Gammy10

I had my surgery in June of 2014. I got down to 175 but I am now back up to 213. I started yesterday back on my preop full liquid diet. I am determined to get this weight back off. Years ago, this forum was so inspirational to me. A lot of the people I followed have not posted in years. I wonder what happened to them and how they are doing. I am hoping a veteran can offer advice on how I can successfully shed these pounds!

Thanks so much for your reply. I am determined! I know that I am a stress eater. I have recently completed my doctoral program, so the stress level should be much less now. I’m on my 3rd day of full liquids, and I am already down 4 pounds. I’m not actually hungry; it’s just a head game. I already am feeling the benefits. My goal for the moment is to get below 200. I’m taking it one step at a time, and I’ve realized the importance of the support I receive here. I don’t want to be a failure statistic! I am going to do this.

Thanks so much for the encouragement! Please keep me posted.

I am in your same boat. I had my surgery in 2014. I am considering going back on my preop liquid diet.

I can understand your fear. I am in my late 40s, working on my doctorate, and in the professional arena. We all know there are those sharks looking for any drop of blood or weakness, so they can attack. I had the same concerns to a certain extent when I was considering surgery. I decided I would keep it a secret between me and my husband, and everyone around me would just see me as having super human will power. But what I discovered was life after wls was something I could not fully imagine until I found myself on the other side. I do not freely tell people about my choice, but if they point blank ask, I do not lie. I have found that while I have lost many pounds, I have gained a greater sense of confidence, a more positive attitude, a greater willingness to go the extra mile, and peace of mind in knowing I did the right thing for myself. If decided if those I worked with couldn't understand that, then they were the ones with a problem. Good luck to you. Hold your head high and do not let anyone make you feel smaller or weaker because you had the courage to follow this dream for yourself. Ha! I could imagine hearing the words to Katy Perry's song ROAR as I typed this response! lol "...cause I am a CHAMPION, and you're gonna hear me ROAR!"

Congratulations on your new sleeve. You are going to love your new life! I am about 6 months post op. I have only thrown up a couple of times since having my surgery, and both times it was because of those dang chewable vitamins. I take the Bariatric Advantage chewable ones. I finally got creative. I leave two out on the the kitchen counter each night; this makes them a bit softer. The next day, I crumble them with my fingers and stir them into a bit of greek yogurt. I do this morning and night. You do not even taste them, and they have not made me nauseated even a little bit since then. Plus, we all know the greek yogurt is a great source of Protein. I know it may not work for everyone, but it has been a life saver for me. Good luck to you!

This is an old subject, but I could really relate. I am a little over 6 months post op, and even though I didn't eat a lot over the holidays, I certainly ate things I shouldn't have. Like many others, it triggered that unsatisfiable yearn for carbs. In truth, I can see that as a major contributor to my weight problem in the past. I just need to be honest with myself and stop those bad behaviors in their tracks before they become habits again. Thanks to everyone who posts on this site. I draw so much strength and wisdom from each post I read.

Yes, I had a drain, and I dreaded having it removed the next morning, but it was absolutely a piece of cake. It was out in less than 2 seconds, and there was no pain. It did feel a little weird coming out, but there was no pain. Because it was a four hour drive for me to return to Dr. Mile's office, my husband actually removed the staples at home, and again, there was no pain. (Note: I do not recommend taking your own staples out. It requires a special tool, which we had because of my husband's line of work.)

Hi Ladies, Dr. Miles did my sleeve June 2014, and I was very pleased with him and the procedure. I recently passed my six month mark, and I am down about 60 lbs. I have had NO complications, and I feel completely normal now only I get full really fast. I have absolutely no regrets. I only wish I had done it sooner. I, too, was self pay. I would happily answer any questions you might have. Good luck to both of you! I am excited for you. You are going to LOVE your new life!

hhp29, your day will be here before you know it. Once I had my surgery, time seemed to pass by quickly. I can't believe I am already 8 weeks out. Someone asked me the other day if I had found this whole process difficult, and my reply was to tell them it all depends on how bad you want to be healthy. This has been much easier for me than struggling with the shortness of breath, knee pain, and general overall misery. I wish you much success and a speedy recovery!

As I was preparing for my surgery, I combed these forums night and day trying to imagine what the experience would be like. While I realize the real journey is still ahead of me, I thought I would share my experience for those seeking answers. Please keep in mind that everyone's surgeon, requirements, and experience is different. Here is mine: Pre-surgery I had my first consult with my surgeon in April of 2014. I weighed in at 242. Since I was self-pay, I was not required to spend months on a supervised diet. A round of blood work, a medical clearance from my general practitioner, and a week long pre-op diet of full liquids w/ the day before surgery being Clear Liquids was all that was required of me. I did have to stop my Meloxicam (arthritis meds) before surgery, and that was the most difficult part. I chose to wait until June to have my surgery while I was on summer break. Like most, once I had my surgery date set, I felt as those the next couple of months would be my last chance to eat all the things I loved. Then I realized I was only adding insult to injury by doing so; I decided to start making small healthy changes in my diet. My ultimate goal was not to gain any weight before surgery. On surgery day, I weighed in at 235, so I was very proud of myself. Surgery Day Since the doctor I chose was four hours away; I arrived a day early. The day before surgery was busy with a nutrition class in the morning, and pre-op appt. in the afternoon. I felt prepared and had no last minute questions. I was told to arrive at the hospital outpatient area by 5:30 a.m. the next morning. Everyone was very nice, but I was not prepared for the fact that outpatient services are not as "posh" as the inpatient hospital room. My husband and I were taken to a room where they started my i.v., took vital signs, and gave me a blood thinner shot in my stomach. I don't remember getting the "relaxing" shot to take the edge off, so I was quite apprehensive at this point. My only thoughts at this point were "I can still back out..." My husband must have had the same thoughts because he whispered, "You do not have to do this." About 20 minutes before they took me back, the doctor came in to speak to us and eased both of our fears. By 7:20 a.m., I was being wheeled back to the operating room. As I entered the operating room, I was surprised to see a large window, and I wished I was outside (anywhere but there). The room was full of people hustling and bustling getting things ready for my procedure. There was lots of busy chatter as I was slid over to the operating table and strapped down. At this point, I was thinking, if they indeed has snuck some medicine in me to take the edge off, it wasn't working. Every one of my senses were on heightened alert, and I wanted to jump up and run. That was my last thought. I do not remember being in recovery. The next thing I remember was waking up back in my room. It was around noon, and my husband was offering me ice chips. The nurses helped me up to go to the bathroom. When I looked in the mirror in the bathroom, there was blue stuff around my mouth where they had check my new tummy for leaks while I was in the operating room. There was no pain; it was more like being very uncomfortable. Once back in bed, I dozed most of the afternoon and do not remember much else about the hospital. Around 3:30 p.m., I was wide awake and able to get dressed. We were allowed to leave and return to our hotel. The doctor came in before we left and gave us his cell phone number in case we had any problems. All was well, and I had no pain other than being uncomfortable until the middle of the night. It was then that the nausea came crashing through. They prescribed me zofran for nausea, but it was not working. I should note that being put to sleep always has this effect on me, and I do not think it had anything to do w/ the type of surgery I had, but it was still misery. I finally fell asleep around 5:00 a.m. The Next Day At 9:00 a.m. the next morning, we returned to the doctor's office to have my drain removed (which was absolutely painless; do not worry about that if you are having it done). I explained about the nausea, and they prescribed me phenigran, which did the trick. We left the doctor's office and headed out for our four hour journey home. I slept comfortably the entire trip home. We did stop along the way, so I could get out and walk some. Before the surgery, I dreaded the ride home, but it was a piece of cake! The Weeks Following Surgery I am nearly eight weeks post-op now, and I must admit that time has flown by! The first few days it was difficult getting liquids down, but I did not stress about it and did the best I could. I ran a fever off and on for a couple of days, but it never reached 101, so I just tried to push more fluids, and it worked. I slept a lot the first week and tried to get as much rest as possible, so my body could heal. (Remember to be kind to yourself and don't push yourself.) In the beginning, the weight seemed to fall off quickly. I stepped on the scales every time I passed by them, and it seemed I lost weight every time. After a couple of weeks, the weightless completely stopped! I was patient for a few days, but when the days turned into a week, and then that week turned into two, I started to get discouraged. I was following all of the rules, but the scales would not budge. That was when I decided this surgery did not make the scales my friend, so I stopped weighing and focused on getting my Protein and fluids in. After all, I could feel myself getting smaller and my clothes getting baggy. Finally, the number started going down again. At almost eight weeks, I am at 216, so that is 26 pounds down, and I am pleased with that. I am still not exercising because of the pain in my knees and other joints. The knee and joint pain is getting some better. I am hoping that after a bit more of the weight comes off, it will continue to get even better, and I can start exercising and speed up the weight loss. I have never once had a regret about the surgery. I am thankful each day that God gave me the courage to follow through. I already see great improvements like: I can breathe easier and get less winded; I sleep more soundly and wake more rested; my husband compliments me all the time; even though I eat less, I enjoy my food more. I am excited about the future.

Has anyone tried intravenous Vitamin therapy such as the Myers Cocktail? I am eight weeks post op and have had the therapy once a week for the past two weeks. I can tell a huge difference in my energy level and diminishing joint pain.

It will be here before you know it @@4me4them !

I am about 4 1/2 weeks out, and the worst part for me is......The vitamins!! It makes me nauseated to simply look at the container they are in.

I had surgery at 7:30 a.m. and was released at 3:30 p.m. on the same day. No problems at all.

I have read all about the stalls and understand they will happen, but I wasn't expecting to hit my first one 10 days after surgery. I have followed all of the rules and have not lost an ounce from days 10-16. It is so dang frustrating! Grrrrr......

My surgery date was June 19th, so I am 2 wks and 2 days post op. While I was able to do routine things (grocery shopping, leisure walking, etc.), I definitely needed a couple of weeks before I would be able to keep up the fast pace of a regular school day. I still get tired easily, and my energy is gone....I must sit down! I chose to have my surgery over summer break, so I could dedicate some time to myself and adjust to my new way of eating, cooking, etc. If you are like me, once school starts, I put myself on the back burner, and it becomes all about my students, lesson plans, grading endless essays, etc. Good luck to all of you! Healthier teachers and administrators will translate into a great school year!

@@livingmore I had my sleeve done with the same dr as you. I am four days post op. My surgery was around 7:30 that morning, and I was back at the hotel by 3:30 that afternoon. It is definitely doable. The only problem I had was that I had issues with nausea due to being put to sleep (always happens to me). It was really tough getting any fluids down with the nausea, but I managed. I dreaded having the drain out, but there was NO pain and it only took about 30 seconds. Also, they switched my meds around that day to try to help with the nausea, and it made all of the difference. Try not to worry and best of luck to you!

Tonight, I am packing for the hospital. My surgery is on Thursday. Since I am self-pay, mine will be done as outpatient, so I will leave the hospital the same day. I will stay in a hotel the night after my surgery and then return to the surgeon's office the next day to have drain removed before traveling 4 hrs. home. I am at a loss as to what to pack to be prepared for that night in the hotel afterwards and the long journey home. I would so appreciate any advice or tips. I appreciate each of you as I have poured through all of your posts over the past few months.

Thanks for all of the replies. I am all packed and about to head out. I have one last meeting with nutritionist and pre-op tomorrow then surgery on Thursday. I will admit...my current tummy is full of butterflies....so many emotions! I so appreciate all of the support, comfort, and inspiration I have gotten from this site!

Yes, @@KSTUZ we can do this! I do not like getting those cortisone shots either! We will feel so much better once we shed some of this extra weight. My ortho doctor says for every pound I lose, it takes 4 pounds of pressure off my joints. Now, that has to make a difference in how we feel. Thank you @@blondiebabs ! I hope to be posting from the losing bench soon!

I was told never to take them again. Also, no birth control pills (which grandmas don't need those! ha!). I know losing weight will help immensely. I think I will call on Monday and ask about the cream. My surgery is next week, and I am so psyched about that!

I am wondering the same thing. I have taken the highest dosage of Meloxicam for years due to bad articular cartilage in my knees. I have had three knee surgeries and this medication has definitely been my friend. I did stop taking it several weeks ago in anticipation of my upcoming surgery, but I am thinking I will be miserable without the meds until some of this weight comes off. The nurse did tell me about an Nsaid cream that is prescription that I could try, but I have not contacted my ortho surgeon about that yet.

Shots never bother me, but I have never had to give one to myself. My hubby watched the video and assures me he is up to the challenge.

Has anyone else had to have daily blood thinning shots for 30 days post op?