Nancy Rivers

Thanks everyone. I've been able to get all fluids and all protein in since day 5. With the exception of the restriction from the smaller stomach, I honestly don't feel like I have had a surgery. I've been very lucky. It also makes me a bit nervous though. It makes me wonder if there's going to be a huge setback or something in the future.

5 weeks ago today I had my surgery. As of this morning, I have lost 22 pounds since that day. That has included a 4 pound re-gain about a week and half ago that stayed with me for a whole week. I have lost that 4 pounds plus another 3 pounds in the last 4 days. I have not taken any medication for my diabetes since the surgery and my fasting glucose numbers are below 120. I am moving around easier and don't loose my breath like I used to. My size 28W pants are becoming looser and I'll soon be wearing smaller sizes that I went out and bought from the local thrift stores. In just under 2 weeks, I'll be going back to my surgeon for a followup and I am hoping that he clears me to start utilizing the healthplex membership that was included with my surgery price and that he will clear me for normal foods. It has not been easy - but I know I have had it easier than many. I still struggle with head hunger - although it's not as bad as I thought it would be. The biggest struggle I think has been learning to eat slowly and sip my Water instead of gulping it. I still have difficulty with those things, but it is getting easier to remember. I have started "training" for 2 separate 3-mile walks that I will be doing in the last half of September and mid-October. That is something I have never done before, so I hope I can complete them - that's why I've started training. I need to get my endurance up.

Stalls are normal - I had gained 4 pounds and held that for a week before starting to lose again. However, you need to stick to the plan developed by your surgeon/dietician. There are reasons why they tell you to eat the way they do. You also need to be walking daily. If it's too hot out, simply walk in place in front of the TV while your favorite show is on. It's not quite the same as walking from point a to point b, but it is exercise. As long as you are doing what the surgeon and dietician tell you, this will work and you will lose the weight.

Yup, I still need at least 1 Protein drink a day to meet the goal - but usually just one. I'm currently doing mushies, but I focus on mushed protein first (in other words, no mashed potatoes for me - although I did have some scalloped potatoes - the cheese in them gave a protein count of like 6 g for 1/2 cup - so I didn't feel so bad about those). I usually have chicken salad or tuna salad at least 2 times a day, an egg (egg beater), a chicken sausage, etc. I've even made the ricotta bake a few times and meatloaf a couple of times. The meatloaf, I don't use any breadcrumbs - so there's very few carbs in it. Greek yogurt is a staple as well. You can also use some unflavored Protein powder and sprinkle it on your food - or mix it in. I mixed in a scoop of unflavored unjury with a 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt the other day to really up the protein count and it wasn't bad at all.

Congratulations!

That's fantastic! Congrats on the loss!

Congrats! You look great!

Well, my 28W's are starting to get big. While they aren't falling down on their own yet, I realized last night when I took off my pants without thinking and didn't unbutton or unzip them (and they were loose when I took them off like that!), that I probably should find some smaller pants. So, today I found a couple of local thrift stores and found myself some 22W's that are still a bit small for me, some 24W's that I think will fit or will in a very short time and a pair of 26W's that I know will fit. I had a hard time finding the 26W's that's why I only got one pair of those. Some of the pants still had the original tags from the "name brand / big box store" on them. I got one pair that was originally $40 at JCPenny for $7.99 at the thrift store. While I was looking forward to buying the smaller sizes, I never really thought it would happen a month after surgery. Shirts are still fitting fine - somewhat baggy around my stomach, but I can tuck them in and they still look good. Best part is when I go to get rid of my too big clothing - one of these local thrift stores will take them as a donation and give me a receipt that I can use for tax purposes! Yay!

It takes time to work up to the protein requirements. I was told to aim for at least 60g of protein a day and I was one of the really lucky ones - I achieved it in 5 days. I used Nectar protein powder and pureed chicken/tuna to achieve it. But as I said, it takes time - just focus on getting your liquids in - the protein will follow.

Here's the link to the complications support group: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/48-vsg-complications-support-group/

Just wait it out - nothing to be concerned about. All 5 of my incisions have the thread poking out on at least one side - most are both sides. I asked the PA about it and she said it was normal for me. Some people's bodies apparently do not dissolve the thread, and instead expel it (push it out) of the body instead.

As long as most of my diet was mostly liquid, I had diarrhea. As soon as my diet switched from all liquids, it stopped. Now I have a BM about every 3 days. I have had some pains from constipation, but usually when that happens, it isn't long and I go.

I'm required to take 2 chewable BA vitamins a day and 2 chewable BA calcium's a day.

I'm just taking the multi-vitamin and calcium that the surgeon normally prescribes. I don't have to take anything else yet.

When I asked my surgeon about it before my surgery he told me there was NO scientific evidence that acid caused hunger (he did not know of any medical reports that would confirm it) and therefore would not prescribe me an antacid unless I really needed it. I haven't needed it, so I haven't asked him about it again. I just had a week where I gained 4 pounds and held that 4 pound gain for the solid week. Now, I'm dropping again - I think it had something to do with my TOM which should be starting soon. I do get hunger occasionally - although it's not very often. But it's usually when I actually do need to eat, so I figure it's the normal thing. Make sure you are concentrating on Protein first - and get in all of your protein. Also, do not drink while eating nor for at least 30 minutes after you eat - it really does help keep you full if you do it that way. I would definitely talk to your surgeon about it - he might have some other idea for you that will help with the hunger.

It will get better. As far as the gas pains go - movement really is the best medicine for that. When I started to get the pain in the left shoulder from the gas, I started doing arm exercises - rotating it, moving it above my head, across my body, up and down, etc. That really helped. As far as gas pain lower, walking is what helped me. Some say that the gas-x strips help - but usually only if the gas is in the stomach/intestines - it won't help for the gas pains from the gas they pumped into you as that is outside of your organs. The first 2 days for me were the worst. On day 3 of post op, I was able to start full liquids and pureed foods. As soon as I was able to eat something pureed, it was THE thing that helped me the most - I immediately started feeling better. However, I'm one of the lucky ones that was able to get back to normal really quickly afterwards. I did have a hard time sleeping through the night. I took a single pill that my surgeon had prescribed for nausea - I wasn't nauseated, but I took one and was able to sleep the whole night through. The next day I had a headache (which is a side effect of that particular medication) and told myself that I would not take another. I have not taken another, and I have been able to sleep well since. Perhaps that might help you sleep at night. I hope you get feeling better sooner rather than later. But it will happen.

It sounds like you are in a "normal" stall. Stalls happen when your body is adjusting to what you have done to it. Typically in a stall, you don't loose weight on the scale, but you probably are seeing your clothing fitting differently. I just had a 1 week "stall" in which every single day I weighed exactly the same - which was a gain of 4 pounds from my low point. Thankfully, the scale is now moving again in the lower direction. Just keep doing what you are doing and it will resolve itself.

When I started this process I was of the mindset that I would NOT have surgery. However, I knew that everything that I had tried - all the "fad" diets out there were not working for me. I needed something else. So, I searched out a weight loss doctor who was not just a weight loss surgeon - but worked with patients via non-surgical methods. That's when I found my surgeon. After going to his seminar and talking to some of his staff there, I discovered that while I could see him for non-surgical methods, that surgery would most likely be a better option for me to keep the weight off permanently - and they provided me with some information. However, they told me to research it and decide for myself. I did. I saw through my research that WLS is not the easy way out as most think. It also is not the cure to obesity or magic pill or whatever. It was a tool to help me learn a new lifestyle. It also was not as dangerous as I was lead to believe. I really had to think it through. If I did not have the surgery, would I be able to "stick with the diet" that would lead to permanent weight loss. I knew myself and the answer is no - I would not have been able to stick with it. That's why every diet that I tried in the past failed. I would get discouraged when I saw a plateau and "fall off the wagon" or I would get tired of having certain foods only, or get cravings for sweets that I would cave into, etc. That was true even when I saw other improvements like looser clothing and health improvements. The stopping of the weight loss would override any positives that I had seen and I would give up. It was also true when I did see a weight loss doctor in the past - I couldn't stick with the diet he gave me (optifast). I have only been sleeved for a month. I have definitely thought in the last month why the heck did I do this? I have wanted to "give up" on the diet and start eating the way I used to - but I literally CAN'T. My stomach will not allow me to go back to the way I was before surgery. It's forcing me to keep on track and stick with the program. Even with this plateau that I was just on (it lasted a week and half, but it finally broke) and I got discouraged, I still could not give up on the plan because it was impossible for me to do so. Now, I am loosing weight again. Still not where I was before this plateau - but closer (I had gained 4 pounds - in the last 3 days, I have lost 3 pounds - so I'm still up by 1). Had I not had the surgery, I would not have lost these 3 pounds again - instead I would have gone back to my very bad habits that I had before and would have gained back all 15 pounds that I had lost to that point and probably would have gained even more. This despite the fact that my clothes are fitting looser and I was feeling better - I have more stamina now and can actually walk again without it "killing me". So, even though I had these positives to help reinforce that I was doing the right thing and to stick with it - I know I would not have - I never had in the past. But with this tool, I had to stick with it. While I know that I am in the "honeymoon" phase with the sleeve and it won't function exactly this way forever, it is giving me the time I need to change my habits permanently. Now that I'm starting to lose the weight again, I'm grateful for my sleeve for not allowing me to give up. I still have issues to work through obviously, but it's nice to know I have this "friend" who will keep me on track no matter what at this point and give me the time I need to literally change my mindset and habits. None of my other friends could do for me what the sleeve has in the last 2 weeks. I don't know if that is helpful to you, it's just been my experience.

My surgeon uses a 34 and oversews the staple line to decrease the chances of a leak.

I have been extremely sedentary prior to surgery which was a month ago. Before my surgery, I was lucky to walk 5 minutes without loosing my breath and sweating like a pig. I could hardly stand in place for 5 minutes without breaking out into a sweat. Now a month after surgery, I'm walking more - usually about 15 minutes before I start sweating if it's a cool place and can stand for a good 10 minutes without breaking out into a sweat. For me - this is huge. Well, my local surgeon's practice participates in the Step-Out walk - a fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association, and the walk is coming up on October 15th at GABP in Cincinnati. It is a 5k walk (3.1 miles). I signed up for it. Then today, I found out about another walk - this one the 3 mile Walk from Obesity benefiting ASMBS and OAC in Bowling Green, OH on September 24. Well, I signed up for it. So, I have just over a month to train so I can walk 3 miles and then repeat it again 2 weeks later. I must have been crazy... but I will do my best to accomplish it.

Thanks everyone. I never would have done either of these walks before the surgery. I'm starting with some Leslie Sansone DVD's to help get my stamina up. I'm hoping that when I go back for my 6 week followup on the 29th that I get cleared for using the healthplex (a 6 month membership was included in my package deal for the surgeon). I know that will really help build my stamina and endurance so that I can do these walks.

Yeah, there's several out there. You can also print recipes from some of the online sources and end up making your own cookbook in that fashion. I don't know if your surgeon participates with this, but if so, checkout realizemysuccess.com - your surgeon has to approve your access after surgery so you have full access to everything in it - which includes a recipe section. The recipes are not bad and are designed for those who have had bariatric surgery - and are portioned appropriately (1/2 cup portions!).

What some people do is use a "sippy cup" until they can learn to sip their drinks slowly.

What you are experiencing is completely normal. However, you will do just fine!

Congrats! I'm glad things are going smoothly for you!