Macy6

If you can find a bariatric surgeon who will take you I would definitely say to try to see one of them. I have "heard" via the forums that some bariatric surgeons are resistant to seeing patients who were sleeved in Mexico, I have not had first hand experience with that though. I know my surgeon is quite open to seeing bariatric patients from other doctors and they have made it very clear that I will have a dual relationship with them and my PCP. My plan is to see my PCP for any medical issues including; my depression, my female stuff and coughs and colds. I will see my surgeon for anything related to my weight, weight loss, lab work, etc...

That is how mine is. There are three different surgeons in the practice. I have the director of the program, so hopefully I am safe.... I hope yours works out! I think I would be really stressed out loosing my surgeon into the process.

Looked at my surgery countdown earlier. I can't believe in just over 3 weeks (the 27th) that I'm having surgery. Eeeek. I went low carb today, start pre op diet on the 17th. I just wanted a jump start on things. Absolutely can't wait. I am excited, nervous, and terrified all at once.

I have to agree with Mrs. FullerRN. There are so many things that can go wrong post op. I do understand your concern for finances, I personally would not be comfortable with it.

I have a 20# weight limit for 4 weeks, but I have been using the same backpack on wheels for a couple years and they are so convenient!

Mine is protein shakes and clear liquids.

I guess it depends on a number of things. Insurance requirements: I had 6 months of PCP supervised Weight Loss appointments. Once I finished all of my requirements: PCP visits, psych appts (1 for testing, 1 for clearance and 1 more within 3 mo of surgery) Nutritionist, exercise physiologist, EKG, Upper GI, Sleep study x 2. It was submitted to my insurance, they generally don't schedule (through my clinic) until you are approved through insurance, but I had a special circumstance so they "penciled" me into a date I needed. So From my first appt until I knew my surgery date was around 6.5 months.

My full liquid list includes: 1 C unsweetened soy milk or lactaid (6g protein) 1 C skim milk or 1% milk (8g P) 1C blended or strained low fat cream of chicken Soup made with skim milk (8g protein) 1 C low fat unsweetened Kefir (14g P) 1 C skim milk with 1 packed of Beneprotein (14g P) 1 C skim milk with 3 TBSP of non fat powdered milk (17g P) 1 C approved Protein drink 1C skim milk with 1 scoop protein powder Did you know if you add 3 TBSP of non fat powdered milk to ANY liquid that it boosts your protein by about 9g? So A cup of chicken broth might only have 1-3g of P but you mix that in and you have 10-12g of Protein and something savory vs sweet. The powdered milk will make the item cloudy, or creamy looking but it should have little effect on the flavor of the soup.

How long has it been?

I am terrified what I will get... I have been irregular for years. I have a weight where I immediately go irregular and when I am under it I am regular. It scares me that I am going to be bombarded with them just to make up for it

I have a history of major depression and anxiety. I'm currently being treated for depression. I was open and honest and had no issues. My theory was, if they didn't feel I was mentally ready, than I wasn't mentally ready. Mine was a breeze.

First off, I had my pre op appt yesterday. It was fantastic. Strangely enough I never made that appointment, they called on Tuesday to remind me of my appt and so I went. First I was weighed (of course) and I sat with the Physicians Assistant as she went over everything that will happen leading up to the surgery day.... In just under 25 days, but who is counting. I was given SIX prescriptions and told to fill them right away. They are.... TRANSDERM-SC: A patch I put behind my ear the night before surgery for nausea. Emend: A very strong anti emetic that I take three hours before surgery Oxycodone: For post op pain Omeprazole: aka Prilosec.... we all know what that is for Zofran: For post op nausea/vomiting and if this should fail.... Promethazine: Anti emetic in suppository form 15 days until pre op diet starts. So I had a dream last night, I dreamt that I was awake when they stapled my incisions. First off I know they don't staple the incisions, they don't even use steri strips, they use surgical glue. I woke up to my dog kicking me in the stomach with her poky nails.... I am starting to get quite nervous. Time is going so quickly, it is unreal. I am so looking forward to getting on the loosers bench!

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/48-gastric-sleeve-surgery-vsg-complications-support-group/ Here is the complications forum. It gives you a good perspective of all things bad and no good. It is a real risk, but it is so important to be well educated and informed. As far as check ups, I would guess it is dependent on your surgeon, and what they do. My surgeon has regular check ups. I know for sure 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 2 months. I am fairly certain there is a 4 month and 6 month too, at least with the nutritionist. This forum can be an incredible tool to learn about what can be an incredible tool in your weight loss journey. Some journeys are short, others long. I will have been on an 8 month journey when I have my surgery on the 27th. I have read many books, participated in many forums and posts. I have gone to monthly support groups and kept in regular contact with my primary physician and patient navigator. With all the hours I have put into it, I know that I am only in the first chapter of knowing everything there is to know about the sleeve.

Great question, I am scheduled for the 27th and should go back sometime after the 1st of October. So around 4-5 weeks, but I have weekly labs for school starting 9 days post op. I already warned I might be worthless at times.

I think I am putting my scale away for the first month lol. I think I am putting my scale away for the first month lol. It seems like the first couple weeks is bloat from surgery than you have the 3rd week "plateau" or whatever you want to call it. If I don't weigh until 1 month out I will never know right? Doubt I could make it that long.

I have kind of wondered this too. I have told people close to me, and plan on letting others who know me well post surgery. I will be going into a pretty intensive clinical rotation about 5 weeks post surgery and it will last for 10 weeks. I will be working with the same nurse through the whole clinical rotation. All but the last 2-3 weeks of it I will be on a "fork soft diet" so I kind of wonder what kind of questions or strange looks I might get. However knowing me, I will probably just tell them.

My surgeon sets different goals for different patients. I know one person who needed to loose around 50# while I had a 5# loss requirement. I personally believe there are a number of reasons, I think my surgeon wants us as close to or less than 50 BMI (mainly because my loss put me at 49 BMI) I also think that depending on the patient and the "vibe" the surgeon gets from the patient, maybe based on age or health history, that it is also to test the patient to see how committed they are. The person I know who had to loose 50# is pretty young and has a questionable past medical history and comes off pretty immature while I walked in very educated and had pages of questions and I have a pretty clean medical history. I have theories of course :-)

My NUT recommended adding 3 TBSP of powdered milk to protein shakes, broths, soups etc. 90 calories and 9g of protein.

I have to be back at school and in a 4 hour simulation lab 9 days in. I plan on sitting as often as necessary.

I am pre op, just looking at my sample menu for weeks 2-10 my sample menu goes 8am: 1/4C scrambled egg + Protein powder, 1/4C canned fruit 11am: 2oz tuna, 1/4 C cooked carrots 2pm: 1/4C SF/LF yogurt 5pm: 2oz baked fish, 1/4C green Beans 8pm: 1C Protein shake, sipped for 1 hour The nutritional recommendations are Calories: 900 Protein: 60-80gm Total Meal volumes: Never to go over 1/2C or 4oz

I was so there just a few weeks ago. I obsessively checked my email and phone. It took 2 weeks to get my stuff submitted and 2 weeks for approval. I never thought it would come, but it did, and Aug 27th is around the corner.

Good Luck! Your post gave me a good laugh!

Funny, One search of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery produced this article. http://asmbs.org/201...hed-procedures/ Third sentence in.... "is as safe or safer than laparoscopic gastric bypass or gastric banding" Don't get me wrong, I am an advocate for what one feels will work for them. I know someone who has been quite successful with little to no complications with the gastric band, I know a few people who are the same with gastric bypass. My mother had a very early version of gastric banding and it nearly killed her when it closed up and they had to flight for life her 250 miles away to a specialist because our town, at the time, didn't have surgeons who dealt with that kind of issue. That was probably 10 years ago, and around 12 years post op from the original surgery, but I am fairly certain she would have adamantly been opposed to the idea of me getting lap band because of her experience. On the other hand I know someone who is quite large who had the sleeve done in January as a first step in the DS. He had a tremendous amont of complications, but he was also around 500-600#. He had a type of resistant bacterial infection that nearly killed him, and 7 months later is still in the process of wound healing. His surgeons have already said he is going to have to get the sleeve to work, because if they risk another surgery it could kill him. He has lost nearly 200# and as far as the sleeve goes is doing well.

^^^ I agree. I had a ton of requirements. 6mo PCP supervised diet. Psych evals, upper GI, sleep study, exercise physiologist, EKG, labs etc... Every surgeon and Insurance is different. My surgeon wanted EKG upper GI due to history of GERD and PVCs. My surgeon requires the exercise physiologist and support groups and even to read a book. I heard that there was a girl who went in for her pre op surgical visit and they realized she hadn't read the book and they canceled the surgery. She said she didn't know, but knowing what I know I have a hard time believing she didn't know. I knew about the book during my informational seminar and had read it within the week. Better to double, triple check than regret it later.