Krista2653

I’m converting from VSG to DS on 7/18!!

I am going back to Mexicali Bariatric. Dr. Aceves did my sleeve and I wish he were around to do my conversion, but Dr. Ungston will be my surgeon. And yes...the no calorie counting thing is a huge bonus for me. I know that I still need to “count” protein but not having to focus on the balancing act of protein within no certain caloric goal will be nice....no more balancing act! Yay!

I actually have pretty good restriction with my sleeve for dense foods....my vice is popcorn and that, I can eat a lot more of. I am definitely not disciplined enough for the sleeve alone. I just want to LIVE and not have to worry (within reason, of course) about counting every single calorie and every single carb. I really think that going all that time of not being able to eat but about 6-800 calories with the sleeve kinda “messed up” my system because now, if I want to lose, I have to stay way lower than “normal folks”, like between 800-1000. The DS is my last resort. I’m more mentally prepared now for the vitamins and the stomach/poop issues. Nine years ago, I wasn’t ready and chose the sleeve. Of course I’m nervous about the stomach issues, but luckily, I work from home 3-4 days a week and I have a husband that won’t be going anywhere and deserves the “payback” after 18 years of putting up with his poop/gas....so I’m at a point in my life where I am definitely ready and now 7/18 just cannot come fast enough!

Awesome! I had similar results (VSG 8/2010)....started at 325 and was down 125lbs 7 months later and then got pregnant so I had to adjust some but evidently I was still loosing because I weighed in at my lowest 1 week after giving birth at 180 and wanted to go further but being a new mom put the focus elsewhere or else I likely would have made it to my dream goal of 160.

I know it has been a while since this thread was updated, but I have been looking for revision posts and just have to say I appreciate this thread! I had the sleeve in 2010, lost 145lbs and after 2 kids and 9 years, I’ve put 80 back on. I’m revising to the traditional DS next month and am worried about the progress that I will see considering they will not be touching my sleeve so I will be able to eat the same amount, which, in my mind, is why I lost the 145lbs to begin with so it is hard to imagine having to just depend on the “switch” part, but I have more confidence now in the “power” of that added effect after reading this. HAPPY LOSING!!

Wow, Tiffy! That is the first time I've seen before and afters! You have such a beautiful family! I do have to say that you look amazing now, but you were still very beautiful before. You have such a warm smile!

I am 7 weeks out and still have that problem! I always make myself do a Protein shake in the morning and then I find myself at the end of the day and I haven't had ANYTHING (Fluid or otherwise) since that morning and haven't even missed a thing...not one ounce of hunger or thirst. I emailed my physician and asked if I should be FORCING myself to eat. My thought was - overeating and eating when I was not hungry is what got me here!! My surgeon's office told me that I just need to do the best I can....not to force myself to eat, but not to consume less than 40g of protein to stay healthy. For me, this was a catch 22 because in order to even get 40g of protein, I had to force myself to eat.....but 40g is much easier to do then 70 when you have absolutely no desire to eat. Like another poster said, little protein + few calories = no energy. I have felt better about eating this past week (I think my monthly visitor is coming) and although my weight loss dropped this week compared to what it was for the weeks I was not eating, I do feel much better and have much more energy. Last weekend I went grocery shopping after a whole week of battling with eating enough and by the time I was done, I was standing in the check-out line, feeling so sick....cold sweats, nausea, jello-legs....I didn't think I was going to make it to pay and get to my car....and grocery shopping is not that serious! That was a scary feeling that I don't want to experience again, so I try to be more diligent! It is certainly hard to balance this delicate "dance" of calories, protein, carbs and calories!

I'm only a month out and am now advanced to "regular" foods and will say that I still crave some foods, but it is much more do-able. For me, when I went on a diet, it would be so frustrating to do all I could and work so hard to lose a pound every 2 weeks and would eventually give up. Now, the results keep coming and it is a motivator to help me to stay on track. My brother is on the other side of the country serving a mission and I put together a package for him with mac-n-cheese, pringles and rice crispy treats. I have some left over that are still sitting in my pantry and I still look at them everytime I go in for my Protein shake, but it is much easier to resist! The hardest thing I have found now is that cooking doesn't make sense...it is a lot of effort for 2 bites and those "quick and convenient" things to snack on/make a meal of are mostly a no-no....but I have dealt with it much better then I have in the past. Surgery was a last-resort for me and now that I finally have this tool, it makes me WANT to do better and helps me be better. It's funny when I think about it, but I don't feel alone - like I'm not doing this by myself - that I have something helping me along and in the first month, I've lost over 23lbs. I could have never done this without my sleeve and I haven't put in NEAR the effort as I have in the past to only lose 1/4 of that in a month! I have had one moment of "what did I do?", but it was only because I got a little sick over a Soup that had a bit too much sugar in it and another moment of concern when I stalled at 2 weeks....but those were brief moments and I would do it all over again and wouldn't change a thing. You can do this!!

Here is my 2 cents and the reason I chose the VSG: The RNY pouch stretches significantly, the VSG doesn't. No malabsorption = no need for multiple Vitamins and supplements (plus, the malabsorption aspect only lasts for a few years before your body figures out how to absorb all of the calories, but you still miss the vites and other good stuff). Everything functions normally, just smaller (I am fond of my pyloric value - it prevents "dumping syndrome"). The odd "blind stomach" VSG = The removal of the part of the stomach that produces the hunger hormone. The ability to take NSAIDs (I'm young now, but not naive to the fact that I may have to depend on these when I get older!) How did you do with the band? Did you have it removed because you had problems with it, or are you revising because you have lost all that you can? You were luckly enough to already have a "restrictive - only" procedure and have lost 100lbs (congrats by-the-way!). This should help you decide whether restriction-only is good for you or not. How was it working for you? If you were doing fine with the band and restriction, but started having problems with the band itself, then I say go for the sleeve. If you have had good restriction with the band with no problems and just can't lose anymore of the weight, then maybe you need the malabsorption; however if this is the case, I think it is worth a look at the DS, I would do the DS over the RNY anyday...but that's just my opinion. Good luck!!

Patti, I'm glad you finally settled on Dr. Aceves! You will be just fine - there is nothing to be nervous about! Make sure you update us! Krista

Okay. So I know "stalls" happen and that I'll get over this hump....but REALLY? 2 weeks out? :crying: This miserable diet of liquids only is the pits. I never want to see any chicken broth again a day in my life and now that I'm on "full" liquids, I'm already sick of Soups in general. The only reason this liquid diet and I get along is because I lost about 2lbs a day the first week. I was being a little obsessive with weighing and knew I needed to tone it down, so I decided to stick with once a week on Saturdays. The last 2 days I could barely contain myself with excitement and anticipation waiting for "weigh day". I wake up this morning...glad it's finally weigh day and get on the scale and guess what the stupid scale said? It said I lost 0.6lbs since last Saturday. :w00t: BOOOOO!!!!! What kind of miserable torture is this? This cruel diet...my head is spinning trying to consume enough calories so that I feel healthy and have energy to get me through the day, getting 70g of Protein and 64oz of fluids everyday....all this for 0.6lbs? :sneaky2: I know it will get better....I just had to vent. Thanks for listening!

I don't know anything about Dr. Rodriguez (I have only seen good things about him so far, but did not thoroughly research him), but I did find this: Mexico Hope it helps! Good luck to you!

I had my surgery with Dr. Aceves on 08-27-10 and have absolutely nothing but wonderful things to say about my experience! I wouldn't have done anything differently and would refer people to Dr. Aceves without hesitation.

I'm glad your clothes are feeling more loose! I wore a pair of jeans on Friday that were super tight pre-op and now they were just snug, so I'm sure I'm losing inches as well... It really is discouraging, though isn't it? Yes, clothing size is important, but you really want to see that scale move. I'm only measuring once a month, so I have another 2 weeks, but I'm hoping I have more results there than with this darn scale!

Welcome!! I'm so sorry to hear you were treated that ugly....that was just flat-out rude. :confused1: I wish you the best of luck with your approval process and getting your surgery scheduled!! I wish I had the knowledge and financial means to do this back when I was at your weight! I was self-pay due to a exclusion of weight loss anything on my healthcare plan. I'm currently a week and a few days out from surgery and it has been really tough on nothing but liquids. I'm definately NOT loving my sleeve right now! I need to get past the post-op diet and then I can eat/feel normal and then maybe my sleeve and I can chat and become friends. They say the first month is the hardest....and I'm finding out the hard way!

I'm not quite on shakes yet. Still clears until Tuesday (whoo hoo!! Hurry Tuesday!!), but I have the EAS Advantage Carb Control that I have been using on and off for years that I love. The Adkin's ones are good too, but these were cheaper and I could find them in bulk at BJ's Wholesale. I felt the same way - how could acid be causing this hunger? :confused1: I don't know how....but it does and did for me. I know you say that you are on a PPI, but in my (humble) opinion the fact that you have experienced heartburn while you were on the PPI suggests to me that you may still have too much acid. I had heartburn prior to surgery and have not had it once since surgery and being on the PPI. I'd bring this up to your doc and see what he says - maybe he will have you double your dosage or try something else. It is not uncommon. I saw where someone else started taking a little bit of liquid Mylanta when she felt the acid hunger and it really worked for her, too. It calmed the acid and took away her hunger feeling. The acid hunger is way more common then I had thought and I must have missed people talking about it before I had surgery (and I was obsessivly on the boards trying to get as much info as possible)...I asked about being overly hungry on 3 different boards and the first thing people suggested was the acid. It can't hurt and if it works for you and takes away that hunger feeling, it is 100% worth it. TRUST ME - I feel 100% better!!! :biggrin2:

I had the same problem and actually was so miserable last Tuesday and Wednesday (had surgery last Friday), I was bad and took two small bites of some refried Beans that I chewed and played with in my mouth until they were just about a liquid before swallowing...I know...bad me! But I was so desperate for the physical hunger pain to be gone. I started asking why I was SOOOO physically hungry and someone suggested that it may be acid. I couldn't imagine that it had anything to do with acid, but did remember that I didn't take my Nexium on Monday (my flight home) and couldn't remember that I took it Sunday either....I did take it Tuesday and Wednesday and I guess by Thursday it had taken effect and I woke up feeling 100% better. Are you on some type of PPI? I know that someone else was, but was still having problems with too much acid, so they upped their dose to 2x a day and it went away. I totally underestimated the need for a PPI and now it is the FIRST thing I take when I wake up because I do NOT want to go through that again!!

I've been using the Body Fortress Super whey Protein shots from Walmart. They are a little thick, but only 2.9oz and the 2.9oz are worth not feeling like I did on Thursday and almost passing out in the shower. They aren't super sweet, so that is why I can tolorate them. I wouldn't call them syrup, more like melted Jello to me. I'm MAKING myself do one for Breakfast, lunch and dinner for a total of 78g of protein. It really hasn't been THAT bad, it just isn't as pleasant as other things I would prefer.....but I can do anything for 2.9oz. What if you mixed yoru protein shot with some crystal light or something similar? It would help with the thickness. I can't wait to start full liquids!

:scared0: Well if THAT story doesn't scare me into another 5 extra days of Clear liquids before I move onto the fulls, I don't know what will!! Eeek!! I've been feeling the need for substance for the last few days and have felt 100% fine with the liquids. I thought about cheating and having a "full" liquids Protein drink on day 9 (1 day early and can supposedly have soy milk, so I didn't think that was much different in thickness) but not after that story!! :thumbup1: How STUPID was that guy.....really!!!

I'm experiencing the same thing with feeling like I can drink too much. I can have Jello now and there is NO problem eating the whole cup (that it comes in). I had about 2 cups of the broth from french onion Soup today and didn't blink an eye. I emailed Gaby with Dr. A's office and asked her about this and she said that some people heal faster, so there may not be as much swelling. She said that liquids pretty much go right through so that could be why we aren't holding anything. It scared me a bit at first...like I had messed something up or had a leak and it was just filling my abdominal cavity with french onion soup!! HA HA!! I'm fighting the head hunger and can't wait to move onto full liquids on Tuesday. I'm SO over broth and Clear Liquids. There just isn't enough variety and I have been "hungry" (physically), but I think it was more from acid but the Nexium has now taken control and I feel less hungry. I'm 8 days out (not including the day of surgery) and down 16.4lbs. LOL. Gotta love those liquids....it's the ONLY good thing about them!! :thumbup1:

My doc requires it for some, but not others. I had to do one because my BMI is higher and the point of doing it was so that the liver would shrink and make it easier to do surgery.

I agree....my experience with the gas has been more of a "discomfort" rather than true "pain". Edit: I will add that I do have a pain in my chest when I take a breath, it is on the left side low chest. I think I remember my doc saying that it will be painful because that part is close to the new tummy. It was only slightly painful (a pressure type pain) with deep breaths and only really "bothered" me when I yawned and that was mainly because I couldn't control how quickly I was breathing in. It will stop a yawn in it's tracks for sure! It is going away slowly and I can now yawn without too much discomfort. I have to say that I have not experienced anything that was more than a 3 on the pain scale since surgery and that was some pinching in the insicion sites if I twisted wrong or got up incorrectly using too many tummy muscles. I don't consider myself to have a "high pain tolorance" either....not low, but certainly not high.

I had surgery last Friday and felt fine up until Thursday when I started feeling dizzy and icky - I even almost blacked-out in the shower on Friday! It was scary. Today I actually hit 75oz of Water and 80g of Protein and I do feel somewhat better. I'm going to bite the bullet again tomorrow and see if I improve that much more.

Oh so lucky Stephany! I was not on liquids pre-op, just low carb, high Protein. I'm also hungry. I can't wait to get to the mushies stage. Thanks for posting that sleevesearch. I need to go grocery shopping for my next stage and wasn't exactly sure how to define "cream soups" because some people have to actually strain their soups when they are on this stage and I was wondering how that would work for us.... I will say though, I asked Dr. Campos before we left if full liquids would include yogurt and SF pudding and he told me not until day 21 unless it was "drinkable" yogurt. I wonder if he misunderstood me or vice versa....strange. He also told me that I could do soy milk as soon as I got home...but adding protein powder to it would make it to "foggy" and that would be the 2nd 10 day plan for that. Soy milk isn't clear to me with or without protein powder, so I thought that was weird, but hey....what do I know?!?! LOL I'm just glad that Tuesday I can have SF pudding, yogurt, my protein shakes, creamed soups.....something that has a TAD more substance then these clears! I'm counting down the days!! YEAH!!!

I had the same problems. I had surgery last Friday and don't notice it anymore. Honestly I don't rememeber if it was a gradual thing or sudden, but I'm not experiencing it now - thank goodness because you are right, it is terrible! I don't remember having that problem yesterday either....so yes, they do go away!!