LilMissDiva Irene

Coffee can make your post-op alot harder for several reasons. One being that when we are addicted to coffee, when we come off of it, it can cause some pretty severe headaches. You will already be going through enough trauma without having to deal with the withdrawals. Second, caffeine has the tendency to dehydrate. Post op, its hard enough trying to get all your liquids in without negating some of it by draining it right back out. As far as sugar, I do use splenda quite regularly and the sweetness is quite similar to real sugar. Shouldn't hurt anything and Dr'ing up our protein shakes so we are more inclined to drink them as we should is always a good thing! :biggrin0:

:thumbup1: :thumbup: :laugh0: To be honest with you all I can usually spot someone who has WLS as well. In fact, I was having a training course with one guy and I kept looking him over thinking he may have had it. It was for all those reasons Tiffy just mentioned... even the drooping panus. I mean it wasn't bad but it is something I notice, even if a slight bit noticeable. Well later that day we were in the breakroom and he was being really talkative. There was a big spread of goodies sitting on the table and he looked down at them. He then looks at me and said, you know I'd love some of those but I have to stay away from that kinda stuff. I said I did too and he proceeded to mention to me he is post op RNY patient. I just smiled to myself and thought "I knew it"... So it is true, some people can really tell other patients - and they are usually patients themselves. However, that doesn't excuse his awful behavior! That was extremely rude, and even though I figured that guy out - no way would I just bombard him and ask him something so personal.

Ohhh you're so lucky it so early in the morning! (((Hugs))) I knowww how you feel :thumbup1:) It will be over soon!

Hogwash...

OMG I have been too! I am having all my favorite home-made dinners and eating at all my favorite restaurants. I know I'm putting on some weight, in fact I'm sure of it. All those few pounds that I've lost trying to get my first 5% off is back most likely. However, he's putting me on a pre-op diet since I have a high BMI... and I doubled it because I know I need to put a cap on it. I 110% want to succeed with this, so I'm making sure I'm doing everything right. He originally wanted 7 days, and I'm doing something like 16 or so. The day before surgery I can't even eat until my pre-op tests are performed and then nothing after 7... not even liquids. My pre-op diet will be: Breakfast & lunch - Adkins Shake and dinner will be South Beach. No carbs except for what's in the veggies. I will have to find some low carb snacks for fillers so I don't get too hungry and want to snack on forbidden foods. Dr. A suggests just this on his dietary guidelines. He said its better to stay satiated on low carb foods, than to starve and end up binging on high carb foods. It will be tough but someones gotta do it... :thumbup1: Nina did say that its always better to get unfilled. Just in case there may be some inflammation or Dr. A would put me on all liquids a few days before surgery if I get any vomiting or whatever. Well I'm so used to regurgitating I don't know the difference. It's just for the better. My Appt is on the 31st of this month.

Yay!!! It went really fast! Saying a prayer for you - though I'm sure you will go through with flying colors.

AWESOME!!!!!!!!! I totally can't wait... TOTALLY!!!!!!!! ...about not eating, well that's what got us here in the first place! I need that taken away, there is no other way this is even going to happen (losing weight I mean). Congratulations to you! Dansha you are such an amazing inspiration to me. Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us!!! :thumbup::001_wub:

OMG I hope so! I don't want to sound negative but there really is little positive with the band. Guaranteed 100% will need to be removed someday. Maybe 1 year down the road, maybe 10 years... no matter it will happen. Also the success rate of a replacement band is pert near zero. What will you do then? Just live without anything? I just don't think so. I don't believe that the band magically changes your habits to the point that you would stay maintained without it. The hunger would take over. I'm hungry to this day, the band NEVER solved that problem for me. I'd even go as far to say it's made it worse! Being so tight that you stick to liquids isn't a healthy option! I mean yeah, after surgery and during the transitional phase until your body accepts solids is one thing... but to purposefully make your band so tight all you can eat are Soup N Stars? NO...!!! I know this first hand because that is what *I* did... therein creating so many problems for myself my band just failed me. Soup N Stars is not satisfying. I'd get hungry not even an hour later. So I started choosing things that would get me more time out of each meal - better known as "sliders". Whatever, that was a lifetime ago. Out with the old and in with the new. I'm going to have something that was promised of me with this blasted plastic ring. I'm getting a second chance and I'm so thankful for the opportunity!!! Not only that, I am even more grateful for all the support I've received over the years... and yeah yoiu better believe I'm going to make blasts to all my friends on my new journey! Always looking for more to join the party too!!! :001_wub:

You will do excellent! Please be sure to check in as soon as you feel up to it. I'm only 5 days behind ya!!

Hugs!! I'm sooo glad you're here. Let me know when you finally decided to do it!!

Thin thanks for this explanation. I can completely understand why you feel this way sometimes. I'm sure I will too from time to time... but also like you I will just look at myself in the mirror in those pants I havent worn in a year now and thank my lucky stars for a second chance.

Gosh I hope I have this problem post op too!! :thumbup: I won't offer any advice since I'm not there yet... I just wanted to tell you that, WOW!!! YOU'RE DOING FANTASTIC!!

thanks everyone for your replies! I hope this thread helps many :mad0:

I totally understand how you feel!! On the one hand you have all the postives, no more port issues, tightness etc... and a wonderful sleeve to takes its place which I'm sure is what you and I both looked for when we got our bands... a permanent decision. On the other hand because we are revisions we run a higher risk for complications, leaks etc. That is a fact, we do have to think of these things, but I am willing to take that risk anyday rather than waiting for my band to erode through my stomach or just simply cause even more damage than it has already done. Or we can simply have our bands removed and gain the weight back and regain all the unhealthy disadvantages that come along with obesity. No... I don't think that's an option for either of us. Hugs!! You will do amazing, and trust me - there are some of us here who do and are going through the same thing as you. Now, I'm nervous but I'm sure as the date draws nearer I'll get ever more increasingly scared. It's a big deal! It's very normal. Please check in as soon as you are up to it and let us know how it went. You will be ok!!!

When I went to Dr. Cirangle's seminar I asked this specific question. He said that yes, taking NSAIDS is perfectly fine after one month of surgery for the Sleeve...however for the smaller pouch surgery's such as the RNY - he said absolutely not and never again. I would trust anything Dr. C gave out as advice, as he and Dr. Jossart are both pioneers to this surgery and his patients do exceptionally well.

No and I've been reading WLS boards for many years now. However, be glad in that your "full trigger" is very pronounced! Good for you!

Congrats to you and have a safe and painless surgery!! Check in so we'll know how you did!!

Here is a link to the thread. Hope this helps :001_rolleyes: http://verticalsleevetalk.com/pre-operation-vertical-sleeve-surgery-vsg-questions-answers/7429-september-sleevers-wanted.html

That is great KBB!! Congrats and yes that is quick!! :001_unsure: We have a September Sleevers thread going on, and you are more than welcome to join with us. We will watch each others progress along the way and you are 5 days before me... so I'd love to see how you're doing. Again CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! :001_rolleyes:

As for me and my surgery, we will stay behind closed doors. I went through all this already with the Lap-Band. Once I started gaining weight back I suddenly realized I'd made a huge mistake in telling everyone I had WLS. So with my new procedure, I'm going to tell them I'm having my band removed (which I am) and that is all. They do not need to know all the gory details. When they ask why I'm having my band removed I just tell them because its making me ill.. which is also the truth. Then my plan for when they ask how I'm losing all kinds of weight again, I'll tell them I'm on the Atkins plan, which I will be. I'm starting already. It's really no one's business here at work what I'm doing. Firstly, I really don't think they care, and Secondly, if things go awry I don't want to feel like I owe any explanations. BTDT!! :001_rolleyes:

Hey Mary! :thumbup: Well, I did get up that morning and only pulled a 20 minute workout and have done nothing since. I don't know what is wrong with me, I've been on the downswing this last few weeks. I have been spending a lot of time reading and reading and reading and can't seem to tear my eyes away from it! I know I'll get back into it when it matters most so I'm not all that worried. Good for you on getting up early! I'm super proud of you :wub: You did lot too, I never usually do more than a 30 minute cardio session. I've never been able to do any type of weights or anything like that so early in the morning. So you have outperformed me even! GG, how are things going?? Miss you lady! Until next time workout buddies.

OMG thank you so much Jane for saying this! I was starting to doubt my decision after reading this, because this sounds EXACTLY like my daily struggles with the band. Your cocktail of success sounds so simple... and is exactly what I had intended to do to get to goal. I have 130 Lbs to lose, so that is pretty significant - and I'd like to lose it in the first year. Very doable, IMO. :wave: Thanks again!

Hi Mom, I'm pre-surgery so I won't be of much help -- but I just wanted to say I'm thinking about you and hopeful for a quick road back to health. :wave: