jane

Hello to all. I have to say that I was really relieved to find a forum that is specific to VSG. I am also part of obesityhelp.com, but wanted a site that was more specific to supplement my support and knowledge. My name is Jane and I'm from New Jersey. I'm 29, married, and have a three year old son. I started my WLS journey officially on March 31, 2010. As a little background information I can say that I have had weight problems all of my life. pills, shakes, powders, prayers, weight watchers, atkins, gosh I tried a lot of crap and never maintained weight loss. I yo-yo'ed a lot. I got made fun of and harassed about my weight as a kid/teenager. As an adult I don't go out and do much because I'm afraid to go out. I'm afraid of rejection in meeting new people. I'm afraid of being judged for my size. I hate the stares, the unnecessary comments, the feeling of rejection and worthlessness. I have sleep apnea, am pre-diabetic, am on the cusp of high blood pressure and heart problems. I can't buy clothes at normal stores or fit into normal seats or shoes. I have incredible pains in my tailbone and the rest of my back due to a car accident and my doctor says losing weight will help take some of the pain away. I feel like I'm a dead person walking. I feel like this is my second chance at life. So I consulted my surgeon, Dr. Gregory Dakin in NY, on March 31, 2010. He gave me a list of hoops to jump through for the insurance. If you've done your research, you know what I'm talking about. I finished everything a couple of weeks ago and waited for the paperwork to come in. On Monday, my paperwork will be submitted to the insurance for approval. By November 8, I should have the approval in, and I was told we can set a date for December 2010. Am I ready for this? Yes. I'm ready to stop sleeping with my apnea mask and sleep on my stomach again, and shop in normal stores, and be able to put on a Halloween costume, and sit in a normal chair, and go out in public without getting harassed/stared at, to cut my pre-diabetes, and kick the butt of my heart problems and be ALIVE. I'm ready to go for walks, buy sexy underwear, wear high heels, keep up with my beautiful son. I'm so f**king ready for this, pardon my French. I do need buddies, however. My support system is okay, but no one really understands what I'm going through.

YES lol

I would stay away from any type of chewing gum as I've heard horror stories about what happens if you accidentally swallow a piece. However, there are an array of sugar free breath mints. I'm trying a few because I too don't want to return to work with dragon breath lol. Just be careful because I realized for me that the mints gave my stomach a little bit of pain like I'd eaten something way too sour. If you're in ketosis it means you are burning fat (some knowledge I remember from my Atkins days). Ketosis stops when you up your carb intake. Ketosis is a good thing though... at least I think so. I would ask my doctor for more information.

Hi there! I think you said that you have a lot of head hunger. I'm confused how an appetite suppressant will cure head hunger. Perhaps you need to journal your thoughts and feelings and figure out what is it that is making you want to turn to food to fill that need. Postop I personally want to avoid taking any pills or putting any drugs into my body that aren't necessary.

For that itchy feeling, I put AD ointment over the incisions ( I have the glue too), just a little bit after patting everything dry after a shower. It helps a bit, even though the AD ointment smells funny. Here is the Cornell University guide for VSG diet. http://www.sleeveguide.com/uploads/1/7/9/4/1794785/dietary_guidelines_sleeve_gastrectomy.pdf

Congrats!

By the time I read it she had posted an update. But I think that's just PR. She's such an insensitive @ss.

I am on my 6th day pre-op and was wondering how you guys know when you're hungry. For the first few days I didn't feel anything at all, so sipping was automatic. Yesterday I had some yogurt in the evening and that was okay. But this morning I felt this horrible feeling that felt like it was coming from the base of my stomach, like a twisting, knotting, want to throw up feeling. It was quasi-painful and made me double over. Is this how I'm going to know I'm hungry from now on? I'm assuming it's hunger because there is nothing else wrong with me and the feeling is going away as I eat my egg. Just curious on the thoughts of others. Thanks.

I got sleeved in Manhattan, but I live in NJ. If you're the only one in NYC, I feel like I'm the only Metro NJ one lol. Hi.

Maybe it's gas. That's my major problem right now. When I drink liquid, I feel conscious of the liquid going down my insides. When I eat something pureed, I feel pain and then I feel gas come up.

If it makes you feel any better, I am a week postop and can't sleep on my sides either. I am afraid of hurting myself, so I sleep on the recliner couch. I don't bend over at all. I hold my stomach whenever I laugh and I can't stretch out because it hurts.

I'm glad I found this post. I am 7 days post op, and yesterday when I was in the bathroom, I wiped and there was a small amount of blood, very small, like the last day of one's period. I didn't bleed again at all yet. I wonder if that's happened to anyone else. Update: I guess I have a light period. I have no other symptoms. No fever. No exceptional pain. No other stuff. Just light bleeding from there. This shocks me because I haven't had a period in three years since I went on Depo Provera. Oh well.

5 days PostOp. Honestly I don't crave anything yet. I was at my mother's house yesterday and she had cake sitting on the stove. My head wanted the cake because I used to eat cake. But it wasn't the craving kind of want. I went and sniffed it and the sweet smell was enough. What I crave is being able to chew my food, like the future when I can have toast and cheese and stuff... You have to do what's right for you.

Hi Rhonda! I am on the Cornell Sleeve Diet, which is published here: http://www.cornellweightlosssurgery.org/pdf/dietary_guidelines_sleeve_gastrectomy.pdf I am able to eat egg as long as it's poached, scrambled, or as egg salad I think. I had a scrambled egg this morning. It took me half an hour to eat it but it was sooo good. I'm not able to eat real food though.

You're not the only one who has gone through this. I did not have to go through 14 days. However, I did have to do liquid diet for two days before. It was absolute hell. I was a complete biotch to my poor husband and anyone else who dared cross my path. I went through shakes, shivers, obsessive running to the kitchen and almost eating something... and I did cheat. I ate a brownie on the Saturday before. And I ate four Cookies the morning right before surgery. I wanted to order pizza, mexican, chinese... all I could think about was food and how unfair it all was that I couldn't eat. But you've got to remind yourself of the reason you're doing this. If your reason is strong enough, it will get you through. For me, my reason for all this has been my son's smiling face and how I want to be a good mother to him. But in any case, stay strong. You will get through this. This too shall pass. And before you know it, you'll be sleeved.

Honey, it's going to be okay... whatever you decide. I had my sleeve on Monday. What I can say is I went through the same feelings of panic and I think others have too. It's perfectly normal. When I was in the waiting room, in a hospital gown, IV needle running in my hand... I was very close to giving up and cancelling. But for me, what motivated me was my son. If not for my son I would not have gone through this. Pre-op, I could not keep up with my energetic three year old. I was so fat that going to work was it, and when I came home I had no energy or strength to be mother and wife. For my son, I went through this hellish "death" to be reborn. It has been painful, and depressing, but I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and this miserable feeling is temporary. You have to weigh what's good for you. If your husband doesn't support your decision, maybe it's fear of a lot of things.. fear of losing you on the operating table, fear or not knowing what you want to do, fear that you will lose a ton of weight and leave him... men are strange creatures... and in a sense you did keep this from him for a long time. His initial reaction is understandable but I say have tons of patience with this and get him on board if this is what you want to do. Involve him, explain to him so that he knows what you know. Explain to him what you are going through in terms of your self esteem, how it's going to improve your sex life and let you do things you couldn't before, what you can and can't do physically, explain to him that if you don't do this for yourself you could die the way that you are going. If you can get your husband on board with your decision, you will feel a lot better about things. I included my husband in the planning process and explained everything to him. He was basically of the thought that if it makes me happy and will help me live then he will support me. He was at the hospital with me and has been nothing but loving and supportive. I think your husband will get on board once you explain how important it is to you. Just be gentle with him, the way you would want him to be gentle with you on such an important decision.

Hi there, I weighed 405 when I started out. I lost 28 pounds during the 6 month preop diet and just got sleeved Monday. If you do your research, on paper it shows that the Lap Band's success rate is not very good for someone at a high weight like 400. This is the same for RNY because you're only going to lose about 100 pounds or so. My doctor basically told me that VSG was the safest surgery at 400+ pounds and leaves the door open for RNY/Lapband if a patient still wants that down the line. Mind you, after having my surgery and the miserable experience that has ensued.. I would make sure that you are ready for this operation. The operation is like dying to be reborn. I have bruises on my arms from how many times they had to redo the IV, and aches and pains that are just starting to go away five days later. It is going to save your life, but it is going to kill the old one as well. You might as well know that going in.

Hi there, I'm 29 and was just sleeved on Monday. I think that telling a few trusted people wouldn't be such a bad thing. I have kind of kept it as an ask and I will tell thing. People know that I've had surgery, and anyone who wants any more information is welcome to ask me. People have been very supportive. Most important has been my family. If I didn't tell anyone at all, it would have been really hard to get around to all the appointments and leave my mom with my son. Anyway, sorry for the rambling. Just wanted to say hello.

I am three days post op and wouldn't dare cheat because I'd be too afraid of something bad happening to me. They moved me to full liquids yesterday but I'm taking it easy and do best with hot tea and hot chicken broth.

Hi! If you can afford it, I would try to get some form of counseling. This is a HUGE step we are taking, and it helps to talk to someone and sort out your feelings towards everything. I started my therapy in September, and I think that because of my sessions I'm handling my situation a lot better. And I feel more resolved to my decision. My surgery is on Monday and I feel nervous too. BTW, you are able to drink sodas and stuff/anything, about a year after surgery. Just in small amounts...

Hi! I finished the diet part in October. I started the diet process before the other stuff so that it could all even itself out, but it was still a process. The six months goes by pretty quickly, and you learn a lot from the nutritionist about life after your operation. I say take it in a positive way and try to lose a little weight before surgery so that you can shrink the liver and increase your chances of success without complications.

I haven't had the procedure done yet but would like to add my two cents. For those of us who have had to go through the process of considering weight loss surgery, it means that for X number of years we have not been able to attain the health that we would like. I hate hearing people ask (even if they are trying to be helpful) if I've considered trying to lose weight the "normal" way. If I could do it the "normal" way I wouldn't have yo-yoed for the twenty-nine years of my life, going through diet after diet, pills, shakes, books, crazy fad diets, and never ever achieving long-term weight loss. What you have to ask yourself is, "Will this surgery change my life?" If the answer is yes, then do it. If you're tired of being made fun of, not fitting into chairs, feeling like the fattest person in the room, being at risk for DEATH due to obesity, then the power is in your hands to get the surgery done if you are able. Every surgery has its risks. You could die getting your gallbladder removed or giving birth. But I'm ready. I think it's worth the risk, because the way that I know i'm going, I'll be dead at 35. You've got to do what's best for you and say "F*ck the haters" even if they are your own family. Family loves you unconditionally, and they will eventually come around. I wish you the best.

RE: 6Month Diet +The six-month diet is a requirement for insurance purposes. HOWEVER, there are some doctors who require a patient with a BMI higher than 50 to lose weight and won't operate on them until they reach it. There are doctors who will work with patients over 50BMI and don't require the diet. However, it is helpful to keep in mind, that losing some weight before surgery does nothing but make your surgery that much safer. Also, it helps the liver shrink, which decreases the risk of the liver bursting during surgery. RE: Insurance Coverage My surgeon told me that VSG is NOT covered by many insurances because it is considered too "new" a procedure in comparison to the other WLS options. HOWEVER, he told me that he works out of what is called a terciary center, which means that his staff handles high risk morbidly obese people whose obesity is hard to treat. He stated that he has had much success in getting the procedure approved when it's medically necessary. My guess is that if you get a consultation with a good surgeon who can make the case for the necessity of your surgery, he and his staff will help you deal with your insurance. I have CIGNA ***, which covers "weight loss benefits" and pays for the surgery if one goes through the hoops, but only if one gets the surgery done at a pre-approved "Center of Excellence." I heard that Blue Cross Blue Shield is one of the best insurances out there however, and it really shouldn't be a problem. Amazingly enough, a lot of doctors accept Medicare too for WLS. Basically it boils down to, "Does the cost of surgery outweigh the cost of maintenance of weight-related comorbidities?" and proving to the insurance that the answer is yes. BTW, Duke is considered a good place to get the procedure done. Good doctors, good reviews and stuff.

I feel this is a very personal subject. When you take your bloodwork as part of the hoops, do it as soon as possible. Deficiencies come out in your bloodwork that have to be taken care of pre-op to prepare for surgery and might have to be continued after. I take 4 Citrical (I found a generic calcium supplement at BJs and currently taking those) daily, along with a Multivitamin and a daily Nexium. Once a week I have to take 50000 grams of Vitamin D in a gelcap because I was very deficient in D in the blood. It is good to purchase a calcium supplement and multivitamin in large quantities because everyone will definitely be ingesting those postop.

Hi Dee, I did the same thing back in March 2010. I had scheduled my appointment in February for the first consultation, and decided that I was going to eat anything I wanted whenever I wanted. I don't remember what I ate anymore and feel a little embarrassed about it. However, my surgery will probably come in December and I don't feel as panicked about that stuff because I already got it out of my system. I think it's a combination of knowing that you'll be operated soon and soothing yourself with food, and wanted to get in the "last hurrahs." I think you'll be okay as long as you remind yourself that these are your last hurrahs, because this is a lifestyle change, not a temporary solution. And why would you want to go back to eating all of that junk? In the end it's so gross. Check out Jaime Oliver's Food Revolution if you can to see some enlightening stuff foodwise. Good luck with your surgery Dee. =)