honeybunny526

Yes... exactly what epc is saying. You don't want pneumonia OR blood clots in your lungs.

The second day was bad for me too, but I didn't have as much pain as you are describing. I was just sore. You MUST take teeny tiny sips of water or else you will keep sending your stomach into those spasms. When you go home, don't expect to just lay around either... Get up and walk and do your breathing exercises! I can't stress to you how important that is! You will get through this and day by day it will get better. Baby steps my friend! My year anniversary is next month!

You have to take this day by day... Every day you will be able to do a lil more. Get a whey protein powder that you can mix with skim milk or water and drink that once or twice a day. It will really REALLY help with your energy level. Usually they whey powders offer at least 20g of protein in a serving, so try to do two a day at first. Hope this helps some!

today i had my first consult with my surgeon dr balette... sitting in his waiting room i was pretty nervous! he was very straight and to the point, but he was really good at making sure i understood everything. he wanted questions... definitely wanted to make sure that all my questons were answered. i have to admit that i am scared. i havent had surgery since i was a toddler and i dont recall it at all! my tasks at hand now are to complete my psych and dietician visits, then my preop visit with him is on 8/6. lots to do............

i started this process about 5 years ago with dr. davis' group in the houston medical center. i went to their seminar downtown and they verrified my insurance and said i had to do a 6 month presurgical diet. so i did that along with everything else they required before surgery. the day before i went to see dr. davis, his office called and said that bariatric services were excluded on my insurance policy and that i would have to pay out of pocket to see him. i was very upset and agreed to pay the $260 to see him. he said i was a great candidate for gastric bypass surgery (gastric sleeve wasn't an option back then). i was also around 50 lbs lighter when i saw dr. davis too. when i left his office, i called blue cross/blue shield and they confirmed i didn't have any bariatric coverage.... i was pissed! there was nothing i could do.... and i couldn't see financing $25000 at the time! years have obviously gone by, i've lost and gained weight since then, but now i'm at my highest weight.... and miserable! i have some resources in which i will be able to afford surgery now and MUST take advantage of it. i work for a highly respected group of doctors in the north houston/woodlands area and they refer out to the best specialists in town. dr. jason balette is one of the bariatric surgeons we refer to. i started doing my research about a month ago about dr. balette and the gastric sleeve procedure. when i called his office, they of course make you go to their seminar to learn about the surgeries he performs. i didn't want to go because being in the medical field i have done all my research and understand everything... i just wanted to meet with him because i needed help deciding between lap band and the sleeve. my friend and i went to the seminar together, she happens to be looking at getting the lap band. the seminar was last night and dr. balette was the speaker. he confirmed everything i knew from research and even gave me more information that i didn't know... so i guess it was a good thing i went! i am convinced that the sleeve is the best option for me. the lap band has never appealed to me nor have i seen too many patients with the best results from it. i sometimes think that people do it because it's their cheapest option.... not what's best for them. my parents and i went to dinner last night and we talked about my options... they are not too happy with the fact that more than half of my stomach will be removed, to never be put back again. that is exactly what freaked me out when i first learned about the surgery... so i had much convincing to do. tomorrow i will be calling dr. balette's office so i can go in for my consultation... i know mom and dad will want to go too as they are very nervous. in the meantime... im going to continue on my south beach diet and try to lose some lbs before surgery so that the restricted diet post surgery isn't such a shock! if anyone has any advise for me as i start my "losing streak" i would love to hear it! lisa

just wanted to say good luck to you! i see you have tried a variety of diets, but you didn't mention south beach. in 2009 i lost 50 lbs on south beach... took me about 9 months. in reading everything about sleeve surgery eating habits, they seem similar to south beach. they want you to take in a crap-load of protein, then veggies, and then carbs. i don't have a surgery date yet, but i plan on eating the south beach way prior too surgery to lose weight and get in that mind set again.

thank you! i have never been much on drinking cokes and such... just an occasional dr pepper or sunkist when work is crazy. i ALWAYS drink water and unsweet tea. the tea will be a lil hard to quit, but im sure it will be ok. are you in the houston area?