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My surgery is scheduled for April 2. I have 14 days of full liquids (3-4 shakes, 2-3 Snacks of applesauce, yogurt, or pudding) and then one day of Clear Liquids. I have a low-ish starting BMI and my surgeon said that the pre-op diet isn't as important for me as it is for some of his larger patients, but I am going to give it my best effort. I haven't updated my ticker in a while, but it's possible I can get out of the 200s before surgery, and that's my goal to stay motivated and not go overboard with "food funerals" and whatnot. Because otherwise I'd be doing a lot of mourning.

I just got my date today--April 2 with my liquid diet starting March 18. I'm so ready!

Good luck! You'll do great!

Still no date, but I had my psych and nutritionist evaluations today and both signed off. I have an endoscopy Friday morning and then my next appointment with the surgeon Friday afternoon, and the nutritionist said that if the endoscopy comes back normal, we might also be able to do consent forms and schedule a surgery date on Friday! I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much, but I would love to be able to do surgery on March 30 or 31 when my husband's school will be on spring break. I know I won't need to be taken care of for a whole week, but it can't hurt to have the option! Once I have a date I'm sure it will start to really feel real, but right now I kind of feel a little helpless because there are no hoops left for me to jump through... I just have to be patient. Good luck to those of you on liquids. March is just around the corner!

I work in an office with a ton of thin and fit 20 somethings. (I'm 29 but have been told that I come across "much older and wiser." Um, thanks?) As frivolous as it might sound, one of my biggest fears is having to interact with them when it comes to things like clothes, exercise, and shopping. Right now, I am the funny, loud, super confident fat girl who "doesn't care" about what I'm wearing and makes fun of her own weight. I'm scared that when I lose the weight, I'll be forced into this world for the first time and I won't know how to handle it. Even though I make good money, my husband and I have a ton of student debt, so my wardrobe budget is very limited as it is. The thought of having so many more options available to me is terrifying. Even though I would love to have nice clothes (and I think it would help me professionally to dress better) I've hidden behind this persona of someone who doesn't care for so long, I don't know how to make that transition without looking like a flake. I also worry that my weight has been my shield for a long time, and I'm afraid of what will happen when it's gone. I'm afraid of the attention, which, as someone who can currently command a room, is crazy. I'm not afraid of people looking at me and listening to me, but I am afraid of people really seeing me, if that makes sense. I'm afraid of losing my bubble.

Mine will be at Temple. One nice thing about this area--we had a lot of great options.

I'm also in Philly with a low-ish BMI, hoping to be sleeved a few weeks after you... So I'll be following your progress closely! :-) Good luck as you start your pre-op diet this week. I expect it'll go really fast and March 5 will be here before you know it!

I've subscribed to this thread and hope to be able to come share a March date soon! I am at the very end of my pre-op checklist, with the last of my appointments scheduled for the 23rd and 27th, and I am really hoping for a late March surgery date. My first consultation was October 17, so I am anxious to get the show on the road! I've been trying different shakes, subbing them in for at least one meal per day, and am actually ready to start my liquid diet. Beforehand, that's what scared me most. Now I think I'm most nervous about having to have a catheter and having to give myself the anti clotting shots for a week after. I'm apparently a huge wuss. :-)

I am just wondering if anyone could share their experience with the required gastroenterologist consult pre-sleeve. At this point, I've already had the upper GI test and abdominal ultrasound, and have not been told to expect any additional testing, so I'm just curious about what today's appointment is meant to accomplish. As far as I can tell, I only have this appointment, the psych consult, and a final nutritional counseling appointment before I can hopefully get insurance approval and schedule my surgery. It's been a long road so far and I'm incredibly anxious to get the show on the road!

Replying for the benefit of others who might search for this topic down the line. Today's appointment was fairly quick and straightforward. The doctor took a medical history, paying special attention to history of GI issues and family history, felt my belly, listened to heart and lungs, and basically asked me about any concerns I might have. They scheduled an endoscopy for later this month. The test is meant to identify any abnormalities now, so that there are no surprises when the surgeon goes in to operate. My ethnic background (Italian) puts me at a higher than average risk of certain issues, so they'll be on the lookout for those as well. One more appointment crossed off my list, and another one added. Anyone else feel like the preop process is one step forward, one step back?? I can't wait to finish jumping through all these hoops!

Not that we're aware of! The gastro consult was on my list before they even did the other tests, so maybe it's just part of the program's routine. Or I suppose it could be an insurance thing. I think they do the chest xray as part of the preadmission testing. Hmm.

I am pre-op, likely to be sleeved in mid March. I ordered a bunch of Protein shake samples, and I'm starting to get worried that I'm not going to be able to tolerate any of them. I am fine with the RTD shakes I've tried (Premier and GNC, which are both made from concentrates not isolates) but both unjury and Syntrax (multiple flavors of each, mixed with water) have made me sick to my stomach within 15 minutes of starting to drink them. I start to feel really nauseous and shaky. Has anyone else had this issue? Any suggestions or ideas? I am certain it's not a lactose issue. I am a few weeks away from my next visit with the nutritionist, so I'd appreciate hearing about anyone else's similar experiences and what, if anything, works to overcome them. Alternatively, did anyone make it through pre and post op using a very small variety of shakes? At the moment, I'd rather pay more for the premier shakes than drink one more from unjury, but I'm afraid of getting burned out and not having anything else lined up that I can tolerate.

Oooooh. That sounds good. I do love pb2. Do you know if Vega recommends mixing with a nondairy liquid because its a vegan product, or for some other reason? I actually do well with regular milk. Picking up some Vega sample packs now. Thanks for the tip!

Looking up Vega One right now. Thanks for the tip. Does it have that "protein-y" odor that the others do? I think the smell is half the issue for me... Eww.

I used to really love to swim, but I haven't worn a bathing suit in years. I'm not expecting to end up with a bikini model body, but I am looking forward to swimming with my nephews and being more comfortable on the beach.

I am preop, but I just bought an unjury sample pack earlier this week and tried the unflavored in cold crystal light and the strawberry blended with ice. Both turned my stomach and went mostly down the drain. I had such high hopes, especially for the unflavored! I still have packets of the chocolate, vanilla and chicken to try and I hope they go down better than the two I tried so far! I have another unflavored that I plan to mix with a savory food (Soup or a sauce), and I'm hoping that'll go better. So far the only Protein I actually like is premier, but those are pricey and I'm sure I'll want some variety when I'm officially on liquids!

Me!

So, last Friday was my fourth monthly appointment with the surgeon's office. I was ready to schedule the rest of my preop requirements (psych, teaching class, nutrition class) and possibly even get a tentative surgery date for my sleeve. I had a long list of nitty gritty questions for the staff and my doctor. After weighing in, my surgeon came in and said I'd done "okay" in month 3 of my supervised diet, but not great. (I lost 4 lbs, compared to 5 and 7 the first 2, but was had major PMS Water retention working against me this time). I made an offhand comment about always losing momentum in month 3 of dieting, and always having to lower my calories under 1000 to continue to lose, and always crashing and burning when the loss stops. All of the sudden, we're having a discussion about whether I should be having RNY instead of VSG, because if regain is a problem for me, VSG just doesn't have the longterm data to back it up that RNY does. He said that patients like me (young, female, low-ish BMI, generally healthy) are hardest to advise in selecting a procedure, and that we should "continue to have an evolving conversation" about RNY vs. VSG. He said he thought I would do "phenomenally well" with either one, he just wants to make sure we're making the right choice. So now I'm frustrated and confused. I know I need wls to lose the extra 80-90 lbs I'm still carting around, and I was 100% comfortable in my decision to go with the sleeve. Now, I'm questioning it. Can anyone help me get my head around this? Did anyone else's surgeon have a hard time advising one procedure over another?

Thanks, all. I had done my research on both procedures and think I am going to move forward with the sleeve. I am put off by the rerouting and malnutrition, especially because I don't have a lot of comorbidities. I appreciate the support. I think I was just freaked out because I was (and am) so ready. My next appointment (and maybe scheduling???) can't come soon enough.

Wow!! Congratulations. You look great. Do you mind if I ask.. What was your starting weight and height?

I'm also in Philadelphia (Manayunk/Roxborough). My doc is at Jeanes Hospital in Fox Chase. I'm finishing my preop stuff in the next few weeks and am hoping for a March sleeve date.

I'm still pre-op but I have always been prone to fainting. Because of my size people always assume I'm diabetic, but it's actually due to low blood pressure. If I'm dehydrated at all or miss a meal, down I can go. Stay hydrated and be mindful of not standing up too fast. Those two things have really helped me!

Hi everybody, I am a first time poster, but I've been lurking on these forums for weeks and I can't express how helpful I have found everyone to be. My name is Julie, and I am 29 years old. I have been thinking about weight loss surgery for a number of years, and recently made the decision to get sleeved. I started my pre op diet in October, and have been working with my surgeon's nutritionist monthly. I just received dates for all of my testing, so for the first time, this is all starting to feel real. I have my second appointment with the surgeon next week, and will finish all of the testing the second week of February. I'm guessing I'm on track for a late March surgery date. I can't wait! I'd love to hear from people who are at the same stage as me or who have/had similar stats. My husband is incredibly supportive of my decision to so this, but I don't have anyone else in my 'real life' who even remotely understands what I'm about to go through. My progress so far... I lost 5 pounds during month 1 of my supervised diet, and 7 in month 2. As is par for the course for me when I diet on my own, the loss has really stalled in month 3. I've been averaging 950-1100 calories per day, 60-80 grams of Protein. I started swapping out one meal per day for a premier Protein shake about 2 weeks ago. I don't get much exercise but try to hit my fitbit steps goal most days of the week. I haven't figured out how to set up a profile yet, so for now, here are my stats. (I'm only 5'2".) HW 230 SW 228 CW 212 GW 130 (This is my goal, not the doc's. I'm anxious to ask him about this at the next appointment.)

Thanks, all! I appreciate the good vibes.

I'm still pre-op, but my SW was 228, and I've lost about 15 so far on my supervised diet. I truly don't think I can get to where I need to be without wls. I'll be following your progress. Best of luck!!