Smillzee

I agree with most people here. It really is about the carbs. They are the devil when it comes to weight loss. I lost about 40 pounds on WW from 300 to about 260 and didn't put it back on but could not get any more off. My fitnesspal.com is a great free program that really helps to track food intake. Check it out and it is free. I got sleeved on 12/29 and I think it is just the tool I need to really lose. But again, it is only a tool. You have to work at it for life. I'm hoping that you go with a high proteing low carb alternative to WW because it sounds like way too many points to really lose any weight. Good Luck. Smillzee

Congratulations! Good luck with your surgery....I'm very happy for you. Smillzee

Hi everyone, I am so happy to have found this website. The others seem more dedicated to the RnY WLS and I had the sleeve done exactly 1 week ago. I weighed 256 pounds prior to the surgery, down from about 300 at my highest. I had been hovering around 250 for the past 8 years. Anyway, I had Kaiser Insurance and they have a program that is extremely rigourous. First, you have to prove that you have tried all other weight loss options. You need solid proof, like your Weight Watchers log or documentation that is extensive. Once you pass that hurdle you wait to go into a class that lasts 6 months! You go once a week for 2 hours for 6 months where you learn about the surgery, nutrition, hear success stories. If you miss a class, you MUST make it up. If you miss 3, you are out of the program. After finishing the 6 month class, you are evaluated. If, during the 6 months, you have lost 10% of your weight (in my case, 26 pounds) then you go to the next step. I did not lost the 10 % and, in fact, only lost about 3 pounds in 6 months (so depressing) so I was referred back to the Dr. for another consultation. After being approved by him, it's on to a gall bladder scan and a fitness test. With Kaiser, you have to wait 3 months for a gall bladder scan (very frustrating). The exercise fitness test consisted of walking three times around a rather small building. This was the easy part for me because I go to the gym several times a week, love to exercise but for whatever reason, my exercise did not lead to weight lost, only maintenence of 250 pounds. After the fitness test and gall bladder scan, you are assinged a series of three appointments. One is for the shrink, who spends about 20 minutes making sure you are sane, then the nutritionist who gives you the same information you have gotten in the class and finally, a consult with the surgeon where you decide which of the three surgeries you are going to have. lap band; RnY, or Sleeve. For medical reasons, my surgeion pushed the sleeve. I was happy with that choice because I don't want to be fooling around with lap band adjustments and also, at 55 years old, I feel I needed a permanent fix. Then FINALLY, you get a surgery date. This whole process, including the 6 month class took a year. It was a long long year. Very frustrating because I could not lost that 10% and that slowed me down by a month or two. I had to get through Thanksgiving and Xms without gaining weight because in the pre op appt and in bold black letter in the pre-op instructions, it is stated "If you gain weight prior to the surgery, your surgery will be cancellled." That is a sobering thought after waiting for a year. Needless to say, I pigged out at Thanksgiving and gained about 5 pounds which was hard to get off by Xmas. My surgery was scheduled for Dec 29, so I really watched myself at Xmas and managed to check in on the 28th at the exact weight of 255.1, a whole 9/10ths of a pound lower than the last appointment. Whew! So on the 29th of Dec, I checked into Scripps Mercy Hospital in downtown San Diego (this is who Kaiser is contracted with for bariatric surgery) and waited to go under the knife. My surgery was delayed by about 3 hours but they gave me a bunch of Morphine and Versed so i didn't care. Finally, they wheeled me in and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in recovery, feeling so weird but actually, not in a lot of pain. My biggist problem was the after effects of the anathesia and, of course, the bloating from the CO2 they pump into you to do a laproscopic surgery. I was up walking within about 5 hours. Conditions at this hospital were amazing. The staff was the best I have ever had and all they cared about was my comfort. Their goals were to control nausea and pain. I didn't have nausea and the pain control was a morphine pump which I used liberally. I also got liquid Ativan to help my bad back so all in all I was pretty damn high at the hospital. I got out Sat. morning and things have been pretty smooth sailing since. I'm still obsessed with food and can't wait to get a little something on Monday (12 days after surgery after bargainaing my doctor down from 14 days) I'm so happy to have found this site to help with my recovery and to answer all my questions. My surgeon was Dr. Janos Taller who is with Pacific Bariatric Surgery. I personallly thought he was excellent. Thanks for reading and good luck to all contemplating this surgery. If you have Kaiser in San Diego, now you know the protocol. Smillzee

Thanks to every one of you who read my story and replied. It really makes me feel great and supported. I'm now almost 3 weeks post op and down to 240. I'm happy to be losing weight but what they say in the Kaiser classes is so true. It is just a tool I could easily slip into the "slider food"...yogurt, cottage cheese, anything mushy and I really have to watch myself. I guess weight is just my life long struggle because, really, I seem to tolerate any kind of food post op and have to watch the carbs. Thanks people and good luck to all who are getting the sleeve. Smillzee

That's awful....but I bet it will resolve itself. I had the sleeve on 12/29 and have only tried to eat some tofu bread which has 12 grams of Protein per very small slice! It was delicious and I had no problems. In fact, so far, no probs with anything but am trying to avoid carbs as everyone suggests. It's hard. Good luck and just think of the weight that you will lost skipping the bread!

Hello friends, I am 2 weeks post-op with the sleeve and overall, think I'm doing fairly well in my recovery. I am on soft mushy food and a little bit of fish, ground beef, soups, cottage cheese, string cheese, Keebler crackers and things like that. My problem is that I get sort of a cotton mouth experience, especially after drinking a protein drink. It is very unpleasant. I always have a bottle of water by my side and take constant sips but it is not resolving the problem. Are there any sort of lozenges we can suck on or some kind of way to not have an awful taste in your mouth? Has anyone else had this experience? Any insight or suggestions is, of course, greatly appreciated. I'm not sure how to fix my ticker but I'm down a total of 14 pounds from 256 to 242. It's exciting to be losing some weight. Smillzee

Kara I can totally relate to your struggle. I could not lose any weight pre-op no matter what I did. I would follow a strict low carb diet, exercise like crazy at the gym (for me anyway, I would do at least 30 minutes treadmill and 40 minutes swim at least 3 sometimes more times a week). It was so frustrating so don't lose heart. My insurance had a supposed 10% weight loss requirement and a 6 month class before getting anywhere near approval for surgery. I started the program last January at 256 pounds and the day I went into surgery on Dec 29, I weight 255.1 pounds. I didn't even lose a whole pound after a year of struggle. But they gave me the surgery anyway because I did not gain any weight. So at least, hopfefully, if you can maintain whatever you were when you started with your doctors, you should be able to get the surgery. They waived the 10% requirement for me and made me jump through about 2 extra hoops but I still got my surgery. Now, I'm 2 weeks post op and down 13 pounds. That is the most I've lost at one time in years. Hang in there. You are doing your best and that is all you can do. Smillzee

Hi Tara,, Wow, I think you are totally ready for this. I got sleeved on Dec 29 and it has been the easiest surgery and recovery I've ever had from any medical procedure. I just started eating solid food again and it's great. So far, no problems so I hope it goes the same for you. I'm not sure if the Rou En Y is better or not but I suspect that the sleeve will be just fine for what you want. It really restricts food without rewiring your whole anatomy. I think it just depends on the person but I'm very happy with the sleeve. Although I'm only 2 weeks post op, I've lost 12 pounds. Good luck with everything. Your journey is finally coming to an end and the WLS will soon be in your rearview mirror and you will be losing weight without so much struggle. Best, Smillzee

Hi folks, This is Smillzee. I'm having a really tough time not obsessing about food. I had my surgery on Dec 29 and have been on total clear liquid diet since Dec 28. Here is the thing I"m worried about: I have been reading here how most people can't tolerate food after surgery. How it turns them off and how it is so difficult for some to even get down a glass of water. This has not been my experience at all and I"m worried I"m going to be a total failure. First, yesterday, I ate some mushed up split pea soup and I had about a third of a cup. It was so good I felt I could have eaten the whole can. Then, today, in total frustration, I ate (until they were mushy of course) 4 Ritz crackers. They were so damn good! Food does not turn me off at all. I have no problem drinking the 90 ounces of water a day, the protein shakes, whatever I can get my hands on. On Monday, when I'm technically able to have real food, I am going to limit myself to 600 calories but I'm so worried that I'm going to blow this by snacking or by just not feeling full like everyone else. This was my problem before the surgery and I'm not convinced it is gone. When I ate the 4 Ritz crackers, I felt fine and simply wanted 4 more. What the hell is wrong with me? How come I never feel full? What can I do to deal with the introduction of real food come Monday? I know that going back to work will help a lot with the idle time but still, I don't want to snack my self and never even lost the original weight that everyone else does. I have done extensive research on the surgery and realize that the part of my stomach that secrets hunger signals has been removed so maybe my feelings of hunger are all in my mind but that doesn't make them any less intense. Any advice or suggestions? S

I'm so sorry you are going through this. Hang in there.

Wow, fantastic. You are very inspiring. Congratulations and thanks for sharing your journey with us.

Wow, fantastic. Congratulations. You are doing great and this is very inspiring to me who is only 10 days post op.

Good Luck!

You need to tell her soon so she can process the idea. I would emphasize the health aspects and the laprascopic aspects to reduce as much anxiety as possible. Tell her that you have thought long and hard about doing the surgery and that you have weighed all the pros and cons and that this will add years to your life. You can tell her about the health problems from obesity, blood pressure, diabetes, etc etc. Tell her the surgery will add years to your life. Also explain as fully as possilbe the procedure, tell her that it is safe and that laprascopic surgery doesn't involve cutting you open like other surgeries. Good Luck!

Sounds like excellent advice. I guess I just have to settle down and really understand my new body. When Monday comes, I'm sticking to the mushy stuff and the Doc says I can have real chewy type food after about a month. I get the slider aspect and I suspect that is what leads to weight gain, right? I mean milkshakes, pudding, etc...those calories can really add up fast. Thanks again for the calming words and the warning. S

Hello, I'm total newbie. I love looking at all your weighloss ruler things showing how much you have lost and how much you have left. Can someone give me a simple "how to" so I can do it too? I had my sleeve surgery Dec 29 so I'm one week out. Thank you in advance. This looks like a great group. Smillzee

Oh my gosh, Jen, that is a heartbreaking story. Shame on those insurance companies! I wish you the best of luck. You are making the right decision. Your health and the years you add on to your life by eliminating the obesity is well worth any amount, right? I am one week post op sleeve surgery so I can't rave yet about the success but I am down 9 pounds so am hopeful. Good Luck!

AutumnLily, Thank you so much!

Tiffykins, This was a concise and excellent step by step process that worked perfectly for me. Thanks for sharing it. I now have a ticker and am so happy that I can track my weight loss and have this visual ticker. You are really good at giving directions! It turned up fine when I posted "my story" but not sure if it is appearing on these other posts. Hey, I'm fine with it all...Thanks again. Smillzee

Sunchik, Wow, that sounds like such a distressing experience! But just think, you don't have to deal with "dumping syndrome"! BTW, I had my surgery the same exact day, Dec 29th and I also got the sleeve. However, it was not a surprise. What is surprising to me is how painless it was. I hope you end up feeling good about the sleeve and I think it does sound like a twist of fate/destiny for you. Smillzee