TijuanaPlication

I'm so sorry to hear that. If your surgeon is anti VSG, then I personally wouldn't want a VSG with him. I didn't want the mal-absorption and bowel stricture/rotation issues that come with having your bowels re-sected. I don't really understand how a duodenal switch is meant to be safer than a VSG, when VSG is halfway to DS! Have you considered self-pay? When you consider $130/month for almost 20 years until you retire, self-pay looks pretty cheap. In the US do they offer credit cards with introductory interest free periods? That's how I financed my surgery. If you self-pay then the world's your oyster!

Hi Olivia, I've been sticking well within the new WW ProPoints daily allowance and getting at least 60 grams of protein in every day (I know men and some people are advised more, but I guess being a female at the lower end, I was told 60 grams). I haven't lost anything for 5 days now and I've walked and worked out a bit. You do get hungry in between and I 'think' I can eat the same about as before, but the truth is I get full on a WW ready meal which barely used to touch the sides before (I'm talking about the lower cal/point WW meals - I think I might struggle getting in a high point WW meal). I may start using the full WW daily allowance and just accept that I'm a ~2lb a week loser. Anyway, as they say weight loss with GPS is comparable to VSG and even RNY, so maybe I'd be experiencing the same with those too (we can all probably name a celeb or 2 who hasn't done so well with RNY). I think it just goes back to what everyone says, that WLS is a tool not a magic bullet and that you have to work with it, ie make healthy choices and do some exercise. So to answer your question, yes you do have to exercise a some willpower, but the surgery helps too. Sorry to not be able to be clearer than that, I'm only 5.5 weeks out and while I've been successful in losing weight before, I think the proof for me will be whether I keep it off this time, which is my ultimate goal! All the best with whatever you end up doing and keep us posted!

All the best - I hope that things continue to go well for you.

Hi, I've not become intolerant to anything I wasn't already intolerant to. I did take it easy in the first weeks though. Yogurt is recommend because people tend to have less reaction to fermented products. FYI Greek yogurt has double the protein of standard yogurt (9g v 4.5g/100g). In your early days just yogurt or yogurt drink will be easier on you, as Greek yogurt is pretty heavy. Have you tried lactose free milk? I don't recall hearing of anyone becoming intolerant to eggs, so you should be OK with them Don't worry about protein too much at the beginning, just concentrate on getting your fluids. All the best for your op!

Hi Olivia, it's going slowly for me but my weigh in day is Saturday and I've been a saint since Jan 1st so fingers crossed. I guess it must go slower for those at the lower end of the scale. I don't know if you watch the Biggest Loser, but the lighter ones always lose it slower. I suppose that when you think of it as a percentage it probably works out to be similar - sadly it's just not as impressive sounding!

Congrats on your surgery. I was on a drip for 3 days, so didn't drink much at all during that time. I doubt you're going to do yourself much harm on pure liquids though. Just sip slowly and that way you can stop if any does start to feel uncomfortable. I'm 5.5 weeks out and I've scarcely pushed it - I did eat a tiny bit too much once or twice and felt a teensy bit uncomfortable, so just sat it out for 5 minutes and everything was fine. I'm sure you'll do well, just take things slowly!

Congrats Olivia. I started thinking 'why didn't I try harder at dieting' once I booked my surgery, but I just didn't manage to stay at goal (although I got there several times in the last ~10 years). I also thought 'what have I done to myself' when I woke up from surgery but all that is pretty normal. All the best for your surgery!

I'm concerned that this is feeling too easy at the mo. I'm 4.5 weeks out and don't feel very much restriction, although I've not really pushed it. I've not vomited since my surgery so nothing should've torn. I'm just wondering what is considered 'normal' at this stage.

Hi Sunchik, I'm sure you'll be happier with the sleeve. You've got no risk of bowel rotations (massagegoddess - amelia on you tube nearly died from one over a year after RNY). Congrats and all the best!

Dr Lopez Corvala fixed hernias on a couple of other patients that were operated on around the same time as me, luckily I didn't have one!

Dr. Guillermo Alvarez @ Endobariatric.com does plication near you. Don't know what he's like as surgeon... maybe some others on here may know. He's on youtube a bit, but you have to take into account that they're videos posted by him so they're gonna be good! Good luck.

Sorry to hear you're struggling. You're on the liquids only stage so hopefully it'll get easier for you once you get on to mushies! It's good to hear that you're positive about the whole and I hope you continue to put your best foot forward.

I use WW and I have it on my iPhone (I imagine they have an android app). Unfortunately it's not free although they do seem to have a lot of stuff in there. I quite like WW but I'm also interested to hear what others use.

So long as it doesn't it doesn't conflict with any other meds I'd take the cold medicine... what's a stall compared to doing yourself an injury. I decided that it's better to be like the tortoise not the hare - well that's what I told myself anyway!

Are you sure you're not just coughing and sneezing worse than you were earlier on? I had a cough and cold ~3 weeks out of surgery and I decided to accept a stall and just take lots of cough syrup and sweets. I decided a short term stall was worth it for me rather than damaging my new pouch by coughing any more than I had to. I hope you feel better soon.

Congrats on the surgery date. I'm sure VSG will be nothing compared to knee replacement - I've had various fractures and associated ops, and I'm sure that getting your knees done is worse (I was on the same hospital ward as people that did get replacements). It's natural to get nervous, but it sounds to me like you've already been through more. All the best for Jan 10th.

Congrats on losing nearly 6lbs already! You sound really positive and like you're going to do great, all the best for a speedy full recovery.

I like cottage cheese (9g protein/100g) and eggs ~7 grams protein each depending on size. Chicken breast is ~25 grams protein for an average sized breast. I like it with a few spinach leaves and some fat free dressing. I don't get on with protein drinks so I missed out on them all together (just concentrated on fluid intake in the early days)!

In a separate thread someone mentioned that mine could be referred pain, as I was only 4.5 weeks out it sounded viable for me, but I can't imagine it being that when you're so far out. Next time you see your doc why don't you ask, I'm sure we'd all be interested to know what's causing it. Anyway, I hope you're OK and don't get it much at all.

BTW my doc was Dr Lopez Corvala.

Hi NotSoLittleMermaid [bTW love the name! ]. I have no plans to go for a VSG, as I'm not up for having the majority of my stomach removed. It'd be good to know if there really is much of difference in fullness sensation between GPS and VSG, but unless someone goes from one to another we're not gonna know. There are people who haven't got all the way there with RNY, so I'm just gonna pull my socks up and make every effort, ie track what I eat, workout/use pedometer, etc.

I was allowed to sleep on my front, which is good, as I'd hardly got any sleep otherwise!

I was getting really chronic pain in my abdomen up until a few days ago (I'm 5 weeks out now) and I was concerned. Someone on here said it could be referred pain, which seemed to make sense. I've been OK for 4 days now and have started exercising... although if you're concerned then it's always good to be on the safe side and you could go to the ER. FYI my pain was manageable with pain meds, but I had concerns it may never go away and I didn't want to get hooked on painkillers... I know my mind was starting to run away a bit, but I guess we all do that with the unknown. Let us know how you get on.

I've not vomited, slimed or even felt nauseous. I'm 5 weeks and have been a slow loser thus far, but I had a really bad cough for a week so I had a lot of cough sweets and cough syrup which stalled me. I'm now feeling well enough to exercise and the loss is starting to pick (2lbs since New Year). The loss is meant to be similar to VSG and I'd be interested to hear from other GPSers!

If that's the treatment you get pre-op then I'd be worried. I've heard about people complaining post-op... I'd seriously be having second thoughts, but that's just me.