Lissa

The first doctor I spoke with (Dr. Michael Cho at Strax Rejuvenation in Fort Lauderhill, FL) was very nice, but I truly felt like I was standing in line at a deli with someone yelling "NEXT!" the whole time I was in his office. I was researching the band at the time and he didn't even discuss other options with me, nor did he look at my existing medical problems. He just said yep, he could do it and then sent me to their money person. I called several people I knew and finally confessed to one of my best friends, a nurse, that I was considering WLS. She immediately provided me the name of my surgeon, Dr. Domkowski in Sebastian, FL and gave him a glowing review. ER nurses don't typically like most of the doctors they deal with, so this meant tons to me. Every time I have spoken to Dr D, he's been kind and professional, while still being completely honest about my chances and risks. I had a ton of health complications, including blood clots and pulmonary embolisms, so I was definitely high risk. Dr D even had me come back in for an extra pre-op visit to discuss my feelings about surgery and whether I was truly ready to take such a big risk. Then he reassured me that he felt my surgery would be successful, and it has been. He's been caring and kind at every post-op visit as well! My point is that you MUST be comfortable with your surgeon pre-op or you're just going to hate your post-op care as well. Yes, higher BMI is a big risk, but so are the complications of obesity. You didn't post your BMI, but mine was 53, which is pretty high. Add in all the co-morbidities and it was scary having the surgery, but my doctor, while making me aware of the risks, did it in a manner that left me feeling confident in his ability to get me through the surgery. I was self-pay as well, but I never got the feeling the Dr D was just going to take my money and then leave me to struggle through on my own, and he hasn't. Keep looking until you find a doctor that you like. You're putting your life in his or her hands and you should be able to feel completely confident in his or her abilities. Good luck!!

I just tell it flat out. I had weight loss surgery. Usually it's in response to someone who hasn't seen me in a while asking how I've lost all this weight, but I am truly a sleeve evangelist IRL as well as online. The stigma that surrounds WLS will not disappear until real people start talking about it and not trying to be coy. I've lost weight in the past on every fad diet out there. WLS was right for me. If someone actually has the nerve to say something snarky to me, I just let them know that having my sleeve done saved my life, literally. I don't care who knows. Once I started posting my journey openly on FB, I've had several people contact me asking for more information because they are at least slightly interested in doing this. If my openness saves one person from the complications of obesity, it's worth it!

From my reading, the DS requires a ton more attention to diet and Vitamin levels than the sleeve requires. DS patients must carefully monitor their vitamin levels because they have BIG problems with malabsorption from food. DS also requires rerouting the digestive tract and that's not something I really wanted to have done. IMO, the sleeve is the best option because we get to keep our normal digestive system, including the pyloric valve at the bottom of the stomach. We also still absorb most Vitamins normally. I believe B12 is the major exception to this. Literally, we still have all of the same parts in the same places, with restriction on the amount we can eat, which, IMO, leads to fewer complications. I decided that reduced stomach capacity, with the ability to absorb nutrients from my food was a better idea for me than having a foreign body implanted and, if I read everything correctly, you CAN still opt for a DS if the sleeve doesn't work for you. But, from the results I see around here, the sleeve WORKS!!! I'm definitely a testament to the sleeve working, and working very well, thank you!

I heartily disagree with your doctor! I started weights within my first few weeks post-op. I started out with 2 pound weights and did as many repetitions of the arm exercises as I could handle, which was 10-15 at first. As soon as I came home from surgery I started walking as well. Now I do cardio every single night, plus 4 days of morning cardio and 3 days of morning weight training. While I'll never have killer arms, my arms have improved tons since I started and I actually have muscle definition in my arms, my thighs and a ton of muscle in my abs that I never had before. I still have loose skin on my tummy and my upper arms/thighs, but it's nowhere near as bad as I was afraid it would be. I carry my 2 pound weights in the car and do arm exercises while I drive (a lot) for work. I use the 5 and 8 pound weights at home most days to help with the arm definition and I do every machine in our gym at a lower weight with high reps on my weight training days. All of this has added up to my feeling pretty good with how I look right now. I think that doing the weights with the cardio is the way to go, obviously. Just start slow and work up to something you can live with because you're going to be doing some variation of exercise every day for the rest of your life. I'm sure I won't be working out twice a day forever, but I'm now in a routine that I could live with if it did turn out to be a lifelong commitment to two workouts a day. The bonus for me is that I am losing inches fast and my weight loss has now resumed a somewhat steady pace after slowing down around the 7 month mark for me. If you wait to start weights until you've made goal, you're going to be way behind on shrinking that skin, IMO.

I loved big macs before surgery and now the thought of one gags me. I just thought of it because someone mentioned a big mac in another thread. I spent 4 months hating sweets. Unfortunately, that didn't last, but I can control it better now than pre-op. Most spicy foods don't agree with me, so I tend to avoid them these days. On the bright side, I've found that green Beans are tolerable now. I still love broccoli and collard greens and my favorite fruits, bananas and pears, are easy to eat and digest. I'm lactose intolerant post surgery. I've recently started experimenting with milk again, but my sleeve hasn't changed it's mind about regular milk quite yet.

Congrats to you!! That's awesome weight loss!!

Yay! How's your weight loss coming along and are you back on solid foods yet?

Soups and protein shakes count as liquids until you're back on solid food, then they count as food, at least in my surgeon's booklet.

I think the snack wrap was a perfect choice, myself. I'll sometimes order a grilled chicken sandwich plain and ask for dipping sauce. I've even eaten mcnuggets on occasion. I do NOT eat fries anywhere but at Dale's BBQ (local joint). They have steak fries that are delicious, but I can only eat 1 or 2 of them. JetPilot, You can eat a whole big mac plus a small fries? You must have an extremely long stomach, so I'm assuming you are tall and male. LOL I don't think I could handle even half a big mac now, at 8.5 months out, even with removing part of the bun. That's a huge amount of carbs and calories, two things I don't count, but it's almost my entire day's worth of food in one meal. Can you eat anything else the same day you do something like that?

Another NSV for me today! My "new" old bathing suit was falling off me last night at the pool, so I had to get one that wouldn't be x-rated for tonight's swim time. Went into the shop and the salesgirl (who happens to be a cousin) kept saying that the ones I was looking at were too big. To humor her, I picked up the size I thought I wanted and the size she thought would fit. She was right! I'm now, officially, in a 16, not a 16w, etc, but an honest to goodness 16! I am so excited. I was 23 the last time I could wear this size!!!

Just breathe! There is a reason for this to be happening right now and we're not in a position to know why. My surgery was scheduled and re-scheduled 3 times due to issues with blood clots. Then I had to have 3 surgeries instead of 1. I had a filter installed in my Vena Cava, 5 days later I had my VSG, and 14 days later I had the filter removed from my Vena Cava. The filter caught 2 clots and saved my life! It was worth it and yours will be worth it, even if there is a delay. I know it's frustrating, but even if it does delay your surgery by two weeks, you will at least know that everything possible has been done to protect your health and welfare. (((Hugs))) I know it's frustrating!

Congrats on the weight loss, Nikki!! You're doing great and you'll see Twoterville in no time!! That's time for a happy dance, for sure!!! I was 352, now at 257 and holding, waiting on my Century Club at 252, then it's coasting into Onderland for me!! I'm 8.5 months out and I've stalled a couple of times, but just ignore the stalls, keep working that sleeve and, before you know it, you'll be at goal!!

I keep reading things about "No one can make you happy except you". That's VERY true. I like your term, Normal, "We have to finally learn to hold our own sky up". Or, in the infamous words of Billy Joel: Sooner or later you get to your own place. That's what I'm working toward, my own place in my head, in my heart and in my life.

Good luck!!! Prayers sent!

eggs are really strange for many of us. I could eat soft scrambled eggs, but not hard scrambled when I first started. Sometimes it's a matter of the spices used in a food. Other times it's either that you're not ready for something of that consistency or that it's too rich for sleevie to handle right now. My doctor's guidelines said that I should go back a step for a day if I had trouble with something. So, maybe do full liquids for the rest of the day and wait a day or two before trying the foods that gave you a problem again. Even though you're "ready" according to your doctor's schedule, your sleeve may not be ready. There's a lot of swelling in there that needs to go down and everyone recovers at a different pace. Good luck!!

Artsy, Drains are actually fairly UNcommon, at least once we're released from the hospital. My surgeon is one of only a handful I've read about who use a post-hospital drain. I had mine for 8 days.

I think that most obese people have some kind of issue that they are using food to medicate. I know I still have the issue(s) even though I'm losing weight, so I see a therapist as well. I'm a huge advocate of therapy and, if you need them, medication. I've noticed a big change in the way I deal with stress in my life since surgery and since seeing the therapist regularly. Others may not like the fact that I stand up for myself now instead of eating to cope with things, but I like the positive side of me. I'm glad I'm not the only person here who is willing to admit that I need a little help to deal with all of these changes.

If you're allowed, take a tylenol for the headache. It is SO worth it to have the caffeine withdrawal done before you hit the post-op period. It's just one less thing to have to deal with after surgery. Good luck! I know it's tough right now, but it's SO worth it in the long run!

Globetrotter, How are your clothes fitting? It IS possible that you've gained some muscle weight. If you're female, you could also be retaining water due to TOM. Are you taking measurements? That will tell you if you're really gaining or if you are simply building muscle. Yes, a pound of fat and a pound of muscle do weigh the same, but the muscle is much more compact and looks sleeker on our bodies.

21 pounds down is fantastic!! Here's hoping that everything goes smoothly for you today!

mesaucedo, Thank you for the warning! I'll definitely keep that in mind! Fluffy, I've done the tanning thing a couple of times, hoping to even out my skin tone. I need to put SPF 100 on my arms so they don't get any darker, though.

Reet, I'm jealous that your sleep apnea is gone! Mine is still refusing to leave the building! But, it's improved some, so there is hope!

It can mean full. My full signal for a good while was slight pain in my left shoulder, then it switched to a burp. Now, I can guage it better, and I try to under eat my sleeve, so I don't burp as often at meal time. It's somewhat embarassing if you're out with people and you let out even a small burp.

LOL at you Cat Lady!! I confess, I've been known to use a straw as well. I bought some 24 oz insulated cups for water that come with hard straws in them. I try to drink at least 3 of those cups full a day and I've been doing well using them.