nydiva

I did that too...lol. It's not funny though.

I was doing great but tomorrow is the last day of a nursing class I'm taking and everyone decided we should a pot luck party for our last class. I said I'd bring paper goods but our coordinator said she assigned that to someone else cause she rather taste my cooking than the other persons...lol. I said " ok ill make my favorite rice dish" big mistake! I knew I couldn't resist that rice, shame on me. Now the other test will be the actual pot luck party itself...I will not cheat!

It's official I have been approved by my insurance to have my sleeve done on July 31. And it's a good thing they said yes quickly cause im on day 6 of pre op diet and didn't want to be doing it in vain.

Today I discovered blue diamond almond milk to make my shakes with. It is yummy! I bought the the unsweetened kind, it's only 30 calories for 8 oz cup. The sweetened is 80 calories. I love it!

Why do you have to be on liquids til September 9th? That seem like an awful long time, you are sure to lose weight like that. Are you incorporating physical activity, that should maximize weight loss.

The liquid diet is definitely doable, you can do this. Make sure to load up on water throughout the day.

I'll also be sleeved on July 31, and im on day 5 of pre op diet. I'm allowed 2 protein shakes and one meal of 1oz chicken, 1/2 cup green beans and 1/2 mashed potatoes, plus a lot of fluids. I haven't been hungry but the head hunger is what's most annoying. No physical hunger but I can't help let the thoughts of the food I have in my kitchen into my head or the urge to go eat something just because. The hardest part is still having to cook for the husband and kids...I so want to give everything a taste test. I guess that's what people on this site call "food mourning"...lol. Good luck and good health to all.

@ nsweety123, hang in there girl. Concentrate on you and your health those are the most important things for your weight loss journey. Have faith that he will come around and support your decision and if all else fails think of what a hottie you'll look like and all the romantic possibilities that'll come your way

Today is the first day of my pre-op diet. I'm not sure if I'm loving it or hating it, mainly because I am sick as a dog with severe allergies. I don't feel physically hungry but the mental hunger keeps rearing its ugly head. I do have a headache and can't tell if its from the drastic reduction in calories or a symptom of allergies. Also, I noticed not everyone is prescribed the same pre-op diet. Mine's consists of 2 protein shakes, 1 meal of 1oz chicken, 1/2 cup green beans and 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes and lots of h2o and low cal. fluids for 2weeks.

Well I'm on the 3rd day and I'm happy to report I'm doing ok on the pre op diet. The allergies have subsided, but the head hunger keeps grabbing my attention. I'm determined to keep my will power intact til surgery...July 31st.

I'm on day three of my pre-op diet and I'm ok. Drinking a lot of water or drinks like crystal light really help to keep the hunger pangs away. But the urge to get up and go eat something and/or the thoughts of the food in my fridge keep grabbing my attention. Head hunger is a b***h and from what I hear it doesn't go away after getting sleeved.

It's not too bad. I actually weaned myself into the pre-op diet my reducing my calories, eating healthier, and drinking more water a week before starting pre-op. Also i started chewing slower, and putting down the fork after every bite, I felt fuller by doing that. I have a trick, when I make my shakes I use half the milk required and I fill the blender with a ton of ice. It make almost 4 cups. I drink half and then a little later I drink the rest, it keeps me full.

My husband has been pretty supportive but I think that comes from not realizing the extent of the whole process. So the other day I showed him a YouTube video of the actual surgery and I think I shocked him because he said "wow, this is serious. That means I'm going to have to help you by taking care of you and picking the slack around the house." My eyes popped open because he never does any kind of house work, but in his defense he works 50 hours a week so it's not too expected that he does housework other then throw out the trash. He did say in the beginning why don't you just try dieting one more time and really sticking with it this time, and I gave him the evil eye and said let me do my research on the whole idea and he zipped it! During my research I always keep him informed of anything interesting I read and discussed all of what has taken place during pre-op appointments, and he appreciates that. Also, I've showed him before and after pictures of folks who have gotten sleeved and it just amazes him sometimes, so it kinda makes him excited that ill look and feel better. The only problem I have is that my brother in law keeps telling how ill have all this loose skin and how nasty I'll look. Which I had to tell my brother in law OFF about that, how dare he! But no worries my hubby said if he has to work another 50 hours just to pay for my plastic surgery he will.

Don't cheat! Your risk of post-op complication may go up. Pre-op diet helps shrink your liver which helps keep it out of the way during the procedure. I start mine tomorrow, but I've been weaning myself into for the past two weeks. I know it may be hard, believe me by the evening I want to eat the whole left side of my fridge but starting tomorrow I know post-op complications are at stake. Lots of luck.

I haven't been to a gym in years-7 to be exact. Today I joined I the hopes to maximize my pre-op weight loss. I know I won't be able to workout for several weeks post-op so I got a membership that would allow me to freeze it for a while. I'm so excited about getting sleeved, I hope my insurance approves it for July 31st.

Hi Ljones1, I may be sleeved on the 31th of July(waiting on insurance approval )...meanwhile I joined a gym today and plan to make healthier eating choices until the 15th- that's when I start my 800 calorie pre-op diet. 10 to 15lbs is what the surgeon expects me to lose on the pre-op diet but I'd like to lose 20 or more by the 31st. So count me in, im up for the challenge. I wish you all the best. ~Carmen

My surgeon put me in for July 31st but....it's pending approval from the insurance company. Meanwhile I start my 800 calorie pre-op diet on the 15th to shrink my liver. I figure I'll start to wean myself into the pre-op diet because I heard some people go through the ringer with headaches and the whole reduction of calories. I've done a lot of research, and vst.com has helped me a lot, and surprisingly I'm very calm.

I'm done with all pre-op appointments. I meet with my surgeon on the 6/24 to go over everything so far and hopefully everything is in order and he will seek to get my insurance approval. Meanwhile I'm researching and reading as much as possible on the vertical sleeve surgery itself. Are there any questions I should ask the surgeon about the surgery?

Hi There, my endoscopy was quick and easy. It was done before I even knew it was over and painless too. My psych eval. was also quick and easy. I met with the psychiatrist once and she asked basic questions like about my eating patterns/habits and a few other simple questions. I also did the sleep study and that went well too. I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, my insurance supplied me with a c-pap machine which honestly I only use on and off and lately its been more off then on...lol I'm terrible, I know. But that thing can be very uncomfortable to sleep with, not to mention...not sexy at all if you know what I mean, lol. I've also done the ultrasound, chest xray, exercise stress test, pulmonology test, and in few weeks I see the nutritionist. So pretty much I've almost completed all my pre-op appointments. Although, you mentioned the upper GI exam, and I'm wondering if that's on the check list my surgeon gave me. I'll have to check. So the deal with me is that, for past 3 years my pcp has been after me to get this surgery done. In that time I have been seriously procrastinating on the whole thing. I have been however researching which bariatric surgery I want to get done and carefully examining the pro's and con's with each. Add to that, that I'm a nursing student who graduates in a few weeks, who was always afraid that the healing process and getting accustom to my new stomach would get in the way of school. But the wait is over! This summer I'm getting it done. I'm not scared so much as I am worried about the entire process. I know the outcome will lead to a healthier, happier me, and I'm not going to wait anymore. I wish you all best Christina0613 in your VST journey, graduation, and the new semester. I'll be taking classes in the fall myself, so like you I definitely want to have the surgery done asap. ~Carmen

Hi All, For the past 2 years my primary doc has being telling about going for the lapband. And I have been scared. I saw her Jan 11 and she told me I was borderline diabetic and then I really got scared. Since then I have been off the sweets and taking in very little carbs. I've lost 10lbs. in one month. Meanwhile, I have been doing alot of reseach on bariatric surgery. That's what led me to VST.com. Taking my primary's advise, I had a consult with a bariatric surgeon on Jan. 30 whom performs gastric bypass, lapband and vertical sleeve. I'm 38 years old and I have been struggling with my weight all of my adult life. I want to stop struggling and start living, for or myself, for my kids, and for my husband. I know I need to do something to get healthy, and I rather do it on my own than have the surgery. I am so scared of the complications that may arise and the long terms effects of bariatric surgery. If I had to choose I would go with the vertical sleeve. I feel like I don't have the will to do it on my know, especially at this time of my life when I have stress coming at me from all directions and all I want to do is eat a big fat piece of juicy cake. Let's just put it this way, I'm a mom of an 18 year old and a 4 year old. I'm a wife, a fulltime nursing student and I work part time. Phew! So ok, until I decide what I'm going to do I'll be going through the motions of seeing the nutritionist, getting a psych evaluation and all the other tests necessary for getting bariatric surgery done. Tomorrow I go for the sleep test. And if i do decide to have any surgery done hopefully my approval will be for this summer 2012. Please advise me if you can, I would greatly appreciate any and all your feedback. Best Regards, Nydiva

Wow thanks for putting it in prospective for me. Your story has inspired me.