Cape Crooner

Black coffee and iced (Americano my fav). I waited 4 months. Sweet and Low and Half and Half don't add much in the way of calories. Coffee is like booze. Go easy after 3 months and take your antacid!

Any Oct 6 Sleevers out there?

Good time for a year 1 update!

1. Hit my goal (190) on March 3rd and been in between 183 and 192 since. Had my annual check up Wednesday and weighed in at 188.

2. ALL my blood work came in perfect, even my liver tests and glucose.

3. I exercise more than suggested - 70,000+ steps a week. My arthritis is mostly tamed and I even walk 18 holes of golf and carry my clubs!

4. I socialize more than I ever dreamed possible. If I see a bunch of unhealthy food coming my way, I have a beer, drink 1/3rd and dig in. Unhealthy food can't hurt you (much) if all you eat is 4-6 ounces.

The keys to my maintenance success are threefold:

1. Developing an arsenal of 100-200 calorie healthy "meals" that make up 90% of my diet. This pretty much enables me to eat carefree on the other 10%.

2. The exercise!

3. A great scale and fitness tracker to "keep me honest".

Without a doubt, the best thing I've ever done for myself!

http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351278-Any-Oct-6-Sleevers-out-there%3F/page__view__findpost__p__4285378

Good time for a year 1 update!

1. Hit my goal (190) on March 3rd and been in between 183 and 192 since. Had my annual check up Wednesday and weighed in at 188.

2. ALL my blood work came in perfect, even my liver tests and glucose.

3. I exercise more than suggested - 70,000+ steps a week. My arthritis is mostly tamed and I even walk 18 holes of golf and carry my clubs!

4. I socialize more than I ever dreamed possible. If I see a bunch of unhealthy food coming my way, I have a beer, drink 1/3rd and dig in. Unhealthy food can't hurt you (much) if all you eat is 4-6 ounces.

The keys to my maintenance success are threefold:

1. Developing an arsenal of 100-200 calorie healthy "meals" that make up 90% of my diet. This pretty much enables me to eat carefree on the other 10%.

2. The exercise!

3. A great scale and fitness tracker to "keep me honest".

Without a doubt, the best thing I've ever done for myself!

This will end up being the best decision you ever made. I was a chubby kid who turned into a fat adult. Like you, my entire life was a constant struggle to manage what I was eating, attempting to exercise, and always failing!

I was a good patient from day one and lost my entire 100 lb goal in 6 months.

I'm one year out and can't believe my new life. Yes, I still have to manage what I eat and follow a modest exercise program, but nothing like before.

Most importantly, this one works!

Before you know it you'll be shopping for normal sized clothes and the words of that ass will be long forgotten!

Get ready! If you follow your doctor and nuts program, the pounds will melt off. I lost almost 100 lbs in 6 months and "how" was all anyone wanted to talk about for a year.

I'm now a year out and it's dropped to once a week, but it was hell conducting nonstop dishonest conversations with all my friends for 9 months!

I told 6 people a year ago and wish I'd only told my wife (if I was single, no one). The problem isn't "dumb things people say", it's the fact that by telling "just a few close friends and family", you never really know if your secret is safe.

As @@Dub says, once you drop a ton of weight people will start asking and before you know it, you're being less than honest with very close friends.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying keeping a health issue a secret is dishonest, but imagine how you'd feel if a long term friend discovered it from someone else?

Worse, most likely, you'd never find out they knew, but their opinion of your friendship could surely suffer!

Keep it a secret or tell everyone!

I am scheduled to be sleeved 09/15/16 and I've only told three people about my surgery. I know once I start dropping the weight my coworkers and friends will notice. I just don't know what to tell them, I'm afraid of being judged for making this decision. Unless you are overweight yourself and unable to live every day life you wouldn't understand this drastic life choice.

Thanks for listening

I just tell people "my weight was effecting my health so I did EXACTLY what my doctor told me to do"...

If they want details, I tell them I stopped drinking alcohol, counted every calorie, and started exercising an hour a day.

That pretty much shuts them up!

I told a few family members only but wish I had only told my wife. The problem is that I was extremely successful and lost 100 lbs very quickly (6 months) and I have lot very close friends which led to hundreds of dishonest conversations about "how did you do it?"

I think many of us make the wrong choice to tell 5-10 people. If you tell that many people it's likely to get out and then you're forced to live for months in a world of dishonesty.

I would suggest to just tell your spouse or tell everyone. The middle ground is a slippery slope!

I told virtually no one, but I really stuck to the preopt and post opt diet and exercise program and lost 100 pounds in about 6 months which led to similar stupid comments:

1. Walking up to me while I'm eating dinner in a restaurant and saying "I want to see what you're eating". Or exclaiming (as I reach for normal food at a party) "you're going to eat that!"

2. Greeting me for months with the same statement "I don't even recognize you anymore". Gets old after the 10th time the same person says it.

3. "I bet you had to buy a whole new wardrobe"...

The only Crystal Lite I can drink is Watermelon, strawberry, and Orange. It's not that sweet. V-8 is also good.

I think we'd all have regrets if we had to suffer through what @@GinaCampbell has been through.

That said, I am still suspect of the NHS practitioners in your case, more than the general side effects of a well executed VSG.

Yeah, you're all right. Let's just go back to blaming the sleeve for chronic diarrhea and C-Diff (whatever that is)...

I truly hope this thread ends soon, it's so frustrating to read!

Let me make the point that I hinted at several pages back...

THIS ISN'T ABOUT WLS, it's about politics and what comes from BIG GOVERNMENT OVERREACH like Obamacare.

I lived in England and visited an NHS facility once. It was dirty and disgusting - I walked out.

Read what Gina said:

1. The government promised her a wonderful outcome - they lied.

2. The government promised to be there for her post opt - they lied.

3. We suggested she take legal action and Gina said "no, I fear retribution" from the government.

Folks, this is our future under Hillary Clinton. Trump is a lousy candidate, but he speaks the truth and will stop Gina's healthcare nightmare from happening here.

Vote to kill Obamacare - this is your last chance!

Gina, go back & remember what you were experiencing before the surgery. It had to have been bad enuff for u to consider having it done. Like most of us, u had to have been at the point where u didn't know what else to do, having tried so many ways to lose weight & get healthy & none of them working over the long haul.

This wls was the last hope for many of us. Yes we gave up certain things to get healthier. It's all in how u look at things. We forget how bad things used to be...time softens things...like people in abusive relationships that go back to their spouses because "maybe it wasn't that bad". We humans forget what has gotten us to do certain things out of what we deemed necessary at the time. We coat it with the haze of forgetfulness & suddenly it wasn't that bad back then. Be true to yourself & don't knock the past & the decisions you made. You made that decision to help yourself. You made it with all the information available to you at that time.

Ok....so maybe it was the wrong decision for you but you would never have known that unless you lived it. Everyone has said they wished they hadn't done something & if only someone had told them not to do it or had told them the real truth....really? Well geez, if we listen to other people, our world would never advance....how many tries did it get to get the wheel right, or that plane off the ground, or man to the moon,, or medications to figure out what worked for your depression but not for your friends? So many things in life work for some & not for others. Fortunately or unfortunately we all have to experience something for ourselves in order to get the lesson. That's how we learn. How many children listen to their parents who say don't do that or this terrible thing will happen. Or how many adults hear things from others but think, hey, that's their experience? We think we know better, so I don't think someone telling you what you had wished u had heard would have stopped you because at THAT point in time, YOU needed to do something this drastic.

I am sorry your wls made it worse for u, but it has made it better for others. You did what u did out of hope & as I said earlier the past gets foggy when we look back....so quit beating yourself up about what u did & figure out how to go on NOW. Nothing is 100%,...it's up to the person going thru whatever it is they are going thru, to get the help they can & try to make things better for themselves. I have problems, we all do...but you know what??? Having lost 70 lbs I can move more, have more energy, do more, enjoy life more. I have issues with dumping, some foods not agreeing with me. I have issues with not being able to eat a meal as I once did or enjoy it...but that's all transitory to me....because the truth is, the past me made the best decision it could for the me now & no one or no thing would have changed my mind back then because I was at the end of my rope with knee pain, high blood pressure, tiredness, & so many things including shame at going out & doing things I now can do, that I couldn't before because of my weight. It won't work for everyone...just like certain medications will work for one but not another...just like one (wo)mans bottom for an addiction will not be another (wo)mans bottom....so although I feel for you & what u r going thru, You need to stop beating on what happened....there are no guarantees in life with ANYTHING......just do the best you can....like the rest of us.

There HAS to be something the doctor can do to help u so that u don't have to wear a diaper to go out...just keep fighting for the answers. Only when u give up hope, is when u won't find those answers.

I pray you forgive yourself & that these feelings will change & u get better soon. You deserve the best in life, like everyone else in this world & I hope you get there quickly so that your suffering ends.

BRAVO!

I won't bore everyone with repeats of previous posts as people here love a reason to argue and it will start drama.

I reply when I can because I believe it is polite and respectful. If someone takes the time to comment, I was raised to reply and be nice.

I am American, and have been living in the UK for over 30 years now. I understand the high emotions, obesity problems and excess that the massive population there has. I personally didn't have a weight problem until I became disabled with diagnosed illnesses that meant that I was bedbound.

So I have not had a long term weight issue, or food issue etc. I was not desperate nor incapable of losing weight either. The medications piled on lbs on too of needing to sleep 12 hours a day, not moving etc.

I didn't have a myriad of obesity related diseases.

I just got fat from not moving and not being well enough to shop, cook and eat sensibly.

I was advised by consultants to have this surgery. I was told to take my Lyrica and accept my fate. And I did.

My health condition has been dramatically worsened by this surgery. An impact that may take a fecal transplant, and months in a hospital hours away from my home to recover from. If I can fight hard enough for a referral.

My colon appears to have damage (pseudomembranous colitis) because of the C Diff infection. This could lead to a colostomy.

Being thinner is great, being unhealthy is not. I also appear to have developed a stricture but am not allowed in a clinical public setting until this course of antibiotics has finished.

I am not beating myself up. I made a decision. It was mine to make. If the best surgeons here were wrong, why should I get upset with myself for being mistaken?

Because I was so ill, I had to detox from diet drinks, medications, carbohydrates, caffeine, gluten, wheat, dairy etc. That is what can and will help me eventually.

I have nothing to forgive myself for.

Try to see this intellectually, without emotional words like forgiveness, beating myself up, or romanticising the issue.

For some people, this surgery is a life saver. For me, it has been life threatening. I don't have the strength and immunity to fight off this C Diff. It kills thousands of people all over the world.

And right now, I have no medical support to treat it. Just two weeks antibiotics and isolation. And I am moving house.

Thank you for applauding that old post, but you don't have a clue!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@GinaCampbell -- I am totally sympathetic to your situation and I suspect most of those who read about it feel the same. That said, I feel like your focusing on the VSG procedure as the root cause of your malaise and I'm not certain that's the case.

I know from past posts that you had your surgery in a government operated hospital in the UK as did 3 of your friends and all for 4 of you have had similar complications. And, all of these complications could easily have been caused by less than hygienic conditions and/or poor surgical techniques.

Of course, this may not have been the case, but I think if you're going to continue to share your regrets, it's important to tell the whole story. 90% of all VSG patients are quite happy with this surgery...

I think this thread demonstrates why the best policy is to not tell people!

For people who are just clueless (not mean spirited), just smile and say "doctors orders".

For mean spirited, try something like "what an interesting comment about my private medical condition". Or "ding, ding, you win the prize, you're the 100th person to say that (or ask that)"...

Thanks to everyone (Well, some)! I'm only asking because I want to know what other people have done. I understand that everyone's plan is different, but I don't understand why. If your plan says alcohol after 4 weeks, why does mine say no alcohol for the rest of my life? There has to be a reason your plan says 4 weeks. So I think it's okay to veer to someone to else's plan for a second.

Cheers to that. I'm having wine at the wedding tonight.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

A couple of more thoughts to consider:

1. Why do some plans allow and others ban for life? I think there are a couple of reasons. Most high quality programs measure the results of their patients and they want good results! No doubt, you are more likely to lose and stay thin if you avoid alcohol. It's empty calories and can lead to bad choices.

2. When to drink, when not to drink, and what to eat while drinking is very complicated. In addition excessive alcohol consumption can easily lead to more excessive alcohol consumption. This makes it very difficult for NUTs and Pyschs to give us effective guidelines, so they "just say no".

3. Many obese people got there because they had an addiction disorder with food. It has been shown that people who have one addiction disorder (food, cigarettes, drugs, Etc) can easily become addicted to alcohol post wls. I know that I never had an addition to food and thus felt that I could safely manage my alcohol consumption. So far so good!

The guy in the video is talking about a lapband. I had a sleeve, no such issue.

I'm 11 months out and 5 months in maintenance. At this point, I'm pretty much past all the questions about "How did you lose the weight?" I only told a few family members and had some issue with answering close friends in a less than truthful manner.

This morning (while riding my bike for an hour), I started recollecting the odd group of people who outright asked me "Did you have weight loss surgery?" Of the 200+ people I talked to about my weight loss, the only ones who asked such a bold and personal question were not people who I would consider close friends:

1. A local golf store manager.

2. The girl who cuts my hair.< /p>

3. My Pastor.

4. The former Cable Guy.

How about you? If you're incognito, has anyone strange asked you directly?

YES in a NY minute!

For ME, VSG has been a miracle. I literally feel like I found Aladdin's Lamp and was granted a single wish (to have a healthy metabolism like all those "normal" people I knew who enjoyed food, but never over ate, never gained weight, and were never on a diet).

That said, not everyone has enjoyed the same experience -- my advice would be:

1. Do your homework and find the best surgeon at the best hospital possible. All surgeries are NOT the same. I drove an hour (past many great W:S centers) in order to go the the #1 WLS Center in New England. There were 9 surgeons doing my operation and I was in and out in less than 40 minutes.

2. Go on a diet immediately and lose as much weight as possible BEFORE your surgery. The sooner you start, the sooner you get that normal dream life. Perhaps even more importantly, if you lose a lot of weight in a short period of time leading up to your surgery, your surgeons will have lots of room to operate in, which will minimize complications.I lost 1/3 of my excess weight in the 60 days before surgery.

3. Plan on dropping out of any and all social activities that involve food -- particularly extended family events (especially if you come from a family that eats for fun). It sounds bad, but I am so glad that I did it,

4. During your pre and post opt diet, develop an arsenal of 100 calories Snacks, 200 calorie light meals, and 400 calorie dinners that you enjoy. These will be you primary diet starting 6 weeks post opt and for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. I am in month 11 post opt and basically stick to these meals for all but a couple of meals a week and I am having zero stress maintaining my goal weight eating anything I want on the other 2-3 meals a week.

Oh yeah, all calories are NOT equal. Stick to Protein rich meals and Snacks as long as possible during the day. Be very careful with simple carbs. Not only do they make you fat, but they will also trigger head hunger and you don't want that.

5. Think long and hard about "who to tell". You have three choices; tell no one but your significant other, tell everyone, or tell your close friends and family. I picked "just tell your family" and I totally regretted it for months (now it's no longer an issue). If you follow my 4 tips above, you will lose weight like crazy very quickly. This means EVERYONE will ask you HOW DID YOU DO IT until your head explodes. If you don't tell everyone you had WLS, this means you can look forward to having to LIE TO YOUR FRIENDS for months (like I did). If I had it to do over, I would have only told my wife.

I'm sure I'll think of other things, but these are the top ones to ME!

Good Luck...

Hi Cape Crooner - great post. One question - when you say drop out of any or all social events - do you mean forever or just in the losing phase? I'm a very social person, especially love hanging out with my girlfriends, so not sure what to think of that advice! As for who to tell - if I can pull it off, only my husband will know I've had WLS.

Only my doctors, husband, and my parents who were my support team the week of surgery (he was working then) know that I've had WLS, and I don't have any plans to disclose it to anyone else. It's had no adverse impact on my social life. At most social events people are so focused on socializing they're not as attentive to what you're eating. I like in LA and a lot of people are weight conscious, so it's normal to see light eaters. Even at dinner parties people have rarely commented. Once I was into the solid food phase there wasn't much I couldn't eat, so I just was mindful about what I chose and portion size.

I've never felt like I was lying to friends and others who've asked me about how I've lost weight. I tell the truth - I track my calories, I bought a bike that I use as much as possible rather than driving, and I've changed some of the medicine I was taking for my thyroid issues. No one else is entitled to know the full details of my personal medical history. That answer has been totally sufficient for everyone.

I would agree about California people. I have actually run into a number of folks who's normal meal is always 6-8 ounces of food. Not so in Massachusetts. Here people eat 1-2 pounds of salad, Pasta, meat, and dessert. I have had people (who didn't know) actually scream out as I pushed my plate away 'THAT'S ALL YOU'RE EATING!"

As I said, I've gotten past the lying issue in my head. At the end, I just started telling people "I gave up on all the fad diets, none worked for me. I finally started doing EXACTLY what my diet told me to do." I also tell people that I gave up drinking and socializing for 6 months and they pretty much shut up!

I know what you are saying about being a social person. I am planning on staying away from restaurants as much as possible until I am comfortable with knowing what I can and can't eat/tolerate. I think my friends and family will be supportive and understanding enough that they will be willing to do things for us to get together that wouldn't involve food. (Shopping, bowling, game night etc)

@ Sara Crowley - Actually, restaurants with my wife were easier because I was in control and no one bugged me to either "try something" or asking me why I wasn't eating. The challenge came in events with friends and/or family -- those I avoided as long as possible...

Hi Cape Crooner - great post. One question - when you say drop out of any or all social events - do you mean forever or just in the losing phase? I'm a very social person, especially love hanging out with my girlfriends, so not sure what to think of that advice! As for who to tell - if I can pull it off, only my husband will know I've had WLS.

@@TracyBar - I only mean for the pre-opt diet (which in my case was 2 months) and then the majority of the weight lost phase. If it doesn't bother you to be around others in a social setting overeating, drinking beer, and raving about all their homemade Desserts, GOD BLESS YOU - go! Not me, I was much happier staying home, watching football or a movie and following my diet plan in peace.

A lot of women in my support group mentioned that they came from families with lots of obese women who took strong offense if someone didn't eat all their Pasta salads, mac & cheese, lasagna, cake, Cookies, etc, etc at a family event (and there were usually 2-3 family events a week).

YES in a NY minute!

For ME, VSG has been a miracle. I literally feel like I found Aladdin's Lamp and was granted a single wish (to have a healthy metabolism like all those "normal" people I knew who enjoyed food, but never over ate, never gained weight, and were never on a diet).

That said, not everyone has enjoyed the same experience -- my advice would be:

1. Do your homework and find the best surgeon at the best hospital possible. All surgeries are NOT the same. I drove an hour (past many great W:S centers) in order to go the the #1 WLS Center in New England. There were 9 surgeons doing my operation and I was in and out in less than 40 minutes.

2. Go on a diet immediately and lose as much weight as possible BEFORE your surgery. The sooner you start, the sooner you get that normal dream life. Perhaps even more importantly, if you lose a lot of weight in a short period of time leading up to your surgery, your surgeons will have lots of room to operate in, which will minimize complications.I lost 1/3 of my excess weight in the 60 days before surgery.

3. Plan on dropping out of any and all social activities that involve food -- particularly extended family events (especially if you come from a family that eats for fun). It sounds bad, but I am so glad that I did it,

4. During your pre and post opt diet, develop an arsenal of 100 calories Snacks, 200 calorie light meals, and 400 calorie dinners that you enjoy. These will be you primary diet starting 6 weeks post opt and for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. I am in month 11 post opt and basically stick to these meals for all but a couple of meals a week and I am having zero stress maintaining my goal weight eating anything I want on the other 2-3 meals a week.

Oh yeah, all calories are NOT equal. Stick to Protein rich meals and Snacks as long as possible during the day. Be very careful with simple carbs. Not only do they make you fat, but they will also trigger head hunger and you don't want that.

5. Think long and hard about "who to tell". You have three choices; tell no one but your significant other, tell everyone, or tell your close friends and family. I picked "just tell your family" and I totally regretted it for months (now it's no longer an issue). If you follow my 4 tips above, you will lose weight like crazy very quickly. This means EVERYONE will ask you HOW DID YOU DO IT until your head explodes. If you don't tell everyone you had WLS, this means you can look forward to having to LIE TO YOUR FRIENDS for months (like I did). If I had it to do over, I would have only told my wife.

I'm sure I'll think of other things, but these are the top ones to ME!

Good Luck...

There are lots of reasons doctors have no alcohol or a fairly long wait on drinking.

First and foremost. Empty calories. Your goal is to lose weight, I assume. Drinking your calories is a really bad idea. And once you've had that alcohol, many people tend to make bad decisions on what they put in their face. Are you (general/plural) really going to reach for SF puddding (sic) or greek yogurt or are you going to finish off that bag of popcorn or the infamous box of Cheez its?

Secondly, your stomach has a fresh incision and it takes time to heal. The acidity in wine, soda, and jooce (sic) mixers can irritate that tender tummy. No bueno.

Third, you don't know how alcohol will affect you. I got totally blitzed off a glass of wine, and was dead sober an hour later with my first drink. (And the heartburn that commenced had me rolled up on the floor in tears for an hour.) You really shouldn't be eating and drinking at the same time, so there goes the option for foood (sic) in the tummy to soak up some of the booze.

But you are an adult and only you can decide for yourself. I am sure you will make exactly the right decision for you.

I agree with @@LipstickLady, but I did have my first drink 6 weeks post opt and gradually returned to social drinking by month 3. At this point I was 10 pounds from my goal. It took two months to hit my goal along with social drinking and it probably would have been one with no alcohol.

I researched medical advice and found ZERO consistency. In Europe most surgeons have no limits while others say never.

I did drink extra Water and take an extra antacid when I drank. I stuck to low calorie drinks and logged them along with everything else I ate that night. I also started with weak V-8 bloody Mary's or bourbon and water.

I think it's a personal choice, but proceed with due caution, particularly if you still have a lot of weight to lose.

The NUTs had a 15/30 minute rule, but I asked the surgeon and she said it didn't matter. That said, I seldom drink in the 30/30 mealtime window unless I'm drinking wine or another alcoholic beverage.

Then I sip up until eating and usually leave the glass half full after dinner (cuz I'm all full).

I would say that if I do continue drinking later, it's probably naturally 30 minutes plus, but that's all the sleeve restriction allows.

That said, I'd love to see the "evidence" you were shown!

Here is the first piece written by a doctor on this subject.

In a nutshell:

1. If it makes you uncomfortable (gas or abdominal pain), don't do it.

2. If no pain, sugar free is okay, not sugary.

3. Don't take it to "wash your food down.

4. Drink in moderation.

I have a 2-3 beers or diet cokes every week or so. No pain and no gain...

http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/soda-safety-after-weight-loss-surgery.html