samuelsmom

Just to go along with what the others said-- most surgeons have certain days that they can do surgery at the hospital. The surgeon's office staff, once you have completed all of the pre-op requirements and have insurance approval, usually communicates with the hospital and the patients. Typically you'll be offered a certain date. If that works, great. If not, the surgeon's staff will work with you to get you scheduled on an available date. I'm sure there are some variations depending on the office practice, however, this should give you a good idea of the process. Good Luck!

I have told a few people about my decision and am comfortable with that. I follow the advice that my mother ingrained in me: "what is graciously offered should be graciously received." So when someone compliments me, I say "thank you, how nice of you to notice." As far as asking what I have done- I stick with the truth- lower portions and high protein...

Sorry to hear you had so many problems with the band. I recently got the sleeve and except for the first night which was hell, have not had any problems. However, with your current excellent health and relatively low weight (210) perhaps a less draconian measure would help. I would encourage you to find a group that offers a holistic program and maybe do a medically supervised weight loss program first. The sleeve is a great tool but it is major surgery and not reversible. With a history of obesity since childhood and a BMI of 50, it was the right choice for me. Best of luck in your weight loss journey!

I had soup without problem. I would stick with something with a soft, not deep fried Protein. I know several chicken dishes fit in that category.

Mine was with a psychologist that was part of the bariatric program. It was a pleasant 45 minute session and that was it. This is supposed to be an evaluation only, not an ongoing set of appointments. If the clinician wants to see you again then ask why. Good luck!

HI there, Sorry to hear you are having so many problems. I just had my surgery also (11/19). I agree that you need to talk to your surgeon to make sure there are no issues. The one thing that has helped me the most has been walking as much as I can and keeping a Water bottle that I sip out of all day. No, it will not always be like this. Hang in there! Hope you feel better soon!

So happy to hear good news from my fellow sleevers! I had wonderful Thanksgiving. Ordered in from Cracker Barrel for the family! My dietitian told me it would be ok to puree some of the turkey which I did, however, could only eat a few small spoonfuls. I've also been very fortunate in my recovery. My surgeon gives anti-nausea medicine around the clock IV until the IV comes out. Apparently this really worked for me as I have not had any nausea at all. The worst for me was the first night post-op which I was in terrible pain from the gas they use during surgery. Once that got out of my system it's been much better. For those hating the Protein shakes- I use the GNC brand pre made shakes- both the vanilla and the strawberry and they are not bad- 25Gm protein in 14 oz. I sometimes add some Protein powder to add a little more punch. I have also added a scrambled egg to my diet which I really enjoy and can even finish it most of the time! Surgery date 11/19 Preop diet weight: 299 Day of Surgery): 272 Today's weight: 262 Total weight loss: 37 pounds

In 6 months you have lost a lot of weight and are off meds! Congratulations! Enjoy your success and make a plan to increase your weight loss. You already know you need to exercise, it's just doing it. Hang in there. Good Luck!

HI there, I was also quite a caffeine addict with coffee. I told the dietitian straight out that I had no intention of giving up my caffeine until the last minute. About 6 weeks before surgery, she told me "it's the last minute, if you want to get cleared, then it's got to go." What I did was wean slowly over the course of about 3-4 weeks. I never had a caffeine headache and honestly was much easier than I thought. Good Luck to you!

Having the dinner at your house can be an advantage as you will be running back and forth, cooking, serving, etc. That being said, I have found the perfect way to handle this--- I hope it will work for you too. When people try to push food, I accept it graciously and thank them profusely. Then I talk about how I am going to save it so I can really enjoy it and get the full flavor. I then wrap it up and put it away! Hope this helps!

Good Morning Everyone! Happy Thanksgiving to all. So we have all gotten through the first week. Yay! How is everyone doing? Fortunately all is fine here. I find it weird to just drink and at night I tend to be sore, but otherwise, the recovery has not been complicated. So on this day of gratitude I am thankful for this opportunity to start a new life journey and I wish all of my fellow "sleevers" good health and happiness.

I guess I would need more information to be able to help. For example- how much are you drinking/eating at one time? What diet (liquids, puree) are you currently on?

@ I felt such a connection when I read your post- it could have been me writing it! I also have been overweight my entire life. I always wondered what was wrong with me that I couldn't lose weight... What I have learned and the medical community supports-- is that obesity is a disease not a lifestyle choice. After all, who would choose it??? Failure to maintain a normal body weight does not mean you are weak or lazy, it means you have a disease! So how to treat? Like most diseases there are numerous levels of severity. Diet and exercise along with behavioral modification may work for some. However, I think with the more severe cases, surgery should be considered. For me, I am a nurse by trade, and knew that I would not have a good outcome if I did not take action. I already have knee arthritis and was more terrified of a being disabled or dying young than going through surgery. I just had my surgery last week. Did I want to have it? HECK NO! Did I need to have it? Yes. One of my nurse friends helped me when I was ready to back out the day before surgery. She asked me how many times I had tried to lose weight. Then she asked over the course of how many years. Finally she asked what my results were. At that point she advised me to consider my past efforts and results and make a decision based on the facts rather than emotion. Looking at it objectively really helped. I am so glad the surgery is behind me and not in front of me. I have lost 5 pounds in the first 5 days since surgery and am recouperating. I am still afraid that this may fail also, however, I have decided to remain positive and work towards being the healthiest me possible. Good Luck on your journey!

@@klock WLS is, in my opinion, the "nuclear" option. Last year, after years of attempts, and a BMI around 50, I documented my efforts for 1 year and what I discovered was that I lost and regained the same 15 pounds. At that point I realized that I needed "nuclear!" I spent a few days researching and found that the sleeve was my preferred option for the following reasons: 1) No rerouting of digestion 2) Reduction in the hormone Ghrelin so you feel less hungry 3) Less operative risk 4) An easier operation and less time under anesthesia 5) No or minimal risk for dumping syndrome 6) I found studies with 5-10 years worth of data which supported the efficacy of the procedure. At my practice the physicians do all 3, however, my surgeon said that more and more people are choosing the sleeve. I had mine done just last week so I can't speak long term yet for myself, so we'll see!

I'm glad you are out of the hospital! Wow, it sounds like you have had quite a time of it. I would have to agree that the surgery was not what I expected in that the initial gas pain was so severe that if I didn't know it was gas pain, I would have thought I was having a heart attack. Having had laparascopic surgery 20 years ago for my gall bladder I knew what it was, however, it was way worse this time. That being said, I have been blessed with no complications to this point. My husband has been taking me to the mall everyday so I can walk which I have to say is great fun. After all- what husband willingly goes to a mall and walks around with his wife?! LOl.

My surgeon was Dr. James Ku at Lancaster General in Lancaster, PA. Great surgeon and hospital. Would highly recommend to anyone in PA looking for a surgeon.

@@B-52 I just had the sleeve, however, in my pre-op visit, my surgeon said that last year out of 300 procedures, only 5 were lap bands. It does seem as though it is becoming a thing of the past.

@@becweaves I am having the same issue as I am not hungry at all. When I sip too fast I do get a pain in the middle of my back so I scale back and that works. Since I am neither hungry or thirsty I have set certain goals for myself to have every 2 hours. I am using the hospital cups so I can keep track. Today my goal is 4 ounces of clears and 2 oz of Protein shake every 2 hours. Yesterday I barely got in 36 oz. so realized I needed to make it an absolute priority and track everything. So far it is going well. Hope this helps.

Hey there, I hope you start feeling better soon. From what you wrote, it doesn't sound like you have a heart problem so hang on to that. I hope they figure out what is causing these episodes soon.

Good Morning! I had surgery on the 19th at 3:30 in the afternoon. By the time I got back to my room it was evening. The incisions were painless, however, the gas was terrible! After the first 4 hours, the nurse helped me out of bed and I took a walk. That was a great help. He also got me a recliner as being in a bed was just too uncomfortable. I had mouth swabs during the night which actually was fine as I did not want anything to drink. No nausea at all- my doctor has everyone on anti=nausea medicine IV until the IV comes out which I really appreciated. One other thing I was a little surprised at- at my hospital- everyone is on a heart monitor and pulse oximeter until the morning after surgery. Was it that way for others? I walked a lot the morning after surgery and went home Thursday evening, the 20th. It was a hard ride home as it was 1/2 hour away and the roads were rough even with me holding a pillow. Transitioning to home has also had challenges. While I was thrilled to be home, getting in all the liquid was tough and there was no IV so I had to! Getting comfortable at home also took some time as there was no nurse right by! The incisions have been fine- I don't have any steri strips and they look and feel ok. Still have gas pain from time to time but coming along nicely. Congratulations and good luck to all of the persons who were sleeved this week!

Does Tricare not cover the Gastric sleeve? If you are not looking to have this done till next summer, then maybe it might be a good idea to check out and see if they will cover the sleeve by that time so you can have more options. Many insurance companies are starting to cover it. In my opinion, the LapBand is not the best idea due to the potential for band slippage requiring more surgery, and the weight loss is not that great. RNY is a more involved procedure than the sleeve or the lap band and has a higher risk of complications. However, if you are diabetic, the RNY seems to cure or improve it dramatically. Another consideration-- I am assuming you are younger as you are a full time student-- perhaps a medically supervised diet and exercise program might be the best option and effective. Best of luck to you as you consider the options!

@@JennsinCA and everyone else getting sleeved today: Good Luck-- I don't have to report t=ill this afternoon so I am keeping myself busy this morning! I don't know about access in the hospital but I will check in when I get home!

Yes! I am having my surgery on November 19th and I am just starting to feel comfortable with the decision! Frankly, I think that is a good thing. Surgery is not a small step and should be thought about carefully. For me, losing weight is not that hard but keeping it off is. I want to avoid all the health problems that go along with morbid obesity. So take your time and think it over. If your doctor's office offers weight loss support groups, go and talk to people who are post-op and get their feedback. Good Luck!

@JennsinCA-- I tried that with broth but it clumped even though I mixed it quite well. Any secrets for not getting it to clump?

I understand how that is. I have just finished a 3 month plan also and am having surgery next week. In the beginning it was overwhelming. I found that instituting one simple change was more successful than a bunch at one time. So maybe just concentrate on drinking enough Water or eating enough Protein. It's not all or nothing. Small changes made slowly and consistently can help! Good luck.