CAsleeve

CONGRATULATIONS!

Does Nsv stand for...new size victory? I've seen nsv every where, but just not certain what it stands for. :-)

I seriously need help on how to embed my ticker in my signature. Can anyone point me in the right direction? I found where you can edit your signature and put the ticker code in, but that is only how it shows up, a bar with the code...not the cute little scene with the weight loss progress.

You are definitely an inspriation! Looking super fantastic! And, you have that sparkle - it shows. Love it. Great job.

I've got 5 lovely (not) incisions. Being on my 8th day after surgery I still have the clear steri-strip bandages, glue and the one where the gastric port (drain) was is still covered with gauze and with what I swear is an Iron clad clear plastic bandage of some sort. I've showered several times, but most aren't budging. The ones covered with the clear glue seem to be lifting at the edges so I think they will give up pretty soon and leave the mothership. The one that is high up near my left breast but closer to my midline or bottom of the sternum seems to be the smallest. From what I can see, they all look like they are healing well. I suspect it will take several months to completely heal and disappear. Once these crazy NASA strength bandages come off, I will be putting some Vitamin E oil on them. The weirdest part was watching them pull the GP out, and feeling it pull out. It didn't hurt, but I was super surprised at darn long it was and far in there it was. I love all that medical instrumentation/device stuff. Oh, also before my surgery, Stanford sent me home with a special soap sponge (hermetically sealed) to shower and wash with, from the neck down, but not genitalia, the day prior and the morning of surgery. Stanford has a campaign to reduce infections for surgical patients. I thought it was pretty cool and a great pro-active stance. Here's to healing scars!

AWESOME! I'm right there with you, also being 1 week post op - 15lbs down!

I dunno...do I just cut an paste the code created on LilySlim.com? Well, here goes.... <a href="http://lilyslim.com/"><img src="http://swlf.lilyslim.com/NkNXm8.png" width="400" height="80" border="0" alt="LilySlim Weight loss tickers" /></a> <a href="http://lilyslim.com/"><img src="http://swlf.lilyslim.com/NkNXm8.png" width="400" height="80" border="0" alt="LilySlim Weight loss tickers" /></a> If anyone can lend some advise on how to put this ticker in my blog, profile, signature or wherevers, I'd be grateful. Well, it has been one week since my VSG surgery on 1/17/12. I stopped pain meds night before last. Feel really good. Can bend over and pick things up off the floor with out too much abdominal discomfort. Slept well without meds last night. I feel the need to get moving! Will go for a nice long slow walk tomorrow and even drive tomorrow. So excited. So glad, so happy. I put beneprotein in everything, well except water. However, the only 'everything' I've had since surgery is protein shakes, yogurt, strained miso soup, and tonight my buddy gave me a packet of dried hot sour soup, which I strained, and I put 2 scoops in 8oz. Have only drank 4 ozs of it for one meal today (saving the rest for next meal). Not at all physically hungry. Mentally hungry? No not much, but heck I wouldn't dare jeopardize anything to thwart the success of my weight loss goals with my new sleeved tool! I would like to thank having to take chewable vitamins for getting to chew and crunch on something.

I tell you, positive thought and actions go a long way! It is not easy and it is painful, but the pain passes day by day. I'm following my post op instructions all the way. Oh, and plan to sleep at an elevated angle for the first week (and likely a few more days) afterwards. I can't wait to get to lie flat and move around without any pain or abdominal pulling feeling. Girl, if what your screen name implies, momof4, this will be a breeze for you if you've had 4 kids (especially if you've had a c-section)! I've never have that pain/pleasure, but I'm thinking this isn't any worse than that and that sort of recovery. March is a good time of year! I wish you the best of success and look forward to seeing your progress. ...the journey continues...!

I had that same fear prior to surgery, strongly. I still have that fear, but it is minimal now. I'm one week out from surgery and definitely don't feel hungry. I am thirsty all the time though and so as instructed I sip water often. The part of the stomach that is removed is the area that produces the hunger hormone, so having that gone, it is so incredibly helpful.

Good for YOU! I have an appt with my pcp in about 6 months and can't wait. She is the one that recommended the surgery for me and I know she is also looking forward to seeing a lot less of me at that appt. Absolutely fabulous and inspriational Miss Helen the Cat!

Ok, one thing I've definitely learned is at this point, I can really only sip water/liquids (and, that is the instructions given...take sips). It hurts, like heartburn, if I do more than just sips. So, sip I will! I think today is a turning point as far as the pain factor. YEAH! I've taken the pain meds basically to sleep at night and I think I'm done with that. I also think I might just go back to work this Thursday or Friday! Whoop Whoop! My original plan or atleast I thought is what I would do prior to my surgery was that I'd be able to go back to work a week after. If I go back this Thursday or Friday, it will be 9 days post surgery, not 7 days. I think is is truly possible. So I bought my first scale yesterday at Costco. I also walked all around Costco with my hubby and then later in the day walked on the treadmill (slowly) for 30 mins. Anyway, about the scale, if my scale reads the same as the one used right before my vsg surgery on 1/17, then I've lost 12lbs as of this morning. Shoot, 12lbs in 6 days...what, what?!?! Yes, I will take that. Here's a secret and something weighing on my heart. I told my work I was having 'female surgery' - not bariatric surgery. I feel absolutely horrible that I've lied about this really important life changing action I've taken. It will likely weigh on me to much and I will come clean eventually. It's all about the personal weight embarrassment issues I have. I absolutely do not like to lie, but I have. I'm sure the truth will prevail...or at least catch up with me. I have actually only informed my husband and three friends of mine about the vsg surgery. I haven't lied to my family, but I haven't told them yet either. I want to be healed up before I do. I've taken a few showers, but my belly is looking rather frightful and I still have the bandage strips and patches on my incisions - five of them. I swear they are iron clad stuck there and will be hanging on like an unwelcome house guest for a while. However, I can fully envision looking at my future flat stomach (yes, there will be lots of hard workouts and time to achieve this) and will only tiny signs of incisions! Today is the true first day I woke up and the thought.."Why did I do this to myself?"..didn't come first to mind. I totally know why and I an so thankful and proud of myself for having done it. The excitement continues to grow... One Love.

Hi. I was sleeved on 1/17. The guidelines from my clinic is a liquid diet for 4 weeks post-surgery and then a pureed phase for two weeks. I couldn't imaging eating beans or applesause (well maybe applesauce, but it is not on my list of approved foods yet and I'm certainly not going off my approved list) at this point. Beans at least seems like too much substance or too strong to put in your new stomach. The 4 week liquid phase is to let your stomach heal. However, it sounds like you are doing great. You can check me out on my blog, if you'd like. I wish for you all the best and continued success.

You've got this - especially with such a fantastic attitude! I love the energy and enthusiasm! I had my vsg surgery on 1/17/12 and started a blog (very cathartic). Looking forward to following your success. Feel free to check out my blog.

I will upload a photo of myself pre-vsg surgery to my profile. :embaressed_smile: I am so looking forward to posting photos along the way of my shrinking self. :smile1: Each day seems to get a bit better than the last, now on my 3rd day home after vsg surgery. My belly is still very sore. Thank goodness for the pain killer (roxicodone! - discovered I'm allergic to hydrocodone, i.e., vicodin, in the hospital, nausea, hallucinations and an itchy mouth is not my cup of tea) or I wouldn't be getting sound sleep. I am not one to take meds, especially a narcotic, but it truly is necessary in this case to keep from getting too exhausted fighting agains the pain. I have a strong pain threshold, but this is some serious surgery and it is required. I plan to discontinue the roxicodone by tomorrow and change to children's liquid Tylenol, if needed. I'm also meditating and doing some conscious deep breathing exercises for relaxation. My first blog entry was super long and wordy, but wanted to admit to some things and put it in writing. Today a trip to Costco is in the plans to buy some protein drinks and a scale with my honey. I'm so looking forward to weighing myself today. (This is a statement I would have never made before.) So far on this 4 weeks liquid diet phase I've had Chiobani Greek yogurts (honey and vanilla) with Beneprotein added and a couple of the sample protein mixes I received from the nutritionist. I've tried the Bariatric Advantage Chocolate and the Unjury Chocolate. The fav out of these is the Unjury Chocolate protein mix shaken up with Plain Soy Milk - just like a chocolate shake, rather tasty. After reading other posts, it seems like the follow-up diet is different in other locations. I'm surprised when I hear people are eating more of a pureed diet 2-3 weeks out from surgery. The instructions from Stanford are a 4 week liquid diet phase, six protein meals a day, post surgery, followed by 2 weeks of a pureed phase diet. The liquid phase includes yogurt, cream of rice/wheat and protein drinks. I've never been a fan at all of artificial sweeteners nor drinking sweet things on the regular. I tried the Gatorade with protein and Crystal Light, but the artificial taste is rather revolting to me. Additionally, I don't think it wise to fuel your body with artificial chemical anything. So, I'm going to stay as natural and organic as possible, well, except for the prepackaged protein drinks and mixes - simply for convenience. I've been getting in the required daily protein amount, thanks to adding beneprotein to most everything. I've really only been drinking water and herbal tea in between and find it much more satisfying than anything with artificial sweetener. I'm also making sure I get all the required protein in 'cause I really don't want hair loss! I'm just not quite ready to lose the dreadlocks yet or have them thin out too much. The healing continues.....

Hi. You are the first post I've commented on, but...I've just gotten started on this site and I'm finding it rather psychologically therapeutic to put words on the page. I had all the questions, fears and second, third and fourth thoughts if this was the right thing for me to do, just as you are and what appears everyone that makes this decision has. Should I try yet another diet first? I decided I just couldn't bear losing and gaining back again. I want a permanent life change - a serious size change. My biggest questions was, "what is going to happen in the future with my stomach?" I mean the actual vital organ in my body. To me it is just a freaky thing to consider having the majority of a healthy organ removed from my body! It freaks me out and of course stirs up all kinds of questions and fears. Additionally, I have issues with being embarrassed about doing this sort of thing, i.e., surgery to lose weight! Yep, it's the truth. Even though I've been looking in to it for seven-eight months, I only told my husband I was going to have the surgery a week prior to my surgery date, and I only told a close friend of mineone day prior to my surgery date (both have been incredibly supportive). I still haven't even told my family (I don't have family that live close, so that part was easier.) The whole personal embarrassment thing is a phycological thing that I will be working through. I've tried everything before and have failed. I didn't want to be judged nor have anyone worry about me or try to talk me out of it. In actuality, they might not have, but...this is my journey. I had my vsg surgery on Jan. 17th, and today is my 3rd day home post-surgery. I still have questions, if this was the right thing to do, but I have to honestly say...yes. It is what I needed to do to a permanent outcome. I truly see a bright light at the end of the tunnel I'm so excited about the future and actually successfully losing half of my physical self and can't wait to take up less space in the world - a smaller footprint! I am so looking forward to all the positives that will come with being and living at a normal body size, weight and moving around on this earth light and healthy. I've a long way to go, but I'm so determined, thanks to my vsg! This is 100% a decision you have to make for yourself. I do have to say, that I have had some wonderful encouragement, guidance, insight and support from a former colleague and now who I consider my friend. She been extremely successful with her vsg weightloss journey. When I first looked in to the lapband, I came across a photo of her on fb looking absolutely stunning and thin! I asked her 'how' and 'what'. Once this interaction started, from that moment on, she has been so supportive, non-judgemental and my guiding light. I can not express how pricelessly helpful this has been. The vsg surgery is difficult and you will have pain and all kinds of internal rumblings and grumblings. You will need to heal. Don't fool yourself about that. It is a serious procedure and full blown surgery! But, I have to say, each day for me has been easier and better than the one before. I feel myself healing. I also recommend working out - cardio and strength training - as much as possible before your surgery. Go in to it strong as I'm certain it has and will help my healing process. Best of luck and peace of mind to you. I am looking forward to following your successful progess on this site and hope you will follow me and my successes to come! Sending you positive vibrations. One Love.

Beautiful!

Ok, so...This site along with the ObesityHelp.com site (where I started this blog today) seem a bit disjointed and I don't really know how to maneuver through it. Doesn't seem intuitively setup (sorry, but true). However, I want to be a member of this community, tell my story, keep an ongoing blog and be able to make wonderful connections with you people! To start, I thought I should just start telling my story by just starting to write. This is my first blog ever. I started writing my blog at the ObesityHelp.com site and copied it here: Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery. Hi. Well I'm starting to tell 'MyJourney' (this is from the ObesityHelp.com site). I've been overweight the majority of my life. There were periods of time when I wasn't overweight, but that was rare and only when I did some wacko diet like Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Medifast, etc. (I've done them all!) The most I ever lost was 45 lbs, but those 45 lbs only stayed off for a couple months and then would creep back on and at a fast creep, in addition to more lbs. I could never maintain any weight loss. I'm 49 and started taking anti-depressant meds two years ago. I've been depressed about my body and my weight for so long I went on anti-depressant meds to help make everything seem ok and to be able to make it day by day. I've always perceived myself, in my own brain, smaller that what I really am. I have always been rather athletic and I actually love to work out. In addition, I love a plant based diet, juicing, vegetarian and vegan cuisine. I was even a raw foodist for a year. I live a fairly healthy, large woman, lifestyle. But...I have always been way too much overweight. I do not want to be overweight and 'morbidly obese.' Morbidly obese is just a horrible term and state of being. I have just not been able to stick with anything to truly change my weight and my body. I started this journey and found out about the vertical sleeve gastrectomy at the age of 49. When I turned 49 I started looking in to what new and different or even going back to the same weight loss program but just didn't want to spend the money and fail again. I just really want to be lean, fit, happy and healthy and I want to achieve this by my 50th birthday. I don't want to enter the next half of my life and continue to be a large, fat, morbidly obese woman. I want to want to see myself in photos. I've always been confident, but hate how I look, which would counter act my confidence. I never liked the large woman in any photo I saw of myself. It's like the photo I was looking at was me, but wasn't really me. I hate being the largest woman in the room, any room. I hate shopping at plus size women's clothing stores. I hate that my feet hurt, because I'm too heavy. Like I said, I've always loved working out - spinning class, yoga, kettle bell, boot camp, walking, hiking, swimming..., love it all. Being fat didn't keep me from working out and I would always tell myself..."I'd really be a cow if I didn't work out." I'd always have to adjust though. In yoga I'd have to move my stomach out of the way to do certain poses and things like that. I was looking in to the lap band procedure but was turned on and informed of the VSG procedure, when I saw a friend and former colleague's incredibly successful life change with her VSG. I asked her what she did and she gave me her story and I knew immediately it was what I needed to change my life. When I reach my goal weight, one day, I am going to so repay her for her guidance and the incredible support she has given me from my first inquiry to now and the future. So, like I said, I turned 49, this was in August of 2011, and this is when I started this incredible journey to salvation. It took seven months of all kinds of tests and poking and proding to my VSG surgery date this past week. I had my surgery on Tuesday, January 17, 2012, at Stanford Hopsital in Palo Alto, Ca. What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight? There are sooo many things that are the worst thing about being overweight and I will name some here: 1. I hate that my thighs rub together (they have all my life) and they rub the color off the jeans in that area so my jeans are thinner in the material and lighter in color that the rest of any particular pair of jeans. 2. I don't feel at all sexy being overweight. My sex life with my husband is pretty much nonexistent. And, believe me, I love sex and I find my husband absolutely delicious. Not fair to him or to me. He loves my body, but I don't and I feel way too bodywise ugly. He doesn't understand, but me being overweight is not an issue for him, but it is 100% an issue for me. 3. In my previous job, I traveled about 2-3 weeks out of each month all over the US. It was grueling travel, but I absolutely loved my job - intellectually stimulating, I loved the professional interaction and making friends across the US. I truly got to a point after traveling for 2 years, where I couldn't get on yet another uncomfortable plane. As a large woman, plane travel is freaking uncomfortable. It was embarrassing to spill over into more than one seat, even a bit. I always wished I just didn't take up so much space. I never had to ask for an extender seat belt, but was close. 4. Not being able to wipe my own ass sometimes. Hey, when there is that much body in the way, it makes it challenging to sometimes properly wipe your own ass. 5. Because you have creases, skin overlapping other skin, sometimes you have an odor. It's simple biology. 6. Always thinking about the next thing I'm going to eat and how much of it I might be able to get away with eating that item. Oh, and never really feeling full, even when I was painfully full! Crazy! 7. Not being able to reach around and scratch my own back. 8. Wanting to meet up with friends or colleagues, but being too embarrassed about my weight to do so. I've made/arranged appointments, dates, outings and have cancelled them on many occassions because I was embarrassed about being overweight. With the facebook craze, I've met up, on-line, with old friends, and have arranged to meet in person to only cancel. Crazy! ****** I could and probably will add more to this section. But, I just want to let you know...I feel all these things still. I am just 5 days from my surgery date. I've got a lot of changes ahead of me and I am so freaking excited about the future, it is just hard to explain. At this point, I'm in the healing process from surgery. I'm sore, but so so so hopeful and so looking forward to LIFE! If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before? I will have to revisit this section when it is time. The surgery was super intense. It is not easy and no one should be mislead and think it is easy peasey. It is major surgery. I started at 266 lbs, was at 256 on my day of surgery (I didn't follow a pre-surgery diet as my surgery date came up quickly after my insurance was approved, but I had started watching everything I put in my mouth and did quite a bit of green juicing.) I actually didn't think I was going to get insurance approval and started to loose hope that I would. But once approval came through I had just two weeks until the surgery date. Looking forward to writing a bunch of positive step along my way to a new lean, fit, healthy, normal weight, beautiful woman!!! Check me out soon...Soon come... ************** Again, once I figure how to move around this site, I will post photos and many other blog posts. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! Here are my particulars: Female Age: 49 Starting BMI: 43.5 Starting Weight: 266 Weight on Surgery Date: 256 VSG Surgery Date: January 17, 2012 Duration in hospital: 2 days NOTE: I am, today, on my second full day home from the hospital. The worst part of the surgery was the swallow test the day after surgery. It makes me want to puke just thinking about it. I had to fill my mouth with the most horrible tasting contrast three times an swallow it all. Well, after the second swallow, I know I was in trouble. After the third time, I puked it up. I was totally nauseous the rest of the day and threw up again. I was so afraid of keeping anything down after that. I had quite a bit of nausea in the hospital. Once I got home, I felt so much better. Started the Liquid Diet Phase. Taking meds is not a pleasurable thing for me. I had another incident yesterday when I took the liquid stool softener and threw that up. I will not be taking that ever again. I will do a little dulcolax (sp?) tab should I need it. However, I think my plumbing at this point is working fine. I've got all kinds of grumbling and rumblings going on internally. I've always been a big water drinking person, and have to keep telling myself to slow down with the water...sips and no gulping! Am I hungry? Heck no! This is a total strange thing for me...not to feel hungry! LOVE IT! Feeling very positive, albeit very sore, and just want to get the insides healed up so I can start exercising. Oh, I'm walking yes, but I want to get to some real workouts and start toning and getting strong. The first thing I'm going out and purchasing is a scale. I've never had one before and never wanted one. I do now!!