docbree

I am praying for a quick recovery!

"Sorry that this post is so long, but sometimes it takes me a few paragraphs to explain what I am thinking."
Worth reading every word.

I have been following this forum since last August or September when my primary physician referred me to the Bariatric Clinic at Loyola University Medical Center. I was a scared to death newbie, but more afraid of dying like my mother did (abdominal aortic anuerysm at an age not much older than I am now) than I was of getting the sleeve.
Sure, my questions were the typical newbie questions, and my fears were the typical newbie fears, but the only place I could really find comfort was with the people here who had gone before me down the weight loss surgery path.
Of the thousands of posts I have read, very very very few had any kind of mean or judgemental tone about them. Even when I was having a crying jag day and felt that someone had hurt my little feelings, I could see that most of the time they were right even if I had to look past how they were saying it.
We have to consider that everyone here comes from a different place of family upbringing, childhood drama, marriage, divorce, babies, tragedies and triumphs. Someone posted something early on to the fact that her marriage was in turmoil and she was not being treated well. I responded back with this question: Instead of thinking "I love him, so why would he treat me this way?"....start thinking "Why would I love someone who treats me this way?"
I was coming from a place of domestic violence and escaping from a diagnosed psycho-sociopath who kept five loaded weapons in the house, and had escalated his anger from verbal abuse to physical violence. Someone responded back that people are so mean on this forum, and why would I (Miss Mac) want to break up someone's marriage?
Well, no doubt that person came from a place where marriage is forever, no matter how miserable, and a couple just needs to work out their problems and stay together. I am only bringing up this example to show that both of us meant well, but we sorely disagreed with each other.
So, I believe what others are saying. When you put a post out there, it is only reasonable to expect very different and polarized responses. You can't take this stuff personally. Get what you can out of each comment and move on.
Weight loss surgery can leave you anxious, scared, and emotionally vulnerable. Sometimes you just get tired of being strong. So...keep coming back to the forum, keep posting your questions, and hang around for a while so that you can be supportive for the newbies coming behind you.
In 2006, Hillary Clinton released her book It Takes a Village to Raise a Child. That concept is so appropriate for the weight loss community. We need each other to get each other through this so that any one of us can come back with the next success story to lift someone else up out of a slump.
Sorry that this post is so long, but sometimes it takes me a few paragraphs to explain what I am thinking.

I agree with you 100%. That is what I am trying to say. I have been told that I offend those sometimes who tell it like it is. Well I will not apologize for that. It will happen and I have had it happen to me. But like you said and I agree, we need to help each other not berate each other to make this forum successful.
I remember being so frightened and this site saved my bacon a few more times then I can count. Those people who were on here and experienced, been through it and knew the pain, mentally, emotionally and physically were there for me. Most of them are gone now!!!!!!!!!! So I try to emulate how they treated me. I can name them but it would fill a thread. I still wish they were here because they could encourage these new ones and those with problems and those like me who struggle every day to keep it together because of my complications and past life.
I have never seen you take shots at anyone and I respect your journey. I will try to stay as long as I can help others. when I become useless. I will go as well. Until then...I will fight to help in a kind manner. ( the best way I know how )
Thank you for your compliment by the way....I think you rock it too!!!!!

I have been thinking about this for quite a while and now it is bugging me enough to write it down here, and see if anyone else had a similar experience.
I was sleeved/revised by Dr. Lopez in Tijuana on May 23, 2014. I felt very comfortable with my decision- I thoroughly researched all the doctors and have friends who have used Dr. Lopez in previous years. Also, to preface my account, I was sleeved by Dr. Aceves in Mexicali in '07 and that was an AWESOME experience!! Best hospital experience I have ever had and I have had a lot!
So, back to it...Everything seemed to be going well until I woke up in my windowless little closet of a room after the surgery sicker than hell. Horrible reaction to the anesthesia which isn't new for me. The part that bothered me was that every time I tried to get anti-nausea drugs or ice chips from the staff, they treated me like I was putting them out. As a matter of fact, none of the staff was very friendly or helpful. I was never encouraged to walk or sip my Water. I found my breath exerciser thing buried under a towel on a chair still wrapped in plastic when I was discharged, with no instruction on using it.
OK- here's the part that REALLY bothered me: When Dr. Lopez and another doctor came in to see me the day after surgery, Dr. Lopez started off by saying I had a great revision and they removed my lap-band and by-the-way I fixed your hiatal hernia. Well, that shocked me because I had my lap-band removed in 2009. Turns out that almost everyone I spoke with in those 5 days had a hiatal hernia repaired that they were not aware was a problem previous to surgery.
Maybe hiatal hernias are very common. Maybe it was a slip of the tongue regarding 'removing' my lap-band. In any case, it's still gnawing at me and I am curious if anyone else felt uncomfortable in Mi Doctor Hospital and/or with the staff of Dr. Lopez.

Sorry you had such a difficult time. You also look nowhere near old enough to have a grown man for a son! Some people are so stupid!

Luckily I got some good nurses the next day. They were attentive and very supportive.

How dare you post a topic of being confident, cool and relaxed And obviously there's more than enough of us to worry and fret over your stall

I have talked about this issue many times and there seems to be many opinions about it. I feel you get more flies with honey and that driving your opinion home with a nine Iron can only hurt someone in the long run. That being said I also think that if you have an opinion you are welcome to it as it is a free country but I personally am not interested in hurting people, nor tickling ears. I am just interested in answering the questions the best way I know how. Through my own experience and what I have learned. The rest is up to the the readers to decide if what I say is valuable or not.
Following the forums rules is number one for me and the other is to teach and inform from my personal research and experience.

I hope you know I agree and feel you are the sweetest woman who offers outstanding advice on this forum!
However some of us are sometimes to terse and are hurtful without meaning to be. I ask everyone to cut each other some slack... no matter what you weigh we are in this together!

JustWatchMe - What a great idea! I'm going to put that on my to-do list for after surgery.
Kathy - I think you could add volunteering to support people on this site to your resume as well. You are always so positive and uplifting

I am trying to figure out if you are worried because everyone will know about your surgery, or if you are worried because you feel like you are not "really" a success.
If you define your concern maybe the answer will be easier to come by.
Either way, I think it must be very nice to have been asked!

I am curious if anyone here goes to this support group (which meets on the first Tuesday of the month). I'm probably going to go to it next week and would love to meet people from bariatric pal in person.
Brenda (Bree)

It absolutely will get better (and faster than you will believe). Hang in there and ask yourself the same question two months after surgery - I know you'll have the answer then.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3505545/
We also emphasize that when dividing the stomach, the same distance should be maintained between the lesser curvature and the entire staple line to avoid twisting of the sleeve, which may result in food regurgitation, vomiting, or GERD.
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-67202013000600017&lng=es&nrm=iso&tlng=en
It has recently been reported that loss of abdominal ligament fixations along the greater curvature of the stomach may result in improper gastric pouch positioning, causing food intolerance and persistent reflux6,22. Cases of gastric volvulus and twisting have been described, with the possibility of more subtle positioning situations occurring and leading to problems13.
http://www.cme.umn.edu/prod/groups/med/@pub/@med/@cme/documents/content/med_content_201146.pdf
this goes over leak and torsion issues but I saw nothing on torsion
Also there is apparently issues that the smaller the stomach, the bigger the chance of twisting, since everything moves around. That might also make sense depending on the bougie size. You can find that out in the op report - or maybe not because I didn't see it in mine.
It may also happen when the bougie isn't used and the staple line isn't straight. Are there any photos?
Ok and for us crazy people who are into this sort of madness: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1754-9485.2012.02401.x/abstract.

JustWatchMe - What a great idea! I'm going to put that on my to-do list for after surgery.
Kathy - I think you could add volunteering to support people on this site to your resume as well. You are always so positive and uplifting

In my opinion, there are some snarky responses that show up on here from time to time. Some of them get deleted quickly by the administration. Others are clearly meant not to help, but to shame. A poster being told they didn't deserve surgery, just as one example. I don't see how that's just an honest response or tough love.
Bariatric Pal has been an invaluable source of information and inspiration. By a large majority, the people here are supportive and helpful, but I have seen some remarks over the past 1 1/2 years that are just plain mean.
Please don't beat me up for this post - just my opinion.

JustWatchMe - What a great idea! I'm going to put that on my to-do list for after surgery.
Kathy - I think you could add volunteering to support people on this site to your resume as well. You are always so positive and uplifting

You look amazing!!!

Loving my new body!
Surgery: lower body lift with butt flap augmentation, arm lift (with lipo), breast lift/augmentation (240cc), neck lift
Surgeon: Dr. Sauceda
Stats:
49 yr old
5'10"ish
Size 12
183 before 180 after (still have some swelling)
4 pounds skin removed
38D (barely a D) before
36DD after

@@proudgrammy,
Great ideas! I love your enthusiasm. Your posts lift me up.
@@docbree,
I heard this at a 12-step meeting I attend. Focusing outward and helping others helps us too. Sounds good to me.

In my opinion, there are some snarky responses that show up on here from time to time. Some of them get deleted quickly by the administration. Others are clearly meant not to help, but to shame. A poster being told they didn't deserve surgery, just as one example. I don't see how that's just an honest response or tough love.
Bariatric Pal has been an invaluable source of information and inspiration. By a large majority, the people here are supportive and helpful, but I have seen some remarks over the past 1 1/2 years that are just plain mean.
Please don't beat me up for this post - just my opinion.

I feel your pain, but you really need to just let your body heal at its own pace - don't rush it. You need to take care of you before you are able to take care of the babies, or anyone else. big hugs

@@JustWatchMe
luv luv luv yout post!
i would never, ever, ever have done volunteer work pre-wls
i was too self conscious about my appearence

for the past year and 1/2 (since i've been at goal) i have been volunteering at our locat hospital
i do this 2X a week - its great
keeps me off the street and out of trouble
doing simple errands, going to this floor or that - bringing paper work - SOMETIMES transferring patients, transporting blood - simple stuff like that
but besides keeping me busy - i know i am being helpful, everybody is always appreciative
I wear a blue vest!!
remember - i look cute as a button!!!
one day a "normal" guy that worked in the hospital looked and me in the elevator
from out of the blue, he said something like
"its really great to see you volunteers helping out here - we appreciate all you do )"
i was grinning ear to ear for the rest of the day (kindof looked stupid!! )
i also volunteer once a week at the rescue mission putting food on platters for people that live in the rescue mission
very hard/sad to do because you see people out of work - looking for food
can be mentally draining
but it is important - they need someone to do it
good luck finding something to do - big or small
you will be helpful to others - and makes you feel good about yourself
good luck bud
kathy

I've started a new chapter in my life. One of the changes I am looking to make is to volunteer in some capacity. My motives aren't entirely selfless. I know that finding a hobby or a cause that I am passionate about will be good for my self esteem and give me a healthy outlet for my energies.
What have you started after WLS that "gives back" and gives you joy?