Roo101769

I can tell you, as a survivor of TWO pulmonary emboli, that you can have VSG surgery. I had my first PE in 2011 and my second in spring of 2013. My VSG surgery was in October of 2013. I did have to go through extra clearances to be approved for surgery. First I had to get an ok from my vascular doctor and then from my hematologist. The one requirement they had was that I have an IVC filter, which had already been placed following my second DVT/PE last spring. To prep for the surgery I had to go off my oral Warfarin (which I now take for life) approximately five days prior to surgery. I had to do Lovenox ( or equivalent) injections for four days prior and three days post op. They resumed me on the oral Warfarin the day after surgery. I did have to make everyone aware of my situation given I was a higher bleeding and clotting risk, but I had no real issues occur. The "worst" related thing that happened was one incision did not want to close. I was told it was because the subcutaneous tissue was "mush" from the blood thinners and the inner stiches were not holding. They finally used medical super glue to close the wound and I had no further problems. So I can tell you that it IS possible to have VSG after PE. Just go into it knowing everything you can and telling all the medical staff your situation. Good luck!!!

I do that too! Now that I am on my way I do tend to take more pride in my overall appearance. I have to wear a wig, so my hair is always on point. But I also do my make up well every day and dress a lot cuter. It is fun to take pride in it all now because we KNOW we look good!

There are two schools of thought on this...There are those who swear by protein and Biotin and those who feel it is a genetic luck of the draw. I am not sure which way I follow as each have made compelling arguments. What I can tell you is I am and EXTREME extreme when it comes to hair loss. In my early 20s I lost a substantial amount of hair due to PCOS. In my late 30s I had a baby and the hair loss after birth made things even thinner. I started using hair fibers at that time to help hide my thinning hair. In 2011 and again in 2013 I had DVTs ( blood clots) in my leg and both times suffered pulmonary embolisms. I am now on blood thinners for life. The Warfarin has played havoc on my hair, causing further loss. By the time I was preparing for surgery and read about the possibility of hair loss I knew it would be bad for me. I purchased a couple wigs in anticipation. Well just over a month post op I decided it was time to start wearing them. I chose the Thanksgiving holiday as the time to take the plunge. ( That way I had several days away from co workers. Most thought I just had my hair professionally styled finally! LOL) Anyway about 3 months post op it was a good thing I was already wearing the wig. My hair thinned to the point I looked like someone on chemotherapy. The top and sides of my hair are barely existent, just scattered wispy hairs. The back of my hair, which had remained pretty thick to that point, thinned dramatically. It has recently seemed a bit heavier, possibly some regrowth. But I am unsure if I will ever have a head full of hair again. Given my history and the other reasons I have suffered with hair loss it is likely I will continue to wear wigs from here on out. ( FYI- all my "after" pics posted on this site are of me in a wig)

Ok, I am a single gal so I have to tell you I absolutely LOVE the attention. Not gonna lie. Why do I love it? Because I finally believe they are looking at me as a desirable woman and not because I am fat!!! Granted, I am still overweight. But I am curvy and dress to look good, accentuate the positive. ( eliminate the negative) I have a new confidence in my appearance. Last night I was out with a group of girlfriends and I noticed being checked out a few times. It felt good because I know I was being judged as a woman and not as an obese person. ( if that makes sense) Just boosts the self esteem higher and fuels me to work harder to get to goal. The last time I was "thinner" I was in my early twenties. I was too young to appreciate the body I had. All I could do was be critical and ashamed I was heavier than the next person. ( I have been curvy all my life, even before I was obese) Now I am older and I have been to the other side of the mountain...Hell I WAS the mountain! It is so refreshing and fun to finally know that I LOOK GOOD! I have curves. I am not perfect. ( and I will never be a nudist because I am NOT that confident!!) But I KNOW persons of the opposite sex are taking note of me, see me as a human and a woman and not just another fat person taking up space. I LOVE IT!!!

My rear is a millions time smaller than it was, but I guess I am lucky to say it is still far from boney. Maybe when I get closer to goal?....LOL ( I am not related to either Kim Kardashian or Jennifer Lopez so I believe it will eventually disappear)

One of my besties ( a male) was sleeved on 12/17. I was sleeved 10/21. My highest weight was 316lbs last August, and my surgery weight was 283lbs. Currently I weigh 226lbs. His starting weight ( from start of pre op diet on 12/7) was 396lbs and now he is 276lbs!!! It makes me incredibly jealous but it is what it is. Men ( especially taller men) will lose faster on average than women. Fact of life. I try hard not to compare with anyone because it can be a real downer. ( I am somewhat of a "slow" loser) I got fat on my own and in my own time so I should not worry about how I compare to others in my Quest for health and weight loss... But it is human nature to want to compare. Just know that you will most likely lose faster than most women if you work at it. ( eat on plan and exercise) Even with a few "slips" my friend has shed 120lbs in just 5 months!!!

Lipstick Lady...You said you don't miss squeezing past people and still bumping them. I had to chuckle a bit because I still find myself doing that! (I don't bump into them of course) More than once I have squeezed past someone unnecessarily. I forget I am a lot smaller than I was this time last year. I can get into tighter situations with ease and don't need to suck it in!!! It is part of the head game, takes a while for the head to play catch up..

I am sort of with CarolinaGirl on this one. Fortunately you are young and have not become as large as others ( myself included) before deciding to take charge of your life. With age often comes wisdom because we have already been there, done that. LOL I can tell you the part about bathroom habits being different is spot on. At 316lbs I could barely manage "down there" because I could hardly reach things. That time of the month was an exercise is aggravation and agility as I tried to angle just right to use a tampon. (sorry if TMI) I had started having bladder control issues. Things you may or may not take for granted become so much harder the larger you are. Now I am down in the 220s ( which is still obese) I can take care of my hygiene 100% better. Things are once again accessible! I no longer have issues with incontinence. And of course there are many things I can do now I was restricted from doing at 316 lbs. That all being said do I miss some of my old lifestyle? I would be lying if I said no. Many times I have had the thought "man I would really like to just sit down and pig out". But I know I can't. It is usually in response to some emotional issue so I have to deal with it in another way. I probably think about food a LOT more now than I did before just because it is now so much more important to me. I think about the healthy foods I need, how I can be creative in preparation of them so not to get bored, what their nutritional content is etc. I also do long for foods I no longer can eat. Or should I say ought to eat. ( I can tolerate everything I have tried) It is a much bigger mental battle. Before you are overweight and unhappy with it. But I know I did not micromanage my eating, which is what helped me get obese to start with! Now my life revolves around food in many ways. I miss the freedom of eating with abandon I suppose. But I will never, ever miss being the size I was. Nothing about that body was good. It may be sagging more now, and the boobs may be smaller, but I can work with that. No way you can hide 316lbs! LOL

Oh RJ...Girlfriend will you ever catch a break?? Wow. I am praying for you. It is high time your body "get's with the program" so you can go about your life enjoying your new "skinny" self!!! A small bathing suit on a beach would be such a better NSV than fitting into a tiny hospital gown, but I applaud you for looking for the bright side! My thoughts and prayers are sending healing ju ju your way...

I agree with most of the answers listed above. A few minor differences are concerning Protein shakes...You can add "unflavored" protein to other items you eat. Granted there is still a taste, but if the item it is mixed with is strongly enough flavored you should be ok. Just be careful about adding to hot liquids, it can congeal. (but you CAN bake with protein powder!!! ) And as far as on the go...I eat Quest protein bars. Do your own research and you will find out Quest makes a QUALITY bar. ( I am in no way paid or compensated to endorse, just my two cents.) Most protein bars really are over glorified candy bars and aren't worth a darn. But Quest bars have healthy Proteins, low sugars, and ok calories/ fats/ carbs. I actually eat them as a Breakfast repalcement as they are easy and quick. ( and breakfast is hard for me to get in weekdays) Just be sure to count the nutrional content into you daily overall. And as far as your sleeve telling you what is ok and what isn't, don't count on that. Yes, for some folks that happens. But I am one of those who has a sleeve of steel, I can tolerate just about everything. I only get sick feeling if I grossly overeat. I am bad about portion control, I admit it. And I eat too fast.. I would advise to measure your food and take your time. Allow your body time to keep up with what you are putting into it. You will feel full and realize it if you do eat slower. Eating too fast leads you to overeating because you can put in too much before it all hits your stomach. This is something I still struggle with 7 months out. I don't believe I have "streched" my sleeve as I still feel good restriction and fullness when I eat dense proteins. But I will tell you if I eat junk I can fit a whole lot more of it in than protein!! ( which is a very bad thing) Overall it sounds like you are on the right course. It is good you are seeking advice and asking questions. Being your own advocate is the best thing you can do! Good luck!!!

As posters above said it is unknown until you get there. Personally I could have physically been able to, but not sure I would have wanted to. I went back to work 9 days post op, and the first day back was Halloween so I had to take my daughter out for Trick- or - Treat after. I was exhausted after it all, but lived. If it truly is a small wedding, you can sit down a lot, and not much is expected from you then you might be able to pull it off. But how will the bride really feel about it? ( Will she be upset you are being a lump on her special day? ) Do not be fooled, this is MAJOR surgery and your body will react accordingly. Some people bounce back quickly, others take a longer time. It is draining because not only are you trying to heal from such a huge ordeal, you are also at a huge nutritional deficit. It takes a lot out of you. My best advice would be reschedule if you can or attend the wedding as a Quest and not as a bridesmaid. Either way it is truly up to you and how you feel about it.

Hi all. I thought I would post about my issue with body image as a way to vent it. Maybe I hope to get some nugget of wisdom that will help me learn to adjust to my ever changing body and all that entails. Let me start by saying that I have had issue through this process with mentally dealing. Had some depression that I feel I am over now. But one lingering issue is body image. I have lost 90lbs thus far and feel great. ( about it) But my body is sad to look at. I knew going in that plastics were never going to be an option for me. I thought I would be so happy with my weight loss and feeling good that it would not matter, I could deal with extra skin. Yet as I get further in my weight loss the extra skin and flab is causing me more and more stress. I am not at the jump off a bridge, the world is ending kind of upset over it. Just slightly sad and nostalgic for yester year, when I could carry 226 lbs on my body and not sag like a shar pei. I haven't weighed 226 lbs since I was in my mid twenties, which I am now a far cry from. It is crazy to expect my body to look like it did in my mid twenties now in my mid forties, not to mention the 20 years of extreme obesity that I carried in between. As I inch closer and closer to my goal weight I am becoming more alarmed at just how bad my body is turning out. I think I did still secretly hope it wouldn't be as bad as others have shown. Maybe I would be that one in a million person who would "bounce back" and have little to no issues with bat wings and jiggle gut. Nope, not meant to be. It is possible that, when I am a bit further down in weight, these issues won't hold as much importance to me as they do now. I am in the Twilight Zone of WLS. I am still obese, yet I have lost a lot of weight already! It is hard to have a positive self image and feel confident when you know others still see fat. And now, it is fat with extra bounce!!! Ugh. I am trying to work on my mini goal of losing 100lbs, which is just 10 lbs away. But aside from a full body Spanx, I am not sure how I am going to learn to accept my body looking like a deflated blimp. It isn't pretty. And Lord don't get me started on the idea of being intimate with anyone!!! Yikes!!! ( I am a single gal, so this topic is actually another issue for me) Calgon take me away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess what I find as weird or hard to accept is the distorted view I have of it all. When I was around 280 lbs I thought my body looked ok. Was I fat? Yes!! But I felt I carried it ok and had less issues with image. Now that I am over 50lbs lighter than that I am starting to pick out all the flaws. Maybe it has something to do with being closer to normal that has me nitpicking the small things instead of looking at the overall picture. I still see fat, period. I cannot be alone with myself and think "Wow, I am really changing". Right now I have to stare at myself in the mirror (or take a selfie) to really appreciate how far I really have come. I think all that time trying to get my head to accept my new self has also given me time to take note of what I DON'T like! I never spent a lot of time looking at myself at 316lbs, in fact I avoided it at all cost. So perhaps I am concentrating too hard at looking now. Again, it is a weird "me" thing. I am happy I have lost, truly. I just need to take the time now to learn to love me. It has been a long time since I did that. I see the flaws because it is hard to accept I am really ok overall.. I will get there, it will just take some work like everything else. I am just now realizing the changes I thought I was prepared for. In the mean time I just keep it covered with cute, flattering and MUCH SMALLER clothes and be happy where I am. Fake it until I make it!!!!

CowgirlJane I am not sure... I think plastics would help immensely, but they are not covered by insurance. ( and not a financial option for me) Besides, with my blood clotting issues it sort of scares me anyway. I guess all I can do is keep plugging away and hope I get to a space where I feel more comfortable. As I said, it could just be where I am at right now, still obese yet sagging from losing a lot. Perhaps when I am not obese anymore ( clinical definition) and closer to an ideal weight, I won't have quite as much issue. That is my hope at least.

This is a topic long needing discussion!! Before weight loss I had horrible arthritis in both my knees. I was getting to a point where replacement was a serious consideration and I could hardly tolerate the pain I was dealing with. Since I have loss 90lbs my knees never hurt now! I can walk forever, even wear heels and no problems. But......my lower back is now hurting quite often. I was told by a sports physiologist that it was due having a different gait from weight loss, therefore using different muscle groups. I have not found any strengthening exercises yet that have helped, and the pain has been pretty constant. Yet I can manage it and will continue looking for an answer. A post above mentioned glutes. I just tried tightening them (SQUEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!) and guess what? My lower back pain eased up! So....guess I need to start doing some major glute work to get the back in shape, with a side benefit of making my rear tighter!!! LOL Seriously though, I never thought about how weight loss could CAUSE pain until the sports physiologist explained it to me. Seems like something that should be covered somewhere along the pre op journey, so that we aren't left to think we did something wrong!

I feel pretty darn good. When you lose a large amount of weight it is always a huge relief on your body. Even though I am still classified "morbidly obese" and I am the weight that some sleevers actually start at, I am feeling pretty terrific. I had horrible arthritis in my knees before the weight loss. I was a heavy anti inflammatory user until repeated DVTs/ PEs put me on blood thinners for life. I could no longer use the anti inflammatory meds and the pain in my knees was nearly crippling. I was put on Tramadol to deal with the pain, but it barely helped. I have not had one pain killer for my knees since surgery! As of now I rarely have ANY arthritis pain in my knees and my mobility is 100% better. Now, I do currently have lower back pain. I was told it is likely to my shift in gait from losing weight, along with the fact I can now wear heels!!! LOL So it is sort of a give and take, but very manageable. Otherwise my health is good. I did have extreme hair loss and now wear a wig, but I believe the surgery was only a part in that for me. ( PCOS and blood thinners are culprit too I think) Other than that I am healthy as anybody. My stay in the hospital was 3 days. My surgery was scheduled for 10am on Oct 21st, had to be there at 7am. There was an emergency and I was pushed back until 3pm!! I spent a lot of time in the pre op area. Wasn't bad, except smelling coffee from the nurses station and not being allowed any. LOL I did have a hard time from the anesthesia and could not wake up easily. ( first time for that issue) Pain meds made me super sick to my stomach and my first clear memory post op was throwing up. Not good after major stomach surgery, but I lived through it. They learned to give me anti nausea chasers immediately after pain meds to keep that from happening again. I was released late Wednesday afternoon. I was sent home with liquid Vicodin and some anti nausea meds, but only took them two days. My recovery was pretty smooth. I have had no major issues at all since.

I was sleeved Oct. 21st 2013 in Dayton OH by Dr. David Bruce. My surgery was performed at Grandview Hospital. For anyone in the Dayton OH area, we all know Grandview has a bad reputation. ( In very rough part of town ) But I am here to tell you the NEW Grandview ( since remodel) is BEAUTIFUL!!! My stay there was fabulous. The rooms on the bariatric floor are basically private and very spacious. The staff were awesome, very friendly and attentive. I have nothing but kudos for my surgical experience. My journey post op has been ok. I am a bit of a "slow loser" but I am losing, and that is what counts! I am really happy with my choice and just wish I had done it years ago!!!

To Pop Tart or not to Pop Tart, that is the question...And you answered it with a big ole' HECK YEAH! We get to live our lives because we chose this path. ( to sleeve) And guess what? The occasional "off plan" food is part of that life. I feel it is safe to say you know exactly what you are doing and this was just a test...or a tease..for us. Way to goose us all!!! LOL

I have had one dream being "skinny" since I started this whole process. I don't remember the content of the dream, but I remember waking up feeling excited. Since then though, I dream myself heavy. In fact, I often stop and look at myself in the mirror and say "damn". I still do not have my head around my current size. While I hope to go even lower, to reach my goal weight, my brain is still stuck on the "before" me. So....maybe if I start dreaming it I might finally believe it.

Piercedqt78 said something about always being great at sugar coating things. I think that is a HUGE metaphor for all of us...We spent years sugar coating our lives, literally and figuratively. We are no longer doing that for our physical health ( no more excess sugars!) and now we no longer do it for our mental health either!!! You get what you get... This is me.