SHORTDOG

Hey guys, My name is Robert, I finally decided to join in, I have been "Thinking about" having bariatric surgery for years now and i actually started the process by going through the required "Options" program with Kaiser (Fontana) back in June 2011. Back then i weighed in at 398lbs and before starting the program i started losing weight on my own and after losing 49lbs (mostly from giving up soda for good) i started the options program weighing 349lbs...it was a great and informative program and i lost another 38lbs and was down to 311lbs by this point. I graduated the program in October of 2011 and was told to wait for a call from Pacific Bariatric in San Diego, CA. because i was planning on having the Lap Band procedure done at the time. They didn't call till May 2012 (7 months later) then they asked me to go down to San Diego to meet the surgeon and have some tests done and also meet with a psychiatrist. Well after speaking with the surgeon, he convinved me that the VSG would be a better fit for me so i changed my mind and decided to get "Sleeved" , Then i met with the psychiatrist and after telling her that my wife was pregnant and that we were expecting my son to be born in July, she thought it woulld be a good idea to put off my surgery till after the baby was born so i could fully focus on my recovery (understandable) so i agreed, and sh told me that they would contact me after my son was born....well they didn't call till November 2012 (the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to be exact) and they asked if i could come in the next day to be admitted into my hospital room and that i would be having surgery the following day....I told them that i needed more notice because i lived in L.A. and not San Diego, well the nurse was under the impression that i lived locally so she said she would reshedule me for December but that they would call me back with an exact day....Amonth went by and they caled me back but not with a date, she called me back to say that all my labs were outdated (because i did them back in 2011) and that i was gonna have to have them re-done and updated before having surgery. I said "okay" and she said, but you have to have them all done in 2 days because the surgeon is gonna be leaving on vacation for the last 2 weeks of the year and that my referral was only good till the end of the year....WHAT?? So needless to say that that whole dealing with Pacific was a big waste of time but i think it was for the better because after talking to my PCP, he got me back into the program without having to take the options program all over again since i kept all the weight that i had lost off and hadn't gone back up. So since Febuary 2013 I have been through the pre-op with Kaiser, the Psych evaluation, and now have my appointment to meet with Dr. Fedorka in Redlands this Friday (5/24/13) and hopefully find out my surgery date. I know It's been a long road but i am knocking on the door now!! Can't wait! Wish me luck guys!

First of all, I hope you get well sooner than later. Blood clots and leakage are biggest fears of getting sleeved, but when i took a test to see how fast i "clot"...they said that i am a bleeder and took long to clot, is this a good thing or ???

Okay so what would be considered "clear" & "Full" ?? What was or is everyone drinking post op as clears and fulls? What do you recommend?

My surgeon told me that decaf is fine all the time, he even said that 1 regular coffee a day wouldn't hurt but that it was better for me if i stuck to decaf...and decaf tea too....and that means decaf ice tea too.

Sleeve Harvey!

I graduated options 10/2011 and was suppose to have surgery at Pacific in San Diego but they gave me the run around, wasted a whole year and now i am back too, but i kept off the weight that i had lost during options (49lbs) so they didn't make me take the classes again and now i am scheduled with Fedorka 6/13/13...I still have my binder with all my notes but i too wish that i could just sit in the classes as a refresher course. Good to see that you are back on your way to getting healthy...Good luck & God bless!

At least you fit in it, that beats having to stand because of the obvious. People still look at me weird when i ask for an armless chair at the Olive Garden...but not for long! Scheduled for June 13th!

well since my shirts already have a left and a right sleeve....how about the middle sleeve? Just joking!....kinda like "Sleeve Martin!" lol!

My doctor told me that i only have to do the liquid diet the day before surgery but i was thinking of doing it at least 3 days before......what do you all think? Hey lifer, Go decaf!

Naming your sleeve?? okay we are just getting way too into this.

Have your PCP re-write the letter and let you proof read it before anything, then i would "demand" him to make an appeal on your behalf. If he doesn't, then it is way past due for you to look for another PCP and have the process started all over again....frustrating, time consunming, if at first you don't succeed...you know the rest! Good luck and don't give up! God bless!

Okay so i have been really thinking of why & if i should get "Sleeved" and trying to do it in a "Christ-like" manner, and after some prayer and asking the Lord to speak to my heart, I have been thinking... I know that my weight problem is from years of being disobedient in the way i took care of myself and now i am wondering if getting "Sleeved" is in a sense..... "taking the easy way out of it". What i mean is that... i know it will not be easy to lose the weight and i know it will be a long road but shouldn't i have "true faith" in the Lord to be my strength and say "I can do it!" (philippians 4:13) after all, it was a long road for Jesus to get to Calvary and He could have given up....but He didn't and the same way He endured...shouldn't i endure through all the temptations and cravings?? (luke 9:23) and pursue to re-build the temple myself with pain and suffering in Christ? I feel like if i do get sleeved...am i doing it to make myself feel better?, but isn't it He who lives in me and shouldn't i live my life in the flesh by faith ( galatians 2:20) knowing that He will help me in losing the weight without surgery?? Am i wrong in thinking this way?? I need some words of encouragement because i am just feeling some conviction about this and just want to do what is right by the Lord. Thanks guys & God bless you all.

I guess all doctors are different because i never had a EGD or a endoscopy.

I just got my date today....June 13th! but i am seeing alot of liquid diets, my doctor told me that i only have to do the liquids the day before surgery He said it was because i already have lost a good amount of weight (over the 10% they requested) so my liver should have shrunk enough already. Now that i have my date, I got that feeling you get when you are getting on a big roller coaster for the first time

Okay guys, I am meeting with my surgeon tomorrow and i was wondering if there are any questions that you can suggest that i ask about before having surgery like... 1. ABOUT Vitamins 2. ABOUT POST-OP 3. PRE-OP DIET 4. ??? Anything at all, if fact....what are some questions you wished you would have asked before going in?

Way to go Frank, way to stay positive!

Congratulations and a big Thank You to your husband for serving to defend our country! I wish you the best and now that it is done....it'll be all down hill from here, just hang in there, you'll feel better. Take care & God bless!

Right on bro! Glad to hear that you are already feeling better.

First of all, Welcome to the site Jr. I know what you mean Bro, It seems like it is always easy for people that have never been fat to say..." Just watch what you eat and excersise"...Yeah right! We have all tried that and it has failed us more than once or twice in our life. Don't let no one discourage you because at the end of the day....it is YOU who has to feel all the discomfort and it is YOUR health....NOT theirs. Trust me, they won't be able to stop giving you compliments after you lose the weight. Good luck bro, and God bless!

Saw it and had to watch it again 2 hours later when it came on...I felt for Ricky and his story was truly heartbreaking. The whole time watching i was subconsciously seeing myself in his position and then hearing him say he needed help but only when he wasn't eating because when he was eating....it seemed like he was the happiest guy in the world, he even said "This is so delicious!, I am gonna eat this now but after i am gonna feel disgusted with myself"....MAN! It's as if i was looking in the mirror at that point. That was truly a reality check.

How many grams of protien should we be taking in a day while on this liquid diet?

Yeah i was thinking fruits and some veggies...definitley not the baby meats! My son is 10 months old and i can't even feed them to him, they are just gross! I thought during the liquid week we were only suppose to have Clear liquids?? Is this true? or can we have other liquids like milk, orange juice, carrot juice, etc..?

Is it a good idea to eat baby foods during the "Puree" stage? or are baby foods rich in things that might make me throw up or do they lack somethings that i need to stay healthy?? I was thinking that if they are soft enough and healthy enough for a baby....why not me while i am not able to intake solid foods?? Can anybody help me out here?? Thanks.

Okay i have been hearing alot about the importance of protien consumtion and it's obvious that you need to be getting it in, my question is.... What is the best form of protien intake?? Is everybody drinking protien shakes? if so, what kind is the best to take (brand) What foods are best to get your protien in?? and is there a certain time of day that you should get your protien in? (like is morning best?) and lastly....what is the daily amount of protien you should consume to be sure you are getting the recommended daily allowance?? Thanks in advance for your help guys.

Right now i have been either egg whites in the morning or eating yogurt (fat free, original flavor to cut the sugar) and i mix in granola or grape nuts in it...then between breakfast and lunch i have protien shake made with 1% milk and each shake has 56g protien. Then i'l eat some avacado for lunch and some more with my dinner plus another shake between lunch and dinner. I don't eat protien bars but i probably should start, it seems to be alot easier to get my protien in that way. What brand protien powder is everyone buying?