VSGAnn2014

Congrats, Brandy. From everything I've seen online you are recovering pretty well. Move, move, move -- they say.

Two chewable 600 mg calcium (with D3) pills at different times, but at separate times from the chewable Multivitamin.

GREAT post. Congratulations.

@@back2barb78, your post above really hit me hard. I am so good at work. But my life is so unbalanced and has been for decades. We naturally go where it's easy to go. Six months from now, I plan to go in some other directions besides work. Thanks for reminding me of that.

I'm on 3 Protein shakes a day (using GNC Lean shake Swiss chocolate - they're good!) and broths and puddings to supplement. And can't go over 800 calories a day. I know this will piss some people off, but it's not hard for me.

@@aroundhky, I'm on another VSG board that has a lot more men. I don't think I'm supposed to mention any other boards here, so I won't. But the point is that I know several dozen men who post frequently at that forum about their WLS journeys. They're all very cool. Point is, I do know a lot of men who are getting WLS.

It seems (from what "veterans" say) that the constant posting, checking, reading slacks off after a while. It's very obvious on this board that the ones who post the most are those who are pre-surgery and recently post-surgery. It's great to have a forum like this to go to for education, support and (mostly?) to allay the anxiety we feel when facing body-altering elective surgery that has the potential to permanently alter the lifelong, life-ruining disability (with awful physical and social impacts) most of us have suffered since childhood. After all, very soon we will have ZERO excuses for not spending at least an hour a day exercising. And that means we must stand up and slowly ... move away from the keyboard.

I met with the psychiatrist for an hour interview. Then I took three tests -- took two hours. Then a few weeks later had a second interview with the shrink -- for test results and his assessment. Mercifully, he passed me on to the program. That didn't mean that I (like most -- all? -- of us) I don't have issues / topics that need some work on. But it means I was good to go to start the program. I was already looking for someone to be in therapy with about health issues, and I liked the qualifying shrink so much I'm now seeing him. It's been a good decision for me. As I've mentioned several times, I'm devoting all the resources I can afford toward this final effort I'm making to resolve my overweight problems.

I love this version! Have never heard it before. Good one, @Katcloudshepherd.

Oh, if all mothers were as beatific as mine, it would be wonderful. And mine is a true gem. But I have some friends whose mothers are narcissitic, mean, jealous, ignorant, abusive fools. Giving birth does NOT automatically make a woman a good parent. (But we all know this.)

@@Bufflehead, look at you! I've just realized that you've lost 186 pounds in 14 months. Good freakin' mama! That's an average of 13.3 pounds a month! I realize that you may have lost some weight prior to surgery, but still! You are one motivated woman. How in the world did you catch fire (motivation) in this way and put the pedal to the metal (keep so disciplined) for so long?

Thank you, Bufflehead! What Protein / carb / fat proportions do you recommend?

(sigh) Rants like yours (I loved it!) are important because it describes how hard it is for human beings to understand that EVERYBODY IS NOT JUST LIKE THEM. It takes an Enlightened person to appreciate that just because you and I both go through the same life events, we have not had the same experiences. Human beings (even those in the same families) have different physiologies, personalities, early childhood experiences, social experiences, sexual preferences and orientations, spiritual and political ideologies, and other differences. That stew of many differences produce dramatically different individual needs, preferences, styles, capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. Instead, most of us respond like this: "Gee, this works for ME! Why doesn't it work for you? You must be doing it wrong!"

Here are some questions I asked my surgeon (and investigated about him before finally settling on him): 1. How many WLS surgeries have you done? (In what time frame?) 2. How many VSGs have you performed? (I'll be having a VSG.) 3. How many WLSs have been performed at this facility? (I'm having my surgery at a hospital -- and am happy to be doing so, since complications of all kinds can be dealt with there readily.) 4. What's the MRSA infection rate at the facility for surgical patients over the last 6 months? 5. How many of your patients have died during WLS surgery? How long ago? 6. What kinds of complications have your WLS patients had during the last six months? 7. I realize that complications are to some extent unpredictable. But in what ways does my current physical / health condition suggest that I could have difficulties / complications with WLS during or after surgery? 8. In your experience, what patient behaviors are most highly associated with losing all the excess weight they wanted to lose and thereafter maintaining that weight loss FOREVER?

Yes -- our proportions are different . And not long ago someone posted how to adjust those MFP percentages. But I can't find the instrucs here now, and I can't figure it out on MFP. So if anyone who sees this thread knows how to adjust those proportions, please post it here. Thanks, in advance.

Guys, you're not going to starve. Seriously! It helps on the pre-op diet to drink lots of water and lots of chicken or beef broth, whichever you prefer. Flavor the broth with hot sauces - helps a lot. And the pre-mixed, bottled (cold) GNC Lean Shake 25 Swiss Chocolate is a great choice. Really fills me up.

I enjoy exercise. I am a healthy person. This food is good for me. This Water is good for me. I am lucky. I have so much to be grateful for. Life is good. (Just now, the cat has snuggled up close to me. HOW could life be any better at the moment than that?)

Paloma, I'm interested in the differences I see online in terms of what people are told prior to surgery in their introductory lectures and educational classes (if they had those) about VSG surgery, its benefits, aftermaths, and both possible and preferred eating behaviors. Was the information (that folks posted above) not explained in your classes? Please don't misunderstand -- I'm not criticizing you at all. I'm just curious to learn what education the different programs share with patients. Thanks. BTW, congrats on what sounds like a good recovery from your surgery.

Words of truth! Thank you, MichiganChic.

I have understood from Day One of my last year's exploration and education into the VSG (mostly thanks to sleevers in online forums like this one) that long-time success with the VSG appears to a whole lot more about re-education, re-habituation, for many people psychological counseling support, and careful adherence to and collaboration with your bariatric surgical team. My surgeon told me that the people who lose all the weight they want to lose and never gain it back are those people who never miss an appointment - weekly, monthly quarterly, annually for the rest of their lies. They take advantage of all the center's resources -- support groups, exercise consultants, the surgeon, everything! You can be in for a penny or in for a pound. Either way, you're IN now. And you'll reap the benefits of the investment you decide to make. Will it be a penny or a pound?

Details. We want details.

Congratulations on your decision. You sound well educated and pleased about it. Cool! Very best wishes to you.

I would urge you currently to be under the care of a bariatric surgeon -- either your surgeon or another one. I have NO idea how hard it is to find a second bariatric surgeon to care for you, when they didn't do your surgery. Are you in a counseling / therapy relationship? I would urge you strongly to find a therapist who can help you deal with your weight control / eating / caregiving / other stresses and issues. You are going through a lot right now. I wish you the very, very best going forth. You deserve it.

If you aren't aware of the possibility of cross-addiction from food to alcohol (for those of us who soothe ourselves with food, but can't do that after WLS), you should study up on that. Not trying to scare you at all ... just want to let you know it's something to learn about.

The surgeon's advice about alcohol after WLS -- yes or no, when to resume (if ever), how much is safe, which kinds of alcohol are fine and which are verboten -- vary considerably, depending on the surgeon advising.