gfawcetti

Congrats! I just had my two week post op Monday & am doing well too! On my home scale I was down 20lbs, but for the Dr scale it was 17.5... He said that was great because they pump you so full of Fluid in the hospital that some people gain! The real tracking he said starts at my 6 wk check up. Congrats again and keep up the good work! G

My surgeons office has the 'center of excellence' status and the leak test is not something they require. We are in the hospital for 2 full nights & they don't discharge you until the afternoon of the second day. Based on how your recovery goes etc they may order one, but I never had one... I was grateful for that cuz from what I have heard they are gross. G

i was denied twice before my approval, I was sleeved on 11\14, my best advice is to keep fighting & every time you send in new or updated information call every day! I figured, the squeaky wheel gets the grease so to speak LOL I knew i was approved before my surgeons office LOLOLOL Good Luck! G

First, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Second, I weighed myself this morning & I hit 199.8!!!! WooooooHooooooo! I was sleeved on the 14th & lost 6 lbs on the pre-op diet and am down 19lbs in like 3 weeks!! And if that weren't enough I am down a full pants size & am wearing jeans I have never worn before cuz they were too small!! This is the best Thanksgiving ever!!! G

Congrats!! What an awesome Dr you have!! You truly have things to be thankful for the Thanksgiving! G

Thats cool... thanks for sharing!

So how did everything go? I am sure you are home and doing great! G

Sleeved 11/14/11 lost 8 pre-op & 10 post op (wow 10 lbs in 6 days) I still can't believe I am 2.6 lbs from one-under-land!

Here is the post from Tiffykins regarding the differences: Posted June 20, 2011 - 9:31 PM This is my standard reply when this question pops up every couple of days. I won't try to sway anyone one way or another, but I'll give you my reasons for choosing VSG over RNY for my revision from the band. You can also check out the revision, failure, and food issue forums on here to get an idea of some long term RNY patients. For me, it was never an option. The cons outweighed the pros. The VSG was my 2nd, and final WLS. I could have easily had RNY, but I fought to have VSG as my revision from the band. Some factors I considered in deciding on VSG. The pouch that RNY offers is similar to the pouch with the band. Least to say, a pouch sucks, I love having a normal tummy, just less capacity and still fully functioning. 1) No blind stomach left behind that can be difficult to scope yet can still get ulcers and cancer. 2) 2 years max on calorie/carb/sugar malabsorption, but a lifetime of vitamin/nutrient malabsorption. This process is called adaptation, and it happens with intestinal bypass surgeries. 3) I had a pouch with the band, and it sucked. I'm pretty fond of my pyloric valve and the sleeve let me keep it. I love having a normal functioning stomach, just smaller in capacity. 4) Regain stats and #of RNY patients seeking revision truly scared the poop out of me 5) I have too many friends in real life that struggle with Vitamin deficiencies post-RNY, and most of them either never got to goal, or have gained back a significant amount of their weight. 6) The long term complications with RNY were too numerous for my comfort level. Pouch or stoma dilation, strictures, vitamin/nutrient deficiencies, ulcers, 7) I researched gastrectomies that had been performed for stomach cancer and ulcer patients, and found comfort in the long term results and minimal complications of patients that had lost most or all of their stomachs had dealt with over several years. 8) I was a volume eater, and knew a restrictive only procedure would work for me. That was my thought process when I got the band, and I thought I could beat the odds on complications. Sadly, the band only lasted 8 months before I had to revise. 9) I did not want to have food or medication restrictions. I chose WLS to have a "normal" life, and I think it's normal to eat a couple of Cookies. With RNY, I wasn't willing to go through the possibility of dumping if I wanted to have a couple of cookies, or a slice of cake on occasion. The big scare for me is medication restrictions for life. NSAIDS and steroids are a NO GO for life with a RNY pouch. I realize that I may never be diagnosed with a condition or disease that requires steroid use, but it is possible. I want the best long term results with the least amount of complications. Malabsorption is not anything to play with in my mind, and I was not willing to take that risk. I lost all my weight in my ticker with the exception of 7lbs with the sleeve, and I did it in 10.5 months. The 115lbs fell off the first 6.5 months, and then the rest I lost as I was getting into maintenance over another 4 months.. It's been a fabulous journey, and I'm easily maintaining with zero issues for nearly a year at this point. I want to add that every WLS regardless of your choice will require discipline. Only a percentage of RNY patients dump on sugar/fat, pouches and stomas stretch, then you have the medication restrictions. I'm not trying to convince you, but these were my concerns when I knew I had to revise from the band. I started at 263 the day of my revision and today I weigh 127lbs. I bounce on the scale 125-130lbs any given week, and I couldn't be more ecstatic! Best wishes in your research! P.S. I wrote this before pregnancy, and think it's only fair to add that I'm thriving in my pregnancy. Zero deficiencies, zero nutritional issues for my body and the growing baby. I have gained about 10-11lbs in 20 weeks of pregnancy, and my doctors are elated with my progress. Nothing has been challenging in the pregnancy, nor is the pregnancy anymore complicated because of VSG. I struggle with the physical changes, and the weight regain, but it's a work in progress.

Hi! I was sleeved on the 14th too! And ironically, I also had a hietal hernia, but I think it was more of a large vs. humongous LOL. the sleeve is great & you may find that in the long run it is a very good thing. To see the differences between the two check out some of Tiffykins posts she lays out the differences perfectly! Also, come on over to the November sleeves group... We would love to see ya! G

Hello everyone! I was sleeved on Nov 14th & just now found this board! Sooooo glad I did... Anyway surgery went great, I spent 2 nights in the hospital, and the only complication was a huge hiatal (sp?) hernia they found! Maybe that explains my stomach pain & nausea that they kept trying to say was my gall bladder... I'm just glad it is fixed! I've been recovering well, just having an issue getting all the water & protien supplements in on a daily basis... My dr said to focus on liquids first for now so that is what I am doing! I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you, it looks like I had some company on the 14th! G

Hi guys, I was sleeved on the 14th in Grand Rapids, MI. Things are going well, I am just having a hard time getting all my Water & protien in on a daily basis. I know that it is water first right now since I don't want to get dehydrated, but I need to figure out how to make smaller protien shakes... Since i can only do about 3oz at a time I feel like I waste some of every protien drink, and those buggers are expensive! Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions regarding non flavored protien? I was thinking I could add that to my shakes for a bigger bang for my protien buck LOL I am looking forward to getting to know all my other November buddies! G

I was just sleeved on Monday & am doing great! As far as the anesthesia part, I vaguely remember leaving the pre op room LOL. Even though I was 'awake' when I was taken into the OR, the drugs they give you have an affect on your memory. I was sore when I woke up so they gave me a pain pump & I was a very happy camper. Now I am almost 6 days out & only take the pain med to help me sleep since my body is insistent that I sleep on my tummy, which is still a bit uncomfortable. Congrats on the new date, you will do wonderfully! Keep us posted! G

Congrats! I too have BCBSIL and was denied twice before being approved & the two denials were for stupid reasons... Like the Drs notes not being detailed enough etc. However I stuck with it & I was sleeved this past Monday!! Good luck with your surgery, I am sure you will doe amazingly well! Glenna

Congrats! I was just sleeved on Monday!!! I was surprised by the pain at first but it only lasted about 24 hrs then I felt pretty good. Now that I am at home I feel much better!! Good luck & here's to a speedy recovery! For both of us LOL

You are lucky! I was sleeved on Monday &my surgery was supposed to be at 1, but because I was the 4th surgery of the day I didn't get to go to the OR until 4!!! Let me tell you I was soooo thirsty because I couldn't eat or drink anything after midnight. It was so worth it though! Just got home this evening & I am so excited to be on the post op side, not the pre op side. Glenna

I am so excited for my surgery tomorrow! I have about an hour before I go to liquids till midnight then nothing till surgery! It is such a weird feeling to have fought for this for 10 months and it is finally happening... WoooooHooooo!

Well, ladies... I am sitting in the surgical waiting room, the Dr Is running about 45 min late! Don't they know I am not a patient person & that I haven't had anything to eat or drink since midnight!! Oh well, patience is a virtue I guess I need more of... Hopefully I will feel with it enough to update you this evening, if not I will try again in the morning. Glenna

I know exactly how you feel... my surgery is on Monday!! less then 36 hours from right now!! I am soooo excited, but I will have to take an Ambien on Sunday night for sure!!! Good luck!!

I don't really have any tips, but I am being sleeved the SAME DAY!! WooooHooooo! My Dr has us do a pre-op diet & that is really tough, but it is almost done, right... Of course I have lost like 5lbs on it and my, always skinny hubby, thinks I should cancel the surgery & just diet!! Seriously, he is just worried about the actual surgery, he told me once I am out of the OR he will be positive, until then he is neutral LOL... such a worry wart! G

Good idea Jan... I did add both of you as friends but I don't know what to do now?? Glenna

Congrats Sweety93!! You are gonna do awesome!! Congrats on getting your date! Glenna

The surgeon has his own food that I have to eat... nothing other then that food can be eaten. It is that way for the 2 weeks following surgery too. After that I move to regular food at which time I will try those for sure.

You are doing awesome Jan!! 17lbs is a lot of weight in such a short time... I am starting at 218 so a bit more than you, so you are a real inspiration for me! I am struggling a bit this evening because I start a very strict pre-op diet tomorrow so I feel like this is my last night eating 'real food' for a while. I keep looking around the house thinking 'what should be the last thing I eat?'. I feel a bit silly, but I am so excited to be on this journey that I can't wait to start the diet.... Thanks for all the support everyone, it's gonna be a great ride! Glenna

Thanks Jan! How are you feeling?? and if you don't mind me asking how is the weightloss??