Norma

I had the sleeve on Oct 30 was released from hospital in 3 days and could have worked 2 days later. I took 2 weeks off because I needed the mental health break from work.

try juice or broth or egg drop soup. You might want to test your blood sugar as that might be lower than usual due to lack of intake.

I bet that Down is correct--it is either nausea or acid that you feel, but it is not hunger. I vomited the blue stuff because I thought I was gurgling gas. Talk to Dr Aceves and I'll bet he will give you something for acid. I haven't had hunger yet but I have had issues with acid especially since i have to take so much anti infammatory meds for me knee. Dr Aceves told me to double my Nexium so now I am taking 40 mg bid and no more growlies.

(((((((hugs))))))))

Welcome! I can't answer your insurance questions as my insurance covered nothing related to weightloss. I am sure that you can get a date fairly quickly once you are approved. Definitely go for the sleeve over the band--no maintaineance vs very time consuming followup--IMO the band should be outlawed. I have lost over 40lbs and haven't even been sleeved for a month yet.

I have Snoopy and Woodstock and Tigger and Pooh over my breasts and so far so good. I will probably need a breast lift eventually to relocate my breast to my upper torso so who knows? I am trying to think of what my next tattoo will be-I am thinking of doing one for each 50 lbs I lose. Any ideas? I might go with tribal but would like something really unique.

Welcome to the forum. I like your attitude and hope you keep posting and enjoy getting to know everyone.

I sometimes use a sippy cup or a lidded cup with only a straw so that the smell does not get to me.

I believe your stomach is pretty secure. Take it easy by lowering the bed to flat and don't try to climb in or out but I think it would be pretty difficult to tear your stitches. Glad you are feeling so good. The few seconds of taking the drain out on day 3 was the most painful seconds for me.

Jenn, are you still taking the Nexium? Is the nausea connected to acid reflex? I had to increase the nexium to twice a day. When you get to full liquids, try RTD 51 shakes or Oh yeah shakes. IF the protein drinks are too sweet, water them down and add crystal light packets to your taste. I also used egg drop soup and wonton soup (minus the wontons). You will get through this.

I showered the day after surgery and every day since. Hop to it! Can't swim or immerse in a tub till the incisions close due to infection risk but showering has been allowed since day one.

JudyJudyJudy, I had three overhanging stomach areas when I started. I am sure that I will have some excess skin and have started a plastic surgery fund to tackle that in a couple of years. However, so far my skin is not getting loose. I had a triple chin that is almost gone and people are telling me that I have lost years in my appearance. I am quite amazed at how easy this has been so far. I have not even been able to exercise like I want to as my knee is so sore from being bone on bone. I walk a little each day and have only been focused on getting the 70-80 grams of protein in and doing 3 "meals" a day. I have had no hunger issues and no trouble with the diet or with pain from the surgery. I am taking the Nexium 2 x a day since I have to take pain meds for my knee and I have added Colace and a vegetable laxative due to the costipation issues of the pain meds for the knee. My favorite thing about the surgery is that I no longer obsess about food all day long.

You want support and you live in Raymore, Mo. We're neighbors! I live in Olathe, Ks and I have battled my weight for 50 years. I am a therapist by profession. Any assistance that I can be with your parents, I would be happy to help. I had the sleeve surgery done Oct 30 and have already lost 42 lbs in 24 days. I can explain the whys of surgery in a manner that they will understand. PM me if you want and I will give you my cell number.

joon and Newmom, You are in excellent hands with Dr Aceves and Dr Campos. Anything you need, just ask. Sending healing energy your way. You are about to change your life for the best forever. Goodbye stress about eating and always feeling hungry!!!!!!!!

I also had surgery with Dr Aceves. I was on the same diet as Vegas. I however would say that I didn't have anything that even resembled pain either in the recovery room or thereafter. I would say that my pain level was a 2 except for day 2 when it was a 3. Once they took the drain out and I could sleep on my side again, I didn't have any pain. The only pain I had was caused by the gas used to inflate the stomach for surgery. I used a heating pad to help with that and walked a lot.

I like RTD 51 and Oh Yeah shakes. I still use Isopure by pouring it over shaved ice and adding a crystal light powder packet to it. I have never been hungry since surgery. I eat 3 meals a day (usually 1/2 cup of Soup or 1 sf pudding and a tablespoon of cottage sheese or applesauce). That is all I need to fill me up. I do not think about food 24/7 like I used to. I am only 24 days out right now but it is the best thing that I have ever done for myself and I do not understand why anyone would try the band when the sleeve is available.

I do not crave sweets at all like I did before surgery. I could not even think of eating a whole cookie or a piece of cake or a regular sized candy bar. I think that food has finally become something to keep me alive rather than something that I have to have every 2 hours because I am starving. I am not worried about food and I don't crave it or think about it ever waking moment anymore. The sleeve is a miracle for me.

I was originally look at the band and then saw so many people having problems with their bands after 2 years that I am glad I didn't. I had the sleeve Oct 30 2009 with Dr Aceves in Mexicali Mx. He was the best surgeon and the experience was wonderful. I was self pay which is why I went to Mexico but I would recommend everyone I know to go to him even over US doctors because his stats are so good and because I had better care there than I have had with multiple surgeries in the US over the last 45 years. I have no idea why your general surgeon would suggest not to go with the sleeve--was he or she speaking about the experience of your surgeon on that surgery or what? The band requires way too much followup with too many complications down the road. The sleeve is a much better surgery than Gastric bypass as it doesn't mess witht he intestines and thus you will not need to take boat loads of vitamins and mineral to stay healthy. Really, what was your gs's problem with the sleeve?

I had no pain at all due to Dr Aceves' great pain management routine. I do have to take pain meds for my knee pain being bone on bone without any cartilage but am taking a stool softener and vegtable laxative to avoid constipation issues brought on by the hydrocodone for the knee. Sleeve surgery is the best especially if you pick a great surgeon like I did.:confused1: I have not had even one second of regret and am doing great.

Really, I do believe that the surgery will work. I believe that we should exercise on a daily basis but only for 30 min to an hour and at the pace that is good for us. If you were a food addict, then the chance that you can develop addictions to other things (shopping, the gym workouts, dieting, weighing, etc etc etc) is high as well. The key toa happy life is to maintain a balance in work , in food, in exercise, in being with friends and family, in all things. Sometimes we will need professional help with this and that does not mean that we are crazy or weak or less than anyone else. It means that we are taking good care of ourselves and recognizing and fulfilling our needs. Keep reaching out and communicating.

I think that your surgeon will probably give you written diet plan which answers your questions. I could have sugar free jello and popsicles starting on day 5 after surgery. Color won't matter once you are home although in hospital they usually avoid red coloring in case you vomit they won't mistake it for blood. Good luck with your surgery!

Lan2K, This sounds like obsessive thoughts again from your anxiety and depression. My recommendation is to go on the anti depressant med or anti-anxiety med prescribed by a psychiatrist, not a general family doctor. Stop weighing yourself. You did not become obese over-night and you will not lose overnight. Your body is adjusting to surgery and trying to heal. Tell your family and friends to stop putting doubts into your brain about surgery because you are too anxious to hear them right now. If they can not say something positive about your progress to shut the hell up. Have someone you trust measure you (neck, upper arm, chest, waist, mid thigh, mid calf, ankle) and record the date and your weight. then put this paper away for 1 month and then repeat. Record all your food,water, supplement in a notebook while trying to minimize any salt use. You need to trust that the surgery is going to do its job if you do yours. Quit obsessing over this on a daily basis. Plan activities that you enjoy besides going to the gym. Your focus should be to avoid the emotional overload of obsessive negative thoughts reagarding yourself, your weight, the surgery, the diet. Do this for 3 months. Give your medications a chance to take care of the anxiety and depression. It will get easier. Feel free to call/post me if you want.

Sweetie333, Please list your doctor's full food program--I don't understand what you are allowed to have if you haven't been allowed a protein/ water supplement until a month out. I have no idea how he would allow mashed potatoes, a carb, before he would allow protein water. That being said, I would not be following what I consider, as a person who has followed diabetes diets for 35 years, to be really sucky nutrition advice from a doctor unless I had a great understanding of the why's behind his diet choices. Some doctors have no real knowledge of diet issues/nutitrion. I would be questioning him about the diet immediately and then be researching this issue and seeing someone else. What kind of experience does he have as a sleeve doctor? Does he have a support group for patients and can you check with them as to their experience with his diet? Sorry for the rant, but I can't understand his reasoning at all.

You will be able to stick to the post op diet because you will have just had the surgery which takes away the hunger hormone and allows you to once again make informed decisions about what you put in your stomach without having your stomach tell you falsely that you are starving. Of course the pre-op diet is hard. The carb cravings alone until day 4 or 5 of being off carbs were enough that I had to really think hard (and I am a trained therapist) before I responded to mistakes that my employees were making without just lashing out and chopping off their heads. LOL In reality, I am one of the most patient and empathetic people I know and the hunger pains and carb cravings were making me a road raging maniac from hell. You will be fine. I would keep your carbs down to under 30 grams and allow yourself to eat all the meat and green veggies you can stand. The purpose of the pre-op diet is to shrink the fat out of the liver--it is not to prove you can stick to an eating plan or to lose weight. It just helps the surgeon move the liver without it being too slippery and too rigid. Just take each meal at a time and don't stress about the entire week of pre-op. It is not giving up food for life--after surgery and it's recovery (one month) you can eat all foods that you want--you will just be SATISFIED with a few bites rather than the whole pan.

I suggest that you check out Dr Aceves in Mexicali, Mexico. It will be much cheaper than here in the States and much better care and service than here as well. You will also not have to jump through hoops of psych consults and other issues.