shriner37

FIDO - Forget It, Drive On. I doubt very many of us are perfect in our post-surgery routine. You have to do the best you can 99% of the time, realizing that 1% of the time we won't make the best choices. The key is keeping that window of non-compliance to 1%. I'm further out from surgery than you but I had a similar issue over Christmas. We chose to make and give away goodies as a secondary gift (a bad choice for me in hindsight), so there was lots of snack stuff around the house (fudge, peanut brittle, bark, etc.) My meals were healthy and on plan but I did snack on this and other things too much on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I'm not really a sweets person but grazing (boredom induced snacking) is one of my weaknesses. This morning the scale was up two pounds from Wednesday morning. I know I didn't eat enough to gain that much and a lot of it is likely Water retention, but nonetheless it was an eye-opening reminder for me to get back on track and keep the window of non-compliance to 1%.

There are options. I was self-pay because my insurance didn't cover WLS or the costs of any complications from it. I went to a Bariatric Center of Excellence. They offered complication insurance coverage through a group called BLIS. The surgeon agreed to waive any of his fees for any complications for a specified period (three months in my case) and BLIS covers the other costs, such as hospital, OR fees, labs and other specialists. Complication coverage is something the surgeon has to be enrolled for as they won't insure just anyone without knowing the risks of the surgeons involved. I was happy that my surgeon participated in the program. The cost wasn't cheap at around $1,400 but for me it was a small price to pay to protect myself from the high cost of any complications, even though they are very rare.

@@Miss Mac Maybe not so much on the steak... :-)

@@Deneshia Larkins I posted my experience some time back. Here is a link. Everyone's surgery experience is somewhat different. I wore loose fitting clothes (sweats) to the hospital and was able to wear them home comfortably. They had me in a gown for the entire stay, due to the items connected to me. The most important thing to remember to bring was my cell phone charger. http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/356710-my-surgery-experience/

Congratulations! It should get better daily. At this point I'd just concentrate on managing pain and getting in as much fluid as you can.

We tend to set ourselves up to anticipate the journey more than the destination. It sounds like you need a new journey, and you have already defined it for yourself... Toning and shaping can be a new challenge you can take on.

You stomach is most likely very swollen from the surgery. For me it started to open up a bit about the third day after surgery. Up to that point a sip was about all I could manage at one time.

It really depends on when you get your energy back. My surgery was on Tuesday and I returned to work (at the office) the following Monday. I could have gone back the previous Friday but just didn't feel like I had enough energy. Even at that my first day or two back were a little challenging while I regained energy. You will have been through a procedure that takes a toll on your core. Couple that with the effects of the pre-op and post-op diet which is likely several days to a week of Clear liquids and your body can take some time to regain enough strength to get through a day.

Seriously? I've been heavy most of my adult life and rarely had anyone make those kind of comments to me. It seems like you need to find a more supportive group of friends. I don't know what kind of "men's club" you belong to but that sort of behavior certainly isn't very fraternal. For your own sanity and weight loss success I would try to find a way to associate with people who are positive and supportive. The effect it will have on your psyche may be the x factor for long term success. My experience has been totally opposite - I've been pretty open about my surgery and my journey and everyone I've encountered has been 100% supportive and positive.

I went to a local surgery center that is a Bariatric Center of Excellence, and is affiliated with one of the largest local hospitals. Cost was $12,000 for a self-pay package. Since my insurance also excludes any complications from WLS I also spent another $1,400 for BLIS complication coverage. In addition the EGD was around $1,000 so the total cost to me was a little north of $14,000. My surgeon doesn't offer payment plans but refers patients to Prosper funding. This was an interesting model that I hadn't been familiar with before. Basically it is crowd lending. You fill out your personal profile, state the amount you need and then investors buy small (or large) chunks of your loan in the marketplace. It took a few days for my loan offering to fully fund but the interest rate was decent, way less than a credit card, and it was a pretty simple process. They transferred the money to my checking account in a few days. Then I used an affinity Visa card to actually pay the surgeon and hospital and racked up a good amount of airline miles to help pay for a vacation trip to Celebrate my weight loss!

I've had a beer or two on a few special occasions. I've found that in order to be able to drink it at all I need to pour it into a glass and let it foam up well. That releases enough carbonation that I can drink it. Otherwise a couple of sips and I hit a wall with the carbonation. To your point, though, alcohol of any variety is generally not recommended because it is empty calories and doesn't create fullness like food does. I used to drink a good amount of beer several times a week, now it is only maybe one or two on a very special occasion. I try to remind myself that I earned a lot of the fat I'm burning off by drinking beer; that seems to help.

@@fly-high Congratulations on your success! I've used the clothing size changes to Celebrate my victories. Started at a size 19 shirt, 46 slacks and 4x tees and have now progressed downward to a 17 1/2 shirt, 40 slacks and 2x tees. From my past yo-yo weight loss I had enough clothes in each size that I didn't need to buy a bunch of new items. It was a great victory celebration to fold and box up all of the big clothes in anticipation of donating them. I'm about to run out of old clothes to wear though, as anything smaller than my current size is way old and out of style, so today it was a celebration to order size 17 shirts on sale. At my rate of loss I'll be ready for them right after the holidays.

David, congratulations on completing your surgery! I hope the procedure and recovery go well for you. Of course your surgeon and nutritionist should guide your recovery but BariatricPal is a wonderful resource for information, tips and suggestions to make the most of your surgery and weight loss journey.

I've also read Dr. Weiner's book. It is an extreme perspective but I'm sure it is effective. I can't quite go that full route, but have tried very hard to eliminate starches (potatoes, Pasta, rice), breads and other refined carbs from my diet, focusing mostly on Protein and vegetables, supplementing protein when necessary. It is very hard to adopt this as a 100% rule and is difficult to manage when eating out, in a rush, etc. That is not to say that I don't have an occasional sandwich or a prepared dish with some pasta or rice once in a while, but in general I've found that trying to stay with lean protein and vegetables has worked well for me.

Real hunger - very little. If I'm busy during the day I need to remember to stop and have lunch. Head hunger - this is a challenge, especially if I'm idle. Downtime in the evenings is challenging as my head tells me it's time to snack. I can feel ravenously hungry when I know I am not. I've found that keeping busy and not spending time as a couch potato helps a great deal. Drinking Water, Crystal Light or other liquids helps a lot.

If your stated goal is indeed your 'ideal weight' then by your numbers you have lost 69% of your excess weight in the first year. That is a resounding success! Congratulations on a very successful first year, and good luck continuing your journey to your ultimate goal.

This is not a reflection on any surgeon or clinic, but keep in mind that while the surgeon and his skill are of utmost importance, the other resources available are just as important for long term success. If you have the opportunity to select a clinic that offers a solid support system including a good nutritionist, psychologist, support groups and resources for needed follow-up care and questions that would be worth a lot. I was lucky enough to go through a program that offers all of these and it has been very helpful. It seems like many people on here feel like they are alone without these resources to assist them. Many seem like they are lost, having to ask simple questions that were thoroughly explained and managed by the clinic I went through. Cost and timing are important. Surgeon skill is very important. In addition the quality of the post-surgery support system is just as important.

What has really changed except for the delay due to a different medical issue? You need to make this decision for yourself. I don't know your personal circumstances but If I were to look back on my decision it's clear that having VSG was the best decison I've ever made in my life.

I know many pre-op patients have questions about the process. Each one of us is different but I thought I'd share my experience around the surgery and recovery in case it is beneficial to anyone preparing to undergo VSG. Based on my BMI, my doctor put me on a one-week pre-op liquid Protein diet. This consisted of three Protein shakes a day and otherwise Clear liquids. The first couple of days were tough, but by day 3-4 my system had gotten over its carb withdrawal and I tolerated the diet fairly well. I also used this time to wean off of caffeine since my surgeon didn't allow any for 8 weeks post surgery. During the pre-op diet phase I dropped 8 pounts, from 285 to 277. On my surgery day, I arrived at the hospital fairly early. The nursing staff prepared me (IV, gown, support stockings, etc.) and I met briefly with the surgeon and anesthesiologist. I was wheeled into the very cold operating room. Shortly thereafter I was given the IV anesthetic and was fast asleep. I woke up in the recovery area. This was easily the most uncomfortable part of the process as I was coming out of general anesthesia, hooked up to everything and now had a wonderful (not!) urine catheter placed. As I came out of the fog, I remember trying unsuccessfully to negotiate with the nurse to remove the catheter as it was very uncomfortable. After 20-30 minutes in this area I was moved to a wheelchair (a surprisingly challenging endeavor) and was wheeled to my room. Once in the room the PCA pump was attached. This helped greatly with my comfort level. I was also allowed to start sucking on ice chips. I did experience some gas pains but they were manageable. The nursing staff got me up to walk within a couple of hours. My particular facility was absolutely wonderful. It is a small satellite surgery facility of a large hospital and is in the same building as the surgical practice. I think most of the patients are part of the weight loss surgery program. On my particular surgery day I think my nurse had two patients, so I was able to get as much attention as I needed. One key item they were monitoring was my blood sugar which was running low. This was surprising as prior to surgery I was a Type-II diabetic with a normal glucose of 115-120. They gave me IV glucose a couple of times and were monitoring it closely. I progressively felt better throughout the day and evening and walked a few more times. There wasn't much sleeping as it seemed like every 10 minutes someone was in the room to do something. The day shift nurse had been bringing me ice chips in a small medicine cup. The night shift nurse brought a large cup of them with a spoon (what an angel!) By about 3am I was able to get myself out of bed and move to a nearby chair, managing all of the lines and connections carefully. I found that the more mobile I was the better I felt. At 5am I was told that we needed to begin preparing for my discharge. This involved giving me a glass of ice Water which I sipped on. It also involved removal of the catheter and the surgical drain, both of which were momentarily painful. I did feel better after that though. One more walk, a visit from the surgeon and his assistant, and I was discharged a little more than 24 hours after arrival. We stopped at the downstairs pharmacy for the liquid narcotic pain medication. At home, day 1 post-op involved mostly sleeping and relaxing. I had to sleep in a recliner for a couple of days to limit suture pain. I used the narcotic pain med a couple times that day. I began sipping and walking, encountering a little pain but nothing unbearable. By day 2 post-op I was feeling much better. On day 2 I stopped the narcotic pain meds and switched to liquid Tylenol. I had been told I could drive as soon as I was off the narcotics, so switching to liquid Tylenol meant I wasn't tied to the house. By that evening I felt well enough to drive myself to a meeting of an organization I'm involved with. Moving slowly but without much pain, it was nice to get out a little. I noticed I had real challenges with capacity of my new stomach for the first couple of days. It seemed like it would only hold a couple of sips or maybe a teaspoon of broth. On day 3 this got better, and by day 4 I was able to drink liquids and even broth and Soup without much restriction. I think this was the post-op swelling going down a little. My surgery was on a Tuesday and I came home Wednesday morning. My first venture out was Thursday evening. I returned to work the following Monday without any real issues but I have a fairly sedentary office job. I have to say that my recovery was quicker than I expected with relatively few issues and no complications. I know this isn't the rule for everyone. I think it helped that despite weight and Type-II Diabetes I was in generally good physical condition which probably made things easier. I'm now about 10 weeks post surgery. I successfully transitioned diet from liquid to pureed to soft foods and then to regular foods. I've experienced two stalls (one early and one now). I've dropped two shirt and pant sizes and am almost ready for a third. I'm still learning how to manage my weight loss and diet while traveling extensively for business. I have yet to get locked into an aggressive exercise regimen but am trying to do so. But overall this has been a totally positive experience and a decision I am 100% happy with.

Of course we're all different. I've lost about 41 pounds since I started the pre-op diet. I know that a lot of folks have had a better rate of loss in ten weeks but I'm generally happy with my results. I had a stall the first week, and have had another the past two weeks that I'm just starting to come out of. It hasn't helped that I've had to travel extensively for business the past four weeks so staying true to my eating program has been challenging. I've only lost six pounds in that time frame. I guess this should be considered success since before surgery I would have probably gained 4-5 pounds in that same period with all of the travel and restaurant meals. Correlating weight loss to clothing sizes is tough. For me it seems like I've dropped a clothing size (men's sizes) for about each 20 pounds of weight loss. Maybe a little faster than that. At 41 pounds I'm down two sizes and feel like by the time I hit 50 pound loss will be able to drop another. Good luck with your journey!

I slept in the recliner for two nights. After that it was the bed, but I struggled for the first two or three nights to stay comfortable as I normally sleep on my left side and that is where the largest incision was. By the fifth night or so I was able to carefully sleep on my side without much issue.

Every program is different. Mine didn't allow caffeine for 8 weeks post surgery, so I used the pre-op diet as a time to wean myself off of it before surgery. After surgery I did switch to decaf until the 8 weeks had passed. My NUT also recommends no more than 16 oz. of coffee daily.

Where did you get your Liquid Tylenol? I have not been able to find it in my area only the generic. If I recall, it was the generic CVS version of liquid acetaminophen as opposed to the branded Tylenol.

My doctor told me I could drive as soon as I was off the narcotic pain meds. I had surgery on Tuesday, came home on Wednesday and took my last narcotic on Wednesday evening. I drove on Thursday night, and returned to work the following Monday. I did switch from the narcotic pain meds to liquid Tylenol on day 2 and I think that helped speed things along.

I don't think you would lose too much weight with the sleeve. You would just have a much shorter weight loss period before getting back to normal eating than most of us. Your nutritionist might have to create a unique program for you. It seems to me that you are basically exchanging one tool that isn't working for one that will.