Cinderella

Congratulations! And you are definitely on your way to a better life!! I had a total abdominal hysterectomy, and gall bladder surgery both... and this was comprable to the gall bladder surgery for me. Nothing even close to the hysterectomy in the "bad" department. If you feel sick, or in pain TELL them and they'll give you drugs. And when you go home, make sure you get prescriptions for nausea AND pain. Best of luck! Cinderella

CONGRATULATIONS, Long Horn!! What a wonderful, inspiring New Year's story you have shared with us. I am even happier now after reading how well that you're doing, and LOVE the zip lines through the jungle. I am 5 weeks out, and over 20 pounds lighter, so I can see that my post a year from now may well be similar to your post today. WAY TO GO, Mama!! Happy New Year. Cinderella

Hooray for you!! I am happy to be a cheap date, and have been called that several times now. My husband even said that he was going to get me a set of doll dishes to eat off of because I eat so little! Don't you LOVE IT???? What a change in how I feel from LAST new Years. Congratulations, Cinderella

CONGRATULATIONS, CYN!!! And what a happy New Year it is for you.. and me too. I, also, had Aetna, and althought hey gave me a hard time at first, the did finallyl approve my surgery, and then as with you, everything happened REAL FAST. I am now 5 weeks out and down over 20 pounds... shrinking ilke you wouldn't believe. It gets better, believe me.. just stick with the program, and bear up through the liquids and mushies. It will all be worth it. Let's give a big cheer for Aetna... YAYYYYYY Aetna! Good luck Cinderella

I have a wonderful surgeon, and a fabulous nutritionist, and as several others have said, they work together so that is the best option. But I have to tell you, I was an insurance approved person, and I didn't get much more guidance than you did. After jumping through all the hoops, I ahd a one-hour meeting with nutritionist, and she gave me their program "booklet," which I read like it was the Bible.... and stuck to. But most of my information, I have gotten either here at this site, or by researching and searching the Internet. One thing I do know is "eat your Protein first..." because we so need our protein. BUT, we also need some fruts and veggies, because.. Protein is a building block for sure, but your body can't "unlock" it and use it without Folic Acid, and other acids whcih are only found in fruits and veggies. So they are literally KEY to your health and strength becuase they enable your body to USE the protein that you eat. I picked up two wonderful, inexpensvie little books that have helped me a LOT. The first is a little book called WHAT TO EAT, published by Cooking Light, and the second is a PROTEIN COUNTER guide that explains a lot about protein and how your body uses it in the front. When avoiding Carbs, avoid the processed, startchy kind that have no nutritional value.... for example, Doritos or Scalloped Potatoes or Cookies. But eat your veggies and fruits as much as possible! I know it's hard we can eat so little.... check out those two books and they'll help you more than any nutritionist! Good luck, Cinderella

My program let us have Mushies after 3 days, yes. I could hardly eat three bites..... but we could have stuff like: Mashed potatoes (my favorite, back then), Cottage cheese, Applesauce, broth, anything purred.... we were on Mushies for 3 weeks then.... it worked out fine. I had no problems at all, but I was very strict to adheare to the Mushies as they defined them. Good luck! Cinderella

I ate a few bites of a cheese pizza at nearl 4 weeks out. It didnt' make me sick, but it wasn't the greatest thing in the gas department... still, I could only eat a few bites, so I didn't throw up or anything like that. One problem I am having is that my EYES ARE BIGGER THAN MY STOMACH. I take what I think is a small portion, and then can eat only a few bites of it and BLECH, I am full and can't eat any more. it's embarrassing, and the hosts all think I don't like their cooking. My husband was kidding me, saying that I should get some doll plates to eat from, but gosh darn it, a couple of bites of anything fills me up. Still.... if you do eat pizza, make sure it's just cheezy and soft thin crust, take teeny tiny bites, and chew chew chew chew CHEW your three bites. And ENJOY it!

I think I might have said "I'd rather die happy, than fat." But I have always been quick with the cutting comebacks.... so I guess I haven't lost my sense of humor (just half my stomach!!) LOL. Seriously, sorry you had to be embarrassed and put on the spot by that nut case of a mother. Guess this is why i have told almost NO ONE..... still, theholidays were difficult for me. So much food around, and so many expecting me to eat like a P.I.G., as usual. I can hardly eat anything at all... so many were disappointed, and eyeing me suspiciously. Too bad for them!! I love my sleeve! Hang in there.... wait till she sees the final results and strut your stuff. Cinderella

You look just BEAUTIFL, really radiant. Congratulations, I can't wait until it's me! Cinderella

My doctor note stated that I had had "Major abdominal surgery" and needed at least 10 days off (we negotiated that one, he wanted me out for 3 weeks but I couldn't afford it). BUT, his letter was on his stationery, which says DIVISION OF BARIATRIC AND LAPROSCOPIC SURGERY... so unless my boss is totally clueless, he figured it out. Still, the boss and personnel department accepted the letter and asked me no questions. Cinderella

Contratulations on joining the club! I can't believe you're up and posting... although I did get up and walk, I mostly slept all day and night the first day, and kept pusing that pain pump button! You will do GREAT!!! Just don't overdo... Cinderella

HOORAY!! I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling so well after eight days.... wait another week and you'll feel ready to go out dancing! Get used to having one small yogurt fill you up... I'm nearly 3 weeks out and can just eat the teeniest amounts of anything... a few bites does it. I am sick to death of the mushies... ate a lot of "bites" of yogurt, cottage cheese, and mashed potatoes.... that was about all I could stand. I feel luckiy that we both got sleeved during the "fat season," we are being saved from the holiday goodies!! Keep up the good work... Cinderella

BZ, Congratulations on getting sleeved!!! I was nauseated right after surgery, but they gave me some kind of anti-nausea drugs in an IV which stopped it right away. After the first couple of days, I felt much better. Don't worry about all the Protein and stuff this week but do sip sip sip that Water... you can't let yourself get dehydrated at all costs. It gets better, I'm almost three weeks out and feeling great. Good luck to you! Cinderella

According to this article, as well as my doctors, and other articles I read, it is totally possible to stretch out your sleeve.. but over TIME, not over night. I'm not worried about it happening any time soon, but like the article say... :'VGS surgery shrinks your stomach, not your brain." So , if someone has a severe eating disorder that is not being treated, it seems like that after years of working to stretch out your sleeve, you could do it. http://www.personal-nutrition-guide.com/gastric-sleeve.html I find it hard to believe that one could ever stretch it out to it's old size though.... like you, I haven't really been hungry since surgery, but when I do eat, I can only eat a few bites. I'd throw up if I tried to really shovel it in, LOL.

Hi Mommy2girls: I'm glad for BOTH of us that we were made to wait! Insurance companie's aren't all bad! Are you banded yet?

Oh yes, I have a humungous bruise down the middle of my lower belly too. I thought it was caused by the BOUGIE that they shove down there... maybe that's nearest where they insert it or something??? It is now a little over 2 weeks and the bruise is fading though, so it will go away. Something surgery related definitely. Good luck with it... Cinderella

My surgeon says that you can definitely stretch your sleeve out... your stomach is like a giant balloon... but I don't think you can do it in seven months. They did tell me that it would take six months for the final size to "settle in." So you may be feeling the final, unswollen and healed size of your sleeve... which, I am told, generally holds no more than 6-OZ... which is less than one cup. It is NOT a good idea to eat until you vomit, that is definitely a way to stretch your sleeve back out. I agree that going to support group meetings would help, also talk to the nutritionist. Remember, do NOT drink when you eat. That makes the food slide through the sleeve and you eat more. Good luck!

I just told my boss that I was having surgery... and indicated it was a hernia repair, without actually SAYING that. For one thing, they rule "elective surgery" in a different category, and the boss might make you take vacation time instead of sick time, or even go out on unpaid leave. They can also tell you NOT NOW.... if it is not medically necessary. So good luck with that... Fortunately, we are protected by the health care privacy laws, so they can't force you to tell anything about your health care. Just say that you're having surgery and leave it at that. Good luck! Cinderella

That is such awesome news!!! It makes it all worthwhile, doesn't it? Congratulations to you. Keep on Rockin' in the free world, girl! Cinderella

Thanks for the fantastically encouraging story!!! My goal is to get off my BP meds too... I've been taking too many meds for too long a time. Congratulations! Cinderella

I guess this sounds a little crazy, but here. goes anyway. For several years now, I wanted the BAND. Reseached it, priced it, even went through all the insurance paperwork and got approved to get it. But over those years, as I followed it closely, I began to read about more and more people having problems with it, or having it converted into something else. When it finally came time to get the Band, after my insurance approvals, I found out that the surgeon I selected had two young women DIE shortly after band surgery, and punctured another woman's intestines during surgery, so I decided to change surgeons. When I came to my present surgeon, he and his whole staff told me YOU DON'T WANT THE BAND. They told me that while the surgical risks with the Sleeve are MUCH higher during, and after surgery, they go down sharply, whereas with the Band, the risks are very LOW during and after sugery, but begin to rise up sharply as time goes on. They drew this little graph, there is a point at which the "risk lines" cross, and the longer you have a Band, the greater your risk of complication. This surgeon (Dr. Pomp, NYP) was so good, and I began reading this forum every day, that I changed my mind, changed my insurance approval, and got the sleeve. I also had this strange image of... if I got the band... me being a very old woman with the Band, and then eventually dying.... and there I would be in my coffin, and eventually I would waste away into dust.. and all that would be left was this BAND. In my coffin... and for some reason, this bizarre image really disturbed me.... that the band would outlast my body. Sorry if that's too much information, LOL, I told you it woudl sound crazy! Anyway, I am now two+ weeks out from surgery with the Sleeve and very happy. Good luck to you, whatever you decide. Cinderella

Asked my surgeon about the sore throat and burning feeling in my throat, and he said it was from the breathing tube, it probably scratched up my throat and esophogus a little bit. It went away by the end of the 2nd week. Drinking cold stuff helps a little... so does warm tea. No help with the blurred vision, are you still on pain pills? Could it be that? Also, do check your blood pressure. Hang in there... Cinderella

2much, and everyone..... yes, my sugeon also took me off my dieuretics, which I have taken for YEARS and YEARS, and hate to pieces because it made me pee constantly. I asked my Nut about it, and she said that, especially after surgery, it is so hard to get the sleevers to drink enough Water that they don't want us eliminating it. After that, we'll see how much weight we lose, we might not need it! I lost 18 pounds in my first week, gained back 2 in my second.... and now I'm in my third. I'm afraid to weigh myself!! BUT... today I fit into a regular SIZE 18 pair of wool trousers that I have not been able to wear for five yearas. HOORAY!!! HAPPINESS DANCE!!! I was almost into a 22 before surgery.... so progress. You can bet I was strutting my stuff around the office today. I must have looked crazy, LOL. Keep up the good work... Cinderella

Thanks, everyone, this is all such helpful information so that I don't think something is wrong with me. I finally called my NUT and asked her about the coffee, and she told me that coffee is HIGHLY acidic, and probably too strong for most sleevers stomach's. She said that if I want to drink it, I should make it half milk, half coffee. So I tried that... it really did taste bitter. Right now, (2 weeks out) I decided that maybe I'll switch to Latte's for awhile, since that's steamed milk and espresso... tasted much yummier to me, but of course it doesn't have the kick of a real cup o' joe. Cinderella.

I have read, and reread all of the nutritional guidelines and instructions I got from my doc and my nut, and darned if I can find ANY mention of coffee. It is not on the 3-week post-op list anywhere, although they do mention Tea, so I assume we can't drink it post-op... but it also doesn't say "do not drink coffee." I read a litle further, and coffee is also NOT listed on the "resume normal eating" list that tells you that after 3 weeks you can begin to add foods back. Question to the sleevers: When did you start to drink coffee again after being sleeved? I miss it, and it has no calories. Cinderella