Cajunlady12

I agree with the rest o f the posts. Five weeks is way too soon. I read that six months is the standard waiting period. But be careful, it will make you drunk quicker. I don't much at all so I probably will not be drinking anything except water.

I also have pain in my knees because of really bad arthritis. My doctor and surgeon have suggested water therapy. I went to a Physical Therapy place where there is aquatherapy and because I have recently had two toe nails removed and they are not healed yet, they will not let me in the pool afraid of infection. I am waiting for last weigh in with PCP and then the surgeon's office can submit to insurance co. Next appt with PCP is Aug 9. Hopefully can get approved for late August or early Sept.

I just looked up the camelbak water bottle on amazon.com and the only problem is that it has a straw. I have been told by the NUT not to drink anything with a straw after surgery. Was anyone else told that?

I also eat fast. I think in my case it is being a nurse and having the feeling that sometimes we won't have time to finish our meal if we eat slow. I am going to have start practicing to eat slower.

I am on month 5 of six months diet with my PCP per insurance requirement. I go to see her tomorrow for month 5 and then again in August for the final month. I hope everything will be sent to insurance the same day. I am hoping to get surgery in early Oct.

I was hoping to have my surgery done in Sept, but was told today by my boss that the administrator for the home health agency I work for will be out of the country for 10 days at the end of the month. So I guess Oct will be my month.

I am trying different foods before my surgery so I know what to have on hand for each stage. I found that if you puree small curd cottage cheese and a small box of SF jello in a blender it is really good. I think the next time I make it, I will put a little bit of skim milk in it so it won't be as thick. But anyway it is still good.

I am new to this site as well as new to the verticle sleeve world. I am Linda Edmundson, 46 years old and I live near Pittsburgh, Pa. I have been overweight my entire life. I know that as medical professional that I need to be healthier than I am, but I am not. I currently weigh 288 and at my heavist I was 301. I am not proud to say these numbers. I feel that I need help and the VSG is my tool to get healthy. I am married to a great guy and he is thin, so maybe he does not understand how difficult it is for me to loose the weight without the surgery. But he is in favor of me having the surgery. I have already had my psych eval and all other tests that need to be done. I am 4 months into my diet and exercise part. I am excited but scared at the same time. Please if anyone can calm me down or give suggestions on how to keep calm before the surgery I would appreciate it.

I just finished watching the video on You Tube of the VSG. I thought it was amazing. It showed the entire surgery. I could not have been more impressed. The doctor doing the surgery explained step by step what he was doing. I was amazed when the stomach that was cut away turned to a purple color due to lack of blood flow. I think that if you want to see what is going on during the surgery this is the perfect video. I am going to get my husband to watch the video with me when I get home from work. I was amazed.

I also have been told by family and friends that "you don't need surgery, you are not that fat". Well, I have decided that I do need the surgery. I have high blood pressure, sleep apnea, painful knees to the point that I have a difficult time walking at times. My own father is against me having the surgery. Thank God for my husband. He is a great guy and very supportive. He said that if my family makes change my mind that he would kick in the a**. I am on month four of six for diet supervised my PCP. I go Friday for weigh in number 5. Everything else is done. Just waiting for another four weeks and then we can submit to insurance. Keep up the good work and you are an inspiration to others.

Everyone looses at a different pace. Maybe the half of a pound weight gain is fluid. Don't give up. I have not been sleeved yet, but I have done a lot of research about this type of surgery. Keep up the good work, it will pay off.

Thanks Mandy. I am still in the process of doing the 6 month diet with physician supervision. But I am looking forward to the day that I can say I have been sleeved and loose my CPAP machine and blood pressure medications. Thanks for the encouragement.

If you are nauseous, as the dr for a patch that they put behind your ear, works wonders for me when I have any type of surgery. I might help you because you are not putting anything in your already sore tummy. Just a suggestion.

As a nurse myself, I can tell you there are some nurses who can be less than sympathetic with their patients. However, if they were in your shoes they would want all the sympathy they can get. The best way to get of bed is to roll onto your side and then use your arms to get up like was previously suggested. I have not had my surgery yet, but did have gallbladder surgery laproscopically and was just sore, but not everyone is alike. We all feel pain differently. Hang in there. As far as the pain when you drink, I would call your Dr and see what he says. Hope you feel better soon.

I asked my doctor's office if I would have to do the two week pre-op diet and was told no. When I asked why not, I was told that it all depends of you BMI. I plan on doing at least 2-3 days of liquids before the surgery so that I can get used to having only liquids for a while.

I asked my father yesterday what he thought about the surgery I am having and of course I received more negative words. All I heard was that he knew people who had it done and it didn't work, I would be living on liquids for the rest of my life. etc... When I asked him what kind of surgery they had, he replied the people he knew had both the gastric bypass and the lap band. He does not know anyone who had the sleeve. I did not even waste my breath trying to explain to him about the surgery because all he kept saying was that he would not have it done over and over again. When I got off the phone with him,I told my husband that when I had the surgery, I was not going to call my dad. But my husband he was going to call him and tell him. I really don't think my father could care less if he knew or not. So be it. I am having the surgery and I am going to lose the weight and that is the way it will be. I know that I can do this and will do this.

I felt the same way. I have one and a half months left for MD supervised diet. I lost three pounds the first weigh in, stayed the same the next weigh in and then gained three pounds the last one. I am hoping that I have lost at least three pounds in the next two weeks. I hope to have my surgery in Sept. You can do this.

After talking to my dad and sister and getting negative responses, I have decided not to tell them when I have my surgery. I don't want to hear any of their negative words, so I just won't tell them until I am home from the hospital and losing weight. As far as my dad's significant other is concerned, I have decided that as I lose the weight and can no longer fit into my clothes, I am going to send them to her while get new skinny ones.

When I asked my dietician about buying the protein powder and supplements that I am going to take from GNC I was told that recommend only taking "Bariatric Advantage". I know that this is the what they sell so of course the want you to take only their products. But I still plan on taking what they recommend and follow their orders. I recommend that you ask your doctor or dietician.

When I told my dad and sister they both thought I was crazy. My dad's significan other told me I shouldn't do it. My sister said that she would stay fat instead of having to go through all the pre-op stuff. Thankfully my husband is very supportive about the surgery. He knows how many mornings I get up and have a hard time walking because of the pain in my knees. I just want to be able to get off my blood pressure meds, the cpap machine and walk like a normal 47 year old instead of an 87 yrs old because of the pain in my knees. I know I want this and I know that with the support of my husband and God's will I can do this.

I am on month 5 of 6 of diet and exercise. Unfornately, I cannot do much exercise due to the arthritis in my knees. I have everything else done, just waiting for the last two months. Then the insurance authorization and then I get to schedule surgery. I am so excited and nervous at same time. I am reading the book advertised on the website. Very good and very informative. I am looking forward to the day that I can say I am being sleeved.

My husband thankfully is very supportive. He listens when I tell what I have read in all my research that I have done. I am reading a wonderful book and everytime I tell him something out of the book he listens and then asks more questions about it. Just hang in there for her. I have not had my surgery yet, but both my husband and I are looking forward to it.

I have read that water weight gain from the IV after surgery is normal. But after they remove the IV and you start moving around the weight will drop off.

No I don't have any specific questions, just wondering if there were other people who had to go through the six months medically supervised diet. Thanks for the information.

I am nervous about having the surgery also. But I need to do something to get this weight off. Through the process I have made three goals for myself. The first one is to get off my high blood pressure meds. The second is to get off my CPAP machine. The third one is a little strange, but I told my husband after I have lost all my weight I want to shopping at Victoria Secret. He thought I was a little strange, but didn't say anything negative. I also found that if I write in my journal a couple of times a week, it helps to get me through the anxiety.