mdslc

@Vikingsfan8178 So much in common... VSG on 7/12/15 391 lbs presurgery / 362 lbs day of surgery / 220 goal weight and attained 214 lbs just before 1yr mark. Life was good for 3 solid years. Last year I lost my job, was unemployed for 4 months, found a good job that had a very intense 6 month training program - the last 12 months has been VERY stressful - Yes I fell off the wagon. It actually started when I got kidney stones - was told to ease off the protein, then a few months later I got gout for the first time in my life (im 41) on my right big toe - wow that is painful - again told to ease off protein. Here I am 4 years and 6 days post op and have many of the feelings described above. Today I called and made an appointment with the nutritionist. I am currently 280 lbs. I am still down a ton of weight but I feel like Sh*t. The sole reason I came back to this forum is for the support described above - I feel and see my weight but those around me dont feel like its a big deal, gained almost all of it in the past year - very discouraging. I still have restriction, the tool is not gone. One regular plate of food and I am almost always full - which wasn't the case pre surgery. I will be doing the 5 day reset then going from there. Keep your head up - you (we) can do it!

SIX month surgiversary today and feeling good. 40 more lb's to goal weight and can't wait. Good job everyone, keep up the good work!! Also, thank you for this forum, it has been a great resource with lots of good people on it.

Don't give up reece. Today is my 6 month surgiversary and I am down 131 lbs. Stalls will happen and some last longer than others. My longest was 20 days. As @@Inner Surfer Girl said, just follow your program. Best of luck Mike

I was sleeved on 7/13 and also stalled, please know this is quite normal. If you do a search for 3-week stall you should find all kinds of results. My doc explained it this way, the first few weeks you will drop about 10% of your weight and then stall. This is due for two reasons, first your body is burning all simple carbs you have stored up in your body and allows your body to go into ketosis, which is where your body starts burning stored fat instead of calories, because we are hardly eating. Second, your organs need to shrink because they are enlarged. The single reason we are on a pre-op diet is to shrink our enlarged fat covered liver. When we lose weight quickly the organs need time to recover. That's at least what I was told. Just as a side not, After I broke through my 3-week stall I dropped another 10lbs in 5 days, stick to the plan and stay away from carbs, caffeine, soda etc and it will work. I am 6 weeks 1 day out today and have lost 51lbs since surgery with a stall of 2 weeks.

I would get in Monday for sure, in the mean time drink as much as you can and use the other methods, ice chips and popsicles, they are easy and fairly slow, but anything helps right now. good luck on Monday.

How is your Water intake? How many ounces per day? You said it is half as much as before, if that is the case, you might be dehydrated. I know a few people (from support groups) that were not keeping up on the water and got dehydrated. They ended up in their favorite local ER getting an IV. Afterwards they felt great, but it got so bad that had to go to the hospital. If you are having trouble drinking this would be the first thing I would check. Here are some symptoms, dry mouth, fatigue, depression, dark urine, shallow skin, headache. If you can't drink much, start with ice chips, sugar free popsicles etc, to get in Fluid without "drinking", but depending on how bad, might need to go get IV. just my thoughts, good luck. Also, being from UT myself, don't let @@Honeywilson ruffle your feathers, she's from ID, not much room to talk

Hi all, I have two question for you. I am currently 29 days post op. I am feeling pretty good and the incisions have healed well. I do however have one incision next to the belly button that is larger than the rest that they use for the larger tools and to remove the stomach from. My doctor put in a single stitch to keep the abdominal wall muscle together to prevent hernia from occurring while I healed, he says he does this to most if not all vsg patients, kind of a better safe than sorry approach. What he can't control is the fact the dissolvable stitch is place in/on a nerve, so sneezing, laughing, coughing standing, sitting etc. etc. really tugs on it and it hurts like hell, sharp burn not fun. Has anyone else had this happen? How long did it take before it "dissolved" and you could move without pain? It is really hampering the workout efforts.. I did see surgeon, he said it could take up to six months.

Glad to hear I'm not alone. We were sleeved 1 day apart, mine was the 13th. Hope it gets better for us both, good luck!

As a very private person I only told my wife, kids, supervisor, and two co-workers. That's it. My wife and kids knew months before surgery. I told work people after insurance had approved the surgery and I just needed a few more classes and then get my date of surgery. It's a pretty personal thing and I only told who I felt I could really trust not to say anything for the same reasons you mentioned above, not ashamed, just private. My recommendation would be to talk to people when you are comfortable, you have plenty of time before your surgery, so when the time is right and you feel like saying it, go for it. What surprised me, is when I told everyone including work folks they were amazingly supportive and non-judgmental. Good luck to you. Forgot to mention, I received short term disability benefits from work, I needed to tell them 30 days prior to surgery, which may or may not be normal, this is just how they do it.

As a guy I felt so disappointed in myself with the person I allowed myself to become. I saw a few pictures of myself from the holidays last year and could not believe what I saw, then I got on the scale and almost passed out. I personally felt like this was the easy way out and that I was a failure for not being able to control my weight. Then I met with a psychologist and dietitian a few times for pre-op approval. That was the most humbling and spiritual experience I felt in a long time. This is just another tool that some people need to lose and keep weight off. I also haven't told many people and I still don't care to. It's a personal decision and one you should be very proud of. Losing weight, getting self confidence and being more fit, active and healthy are what I look forward too. When people ask me how I am losing weight, I just tell them I started eating less, I'm still being honest with them, I just neglect to tell them I had most of my stomach removed . Remember, you did this for you and your health, who cares what people think.

Absolutely! If this causing you trouble just drinking (sipping) Fluid you will could get dehydrated and that could require a hospital stay, and know one I know likes going to the hospital. I it were me I would call them, explain the issue and request to be seen today if possible.

My first post-op appointment was 3 weeks after surgery. It was pretty standard, blood pressure, weight etc. The biggest thing they were concerned with was incision site healing and if I was able to swallow ok and if I was having gas and or bowel movements, my appointment lasted only about 15 minutes most was just conversation. They shouldn't be too worried about weight loss yet as you are still healing. Good luck.

I did not/do not have this issue but I was warned pre-op this could happen. After surgery you develop scar tissue around the stomach and that could lead to a restriction near the bottom of the esophagus / top of the stomach area. I was told that this happened I would need to come back into the office immediately and they would put a tube down into the esophagus and expand a small balloon which would expand the scar tissue called Esophageal Dilation, the symptom is called Benign Esophageal Stricture or Esophageal Stricture. I would call your doctor's office right away and tell them the trouble you are having and ask to get in asap. Goodluck.

This is normal, search for 3 week plateau, most people get it and some get it early, I was one also. The scale didn't move for 12 days then I dropped 10 lbs in 4 days. My doctor said as you lose weight your organs need to recover and shrink with your body, that takes time. Stick with it, it will come off I promise. ( I know it is frustrating, but it will happen).