jeffrey

I was sleeved on 4/18. Two weeks later, I am doing great. My high blood pressure seems to have just about resolved itself--haven't taken the meds in 48 hours and it is normal. Strangely, though, my blood sugar is all over the place. Sometimes fasting in the morning it's almost 120 then later in the day it might be 150 or might be in the 90s. Prior to surgery I took 2,000 mg. of long acting metformin a day and the numbers were slightly lower. I can't take the long acting (since it can't be crushed) this soon after surgery. I have been strict about the full liquids, and mostly drink high quality Protein shakes, take Vitamins, unsweetened greek yogurt, occasional cream of wheat or pureed Soup with plenty of Fiber and again, not high carb, and very few simple carbs. So, how can I have a higher blood sugar reading if I am eating little which should give a blood sugar reaction? I thought low carb/high protein would give my body nothing to react to. The blood pressure meds can cause issues with blood sugar, but I would hope with it out of my system for 48 hours I would have a more normalized blood sugar. Any medical types out there who can explain it? Someone said the fasting levels being too high in the morning had something to do with the body producing energy for the wakeup hours. I don't want to be on meds any more, and am just so confused given what I am actually eating. Thanks.

I don't think my sleeve is small or picky either one. I targeted losing about 100 lbs. so, we are close to the same. I have not been vigilant about exercise and when I am better, the weight falls off more quickly. Guess I am just grateful that it helps so much if I am tempted to eat too much at once. Its a huge help. It is too easy to eat chips and snacky food, and of course things like ice cream are too dangerous to try. But, overall, while I may not lose as fast as some, or as much, I am so much happier and healthier now, and do believe I will continue to lose. Thanks for your encouragement.

Congratulations! Had mine 4/18 too. I am jealous of your weight loss--I am down about 45 lbs. including a week of presurgery dieting. I am learning to pay better attention to signals that I have had enough, and now know some foods just don't make me feel as full as other, but it is such a blessing during moments of weakness. I too am into an easy 16 pants and size XL tops--still do a double take at the mirror. Exercise is so much easier, and "onederland" is just over a 7lb. hill--in sight! Could not have envisioned all of this 3 months ago.

Really check out their experience. The surgical techniques -- laparoscopic surgery in general, gastric bypass, and sleeve are critical. The cutting and stapling for the VSG are similar to the first stages of gastric bypass, particularly Roux en Y. Experience with lap-band is different. So, get someone who has done hopefully a couple of hundred VSGs and many, many more bypasses. Ask about leaks and other bad outcomes and make sure you get a report of any statistics on mortality and serious problems post surgery. How long will you stay in the hospital? I stayed one night but probably should have taken Dr. J up on his offer to stay a second. Make sure you are covered for problems for at least 90 days post surgery and followup visits. Good luck!

So glad you are taking this so seriously and looking after your health. Being your own informed advocate is so important. I decided against going to Mexico for some of the same reasons, and because I learned about how there are differences in their hospital system should a true emergency arise than U.S. hospitals. I am sure if there are no problems there are many skilled and sensitive surgeons there, but those uncertainties plus being that far from my surgeon the first week or so made me nervous. Plus, if you have problems develop which need a good experienced bariatric surgeon to fix, many U.S. doctors, understandably, will not jump in to take care of you. Dr. Mohammad Jawad of Ocala/Orlando is my surgeon, and I can't say enough good about him and the hospital (Ocala Regional Medical Center) and his staff. They were extremely careful. He has done thousands of laparoscopic and bariatric surgeries, including over 200 sleeves, and has only one mortality over those thousands. I would trust him to help decide it all. And, I believe a self pay is around $12-13K, hospital included, plus whatever clearances are not covered by insurance. Not sure how long I would stay in the area before going home, but a few days to a week might be a good idea. There are hotels, and suites hotels, which have great hospital rates. I believe Homestead Suites in Ocala has an under $100 a night hospital rate, and it's across the street from one and around 3 miles from ORMC). Have the post-op doc visit and get the staples out while there would be super careful and conservative. Good luck.

OK--8 weeks out, dropping from 22/24 jeans to everything fitting well in a 16!!!!. Not limited to the plus size dept! Lost enough tummy size that my boobs enter the room before my stomach does! So, so, so, happy to have done this and just want to hug Dr. Jawad every day! BMI down from 40 to 33 as of today--two categories of fat down, two to go. Thanks for letting me brag a bit. Have had several week + long stalls, but just waited them out. 40 lbs. since starting the preop clearances, a little over 30 since surgery 8 weeks ago. Why didn't I do this sooner?

Wow wow wow!!! Congratulations!!! I have dropped from a 22 to a 16 pants in 8 weeks! Almost 40 lbs., and walking miles at a time. Isn't this just the most amazing life saver? So happy for you!

My NUT has allowed soft scrambled eggs and pureed soups during the full liquid phase. I was sleeved 4/18. Next week, I move to "mushies". The week after I have a multi-day business trip which will involve restaurants and a fundraiser. Ideas on how to handle the transition and the trip?

Dr. Mohammad Jawad of Ocala and Orlando, FL. I was self pay. He is a marvelous surgeon. I encourage anyone to come here for the surgery. He has done around 200 sleeves, and is a pioneer in bariatric surgery and laproscopic surgery in general. 6000 bariatric operations and only 1 fatality! Amazing record, a Center for Excellence, and rates #1 in FL for safety. It is important to pick a surgeon with the appropriate experience. He has done so many laprascopic by-pass operations, and, unlike banding, the sleeve relies on the same technique as bypass--making the staples laprosopically. So, that experience counts, banding not so much since it doesn't require stapling. This is an important decision. Even though I was self-pay, I decided I wanted to have my surgery in the U.S. with a very well recognized surgeon in a highly rated hospital. Dr Jawad and his system is all that and then some. I have hard that if you have surgery in Mexico and have serious complications when you get back that it can be really difficult to get a suitable bariatric surgeon to touch you. Give the aftercare and possibility of complications a lot of serious thoughts. Ask questions.

I paid around $13,000 with Dr. Jawad in Ocala and Orlando. The presurgery blood work etc was an extra, but my insurance paid that. The quote you were given is the full freight paid by insurance companies. Get in touch with Dr. Jawad's office. If you need more local time after the typical one or two day hospital stay, there are good local hotels which offer hospital rates for nice comfortable suites. (Like Residence Inn, Homestead Suites) within just a few minutes of the hospital in Ocala. I was sleeved 4/18/11 and am self pay. Very happy that I choose Dr. Jawad. Good luck. It is money well spent!

This isn't like before where cheating is some sort of power struggle within yourself and the consequences were a pound not lost. I encourage you to get into some sort of talk therapy to help deal with the food issues. But for now, STOP eating food which threaten your sleeve and could lead to serious consequences. If you had cancer, would you avoid the meds and ignore the doctor? This is really serious and important that you not screw around with your sleeve healing. For around a month, you should not be on more than full liquids. Period. I know each doctor has a little different program, but mine has emphasized that for the first month or six weeks, your job is to take care of your new stomach. That means following the plan and not stressing this new organ--let it heal!!! The tissue needs to have a chance to grow back together and heal before you stress it at all. Good luck regaining your focus. You have a new normal. A bit of cheese and crackers is fine when the time is right. Ask yourself why you are willing to risk so much for a few bites of something which will still be available when your body is ready for it.

Sounds normal. When you start vitamins get plenty of sublingual B-12 for energy. try Jay Robb protein powder. So high quality and tasty and not so thick. Just concentrate on hydration for now, then add protein and build up over a few day period. Good luck!

I am so confused. I was sleeved on April 18 and am on full liquids for the first four weeks. No thought of tuna, chicken, green beans for a while. Pureed soups in restaurants is it for now. "Mushies" start after a month. Was supposed to wait for stomach to heal before stressing it with "real" food unless it is totally pureed, like baby food. Thoughts?

Thanks for your honest and thoughtful post. I am 19 days out and it's great to hear such a success story. I too have not told many people and am glad. Kind of a private person. And I swore my husband and daughter to secrecy from my MIL--judgmental , gossipy bitch that she is-that she is to never know. I too tell the truth--have reduced food intake, lots of protein and low carbs, exercise. I just keep some of the truth to myself. Hope you get where you want to be with this. I am optimistic and wish you and everyone else the best of luck.

Also, you are not getting enough calories! Vary them, up and down so your body doesn't think it is being permanently starved. And, exercise Do what you can--even a little walk a few times a day,moving around the house or office--whatever works for you.

Meg, I was sleeved on the same day. I am a middle aged woman with a 40 BMI before surgery. My BMI is now 36. I have no trouble swallowing as long as I sip. You have to sip constantly and resolve to do so even if it's a bother. Locate Protein powder that you like--I use Jay Robb. High quality in every way, tastes great, mixes so easily with anything. Sweetened naturally with Stevia, though does not taste of Stevia. They sell it on line, Vitamin Shoppe, and I think GNC. I haven't tried to eat anything yet, and it sounds like you have. I am on full liquids for another week or so. I have sipped baby food pureed fruits, greek yogurt (no chunks of fruit), very pureed Soups (strain if in doubt), sugar free puddings and Jello, soupy cream of wheat, and one very soft scrambled egg. Maybe you are moving too quickly towards more normal food. It is best to let your stomach have a solid month of healing with nothing but liquid, then slowly move into mushy food. If you try something and it doesn't agree, step back and try again in a bit. When you first start food chew, chew, chew until it is liquified before you swallow. You have a major organ healing from being divided and stitched together--don't stress it! Though I have lost weight, it has jumped up and down by as much as a few lbs in a day. I think it's fluid--getting a little more sodium on soup heavy days, less on smoothie days. And, you need to flood your system with Water to wash away the fat burning up. I have continued to enjoy my coffee each morning, though a smaller cup. I know some doctors say no caffeine, but mine didn't. Go to a coffee shop or Whole Foods or something and buy some low acid coffee. Sumatra often is. See if that helps. I also drink tea which has the caffeine--green tea is really healthy and has some natural, gentle caffeine. Are you taking your chewable Vitamins? sublingual vitamin B-12 (the methylcobaimin version is best), Vitamin D and hopefully liquid fish oil (Barlean's is amazing and can be squeezed into a protein smoothie--awesome flavors and does not taste at all of fish). All of these can have a big impact on your energy level, particularly vitamin B-12. ( You may even need shots--easy to get from a natural medicine or complementary medicine doctor. I get little tiny prefilled ones with the tiniest little needle to shoot in my butt once a week--easy.) I open a whole food enzyme capsule and a probiotic capsule into a morning smoothie and it is stabilizing my digestive system. All of this adds up to some $$$, but I am not buying much food. I think overall I spend less, though different. Hope this helps. Let me know how you are doing, ok? I am pretty happy with it, but think I went in expecting at least a month or two to be like being on Optifast or something--the real food would come later. I truly believe that my relationship with food will be more subdued in the future--I think I will continue to enjoy food, but not be so fixated. Hope that happens for you as well.

I was sleeved 4/18/11 by Dr. Jawad in Ocala, FL. Not sure exactly what I have lost since each scale weighs different, but including pre-op diet, around 25-30 lbs. , maybe 20 of it since surgery. When I read what you are doing, first of all, make sure you gets tons of Water. Sounds like you are good on Protein but is it high quality and low carb? I love Jay Robb--too many of the shakes are full of chemicals and artificial ingredients and simply unnecessary carbs. Jay Robb is really tasty and mixed easily with anything and comes in lots of flavors. Sweetened with Stevia, a natural no calorie sweetener, but does not have the aftertaste of some Stevia sweetened products. Plenty of availability--on line, Vitamin Shoppe etc. And, you may be like me--I have always succeeded best at weight loss by varying calories, protein/carb content, and exercise intensity. Read up on interval training (going hard for a few minutes then backing down, over and over). I have added some full fat dairy because it is actually beneficial to blood sugar and weight loss to a point. Greek yogurt is usually packed with protein, and mixes well with the Protein shake powder I use. Don't get discouraged. Throw yourself into it, get off the couch, and record what you are eating and doing to keep moving. I am humbled by your great success to date, and know you will experiment with some of these suggestions you will find the combination which tricks your body into letting go of this comfortable plateau and finding a new, healthier one.

Not so. Dr. Jawad of Ocala and Orlando is and has been a Center of Excellence, and at the time I was sleeved (4/18/11) he was ranked #1 in the state. Very pleased with him, his staff, system, everything. Highly recommend.

Thanks so much. I guess I just don't understand the mechanism. It seems so illogical to get higher readings when I am eating so few carbs, and virtually no simple carbs. I tapered off for a few days before surgery from 2,000 mg. of Glumetza (long acting metformin). The morning numbers at first were between 100-120. Confusing, but not scaring me. This morning it was 156. Not even 1000 calories, fresh vegetable juice and Protein shakes (very low carb) and Water the day before. It's the highest reading I have ever had, fasting or not. Guess the liver thing is something to start googling and understanding. Am grinding up my Glumetza and back on it since last night--so high reading this morning is even more baffling. I am happy to be patient--just don't get it and worry about organ damage with these numbers. It's never been this high, even times when I was reckless with my eating and had way, way, way too many simple carbs. Hope in a matter of weeks it will work out. I was sleeved on 4/18 btw. The blood pressure was a big surprise. Crazy and too high before and right after surgery until the two week mark. Then, suddenly, with absolutely no medication for 5 days it is absolutely normal. Actually good for the first time in a while. I did read that it could mess with blood sugar, but since it's been out of my system my blood sugar is actually worse. And very, very erratic. Low of 85 to high of 156, though almost always over 100. Can't find the key to what is associated with high and low numbers. Thanks for the advice. I will try some cottage cheese at bed time. If anything else comes to mind I appreciate hearing from you. I am, btw, a middle aged woman in spite of the dude sounding screen name.

Well, this is depressing. I am just two weeks out, and was feeling foggy and old and like my i.q. had dropped over the past few years. And, I do have adult ADD, but the meds make me so jumpy. Damn. Would like to hear more about this.

So how are you doing? I am two weeks post sleeve and am fine, except my blood sugar is whacky and I can't tell why. If you haven't done so far, go get some sub-lingual B-12, preferably the methylcobalamin form. Melting under the tongue keeps your digestive system from limiting absorbability. crucial for some people. Get Vitamin D-3--it comes in some liquid cal-magnesium-D3 supplements, or, get a good quality gel cap and make sure to take 1,000-2000 mg./day. Sam-e is great--works on dopamine(pleasure) receptors. Kind of works along the same lines as the antidepressant Wellbutrin(which helps some people drop weight unlike some of the serotonin ones). Also, there are some supplements/minerals which can help your metabolism. Chromium picolinate, selenium, magnesium etc. Use your tools on line and read up on credible medical sites (check out Mayo Clinic, etc.) to put together a personal supplement program. One multi per day is so minimal it just may not be enough. Drink lots and lots of Water, and I would absolutely work at exercise. Your overall weight loss, though it seems a disappointment to you, would be a dream to me. Be patient, try to stay focused, and not too much pressure on so much so soon. Maybe you imagined returning at a certain weight and are disappointed to have so much of it ahead of you rather than already behind you, but, please keep your yourself focused on just how much you have accomplished! I'm sure it will continue. Good luck and let us all know how you are doing.

"if", "just"--this is the kind of guilt trip laid on people with eating problems. if it were that easy and straightforward and successful I would have skipped the surgery. Got the staples out yesterday and am now 10 days out and feel amazing! This has changed my life and i can't wait to experience what is ahead! I do include exercise and concentrating on food choices. This just gives my willpower a little assist.

Well, sometimes it is such a mystery. I think the constant, 24/7 vigilance, having to swim against the tide of fast food, food as the center of social gatherings, food being so easy to obtain in such ridiculous quantities so easily and cheaply, well, it is exhausting. I did lost some pre-op, but knew even in moments if slight weakness how hard it would be to maintain. I had the surgery 4/18. I will not kid you--I had a rough few days, but once off the nausea meds and hydrocodone, I felt so much more myself. Have the advantage of a really wonderful support system. But, by Saturday I went out with my husband for lunch! Sipped my broth and thoroughly enjoyed the time. Now, I go back to get the staples out in the morning. I feel so, so good, and can really see how I will work back into a normal life, just eating small portions more thoughtfully. And no almost constant gnawing hunger! I enjoy the taste of what I am taking in now, but told my husband on the first trip to the very nice grocery store near by with all of my favorite takeout--"I think I see a more subdued relationship with food in my future". Hang in there. I will be back with updates when I have wireless more regularly than I have this past week.