SassySenior

Paige, I must say that your saga is one of the most page-turning, cliff-hanging stories on this site. In addition to wanting to hear good news about you, I can hardly wait for the next spine tingling detail. Not to promote my doctor in any way & cause him to receive any more patients than he already has ... I believe he would have known instantly what was wrong. My doctor is nice, but does not have the bedside manner of your drs. However, he told me early on that he would know if a problem was developing long before it actually occurred. He also is serious about contacting him asap if anything happens, no matter how trivial. Seems he believes this kind of vigilance is necessary to the successful outcome of WLS surgery. For all those posters who wonder, "Should I call my doctor," I say YES. I know my doctor insists that his patients call at the first sign of a bothersome symptom, even something as simple as a headache!

Paige ... As if you haven't been through enough ... a lot of pain after surgery? Why? Didn't they give you enough pain meds? As to us, you never need to apologize for anything! Hoping this works.

Shaybear, I'm glad you found this site as well ... and our group in particular. Our group is still very new, but we do have several members who have gone through the journey at an older age. I hope that the post-ops here will step up and respond to some of your concerns. As for me, I'm 66 ... about to rack up another year ... This is an extreme solution, but it is the only one for me. I'm in constant pain, housebound, in a wheelchair, with huge limitations on my lifestyle. Only I can change this, and I must. Of all the procedures, the Sleeve is the safest, with the lowest rate of complications, the safest surgery and a successful way to drop a lot of weight. I don't know how many more years I have, but I'm sure not going to waste them living like a wounded bird. I had an incredible life, traveling all over the world, having a ton of fun. I want my life back. This sleeve surgery offers that to me.

SB - I'm sorry your writing career was stalled at such an early age. I began writing poetry when I was about 15. My mother, who taught me to read at age 3, was very supportive. Like mothers everywhere, she thought most of what I did was extraordinary ... not the part where I constantly broke curfew as a teen. I inherited my writing talent from her. Even though she didn't think that way, she won a contest once for writing a winning slogan for Jewel Tea (grocery store). She said: "Jewel is a gem of a store." Between your group and mine, I think I have it all covered - weight and age. Now all I need is "Love after the Sleeve" for that perfect man I've been searching for. Admittedly, my criteria has been a bit high. At my advanced age, I am willing to compromise. It;s true that writing is a tough business that's hard to make a living at. But when I was in junior college, I was "discovered" as a writer. My teacher and classmates loved hearing my stories, and I was often asked to read them before the class. Soon thereafter I was invited to write for the school paper, following year became it's editor-in-chief. When I decided to transfer to a big college, my advisor recommended me to her husband, and I became a writer for the University News Service. After graduation, I became a journalist with the Tampa Times. Later on down the line, I started a freelance writing career. It's a long story ... maybe I'll tell you about it someday. SB - you are a great moderator. I think your group will catch on. I have a few members .. 6, I think. Doin' my best to try to entice them to post. You would think that my incredibly fascinating posts would inspire them to greatness! NO. Ha Ha

Hi Brandy & Wendy, I love the name Sophia Bubbles ... you're so clever. I'm a writer, so I should be able to pick out a good name, right? But SassySenior was all I could come up with. WAITING -- Talk about a way to kill a good high! I have learned over the last 2 years not to get too excited about my surgery because whatever hurdle I'm trying to jump always turns out to be a lot more complicated than I thought. What kills me is my friends who have no clue what these hurdles are like. They say each time I finish one more task, "Oh, great, have you got a surgery date yet." I swear if any one more person asks me that I'll throttle them. Actually, I've been asked that a lot here, now that I think about that. Hey ... if you really wanna know about me, read my friggin' story. I wrote it just for you. ha ha Wendy -- I'm on My Fitness Pal, too, but I'm not using it at the moment. When I had to go through the "medically supervised weight loss diet" I used it and it helped. I never knew how many calories were in what I ate. Well, it is getting really late for me ... I'm an all-night owl, and it's bedtime. Later y'all. Keep on keepin' on. We're gonna get there!

Sweetie, I am so sorry you're dealing with jerks. If you haven't paid cash, now is the time to get away from them. In fact, even if you have paid cash, I'd still switch doctors. You can get out from whatever hold they have over you. You can threaten to report them to the Medical Board of your state. Post online about them, every chance you get. Whatever you can think of ... including suing. That's what I'd threaten them with if they don't reimburse you. After all, you're kinda like a girl who's just gotten engaged ... all excited about the event ... can't wait for it to happen ... doing everything you can out of sheer joy. And then ... wham! ... they hit you with their nasty selves. Sad to say that bariatric surgery is a money business and once they get you in the door, you're dust. But it doesn't have to be that way. There are many wonderful, supportive doctors out there. You can check on this site for other doctors in your area. If you do decide to switch ... which I highly recommend ... do your homework before you pick a new doctor. Check all the sites, including lap band and gastric bypass, to see what others think about their doctor. This step is vital if you want to have a good experience. Good luck, sweetie!

How awful for you ... and how scary for us pre-ops! This is the first time I've read about the complications of a VSG. I am definitely gonna ask my Dr. about it. Btw, my surgeon is Dr. David Provost of Denton, TX. He is considered the WLS guru in Texas, if not the entire Southwest. He is the one other doctors send their patients to when they run into a problem. He gets patients from all over the U.S. and abroad. He taught just about all the Dr's in this area how to do the surgery. In fact, he was a professor at Southwestern Medical School for many years. I would definitely contact him, certainly before surgery. He is well known for his work with WLS surgery problems. In fact, one lady was in very bad shape and he stepped in and fixed her at no cost because she couldn't pay. I was referred to him because I am at high risk at 400 lbs, my age, 66, and co-morbidities. I've run across several doctors who refused to operate on me. Dr. Provost's name came up at virtually every Dr.'s office. Just wanted to let you know in case it helps. Like everyone else, I will be thinking of you from now on, sending spiritual wishes that Tuesday's procedure is what you need. Hang tough, Honey! (((Hugs)))

I'm still pre-op so I can't say Mondays are much different for me now. Although, it seems the closer I get to surgery, the more I think about the life changes I'm going to have to make to be successful. Just tonight when I was on the phone with a friend, the topic of drinking Water came up. I have managed to cut down from 3 diet cokes a day to 1. It's probably going to be the hardest thing for me to give up totally. BTW, I was "on the throne" when this conversation occurred. And there may be a lesson here for others. When I woke up today, I didn't feel good, stomach a little queasy. Hmm, I thought, maybe it's because I'm constipated ... better do something about that. I decided to take a swig of prune juice that I recently bought. Not sure how much to drink, I gulped down a random amount -- probably about 6 oz. A couple of hours later, I did "an Al Roker." Like Al, I popped out a tiny fart and was surprised it was not all air. I made the mistake of doing it again ... to be sure ... and voilla, explosive diarrhea! Needless to say, I didn't make it to the bathroom as soon as I'd like. Can anyone relate to this? I really didn't think I drank that much prune juice! Well, that's how the end of my weekend went. Sure hope Monday is much less dramatic! Hope to hear back from you guys!

Welcome to our new group. So far, I think I am the only one who is pre-op. Most of our members joined after I invited them. I wanted a less public, semi-private group so I've been surfing this site to find Baby Boomers with a great attitude. For that reasons, we only have a few people right now. I'm glad you posted and I'm happy for you that your surgery is upcoming soon. Sorry, you couldn't connect here with another newbie. I cannot even imagine how you must feel about your big day in just a week or so. I know I'd be both excited and scared at the same time. We'd all love to hear your journey, so please keep us updated. Good luck! I'm sure you're gonna love the new you. Oh, btw, people with low bmi's don't have to do the liquid pre-op diet.

Congratulations to debisbo, how did it go? I really appreciate hearing about individual states that have approved the sleeve. I'm sure my surgeon knows, but I'm afraid to call and hear anything but good news. WBGone, I did the search, and it came up with varied results, including supplemental policies, which is very confusing to some, I would think. I did click on one of the links and got nowhere. More specific instructions help seniors like me get to the exact source. Thanks anyway.

Carol, I'm sorry you didn't like the Quest bars. Did you get a sample pack or just one flavor? I started out with the sample pack. I only really liked a couple, but that's OK. I would be happy to have 3 flavors to choose from. So #1 is Vanilla Almond, #2 is Mixed Berry Bliss and #3 is their new Peanut Butter Bars (like Reese's Cups). If no one else takes you up on your offer, send them to me!! I eat one bar a day, usually in late afternoon or late evening. Like you, I don't have boo coo bucks, so that's all I can afford. What's really great about Quest is that not only do you get 20g of protein, you also get 20g of fiber, which is what keeps your appetite away. Plus they are soooo healthy at only 1g of sugar and 5 carbs. I have heard others say to heat them in Microwave first. But I love them any which way. To others: try them out. Buy from GNC or online at Amazon.

Chris, Congratulations! If you wait a day, you can be married on my birthday!

Congratulations Beebee! You must be thrilled. Whenever I get the word, I know I'll be. Do you have a surgery date?

A couple of points for discussion are: -- SAVE & SAVE AGAIN - How many times have you written a long, perfectly composed post ... only to have it disappear in cyberspace? Sadly, for me, it is almost a daily occurrence. When I remember, I compose my posts offline, using Notepad. Then I copy and paste it online. As a minimum, I constantly use the command, Ctrl C, to copy whatever I've written. If the page disappears, you can still paste your words again online or anywhere else. -- I.E. SPELL - You can easily download I.E. Spell and use it for all your communications. I love it and know it will clean up my posts with just a click or two. -- COMPUTER ISSUES - Unfortunately, I am having boo coo issues with my computer. So if I'm offline for awhile, you'll know why. I trust you to take good care of our group if I'm gone. When the same happens to you, let us know so we won't worry. -- SHARE WISDOM - We have been around long enough to have picked up a few special tips, shortcuts, online tools for this site, etc. Please share them with us. Start your own "(name) SPEAKS." -- ARE YOU A NEWBIE? - Us newbies have to stick together. Keep our group up-to-date on where you are in your journey. I started this group because I wanted a spot where I fit in. I want to hang around with my peers. We have issues that relate to our age and where we're at in life. So stay current. I have a lot of newbie issues. For example, I can't figure out how to return to Baby Boomers home page after I post. You can start your own "(name SPEAKS)" -- BE SUPPORTIVE - A kind word or compliment goes a long way. We all feel better when someone takes the time to reply to our post. Let's try to do this in our group. A simple "Atta girl" "Way to Go" or "Impressive" is guaranteed to leave a smile. -- ACRONYMS - Those 2-4 letter abbreviations for common phrases are great ... if you know what they mean. Don't assume we all do. After all, we're napping in our rocking chairs (ha ha). Please spell our what the acronym means the first time you use it, like WTG, TTYL, BBL, NW, etc. Way to go, talk to you later, be back later and no way.

Hi Chris, I am so glad you joined our fledging new group. It is actually gaining ground faster than I thought. I have several more people to invite, and please do the same if you run across a pleasant addition. I both love and hate your story. Love - kudos to you for sharing all that you did. You made it real. Plus, you gave us a lot of details without rambling. That is high praise coming from me since I am a professional writer/editor. I am balled over at the amount of weight you lost pre-op. Amazing. I was shocked myself when I dropped 20 lbs. in the first 2 months of my own "just eat less" diet. Thanks for explaining your post-op diet in such detail. It sounds like one I might use. You are doing so great! Even tho you think 225 lbs. is a lot more left to lose, heck ... you started out at 450! You're a rock star! Now to the Hate part - I hate that your son has to go through this, too. Poor baby. Gaming, huh? For me, I find that the longer I stay awake, the hungrier I get. I've been eating Quest Protein Bars when that happens. They're #1 for taste, nutrition ... you name it! With 20 gr. of Protein. 20 gr. of Fiber and only 1 gr. of sugar and 5 carbs, they're the best on the market!! However, they ain't cheap at $2+ a bar. Best buy I've found so far is at GNC, 2nd best is at Amazon, but they don't carry the full line. BTW, I think they help the urge to chew ... because chew you must with Quest. More hate ... sheesh, you are sooo far ahead of me, and I don't even have a surgery date. That, plus it is obvious now that I'm gonna have to be on a strict pre-op diet because my bmi is a whopping 68. <crash ... pick yourself off the floor> ha ha. I can't wait to hear about your continued progress and that of others as our group grows!

Great topic. I'm new (pre-op) so I haven't yet looked into in-person support. But I do believe it's a real plus to meet face to face with people in similar ciucumstances. I'm so big right now, I can only go out in a wheelchair. But when I am post-op, I will definitely start attending these meetings.

I have been eating one Quest Protein Bar daily. They're somewhat expensive, depending on what deal you can find (anywhere from $2-4). But each bar has 20 mg. of protein, 20 mg. of Fiber and only 1 g. of sugar and very low carbs, 5 gr. or so. Best retail price I've found is at GNC. Walmart is very high, as are gyms. Online, Amazon has the best price, but doesn't have the entire line. Quest.com is way too expensive, and eBay is high as well. So far, my favorite is vanilla Almond and Mixed Bliss. There's a couple of new flavors I haven't tried, namely Peanut Butter Cups and banana Nut Muffins.

drea, I don't want to take the wind out of your outraged sails, but I did write an apology to you, which I'm not sure ever appeared, I will repeat that I am sorry for my remarks. It was wrong to question your post, especially since you're new. I'm glad you stayed and made a new friend. Best of luck to you on your surgery. BTW you can delete your profile. There's a thread on this if you care to look at it.

Quest are the best. They have many flavors, taste good, have 20 g of Protein and 20 g of Fiber. I eat one a day, for both these reasons. I ordered mine online from Amazon, but you can get them at local gyms, elsewhere I'm sure but don't know where. My personal favorites so far is #1 vanilla Almond (YUM) and #2 Mixed berry. About 200 calories.

Sophia, I did start a group for Baby Boomers. I don't have any members yet. But I think I'll be an active member of your site. Us "Extraordinary Sleevers" must stick together. I saw your post on waiting. It's unbelievable how many hoops there are to jump through. In my case with a high BMI, age and multiple co-mordibidites, it's a paper chase. Every time I think I've cleared one hurdle, another appears. Part of it is because I'm using Medicare which has its own set of rules. That plus I belong to a special program for people with limited resources and it's a bureaucratic mess. To sum it up, glad you started this group, glad I have someone I can relate to, sorry you have a hurdle of your own hoops to jump though. My dr. won't give me a surgery date until I have completed everything. Oh well, never a dull moment.

Don't answer questions with a question. I'm glad you're happy. But our friend, drea0325, still doesn't have an answer. So, my response will be at least as valid as yours. I haven't been even sleeved yet, much less gone on a post-op diet. However, there is a ton of content on this site. If you are to survive wls, it's time to learn how to navigage this site. There are plenty of answers to your question ... just look!

Not well said. I just joined and aready I am sick of hearing you rant. You ought to start a group called Ranters. That way you can get a whole bunch of people ranting back and forth. Heck, they'll probably even agree with you.

Hello, Welcome! Baby Boomers are are special, don't you think? We grew up at the best time when creativity was at its height. When incredibly talented artists introduced the world to a new musical genre. When moms stayed at home, baking Cookies for us. A time when we didn't have a lot of "things" but had so much fun playing with what we had. And there's more ... so much more. And now we older and fatter, in fact bulging at the seams. Thank heavens, medical technology has kept up with our needs. I got Medicare at a time when I needed it the most, at a time when revolutionary techniques like the Sleeve are now considered reimbursable. I'll tell you more about my story and issues if you'll tell me yours. Help me make this "our" group!

Dee Dee, I am, if nothing else, peristent. Hey I tried my hand at starting a new group for Baby Boomers. I got it going, but I can't figure how to post. What do I need to do?