Tink22-sleeve

Hey, you can't chicken out. This is for you & your family. It's about you being around to enjoy the pleasures of life. I was originally scheduled for Nov. 12 but had to change date for personal reasons. I made it my business to refrain from negativity and avoid nay sayers. I reassured myself that I was very knowledgeable of the procedure, educated on pros & cons and for certain I needed to do this for the betterment of my life. I'm a grandma but still young and I plan on LIVING, LOVING & ENJOYING MY LIFE! VSG 12.10.12 REBIRTH! I wish you all the best in this WLS. I'm CJ,you can friend me at myfitnesspal.com APerfect10Again

Hi,
I share your mixed emotions. My surgery date is Dec 6. One hand, I can't wait for it to come and on the other I think I am not ready, what do I have to get in place, what will it be like, how will it go, etc. After going through all the insurance hoops, and thinking about this for years, it just doesn't seem real. I am not going to chicken out, I am doing this primarily for health reasons as my weight has impacted my health so much. I have lost weight before but can't keep it off or get past a certain point.
So praying that all of us have a good outcome, quick recovery, and reach a healthy manageable weight! Fortunately we have these great forums for support to help us through the struggle.

My date is 12/3 and I am feeling exactly the same way you all are feeling! Anxious, nervous, excited, scared, but most of all ready!

Idk, 10th seems so far away. Although, I have preop lab work tomorrow...guess once I'm actually kissing my husband bye & being wheeled off it will become reality for me. At this point, I'm preparing, cleaning, reading, and testing out different foods & shakes. Not to mention working out & eating better. Must admit, myfitnesspal helps hold me accountable. I truly recommend it. Oh feel free to friend me CJ, one can never have too many friends especially during this journey:
APerfect10Again
Best of luck to you all!

My surgery date is December 4!! I start my liquid diet on November 27. I am so excited but also very nervous. but I know I am ready for all of the work and can't wait to start a new and healthier life good luck to all of the December sleevers!!!

Congrats!! You look great!

My opinion-- don't mess with the sleeve!

I agree the mental struggle is difficult in the early weeks. As time goes on and the pounds go off, I remember THE priority. Contrary to what people want to think, there can only be one #1 priority. For me it's getting this weight off. Period. As far as comfort and addiction, I've had to find substitutes, something I couldn't....no, didn't.... do before. The trick is to find constructive substitutes like crafts, volunteer work, learning a new language, exercise. It's time to find the one(s) that works for you. Let the old go and enjoy the new you.

How long after surgery could you stop crushing up your pills and just swallow them? Right now I'm on a ton of post-op medication 2 are liquid, one gel that I swallow, and 3 that I have to crush up twice a day and put into something. The liquid and swallow ones go down just fine and are okay but the ones that I have to crush up are making me sick... not the pill themselves but the taste that I get from everything I put them in. It tastes like I am sucking on a penny and the Iron taste stays in my mouth for hours. Plus the smell of just crushing them up, everything about it makes me just nauseated and I want to stop them so so badly. I know I will eventually take a chew-able or Gummy Multivitamin and there are chew-able Calcium that I can have but how far out from surgery are you allowed to take those? I am in my second week of post-op right now.

imo blood=ER

ok only sleeved since November 19th still away from home as i was sleeved Im Mexico so don't have a clue what i weigh but getting out of the shower tonight my boobs were definitely bigger then the belly Im thrilled and with no bra on . i guess this is my official NSV and Im hoping there is still a little swelling around my tummy still so its only gonna get better x

Raw veggies were really hard for me until 7-9 months out. Even then I stayed away from them because there wasn't enough Protein. In maintenance, I started eating them again. Give yourself a few more months, you will be able to tolerate pretty much anything without pain or difficulty.

So as I have been losing weight I update it on my ticker. I slowly watch as it has been moving down the BMI scale: 33, 32, 31, 30 and now today when I updated it....................................29.8!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I AM NOW OVERWEIGHT!!!!!! I can't tell you the last time I was just overweight.
This is a monumentous occassion. I think I deserve a bubble bath!!!
Thanks for listening.

As I get closer to surgery 12/3 my anxiety is ravenous and I have sneaking smokes..Anyone else in my shoes or has ever been there. I know its the wrong direction it is just helping with my anxiety..any info would be greatly appreciated..I dont plan on smoking on my way to surgery and want nicotine out of my system before 12/3..but i feel like im helping myself but also taking chances and making bad choices..although it is calming especially while on pre op diet..

I had my 2 week post op appointment today with my surgeon. it went really well. he said i can now graduate officially to Stage 2 of the diet and I will be on that for the next 4 weeks
I decided to the post the foods i'm allowed just in case anyone else is that the same stage in their journey as me. we can share and compare!
Double bonus of the day: I exchanged a pair of pants that got a hole in them and in return got 3 new shirts and another pair of pants. Woohoo!!!
According to my Surgeons scale i was 312 day of surgery ( i honestly don't think they weighed me) because my PCP's scale and my scale at home said 307. I think they went off my pre op weight appointment. Today I was 294. So my surgeon says i've lost 18 since surgery and I cant argue but I'm not going by his numbers lol.
Foods I am Allowed at 2 Weeks out.
Protein-
Fat Free or low fat cottage or ricotta cheese
Fat free or low fat artificially sweetened yogurt-vanilla,key lime pie,lemon chiffon or orange cream
sugar free fat free pudding
Tofu-
eggs,egg whites,eggbeaters (proached,scrambled or soft boiled.)
Canned baby meats/pureed meats
Sliced/shredded fat free or low fat cheese
Canned/vacuum packed tuna, salmon or chicken
Baked fish that flakes easily with a fork (cod,salmon tilapia,crab meat)
thinly sliced lean deli turkey breast or ham
lean ground beef pork or turkey
Fruits-
banana
Unsweetened applesauce
diced peaches or pears canned in own juice or light syrup
Veggies-
soft cooked carrots,green Beans, broccoli,cauliflower
tomato juice or veggie juice
Starches/Other
Soup,cream of brocc (avoid corn,peas noodles rice and pasta)
mashed potatoes,sweet potatoes or winter squash
saltines,soda crackers
toast (very odd this is on there)
*may add nonfat dry milk powder or Protein Powder to foods and beverages to increase Protein content.which i plan on doing woohoo!!!
i am feeling great wnt to the gym 3x this week and have been cleared to do weights just can't lift them. hope everyone is happy and feeling good <3

When I lived in HI, I had a neighbor who weighed approximately 280 pounds, judging by her appearance. I had not seen her in maybe 4/5 months, but when I did....boy did she look good! She had shredded her fat cocoon and was now rocking a much smaller body..probably size 12/14. Now me, being the lifetime dieter that I am, just had to know what diet she was on that caused her to lose so much weight so fast. Now I was pretty ignorant when it came to the wls, so this was not the first thing that had come to mind. So after complimenting her weight loss and engaging in some petty conversation, I asked her what did she do to get her weight off. Her response....wait for it....wait for it...wait for it...her response was Water AEROBICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What the heck? Was all I was thinking after she responded with that. Did she really believe that I would believe what she had just told me?
Why lie about having weight loss surgery, especially to someone that is going through the same struggle that you once went through? We should not be ashamed to announce to those who want to attain a better health the tools that we have used to achieve that.
Have any of you lied to someone about having surgery, if so, why? I understand that it is your personal decision to share whatever information with whomever you wish.

Well, yes we DO have privacy but if a coworker (who is probably fat too I would guess) asks then I would TELL them the many benefits of WLS. It's your choice but informing other people who may need it is one thing that I look forward to doing. I tell ANYONE who asks and have had at least 2 people pursue WLS because of my openness.
I didn't tell anyone before hand besides my wife and openly tell anyone who asks about it now. And your question is the reason: Why Lie? We openly boast about so many things in our life, kids, work, homes etc, why not boast about the single most beneficial health decision that I have EVER made for myself?

On June 6, 2011 I found myself being wheeled upstairs to the emergency room at UNC Hospital in North Carolina. Quickly, the nurses were putting in more IV's after a V Q Scan had shown that I had a pulmonary embolism. They gave me Hepron and other blood thinning agents to make sure that I didn't die. As I laid there alone in the ER I had plenty of time to think. My life sucked. I had been fat pretty much my whole life. Been on every diet imaginable and then some. Lost and gain weight repeatedly. My knees were shot and needed to be replaced but no orthopeadic surgeon would touch me with a ten foot pole because I weighed 386lbs. and this was after I had lost down from an all time high of 405lbs. Mostly because my Dr. put me on Lasix due to edema in my legs which was probably part of the PE. I had been depressed and miserable for a very long time. My knees hurt all the time and it was more and more difficult for me to get around. I was somehow still working but just barely. I had been told by my gastroenterologist that I could never have weight loss surgery because of a previous surgery on my esophogus and stomach. After I got out of the hospital for the PE I decided to get a second opinion. I first went to Duke. Their lovely psychologist Dr. Applegate felt like I needed to wait a year and come back and reapply. Besides they wanted $30,000 out of pocket for the surgery. But through that process I learned more about the Gastric Sleeve as an option for my weight loss surgery. I'm originally from Texas and my mom told me about a friend of hers that was a nurse and had had the sleeve a few months earlier. I called her and she had done tons of research and recommended the sleeve and her surgeon Dr. Schrapp in Beaumont, TX. He only charged 14,000 and since at that time my insurance didn't yet pay for the sleeve I pursued him. I went to TX for Thanksgiving and arranged to see Dr. Schrapp and his team. They immediately approved me but I had to wait til I was done with the Coumadin that was treating my PE, I called back in December when my PCP released me from the Coumadin and set the surgery for Feb. 5, 2012. I flew to TX went to see Dr. Schrapp for my pre-surgery visit. He told me he had changed his mind and had some concerns for my mental health issues and wanted me to wait 3 months. I was pissed. The bottom line was he had two complaints against him at the Medical Board and hadn't really thought through my surgery risks due to my previous surgery. He was afraid to do my surgery and definitely lacked the ability to successfully do it. So I regrouped and fortunately through a family friend found Dr. Todd Wilson in Houston, TX. He agreed that I had many risk factors but was willing to do an endoscopy to look at my previous surgery before he decide. After the endoscopy he said he could do the surgery and I got scheduled at Hermann Memorial Hospital in Houston, TX. AND, then found out from his administrator that my insurance had changed and would pay for 80% of the surgery but only at Hermann Memorial and by Dr. Wilson. So finally, March 15, 2012 I had the Gastric Sleeve successfully with almost no complications. I now weigh 274lbs. feel great, my knees will still ultimately need to be replaced but now the pain is minimal and manageable with an NSAID instead of 3 different pain meds and frequent cortizone shots. My depression is almost gone and I am active, happier than I have been in 30 years and have a whole new outlook on life. I saw Dr. Wilson yesterday and he told me my weight loss was ahead of schedule and he expected I would continue to lose. Dr. Wilson took a big risk by doing my surgery. He had never done the sleeve on someone who had had a Heller Myotomy before and he consulted with many surgeons and drew out the surgery and was able to complete it. He also knew that I struggled with depression and anxiety and had numerous stressors in my life that could have complicated things further but he took the risk, had faith in himself and me and did the surgery. I am forever grateful. At this point, I do get hungry, I am tempted at times to overeat or eat foods that I know I shouldn't if I want to continue to lose, but 97% of the time I make the best choices and I have continued swimming laps 3-5 times a week and am slowly now losing weight. I reach plateaus at times and that is hard. But I know if I keep doing what I'm supposed to I will continue to lose.

Buy vanilla Protein Shake powder and buy plenty of varieties of sugar free Jello and sugar free pudding. It takes about a teaspoon of powder to flavor ur shake. Instant coffee and butterscotch make a cool coffee for am. Shake! A quick way to break up high Protein monotenous shakes.< /p>

I have not lost a single pound since Nov. 2nd - my 4 month surgery anniversary!! I refuse to let it get to me -
I started working out that week, and I know I am not gaining muscle - I am just in a stupid stall.
I am watching my carb intake, and as I head into holiday chow hell, I m plan on making good choices - turkey first, followed by sweet potatoes!!
Sweets are easy to avoid - but the rolls!!!!
ANyway - I am very pleased with how I look these days.
I am rocking my size 16's and anything I lose after this will really be a bonus....
Have a great Holiday!!!

I am 12 days out from sugery and have lost 17 pounds so far. I have NOT strayed from the plan (mostly fearful of leaks) and I have NOT been physically hungry at all. However, this post is about my support person (a.k.a. my husband). I had an epiphany about him yesterday.
My husband is an awesome chef and has always cooked for me (20 years). So we always eat fresh (never canned), well prepared meals. Since coming home from the hospital, he has tried to eat dinner before arriving home in the evenings. But over one weekend, he worked outside all day putting away patio furniture and preparing for winter. I heard him talking on the phone after he came inside but didn' think much of it. He came upstairs to bring me my famous "protein drink" and announced that he had ordered a small pizza (from my favorite place). He then followed up that statement with since I can't eat any of it right now, he ordered the entire thing with anchovies! BLAH was my response (temptation ended)!
Then he cooked a turkey burger for himself a couple of nights ago. It smelled so good till I walked into the kitchen to take a look. He was smiling and announced that he had "spiced it up real good", and was cooking onions and hot peppers along with it. The burger suddenly took on a spicy smell (which I don't like) and that was the end of that temptation.
So -- he is a sly fox isn't he? I'm not letting him know that I am wise to his ways, I'll just let him going on knowing that he is doing his very BEST to be an awesome support person! I am truly blessed.

There are times that you are not going to be able to get around the munchies, even if it is just head hunger. popcicles, Jello, grapes, grapefruit cold climate apples are all good choices. edamame, soy nuts, pumpkin seeds. Don't eat the same thing over and over either, in my opinion that makes it easy to get "tired" and not feel satiated. I have done that to myself a bit right now
Muchies can be tolerateable - as long as you are still chewing well, and walking away once satiated...measure your munchies just like you would measure anything else.
If you do have an activity to get away from the munchies, try and make it something you can get really lost in, so you arent thinking "this is what I am doing not to eat".
What ever that is, use it, or find it...I make foam swords and get my pet snakes out to play (you cannot eat with glue on your fingers or a squiggly guy wrapped around your hand), and I literally have begin to go fly a kite...and for the days it isn't windy I have a giant shark with a remote control...freaks my neighbors dog out, lol.
now with that said, I have gained a bit in the last two months - it snuck up on me. I am aware and working on maintaining because I want to kinda observe my habits. One is the munchies. My small meals progressed to slightly larger meals and munchies...at the same time work increased and I broke my foot.

Are you actually hungry? If not then it is head hunger and acknowledge it as such.
I relate to stress at home and work. I am a senior director at work and I am also working on my doctorate.
If I'm hungry, I eat a meal or snack. If not, I don't eat.
I keep a quote from my doctor handy in my mind for times like that. "What happens if you get hungry?" ......"Nothing"
Nothing happens. You are just hungry. It doesn't mean you have to eat, especially if you have just eaten recently.
Munching during the day for stress or entertainment or to get just a taste of something begins a slippery slope that leads straight down hill.
If you are stressed, find other ways to manage it instead of eating. Join group exercise, take a walk, have a bubble bath, drink hot tea, try yoga or meditation, get a massage, call a friend, write a letter, just don't get back into the habit of eating when you are not actually hungry, or eating at times that aren't designated as your meal times.

Yes talk to her and explain how you feel. Sometimes in relationships its easy to shut each other out and forget how to get close again or express how we feel because of hurt..I hope the talk goes well and things rekindle. Wishing you a happy holiday:)

Don't try so hard. Do you. This is what this journey is all about. I've been having many personal issues family members that think I'm being selfish for having the surgery. This is how I've just now started to realize how much I did and am backing off. They are all starting to come around slowly.
It's not over it's still very hard and you will get depressed which seems so stupid because you should be so happy with your weight loss but we have all been a little messed up in the head for many years. Thats why we gained the weight in the first place. The VSG helped me realize that. I try to remind myself all the time.
Don't let things bother you just focus on your weight loss and she wants it she will come around. If not your going to look great and there's another one coming. LOL