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Yes. I sure did. Edema was really an issue this past year. Intersting. That could very well be what is going. Ouch. Very sorry to hear this. Have you tried the anti-nausea Patches that you wear behind your ear ? Are you having any fever ? Don't suffer needlessly. Give your surgeon's office a call first thing in the morning and push them on the issue. Very sorry you are experiencing this.

That has to feel GREAT !!!!!! Well done.

Eight months of awesomeness !!!!!!!!!

I hear ya loud and clear. It's like you are punishing yourself. That gym time becomes a vital part of your day.....even defines who you are to a small degree. I used to be a member to a 24hr gym that was nice. It made it easier for me to get my treadmill time in. You are doing great to identify the snack urges and satisfy them with safe substitutes. Do you see any way you can get an extra gym session or two worked into your schedule? How far away is your gym? I have been really lucky and joined one that is 2.1 miles from my driveway. Maybe you have a closer option, too.

Howdy folks. I hope all are doing well today. I've had a lot of activity leading up to today and now it slows down for a short while. I had my pre-op with my surgeon yesterday, pre-op with the hospital yesterday and my EGD this morning and it went really smoothly. Seems like it's been a whirlwind of activity.......checklist items completed.....one after another after another. NUT, Physche evals, appointments, workshops, education and etc. Now I'm done with all that and can relax. I started my 14 days of liquid diet this morning after the EGD. I can tell it's going to suck.....but, that's just part of it. The NUT guideline says I can have 5 Protein shakes per day (from the approved list of protein powders and ready-made shakes), however my surgeon is sticking to his guns.....he says only 3. I've lost 40 pounds since deciding to do the surgery......it wouldn't surprise me to lose 20 more during this next two weeks. The whole time I was seeing my first surgeon it was a foregone conclusion that I would have bypass (my choice). I chose this thinking it would offer the most benefit long term and I'd make biggest changes with it. He supported it. As things progressed...and my insurance really started to present delays and roadblocks.....I switched over to the other local option. It's another bariatric center.....a center of excellence and is much larger than that previous program I was in. More insurance delays after switching over the center of excellence finally made me made enough to tell them to piss off. I self funded the procedure and things began moving at a very fast pace. I'd completed 2 of my required 6 months diet when I made this decision. I'm able to have the surgery in the 4th month vs waiting what was actually going to most likely take several months more. My employer is dropping our current insurance provider and doing open enrollment now for our new provider.....things were being delayed to the point where I could see my late December surgery being pushed back well into next year.....new deductibles to meet with a new provider to work with........arggghhhhhh. At best they were going to pay only 50%. The decision to self fund actually was cheaper for me in the long run. Crazy, insane scenario but a testament to the games played by insurance companies. Anyway.....the new surgeon has been good. He's been upfront and consistent in his message from the first time I met with him. He's sees my very pronounced umbilical hernia and knows that is going to be a large repair to work around. Today he also found the hiatal hernia that he's repairing at the same time. He's concerned over my high bmi and doing the bypass at this point. He said it could be very tight having to pull it far up to reconnect it. He reserves the right to make a decision once inside to go with the sleeve after looking around and evaluating. He's done many of these and I trust his judgement. If it's not safe, then its just not safe. The options were for me to delay the surgery and keep dieting for a couple more months and burn off some of the internal fat to provide more room........or do the sleeve now. He maintains that he's seen equal effectiveness with each procedure in terms of weight loss in his 8 years of practice. He also is aware of my poor knees and back injury situation and prior surgeries as well as the fact that nsaids are a source of relief for me. I don't have reflux trouble. There were other reasons he went into as well that everything in his opinion was pointing me towards having a sleeve not bypass. So......after a long night staying up reading, studying, evaluating......I told him this morning that a sleeve was what I wanted to do. Ordered my Vitamins, Iron, B12, D, Protein powder and Calcium. I know what I'll be taking to the hospital. Have my script for post-op pain meds. Recliner and extra pillows for the bed are ready.... A couple more weeks.....

Not a dumb question. I had two IV sites....one in the hand and one in my forearm. They started me off with one and later after I was taken back to to the OR and feeling high as a kite my nurse said a better vien emerged and she went for it. It didn't matter a bit to me as I was in la-la land. They use a very small needle and inject a bit of pain killer in the area they are going to start the IV. You'll not even feel the IV going in. It truly was a non-event. I am someone who doesn't do well at all with needles....i can tell you some funny stories of how I've passed out before. So when I tell you it was a non-event.....know that it was. There is a secret to getting a good IV, I found out......make sure you are well hydrated up until the cutoff point the night before surgery. Don't drink tea, coffee, or other diuretics.....just stay flushed with Water.....tons of it. Plenty of water ensures there are nice veins for them to evaluate. It'll make the IV process a breeze. I've had a few surgeries over the years and learned another secret trick. When you go in for your pre-op paperwork, make sure you ask them for a Valium the morning of your surgery. Quite often they'll give you two.....one to take when you get up that morning and the other to take when you arrive at the hospital. It'll take the edge off and calm you down and feel peaceful about the whole deal. Hunger, you ask ? What is hunger ? No kidding, there has been zero hunger. I am having to make myself remember to take in a swallow of Protein shake every so often. It feels like I'm guilty of snacking all day long, actually. It took me from 5:30am this morning until 8:45pm to get three Protein shakes in. I'm on pace to get 100 ounces of water in, too. I feel like both of these will help with the leg soreness. Also when you are in pre-op, ask them for a patch to wear behind your ear for nausea. They put one on me just before surgery and I just removed it this afternoon. I've had zero nausea. None. Zip. Nada. I'm going to say this and I know it may not be consistent with other's experiences.....but it is being stated from the only experience I can speak on......MY OWN. Here it is.....my sleeve experience was about as mild of an event as when I had my vasectomy. I've simply followed the instructions and not done anything stupid and it's been textbook. Had he not and to fix the hernia then I'd really be shrugging this this off. Anke and both knees were painful. Not this. You are going to do great. You can go to Church this Sunday.......and then go back next Sunday and nobody will have any idea of what you've done. Remember, I have adverse reactions to needles and I'm not a fan of pain so when I tell you it was a breeze.......it was a breeze. Best wishes, you are gonna rock it with no problem.

That is so cool. You are punching through old boundaries to enjoy the benefits of your new body. Awesome !!!!!!!!

Thank you. That's awesome that you'll be having yours prior to the end of the year. The time between now and then will pass very quickly.

Honestly I get scared by what I see some trainers doing with obese clients. The high intensity jumping and lunging and other real aggressive stuff looks like a recipe for tendon damage. Last time I was in the gym there was a mid-50's lady whose BMI was probably in my range. Her trainer had her jumping up on a box and jumping down. She wasn't hardly breathing with any rhythm and looked as if she was going to pass out. She called a time out and walked over to the restroom area. I commented to the young trainer, "You aren't going to hurt her are you? Looks like an ankle breaker right there.". He replied back, "She needs to work". I don't think many of these so-called trainers have a clue how to approach the obese in a lasting program that is safe. What seems to happen far too often is they hurt their clients and turn them off to ever coming back.

I can tell you with absolute certainty that it gets real easy to follow after surgery. Zero hunger, zero cravings. Just hang in there and deal with it. The pre-op diet will make your surgery safer. coffee helped me during that phase....black with Splenda. It helped to squash the hunger and desire for other stuff. Lipton Diet Peach Tea was another trick that worked wonders. Crystal Light grape flavor was my real secret weapon. The stuff is awesome and it worked towards keeping me hydrated. I had a gallon of it along with tons of Water on my last day prior to surgery. Hang tough. Take control of the cravings and own it. You'll do great and the time will pass. Stay full of fluids.

Thank you, everyone. It's going great. I've had 50 oz Water and two Protein shakes thus far today. The unjury chocolate mixes a little thin compared to others and that is exactly what I want right now. Going to get up and mix another shake soon. Standing up is getting easier and easier the more I do it. The hernia pain is no longer a shooting-tugging pain when I stand. Everything is well. Overall body soreness was expected and has been less than anticipated. Abdominal swelling is decreasing, too. I was told to wait until Friday (tomorrow) to get in the shower. I'm really looking forward to this bigtime. I have zero regrets about anything related to the surgery.....only that I wished I done it sooner. Going to keep on keeping on through the weekend and go see the magician-surgeon on Monday. I just got off the phone with my sister and was able to solidify our travel plans for the upcoming Holidays. We even discussed some family beach visits for the Summer. My employer is generous on vacation allowed (been with them 20 years now) and I hope to use some for legitimate vacation time next year vs using it all for sickness-injury this year and last year. Life is getting ready to get fun at all new levels. I'm extremely grateful for everything and a huge fan of this site and the wonderful people that post here. You all have been a valuable resource throughout the last several months. We certainly have some unique interests and challenges to face, but we don't have to do so alone. That is powerful.

Everyone can fall of the horse. The key is to get up....back into the saddle and keep riding the trail. The people that fail are the ones that stay off the horse for too long.

Outstanding progress. I know you've got to be feeling great. Excellent job.

Heck yes. Not only did you beat my Bulldogs, but you've had a great sleeve experience. You are on a role. I'm shooting for that same 245-250 range, too.

@@Amberina you just made my day. Awesome progress. Keep on kicking it.

Oh Lawd......not a Youtube video........grrrrrrr. That'd be my luck, though, doing my first porn video and I was asleep for it. Dangitman. The soreness goes away once I'm up and moving. Just sets in a bit after sitting down. The simple solution is going to be getting up every hour at least. I just finished my first Protein shake today and have started my second 24oz glass of ice Water. I suspect that some of the soreness is just from not taking in enough water since they removed the IV's. I'll keep on sipping constantly.

It gets better every day. Keep moving and walking. I was walking a few hours after my sleeve surgery Tuesday. I thought they were insane getting me up a few hours after surgery. Turns out it was the best move possible. Up....walking. Seems counterintuitive when you are hurting so bad but it is absolutely the ticket. Best wishes on your healing.

As a dude, there will be no bikini. Just had surgery and have several months before beach season arrives. I'm looking forward to a few beach trips next Summer. Flip flops, swimming trunks and optional t-shirt is how I pan on rolling.

I live in Georgia......work in South Carolina. My employer is going from United Health Care to BCBS South Carolina. They are just the plan administrators and I suspect the actual coverage categories will remain the same as they are stipulated by my employer. I hope it all works favorably with you. I can say that years before, when we were BCBS SC, the administrative part was much easier to deal with than it was with United Healthcare. UHC seemed to be cumbersome and difficult. UHC sure ran me around through the obstacle course leading up to my sleeve surgery. I think you'll be better served by BCBS. Best of luck to you.

Thanks, Babbs. They scared me with the blood clot discussions. I'm up and moving around every couple hours for sure. I went out on the back deck this morning before dawn and the cool air felt great. Deep breaths of fresh air. A gift if ever there was one. My my laps around the house. Chilling out in the recliner now watching some TV. I'm working my way through a 24oz glass of ice Water. My next moving with be going outside to walk to the mailbox and a few laps up and down the driveway. This afternoon I may go up and down the street a little ways. Laughing about this mystery leg muscle soreness.

Outstanding progress. You've done great.

My surgeon came by just before my surgery and said it take an hour of the sleeve and a bit longer for the abdominal hernia repair. I think my surgery started at 7:45am. It was all a blur. I'd asked for a pre-op Valium to chill me out. Great move. I was done with surgery and recovery room and in my hospital room by mid morning. They let me rest for a while and then I was up walking early afternoon.

I gave up, too. I gave up on the insurance company. Never gave up on having the surgery. There are ways to self fund it, you may have to get creative. Have some discussions with the Bariatric Centers in your area and find out what the self-pay cost is. You may be very pleasantly surprised. Please don't give up on the procedure.

Allergies suck. That's as plainly as I can put it. Ear infections ??????? Damn. Those can be painful at a level that renders folks unable to do anything buy lay in bed and moan. I'm sorry to hear that you get symptoms that bad. I feel for you. Somehow, as I've gotten older, my symptoms have lessened over the years. I don't know what to attribute it to. They flare up if I travel. Exposure to different pollens and irritants from new areas will usually set them off again. Allegra & Flonase have been very much appreciated over the years.

I'm only two days post-op so take my advice for what it's worth.....just a dude making through the first stages. I anticipated that my pain would be more from abdominal hernia repairs than the actual sleeve. It proved to be correct. This was my third abdominal hernia repair so I had an idea of what I'd need. I bought a big & tall leather recliner for the surgery. It is much easier to stand up from than getting out of the bed. I have three memory foam body pillows for the bed. They will enable me to stay elevated which makes getting out of bed much easier. I have a lighter body pillow that is resting across my abdomen while sitting in the chair. It is warm and supportive. New Balance slip on athletic shoes have been great. They go on and off as easy as Crocs but offer much greater support. No hands needed but foot comfort is guaranteed. Makes doing those laps much easier. I borrowed my Son's Anker remote battery for easy recharged of my cellphone in the hospital. White one charge it has given my iPhone 3 full charges. Kept my phone within arm's reach and charged. Loose fitting gym clothes. Yeti cup (big one). Keeps your ice Water cold all day, all night. Makes it obvious that you are drinking the right amount of water. A good supply of pre-mixed Protein shakes. You're not going to want to be shaking up powder-ice-water concoctions while you are sore. The pre made type have been easy. Chewable supplements is a no-brainier. As a tall guy, I wished I'd installed tall toilets in my house. Sure would have helped make it easier with this tender hernia. Have someone take you home from the hospital in a tall SUV, van or pickup. Much more comfortable than having to go low in a car. We used a friends Honda Pilot instead of my wife's Maxima. Was a smart move. Made the ride home much better. Pets police. We have active little dogs that will jump into your lap without warning. Keeping the body pillow over my abdomen safeguards against them hitting a sore spot. My wife gathered up all their toys and put them out of reach so I wouldn't be tripping over them. Protein powders for that second week. I have a nice variety to mix up once I feel up to shaking the bottle. I have some of the flavored tuna in foil packets for when I'm able eat real food. I have a set of crutches and I use one for climbing stairs and standing up. YMMV but I need the support right now. Flonase nasal spray. I'm getting a blast in each nostril every 12 hours to prevent sinus draining that could lead to coughing or sneezing. I don't want anything like this to occur while this hernia is healing. Also, I loaded the freezer up with meals that the rest of the family could make with ease. I do a lot of the cooking-grilling and enjoy it, but I'm off duty right now. ????. They can fend for themselves fairly easily. That's all I can think of so far.