tbarnes18

I felt selfish, vain, etc. Then I questioned what I was doing getting an elective surgery. I wasn't 'that' obese... I was finished with the surgery and 4 days later I was texting my hubby on how stupid I was. Now, 13 days post surgery, 14 # lost, I am very glad. I deserve a healthy life with my family and my family deserves a healthy mom. How many times do you put your needs on the back burner to take care of the kids/hubby. This will be about you! (and your hubby and kids will benefit for the new you). Good luck. Terrie

You are finished with your surgery by now, but let me be the first to say congratulations. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Keep your eyes on the prize and come back to the forum to answer post-op questions. It helped me over these past 13 days. Terrie

You might call them a gimmick, but since my 6/10/10 surgery, I have walked every day. Yesterday I walked in my Reebok Easytones for the same distance that I have been walking every day and this morning I woke up with sore calves, hamstrings and butt. I'm just saying...

I hate, hate, hate logging what I eat!!! And any dieticians knew that they couldn't ask it of me because I wasn't going to do it. That being said, I find it much easier now than before because I don't eat much of anything so it isn't that hard to keep track. Congratulations on your epiphany! Terrie

My 16 y/o son drinks the RTD Oh Yeah before workouts. But I found that the Protein wasn't dense for me, i.e., I needed more protein per ounce than I could get from that shake. I use unjury and mix my whole day's protein requirements in the morning and sip on it throughout the day. I can use 12 oz of nonfat milk with 2 scoops of powder to get 52 grams of protein. The 14 oz of Oh Yea gave me only 32 grams of protein. It is hard to fit all of the shake in my stomach during the course of a day, so I need the most dense protein that I can get. I also need to add some unflavored protein to get to my goal of 65-70 grams. Good luck on your goals.

Let me be the first! Good luck! You will do great... Look back here to answer all your questions!

That is impressive! And, obviously, a great change in your lifestyle. You should be very proud of yourself and your accomplishments thus far!

I wear the Reebok Easytone and they do work. When I started a job after 16 years, I would wear them to work sometimes and because they overwork the calf, they would start to knot up with charlie horses. That didn't happen when I wore regular shoes. Plus, they aren't as ugly as the MBTs or Sketchers. The soles use a technology similar to a Bosu ball. They are comparable in price to Sketchers. Also, I have a pair of sandals that look like normal sandals...pretty gold color that matches all!

Glad to hear it. I seem to get better every day too. Sleeved 6/10/10

My doctor said I should be peeing 1 liter of liquids a day. If I wasn't hitting that mark, then I was dehydrated and would need to come in for IV fluids. I know it might sound gross, but is there anyway to monitor your volume? Has your PCP checked your lungs for pneumonia? Not to get you more stressed, but that is a problem with any surgery, not just a sleeve.

Mine didn't feel 'stuck' but I did have really bad heartburn the next morning, but more in the esophagus than the stomach. At my first post-op with the surgeon, he mentioned that the esophagus acts like a "pre-stomach" when the stomach is full and I am eating more good. I think that I ate too much that day with my first time to try Soup. I am always testing and will now try to eat that type of stuff earlier in the day and try to stick with clears at the end of the day before bedtime. Sleeved on 6/10/10. 14# lost since. (blasted ticker!!!)

It is hard to say, "Don't worry about it," but I had the same worries as you. In fact, after the surgery was over I was wondering what I did! But to let you know, I am doing great today, i.e., 8 days post surgery. My difficulty with the Protein has eased. I think I expected too much too soon with my body right after surgery in regards to what I could fit into my stomach. I mourned my missing stomach a few days after the surgery, asking myself "What the heck did I do?" Then I talked to my girlfriend, who is a Vet (my personal medical expert) and she thought the lap-band was much more radical than the sleeve. She has done many surgeries on animals where she had to remove part of the stomach and said they did great afterwards. She confirmed that I made the right choice. Now, I have a different mindset. That part of my stomach was diseased and needed to be removed. The disease was obesity and was going to kill me a lot sooner than I wanted. PS If you re-read some of the dinner posts, I think they were at a dinner that lasted that long in Europe or at a special military function and they ate/rested through the whole dinner, but mainly socialized with their hubby and friends. Terrie Sleeved in Dallas, TX on 6/10/10 Lost 12 pounds since the pre-surgery weigh-in and wearing some baggy pants right now.

I'm a side sleeper too and have been able to sleep on one side, i.e., rt side, but the left side had my drain. The drain was removed yesterday!!! so last night I was able to start on the left, then move to the right. We are creatures of habit! My incisions are starting to heal now. I have the tapes on them and the stitches will dissolve naturally. The hole where the drain was didn't get taped or stitched, just gauzed and the dr said that it should heal in 24-48 house, but I could take a shower now (I hope he wasn't insinuating anything!). I've had a hard time with the liquids/proteins. I would start really early in the morning, i.e., 5 AM, get as much as I could in, but around 4 PM, I wasn't interested in anymore liquids/protein. It was much more painful, so I stopped at that point. I think the entrance to the stomach would swell after so much abuse and refuse to take anymore. At 7 days post-op, it is getting better. Just make sure you stay hydrated as much as possible. Yesterday the surgeon told me that we should pee about 1 liter a day. If it gets less than that, I will need to go to his office and get an IV for fluids. How I'm going to measure that is anyone's guess, unless I go buy a toilet hat? But, I can see how often I'm going then look at the color, to determine if I am dehydrated. Surgery date 6/10/10, lost 12 pounds...every day is better and better with Protein and Water... Terrie

Forgot to add this one point: I hate to badmouth your trustee, but haven't you tried to 'lose the weight' your whole life? That is a stupid comment by the trustee. I remember when my current doctor's PA told me that my cholesterol was slightly elevated and I needed to control it with changes in my diet or I would need to go on medication. I laughed and told her to pull out the prescription pad because, obviously, to look at me, diet control isn't high on my list...(or completely under my control, for that matter) Stupid people!

Sorry to be a party pooper, but I have UHC and they didn't for me (and do for some). However, I think my husband's employer can adjust UHC policies and pick what they want to cover. Do they just use UHC to administer? I don't know the answer to that. They would have covered it if I had 5 years of medical records of obesity, which was hard for me because I have hit my weight goal during that time. Plus, my doctor over those 5 years had a lot of problems and quit her practice, twice, without telling her patients. The records that document my weight/weight loss history are no where to be found. Also, I would have had to be on an exercise/weight loss plan for 6 months. The hoops were just to much for me. And I didn't want to wait another up to 5 years and then do the 6 month thing because I don't have diabetes, even though the mother and sister do, and I don't want it. I thought time was of the essence for my heath. (Hubby also has diabetes, mainly due to a family history, and I see what he has to go through, i.e., every little medical complaint requires an additional test/lab because the "diabetes could make the medical problem much worse.") Good luck with your decision! Terrie

I always look at labels, but hadn't noticed that. If I'm not making my own (yeah, right), I will look at the stock. Fat? Carbs?

You really know how to turn a phrase and crack me up at something as serious as my health. We usually ate out at 2 meals a day, 6 days a week. I can cook, but don't like to. This will be a change, but one for the good. My hubby has diabetes and I suck him into my eating habits (not that he is holding on tight to keep from eating too much), and this will also help him to control what he eats. In the future, I envision that we will be getting one dinner and splitting it. Think of all the $$$ you will save. Also, when you go out in a group, don't go for the splitting the check X amount of ways anymore because you won't get your money's worth! Terrie

I still get it too! Very bubbly also. I pat my chest, like burping myself and it seems to help. It seems as if every diet is different, so follow what your doctor/nutritionist says. For instance, I was on clears for only 3 days after the surgery, then to "full liquids," including applesauce, pudding, cream of wheat Cereal, etc. The only requirement was that I need to get in all my Protein. So if I am eating one of these things instead of protein and I don't get it all in, I will get chewed out at the post-op visit. I have yet to get in all my protein and liquids, but today seems to be going better. Unfortunately, around 4 PM, my stomach is finished and doesn't want any more liquids. It is like pulling teeth to get more into me for the rest of the night. I find that warm broths help open it up a little. VSG 6/10/10 (still can't get that blasted ticker to come up...) Dr. Hamn, Dallas, TX

Mom always told me to 'marry a leg man' because I never had much on top. Still don't, even as heavy as I am. I figure if I look good in clothes and my hubby has been around me for the last 33 years, through thick and thin, then I will just forgo another surgery. One semi-elective surgery was enough for me. Terrie

My surgeon didn't specifically target the VSG, but all of his WLS procedures and mentioned that the weight loss overall is in the 60% range. Even with 60% (if I believe that I am the 'norm' because I have always been great on diets and it has been after the diet that I have my main problems), that would mean 60 pounds less for me. At 60 less, I would be in the 180 range which wouldn't be shabby and would help my overall health by allowing me to walk and golf more. It should also keep diabetes from my doorstep. (Mother and sister with diabetes, but I haven't got it, yet). And yes, I agree, the ask the doctor section explains a lot and is very useful. Too bad I had never scrolled down to that section before the surgery, but the message boards were very helpful and informative. Terrie

Not a revision, but I paid $6K for the surgeon and $8.5 for Baylor Medical Center in Frisco (Dr Hamn has an agreement with them). I could have paid $2K less for a different hospital, but this was more convenient for my son and husband. Dr. Hamn was recommended by my primary care physician and she told me she has 8 patients that have used Dr. Hamn for WLS of some kind or another. Terrie

Kudos! Terrie

Sleeved on 6/10/10 and mine is as noisy as anything...Feels like it is gurgling all of the time with just Water and Protein powders. I like to think that it is just a Pacman eating away my fat. Terrie

I hope my Dallas, TX surgeon will be that proactive when I have something wrong with me. BTW, who did you use? Terrie

i finally told my best, closest friends including the Vet. They were all very supportive, and a little hurt. I explained that it was a decision between me, hubby & primary care doctor and I didnt want to hear negative remarks, not that I thought any of them would be negative. The most positive was the Vet as we have been friends for 30 years and she knows all my weight ups and downs. After review on website, she endorsed the sleeve over the, seemingly, 'less radical' lap band as she has done many surgeries on animal stomachs (practices as an emergency room Vet) and has seen how well the animals have done with limited stomachs. Of course, your own response to surgery questions is your own business. This is my final post on the subject, Terrie