RosieSweetie

I just went to the NUT yesterday- I had sleeve done on 12/13/11- she gave me a prescription for Actigall and told me it was a necessity. I saw my Dr today and he said I should take it because there is a 30% chance of me getting gallstones if I don't. Is anybody post-op NOT taking Actigall? I hate to take it because I am afraid of side effects (especially because I tend to have allergic reactions- particularly hives) and I understand it thins your hair, too (great- between the hair loss due to surgery and now this, do I need to buy a wig now?) What is your experience taking it? I also heard that Xenical (Alli) also can reduce gallstones, as well as vigorous exercise. If you have ANY info on this- please post a reply. I am very grateful for any help or advice you can give.Thanks everyone.

The day or two before I got sleeved, I thought , I lost a lot on a pre-op diet, do I really need to go through with this surgery? Do I really need to get to a "normal" weight, or is just being less obese enough. (Maybe I was afraid of the committment I had to make? ) Ultimately, I decided to have the surgery and I am happy with my decision. Today, I saw this clip on the internet and it just reinforced my decision, so I wanted to share it with all of you. Dr Oz says in Prevention Magazine, " Listen, if you're one hundred pounds overweight at age fifty, you have the same mortality rate as if you have a solid cancer. Would you operate for cancer? Yeah. So if you cannot lose that weight, get one of these procedures. You have to do it with counseling and full awareness of what you're doing, of course. " I felt I needed help, but I think I think I felt kind of guilty or selfish for wanting to get surgery. After reading this, I felt, of course I would get surgery for cancer, so of course I was right for getting surgery for another disease -obesity- that was killing me! I hope this helps some of you with your decision. Happy Holidays to everyone.

My all time high was 308, today I am 165. I was a 48 DDD (very tight) now I am a 40 DD and EVERYTHING has dropped. (my breasts, stomach, face, etc etc ). I definitely would not get any plastic surgery until you are done losing weight and you see what you have left. I just started getting ps consults and I was told with a breast lift, redundant skin is removed, so I will be smaller. I said I don't want to be too much smaller because I don't want implants- two dr so far told me, not to worry-they will only remove skin, so I should have plenty left. But if you get a reduction half way through the journey, you may find at the end you may want implants! (There was someone on another site who had this happen to her).

I am so sorry that you were not prepared as well as ,you should have been. I am 7 mos out-and I have never been happier. My dr required a pre-op psych exam- and I was asked verbally & in writing about depression . I have not had any gastric issues but I have always followed my dr guidelines and he uses a size 40 bougie. My dr required a pre-op high protein low carb diet, and he told me flat out he would not do the surgery unless I lost some weight and showed commitment. My preop diet was over 5 mos- so I had plenty of time to decide if I wanted the sleeve done or not. My Dr is only in the local office 1 day/wk but he has office hours at another location and he returns phone calls. His office staff is also very responsive, but ultimately, YOU must do this journey yourself. So I think a person NEEDS to understand that you must change your lifestyle. My surprise was the way some family members and co-workers treat me. Many think they need to be on a diet and many feel very threatened- like I am making them "look bad", instead of understanding and accepting the fact that I am getting healthy for ME. I am also surprised that I feel so at peace with food now- I now find pleasure in many activities that I dreaded when I was MO and I am having a lot more fun now. ( I think it is a much bigger adjustment if you have never been thin- then I think you need extra professional support). You can't unring a bell- but you should get professional support if you are struggling post-op.

Great NSVs! It's always great to have something unexpected happen which makes you feel wonderful . Here are some of mine, -getting in the car, after my slim daughter drove it, and fitting without having to move the seat (I used to have to move the seat before I could even get into the car!) -being able to fit in a student desk (I am a high school teacher) -going to a restaurant and ME being able to choose to sit in either a table or booth -putting my seat belt on and thinking "wow- this is pretty long now" -no more seat belt extenders -seeing a dress in BJs and buying it without trying it on- when I got it home, it not only fit but it actually looked good! -going on vacation and realizing that I no longer have to panic if my luggage gets Iost since I can now shop anywhere) -being EXCITED about getting dressed for my husband's business parties because I have a cute dress to wear and I am actually PROUD of the way I look! - feeling my collar bones! -wearing a necklace without an extender ! -stepping on a scale at the regular Dr.s office and being congratulated -not scolded- about the number I was a size 28 or 30 dress- now I am a 14. (EVERY 14 actually fits now!). (btw I was sleeved 12/11 but I also was on a high Protein diet for many mos. pre-op) The sleeve is the BEST thing I ever did for me. It has forced me to take care of myself and put myself first.-which has made me happier, and those around me happier!I have more energy to take better care of my family.

I hate to say this, but this is just the beginning. I am about 4 mos out and I did not tell anyone. Well, just about everyday for 4mos co-workers, neighbors, etc have questioned me and commented. I had one boss, call me in, close the door and begin to interrogate me, starting with, Did you have gastric bypass? I of course said no (I had the sleeve). Then : You did have surgery, what kind? me: "I 'd rather not say..I don't want to discuss it. " Then, I told the truth, "high protein, low carb, daily exercise, needed to change for my health", and finished with, "I thinking what you are really asking is why I am motivated or how can you be motivated..The answer is, you need to be ready". There are many nosey people who don't have a life..someone else I know, made it common knowledge he had the sleeve..they are still making comments, watching what he is eating, etc..so whether you say or not, same BS (People used to have manners and not ask personal stuff, but those days are gone. Good luck, and get put your "thick skin" on

Thanks for your post-it's important to think about these issues. I really appreciate that you took the time and effort to write this post.

Your posts are always great. Thank you so much!

Thank you for this post

Whatever I saved at the supermarket, I have spent on clothes. And I am trying NOT to buy anything until I get to goal, but my things are literally falling off me. What a problem! Also I have rediscovered how cute shoes are when you are a size 7 regular and not an 8 1/2 wide!

In my case, I have a larger bougie- 40 French- so I have not had a problem getting in over 85g Protein a day ( even 2 days after surgery - I used protein shakes). I have faithfully been taking Vitamins (Multi, D, Calcium, Biotin, omegas, etc) for over 6 mos before surgery, and ever since (i even took liquid vitamins within the first few days after surgery). By still no luck- my hair kept getting progressively thinner. So in my case, it was NOT due to Vitamin deficiencies or lack of protein. A side effect of the actigall is hair loss- so I refused to take that. I asked one of my Dr if the hair loss could be related to the medicines used for anesthesia. He told me that the medicine could contribute to hair loss but the stress of surgery is more responsible. (btw- I did have another major surgery and had hair loss from that as well- & it grew back). So, Hair loss is NOT YOUR FAULT because it is NOT necessarily preventable. I have brown hair and I did use Joan Rivers product (about $20- it worked great until I lost a certain amount of hair. Then I got a wig. Good news- my insurance paid for most of it. I have been told I by a male coworker that I have "always had a pretty face" - but now I am a "bombshell"! (Of course, since I figured "what the hell I might as well embrace this, I picked out gorgeous, wavy wig that has the same texture as my natural hair, but in a sexier brownish red color. ) If your thinning hair is making you sad, see if your insurance will pay for part or all of it, and then get what you want (or always wanted) in a wig! Get the long blonde hair you always wanted and have fun! (The first few times wearing a wig is a little weird, as if you are wearing a hat all the time, but then you get used to it and it becomes pretty natural. I feel a lot sexier with mine- that I hate not to wear it! I I can't wait to go back to the wig store to get a 2nd one customized for me)

You comments sound very judgemental to me. Work is work, home is home. When I have had ANY surgery, I did not feel "ashamed" if I did not tell people, like coworkers. I did not feel the need to make "announcements" or to feel "proud", either. Why would I need to announce my personal medical history to strangers? I certainly do not need "support" from strangers. I am not a walking billboard for vsg. If I were a paid spokesperson, then if would be a different story. Most people know about the surgery. For those considering it, there are many resources- all of the surgeons in this area give free, informational seminars, and there are many discussions on the internet. I should not feel guilt or shame because I do not want to discuss my personal health. You should "live and let live." Lastly, you did not say whether you had the surgery or not, but just give it some time. Some people who seem supportive now may not be when you are thinner than them. If you check out other VSG forums, you will see MANY people who have regretted their decision to tell- but then its to late.

I told no one but immediate family, because someone I know that had the sleeve & had this constantly said to her, and behind her back. So instead of having to hear that, I keep hearing "you're shrinking" and "what's your secret?"..first I just laughed it off and answered, we all know the secret- less calories, more exercise..1- 1.5 hrs daily in the gym with a high protein diet...now I just say, "maybe you're getting bigger?"- this has slowed down some of the rude people.. I agree with other posters- answer a rude comment with a rude comment..also, people that have made rude comments to me are NOT friends- don't feel the need to treat these kinds of people like friends!

I tried different OA meetings in my area a few years ago. They were actually quite different from each other. One had a very large group, many different people participating & telling their stories. In another, there were 3 of us, including me. I didn't like the whole sponser thing, personnally. I found it more annoying than accountable- the first sponser I had I thought was crazy. (If I decided to eat a peach instead of a plum, I was supposed to call her and then she would give me a hard time.) I tried another one, but I still felt uncomfortable. There is a website for Overeaters anonymous where you can get an idea of their philosophy and you can read their online magazine sample and buy books. I am pretty sure it is www.OA.org (or just google overeaters anonymous). For me, OA helped me think about different ideas, but some people at these meetings have major issues. (One lady was telling us about how her alcoholic husband hit her and she thought her weight was the problem. I truly felt like speaking to her separately- but I am not a professional, but I felt she needed professional therapy. ) There is no professional in charge- but I did order some of their literature on line, which I found useful. They also have on-line meetings. It may work for you- its costs nothing to give it a try, so you should give it a try.

Hi, I feel your pain because I am going through the same thing. My highest weight was 308, I am down to 213 today. My sleeve weight was 248, I got sleeved on 12/13/11. I have taken all supplements- I also added zinc, fish oil,ubiquitol (active form of Co-enzyme Q) in addition to multivitamin, vit D, Calcium, biotin. Also I refused to take the Actigall - because a side effect of that is hair loss. (I was willing to risk gallstones but not losing my hair!) I have always had a minimum of 65g protein everyday- most days I eat between 80-120 g protein (I eat basically just protein-eggs,fish,protein shakes, etc) My pre-op diet was Atkins- full of protein.But I am still losing hair anyway. I tried the Joan Rivers Beauty- Great hair day hair powder- (got it at Harmons about $20) I have brown hair and it worked great in the beginning. (Basically it is a powder that makes your scalp look brown, so your hair doesn't look as thin. ) Unfortunately, my hair loss has gotten worse, so it is not enough. I finally went to a wig store. The owner told me to check my medical insurance- many policies will pay part or all since it is considered a prosthesis. My policy will cover 1 wig, "per lifetime"- although I am getting so desperate I am willing to pay for it. So I am going to try that. On other sites, I understand that this is very common- and the good news is that our hair will start to grow back 6 mos out. (My hair was always great- I never had "bad hair days"- so I really hate this! )

http://www.wlshelp.c...ve-gastrectomy/ I was reading some Pub Med articles on the sleeve and I found one on a conference that was held in Florida which was recently published. At the conference 25 international bariatric surgeons were questioned about Best Practices for the sleeve. These 25 drs were identified with the most experience performing VSG (about 13,000 patients among them) The above is a link to an article that is easier to understand that is a summary of the information gathered from these surgeons at this conference. Among the highlights discussed are bougie size, complications, etc. For example, 100% of them agreed that patients should not have solid food for the first 2 weeks. You can read the abstract and the full original article if you click on the link below http://www.soard.org...0764-7/abstract which is the official journal for the American Society for Metabolc and Bariatric surgery

Congrats on getting back on track! We all know what to do, but actually DOING it, is what is hard. Keep up the good work!

What great posts! Thanks everyone. I think we are so used to "failing" when it comes to weight, that we sometimes can't believe that if we lose it (with the help of our sleeve), we will not regain it. For me, this is the first time I do not keep weighing myself. It is also the first time that I have religiously kept track of my protein, carbs and calories. It is also the first time that I have religiously taken vitamins and been exercising. I have made lifestyle changes that I intend on keeping forever. And It sure beats the old days of being obsessed with food and being embarassed and guilty about my "lack of self control" and weight. I realize I am still in the honeymoon period, but the longer I "behave correctly", the better I feel, and I want to continue this journey. Its so nice not to feel hungry constantly!

Hey I saw that too. I wonder if it actually works.(Almost everyday Dr Oz recommends new herbals) If anyone has tried it, please let us know!

Thanks everybody! Anytime I told my primary care Dr I had knee pain, he always blamed it on the weight (along with just about any other complaint I've had). Finally I went to an Orthopedic Dr- turns out I had a broken piece of cartilige that would get stuck in between the knee joint, and I had other cartilidge that was shredded (Orth told me it could have started as a result of an injury from high sschool crosscounty practice. Anyway, after surgery, knee was fine. Now that I lost wt that knee started bothering me again, AND the other knee too! I thought, either I'm crazy or this is just a sick joke- knee pain After losing wt!

Good luck to all of you tomorrow. Just think tomorrow at this time, you will be done with surgery and resting, (and starting your new journey) :smile1:

You are doing great! Keep doing what your doing and you will meet (or exceed your goals).

So sorry to hear it- Good luck, my prayers are with you.

I was told to take Prevacid by breaking the capsule open and taking it with something. (like a tablespoon of liquid or applesauce). I am still doing that now. (except now, I put a little whipped cream on a spoon & spinkle the pellets from inside of the capsule on it-so it has become a treat!) Also I was told to crush all pills (pill crushers are available at the pharmacy), just make sure you ask the pharmacist or your Dr before crushing pills, because some should not be crushed. I was told not to swallow anything bigger than an m&m, (I was also told I could take chewable Tums as needed) Hope this helps. Also hope you feel better soon!

Not all Drs use them for the sleeve. Ask your Dr what his policy is. My Dr says he only uses them if needed- usually for revisional surgery.