Kris

I was given straws with my beverages while in the hospital recovering from VSG and have been using them every day since I got home with no problems. I also got LOTS of dos and don'ts from my surgeon after surgery, and not using straws was not on the list of don'ts. I really don't notice any difference in how I feel when I drink through a straw and when I sip other ways (i.e., sipping Soup from a spoon, or sipping tea from a cup). Maybe I swallow air no matter how I swallow ... LOL. I do find drinking with a straw helps me because I like straws and more likely to get in my fluids using a straw than just flat out sipping. I guess this is just one of those things that varies depends on who the surgeon is. I also bought some great double-insulated cups from World Market that come with a "permanent" straw made out of hard plastic. I love them. They keep cold beverages cold for a long time and when it takes an hour to drink a cup, that's a godsend. And I don't feel guilty about throwing away straws and putting them in the waste stream.

Sassy I would definitely call your surgeon's office and tell them what's going on. They should be able to advise. Best to you for a speedy recovery!

Aaaaaagggghhhh!!!! Besides being a bread lover I love most carbs. I am definitely a carboholic (should've been my screen name, LOL). Definitely carbs are why I got and stayed fat for so many years. However, I will confess that part of why I wanted the sleeve was to be able to eat ANYTHING (including my beloved carbs) just in much smaller portions. Now it sounds like maybe not ... at least for many months. I had no intentions of going hog wild on the bread, maybe a little tortilla with egg, or a little naan with chicken curry. At least now I know when I first try to eat bread to not do it in a restaurant ... it would not be a pretty sight to regurgitate a chewed up piece of bread in a public setting!

Hi Leesy, I am newly sleeved and also a bread lover. There is actually a word not used much -- artolater -- it means a worshiper of bread. I guess that's us! I know bread is not supposed to be a major part of a meal, but out of curiosity when you've tried it has it been on it's own or part of something else, say a little sandwich or an egg on toast? Also is it any bread or regular sandwich bread? Have you tried tortillas or pita bread with the same result? Or how about a cracker or pita chip? I'm just curious. Best to you in your weight loss journey!

Hi all, I'm 5 days post op, on clears. It is hard for me to get enough fluids, even when I try to sip frequently. I mean it's like a freaking full time job just to sip fluids all day! I think yesterday (which was my best day for Fluid intake) I got to about 48 oz total intake. I try a mix of warm/hot and cool/cold beverages throughout the day. Warms definitely go down better, but I find they get cold before I can finish the small amounts I pour. My urine is pretty dark most of the time when I pee. I know that is not so good. I want to be flushing out but just a little frustrated with how little I am able to drink in a day. Also, Is it normal to feel a little shaky your first week after surgery? I am consuming around 300 calories (max) a day right now, including juice and broth and calorie free drinks (Water and tea with splenda). I'm introducing Kellogg's Protein water today and hopefully that will help a bit. I keep telling myself it's probably more psychological than anything -- I mean, hello, I have over 90 lbs. to lose so it's not like my body doesn't have energy stores to draw upon! I am a little worried about being dehydrated but my tummy can handle only so much fluid at any given time. It still rumbles a lot whenever I drink too many sips too quickly. I am also starting to get cravings for specific foods. Earlier today I was really craving mashed up smoked oysters on crackers. Is this somewhat normal (not so much wanting oysters, but starting to have food cravings so early on?) Today is the first day I've really thought about wanting any specific foods. I still have 5 days to go on clears so I hope I'm not going batty before I can move to the next stage! I guess I just wanted to whine a little and make sure I am not *too* abnormal here.

Hi there, Sounds like you've beat yourself up enough already and you've made the necessary corrections to hit your next goal. Best wishes for continued success! To not gain weight in Vegas is pretty darn good too!

Congrats on your successful surgery and welcome to the losers bench!

Hi there! I totally get you with the family food. Tonite for dinner I had a cup of chicken broth while DH made himself a burger with cheese puffs on the side. The burger didn't interest me but I remembered how much I liked cheese puffs! Head hunger ... Sigh ... At least I wasn't seriously tempted to eat them. My tummy still is still rocking and rollin' whenever I put more than one sip at a time in it. I've got so many cavitation sounds going on now you'd think you were in a submarine, LOL.

LilMissDiva, thank you so much for that! I hadn't thought about gatorade -- I guess it's not a favorite of mine but definitely could help with the electrolytes & such. I don't have any in the house but will ask DH to pick some up from the store this evening. I haven't had any caffeine, only herbal tea and broth for my warm beverages. Fortunately I didn't really have a caffeine habit before surgery so am not missing coffee or anything like that. I am busily sipping my Protein Water and have a pot of chicken Soup simmering for later (going to strain out all the solids and just have the broth). I've had about 20 oz. of liquids so far today so think I can definitely get over 50 oz. if I just keep up with the sipping. I'll be glad when I'm done with clears, that's for sure!

Michelle, best wishes to you returning to work. I am 5 days post op and return to work on 1/18 ... as of today I feel there is no way I could manage a full 8 hour day at work, and I have a sedentary desk job. Fortunately, I have an understanding boss and likely will be able work half days and/or work at home a few days until I am really back up to speed. Hopefully family and friends can help you out with things at home, running errands, etc. so when you get home from work you can just rest! Don't hesitate to ask for support if you need it!

If you live near a Trader Joes they sell a fabulous masala lentil dip made from red lentils and mild Indian spices in the refrigerated section. It is very smooth and yummy if you like Indian food. That will definitely be on my list of foods to eat when I get to the mushies stage. I might try to replicate the recipe at home if I find it's still yummy after surgery. I'm only a few days post op so mushies stage seems vey far away!

I put in a little soy sauce which adds a bit of flavor but nothing fabulous. Tomorrow I am going to cook chicken broth with some fresh veggies and herbs and then strain the solids out. Canned broth is kinda nasty on it's own, alas. I bet it would be very good if a little leftover rotisserie chicken was also included, and strained out before consuming. It would add even more flavor. Might ask the hub to buy a rotisserie chicken for his dinner tomorrow so I can use the leftovers.

Hi all, I remember how many questions I had about the surgery experience before I got sleeved so I am writing down all I remember now that I am home from the hospital. I do want to note upfront that I was sleeved in Mexico and I expect that there are variations among surgeons/hospitals for how these procedures are handled. Also I want to note that since I was operated on, my memory is not 100% reliable on all things. I am sure I am leaving things out that I just don't remember because I was sleeping or kind of out of it. My Mexico surgery adventure lasted five days and went by really, really fast. 1/6 (Thursday) -- I flew into San Diego with my husband and arrived by 9:30 a.m. We got in earlier than the other patients so waited about 80 - 90 minutes at the baggage claim. The driver who would be taking us to the hospital found us and then found the other patients. There were 3 of us, and 2 of us brought our spouses. (BTW, I would say at the outset, if there is any way you can bring your spouse or a relative or a friend to spend at least the first night, do that. My husband knew me well enough to know when I was having problems before I could get out of my fog to communicate. It helped tremendously. Plus it was very comforting to know someone was looking out for me. However, I did meet several other patients who went alone and they were handling everything fine, so this is more of a personal preference of mine than a necessity.) The driver (Ernesto) drove us from San Diego to Mexicali, about a 2 hour drive. As soon as we crossed the border he took us directly to the hospital. At the hospital, nurse Lucy was waiting for us. She greeted us, gave us each a plastic cup to pee in, and showed us to the restroom to donate a urine sample. Immediately after that, one after another she took a blood sample from each of us, then had us get a chest X-Ray, then had us meet with the anesthesiologist, Dr. Garcia (ooh la la, he could've been in a TV show playing a Dr., he was so cute!). Dr. Garcia made sure we understood what he would be doing. After meeting with Dr. Garcia, Ernesto drove us to a nearby hotel (Crowne Plaza) to spend the night and have a final dinner before surgery. It was a nice experience -- the hotel was expecting us and checked us in immediately. We were given a sleeping pill and an antibiotic to take in the evening before bed. One of the other patients and her husband had dinner with me and my husband, so time passed quickly and I felt I had made new friends. And dinner was tasty and a great value (thanks to the exchange rate!). We were told to have nothing to eat or drink after 10 pm and up until surgery the next day. No problemo. The sleeping pill worked well for me. 1/7 (Friday). Up at 6:00 am to shower, dress, and pack up our belongings to take to the hospital. At 7:00 we all brought our luggage downstairs and met Ernesto in the hotel lobby and he drove us to the hospital. We were shown to our rooms (we each had a private room with its own bathroom, including shower, and either a leather sofa or loveseat in the room next to the bed). We were asked to change into hospital gowns and all 3 of us patients (and spouses) met with Dr. Aceves. He spent about 30 minutes going through the surgical process, and emphasizing that he was only doing part of the work and we had to do the rest. He said he was doing surgery on our stomachs, not our heads. He cautioned us to not cheat on our diets and to take advantage of the first few months of quick weight loss. Eat Protein first, carbs next (in lesser quantities) and fats sparingly. Pay attention to calories (reminding us that Starbucks frappucinos have 800+ calories and go down easy and you can blow your diet easy with drinks like that). He told us how we will be eating from now on and to pay close attention to how much food we eat to be satisfied. He told us to stick to our post op diets and not deviate them so that our new sleeves can heal properly. He warned us that many people overeat especially at first, and it can be physically uncomfortable, and pay attention to how many bites it takes to be satisfied and use that as a gauge. He said a lot of other things along that vein, and I have handouts of information for future reference. Then he told us he would start surgery with the first person immediately, and the other two would be given a sedative and wait until the previous patient is done. Lucky me, Dr. Aceves said I would be the first patient to be sleeved! Dr. Aceves left for the operating room and I was asked to lie on a gurney and had a few seconds to say goodbye to hubby, before I was wheeled into the OR. The nurses were all very kind. I had my IV line placed and then they must have pretty much immediately put me under anesthesia because the next thing I knew, I woke up in A LOT of pain (let's say 8 or 9 on a scale of 1-10) and groggily saying, "Por favor, tengo dolor," in a very pathetic voice I'm sure (hey, if you are going to Mexico and only learn one phrase, let it be "tengo dolor" which means "I'm in pain" and they will respond to that quickly). Somebody must have heard me because the I zonked out again almost immediately and the next time I woke up I was back in my room with my husband sitting nearby. The rest of the day and night really went by in a blur. Basically it was sleep, wake up, pee into a urinal, swish a little Water in my mouth to help with dry mouth (the 1st day/night of surgery I was strictly on IV fluids), shuffle groggily around the room to get a little exercise, try to do the damn breathing exercise where you have to suck on this contraption to make little balls float in the air so your lungs keep working like they should, ask for a pain shot, and back to bed. I vaguely remember having my blood pressure and temperature taken a few times, but again it was all pretty blurry. 1/8 (Saturday). More sleeping and waking to pee/walk/breathing exercises and sleeping some more. I had several bouts of nausea -- basically every time I sat up from the bed I felt queasy and one time actually nearly vomited -- that was pretty awful. But the nurses quickly gave me anti-nausea meds in my IV and I felt better soon. I took a big long nap and woke up around 2:00 pm and didn't feel nauseas anymore (and not since, thankfully). Had my first beverage to sip -- grape juice. They used it for a leak test but it tasted good. In the afternoon I started feeling significantly better. I was able to walk more, and by then they had me sipping hot tea and water and gatorade, so there was something going into my tummy. All kinds of weird sensations. Hard to describe. Let's just say you definitely know something major has been done to your stomach! Hubby went off with another patient's hubby for a fabulous dinner and came back a happy guy. Which is good because he had to sleep on a loveseat for 3 nights, and that can't have been any fun! By the evening I was feeling perky enough to go visit some other patients I had met through VST who were staying on another floor. They were being discharged the next morning and looked really good. It was a nice chat. Back up to my room, goofed off for a while, and then went to bed. By this point I was no longer required to use the urinal, which was a relief, and able to use the toilet like a regular person. 1/9 (Sunday) -- Woke up feeling pretty good. Only a little discomfort, not actual pain. Had my xray leak test and got to see my new little tummy -- no leaks, of course. Very cool. Once back in my room, I took a shower and that helped me feel even better. I was able to put on a bra for the first time and my own pjs and was very cozy in all my own clothes (I'm not a fan of hospital gowns). On this day they introduced a new beverage -- warm chicken broth. Umm, good. I really loved that. But the nurses kept bringing me far more things to drink than I could manage. They would bring a tray with a bowl of broth, a cup of chamomile tea, a cup of gatorade, a cup of apple juice, and water. I was never able to do more than take a few sips of various beverages. But it was psychologically nice to have such a wide variety of things to sip on. One of the kindly nurses removed my drain and made a stitch or two to seal the drain port and that was a little uncomfortable. I was given a sublingual (under the tongue) pain pill and that helped. I decided to take another nap to sleep off the discomfort. By the afternoon I was really feeling good and so another patient and I and our hubbies walked to a nearby pharmacy and bought our nexium and OTC pain meds (the hospital gave us some meds to take home but encouraged us to stock up while in Mexico as the prices of the meds are less). Back in the room, I was ready to settle down for one last evening. Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos each came by for one final visit to make sure I was doing OK and knew what to expect after going home. The nurses bought more fresh things to sip on, took bp and temperature, dispenses meds, and so forth. Hubby had another great meal out at a local restaurant and was in a happy, mellow mood. By 9:00 I was ready for bed and fell asleep with no problem. 1/10 (Monday) -- Up at 6:00 a.m. in order to be showered and dressed and ready to go by 7:00 a.m. Ernesto met us in the lobby, got our bags loaded in the van, and took us back to San Diego with no trouble. Took about 3 hours and 15 minutes altogether. Ernesto dropped us off at our terminal and we said goodbye. Flight home went well and was home by 4:30 pm. Other things to note -- Dr. Aceves and one of his team of physicians, cute & sweet Dr. Campos, visited me every day while I was at the hospital to make sure I was OK. Also I had numerous visits by others on his team (Sergio the nurse, Yolanda the patient coordinator, Joaquin the nurse, and numerous other nurses bringing fresh bedlinens/towels, beverages, meds, etc.). The hospital was always kept immaculate and there was always someone manning the nurses desk just outside our rooms. We felt very safe and well cared for. I have not one negative thing to say about the whole experience. I really didn't know what to expect as far as pain after surgery, and while it wasn't a cake walk, the staff do what they can to eliminate or minimize your pain as quickly as possible. I was feeling really fine within 48 hours after surgery. I probably could have gone home on Sunday afternoon but am glad I had one extra night to continue to recuperate. The trip home was long and I would advise anyone who needs to travel more than a few hours to consider maybe breaking the trip up over a couple of days rather than jam it all into one day. My 9 hours of travelling with a new tummy was just about the outer limit of what I would want to go through. I still am passing gas 4 days after surgery despite having numerous gas-x strips. Most of my gas is coming out through burps not through the back end, thankfully. And I didn't have any really horrible gas pains, for which I am thankful. Also, I wanted to note that like others who have had the surgery, I have not had any hunger pains to speak of since having surgery. Food is of little interest to me right now. I am happy with my broth and juice and that's hopefully going to be the case for the next 6 days or so I need to stay on Clear liquids. It also takes me a LONG time to finish anything. Warm beverages get cold and cold beverages get to room temperature before I can finish them. I can handle about one sip every several minutes. I just had some broth for dinner -- only able to have about 6 spoonfuls, then was done even though there was plenty of broth left over (and by the time I had my last spoonful, the Soup was cooling fast). Sorry this is so long but I wanted to share as much as I can if it helps anyone else prepare for your surgery. Overall my experience was better what I expected, and even the worst times were very bearable. I am so excited to have a new tiny tummy and am already looking forward to some fun activities I can do once I lose a decent amount of weight.

Hi Mariah (love your name BTW!), I didn't receive a spinal block as part of my surgery. Thank goodness; that would have scared me! I don't think it is standard procedure. Definitely ask your patient coordinator about this if you are concerned about it. Nina was good about answering all my questions (and I had plenty!). Best wishes to you on your surgery with Dr. A. and to a great 2011! Kris

Hi CInderella! My husband and I walked around the area of Mexicali surrounding our hotel on our first afternoon. There wasn't a whole lot going on. We were approached by 2 separate panhandlers, but they immediately backed off when they understood we had nothing for them. There were instructions on our hotel room door to keep the door locked and don't admit strangers, but I have also seen that type of instruction in US cities and other foreign countries I have visited. I never felt uncomfortable or unsafe in the hotel. I don't think I would have been comfortable walking around Mexicali at night, but heck, I can say the same thing about parts of downtown Seattle, Washington DC, New Orleans, etc., etc.! Once inside the hospital I felt 100% safe, no worries at all. I know that the drs in Mexico are very concerned about the perception of danger and know that people won't come for surgery if they are frightened, so they take reasonable precautions to make patients feel comfortable, and I really did. If I end up needing plastic surgery to tighten up parts of my bod after surgery, and my health insurance won't cover it (most likely they won't, stingy as they are), I definitely will look at going to Mexico for the plastic surgery. So glad to be on the losers' bench!!!!

Best to you and Kim! Congrats on your sleeve!!!

I am now on the losers bench! Sleeved yesterday and pretty out of it all day. Had some nausea earlier today but got meds to help and feel pretty good now! Dr Aceves & staff are great, so nice and helpful and professional. Hospital is very nice, as is my room. Met a couple of fellow slivers who are lovely. No complaints whatsoever! I couldn't ask for a better experience overall!

Congrats, yay!!!! Best of success to you! Keep us posted on how you're doing!

Hi, I'm with Dr. Aceves too. I am headed down to San Diego tomorrow and my surgery is on Friday 1/7 (yay! so excited!!!). I will post an update about how it all went once I'm back home on the 10th. I did a lot of research to pick my surgeon and am sure Dr. Aceves is a very good choice. Lots of people here had him do their sleeve and love him. I think you will be in very good hands!

You look SO good and great job so far!

Hi all, I'm so excited it is finally 2011! I am getting sleeved on January 7th, only five days from now. For me January 7th will truly by the new year! My story is pretty typical for a sleever. I started having weight problems about the time I hit puberty and was a plump teenager (always size 10 - 14, depending on whether I was dieting or not). After college, I had a series of stressful jobs. I didn't cope well and became a huge emotional eater; my weight really exploded and I gained about 80 lbs. over a couple of years. Dateless and depressed, in my mid 20s I spent a year on a very strict diet and exercised daily, and lost over 80 lbs. I was so proud of myself, and was able to keep the weight off for a couple of years. Then I got engaged and married, and I really started slacking off my diet and exercise regimen, and my weight just exploded again. I got back over 200 lbs. within a couple of years of marriage and have been over 200 lbs. for 12 long years. I can't tell you how many diets I have started and abandoned ... how many exercise regimens ... Weight Watchers and Curves and Atkins and Biggest Loser videos and and expensive gym membership ... nothing has gotten me below 200 lbs. I am 5'1" and literally am carrying the weight of two people around in my skin. I am borderline diabetic, borderline high blood pressure, have acid reflux problems, and most likely have sleep apnea (though not officially diagnosed). My dad died at age 50 of a massive heart attack (heart problems run in his side of the family) and my mom is in her late 60s (also obese) and has many serious medical issues (sarcoidosis, diabetes, extremely high BP, bad knee, etc.) and looks at least 15 years older than she actually is. So I know if I don't get control of my weight once and for all, I could die young or live a life in a lot of physical discomfort and illness. I also know I look much older than my true age, and I feel it too. Earlier this year, after gaining back more than half the weight I lost dieting last year, I realized I can't lose weight and keep it off on my own without WLS. I researched all of the different types of WLS and decided VSG is the best for me, and am so excited to know that 2011 will be the year when I will get back to a healthy weight. I know I will need the support of fellow sleevers and am so thankful I found this forum ... already I have learned so much! Yesterday I was in a book store and found post WLS cookbook (actually most of the book was about WLS, not so much cooking), and couldn't believe how much I already knew about VSG just from reading posts on this forum for the past couple of months. I feel like I definitely understand the risks, what to expect pre and post op, and what lifestyle changes are in store for me and DH. I know also that as ready as I am for the surgery today, once I have the surgery I will probably experience issues that I will need help dealing with ... head hunger and 3 weeks of only liquids and no more empty carbs and stalls and who knows what else. Here are some things I want to do before the end of 2011: 1) fly in coach class and not be embarrassed at how much space I am taking; 2) float down a river in the summer on an inner tube and not want to die of embarrassment in wearing a bathing suit; 3) be able to buy clothes from the petites section of stores, not the womans section; 4) hike one of the beautiful mountain trails in the mountains near my home and not worry about having to quit because I am too fat to keep walking; 5) go sledding down those mountains next Christmastime; and 6) try out a new hairstyle and hair color to go with the smaller me. These are things I am going to focus on when the going gets tough after surgery. I have no illusions that every day will be easy and good, so having fun things to look forward to will help me get through the rough Patches. I am always so inspired to read the successes you are having and hope that as I go through my journey I will have successes too. Happy new year,everyone! Here's to our best year EVER!

Congrats and best wishes to you!

Nina, you will do great! Keep us posted once you're through surgery!

Thanks everyone! I already feel like I know a lot of you by reading your posts and look forward to knowing you better as we share our weight loss journeys!