GreenEyes604

Your profile says you are 10 months post op and you've lost 89 lbs. already. At that far out, what are your expectations about how much weight you should be losing? Your weight loss should have slowed considerably by this time. Why do you think you're doing something wrong?

Wear something to the hospital that will comfortable enough for you to wear home after your surgery. Have someone bring a pillow that you can use on your way back home from the hospital that you can use to cushion your seatbelt against your abdomen. Don't take a bunch of junk with you that you aren't going to use, need, or want to be fooled with. After your surgery the only thing you're going to want to do is sleep. I recommend having your cell phone, but leave all those other electronics at home. And there also is no need for you to bring any medications, gas-x, or anything else. Any discomfort that you experience, all you have to do is ask one of your nurses and they will get something for you that is approved by your doctor. You're not going on vacation, you're going to have surgery. Too many people want to take entirely too much stuff and they wind up never using any of it. The only thing I took that I was very happy I did was my pillow that I sleep on everynight, and a Glade Plug In so my room smelled nice. I didn't want that funky hospital smell.

The risk is much greater for what? What was your previous surgery?

How Long Does It Take for Nicotine to Completely Leave the Body? Nicotine is the active ingredient in tobacco products such as cigars, cigarettes, pipe tobacco and chewing tobacco. When you smoke or chew any of these substances, nicotine is pulled into the blood stream. How long it takes for nicotine to completely leave the body depends on a number of factors including how much tobacco you use, the kind of test that is run to measure the nicotine level and how your body metabolizes toxins. When nicotine is taken in through smoking or chewing tobacco, it is changed into cotinine in the lungs and liver before being passed out of the body in urine. Nicotine and cotinine can be detected in the blood, urine, saliva and hair. 1. Nicotine in Blood - The blood test for nicotine is very accurate. How to Test: For a blood test for nicotine, a lab can measure either presence or absence of nicotine (or cotinine) or an absolute level of the toxins. A blood sample will be drawn for this test. Time: The time nicotine remains in the blood will be variable depending on whether nicotine or cotinine is being tested. If the lab is testing for nicotine levels, the nicotine will typically be gone within 1-3 days after you stop using tobacco. If the lab is testing for cotinine levels, the cotinine will continue to be detectable for 1-10 days after the last use of tobacco. 2. Nicotine in Urine - Cheap and easy to do, the urine test is the most common way to test for nicotine. How to Test: A urine sample will be collected and a test strip is then dipped into the urine for 5 minutes. This test will be either positive (cotinine is present in the urine) or negative (no cotinine is detected). Time: Nicotine and cotinine levels in the urine are usually not detectable within 3-4 days after stopping use of tobacco products. However, for passive smokers, urine nicotine test can be positive for as long as 15 to 20 days. Cotinine may also take longer to be excreted with wastes if menthol cigarettes are used. 3. Nicotine in Saliva - This test is often considered to be the most sensitive for detection of cotinine the metabolite of nicotine. How to Test: For this test, a saliva sample must be obtained. A test strip is soaked in the saliva for 20 minutes. This test is particularly useful because it will measure the approximate amount of nicotine that you have used. Time: The saliva test can detect cotinine levels for up to 4 days. 4. Nicotine in Hair - Because of the length of time it takes to grow hair, measuring nicotine levels in the hair is a reliable test to determine long-term use. The down side is that it is a relatively expensive test for nicotine. How to Test: For this test, hair should be taken as close to the scalp as possible. If possible, the hair should be pulled out of the scalp. Hair from other parts of the body can be used if your head is bald. Time: Tests of hair follicles can be done for months after smoking. It is extremely accurate for 1-3 months after you stop smoking and nicotine may be detectable for up to a year. This is a specialized test usually used when all other forms of tests are unsatisfactory. How to Clear Nicotine from the Body If you are trying to clear nicotine from your body, there are several ways to help speed the process. Use all of these methods together to really speed the clearance of nicotine from the body. 1. Be Sure to Drink Plenty of Water Each Day As long as you are healthy and not on Fluid restrictions for other health problems, drink at least 8 8-ounce glasses of water each day. Nicotine and cotinine are excreted through the kidneys – by drinking lots of water, you are forcing your body to rid itself of all sorts of toxins. Increasing your water intake is good for all parts of your body. 2. Eat Foods that Contain Antioxidants Antioxidants are substances that help to rid the body of toxins by speeding up the metabolism. Fruit juices without sugar added are a great source of these antioxidants. Try those juices that are very acidic such as orange juice and cranberry juice. 3. Eat Foods that Increase Production of Bile Bile is produced in the liver and helps to detoxify your body and remove nicotine. These foods might include those with pungent odors such as onion and garlic. 4. Exercise Regularly If you exercise at an appropriate level, it will help speed your body’s metabolism which will help to more quickly clear nicotine and cotinine. Before starting any exercise routine, be sure to consult your healthcare provider to ensure that you are healthy enough for an exercise program.

Absolutely a no no for me as well.

55 years young here... had my surgery December 12, 2014.

***UPDATE*** I have an appointment with my surgeon tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully I can get some answers then.

@@kcdavidson42 I am 10 weeks out and I'm still not getting in the required amounts of liquids. It is so hard that I want to pull my hair out sometimes.

I am going on record stating, "There is NOTHING easy about this post op life"... PERIOD!!!

@@slothritis I am 9 weeks post op and I do have RA. My rheumatologist allowed me to stop all my RA medications 2 weeks pre op, and resume them 2 weeks post op. She also told me that if I were to experience any flares during the time that I was off my meds, that I could come into the office and there is a long lasting injection that she could give me that would calm the flares and get me through until I could resume my meds. As for the benefits of this surgery to my RA, I can't say anything bad about it. I have lost a total of 67 pounds since I started my weight loss journey, and my joints are so much happier. Especially my knees and feet. Not carrying around so much weight, and relieving pressure on my joints, has been a blessing in itself. There are issues that I'm still struggling with in regard to the sleeve surgery, (difficulty getting required Protein and liquids, and horrible stomach spasms), but this surgery has been a true blessing for my RA, and I would do it again without a second thought.

I am 9 weeks post op and I still have major stomach spasms. I even take a prescription medicine to try and calm the spasms down, but it never fails whenever I eat anything, I get the spams. I'm definitely going to be talking to my surgeon about this on my next visit. This feeling cannot last forever.

I really like some of the Syntrax flavors and the Unjury powders pre-op. Ever since my surgery I can't stand ANY protein powders. I'm just a little over 2 months post op and all of my protein comes from food.

I totally agree with @Goodlife1206. Don't wait until you get blocked up. I hadn't had a BM in over a week a few days ago, and I was absolutely MISERABLE! I felt so bad that I just wanted to cry. ***TMI ALERT*** Mine was so bad that I had the urge to go but every time I went to the bathroom nothing would come out, but when I wiped myself, I could feel the largest and hardest lump right underneath my skin. It finally got to the point where I went to CVS and bought a Fleet Enema. I hate those things, but I just couldn't take the back up any longer. Start now with some Smooth Move Tea, Miralax, or some other stool softener. Please, please, please don't wait until you get as miserable as I was.

@@WL WARRIOR You should check with your insurance company. Depending on the severity of weight loss and the psychological effect it has on you, a lot of insurance companies will pay for the augmentation.

I am struggling with some of the same issues. I was sleeved on 12/12 and I too am in a stall. I've been the same weight for the past 3 1/2 weeks. I have horrible stomach cramps whenever I eat anything, which just pushes me further and further away from wanting to eat anything, but I know I have to eat. I struggle everyday with trying to get my liquid and Protein minimums in, but I just keep taking one day at a time. I've lost a total of 67 pounds. I've lost 37 pounds since my surgery. I too would be very disheartened if this was all the weight I lost post op.

@@MsAlaineus Welcome to our wild and crazy world. Be sure to hold on to your excitement because you're about to embark on a journey that will test everything you are, and when all is said and done, you will become a swan!

Who is your insurance carrier?

@@proudgrammy I'm so happy that everything is working now. I always look forward to seeing your posts with all your emoticons!

A liver biopsy is routine for my surgeon. They do one while they are in there just to make sure there are no problems. Biopsies are quite normal when you are having different types of surgical procedures. Many years ago I went into the hospital to have a hysterectomy. My doctor told me that he would do a biopsy of some of the surrounding tissue just to make sure that nothing was developing. Fortunately for me when he did the biospy they found carcinoma cells that they would not have found if he had not done the biopsy. I'm 100% ok now, but if I'm having any type of surgery done, and my doctors wants to "check and make sure", they definitely have my permission, and its not like you're going to miss a microscopic piece of tissue either... LOL

If I were you I wouldn't even buy a scale right now. You will get weighed everytime you go see your doctor. Don't become a slave to a scale. You will experience stalls along your journey, and during those times you will become frustrated because you're not seeing the weight loss you expect if you're constantly weighing yourself. I'm one of those people that weighs herself everytime I go to the bathroom, (my scale sits right next to my toilet). Fortunately for me I'm not really bothered by what the scale says, but there are certainly a lot of people that are. I'm going through a stall right now, and everytime I get on the scale I just ask myself will today be the day I break my stall or will I see the same thing tomorrow. I'm actually getting excited about when my stall will break. Yeah, I'm kinda weird like that

This also happened to me once before. I don't know what it was but after a few days it fixed itself.

@@Elode Sistagirl you look marvelous <in my best Billy Crystal voice> I started noticing a slight thinning out in my face, but my face started looking more like it was melting. I guess because of my age the elasticity just isn't there anymore, so I have some really saggy skin. I guess I'll need some "tightening" at some point in time.

Your doctor will determine whether or not you will have the surgery when you get to the hospital. I have a friend who was scheduled for surgery, and during her assessment at the hospital just an hour before her scheduled time, the doctor postponed her surgery due to her being sick. I'm not telling you this to scare you or be a negative Nelly, but you should prepare yourself just in case they do decide to postpone your surgery. Your doctor isn't going to do something that is going to potentially jeopardize your recovery in any way, and I would just hate to see you devastated because you weren't prepared for that possibility. I wish you the very best!

55, and if I would have known in my early twenties what I know now, I would have done it in a heartbeat! I still want to kick myself sometimes because this surgery is something I had thought about for years, and I waited so long to do it.

There are so many people who blindly trust and believe ANYTHING they hear on television. They believe that if a man or woman that signs "MD" behind their name says it, it has to be true. It is truly unfortunate that these so called "health professionals" are not more mindful of the damage that can be caused by what comes out of their mouths. So many of them are in it just for the money, but at what expense? At the expense of the health and lives of so many people that blindly watch and believe this mess? I truly don't understand how some of these people sleep at night.