cindymg

I was on what I called the "dead man walking diet" ( you know the every meal is my last meal syndrome) before my pre-op diet. My A1C was 10.7! My surgeon was not happy and thought I would have all kinds of complications. My actual sugars were less than 100 after a 2.5 week liquid diet so they went ahead with the surgery (whew!). I proved him wrong though -- absolutely NO COMPLICATIONS! No pain, no nausea, no vomiting, no problems with wounds healing. It's been 3 months, I am down 52 lbs. My latest A1C was 7. 5's here I come!

Hey ca_medic5: you and me both! I never had a single minute of regret or doubt. I was so miserable before the surgery, that afterwards I just felt free! I was free from that never-ending pain, and disappointment in myself as diet after diet was tried and failed. I knew this surgery was saving my life and any discomfort or tiredness was worth it for a better life! I have such sympathy for people with post-op pain and regrets. I hope it will pass. I just don't want some newbie to think that we all have regrets.

Absolutely no regrets here. Best decision I ever made. Wish I had done it sooner. Wish it had been available sooner. I wouldn't have wasted 40 years on dieting.

I had the same problem at the hospital. They attributed it to one of the two pain meds they were giving me in my IV (don't know which). They stopped that med, since I wasn't having any pain and it took until morning, but I was finally able to pee on my own. Good thing because they weren't going to let me go home if I couldn't pee. Now I drink and pee, drink and pee, drink and pee . . . oh, you get the idea. That's how I know I am losing weight -- I pee it all out. Good luck on your journey. It's going to be amazing!

Drink broth WITH SALT. You need the salt (the body will die without salt). Plus it will help with nausea and give you an energy lift. I used to go to a restaurant (Panera Bread was my go to place) and get chicken Noodle, Veggie or French Onion Soup -- and ask for just the broth. Restaurants were always very nice about it. I guess alot of people ask for this. Made me feel normal.

Red Robin's Chili Cheeseburger. That will wake up your taste buds! No bun or fresh red onions. The beef is pretty lean, and the chili is meaty with lots of Beans and not too hot. I eat about 1/2 of it, with a couple of fries, and I am set. That's what I had tonight. Mmmmmm!

Gosh, I was sucking on sugar-free life savers in the hospital because they wouldn't give me anything to drink until I passed the "leak test." Oops!

I guess you don't have a computer at your desk where you could keep a small window open to the VST site? Maybe a new, more active job is in order? Would probably healthier.

How far out from surgery are you? Are you on medications and have they been adjusted for your weight loss? I'm a diabetic and have high blood pressure. I am taking only a quarter of what I used to take, because I was having problems similar to yours. I even cut my diabetes pill in half and take half in morning and half in evening. Also, how is your Vitamin intake? Have you had blood tests to confirm you aren't deficient in Iron, potassium, sodium, Vitamin D, B12? If no, suggest you call your PCP and get in for tests. Have them test Thyroid also. Vitamin D deficiency can cause the tiredness you describe. Good luck to you.

Sleeved May 15. Down 52 lbs and 4 sizes! Haven't lost any hair. Swear by my fish oil, which I have now doubled to combat dry, itchy skin.

Sleeved May 15. Down 52 lbs and 4 sizes! Co- morbidities resolved and I feel fantastic!

Can you have Greek yogurt and sugar-free pudding? How about cream of wheat and creamy Soups? I have to be honest -- I modified the puréed stage. I couldn't handle puréed foods, so I talked to my nutritionist. And since I hadn't had any complications, no nausea, no vomiting, I went right to soft foods. I still kept things really soft -- well cooked veggies, moist meats (lean ground beef, rotisserie chicken, roasted turkey). And in fact, after 3 months I still eat this way. Works for me. Good luck!

Yeah I wouldn't put up with that crap either. I got lucky and my PCP was SOOOO supportive! She referred me to my surgeon, went through 6 months of appts with me, and even visited me in the hospital! I think she was more excited than I was about the surgery. If you are in Chicago I can give you her name. If not, maybe ask your surgeon or insurance company for a Bariatric friendly doctor.

I started with adding fiber to food. Then I added stool softener. Finally I broke down and added 1/2 a dose of Miralax every day. Everything is working well now. It feels so much better to not be all backed up.

You could just read the VST threads all day. That will keep your mind occupied.

Yay! Good luck.

You know what we need to bring the sleeve out of the shadows is some celebrities to join our ranks! Some ideas: - Chris Christie converts from lapband to sleeve - Melissa McCarthy - Kevin James - John Goodman - Delta Burke - Queen Latifah - Rosie O'Donnell - Val Kilmer - Kelly LeBrock - Steven Seagal - Rebel Wilson - Kathy Bates - and the Queen of Yo-Yo Dieters, OPRAH!

My first couple of weeks were spent going from my bed to my couch. I had to make myself shower and get out of the house every day even if it was to just wander around the drugstore, because I knew it was important to move everyday. At week 3 I tried to take a walk and thought I was going to have to call a cab to take me home. But after that walk, the tide turned and I started feeling human again. When I started on soft foods at the end of week 3, then I had more energy. At about a month post-op I felt fabulous. And still do at 3 months. Just keep moving and drinking. It will get better,

Hey Gamergirl: I have the same concern as you. I have been working at home for several months, and only my close circle of friends has seen me. And, they all know about my surgery. But I am getting ready to return to a client's location, and what will I say when they notice that as of today, ta-da, I am down 52 lbs. My plan is to use a phrase that another sleever used on this site a few weeks back -- "I used the two-step method -- 1. Eat Less; 2. Move more." Because that is actually what I did. If they ask "how?", then I will explain that I turned to a "tool" to help me. Just like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Atkins are tools to help lose weight. My tool is called a "vertical sleeve gastrectomy." But, I know what you mean about being ashamed. There still is a stigma attached to weight loss surgery. There used to be a stigma attached to mastectomies, or hysterectomies. Now people talk about them openly. Back in the day, people were embarrassed that they had to turn to programs such as Weight Watchers. Now they wear it like a badge of honor. What can we do to remove the stigma attached to weight loss surgery? It's up to us to remove the stigma and I think the only way that is going to happen is to talk about WLS more, until it becomes mainstream. My plan is to become a poster child for weight loss surgery success, as in "look what I did with the help of a really good surgical program, friends and family, and supporters on the VST forum!" Of course that means that I have to continue to eat less and move more. But, that's okay. If I don't live in the WLS life, I will probably go back to my old, slovenly ways. Does this help at all?

Oh wait! Just occurred to me that my first few days home were accompanied by a nasty case of diarrhea (reaction to the anesthesia maybe?). Don't take the Miralax until you feel the need. Then maybe start with a 1/4 dose. A full dose every day was too much for me.

I'm amazed also at how little it takes to satisfy me. Yesterday I had an Atkins "meal replacement" bar for lunch. Before my sleeve surgery, that would have been my dessert. I too am horrified by watching how much people eat. I have a Weight Watchers friend who inhales her food in the time it takes everyone else to get served. But she maintains her 70 lb weight loss so who am I to judge?

On your way home from the hospital stop and get some Miralax and a stool softener. The same thing happened to me post-op. I first tried extra Fiber. Didn't work. Then fiber + stool softener. A little improvement. Finally I added 1/2 a dose of Miralax and now I feel soooo much better. Will keep this up until I can get enough fiber back in my diet.

Here's what I do: you know that 90% of the enjoyment in food is actually in the smell. That's why people who lose their sense of smell get really thin, because they can't smell food anymore. When I gave up sugar years ago, I learned that just because something smells good, doesn't mean I have to stuff it in my face. I learned to bask in the smell, roll around in it, and get my enjoyment from that. I have lovely memories of brownies, Cookies, cakes. I think of them like an old lover. It was fun while it lasted, but I certainly don't want it inside me again!