4 - I've found mens underpants abandoned in the shower room. Is actually that easy to forget your underwhorts? I mean wouldn't you kind of start chaffing and have the thought spring to mind "Geez, somethings not right down there."? I don't know how many times I've been stuck next to a guy who takes his royal time and spreads his stuff out all over the benches. Do you really need 8 linear feet of space to spread your stuff out on? I keep all my stuff right next to me and get in and out as fast as I can. I've been left standing there waiting on several occasions as some goofus insists on hogging the bench. Oh and by the way SHOES GO ON THE FLOOR - NOT THE BENCH. Every thing you stepped in is on the soles of your shoes and will transfer to to the bench so put them on the floor. Freakin' clean up after your self, woudja? If you insist on grabbing a few paper towels to stand on to keep from getting athletes foot then PICK THEM UP AFTER YOUR DONE. I see who does this and resent the fact that that you leave them laying around. Oh, and the new equipment you just bought and brought in? If you insist on unpackaging it right there in the locker room then through the packaging away, don't leave it on the bench. While swimming we sometimes have to share lanes, that is 2 (or more) people swimming in a lane designed for one. You CANNOT expect to take a lazy back stroke and take 80% of the lane to yourself then. You need to keep on YOUR side of the lane. Just because you WANT to swim the breast stroke or side stroke does not give you the permission to hog the lane. If you're sharing please be considerate of others. I've actually been hit, scratched and kicked from people, even by some who insist on doing the side stroke while swimming right on the lane marker and putting their limbs in the NEXT swim lane- MINE. Stay the hell in the center wouldja? Sorry for the vent, it just aggravates the hell out of me to see this nearly every day. You would think grown up seniors would have more sense.

ARF! I like snarky stuff like that! Thanks!

Yeah, I was brave though a little nervous going in to it and nearly lost it when I got back to the hotel room after the surgery. Everything came crashing down, man it was a tough ride. You would NOT be normal if you weren't concerned at least a little bit about it. We all were. Being 1 year 4+ months out I can look back and say it was worth every minute of it. NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING I have ever done for myself has paid off like the VSG has. It SAVED, then TRANSFORMED my life.

I was nauseas right after surgery and the shots and pills they gave me did nothing. I was nauseas constantly for a few weeks and generally felt crappy for 2 months, then it went away. It was tough but a SMALL SMALL price to pay for the results. This surgery saved AND transformed my life.

WCS= White Coat Syndrome, having high blood pressure in your doctors office, e.g.. being so nervous because of the professionals in white coats taking it. I used to have them take it twice and it would drop, sometimes dramatically, between the first and second times. Some deep breaths and shaking it off always helped. I was already certain mine was good as I have been taking it regularly at home and the gym and it was always good there - in fact better - than at the docs, so I was LESS nervous about it this time.

1 year 4 months out and there is NOTHING that I can't tolerate. I just don't eat near as much as I used to - DUH! That's why I got the surgery! Eaten it all, greasy, high carbs, sweet etc. A few times I've eaten TOO much but no particular food give me problems.

YES, being larger you should lose MORE faster at first that is. It not only requires excess calories to GAIN weight but also take calories to KEEP the weight on. So it may take 4000 calories to maintain a weight of (just throwing out numbers here) 300 pounds it might take 4500 to maintain 350 pounds. So when the caloric intake is cut post-op you end up cutting a LARGER number of calories out of your diet, and hence lose more, more rapidly. Until you edge closer to what you need to maintain your current weight, then the amount of calories UNDER what you need is less, and you lose less weight..

1 year 4+ months out. Did NOT make goal and am technically still overweight but no longer OBESE, let alone morbidly obese. My highest weight was 375 pounds. I LOOK thinner than my weight would indicate. I've always carried my weight well and am pretty certain that 170+ pounds lost is going to be it for me. So at 205 pounds I sit. It's been a fantastic ride. Just had lab work done and the results were nearly perfect! Cholesterol is 133, triglycerides are 64. Blood sugar (fasting) is 88. Everything else is GOOD to EXCELLENT. I've always HATED to exercise but now I swim 1.8 miles 4 times a week and ride my bike - did 9 miles last night! Not carrying all that extra weight around finally makes it tolerable to work out if not a little fun too! This has TRANSFORMED ME TOTALLY. I am NOT the same person I was 1 1/2 years ago. EASILY the best investment I HAVE EVER MADE.

Hey dudes! I'm a year and 4+ months out. It's been a FANTASTIC journey, I'd do it again in a heart beat - but I'm glad I don't have to! Stick with it guys, the dividends are HUGE! I am fitter than I have EVER been. Just had lab work done and everything is nearly PERFECT! The nurse who called wished she had the same good news for all her patients. It works! You can MAKE it work for you too! Even after breaking up with my lover - food - and the heartbreak THAT caused the results are just worth it all.

Nope, can't. I was scared shirtless (remove the R ) but was more scared of dying prematurely. I had BP and sugar problems, high cholesterol, adrenal problem, neurological problems due to pads of fat cutting off nerves, you name it I had it in one form or another. Just had my yearly physical at 1 year 4 months post-op and everything is dang near PERFECT. At 51 years old I have the blood work of a 20 something year old. It works - that's all I can say about it. Now you have to make up your own mind. What is it? Are you going to be fat, miserable and sickly or do something about it? As always IANAL and IANAD so please make your own informed educated decision.

WARNING, BRAGGING AHEAD So last week was a week of vacation. I goofed off, did SOME walking but skipped my usual swims. So Monday I returned to the pool, swam 120 laps (1.8 miles) in an hour, went home got the bicycle out and went out on a short 5 mile bike ride. Would of gone 10 but the sun was setting and I was getting cool. Came home and finished by 4th set of 20 bicep curls and back of the head lifts for the day. I do them at each meal and before bed. Today I'm a tad sore, not too bad, just a little bit. Gee, I wonder why? After 1 year 4 months out I have TOTALLY reinvented myself. A workout less than HALF that intense a little over a year ago and I would of been wheezing and panting begging to stop. Today I barely get out of breath and feel pretty dang good over all. If you are at all considering doing the sleeve all I can say is DO IT! It has saved and RADICALLY CHANGED MY LIFE. While I don't look as good as those BowFlex guys "I am 51 years old and in the best shape of my life". It's been TOTALLY worth it.

I swim. No matter WHAT you do if you don't enjoy it on some level there is little chance you will stick to it. So if swimming isn't for you then try Zumba, if not Zumba then try biking, if not biking try weight lifting, if not weight lifting try running, etc. etc. etc. The point is try SOMETHING to keep yourself moving. The sleeve is the master tool to start the weight loss, it's totally up to you to keep it up and enhance the weight loss and gain in physical fitness and to reap the benefits of exercise. You WILL feel better, you WILL have more energy, you WILL get around better and you WILL benefit. Just keep trying stuff till something lights your fire.

Sure thing, ask away.

I too was considering the band, I elected NOT to for these reasons. The band is temporary, it WILL have to be removed at some point, it may be years or decades but it does not last for your life unless you die with it in of course. It takes consistent upkeep which can be costly, the band will have to be filled or unfilled to raise / lower the restriction rate. This can be a couple of hundred bucks a shot.There is a significant chance of damaging your stomach / esophagus due to erosion, that is the band sliding up and down wearing a patch of tissue, perhaps even wearing a hole. Stats say that the success rate of the band is lower than the sleeve. I was just hesitant to have a plastic gizmo inserted into my body, it just didn't seem right or safe to me. Down sides for the sleeve; it is PERMANENT once the pendulous of the stomach is cut there is NO going back. There is risk of adhesions or blockages is greater. The immediate danger to bleeding or leakage is greater because a major organ was cut. The restriction cannot be easily changed. If the sleeve proves to be too big there is no choice but to go in and do a revision - the likelihood of this is very small though. Malnutrition can occur if the restriction is too great, or the person develops psychological issues about eating - this is true with ANY WLS. I'm sure others can chime in here as well. And NO the gallbladder is NOT always removed, mine was not and I've had NO issues with it at 14+ months out.

Yep what liberated said. It may be 5 years or so before they would be willing to insure you. Shop around, some companies may carry you.