Lissa

WOW! An amazing difference in both of you! You both look years younger!

FeedYourEye, You may be right. I was told to continue eating the same amount of dark green leafy veggies all through my coumadin treatment, but I thought it was to increase the amount of thinning, not increase clotting. Either way, the rule of thumb is to be consistent with the veggies while on coumadin therapy in order not to affect the dosing. I did NOT mean to give bad information, so I advise everyone to check with their own doctor about this issue. The nurse would ask if I ate extra collard greens that week whenever my dose had to be lowered, which is why I thought the greens increased the effect of the coumadin.

I wish VST had an adore button!!! You've done an amazing job of stating what most of us feel before we have surgery!!

I'd definitely ask for a pregnancy test, just in case. Then, if that is negative, I'd start exploring other options like thyroid issues (because of the weight gain) and premenopause. Good luck!

Capt Derel, Your capacity will increase as your sleeve heals and the swelling goes down. Try to make sure you get your liquids and, if necessary, use protein shakes to help get your protein. I'm not sure if you like the premier protein bars, but they have way more protein in them than any other bar I've found (30g vs 15g) and they are a basic in my diet right now. Since your capacity is so low, higher protein is a good thing.

I still drink diet caffeine free coke. I always pour it over a glass of ice, which disperses some of the carbonation. However, it's not my only drink...I still get 64 oz of Water a day. For me, it's an evening treat while I'm at the computer or reading a book. When I was less than 3 months post-op, I refused to drink any soda and I obsessed over it like crazy. When I added a diet soda here and there into my routine, the obsession went away. Pre-op I drank 8-10 cans of diet coke a day (my poor kidneys) and now I might drink 5 cans in a week. I date my cases of drinks when I buy them and only keep a few in the fridge at a time. I finished my last case Thursday and it had been here since mid March. I used to go through a case of soda in under a week. I've lost over 90 pounds, so I must be doing something right.

I think your post proves that men have "hormonal" issues after VSG just like us ladies do. As we lose weight, the fat cells release all the hormones they've been storing for us. For ladies, this seems to result in increased libido and (b)itchiness. For guys, this may result in increased aggression. I think the solution is the same for both sexes, you just have to sweat it out. Things that I could take in stride pre-op have a tendency to irritate me now. I do often find myself looking at what others are eating and thinking "Wow! How can they eat that much?" but it's not in an admiring way. It's more like disgust that anyone could/would put that much food in their body at one time. It's twice as bad when the person eating that way is heavy. I know that's not kind or charitable, but that's what I think. Now, I'd never say anything to them, but that's because I realize that it's hypocritical, since I used to eat that way too. Good luck to us all!!!

Congrats and welcome to the loser's bench!!!

Amazing on the NSV and I am OVERWHELMED that you passed the HVAC test!! I know that, at least in FL, that's one of the toughest tests you can take!! Congratulations on both major accomplishments!!!

Sharon, I'll just pass along my doc's advice when I took a 3,000 mile driving trip about 2 months post-op... Fidget constantly to keep the blood moving and get up at least every hour and walk, even if it's just the length of the plane. You might even want ot make it every half hour since you'll be in a high pressure environment. Walking and cardio are the two things my doc recommends, and I'm speaking of my pulmonologist, not my WLS surgeon here. At least half an hour of cardio or aerobic activity every day is the goal he wants me to reach. I also try not to sit for more than half an hour at a time without moving around. Whether it's at the computer or watching tv, I get up every half hour and walk into another room. I just bought myself a new puppy, and that makes me move around more, too. FYI, greens and most dark green veggies have some anti-clotting properties, as do sweet potato and cabbage. One of the reasons I try to get some broccoli and greens into my diet is for those anti-clotting properties. Some days I may only get a few bites of one of those veggies into me, but I try to make sure that my veggies do double duty. Obesity is it's own risk factor for clots, but there are lots of ways to help prevent them.

I had the filter installed before surgery and removed afterward because I had a blood clot 3 months before surgery. IMO, the filter surgeries were worse than the VSG, mostly because they use conscious sedation (Versed). I really wish they had knocked me out for those surgeries, although I got to go home right after. I took Lovenox injections for 7 days before the filter install and 7 days after, twice a day. Luckilly, my pulmonary doc took me off Coumadin about a week before the filter was removed, but I ended up back on the Coumadin until 10 days ago because the filter actually caught two clots. It saved my life, so that filter was worth it. Walking is absolutely the best thing you can do to help prevent post-operative clots. I try to get in 30 minutes of some kind of aerobic/cardio activity daily to help prevent problems. This means that sometimes I end up walking around parking lots (like yesterday) and getting weird looks from people. LOL I also make sure that I stop and walk for a minute or two anytime I'm driving more than 30 minutes at a time...and I do a LOT of driving for my job.

If you're using milk-based protein drinks, you could also be showing signs of lactose intolerance. I developed it very quickly post-op and diarrhea was my first clue.

Ultimately, staying positive is on YOU. It's great that you have some family members that support you, but you have to decide that this is it and you're going to do it. You may have to make that decision every day for the rest of your life once you're sleeved. I'm sorry that your mom doesn't support your decision, but my personal philosophy is: If someone doesn't Feed me, F*#@ me or pay my bills, they don't have a say in how I run my life. Sounds harsh, but it sure saves a lot of hassle when people start running their mouths. I know she's your mom, but she doesn't have to walk around in your obese body with your complications and fears. Only you can decide whether to do this and then whether to be successful at it. Good luck!

I go through spells. A few days ago I was peeing every hour. Normal for me is 5-6 times a day. I make it a point to potty before I drive always. Lissa

(((Coops))) It sounds like it was a great day! I'm sorry, but may I say Happy Birthday now?? I'm glad you were born and that you're so willing to share your journey with all of us here on VST!!!

Congrats on taking a huge step for yourself! We'll keep a spot warm for you on the loser's bench!

Have you been doing a lot of running or jumping? How much support are you getting from your bra? I hate the way sports bras make me look, but they keep the girls from bouncing around and getting sore.

Another NSV for me... more workout clothes. 16/18 for both top and pants. I bought 4 of the same brand, different pattern, so I'm not washing them daily, but they won't be fitting me for long...

I know you'll be fine, ThinOneDay, but it's NOT okay for him to pick on you. Please tell him how his words made you feel.

I'm with Meg. If you're hurting when you're eating, it might help to drop back a step for a few days. I'm actually more worried about that hematoma. Please make sure someone is following up on that. Did they tell you it will heal or reabsorb on it's own? If not, are they planning to treat it? My birthmark is a hemangioma and has hematomas on it sometimes. The doc uses a laser to treat the hematomas, but, of course, mine are on my skin, not internal. A friend's daughter developed a hematoma on her liver many years ago and the hematoma kept growing until it crushed her internal organs.

No No No No. This is NOT your problem, it's HIS problem. Please don't diet just because your hubby made one thoughtless, stupid remark. YOU are an incredible woman and you've done an amazing job with that sleeve. Instead of reacting to his stupidity by changing you, how about having an open conversation with him about how crappy his comment made you feel? Perhaps he thought he was "helping" by mentioning that he thought you'd gained weight. But, we both know that a certain outfit can make us look bigger, or TOM, or drinking more Water, less water, splurging a bit on a holiday, etc. He needs to hear how his words affected you so that he can watch his mouth in the future.

I didn't have the stamina to do a 3 minute line dance after surgery, but I'd have definitely tried!