Vixynne

You look great! Your happiness really shines through those baby blues!

What insurance company do you have? I think some are stricter than others.

I don't have PCOS or PCOS-related insulin resistance, but I'm pretty sure there are at least a few sleevers here who do (or did). They would be a great resource for you to tap into, to find out how they are doing post-op with hunger urges. Maybe start a thread directed toward them, to get their input? Since the sleeve surgery often reverses diabetes, I'd guess there's a good chance your insulin issues might at least decrease post-op, right? That, added to the smaller capacity for gobbling down large amounts of food just due to the size of the sleeve, will probably be a big help to you after your surgery. Not to mention losing the ghrelin-making part of your stomach--that should help a lot, too. I'm an emotional eater (as well as a boredom eater and a mindless-grazer), but I also would keep eating long past being full if the taste was amazing. Mouth feel, creaminess, crunchiness--all of those would lead me to crave much more than one serving. I'm still pre-op, but I've started using protein shakes and eating higher-protein, lower-carb meals, which has helped curb my hunger. I think the mouth feel/flavor addiction is something you can definitely learn to work past, even if it's a difficult "breakup", you can stay "just friends", as Kulita said. Good luck--and hang in there!

Being able to buy clothes at the "regular" stores. Being able to get excited about outfits, instead of focusing on accessories. Being able to hurry up three flights of stairs at work without feeling out of breath, old and tired. Being in FRONT of the camera more, and not being self-conscious about how many chins I show when I smile for a photo. Taking my kids to the beach during high-traffic times instead of waiting till after supper so that fewer people are there to see me. Less joint pain in my knees when I stand up all day teaching. Not having to grit my teeth and put up with the armrests of movie theater/airline seats digging in to my hips. Sashaying around renfaires in corsets that don't make me look like a tube of toothpaste someone squashed in the middle. Not hearing the voice in my head that says "I look cute today--for a heavy girl"...time to ditch that second part of the sentence!

WeeWers, please don't give up before you've really started. Treat today like a clean slate and a fresh chance to stick to what your doctor is asking. If you stumble a bit, then take it an hour at a time. If that's too much, take it FIVE MINUTES at a time, and try not to listen to the negative voices in your head that tell you that you aren't strong enough or that you're doomed to fail. YOU ARE WORTH THE STRUGGLE, and you deserve the new life that this surgery can bring you. It's not easy, and nobody's perfect, but you have what you need to do this--a desire to be happier and healthier and to live life instead of watching it pass you by, a desire to shed pain and gain confidence instead of gaining pounds. You can do this. You're not alone. Dust yourself off, lift your chin--be stubborn about succeeding instead of being sad about any mistakes you may make. Pick yourself up and try again; we're all in your corner!

My first consult with my surgeon was pretty much an information-gathering session. My weight and BMI were calculated, and one of the nurses talked briefly with me about my health history, my family's health background (questions about obesity, diabetes running in the family,etc.), and asked what efforts I've made in the past to manage my weight. If I remember correctly, I had a questionnaire from the original bariatric surgery info session that had to be filled out before the consult appointment, and once I was in the exam room, part of the discussion was just about going over my questionnaire responses. I was asked which surgery I wanted (RNY, sleeve, or lap band) and why I wanted the sleeve over the other two options. (It wasn't asked as a challenge of my choice, I think the nurse practitioner just wanted to find out what my thinking was and why I had a specific preference.) Then I was asked if I had any questions, and the nurse practitioner answered them. She also gave me a printout that charted all the different appointments I would have between then and then next consultation. My surgeon only stopped in briefly to say hello, review my chart and let me know that he thought I'd be a good candidate for the sleeve. It was all over pretty quickly, and when I checked-out before leaving, I was given a 3-ring binder of VSG information, with tabs for me to keep other printed info from my nutritionist, psych eval, etc.; that binder has been a great help in keeping me organized! It should be a very positive experience for you--bring a list of any questions or concerns you have, and maybe a notebook to write things down (in case your surgeon's office doesn't do the whole binder thing). You could always design your own binder, too! You must be excited to get started--good luck!

If there's one thing I've learned from reading the forums, it's that every surgeon and every nutritionist seems to have their own set of rules and guidelines. Some folks had to do a week of liquids-only before surgery, some a couple of days---my surgeon's rule is liquids the day before surgery. I'm doing protein shakes and eliminating bad eating habits already, though, even though my surgery date hasn't been set. I figure the more hurdles I can get past before being sleeved, the fewer I'll have to wrestle with afterwards. Give your nutritionist or surgeon a call; they can clarify their rules for you very quickly! Good luck!

Congratulations! I'm right behind you in the process, and really excited, too!

Fiddleman, just curious--are poblano peppers pretty hot? I might have to reduce or eliminate them if they're hotter than say, wasabi paste that you get with sushi. I looooooove avocado and shrimp. The whole recipe sounds mouthwatering, thank you for sharing!

I agree. I'm willing to guess that there are quite a few sleevers who, pre-op, might have been a bit like me. I'm an all-or-nothin' girl when it comes to trying to lose weight, which is one of the reasons I've never been successful long-term. What I mean by that is, for example, when I was on Weight Watchers (for the third or fourth time), if the scale didn't go down as fast as I thought it should, I got so frustrated that I'd lapse back into bad habits. If it wasn't going perfectly, I felt like a failure. Maybe some of the people who vent their frustrations are worried that the scale is starting to tell them they're going to fail AGAIN. It's hard to be patient when you're afraid. It's hard to be patient when you're worried that whatever weight doesn't fall off in 12 or 18 months is never going to come off (that's an exaggeration, but it's based on the truth that our "optimum window" of weight loss is 1-2 years). Lots of us have fear before the surgery, and as we all know, sleeving doesn't fix our headspace, only our bellyspace. We all need to be more patient with ourselves--and with one another.

Thanks, ccbarrick! Sodas are a tough habit to break, too--good for you for ditching them! After more than 20 years of drinking coffee daily, I really thought I needed it, to keep me alert and get me through the day. Of course, I didn't drink it black or sugarless--that didn't taste good, and there are sooooo many yummy versions available, right? What finally pushed me to kick the caffeine monkey off my back was the day I started using MyFitnessPal to track my food intake, which was right after my first NUT meeting. I was absolutely STUNNED to find out that my delicious extra-large, cream, two Splenda, 4 shots of butter-pecan syrup coffee was costing me 350 calories. Add that to the 500-600 calorie breakfast I ate every weekday from Dunkin' Donuts as well, and it was a real eye-opener. Now breakfast is a Syntrax shake. Only 200 calories, and it fills me till noontime. And the vitamin B12 is giving me MUCH more energy than caffeine ever did!!

Saw a pulmonary doctor today for my final medical clearance--all very quick and easy. A couple of questionnaires, a brief interview, and he told me "I see no issues here, I'm definitely clearing you." All my bloodwork came back with flying colors, and I'm hitting the final push to a surgery date! Woot! Since making the Big Decision to get sleeved, I've tried my best to educate and prepare myself for the changes coming soon to a stomach near me. Rather than waiting, I've decided to give up coffee and junk food, and to start adding high-Protein shakes and bariatric Vitamins to my daily routine. The results? First of all, B12 is a MIRACLE Vitamin, you guys. When I only took 1 per day, I noticed no changes, but on 3 a day? Holy guacamole, I have so much energy! I wake up refreshed instead of exhausted, and I feel less down-in-the-dumps. Kicking the coffee habit has saved me 350 calories a day (or 700 total on the days I splurged and went to Dunkin' Donuts twice). Since my first NUT visit, I've lost a total of 9 pounds--and that's without really upping my exercise! Simple, small changes are already paying off, and making me feel even better about my Big Decision. I am more excited about starting this journey than I've ever been! Oh, and bonus boost: I told my mom and my sister about my choice to have WLS, and instead of freaking out or being judge-y, they are both fully behind my decision. I'm flabbergasted and overjoyed to have more support in my corner! *boingy*

Hey there, Janie! Welcome to the boards--it really is a great place to ask questions, get a sense of all the different experiences that are out there, and get yourself prepared for this huge change. I'm pre-op too, hoping to have a surgery date given to me after my psych workshops next month. It definitely does fly by once you start getting a few appointments under your belt. Congratulations for taking this step towards health and happiness for YOU!

My experience was pretty much the same; I filled out a questionnaire about my eating habits/challenges, and talked with the counselor for a while about my history with weight loss--what I had tried, why I hadn't been successful. It was very open, honest and not judgemental at all. The counselors who do these appointments have (most likely) dealt quite a bit with WLS patients and know how to make sure you understand the risks and what it means to be sleeved. More than likely, these are all things you've thought about well in advance, and you won't be in for any big shocks. ("What do you MEAN, I can't gorge myself on _____________/smoke three packs per day/drink a liter of whisky/participate in the Iron Man Competition a week after surgery?!" ) It'll go great--just be honest with the counselor and with yourself about your history and your expectations of what this surgery can and can't do for you. Good luck!

I am pre-op but children's vitamins were also on my doctor's approved supplement list. I figured I might as well start taking them, to get in the habit of daily supplements while I still have some time. The ones I use are CVS Pharmacy brand (cheaper than brand name) and are considered "complete daily vitamins". I just checked the label and they recommend a half tablet for children under 4 years of age, and only a single tablet for adults. The single tablet daily values are exactly what my NUT recommended, and they are much less expensive than bariatric-specific vitamins. I also take a sublingual B12 vitamin for an extra 500mcg per dose. The label on that one says adults can take it up to five times a day; and it doesn't taste bad at all. It's actually less vitamin-y than the children's chewables. Since I'm still pre-op, my results probably aren't exactly the same as someone who's post-op, but I've noticed better sleep and better skin, and a little more resilience to exhaustion. I'm not running marathons, but I'm less wiped-out at the end of a day with 50 middle schoolers, and that's something! I hope you are able to get a little more rest--it sounds like your schedule is really full--and boost your calories/protein as some of the vets here have suggested. Once that baby is born, you'll definitely need all the energy you can possibly scrape together!

Way to go, Misty! That was a real leap, and you clearly put a lot of thought into your post--it's very well-said! I'm one of the people who (at least so far) hasn't really brought my choice out into the open. Two friends who have had WLS know about my decision, and they're wonderfully supportive. For me, it's a private decision and (so far) I'm just not comfortable bringing in anyone else's opinion, or as you mentioned, the friend-of-a-friend catastrophe stories or "gosh, why didn't you just go on a diet?" commentary. I'm just not ready for that onslaught, and might not be till I'm post-op. That being said, one of the reasons I'm having this surgery is that I was inspired by a really wonderful friend of many years--her name here on the boards is wordnerd--and her absolutely amazing transformation from her own VSG. There may come a time in my weight loss that I will feel so bust-a-button thrilled that I'll want to tell everyone I know. There may come a time that my journey might be educational or inspirational to someone else who's struggling. When that happens, I'll share.But not...quite...yet. I don't have your bravery at the moment, but one day, I know I will--and that's when I'll share, just like you did! I hope everyone who reads your FB post has the good sense to either be super-supportive,or else has the good sense to keep quiet about their negative opinions. Well done!

When's your next doctor visit? Might be worth mentioning--especially if there's a family history. It sounds like it might be hormonal (pregnancy/PCOS causing similar issues), if it's definitely not related to diabetes. Any reason to think your hormones might be a little off balance? For example, do you take an oral contraceptive? Here's a link about acanthosis nigricans (darkening skin in the areas you mentioned): http://www.livestrong.com/article/191588-dark-skin-in-groin-area/

I'm in the camp of being afraid to set the bar too high and disappoint myself, but y'know what, there's nothing wrong with striving towards a really tough goal. That's why I'm having the surgery in the first place--I know full well that it's going to be difficult, so why not aim as high as I can? Or in this case, as low as I can! I was a size 6 in my junior year of high school--or so my mother tells me (I apparently blocked this out, but she swears my prom gown was a size 6, and she bought the dress, so she's in a position to know)! With the amount of skin I'll be dealing with at 44 and two C-sections, I may not be able to get there (and plastic surgery will be too spendy for me), but I'm sure as hell gonna give it my best shot! Here's my new goal. I wanna be able to wear TALL boots. Like thigh-high muthatruckas that skim the edge of a beautiful short skirt. I want to ROCK that look. Look, Gucci's got my idea covered!

Good luck to you both!

I've definitely been obsessed--but knowledge is power, right? I guess I'm obsessing because I want to know as much as I can about the things I can control (like how the diets work post-op, and vitamin needs, things to have on hand when I get home, etc.), because I know there may be lots of things I can't control (surgery complications, healing time). This forum has been a huge source of inspiration and information--I don't know what I'd do without it!

*hugs* Holy guacamole. You have so many challenges and struggles to face every day, and I think you're truly a warrior for facing them--even with fear, feelings of sadness, all the gloom that follows many of us around when we feel bad for being overweight. You should be proud. Many others would simply curl into a ball and stop functioning completely. Fragile? I think you're stronger than you realize, emotionally and mentally, if not physically (yet)! Where are you in your WLS journey? If you're just starting out, believe me, this board can be a source of comfort and inspiration--and one day soon, you will be telling a success story that will inspire someone else who is feeling very breakable. Hang in there; you're not alone!

For me, the choice was the sleeve, because I liked that it allowed the regular digestive processes to continue (you don't lose your pyloric valve) and it removes the ghrelin-generating part of your stomach completely, which helps to eliminate--or drastically reduce--hunger signals to the brain. The RNY procedure leaves the separated section of your stomach in your body. The sleeve also has a lower tendency to cause "dumping" and that was a plus for me as well. I want to restructure my relationship with food, not change completely the way my digestive system operates. With those factors taken into account, the sleeve became my clear choice.

Your post reminded me of an article I read online about the actress, Mayim Bialik (she played the lead role on "Blossom" in the 90's and is now Amy Farrah-Fowler on "Big Bang Theory"). Mayim wrote a blog about wanting to wear modest swimwear to honor her Jewish beliefs, and she included a website link to a page called Hydrochic. Their stuff looks awfully cute to me, and would probably cover most loose skin issues. Here's the link if you're interested: http://hydrochic.com...-swimsuits.html

It will probably be a bit of an info exchange in both directions. I was asked about basic health history and weighed/measured to determine my official BMI, then spoke with the nurse practitioner in more detail about why I wanted WLS and how I struggled with weight issues in the past. My surgeon really didn't stay long, it was a bit of a drive-by. I got most of my questions answered by the nurse-prac anyway, so that was fine. I also left the office with a big binder of information about the sleeve surgery, with tabs where I could put notes, information from my nutritionist, recipes and lists of things I'll need post-op. The office made sure I had a checklist of follow-up appointments in the form of a printed chart; it's been like a dayplanner for making sure I know what appointment is next and what I still need to do before my next surgeon visit. As far as what your questions might be--I recommend reading as much as you can here on the forums. You may find some topics you want to ask your surgeon about, or you might find your questions get well-answered right here! Good luck! Hope this helps!

I've seen some great recommendations for Water flavored with fresh lemon slices, or cucumber with mint, or other flavors from real fruits/herbs. Might be delicious for summer sipping! Here's a recipe link for cucumber water: http://www.huffingto...e_n_922703.html And while we're on the subject, here's a link on Overstock.com for infuser-glasses. They look pretty cool! http://www.overstock...0130517232955:s One more link! Step-by-step instructions for making your own herbed or fruit'ed water: http://www.theyummylife.com/recipes/251/Easy+Fruit+%26+Herb+Flavored+Water