LAN2k

Thanks for this list of resources. I am suffering from depression. At first it was severe anxiety but now since I've had my medication changed from xanax to Klonopin the anxiety has significantly diminished. I know I am depressed and will need lots of help to get through this.

Thanks Donna, I will give it a try. I'm a suscriber to Dr. Marcola's newsletter and trust his products. It would be so nice if I finally could get over this aversion I've to protein shakes, since I loved them pre-surgery. Thanks again.

I think I'll try DR. Mercola's Miracle Whey. If you've the link handy can you post it here? Thanks Donna.

I am so glad you broached this as a topic. I will be watching. Thank you.

Welcome to this board. I do hope you will continue to post your concerns and progress. Keep up the good work, you are doing very well. You are also fortunate not to have issues with protein shakes, and drinking water as many of us do.

Once your surgery wounds are healed you will be able to resume sleeping in the positions which bring you most comfort, even while they are healing.

So sorry that this happened but it is great to know that you are doing fine otherwise. The weight is going to come off gym or no gym, just take good care of that knee!

Best wishes to you Bambi....stay connected and keep us informed.

I am so sorry you are feeling down. I am going through much grief and unbearable anxiety since the surgery day one. It's odd because nearly everyone I read about on this board is happy and positive. I have no choice but to seek professional help since the anxiety is incapacitating me. I have been taking anti anxiety medication "xanax" and am at the point where without it I am so anxious I can't eat or sleep and can hardly move...literally. This has been a frightening experience for me and so I understand all of your concerns. Monday I will meet with my psychologist (who specializes in WLS patients), she wants to get me to transition from the xanax to an SSRI, (anti-depressant). Before the surgery I took no drugs at all and now I'm needing xanax and will likely be taking additional meds since I am in such dire straits emotionally. I don't know but I hope things will change for the better and soon for the both of us. I went to a support group and it was very benificial although I was in bad shape. Keep reaching out...as everyone assures us, things will eventually get better.

I am so sorry you had to endure such a thing. Thank God you are on your way to recovery. I pray you will be fully well again very soon. Please take the time you need to recover fully. God bless.

I'm almost 7 weeks out. Today is the second day in a row that I am not wanting to eat! I am repulsed by the thought of food, any food. Last week I was at least enjoying some different foods in very small amounts, and even if I had trouble eating at least I had desire for certain food. Yesterday I could not eat the strawberry greek yogurt I took out for breakfast, after one lick from a teaspoon I nearly gagged. I then managed to force down a small peach autivia yogurt but it was not with ease. Even the smell of most of the things I had found appealing are repulsive. I am only able to sip on one flavor vitamin water and one brand of protein drink which is a fruit juice blend called "naked protein zone", even this is hard. Has this ever happened to anyone here? Will it pass? Who should I call, doctor or dietitian? Could it be a side effect of something? I have been having such trouble already and now this too? If there is anyone out there who may have gone through this or can advise please do. I'm really upset. Thank you.

I had straight medicare and I checked on their website and the sleeve was not covered. What I did was switch to a medicare advantage plan GHI Medicare PPO...I did this right before my surgeon submitted the paperwork with request for approval. GHI Medicare approved, they even phoned me to tell me that they did! I had my surgery on 9/15/09. If on the other hand Medicare is going to approve the sleeve procedure soon you may only need wait it out a little longer. You can call medicare and ask or go on their website and look it up. Someone over the phone can guide you through it. Best wishes to all of you.

Hi Shanda, I want to be able to enjoy food again not over indulge but just enjoy what ever I'm able to eat. I miss that. I am glad that you have been in such good and optimistic spirits though- I wish I could say the same. You are doing so well but I think it's important that you up your calories too. Stay well and keep us posted.

You can talk to me anytime. My heart goes out to you. I honestly feel as if I could have had a break down if it were not for my mother and my father allowing me to just express my fear and be myself. It has been hard though, my mom cried this morning saying she just wants me well again. I have got to pull through this for them....I think this forum is a great place to reach out to people. With all that you are going through you have reached out to me and I can't thank you enough. I will pray for your situation and believe that all things will work together for a good purpose. Your beautiful inside and out.. lean on me anytime for support. Your friend, Lis

joon, Welcome to this forum and message board. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for laying out some concrete instruction I am in desperate need of that. It's as though I am in need of someone to constructively structure my day, my every move, in a way that will bring healing. Often times I find myself frozen, just standing or sitting nearly crouched over paralyzed in thought thought of what to do or not knowing how, what or which way to move myself, help myself. I can't even cry. I want help, I need help and sometimes even when I reach out and visit with my surgeon I'm given pat answers...just this or that and you'll be fine. I went to one therapy session with a psychiatric nurse therapist, I did not even remotely feel hope as I walked out of there before leaving, she told me to call her again if I thought I could benefit. I have an appointment this Thursday with a very young psychologist who has a private practice locally and also works out of the bariatric WL department where I had my surgery...mostly with lap band and bypass patients. I really am trying to help myself. Your advise on anxiety is so vital to me. As of yesterday I stopped the Regulan...I suspected as such since a year or more ago I'd been given it intravenously as a treatment in the ER for severe migraine. It would be administered for about 20 minutes and usually the migraine would dissipate but each time I'd be flooded with anxiety immediately afterward. Currently,since the VSG surgery, my surgeon had been administering regulan to me in the hospital for nausea prevention and then had me take it in pill (crushed) form ever since, he told me to take it since I have had problems with food kind of slowly going down etc. He said it helps to move the food through. When I questioned him at my last appointment, with regard to any possible side effect such as anxiety, he gently chuckled and said no no no just take the regulan, you'll be fine. I don't think he is aware of the potential side effect. I'm stopping the regulan. I don't know if I will chance the otc benydrl (I am so afraid to try). My primary care physician is a wonderful compassionate woman and I will speak to her about this next week when I see her. She has prescribed xanax .5mgs 3x per day OR LESS, as needed since I know that drug, although it immediately helps, can become a problem. She told me she will supervise my use of it however and I do trust her. I am wondering however if xanax may be the reason I've seemingly lost my desire to eat. I will take your advise and get my body moving my body...I've been trying things like walks. It does help, somewhat (my mind still races with thought). I thank God you came on here. We all could benefit from someone like you. Please stay connected and thank you so very much for your thoughtful consideration and insight. God bless you. ps- I stopped watching tv news I don't even look on the internet anymore. I used to delve and research, no can do- I live in dead silence and apprehension though.

Thanks Vegas, After reading many posts on how well string cheese goes with most, I had been looking forward to trying it myself and then........this awful loss of appetite now the thought of any cheese at all is revolting. I do hope this will indeed pass. Thanks for sharing your experiences with me, it helps.

Hey Chancie, Thanks for sharing your own experiences like this. At the moment I'm sort of hard pressed to try any protein powders--since the surgery I cannot tolerate any of them and I although I can't say I've tried them all, I've tried many-flavors like chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, latte, all those formerly delicious to me have been repulsive since day one out of surgery. I literally gag at the taste of a protein shot or Isopure drink...so I have been drinking the only drink I am able to tolerate (although I am tired of it) that is the "Naked Protein Zone" drink. It's a real fruit juice blend with added whey and soy for protein, 30 grams protein per 15oz. bottle. When I was begining to eat actual foods I was getting in alot more protein through chicken, fish...etc. but now this inability to eat any food at all has me stuck with the naked Protein Drink :001_tongue:. I really am sad. I just hope this passes very soon. Thanks again.

Thank you again Luck. New development! Since yesterday, all day, and now again today I've no desire to eat anything, not chicken in any form, not fish, nor cheese, nor yogurt...etc...nothing appeals but it repels nearly nauseates. I started a new thread this morning about this so I won't belabor the point here just would like to know if this ever happened to you...a complete loss of appetite...or could this be a side effect of the anti anxiety drug I am taking? I just want things to regulate so I can move ahead with living. I do want to believe that I am in a good place and lucky to be where I am right now, I really do. Thanks again Luck.

Thanks so much. I am just having such a difficult time and every day I awake it just seems to get worse not better. Although I am living alone, my beautiful aging parents have been emotional support for me but there is only so much they can say and do and I feel as if I'm draining them because they are so concerned. I have a daughter but her attitude is ma get busy and distracted and snap out of it. What she doesn't realize is that I do want to get on with life but I need to feel physically well, reasonably normal, be able to get my nutrition in, and not be riddled with anxiety, and all these physical issues. I am so glad to know that you have come through in spite of it all and are shining. Again thank you so much for reaching out and caring. God bless you Chancie.

Thank you Oregondaisy. I am frustrated but worse than that I'm riddled with anxiety nearly to the point of panic. I'm taking xanax (generic form) as needed, and I'm freaked out because I don't want to become dependent on an antianxiety drug, but I'm trapped. I can't go back and undo this surgery. I just want to be able to manage things. Since yesterday I've no desire for any food at all! Nothing appeals to me and when I tried to eat even a yogurt it made me feel ugh. Last night I tried some shredded chicken in broth and had to throw it out. I just don't know what is going on. I'd be interested in any additional message boards. I read the OH's message board for the vertical sleeve sometimes. Are there any others?

Thank you. I must have been writing my previous post as you were posting this. I'm not yet able to tolerate cheeses of any kind but do hope something changes soon. Thanks again for acknowledging.

I'm sorry I must have come across as self centered. I do appreciate you sharing your 2.5 year status with us. I am also very happy and encouraged to learn of your success and satisfaction. I am in such a bad place right now however that I'm desperate to know that the troubles I am having (which are very real), will pass. If you had ups and downs within the early stages out from surgery I'd would be so grateful to know as I seem to awake each day to the same struggles and am desperate to know if, even in my case, there will be light at the end of the tunnel. In any event thank you so much for sharing and best of wishes to you.

I am approximately 7 weeks out of surgery and I'm having a terrible time. I have hardly any desire to eat and although I was eating solids for the last couple of weeks, (only about 2 oz and not with ease), for the last 3 days I've lost my appetite for everything. I struggle with getting enough protein, (liquid) and fluid in each day. On top of that my mouth and throat are dry and i seem to have a bit of mucus in my throat that just won't dislodge. when I awake and brush my teeth in the morn I gag to the point of dry heaving. I gargle and the same happens, the flem in the back of my throat just won't loosen and come out. I'm full of anxiety because of all the above. I just had an upper endoscoopy because my surgeon was concerned about the little amounts of food I am able to take in. It came out normal. Can you assure me that in due time I will be fine? I am so distressed because I feel helpless, no matter how I try things are not seeming to progress. Eating is difficult and even drinking is difficult. Please let me know if you had any discomforts during the first few months after your surgery. Thanks.

I'm glad you brought up the subject of dryness in the mouth. I too have dryness in my mouth and tongue and awake needing to sip Fluid...water, Vitamin Water, my throat also is bothering me. I have been thinking it's because I probably am not getting in enough water each day but maybe nutrients as well. I'm barely getting in 600 calories per day and the content of my diet pre-surgery (albeit too much), was very nutritious...so I wonder if by having such a small and empty stomach it creates this dryness. I also wonder if it is a side effect of perhaps the prilosec or any medication taken on a daily basis. It is very uncomfortable and it feels like even my throat is not being lubricated adequately. If anyone can find out definitively how this relates to having the sleeve and if in time it will subside I'm very interested in knowing. I am sorry about the blood clot. I know I was at risk for blood clots. I am doing a lot of walking since my surgery. Today I walked for 40 minutes. Can they be dissolved? I hope the answer is yes, I'll keep you in prayer.