SParkle

I think some of it depends on how big you are to start with as well. I'm now nearly 10 weeks out and about 29.5lbs down, but noticing it quite a bit now, everything is smaller.... clothes are dropping off me. You can really notice it in my face but even things like my calves are thinner too. But like some others I actually gained during my hospital stay, gaining everything I lost in my pre op diet, which was kind of disheartening..... but i knew long term it would come off. Hang in there..... it'll happen.Good luck

Hi Pamela This next month will fly by and before you know it you'll be there! I took this list of questions with me to my pre op consults.....compiled from others lists on here and added some questions of my own as well. In my opinion ( I appreciate everyone is different) I'd rather know everything before going into surgery..... the good, the bad and the ugly LOL Questions to ask Pre Op /The Op If self pay - What does your fee involve? Is there some follow up care thrown in there, like labs at 3,6,9 and 12 months? Pre op diet – what to eat/drink and how long for? Do I get a nutritionist/psychologist? What size bougie is used? (This is the medical instrument which determines the size of your remaining pouch) Do you oversew the staple line? How many incisions do you make? Do you go in thru previous scars? How many nights in the hospital – is there facility for someone else to stay in my room as well? Do they need to be with me 24/ during my hospital stay? How many leak tests do you do? How many sleeves have you performed? Complication/leak stats? How many if any deaths? Who do I contact if I think I have a problem (most places give out an emergency number)? Is the hospital equipped an ICU and blood bank in case of complications? If complications do happen to occur, are these complications/additional surgery/days in hospital covered by the original quoted price of the surgery? Would you remove my gall bladder at the same time if needed? Can you give me some patient testimonials or do you have any before/after pictures of your patients that I could read/look at? Is it standard operation procedure, ie: no nail polish, no body jewellery? Do I need to stop taking any particular medication pre op? (Take a list of what you take and dosage) Post Op How often are the post op check ups? Where are they? – is price included? What supplements/anti acid drug would I need to take and for how long? Do I need labs done post op? – Are these checked with you or my local doctor? DO I get a dvd of the operation? Post op diet? How much weight would I be expected loose? What if I loose too much, how to maintain? Do you use heparin? – Will I have to inject it myself? How soon after the op can I……drive, swim, work out, lift weights, lift my kids? It may be you'll find some others to add, or that you already know the answers to some of the questions. Hope this helps - good luck.

My friend has shaped up hugely..... by pole dancing - its a huge fitness craze over in the UK at the moment, and for the past few years. She used to have bingo wings, but now is very toned indeed.....if I could get to a class in my area then I'd certainly go. Theres also a new Reebok thing called Jukari Fit to Fly which is based on trapeze work, so a lot of upper body stuff - looks like loads of fun but is only available at Reebok Centres which are few and far between!

I thought about the band, but to be honest the more I read about people who had switched from it to the sleeve I tossed any idea of it away! I could only afford one surgery as a self pay, so didn't want to risk getting the band removed and having the sleeve done later on. I'm sure you'll find some great info from Tiff - shes our 'guru'! Good luck with your decision.

I was the same. Small sips to start with and always felt thirsty, but now I can take quite big mouthfuls, so feel much more quenched than before.

I've been doing my 'skull crushers'.... and boy can I feel it in my arms!! Must be working!

If I do have to use oil I always use olive oil, but don't fancy taking it by the spoonful. What I have found quite dramatically changing is that since taking Biotin (which I started before surgery) my nails are no longer flaking and weak, but growing very nicely thank you! After years of all those nail strengthening things I tried as well I can't believe the difference in them.

I have one too.... great sports bra, I get NO movement whatsoever in it, can jog, skip anything, nothing shifts! It did take 2 attempts to get the right size, the tighter the better, but I'd recommend them any time, having tried several different ones and been disappointed and out of pocket each time. They are passion killers tho!! LOL

Some people do one week pre op diet, some do more. Not sticking to the pre op diet can be a way of risking surgery altogether as if you don't shrink your liver some surgeons refuse to operate. Others ask you to lose before you start the pre op to get you in the right frame of mind, cutting down portions as you'll have to cut them down afterwards bigtime with no choice at all. I did Weight watchers for 7 months before my surgery and lost 21lbs easily within about 6 weeks - but you have to want to do it. You'll still be able to eat everything after surgery so forget the goodbye food parties and get exercising to shift a bit more thru cardio. You might be able to lose some before your next appointment but I just hope its enough that he says he'll go ahead with it for you.

Walk all you want! Just listen to your body and don't over do things....I was up walking the same afternoon.... no rest for the wicked! :sad0:

Even after 9 weeks I ate a bit too much last night, and it sat very uncomfortably for me for about 2 hours. I thought the slimes would set in but managed to avoid them, but I felt like I could easily throw it back up again. Not nice!!

Hi there Congrats on your surgery firstly... the big step is over and done with. Secondly did you not get info from a nutritionist at all? You're 10 days out from surgery I think, so far too soon to be on solids. If you do a search on the board you'll find several dietary guidelines which might help. As a rough idea I had to do: First 10 days post op - clear liquids (which included skimmed milk, no added sugar fruit juice but not citrus ones), clear soups and Optifast shakes. Days 10 to 20 - Full liquids - soups with no lumps in yoghurts and all of the above. The next 7 days - Mushies and all of the above Day 28 for the next 7 days - Soft foods - chicken, fish, eggs, and all of the above. Day 35 onwards - normal foods but still no alcohol until 2nd month, and no gassy liquids or caffeine. I hope this helps - it is just a guide and you'll see various different ones on the forum, but at least you'll get an idea of roughly where you are. Don't over do your sleeve, you've worked hard to get where you are and don't want to risk a leak or anything getting caught in it and infection setting in. Good luck.

Hi Melissa How much do they want you to lose? This isn't your pre op diet is it - this is just weight they want you to shift I presume? Ultimately it does seem a little harsh as your not far off what I was before surgery - is this insurance paid? I would sit down and write down all the reasons why you want the surgery..... go deep in to your heart - and stick that on the fridge to help you each time you head for food.... list all the positives that will come out of the operation for you. Find your largest photo possible and add that in too...... The only person you are cheating is yourself - to have come this far and not get the surgery would be such a shame. It does take strength, but it'll be the last 'normal' diet you do, and if you think its hard now then when they give you your pre op diet thats gonna be a lot worse - so maybe its also a test to see how you do on this to see if you'll stick to the pre op too - which is SO important. Good luck

Just a word of caution..... I was told not to swim until my scabs had healed and dropped off - this took 3 weeks. Also I wasn't cleared for any cardio work until 6 weeks out. Walking was fine, but nothing like running or yoga or the like. Do take care - remember what you are going to put your body thru, the last thing you want is to stress your stomach and spring a leak....6 weeks allows the body to heal and then the risk is much less. If you're having it donw thru the insurance and something goes wrong due to the fact you're exercising too much too soon and would you not be at risk of paying for any revision?

My husband knows (of course) and my best friend. Thats it. Even losing the weight as I do I have compliments when we go out and questions about what am I doing - I haven't lied.... I just said I was throwing everything at it.... no one has asked me straight out if I have had surgery tho. I've had issues with people in the past gossiping nastily about me, and I just don't want to go thru that again. Also a lot of people I know now have only ever known me big, and like me for who I am... so I get the comments about don't lose any more... even though I am still in the obese BMI category I (think) I hide the weight well so they think I look fine the size I am. When i say I still want to lose another Xlbs they get shocked - so I'm going to stop telling them that! Even with my family I don't think they can grasp the emotional issues I have had with food over the years. So for me its a hard decision, but I'd rather not tell anyone else - even telling one person may mean they tell someone else, who tells someone else.... etc etc and suddenly everyone knows even the ones you didn't want to tell in the first place.

YEAH!! Well done.... and you're 2/3rds to goal as well.....keep rocking that sleeve. :crying:

EXACTLY! I'm enjoying the fact that I no longer want to eat - it just frustrates me that I'm having trouble finding stuff I enjoy eating when I do have to. Maybe I didn't get this across in my first post - don't get me wrong, I have spend months making the decision for surgery and am enjoying the journey I am now on, but it would be nice to actually look forward to each meal - even if it is just a few bites.

Don't forget tho I think this will vary on the individual.... the length of your stomach may vary depending on your height. Also different surgeons staple closer to or further from the actual bougie... so a tight 34f might be a loose 32f etc etc.

My surgeon has me on a complex multi vitamin and nothing else.... so I agree with Tiff - wait and hear what your surgeon says before you start buying loads of things.

You both look great! Thanks for posting the link.

I may have solved it a little by spicing things up - I added chilli sauce to my cottage cheese with a twist of lime and some lime zest and that was actually quite enjoyable. Finally we're going for a chinese tonight, so I know I'll come home with some take out...but I'm looking forward to that - its been the only think I've actually wanted to eat in a while now. We've been out for several meals but I tend to have the same thing in each restaurant so its getting a little boring for me unless we change venues, but one of them is hubbys favourite. I'm also ringing the changes a little as our fig tree is laden with fruit at the moment so I've been having them with greek yoghurt - very tasty indeed. :drool:

I've done this with meatballs, bought loads of very small tupperware containers and froze them in small batches - 5 tiny meatballs in each one. But I soon got bored of them so there are several sat in the freezer for another day:thumbup1:....

Hmm.... the only thing I have found doesn't sit well is pork for me, so my love of spare ribs is now out the window!!

A fabulous post!! Well done April!! Keep up the great work.

Good luck.... post to let us know how it goes when you can.