BitterSweet*

@@SherB, I'm glad you're recovering well from your surgery and if you were offended by my comments, that was not my intent. To clarify, a VSG is major surgery and will cause pain as all surgeries do. Healing times will of course vary for every individual, as does pain tolerance. You will be sore for weeks to come. Soreness and discomfort are not the same thing as acute post-op pain, which would require the use of narcotics to ease. People needing narcotics for longer than others is not a whiny or baby-ish thing, it just means you may (note the word may) have a lower tolerance to pain compared to others. Doesn't make it a 'bad' thing, some people are simply that way, and others are complete opposites. A good indication of the level of expected pain after surgery can be determined by a few simple things: The type of narcotic you are given after surgery; the count, or number of pills in the bottle (or amount of liquid); and whether there is an authorized refill already on the original presciption. For example, if you are given Percocet, 30 pills in the bottle, and there's an authorized refill, the doctor is expecting you to have a moderate amount of pain and has planned ahead by giving you a very strong narcotic, and a lot of it. If you get Lortabs (5mg tablets), get 10 pills in the bottle, and no refills are authorized, the doctor expects your pain to be minimal.

Flip the script on her. Her comments are precisely why people judge WLS and think it's the easy way out; everyone wants to believe the weight will just magically fall off. Now would be a good time to raise the point that it will be YOU that does the work to lose the weight. It isn't a magic fix. If in the future someone else decides to say something like that to you or about you, she'll be your biggest defender!

That is not true whatsoever. You'll need your CPAP after surgery, and not just for at home use. Hospitals are supposed to advice you to bring it with you to the hospital in case you may need it in the recovery room and for use in your hospital room while you sleep. Hopefully with enough weight loss, you won't need it for much longer.

Reflux will cause a tickle.

He was an ass that day. We all have days like that. It's inexcusable how he treated you, but his lack of professionalism in that moment can happen to anyone. Everybody can have bitchy moments. I practice them regularly. Lol! Follow through with your scheduled post-op appointments and give him a second chance. If he's on his period the next time you see him, offer him a Midol, a tampon, and when you check out at the front desk, notify them that ALL of your future appointments need to be with the surgeon himself, or another PA or NP - not the moody male who's constantly on the rag. Just my thoughts. =)

Post-op nausea is due to a few things: Any type of ENT procedure, anesthetic gases that you breathe in during the surgery, and IV narcotic pain meds that are given during surgery, after surgery and sometimes even pre-operatively. If you don't want to deal with any nausea, tell your pre-op nurse and anesthesiologist the day of surgery that you get really bad post-op nausea, even if you don't. It is easier to be treated prophylactically for nausea, than to hope for the best afterwards; the odds are not on your side even if you've never had it before. You should be given the following (barring any allergies): Pre-op: Scopalamine patch, IV Decadron, IV Phenergan Intra-op: IV Zofran, IV Neostigmine, and sometimes IV Reglan Post-op: If needed, IV Phenergan. If unrelieved, IV Droperidol. Persistant nausea, small dose of Propofol, which must be given by an anesthesiologist. Fix it before you have a chance to get it!

You were treated poorly and I'm sorry that you had to endure such poor professionalism. He did instruct you accurately about taking the pain meds ahead of time. The problem was taking the maximum dose, and taking it every 4 hours. The range of up to 25 ml is the maximum, and the four hour time frame is the minimim. When you combine the two, you will max out or exceed the 24 hr dose of recommended acetaminophen, and run out of meds very quickly. He should have told you that when you spoke to him initially. Everyone is different, but having acute pain that still requires narcotic medications five days post-op means your pain tolerance is lower than some other people. If you ever have to have surgery again, remember that and kind of plan ahead. Your bruising does sound ordinary / normal. I hope you begin to feel better soon. =)

It sounds like you've researched well. Do your surgery on Monday. Believe it or not, surgeons really have nothing to do with the actual scheduling of surgery, and that includes the line up on surgery day. Unless you have an appointment like a day or so before the actual surgery, they'll remember you, otherwise they have no idea who is showing up on surgery day or what order patients will be in. This clusterf***k is entirely due to the office staff, not the surgeon.....and he didn't hire any of that staff anyway. I totally get your frustration, but don't let that hinder your plans. You've done everything right. Now if you show up on Monday and something is amidst, raise hell. I think you'll be fine and best wishes to you!

A good way to tell if they are new or not is whether they itch or not. New ones itch, old ones don't. Also, as you lose weight the appearance of stretch marks will change; they may look better or worse.

@@docbree, it's not a matter so much if you have it, but more about how severe the sleep apnea is. The surgeon is only responsible for his work, and that has nothing to do with your anesthesia. People with severe, obstructive sleep apnea are at higher risks for complications, and although it may not delay your surgery, it provides the anesthesia team with the best information to manage your care. People who are already diagnosed with sleep apnea usually have to get clearance to have surgery from their pulmonologist; it's liability protection for your doctors and in your best interest as well.

Ditto what @@moonlitestarbrite said. Hope you get it checked out and begin to feel better soon.

I totally agree with @Dr-Patient. People can and will be happy for you but it can become like a first time pregnant mom can be - talking about baby stuff day in and day out and nothing else seems pertinent anymore. That doesn't sound like what you're doing, but others may perceive it that way and why you are sensing slight changes.

If you feel like you can handle the offensive comments with ease, then it really doesn't matter if people know.

I'm looking forward to my thighs not touching the bottom of my steering wheel in my car, and for those 2 back fat rolls near my waistline to quit having sex.

So happy for you that this was found and you're being treated. Good luck on your journey!

I plan to stay in a hotel when I do my liquid pre-op diet, so no one I know will have to die. I know I'm going to be a B on wheels.

Amazing transformation is all I can say. You look super cute!

Yeah, that is unusual to be awake for a "sleep study." No matter the results of your sleep study, it shouldn't slow down your approval process. They'll rank the degree of your sleep apnea, and if it high (above 5 or 6 I believe), you may end up with a CPAP machine, but not a surgery delay.

@@snowkitten, yes, they'll fit! They are SUPER stretchy and fit everyone.

LMAO@@AngryViking!!! Don't forget those thigh high Ted-hose to prevent blood clots. Man, that'll be quite the look! Those mesh panties are everything! And that Abd pad is FREAKIN HUGE!! If your upper back was menstruating it would catch that too!! Lol!!

Start bringing and eating healthy meals at work no matter how far out you are from a surgery date. Talk about the new great diet you're on to anyone that will listen. Spend half of your lunch break eating and the other half exercising at work, in whatever capacity is suitable and appropriate (unless there's a gym at your job - then use that). The point is, if you don't intend to tell anyone (and that's entirely your right), exhibiting healthy eating / exercising behaviors around others will help decrease the questions when weight begins to drop off significantly.

Following your doctor's plan is the ideal thing to do. With that being said, Protein is an essential element, period. No matter what phase of their plan people are on, one consistent thing I see is consumption of daily protein (60-80 grams per day), whether that is with food or supplements. juice has a lot of carbs and may be the source of your slowed weight loss. Also, a lack of protein in these early days of recovery after surgery may result in hair loss several months down the road, and more saggy skin from muscle loss. Please contact your doctor. This just may be an oversight on their part. Best wishes!

Hell no. And I hope she gets the message that I've disowned her and she's never welcomed back. Lol!

No, but that's my hometown! Hey!

@@Goddardgo, Oh my bad!!!! Lol! Sorry about that! I hope that pain eases soon enough for you. Best wishes!