Virginia S

Congratulations! I can't wait to be post-op, healed and on my way. Hope I do as well as you have!

I'm April 18th as well, in Virginia. Where are you having yours done? Have you checked out the "what to have before surgery" and "what to bring to the hospital" lists? I've found them sooo helpful. And yeah, thrilled and terrified all at once, that's me. Good luck to you! Virginia

I'm in the same situation, BUT my surgeon's office is a Bariatric Center of Excellence and he has done thousands of bypass surgeries. Although the sleeve has a longer staple line, the bypass is a more complex surgery. My family doctor also gives him high marks and I really respect her opinions. Finally, I've checked the web rating sites and he gets remarkably consistent high reviews. Finally, he's never had a fatality, and I don't plan to be the first. Don't be afraid to ask questions, but many offices just started doing the sleeve because insurance just started covering it. Good luck! Virginia

CONGRATULATIONS!!! OK, this post made me seriously chuckle - we have scale too, in a little room they call the infirmary (it does have a cot, but mostly first aid supplies and such). I decided not to buy a quality scale and just use that one because I know I won't step on it every day. My suggestion: weigh yourself on that scale right before or after your next weigh-in to see how they match up. Even if they're not exactly the same, it'll be helpful to know if it's a little higher or a little lower than the doc. Mine was within a pound. Don't worry about how fast it comes off...I see so many on here making themselves nuts because they see people losing faster than them, when in fact they're doing great. I admire your attitude about it. I take a steroid, so I have a sneaking suspicion I'll be a slow loser too. But that's cool. Better a slow loser than a fast gainer is what I say. Virginia

You may know this, but the sleeve used to only be done as stage one of a two-stage process for Duodenal Switches on very obese patients. Most of the rules about 50 BMI date back to this. Sleeve only got approved for standalone by most insurance companies last year (2010). My insurance change their policy until November 2010. With that change, most (but obviously not all) companies changed their standard BMI down to 40 or 35 with co-morbidities to match the RNY or band. Sounds like your insurance is behind the curve. NIH approves it for BMI of 40; an appeal by your surgeon might very well be successful. Don't give up - fight for yourself and your health. Good luck! Va

I'm right there with you - my surgery is 4/18 and I'm on the liquid diet too. I find the more I drink, the less hungry I feel. Not totally un-hungry (is that a word?) mind you - just much less hungry. You know it's bad when you're soooooo grateful for calcium chewy bites just to have something to gnaw on! My doctor's office considers yogurt a liquid - if you can have it, a probiotic yogurt a day before surgery and as soon as you can after is supposed to decrease your chances of getting thrush, at least according to my surgeon. Good luck!

I'm on the 18th as well. Excited and terrified and thrilled and every emotion imaginable right now! Good luck to all!

Congratulations!!

Welcome. I haven't been sleeved yet, but have surgery scheduled 4/18. I can answer some of your questions: The sleeve shouldn't affect the IBS if it's intestinal. If you have heartburn/reflux as well, make sure you take a daily medicine such as Zantaz 150 as soon as you're allowed back on meds (some surgeons prescribe one of these meds for all their patients - if so, just take what they prescribe). You may have diarrhea until you get back on solid foods, but that's not an IBS thing - many folks have it. Some folks seem to lose faster than others - I've seen some on here who've lost 100 lbs in 6 months and others who've lost like 50 lbs in the same time. A lot of factors determine this. Exercise - I've been walking too. Exercise is great for speeding up your metabolism. I've read that weights after surgery really help firm things up (but you won't be allowed to do them for maybe 6 weeks - again that figure varies from surgeon to surgeon). Basically you'll need aerobic exercise - your walking will be great to start, but as you lose weight try to increase your pace and walk a little farther in the same amount of time - and some kind of resistance thing for toning. I'm going to start with pilates and move up to weights - I'm 295 right now (down from 319) and need to start small. I've researched and researched and I'm ready to have this DONE. Good luck to you!

I've noticed surgeons vary wildly in both their pre and post op diets. Sounds like you have an experienced doc. Just follow your surgeon's instructions carefully and I'm sure you'll be fine. My doc explained that the immediate pre-op diet wasn't about losing weight, it was about shrinking the liver so it was easier for them to see when doing the surgery laparoscopically. The rest of the weight loss is just a bonus.

liquid diet day 3 - I'm on high protein liquids, but more my choice. I've actually been a little weepy. I'm not actually depressed, it just seems my tears are really close to the surface. On the other hand, I haven't felt super hungry since day 1 and then it was more cravings than hungry. On non thick/creamy Protein drinks - I've been experimenting for weeks. Many folks like the clear Isopure drinks. I don't, but I've noticed that tastes vary wildly. You might try one - you can get them at The Vitamin Shoppe or GNC. unjury makes a chicken Soup protein that's good - a little salty tasting but mostly it tastes like chicken soup. Hang in there! My body is starting to adjust, I think it really is just withdrawal symptoms.

Well, I have a surgery date, April 18. And I start my pre-op diet tomorrow. My doc's office starts you on a pre-op diet at the consult after you finish all your testing, but I got a pass because I was already down 15 pounds from the seminar 6 weeks before. However starting Monday I'm on a pretty strict high Protein, low carb diet and bariatric supplements. I have a tendency toward anxiety and the longer I wait for surgery, the more I fret. Am I doing the right thing? Will this work for me? I can't have the bypass - I take steroids every day and would be at risk for marginal ulcers. And the band, well...I can't say I like the odds. I'm so afraid I'm putting myself and my family through this only to fail again like I have so many times before. I'm 49 years old and I've been fat all my life, but now my health is going down hill. Will this really work?

Lisa I have the exact same problem. I haven't been sleeved yet (April 18) but I went to the Ortho and had a series of 3 orthovisc injections. They just cushion the knee and keep it from hurting so bad. They've allowed me to start walking every day, stairs are a lot easier and I feel like I could ride a bike. I gotta tell you it aches the first few days after each injection, but at the end your knee is a lot more comfortable. They last 6 months to a year, by which time I hope to be much lighter. If you can't do that, is there somewhere you could swim or take Water aerobics until you get some of the weight off?

I've been trying to figure that out too. Went to the Vitamin Shoppe & GNC and bought one each of a bunch of things. In the ready to drink, I really like the O Yeah brand drinks chocolate and banana. I have some stashed for right after surgery, as I've read that some (not all) folks become lactose intolerant and it's lactose free. I like the EAS AdvantEdge you can get those at WalMart - the dark chocolate is my favorite. There's also EAS Myoplex light. Watch out for the regular EAS, though - lots of calories. I've tried all the fruit flavored ones (Nectars & Isopure) and didn't like any of them, but other folks love them. Go figure. In the powders I've liked the Optimum Nutrition 100% whey and (like others here) the Wheybolic chocolate from GNC. Powders are cheaper but more work.

Wow, congratulations to you and good luck to your husband. Honestly, I don't remember the last time I weighed 250 - maybe 15 years ago? But you can't succeed without trying I guess. Va

Oh my heavens! Are you recuperated from the broken neck? My Mom had a total knee replacement so I know at least second hand what that is like. I'm sorry you've been through all that, but if you're ready for surgery again it seems you've done great. I'm having mine done here in the states. My doctor hasn't done a lot of sleeves, but he's an extremely experienced and well thought of bariatric surgeon here. But I'm very lucky to have great insurance - they approved within 24-hours, no supervised diet, they've paid 100% on all the tests (and I had a lot - abdominal ultrasound, echocardiogram, upper GI, sleep study, and some blood tests) - and I'll only have a $300 co-pay for the surgery. My goal is to get at least under 200 lbs. I haven't been there since middle school! Virginia