bleonhardt

It is any carbonated beverage. The bubbles expand once they hit your tummy from the warmth of our bodies and can stretch out your pouch. Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

Can I ask you what you learned about having low Vitamin B1? I just got my test result for B1 this week and mine is very low! I do not see my surgeon for a month but wanted to reach out in the forum. Thanks for any information =) Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

It is so hard to keep up with protein goals at first. Well any time really. You have to work at it believe me I do every day! =)

Hi All! I hit my two month mark last week (I was sleeved on 12/09/16) and thought I would share some pics! I have a total weight loss of 70 lbs since the start of my WLS journey! Feeling great and can not wait to see where the next few months take me! I did have a complication with my surgery (twisted stomach) in which I had three additional surgeries and just had a stomach stent removed on 02/14/17 that assisted my stomach to heal from the twist. Although my journey has been different than most, now that my complication has finally been resolved I feel like I can hit the ground running even harder to make bigger and bigger lifestyle changes! I wish everyone the best in their journey! First pic is from 12/16/16 with my surgeon....last two pics are from 02/16/17 showing the changes!

Of course! I woke up after surgery with a twisted stomach. Less than 1% get this complication and I had to be the lucky one I guess! lol They finally figured it out after one night in the hospital and I still could not hold down liquids so they did a barium scan and saw the twist. They do not know what causes it and it took two more surgeries and a total of 6 nights in the hospital to fix it (stent was put in during the third surgery) and a fourth surgery to remove it. But it was left in for 2 months so my stomach healed open thank goodness!!

Are you referring to my weight loss since I was sleeved? Believe me my journey was rough due to the twisted stomach and probably a bit different then others. I had a stent put in my stomach that was there until 02/14/17 so that made a huge difference as I had zero hunger during that time. But I made sure I met my Protein and Water goals and started working out so I think all of that helped the weight shed off!

Thank you and you as well! Excited to see what this year holds for us!

Thank you so much! =)

HI there! I am very very lucky. I have zero issues with excess skin. But I am at Planet Fitness now 3-5 nights per week so that may have something to do with it! Not sure but am doing my best to make this a healthy lifestyle change!

Sorry I am late responding! A twisted stomach is where after the sleeve is done the stomach twists to the point no liquid or food can go through it one it leaves your esophagus. So all you do is vomit everything you ingest! This complication is less than 1% of all the WLS surgeries I was told and very rare. Lucky me! They do not know who or why you will have this complication (I think I should play the lottery now!) and they have to get creative on how to fix it since it isn't even really written much about since it is rare. I had a great team in the hospital who were able to come up with a solution and after three more surgeries my stomach has remained untwisted!! But this is a reason people should consider when they go to Mexico to have surgery because if you had this type of complication how would you pay for treatment or what would happen there? Just a thought!

I have also had four spinal surgeries. The last one was in 2001 and took 12 hours. I now have a two level spinal fusion with titanium cages where the disc space was left. I never lost any hair through any of the four surgeries so maybe I am just lucky with surgery..I am not sure! I do know I took the NUT's advice before surgery and did everything I could both before and after to try and mitigate the nutritional issues as well as the hair loss. As with all of these surgeries everyone will have a different experience!

You are totally right. Almost three months down so hoping I never have that! But I eat very healthy food full of Vitamins and since I don't have the malnutrition issue I am getting the required nutrition. I think that is the key with all of these surgeries no matter what don't you?

The outpatient thing would scare me too! I had the gastric sleeve, had a complication (twisted stomach) and ended up in the hospital for six nights! I can not imagine if I had gone home with a twisted stomach and did not have immediate medical care! I have lost 70 pounds with just the sleeve since 12/09/16 and have not experienced some of the issues you get with the malabsorption surgeries such as hair loss and dumping syndrome. I think everyone should decide for themselves what is best long term as you can not change your insides back later! Good luck!

You are very welcome! Keep us posted on your progress! =)

I have had four back surgeries so I can feel your pain! You will lose weight and the doctor will expect you to lose some weight on your own prior to surgery. That actually assists you in getting approved as it shows you are ready to take the plunge and do the lifestyle changes you will need to in order to be successful. Surgery alone does not make you lose weight and keep it off...you have to be able to make the required changes as well in order to be successful so the pre op part of the journey is how you prove yourself to your doctor and insurance co!

I haven't heard of an exception as most insurance companies, even private such as mine, require you to be on a medically supervised weight loss plan for months prior to the surgery. Sometimes if you have already given it a shot to lose on your own and that is well documented in your medical records over the last 5 or so years I have heard insurance companies approving pretty quickly. I wish you all the best on your journey!

Good night sleep well!! =) Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

Great!! I bet you are excited! Feel free to direct message me if you want to talk offline..am happy to be a part of your support network! Glad to meet friends who are on the same journey! My coroorate office is in Alpharetta and one in ATL but I work from home in Cali =) Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

Sure! I live in Sacramento California..you? When is your surgery? Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

Right? ER is scary here lol. They do not know why it happens. The stomach basically flips and looks like candy cane I am told and nothing can get down. When I was trying to drink the water would fill up my esophagus because the hole to my stomach was blocked with the twist. There is nothing within any of us that would tell us or the doctor that we could have this complication....it is just nature! So glad I have come out the other side fine but others should be prepared just in case....could also be a huge financial burden you know? Four surgeries and a $170k hospital bill for staying 6 nights! Sooo glad my insurance paid 100%! Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

Oh no sure don't! Well I had the sleeve done on Friday 12/09/16. But after getting to my hospital room I could never hold down any liquids...I would have 15ml and 15ml would come right back up! It took them 3 days to diagnose that my stomach had twisted....closed! So I had 2 more surgeries and had a stent put in on 12/14 to untwist and open up my stomach. I spent 6 nights in the hospital!! I had surgery again this week on Feb 14th to remove the stent and hallelujah my stomach remained open!! But boy I have been through it. Around Feb 1st the stent wanted to come out so I had a constant bad stomach ache 24/7 and dry heaving 5 to 6 times a day! But all that stopped the moment the stent came out! I have lost 70 lbs during this journey so far!!! I worry for those going out of the country to have surgery as I wonder if they had this same complication and needed to have multiple surgeries and a week hospitalized what would they do? How would someone pay for that let's say in Mexico? It was so scary for me and I was in California with insurance that was paying 100% of these bills!!! Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

Yes but they will refund you the entire first order up to $65 i believe if you don't like it!! =) Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

My pleasure!! Feel free to reach out any time! I was the 1% with a sleeve complication so I have been through and learned a lot since 12/09/16!! Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

The drain is more for the bypass surgery and not the sleeve. The bypass has a lit more going in inside. Very few sleevers will need a drain tube and I did not wake up with one!! Good luck! Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

thanks everyone! This has most def been the hardest thing I have ever done but so well worth the struggle!