beautyqueen

Hi everyone, I'm back on the board after a long hiatus. I forgot how great everyone here is! Any Crossfitters here on the board? I find it's changing my life just as much as getting the sleeve. If anyone wants to gush about their PRs,, commiserate about WODs, or how it feels to be in the presence of hardcore athletes and know that you belong here too, chime in!

Amanda! You can do it! You can go to crossfit.com and look under "affiliates" to find one in your area. All "boxes" as they're called (instead of gyms) will require you to do an "on ramp" class where they go over the essential lifts and moves in Xfit. It varies from place to place but it's usually 6 classes. If you're fortunate to have several in your area I would go and check them out, talk to the owner, and get a feeling for their philosophy. Like gyms, there are places all about competition and muscle heads but most are very welcoming to the newbie. The transformation they see in regular people every day is why they love their jobs so much. I went into Xfit with a good fitness base. I got my husband into it this year and he had zero fitness base. He definitely struggled a little more than I did in the beginning but Xfit is pretty humbling for everyone. It's challenging, motivating, and you will be amazed at what you can achieve in a short time. Please feel free to PM me with any questions you have. Best wishes! You're doing fantastic already!

I just received a little 2-yr anniversary reminder so I thought I'd pop in and share my story to add to the impressive collection here! Two years out and I can honestly say I don't even think about wls or what the daily struggle of obesity was like. I would have never believed that would be true because the pre-op process and uncertainty was so emotional and all-consuming. My first year was not as hard as I thought it would be. I followed my postoperative diet to the letter through about 8 months. Around that time I started allowing myself some leeway because I had lost almost all the weight and I began training for my first marathon. On November 7, 2010 I completed the NYC Marathon, 53 weeks after surgery. I thought getting wls was life-changing, running the NYC marathon on a beautiful November day a year after struggling to walk a mile was more than I could have ever dreamed of for myself. In year 2 I maintained my weight but actually leaned out more because I started Crossfit and was developing muscles I didn't even know I had. In may I did the Tough Mudder, a 10-mile obstacle course on mount snow that included 7,000 feet of climbing. Once again, something I could have never believed was possible. Last month I had abdominoplasty (self pay). The downtime has been tough and I've had to reign it in with calories because I don't have the exercise to offset it. I have clearance to start running now and I'm thrilled to be getting back to working out. I still have good restriction. I would say I'm still at half a sandwich for capacity. That's just fine with me. It was tighter in the first year and gradually relaxed. I'm not concerned because it's been pretty stable this last year and as long as I don't continuously eat to full capacity I can't see my volume significantly increasing. The beauty of this surgery is that it gave me time to retrain my mind and what a portion for me should be. I am so thankful for vsg and the chance its given me to live an active, happy life. I am training for my next tough mudder in November and the goofy challenge at Disney in January. I knew when I had this surgery that this was my chance to turn my life around and I try to do the best I can. I wish everyone beginning this journey success, happiness, and the freedom I have been so fortunate to experience. I wish all the veterans continued success.

I'm so glad to hear insurance covers it more. I was lucky mine was covered no appeal. I later found out it was an error of bcbs but thankfully they didn't give me a hassle. Papa Jack, that's awesome you got yours so quickly! Longer-life: I lost a total of 107 lbs from pre-op to my lowest weight. I maintain within 5 lbs or so fluctuating daily. I am 5'5" and was 257 lbs. Even though my surgeon considered that to be "light-weight" I felt every ounce of it. My back, feet, and knees were in constant pain. I was in my 30s but in a 80-year-old body. I remember my rock bottom was trying to go for a walk with my husband and dogs and was son out of breath and in so much pain that I went back to the car and cried. I started with short walks a few days after surgery (10 min, then 15 min, etc). I also started with strength work early on and I do think it helped with loose skin on my arms. My surgeon and I disagreed about doing strength work, he wanted me to do all cardio, but I'm really glad it's the one thing I didn't listen to him on. I started doing run/walk intervals 2 months later (about 50 lbs down then I think), first very slow and much more walking than running. I worked on that and did a 5k in march straight through. After that I did a 10k and then a half in may (which was too soon, I wasn't ready at all). I started training in July for the marathon with an 18-week program and I can honestly say I was very well prepared on race day. I beat Jared from Subway by a half hour, haha! (that was a constant joke through all my training, Jared and I were actually in the same hotel and we congratulated each other the next day when we were both wearing our jackets. So silly!) I'm sure more than you needed to know but in answer to your question, I truly went from not being able to walk a mile to running lots of them! Very best wishes on your journey! Can't wait to read YOUR success story!!

Thanks! I know it's so hard to believe when you're beginning the process that the day will come where food doesn't control your life but it will happen if you work with the sleeve. There will be so many "wow" moments coming your way. Vsg has been an incredible tool for me. I know it is that -- a tool -- because I can gain weight just like before if I eat consistently poorly and slack off on activity but it saves me from the free falls with eating that used to control my life. I have a question for newbies: when I went to my 1-yr follow up I asked my surgeon if insurance was covering the sleeve more. He said patients were still having a lot of problems getting it covered. I don't see my surgeon again until the end of October but I was wondering if insurance companies were coming around. It makes me sad that people are denied a life-saving procedure pushed into a different procedure because of coverage.

Hey everyone, My surgeon doesn't require a pre-op liquid diet. I asked him if he wanted me to lose weight before my surgery and he said just not to gain any. I'd like to lose about 15 lbs before surgery and shrink my liver (just in case). I was thinking of doing a liquid diet before the surgery. Can those who did a liquid diet tell me: Did you do it for 2 or 3 weeks? What shakes did you use? How many grams of Protein would I be shooting for? How many grams of carbs should I limit myself to? Many thanks!

I had terrible acid reflux before surgery and I suspect I'd still have it if I wasn't on Pepcid. I'm planning on going back to prilosec as soon as I finish this bottle of Pepcid because I felt the prilosec controlled it better but I needed to be on a chewable for the first 2 months after surgery. My surgeon said that if I wanted a surgery that would be a cure for acid reflux that RNY was the answer. He said it could get better with VSG as I lost weight or worse if the acid had no place to go in the sleeve. Time will tell. I don't regret VSG for a second. I can live on an acid blocker for the rest of my life if I need to.

Today is my 2 month anniversary of surgery. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone, especially since the weeks and months leading up to it seemed like they were going in slow motion. I have lost a total of 43.6 lbs since my surgery day, which I'm very pleased about. I took my measurements on surgery day and what's even more amazing to me is that I've lost TEN inches off my waist! That means I actually have a waist now! HAHA! I've lost a good amount of inches off hips, thighs, chest, and even calves! I went from squeezing into a size 18W (really more like a 20W if I was being honest) to wearing non-stretch, regular size 16 pants so that's a loss of 3 or 4 sizes since the difference between a 16W and a 16 is a lot (as I found out). I am very strict with what I eat, which hasn't been easy during this season. I've traveled to Miami twice for business (once when I was on purees), I made 8 zillion Christmas Cookies, and I pretty much stick to my plan of Proteins and some veggies. I admit that in the beginning it was fear of developing a leak that kept me on the straight and narrow but now that I'm cleared for pretty much anything it's the will to succeed that is keeping me on program. I've worked out since the day I got home from the hospital. By Day 4 I was on the treadmill, granted - for just a few minutes and very slowly. In 2 months I've started running again and I'm feeling more and more in tune with my body every day. I also started lifting weights from the beginning (light at first) but now I'm going all out and my arms are AWESOME (if I don't say so myself :thumbup:). What makes me the happiest is not so much the weight loss or improvement in my physical activity (although I'm thrilled with that), it's that I was fortunate to have a successful surgery with no complications. I did not take this surgery lightly and I did a ton of soul-searching before doing it. I feel so lucky to be writing this today, healthy and feeling good. Thanks for reading! And to everyone else on the journey -- enjoy!!!

You're going to do great!!! Best of luck with your surgery and I know you'll be posting YOUR success in no time!

*creatinglee* -- yes, our starting weights were about the same. I was 249 the day of surgery. I had big, meaty arms. I wondered that same thing if they would shrink and how much loose skin I would have. I'm happy to say that so far it's not obvious that I have loose skin and I am developing quite the musculature with my biceps, triceps, and shoulders. I vary my workouts to using very heavy weights and then the next day I'll do a high rep/low weight workout. It astounds me how my arms can fatigue using 3 or 5-lb dumbbells when just the day before I was doing chest flies with 15-lb dumbbells. If you're concerned about your arms I would read up on different training methods. The one I used initially when I was recovering from surgery was the Bill Phillip's Body for Life method (you can find it online). You can start that at any weight, you'll just move up to heavier ones as you get stronger. Good luck and you'll do great!!!

What an inspiring thread! Congrats Tiffykins and everyone else who has made such dramatic changes in their lives!!

I had/have the same fears. I'm only 3 weeks out and sometimes when I think about food I think I'll never be successful at this. Then I'll have 2 oz of cottage cheese or tuna, feel completely full (for hours!) and realize that this will be a work in progress but I have a tool now to help me overcome my food issues. I know it won't always be as easy as it is right now being so newly post-op but I have faith that every day I can make exercise a part of my life and every day that I can make good food choices that those things will become more ingrained in my behaviors. Don't worry. You have your surgeon to help you with your anatomy and you have lots of support here to help you with the rest!

I really feel for you. I went into this surgery with my eyes open but I'm sure there will be trying times ahead where I make poor choices or question why I did this in the first place. I think you're doing the right thing by reaching out here and reaching out to a professional. I think it takes courage to admit that you're in a bad place and I have a lot of hope for you that you'll be able to turn it around because you were brave enough to post your issues. Please keep us updated, good and bad. We're all here in this together.

I have been dreading this also. I'm only 2 weeks out but I'm already checking my brush every time I do my hair. I'm incredibly vain and I've been wanting extensions forever but my hairdresser refused to do them because she said they'd damage my hair. So when the time comes where the hair loss is noticeable I will have no qualms about going to a wig specialist and getting an excellent quality lace front wig with human hair. I have the money saved and if it makes me more confident (with the hair I always wanted and never had) I'm all for it. Wigs are really popular now and made better than ever. If it's something that will make you less self-concious and -- best of all -- cut down on the morning routine, give it some consideration. You deserve to feel beautiful!

It's a raw, rainy day and I so wish I could take a hot bath. I can't so I started a fire in the fireplace instead. I do miss my baths though... Does anyone remember when they were cleared for baths?

I didn't have any special pre-op diet either. He just told me not to gain weight when I first saw him in August but when I had gone for my pre-op physical with him before my surgery I had gained 4 lbs and he called me out on it. I worked hard the 2 weeks before my surgery and I ended up losing 7 lbs. I was supposed to eat "light" the day before my surgery and nothing after midnight. No biggie. Now that I'm on Day 11 of liquids I'm so grateful I didn't have to do 2 weeks of liquids beforehand. I'd be going crazy by now. Kudos to those who do liquids before.

Best of luck, Dale and Paula. It will be just fine. I hit a little snag last week when I got a little dehydrated but I'm feeling much, much better. Looking forward to hearing your experiences and seeing our tickers move down over the months to come!

Hi all, I am 4 days post-op and so far I've been feeling pretty good. I felt a little weak today but I think it's because I wasn't getting enough calories/protein in. When I had done my pre-op shopping I picked a low-carb shake from my dr's "approved" list because I had tasted them before and liked them. I'm allowed 6 oz of liquid nutrition for the first 2 weeks and I realized that 6 oz of my chosen shake was 60 calories vs 200 or so if I had picked Ensure (also dr approved). So I changed things up and I feel fine again (thankfully!) As I said, so far, so good. The surgery itself was so much easier than I thought it would be. I had posted on here and OH that I was having a nervous breakdown a few days before. I couldn't stop crying and I was so scared of what would happen. I'm actually glad I got all those emotions out because the day of surgery I felt a calm come over me telling me it would be okay. I was lucky enough to be first that day so I was at the hospital by 6:30 am and the mask went over me at 7:45 (the clock was the last thing I saw before going under). I was thankful that they kept me moving right along when I got to the hospital because I didn't have time to get nervous or have second thoughts. I was lucky to have my husband and parents with me and even though I know they were very anxious, they were all supportive and while I had a few tears just as they wheeled me away it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. When I got out of surgery I had a catheter and a drain. I had asked the surgeon beforehand if I'd have these things so I knew what to expect. I would recommend asking your doc if they normally use these things because they both would have been quite a shock if I hadn't expected them to be there. I was on a PCA but I didn't feel a lot of pain. I had wicked nausea when I first got up to my room but they gave me something in my IV right away and the nausea never came back. Everyone isn't kidding about getting up and walking as soon as you can afterwards. My first walk was a real experience -- I was bloated like I couldn't believe, I had the catheter tube, my drain, the IV, and the PCA and I couldn't walk a straight line! That was the worst of it though, the next 2 times I got up to walk I was much better, I even did the hall myself the last time after the nurse got me up and out of bed. Don't expect to sleep well. I couldn't get comfortable and it seemed everyone on the floor that night was screaming and yelling. The next day was my leak test and that was actually pretty rough. I was so scared that they'd find a leak and I'd need to go back into surgery. I couldn't get the barium down because I hadn't had anything to drink in 36 hours, and I had a hard time getting on and off the table with the catheter and drain still attached to me. That was the worst part for me. After the leak test was approved by the radiologist and surgeon, they took the catheter out (yay!). I think they took away my PCA at that point too probably because I hadn't asked for it back when I got to my room. The rest of the day I was on 1 oz of Water per hour and I couldn't believe that I could make the oz last that long but I was very, very cautious about taking tiny sips. They took the drain out that day and if you have one, it definitely is a weird feeling when it comes out but it is fast and there's no pain at all. Once I had everything off I was free to roam as I pleased. The surgeon came to see me that afternoon and he said that he had no reason to keep me if I wanted to go home that night. I felt fine so I decided to leave and I'm glad I did. It was good to be in my own bed (although sleeping was still not comfortable) and have the full weekend to recover at home. I went for walks both Saturday and Sunday and I even felt well enough to go to Target and Border's for a bit. It felt great to get out and be "normal" but the trip wiped me out and I took a good nap. I bought a body pillow at Target and I would DEFINITELY recommend it as a post-op purchase. I'm a side sleeper so this helps me feel like I'm sleeping on my side if I wedge part of it underneath me but I'm not putting full pressure on my side. Sipping and walking. It's said all the time here for a reason. I was glad that I had read to walk as much as possible. If I sit for too long I feel lousy and I get up and walk it off instead of dwelling on it. I'm sure I'll have trying days ahead but for now I'm feeling okay. For all the pre-ops coming up, it's not as bad as you think it will be and I NEVER thought I'd be the one saying that. Good luck!

Today I've felt crappy all day. I feel a bit nauseous which has slowed down my Water intake. I haven't vomited but I definitely don't feel "well" when I drink. I feel a little sore in my abdomen that I didn't notice yesterday but if I'm able to pass gas it helps a little. I don't have a fever. My heart rate can get on the high side but it tended to race sometimes even before surgery. I have a call into my doctor's for some nausea medication. I have an appt with him on Tuesday anyway, I'm hoping this is a bad day and not the beginning of something awful, like a leak. Yesterday I felt super and I might have overdid it a little. Please keep me in your thoughts.

Cajun, that's great advice and exactly what I'm doing today. No treadmill, I'll rest if I need to. I've been only drinking fluids this morning (already have about 16 oz in plus 2 SF popsicles) and hardly any nausea. Swelling in belly feels like it's going down too. Helen, I am on Pepcid AC every day (an acid blocker). It's the first thing I reach for in the morning since I already had terrible GERD before surgery. Thank you all for indulging me. I feel a bit silly now that I seem on the mend. I'm a super compliant patient so I get scared when things aren't going as planned. Also, I am scheduled to go to Miami next week for a business trip and, as I'm self-employed, I have fears of not being able to make it and the cascade of events to follow. I'm one week out. I need to relax, drink, and remember that I'm recovering. No more treadmill for the next few days, little walks outside only. THANK YOU!

Thanks for the kind replies. I feel a *little* better today. The surgeon's office called me back and there are 2 nurses there, a mean one and a nice one. I got the mean one, of course. Her only concern was if I had a fever and was sweating. I am not. She told me I'm not getting enough fluids in and the nausea can be from dehydration. I told her that I can't get my fluids down because of the nausea. She asked what I was having for nutrition and I told her (there's a list of 6 or 7 "approved" things on the Stage 1 list). She said it's probably the shake I'm drinking and to change. I told her I already had changed once this week (per nice nurse's orders) and she said to change again and reminded me of what they said at the seminar about buying small quantities of things. UGH!!!!!!! I am not an idiot! I know my body and I know I went from feeling almost 100% on Wednesday to less than 50% yesterday. She said she'd ask the doctor if he wanted to prescribe me anything for the nausea. Thankfully, it hasn't been bad yet today. I'm starting with a SF popsicle like the nurse suggested and she said to focus more on fluids than the nutrients today. If I still feel bad tomorrow, I'm going to the ER. I know a fever is not a conclusive symptom that it's a leak or something else. Just because I don't have one (yet, hoping not to at all) doesn't mean everything is a-ok. For now, I'm feeling a little better so I truly hope it was just a bad day. Being so newly out from surgery though of course I'm going to question things that don't feel right. Thank you for the support. I can't imagine how scary it would be without this board.

Thanks, gals. I can see waiting until the incisions are fully healed and that will probably take about 4 weeks I guess. It will make that first bubble bath even more heavenly having to wait for it so long. And there will be less of me in the tub by then too, hopefully! :frown1:

Lots and lots of worry and everything went fine. The gas pains are unreal but the incision sites aren't that painful at all, just a little tender. I'll be posting my experience because reading everyone else's really helped me in my pre-op days. For now, I'm just going to rest and enjoy this moment of being back home. :001_smile:

I'm sure plenty of the vets will chime in but I can't see there being any complications with stainless steel (surgical steel I think it's called). Think of all the people with hip and knee replacements and heart stents. I wouldn't worry too much. The only reason I asked my surgeon was because I was worried he used nickel staples which, apparently, no one uses anymore. The things we end up worrying about...:confused:

I just asked this question at my pre-op physical. My surgeon uses titanium. I asked him if they'd ever rust and he said no. No problems with airport security and no worries with getting an MRI.