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Yes, get in to a high risk OB (MFM or perinatologist) because of your history and your current medical concerns. It's not the ideal time to get pregnant, no, but there's never a perfect time! Embrace this surprise blessing and do everything you can to take care of yourself and your baby. As for the bariatric surgeon, he's not part of your OB care team. I'm sure he'd be disappointed but the reality is that you're not the first to experience increased fertility as you lose weight. It happens. The most important thing is to be 100% up front with your OB care team about what meds you're on, how often you take them, any health concerns and yes, your sleeve. Get an appointment ASAP - if they try to push you off explain a bit of the situation so they know how serious your situation is. Wishing you the very best. Make sure you're getting in plenty of Protein and water! ~Cheri

I looked at the BMI chart and chose the highest weight I could be and still be in the normal range. I had actually hoped to get smaller but found that once I got there, my body just didn't want to lose any more weight. I'll get to my "wishful thinking" goal of living in the 120s after plastics, I'm sure. My goal seemed insanely low to me since I hadn't been this weight since junior high but I kept at it and got here. Some people exceed their personal goals because their bodies are happier at a smaller weight than they can wrap their heads around. Some of us have bodies that stop when they want, and it might be right at our goal or even a little higher. I can maintain 134-136 but my body loves the number 138 and wants to stay between 138-140 so I have to keep an eye on the scale or it will stick there. ~Cheri

Nobody has been tracking the results of the sleeve as a WLS that long yet. Give it a bit more time. I'm not certain but when I was researching I think someone posted a five year study - you might do some searching and see if you can find anything on VST about it. Regain is possible with any surgery. The big benefit the sleeve has over bypass (what most people are probably thinking of when they talk about regain) is that there isn't a honeymoon phase or window where loss is easiest. Once you're sleeved and healed, your capacity only increases a small amount. Unlike a short window where malabsoption is guaranteed, or a pouch that is likely to stretch (or a band that requires fills and unfills, for that matter), your sleeve is going to restrict you immediately after surgery and for the rest of your life. I am two years out and maintaining beautifully. I'm currently pregnant and while I have hormone bloat and the start of a rounded tummy, I'm not having a problem with weight gain (nothing more than I'd expect at this point) despite the fact that my capacity is increased now that I'm pregnant. All surgeries come with the risk of regain. Using the sleeve like a diet that will someday end is the biggest cause of regain I've seen - people just stop being diligent at goal and fall into denial about bad habits, ones they didn't fix while losing in the first place. That said, I have seen very few regain posts in the three years I've been here. I've seen plenty of "I got out of control over the holidays and gained a few but took it off quickly" posts, though. If you weigh daily in maintenance and actually learn how to eat like a healthy, normal person during the first few months post surgery, there is no reason you can't reach goal and maintain for life. ~Cheri

You really shouldn't have any problems. I agree with Tracey - you get plenty of warning with discomfort. And I think MoreganK's suggestion to introduce new foods at home is a good one. You never really know what will upset your new sleeve until you try it. The only thing I think you should consider, or remember, is liquid in = liquid out, so if you're still on a liquid diet at that point be aware that it's normal and something you should be prepared to handle. ~Cheri

No. Fever could be a sign of a complication, please call your doctor ASAP. ~Cheri

You still could. You never know, and there's no reason to stop trying or beat yourself up. The more we lose, the longer it takes for those last pounds to come off. I hit a rough patch about halfway to goal and those last twenty pounds took me six whole months to shed. I understand being disappointed in not meeting a goal, but the END goal is still to lose the weight, and you're doing that. So don't get hung up on dates on the calendar and forget to be proud of your accomplishments so far. ~Cheri

Yes, change your shake, then. Or mix with Water instead of milk. Or tea, or soy milk, or coconut milk, or coffee, or juice. I've done all of the above. If your shake has lactose you might have lactose intolerance. And if you're mixing them with milk, and intolerant, well, it would stand to reason that you'd have some issues. Try mixing your shake with a different liquid. Still sick? Try a different shake. Keep at it until you find something that works. Some people do like the bullets but I've also seen references to studies that they don't absorb as well. ~Cheri

I went alone. It was just too complicated and expensive to drag DH and the little ones along. I was fine! You'll make buddies with the other patients getting surgery that day and you'll have someone to come visit you when you get out, I'm sure. I also agree that it goes so quickly and there isn't much for a traveling companion to do in such a short time. Good luck! ~Cheri

Everyone is different, but there is a common thread that a lot of us have issues with hormonal BC post op. I don't really know what it is that causes it but you see a lot of complaints. Maybe it's that we're already hormonal post op because of the fat cells that store hormones being burned off. Who knows? You'll just have to find what works for you. If you go IUD do your research. I loved some parts of having Mirena (hormonal IUD) but I could not lose weight on it and it increased my hair loss. I have heard good things about Paraguard (non-hormonal IUD) but for me it wasn't an option, as I needed a hormone to control endometriosis. I had almost no periods on my IUD - very little spotting for a while and then nothing, though, so if that's what you want it might be the option for you. ~Cheri

Everyone is different. I'm not single, but I'm a military spouse. Read: I might as well be single sometimes! I came home and had two days to rest before my husband went on a three week trip. When I had surgery my twins were 2.5 years old. I had a few days where I was just worn out all the time and tired but I managed. And I didn't have any help, so grocery runs, cleaning the house and toting the kids around were all on me. It wasn't easy (it never is!) but I managed just fine, and I'm sure that you'll do fine. Make a few dinners for the kids in advance and freeze them, unless you've got simple eaters that you can whip something up for in a hurry. Do a big grocery run before your surgery so you don't need one right after you get home. Have everything you need post op ready for you - your meds, your shakes, your broth and all that. And just be prepared for it to be challenging at some points. It just is. But you can get through it. I won't lie, even if it had been sheer hell for me post op (and it definitely wasn't) I'd still consider it a good trade from where I stand now. Best of luck! ~Cheri Oh! And DO set a timer to feed the kids. Honestly, my hunger was GONE so some nights I'd forget to feed them dinner until they whined they were hungry. Oops!

You are not posting here because you want support, because it should be clear that nobody supports this type of behavior post sleeve, right? My advice? Get a counselor, immediately. You have an eating disorder and you need to talk to someone about better ways to cope. Because you already KNOW that you are making bad, foolish and downright dangerous food choices, or you wouldn't be confessing it to us. You KNOW this could cause a leak for you, right? You are risking your life with these poor choices, and none of us want to see you hospitalized with a complication that you caused yourself and could have avoided! Tough love - that's what you're getting. Because honestly? You do not need someone to pat your back and tell you it's okay. Because it's not okay! You are risking your LIFE. YOUR LIFE. That is not okay, not ever. I am supportive and I understand that we all make mistakes. But you are less than two weeks out and you are eating absolute garbage and you should know better. And I am the woman constantly advocating eating in moderation, and like a normal person, so please, take that into consideration. I don't think carbs or sugar are our evil enemies, but I do believe we need to stick to a strict diet while healing! Please get some help. You are clearly coping with some seriously disordered eating, disordered enough that you are willing to risk your health to satisfy the compulsion to eat. We all stumble, but there is no real room for leeway in the beginning when you're still healing. Please get back onto your liquid diet and allow your body to cope with the major surgery you just had. And trust me - we really DO understand what you're feeling, even if we're not being totally understanding of your choices. It's hard for all of us to adjust to being the one in the family not eating, or being on a liquid diet for weeks on end, or feeling kinda miserable while we heal. We ALL go through this. But your response is a sign that you are not quite ready for this major life change. It's too late to do anything about your past choices and it's too late to put your stomach back in, but you can make the active choice to get it together and stick to a nutritional plan. Get on track, lady! Succeed at this. The only way to have long term success and maintain goal is to learn to be healthy about food - and that means saying no when you aren't supposed to eat, and getting any other food disorders under control. ~Cheri

Diet change? Dehydration? New shake? Are you getting the flu? I developed lactose intolerance after surgery and it got progressively worse. What started as a bit of nausea here and there became full blown sickness and digestive issues close to a month out. No headaches, though. I'd make an appt. to see your doc or at least call the office. Better safe than sorry. If you're not throwing up and not running a fever, I wouldn't worry so much about a leak/stricture, but do call your doc if this persists or if you develop any other symptoms. ~Cheri

I was given no guideline but did it as soon as I was up to it, and only you know when that is! Listen to your body and go slow and you should be fine. ~Cheri

I hope you get through this phase quickly. I'm sorry your drain is in so long, too! What misery. There are some things I just wish more people were prepared for post op, but we're all so excited about the big, positive changes we're making that we often don't think about or realize that the healing period pretty much stinks. Don't worry. You will feel much better soon. That weight will drop off, even if it's not as quickly as you'd like. I didn't expect to gain in the hospital, either, but I did. A lot of us do. IVs do that to people. I'm glad your gas pain is more manageable. Try to find positive things to think about, and get re-motivated like you were the day before surgery. Healing stinks yeah. But you'll get past this and onto a new you in no time. This phase is short, and once you're through it you never have to do it again. In the grand scheme of things, it's a small price to pay for a new lease on life. Best of luck and speedy healing! ~Cheri

Oh yeah, definitely. Sorry for the sickness. I am the first one in any group to suffer ill side effects from anything we eat that's sketchy. Other people might get some nausea and I'll get full blown food poisoning. I blame it on the fact that food just passes through my body more quickly with less stomach. It definitely doesn't hang around in my stomach for three to five hours before moving into the rest of me, like a normal person! Protein shakes and popsicles will get you through, and it's normal to have a loss of appetite after being seriously ill from food like that. Be careful with your food! We do some fasting holidays, too, and it's important to be careful about what foods are prepared and how for the post-fast meal. I know you don't need a lecture, though. Feel better soon! If you feel like you might get/be dehydrated get to the doc right away. Otherwise push liquids and get in shakes and you should recover soon. ~Cheri

Yep, everyone is different but no way would I get off it that early. I was able to get off of my PPI (omeprazole) sometime between 3-4 months out, but many more people need it six months. And yes, a few need it permanently. In my opinion, it's a small price to pay for overall better health. Even once you're off it, I think we're more prone to acid problems later. I never had much of a problem prior to surgery but since surgery if I'm stressed out I definitely have a problem with acid and need to get back on pills for a few days. Now that I'm pregnant it's a real issue and I'm back on a prescription for the time being. Again, it's a nuisance but a small price to pay overall. I'd wait at least three months and if you feel okay, skip a day between doses. If that gives you no issue, skip two days, and so on, until you're absolutely certain you have no problems without the PPI. You aren't even on "real" food yet, so I'd definitely wait until you're fully healed and eating a regular diet. Honestly, I am amazed and appalled at the number of sleevers living lower quality of life with constant heartburn and reflux because they don't take a PPI, either because their doctor never brought it up or because they didn't do any research. I'm glad you have one and are prepared, because life can be really miserable with acid reflux. It's a simple, relatively inexpensive solution to a real problem. Best of luck, glad you're doing so well at one month out! ~Cheri

Wow. I'm so thankful you're okay. Wishing you the best with your rescheduled surgery. I'll be thinking of you and hope everything goes well. This time, your surgeon won't be surprised by any reactions, so I'm sure they'll be prepared to help you through this without problems. Keep us posted! ~Cheri

For the gas, Gas-X strips if you aren't on them already. Also, you could be lactose intolerant or it could just be the shake you're on causing rotten gas. If you can, try a different shake or mixing with something other than milk and see if that causes relief. Heartburn in a new sleever? You need a PPI, immediately. If you're on one, it's clearly not working and you need a different one. Even on shakes you're getting a fraction of the nutrition you got before you started this diet. It takes time for the body to adjust. Good luck, ~Cheri

Luck and a speedy recovery! Remember your PPI, your Gas-X and to walk, walk, walk! ~Cheri

All I can say is I'm sorry for your experience. My father in law had an infectious colitis and it took him wasting away and getting very ill to get the correct diagnosis. It's been some time, but I believe a few rounds of antibiotics and he recovered fully. I can't recall exactly how long it went on but his biggest issue was actually diagnosing the problem. It's been a long time but he's absolutely fine now and has no problems. How far are you out from surgery? The only real issue with medication comes if you need it to spend a long time in the stomach or if it's something (like B12) that needs to be absorbed there. I've taken several rounds of antibiotics and many people take anti-inflammatory meds (we have a few folks here with lupus and other autoimmune disorders) without any problems. Wishing you the very best with your treatment and a speedy recovery. I know that your fear right now is gaining weight on meds, but if your case is infectious colitis it will clear up and go away, and you will only need the meds until it's gone. Colitis can be serious if left untreated, so I'd simply do what the doctor suggests (once your colonoscopy confirms what you've got going on) and worry about losing any possible weight gain once it's over and done with. Your quality of life with colitis will be crap. With a sleeve, there's no time limit on weight loss and you can easily take off any pounds gained on a treatment cycle afterward. Put your overall health first. ~Cheri

Thanks for posting a positive experience! I feel like we often see plenty of complaints after surgery, but not always people that have a nice, smooth recovery and are happy just one week out. Congrats on his new sleeve! As a side note, we had a post earlier from another person near 400 pounds asking for advice/opinions from other folks that started around that weight. Maybe when your husband is feeling up to it you guys can respond or send a message with your experience? We all want to help in this community, but sometimes as much as we want we can't offer much if we don't have a similar experience. The post I read was here: http://www.verticals...-still-waiting/ Again, congrats, and best of luck with his new sleeve! I'm sure he'll do a great job, and thanks to you for being such a supportive spouse. ~Cheri

Mine was flat as a pancake around a year out, but sometime after goal weight shifted and I got some curve back. Not nearly as much as before but enough that I felt like I had curves again. Exercise is the way to go to boost it up. Not everyone gets stick skinny even at goal. I'm a healthy size six and I think I have a curvy figure despite losing more than 100 pounds. If you don't want to get skinny like that, it's really easy to stop and start eating more calories once you reach point where you're very happy with your figure. And I won't lie. I would rather be "normal" and have less curves than be obese like I was before surgery! But that's just me. ~Cheri

I can't share a similar experience, but I can say that you'll be amazed at how much shedding the weight frees you. I didn't even realize how trapped I was as a bigger girl until the weight was gone, and I cannot imagine all of the ways that being 400+ pounds affects your daily life. All surgeries are a little risky and that can be frightening. I can say without question that the sleeve is the best thing I have ever done for myself. I, personally, think your doctors/insurance should be more concerned about helping you control your weight if you're showing an interest in changing your life than holding up a damned ruler and making you reach a certain point before they'll help. That aside, I think that if you can get insurance to cover it, jump the darned hoops and make it happen. You are already making small changes that are improving the way you feel. Imagine how much more active you can be at half the weight you are right now. It's attainable with the sleeve - far more possible than with diet and exercise alone. I hope that you will not talk yourself out of this life change. It's frightening, and scary and a big, huge change, I won't lie. But you are a mere five pounds away from meeting a requirement that will help you change your life - your health, your happiness, you activity - everything. There is no reason to walk away now, even if you find such a big step frightening. Many of us do, prior to surgery. But you will find very, very few truly unhappily sleeved people out there, especially once they're past the healing phase. Best of luck to you whatever you decide. I think that change is difficult for all of us, but you have to decide what you want more - the comfort of the known or the life you've been missing out on. ~Cheri

I don't take them that way, either. I take a chewable multi (I switched to a chewable prenatal a while ago and like it much more) in the morning with my food. I take my Iron supplements before bed, like suggested by my doctor. I do B12 injections once a month. I don't think it matters when or how you take them, so long as you're taking them and they're being absorbed. I did not take my vites seriously in the beginning and was really feeling fatigued, forgetful and just plain cruddy sometime after a year out. Once I went to the doc we realized I was very low on B12 and iron, and since I've been on a new iron supplement and the B12 shots, I'm feeling great. ~Cheri