Tiffykins

You're so close, and I'll be keeping you in my thoughts ! ! !

I don't think it's necessarily bad considering out of all the research I've read indicates that patients 5 years that had barium swallows done, have only "stretched" their sleeves out to no more than 8 ounces. As long as you continue to make good food choices, Protein first, etc. etc, then being able to hold 8 ounces should not be an issue. The regain stats of those same patients was <10lbs.

That is absolutely awesome ! ! ! I love venison, and am totally sad that we only have a few packages left in our freezer.

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

I'm sorry that you are struggling. I can honestly see how some people don't get the mental side of this surgery. For me, I think because I had the band first, I learned how to eat. Now, with the sleeve it makes it easier. If you are having trouble making better decisions with food choices, have you or are in some form of counseling to help you deal with the addiction to food? I think it might help to find a support group that you can participate in. Many of the ones in our area are open to all bariatric patients regardless of where they had their surgeries performed. I have never dealt with compulsive eating. I was a volume eater, but I made decent food choices. Unfortunately, it was just in huge quantities. The sleeve really did change my mentality with food. I agree with tracking your food intake, and increasing your exercise. I use myfitnesspal.com as well. I don't track every day, but if I was to start struggling I would be back at tracking and counting. I'm at goal, and maintaining so I am trying to learn to maintain. It's a balancing act, and I'm hoping to learn this new life at maintenance. It's definitely a tool, breaking habits, and retraining our minds are half of the battle. Best wishes.

We'll all be pulling for you tomorrow, and keeping you in our thoughts. I think nerves are perfectly normal at this point, and you just have to go in with a positive mentality. You'll do great, and we're saving you a seat on the loser's bench.

Thank you so very much. . . I was 263 the day of my revision. I started at 270 with the band 8 months before my revision, standing 5'2" tall. Today, I'm hoovering at 145. I will have a TT after we're done making babies. Boob job for my 40th Bday, and I am very interested in Botox and/or a mini-facelift. I'm a pretty vain person. I have zero issue admitting it, and will use technology, surgery, and other avenues to fix my flaws. I plan on growing old gracefully with assistance that I can afford. I'm actually not worried about the bat wings. I hate wearing tank tops. I have this weird mental hang-up about exposed underarms/armpits. I think it's just gross, so I won't ever wear tank tops without a shirt over it.

I apologize ahead of time for my mistake. This particular member had surgery in Syria. I had the correct region, but totally off on the specific country. I would be willing to bet he could help you research specific surgeons/facilities in that region. Here are the threads from this member that may help you especially with traveling after surgery: http://verticalsleevetalk.com/tell-your-story/2092-surgery-syria.html http://verticalsleevetalk.com/tell-your-story/2153-booked-my-surgery-syria.html http://verticalsleevetalk.com/tell-your-story/2719-surgery-done-syria.html http://verticalsleevetalk.com/post-operation-vertical-sleeve-gastric-surgery-vsg-questions-answers/2413-travel-after-sleeve-surgery.html

I forgot to mention we do have another member here that had surgery in Turkey I believe. I will go through some of the older posts, and maybe you could send them a private message asking for details. I know they specifically traveled to that region because they had family, and were originially from that part of the world. I'll try to find some links for you, and if you need help researching surgeons, or facilities, post away, we will try to help you as much as possible. I'll come back to this thread when I have more information.

I agree with ordering soup, or a small appetizer of something that you know you can tolerate. Steer clear of fried foods, or overly oily foods. I had a problem with sauteed foods early out on the "regular food" post-op diet. I would get what you know you can tolerate, and if anyone asks tell them you are back on the bandwagon to better health. I know not everyone is comfortable with sharing their decision. I've received a lot of support by sharing my experience, but some people are just truly ignorant especially when they've never "battled the bulge". Good luck and congrats on getting to see Oprah.

My first question would be are you taking a PPI? The reason I ask is because that gnawing hunger pang I felt was related to acid over producing. I wasn't really hungry, but it felt weird. So, once I started taking Prilosec 20mg, once daily, it resolved, and I didn't have that issue. I don't know your calorie, carb count, but I think you're eating a well balanced diet. If you want to lose weight, cut carbs to 30 or less grams a day, at least 60-70 grams of Protein, and increasing exercise and Water consumption can get the scale moving. Also, if you aren't consuming enough calories, the body can hold onto weight. Sometimes, we have to shake things up to get the scale moving. Not everyone loses every week. I did, but it's not out of the normal for people to hit a stall here and there. It's the body's way of adjusting to all the changes.

My tastes changed significantly, and several times during my post-op recovery. I would find a Protein tolerable one week, then the next I couldn't choke it down. I bought sample packs from vitalady.com and from netrition.com The only flavor and brand I could ever truly tolerate for any decent period of time is: Bodybuilding.com - Optimum 100% whey Protein - With Faster-Acting HYDROWHEY! On sale now! They offer a sample pack, but I only ever used the extreme milk chocolate. My husband uses it as a recovery protein after weight lifting. I would not buy any big tubs of protein supplements. I found the texture and smell to be more bothersome post-op than the taste most of the time. But, my tastes changed quite a bit.

The only reason with RNY that they can eat more is because their pouches stretch. Most RNY patients need to adhere to stricter diet post-op, and monitor their Vitamin and nutrient level more closely because of the malabsorption factor. With the sleeve, there is minimal stretching, but it's been documented that a sleeve can stretch to about 8oz which is a cup of food. I can eat 3-4oz of dense protein/meat with a couple of ounces of mashed potatoes/green beans/broccoli with cheese sauce/rice with gravy. As for the pasta/rice question, I eat pasta, rice or potatoes almost daily. I didn't have this surgery to deprive myself of foods that I enjoy. It's all in moderation. I still eat my Protein first about 85-90% of the time, but if I want Pad Thai, I eat a few bites of the meat, and then fill up on the noodles. I'm at goal and maintaining so it's different once you are out of the "weight loss" stage. At this point, I do not have to chew my food to a mushy consistency. I do eat slowly, and do not get food stuck. I did early out when "learning" how my sleeve would react to food, but it's not an issue any longer. Early on I measured my portions by volume not weight. I used one of the children's OTC medication measuring cups to measure my food. Once I moved onto normal/regular food, I learned to eyeball my portions. I posted a couple of threads on what I can eat at this point. If you go to my profile, click on STATISTICS, and find all threads started by me, you will see 2 threads called "FOOD FOR THOUGHT". It'll give you a visual. As for leaks several months or years out, it is very unlikely. The scar tissue forms over the staple line, and heals normally. Very similar to how other incisions heal within our body. I've only seen 1 case of a patient developing a leak around 3-5 months post-op, but her concerns were ignored, and misdiagnosed, she had been having problems since about 4 weeks out.

I have more scars than most patients, but mine are fading, and a pretty shade of pink. I'm a nice pasty pinkish-white skin tone. I don't really notice them anymore, but they are there.

Congrats Gary, and I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers tomorrow for an uneventful surgery and recovery. You'll do great, and update us when you can.

Congrats on a successful and great experience with your surgery ! ! ! I had discomfort at my old port site, which they used to remove the excised stomach portion, for about 2-3 weeks. Mine was pretty sore because they had to take down a lot of scar tissue from the flipped port. It's still got a tender spot that I notice occasionally. But, the most discomfort/pain subsided in 2-3 weeks for me.

I'm almost 8 months out, at goal and have been cleared to conceive sometime late March or April as long as I can maintain my goal weight for 3-4 months. Depending on each individual patient's results, your surgeon, your ob/gyn, and your nutritionist should help you decide when you conceive. Some surgeons suggest waiting 12 months after reaching goal, some surgeons base their decision on the individual patient. I have 2 friends who had RNY, got pregnant within the first 9 months of their pregnancy, and delivered healthy, average weight babies that are both thriving today. As for stretching the sleeve, it is not going to stretch that much because the portion of the stomach that is left is all muscle. Studies show the most a sleeved patient's stomach stretches after 5 years is about 8oz. I'm able to get in around 1000 calories a day, and since I'm at goal, I am able to eat more carbs, and have a very varied menu for my meals. MissPeesh - I replied to your private message with my advice, and experience on a band to sleeve revision.

1. first of all how do i choose on a doctor to do this procedure .. i have been meeting people and they all seem good to me .. You choose a surgeon based on how many sleeves they have performed, along with his/her complication/leak stats. Once a surgeon has performed 300 sleeves, the complications decrease, and the technique is improved. Also, the follow up care that is offered. If you feel that you'll need a support group, then ensure your surgeon has one available, or that you can get access to one in your area. Also, choose a surgeon based on research. Look him/her on the state of _____ medical board. Look for compliants/lawsuits filed. Ask the surgeon if he has patient testimonies available. If you can call/email/write to some of his past patients so you can get firsthand information from his patients. 2. do u have serious gas and acidity problem throughout and one keeps burping ? isnt tht embarassing ? I rarely have gas now. With the band, I had it all the time. But with the sleeve, I rarely expel any type of gas. I burp occasionally if I take a drink of Water too fast, but it's quiet and not embarassing. I do take a 20mg Prilosec capsule once a day to prevent acid reflux, I should be able to start weaning off of them in the next couple of months. 3. am due to get married in march this year will my tummy settle down till then .. i know it not going to be normal but obv i dont want to feel nauseatic and keep throwing up . Depending on your surgeon's post-op diet program, and your ability to drink plenty of fluids, and no complications post-op, you should be okay by March. Some patients do experience nausea, but it's typically related to progressing through the post-op diet stages and trying new food. 4. should i really do this ? am overweight by 60 pounds ... please please tell me ... yes for sure i have been so depressed and so stressed mentally because am consulting so many doctors about this and its mentally draininig me ... No one can answer this question for you because it's very personal. If you are ready to lead, a healthy, normal life, then take the steps you need to get to a healthy weight and maintain it. If you are stressed and depressed, I would highly recommend consulting with a counselor that is trained and has experience with bariatric patients. They operate on our stomachs, not our brains, and part of this journey can be emotional. Best wishes, and if you have any other feel to post, and we'll try to help as much as we can.

These are the reasons I chose the sleeve vs. RNY for my revision from lapband. 1) No malabsorption (that ends up being all for nothing after 18-24 months because our bodies adjust, grow more intestinal villi, and the malabsorption NO longer happens) 2) No nutritional or Vitamin deficiencies 3) The freedom to truly eat any food, just in smaller portions 4) Having a "blind" stomach, that can still develop ulcers, and cancer, yet can never be scoped. That's a scary one for me. 5) The regain stats on the RNY are scary, and a lot of RNY patients seek revisions 6) I had a band, with a pouch, it sucked. I know stomas and pouches don't work for me. 7) My lifestyle pre-op of a volume eater led me to the sleeve because it's restrictive only. 8) Instant restriction with zero maintenance such as fills, unfills 9) Leading a normal life with food 10) I was never truly "full" with my band. I still had hunger. Removing the Ghrelin (hormone hunger) producing part of the stomach was a total win/win situation for me. Those are the main reasons I chose the VSG over RNY.

I'm almost 8 months post-op, at goal, and have been cleared to TTC (try to conceive) if I can maintain my weight for the next 3 months or so. My 7 month post-op labs were fabulous, and my surgeon said if I can maintain, then we're good to go. If you venture over to obesityhelp, there is an entire forum dedicated to pregnancy after weight loss. There are a lot of RNY and Sleeve mommies on there. You may have to dig through the old threads, but there is a lot of information on there about how to eat, what calories, Protein and carbs are recommended by different patient's nutritionist.

I am a band to sleeve revision, and the sleeve rocks. Here's my standard reply when people ask me about my band to sleeve revision experience. I had the band placed 10/01/08, developed a severe flipped port, with hellacious pain. Couldn't access the port, and I had lost all initial restriction. My band surgeon would not do anything about it, so I left his practice and found a surgeon who would agree to remove the band and revise to the sleeve. It was the best thing in the entire world. The sleeve is instant restriction. I followed the post-op diet very strictly for the first 4 months, meaning I didn't cheat on the program. I stayed below 30 grams of carbs, ate Protein first, and drank my fluids. I'm trying to maintain at this point, and it's been a balancing act. But, the band failed me and so did my band surgeon. I was constant pain on a daily basis. The tubing of the band was actually tugging on my stomach, and damaged my stomach severely. Revising to the sleeve was the best decision I ever made. I now live a very normal life. I eat anything and everything just in smaller portions. I eat 3-4 times a day and rarely snack. I'm almost 8 months out and never feel real hunger. I crave some foods so I eat them. Like mexican and thai foods are my faves. I have to remind myself to eat because my brain never realizes I'm hungry. I do indulge occasionally in a couple of Snicker's miniatures, but am satisfied with 2 of them, and go about my day. I really do eat like a "naturally" thin person. The cost is a good rate and is a very competitive with extremely experienced, licensed Mexico surgeons that provide a full hospital environment with an ICU and a full 2 nights in a hospital. When checking out surgeons, ensure they have performed no less than 300 sleeves. The sleeve is about technique, and once a surgeon has performed this many sleeves, his technique is down, and the risk of complications decrease substantially. Don't be any surgeon's guinea pig regardless of cost. I hope this helps and if you have any other questions feel free to shoot me a message.

Considering we don't eat that much solid food through the post-op diet, BMs will happen when your body is ready. If you are having to strain, or if it's painful, increase your Water consumption and possibly walking more can help get the bowels moving. But, if you aren't consuming a lot of solid food, then you aren't going go every day. I'm almost 8 months post op, and I go every other day usually. Plus, we go from all liquids in with liquids out, to adding in some more solid food. The body may take a little longer to process it all. I would say if you weren't having pain or discomfort then you should be fine. I did take Miralax a couple of times. It's a stool softener, no cramping, or gassiness. It got things moving, but I realized it was just normal bodily functions taking a couple of days to get used to the new diet.

It seems that if the gastrectomy was performed for benign ulcers or other benign stomach diseases is the common thread in all of the links provided. If you have a healthy stomach lining which is where the adenocarcinoma forms, it appears that the risk is lower. All the patients observed developing some sort of cancer post-op, had other ulcerative or gastric issue prior to surgery. NEJM -- Stomach cancer after partial gastrectomy for benign ulcer disease SpringerLink - Journal Article By the studies, abstracts, and other referenced material, they all report risk factor for developing gastric cancer to be less or slightly higher than 1%. SpringerLink - Journal Article SpringerLink - Journal Article Meta-Analysis of the Risk of Gastric Stump Cancer: Detection of High Risk Patient Subsets for Stomach Cancer after Remote Partial Gastrectomy for Benign Conditions -- Tersmette et al. 50 (20): 6486 -- Cancer Research Upon review of the listed articles, and other pages they all conclude that the cancer is due to the diseased tissue of the stomach from an ulcerative condition which changes the mucosa of the stomach lining. Also, smoking, dietary choices, and different social behaviors contribute to these factors. None of the studies are based on healthy stomach resectioning, or partial gastrectomies without any history of benign ulcers. Most of the articles state specifically that the ulcerative condition changes and can cause cancer even after the gastrectomies. While, I find it interesting, I am not sure that the risk is anything that I would put on my "con" list for having the VSG performed.

Are you able to tolerate some Gatorade, even the Gatorade made with Splenda has some electrolytes in it which might help with the hydration.

I was instructed to take 2 chewable multi-Vitamins (Centrum chewable were on my list) daily. 1000mg of calcium citrate and if needed a sublingual B12. I took the GNC multi-Vitamin into my nutritionist because I hate Centrum or Flintstone chewables. They were gritty, and gross. She approved of them, and said they were better than most multi-vitamins out there. I just had my labs pulled on the 15th, and at 7 months post op, I had zero deficiencies. I do not have to take additional Iron. Plus, I've been slacking on the calcium. So, I was pretty shocked that nothing came back on my labs. I'm still waiting on the B12 results, but really don't foresee it being an issue.