cajun

I stopped my blood pressure medicine one week ago after reducing it by half for a month. My BP has been 120/60 for the past week. I NO LONGER HAVE HYPERTENSION!!!!! i also have not taken my antidepressant since before the surgery and do not feel like I need it. YIPPEE again. NO MORE DEPRESSION. WHAT A MIRACLE, NOT TO MENTION A MONEY-SAVER. The Sleeve is worth every penny no matter what it costs!

Today may be a bump in the road but you'll soon be feeling better and the weight will fall off magically! Let us know how things are going!

Research has shown that after a surgeon has performed 300 VSG surgeries, the complication rate is very low. That's the benchmark I used when choosing my surgeon.

Wearing a N5 mask is a good idea, and keeping your hands away from your face also. I wore a mask on the plane, coming and going from Mexicali, because a plane is a great enclosed place to pick up the flu. I did not want to get that post operatively. Avoid crowds as much as possible. When someone sneezed near me at work, I'd move away for a few minutes to let the sneeze spray dissipate...some people don't cover their mouths when they sneeze and you can see the spray ...yuck. Luckily, I did not contract any cold or flu and still don't, 2 1/2 months after surgery. Got my flu shot too...prevention works!

BE CAREFUL with Zinc. Google "zinc overdose" and you will find some information. There are serious side effects from overuse, and studies still in progress on using it to prevent or treat colds. The nasal spray causes permanent loss of sense of smell in some people and lawsuits are starting. I'd check with your health care provider before using Zinc, in my opinion.

Shanda, Congratulations!!! You are going to be an incredibly beautiful bride! Your new husband will be so happy for you and so proud! But most important is how deeply happy YOU will be for YOURSELF! All the hard work you are doing is paying off. Keep up the good work! We were sleeved at about the same time and I have lost 30 lbs since surgery, 48 lbs since starting my pre-surgery diet, but 56 lbs since my highest weight. I seem to be in a stall these past 2 1/2 weeks. I'm not discouraged though...I am losing inches...need to go buy some new underwear because it is starting to fall off me! I've gone from a 4X to a 2X and am feeling so great. What a blessing! This is the BEST Christmas present I have ever given myself. It's great to be your sleeve sister. Thanks to you and to all the other sleeve sisters and brothers who have helped me on this forum! Y'ALL ARE THE BEST!:lol0::thumbup::lol0:

Lan, did you ever start the voluteer work with the animal shelter? I am wondering if it would help you to focus on something else and take care of someone/something else...needy pets is a great way to do this, as they love everyone unconditionally. I hope you have been able to get involved with this as you had previously said.

What a great winning night for all! Congratulations!

Welcome Katrina. Keep up the great work!

Dalite, I hope today was a great day for you, and your recovery is smooth. Let us hear from you when you are able...

Sounds like a hernia to me.

Dr Aceves recommended 3 months at least. I guess every surgeon has his/her own theory about it.

I agree, military wives are as strong as their husbands, and they fight a different battle entirely. Thank you for your service to our country! You are doing great and from the way you are starting out, it's clear that you will be very successful with your weight loss!

The ability to eat only a few bites does not last forever. From what I read (I'm not there yet), after about 6 months the stomach is able to accept a larger portion of food and most sleevers eat about 1200 calories a day which is a "normal" amount. So that's why they say to take advantage of the first 6 months post op, when the restriction helps you lose most of the weight faster. I was a volume eater at times, and could eat 2 or 3 times that many calories and I never want to go back there!

My previous post in response to this topic was not meant to imply, nor did it state, that any one particular surgeon is unethical, unskilled, or "in it for the money". It was a general statement, and that is all.

Wow Bob, you are AWESOME! Congrats.

I sometimes blend a few chunks of papaya in my protein shake, especially if my new tummy is bothering me. Am also taking nexium since the surgery, for at least 3 months.

Hi Megan, I like the Jay Robb Whey chocolate proteinpowder, 1 scoop in 8 ounces Lactaid milk, with a splash of banana extract added. 33 gms Protein per serving.

Most of the protein drinks taste horrible or leave a bad aftertaste. But I did find one that I like. Jay Robb whey chocolate Protein powder, one packet or scoop in 8 ounces of lactaid milk, and I add a splash of banana extract. It tastes just like a chocolate shake to me. GNC carries it. 33 gms protein per shake when mixed with the milk.

After any surgery one of the side effects is the bowel kind of shuts down temporarily. Before they will discharge a patient, surgeons usually want to know that it has "reawakened" and passing gas is the sign it is waking up. So the always ask about that. I had a problem too like many others, with thinking it was a fart on the way out, but it ended up being purple peacock diarrhea. Thankfully this happened after I was at home, and not in the airport or on the airplane. That would have been very embarrassing not to mention messy. So a word to the wise...beware of "fake farts" after surgery! Be prepared!

We are all cheering for you!!!!!! Keep in touch!

You and Newmom are doing so great, congratulations on joining the sleeve sisterhood! My Vitamins tasted so nasty post op, crushed up, that I stopped taking them and just took my blood pressure and thyroid pills, ( the most essential) which were very tiny, and not so bad crushed. After I started mushies I took the vitamins, broken into small pieces and that did not taste so bad. I also got a sublingual B12, and liquid D3 to take for the first month. Those were easy and palatable. Things gradually get better and better, with an occasional back step here and there. When I'd have a bad day, or vomit because I ate too close to bedtime or something, I'd just go back to Protein shakes for a day and let my tummy rest. Things would then move forward. Just keep tuned in to what your new tummy says, and you will do great.

I take no offense at your post, and am just so very sorry that all this has happened to your mother, and your family. What a tragedy. It is so good of you to post this, and I sincerely hope that it will help many other potential sleeve patients to follow ALL of the surgeon's preop AND post op instructions, and not ask for surgery unless they are ready and able to do comply. ALSO, I hope your post will somehow get to surgeons, so they are aware of the urgent need to assess their patients carefully preoperatively, and not operate if the patient is not a good candidate. I know that my surgeon, Dr Aceves, has turned a patient away who presented for surgery, without meeting all of his specifications. This kind of practice shows his expertise AND that he follows appropriate standards of surgical practice. He's not "in it for the money", or just to make patients happy...he wants to perform successful surgery. There are many surgeons who are highly skilled and ethical like this, and there are many who are not. It's up to the consumer to do their homework ahead of time and know how to choose a qualified surgeon. Again, I am so sorry for what you are going through. Thank you for sharing.

Hi Angel, Yes, it is so normal to cry over losing a relationship with food that you've (we've) had for many, many years. After you are feeling better, and see that your new relationship with food feels just fine, and in fact feels even better, you will be so glad you did this. It just takes time to adjust though. And for now, you are having the discomforts that go with being newly sleeved, so grieve as much as you need to! We are here to help and if you have any questions or worries, just talk to us on this forum. We'll try to help. It's been two months since I was sleeved, and I am just now beginning to feel "normal". I was able to fix a small plate with small portions of what ever I wanted at our thanksgiving dinner at work. I only ate a few bites and was full....but I got a taste of turkey, cornbread dressing, and pecan pie. I did not stuff myself...just tasted and ate more turkey than anything to try to get in my Protein...it felt so good to be able to share the holiday with my friends. You will be better soon. Take heart! Take it slow so you protect your new sleeve...soon you will be feeling better.

I went to a party today for the first time post op and was able to feel like a normal person. There was a nice spread of finger foods. I put one little finger food item of the ones I thought I could eat on my plate, and really enjoyed nibbling on all of it over two hours while we watched a football game. I felt so normal and no knows I had the surgery! It was amazing. No pain, no burping, just fun! What a blessing!