Helen the Cat

Dear Gmanbat, Hey! Congratulations!!!! Your weight loss is inspiring and tremendous! And especially congratulations on the loss of the diabetes! I wish I could convince my husband that this this is the way to go! I have lost 100 pounds (as of today!) and my health is SO improved. He also needs to loose about 100 pounds. He also is diabetic, has had two heart attacks, a stroke, and other co-morbidities. But he absolutely exploded when I suggested he persue bariatric surgery. But back to my original point..... CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU!!!! You are doing just great! Keep it up. Rock your sleeve! Kathy D (alias Helen the Cat)

Dear JaSleeve, Am so sorry to hear about your leak!!! BUT on the other hand, now that the doctor has discovered a problem, maybe you are finally on the road to recovery. I hope and pray this is the end to your problems!!! I think it would be SO frustrating to have the problems you have had, and never be able to find out why, or what to do about it! I don't mean to sound like Pollyanna No Problems, BUT diagnosing the problem is the first step to correcting it! I Hope and Pray that this will be your final problem and it will be quickly resolved!When I read about all you have been through, it makes my problems with fatigue and hair loss sound SO trivial! Unfortunately, nothing is without risk. All medications, even over the counter meds have some degree of risk. Just the way that surgery, whether it is a small outpatient procedure, or something more major, like Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy also has it's risks. Risk for the majority of surgeries is very minute, but there is still a risk. I try to explain this to my patients who decide (while they are in labor and in pain) that they want to have a Cesarean Section instead of continuing to labor. But the sad fact is, medicine is as much art as science. No two bodies are "exactly" the same, no two surgeries are "exactly" the same. There are always minute differences, there is ALWAYS the chance, no matter how minute, of a problem or complication. So my Prayers and Hugs go out to you today. I Hope and Pray that you are firmly on the road to recovery, with the chance to make this a postiive experience, finally! Love and Hugs and Prayers coming your way today!!! Kathy D (alias Helen the Cat)

Hey Missbv, Good of you to post and ask your questions. This is a wonderful forum! It was from reading the posts on this forum that I got up the nerve to follow through and have my surgery. And my results have been nothing short of a miracle! As of today, I have lost 100 pounds! I did a sort of minii celebration this morning after I got off the scale. Unfortunately there was no one here to celebrate with me! But I am celebrating anyway. I have ALWAYS been big, fat, fluffy, large sized, Queen Sized, etc. What ever you want to call it. And I have done EVERYTHING to try and lose weight. I am officially labeled as a "Re-Offender" at Weight Watchers. Been there, done that 18 times!!! (I read somewhere that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity! I just didn't realize that it applied to weight loss efforts!) Anyway, besides Weight Watchers, I have done The Weigh Down Workshop, Over Eaters Victorious, Over Eaters Annonymous, Jenny Craig, Diet Center, NutraSystems, OptiFast, MediFast, and too many more to remember or name. I Always lost, but I Always regained what I had lost, and often gained a few more pounds too. I started thinking about weight loss (bariatric) surgery a few years ago. My first cousin IS a bariatric surgeon, and I even went and saw him in consultation. He is so sweet, we grew up in the same household, and he was always mean to me when we were little. He said he felt guilty and offered to do the surgery for free, if I could pay the hospital and anesthesia, which he said would be anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000. Well, I don't have ten to twenty thousand just sitting around, and our insurance wouldn't cover $0.01 of it! So against my husband's best judgement, I went to Mexico and had the procedure done there. I paid for it by cashing in one of my retirement 401k accounts. Bill (my hubbie) was AGAST! And very much against it. But I persevered. I talked and talked and talked to him. I researched it to death, and found a hospital that was JACHO certified in Mexico. JACHO is the "Gold Standard" accrediting organization for health care in the Unites States. They also do International Certifications. It is a guarantee that you will get the minimum standard of care, at the least. Hopefully it will be lots better than minimum standard! I also stressed to my husband that I wanted to do the surgery for health reasons, not just to look better. I have been able to get off 8 of my 10 medications! My cholesterol is normal now, my blood sugar is normal, my allergies are almost non-existant anymore, I have been able to stop my anti-inflammatory medications, my blood pressure is normal. So many things health wise are normal for me since I have lost so much weight. As far as your husband, talk to him, explain to him, tell him how you feel, what you want to do, WHY you want to do it. Talk, talk, talk! Bill is diabetic and has lots of other health problems. (The least of which is he is also about 100 ponds overweight.) And I have to admit, we are having some problems since my surgery, But we have been married for 42 years, and I for one, am committed to working them out. I know Bill is committed to our marriage also, so I know thngs will eventually get better. Hopefully better than they have been in years and years! I know he is very threatened by my weight loss. I casually mentioned to him once, when he was complaining that he needed to lose some weight that since he is now on MediCare, and they cover bariatric surgery, that he could also have surgery and lose weight., He exploded! He said "I suppose you don't love me now that you are skinny and I'm still fat!" It took me a long , long time to convince him that I loved him NO MATTER WHAT!!! Guys must have SUCH a sensitive ego! But anyway, best of luck, no matter what you decide! This site will help you in SO many ways. There is endless information on the Sleeve surgery, and everyone is so helpful to great you information when you are wondering about something. So research and read, ask questions and discuss. Know WHAT you want and why. And again, BEST of LUCK! Keep us posted, keep on telling us how you are doing. Everybody here will support you! Love and Hugs and Prayers coming your way!!! Kathy D (alias Helen the Cat)

Wow girl, that is fantastic!!! I have to say, I wish I had kept as close a track of my measurements as you have! I just sort of hopped on the scale every few days, and made a sort of mental note of how much I had lost. I never even did any measurements. Wish now I had. I do know that pre-op I weighed 258 pounds. I wore a size 26-28 top and 22/24 pants. Today, as a matter of fast exactly TODAY, I weigh 158 pounds, for the very first time! I am wearing size 8 jeans and either a 14/16 top or size large. I recently had to purchase some scrubs to wear to work, and I bought size SMALL scrub pants! I was so excited. I tried on the mediums, and my sister said "those are gonna fall off you, they are to big!" Wow, I loved it. The sales lady told me it was because they were unisex scrubs and they ran large, I told her (nicely) to SHUT UP! I didn't want to hear that, I was in a small for the first time in my life, and I wanted to shout it out to everybody! Anyway, You are doing GREAT! Keep rockin that sleeve. It is a wonderful tool! Big congratulations!!! Keep us posted you skinny minny you!

One of the things I FINALLY figured out (and it took me long enough to figure it out!) is to always eat protein first! I would dish up my meal, and dive right into the small amount of carbs I was allowed. I LOVE carbs, be it potatoes, rice, pasta, breads, sweets; I LOVE carbs! But I have found that if I do the protein thing first, usually I don't have room for the carbs, and my weight loss seems to be more even, less of the yo-yo thing when I get my protein in. I am still struggling with getting all the protein that I am supposed to have (and I am 7 1/2 months post op now!). But weeks when I am good and drink my protein drink and eat my protein first, I see more of a weight loss and less of the yo-yo thing, where I gain a pound, lose a pound, gain a pound and half, lose a pound, etc. I don't know why it took me SO long to figure this out. I had read it here on this very web site dozens of times. But it really does work, protein first, then a few carbs if I still have room. Best of luck to you! Keep it up. (BTW, I have lost 100 pounds as of today! WOO HOO!)

Merydia710, you have made such a smart choice! It is hard for the little ones to "get it"! Even my 7 year old grand daughter can't grasp or understand the whole weight loss thing. I just had my surgery in June of last year, and she saw me on an almost daily basis before and after my surgery, doesn't comprehend or understand the whole thing. When I make a comment to her mother about how much I have lost, she will say "did you lose weight Grandma? You look the same to me." I am now smaller than her mother (who weighs a normal weight for 5'3") and she still doesn't understand that I used to weight twice as much as her mother. It is just so hard for the younger ones to grasp any of it. But take heart in the fact that you are on the road to being healthier, and willl still be around to love your daughter when she is an adult. Something that she can not appreciate right now, but surely will when she grows up! My two daughters tell me all the time how happy they are with my weight loss, as they know I will be around a lot longer to bug them, be there for them, etc. now that I am healthier and slimmer!

Congratulations on starting your journey! And welcome to the "loosers bench"! I can so identify with your problems at the airport. I flew (by myself) back to California from Iowa after my surgery. Had to go through O'Hare in Chicago, which is an old airport, with no "moving sidewalks", trams or such. I walked from one tereminal to another to catch my connection. By the time I was done, I had walked for almost an hour! I was so upset with myself that I didn't think ahead to book a wheelchair for myself. By the time I got to my gate I was so tired that I fell asleep waiting for my connection! Take care of yourself, and best wishes! Kathy D (alias Helen the Cat)

You look FANTASTIC!!! Keep up the great work. I am almost 8 months post op, and have lost alm ost 100 pounds. It is such an exciting journey! Keep going, you are doing great!

Great to hear that you had a good report at the doctor's office. As far as the Plavix, listen to the cardiologist! He is the expert on this! And as to the Lexapro, I would say that is up to you! You are the only one who knows how you feel and how you are doing mentally/depression wise (I assume the Lexapro is for depression or some similar condition.). I was on Lexapro, and wanted to come off it, and my doc wanted me to stay on it. I insisted that he couldn't "jump inside my skin" and know how I was feeling, so when I said I didn't feel that I needed it anymore, I felt I was the best judge. He finally agreed to help me taper off of it. Congratulations on your 48 lb loss! That is FANTASTIC!!! Big changes ahead! Best wishes!!! Kathy D (alias Helen the Cat)

Good job! Great for YOU! I too have been in some situations where I was made to feel that I was being "stuck up" over what I ordered. Stick to your guns, and always remember that you did this for yourself! I keep telling myself "I did this for ME, no one else!" when I am in a situation where I am made to feel uncomfortable because of what I am eating, whaat I am not eating or what I ordered or didn't order. Keep telling yourself, it is for YOU!

Well, I just had to write a few words about what happened today when I went to see my primary care physician. Let me tell you a little background first. I am seven and a half months post op. I had my surgery June 18 in Tijuana, MX. And I am thrilled to no end with my results so far. Have lost right around 98 pounds. (It varies depending on the day.) I was living and working in California when I decided that I wanted to have the surgery. I am a travel nurse, but my home is in Iowa. I traveled home to Iowa in June for a couple weeks off, then my husband and I were going to fly to San Diego and travel on to Tijuana for the surgery. I went to see my PCP the day before we flew to San Diego to get my meds refilled. I hadn't seen him again till today, so hadn't been in his office since June of 2011. When the nurse called my name today, I got up to follow her to the exam room. As usual, she led me to the scale on the way to the exam room. In the past, I have frequently declined to get weighed, as I didn't want/need to be depressed by what it said. But in my new, current life, I am not afraid of the scale anymore. So I hopped up on the scale to see what it would say. (I had already weighed myself at home this morning and was 160 lbs without a stitch on!) The digital readout of the doctor's scale said 162, which is about right, since I had a pair of jeans on and a pair of boots. The nurse went to write it down, and said "hold on a minute! What is your name again? What is your birthdate? When were you here last?" I told her my name, birthdate and that I was last seen there in June of 2011. She then replied "well who ever weighed you that day is an idiot! They wrote the wrong weight down. They wrote that you weighed 260 pounds!!!! I need to change that!" I laughed and told her there was nothing wrong with the weight in the chart, that I had lost almost 100 pounds in the last 7 1/2 months. She was amazed and had all kinds of questions. When I told her that I had undergone a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy she didn't know what it was. So I gave her a short course on VSG. Anyway, I guess I can count this as one of my NSV! P.S. the doctor told me I looked amazing, and was SO encouraging. He thought I made the right decision and told me to keep at it.

Thomas, You are doing really great!!! Am very happy for your and your wife's success. I am 7 1/2 months post op and am down 98-99 pounds (depending on the day). I am so thrilled with my results. I am 10 pounds from my goal, and even if I never lose another ounce, am thrilled! I think the sleeve is a tool that will work well for me the rest of my life. Just wish it had been available 30 years ago! I am 62 (almost 63). Wish I could have benefitted from this in my 20s or 30s. But still am thankful for it now! Keep on posting to those of us that follow the boards on a regular basis will know how you are doing! Again, Congratulations! Kathy D (alias Helen the Cat)

Hey Carmen, Welcome to the "loosers bench"! It is an exclusive club, and we are all loosers! I am 7 1/2 months post op, and have lost 98-99 pounds (depending on the day). I am the grandma of this group, I am 62, almost 63, and wish so much that this procedure had been available years ago. I too have struggled all my life with my weight. Have tried EVERYTHING (and I mean EVERYTHING) to loose weight and keep it off, never with any long term success! But now I finally have found a tool that will help me for the rest of my life, and I am thrilled with it! Congratulations on your 13.5 lb weight loss. It is only the beginning! Be sure and keep us all posted. We love to Celebrate your victories with you! Kathy D (alias Helen the Cat)

Hang on Jen. The pain gets better really soon. My doctor never ordered ANY narcotic medication for me at all, even while I was in the hospital, and I was SO worried. I had a laprascopic surgery the year before my VSG for a hernia repair, and took narcotic pain medication for almost two weeks. So I was worried BIG time. But by day 5 or 6, I was completly pain free. I really think the key is to get up and get moving and keep moving. The day of surgery, I slept most of the day, so that night, I couldn't sleep. I got up and walked the halls almost the entire night. And I kept walking the next couple of days. By the time I was discharged on my second post op day, I was feeling really good, and had worn a rut in the hall way where I had walked almost 24 hours a day for the previous two days. I had some pain pills left over from the laprascopic surgery the year before, and I took them to Mexico (had my surgery in Mexico) with me. And I never needed a single one, and believe me, I am a wuss when it comes to pain! Keep active and you will feel great in no time. Keep posting and let us all know how you are doing!

Thanks everybody for all the nice remarks. My mom used to say "nothing tastes as good as slender feels!" I was never able to identify with her words till now! And boy, do I identify now! I love it!!!

Well, I am 7 1/2 months post op, and just the other night I was laying in bed, noticing how much my stomach gurgled! Most of the time I don't pay any attention to it, but sometimes, like when I am trying to go to sleep it is annoying. But I wouldn't trade the gurgling to go back to weighing what I did before the surgery for anything! I am SO loving what I weight and the size I am now! Have to tell you a funny story that happened today. I was living/working in California last June when I had my VSG done. I did see my PCP in June shortly before I had the procedure done, but hadn't seen him since till today. I moved back home in December of last year. So today I had an appointment to see my primary care physician for the first time since I had my VGS done. Just needed to get my routine meds refilled. Well they always lead you to the scale on your way to the exam room. I jumped up on it ( I used to tell the nurse I declined to get weighed!) and she read the digital readout and went to write it down. It said 162, which is about right. I weighed 160 buck naked this morning, but at the doctor's office I had jeans and my boots on. All of a sudden she says "what is your name again? And when is your birthdate? When were you here last? The last weight recorded here says 260, we must have the wrong chart, or the nurse wrote the wrong number last time you were here." I laughed and told her she had the right chart, and the weight last June when I was there WAS 260 pounds. She was astonished. So she started asking me questions and I gave her a short course on Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Monday afternoon, the 23rd Tenna38, Is it over? How are you? Are you having much pain? Did the whole experience go smoothly? You have been on my mind and in my heart all day long. Got up at 5:00 AM this morning to pray for you, cause I wasn't sure what time your surgery was, and I wanted to be sure to get those prayers going prior to your arrival at the hospital!!! When I had my surgery (in Mexico) we flew to San Diego the day before, and were at the hospital at 6:00 AM the next day, the day of surgery. I knew my daughters were praying for me, but they didn't know I was going to have surgery so early. Anyway, have been praying for you off and on all day today. I went to see my Primary Care Physician today, and got the good news that I am doing well. I sort of figured that I was, because I feel good, but is always nice to have oit confirmed by a doctor! Funny thing happened at the doctor's office. They always weight you on the way to the exam room. (Today is the first time I have seen my PCP since my surgery. I had the surgery in Mexico, and was working in California at the time that I had it. I just came back home to Iowa a month ago. ) The nurse led me to the scale, and I hopped on. It is digital, and it read that I weighed 162 (I usually weigh around 160, but had jeans and boots on in addition to rest of my clothes.) She went to record the weight in my chart and said "hold it a minute..... is your name Kathy D Warren? When is your birthday? I think we have the wrong chart..... or it looks like somebody made a mistake the last time they weighed you, the recorded weight for last June was 258, how can that be right?" I had to laugh and tell her that I had lost almost 100 pounds in the last 7 1/2 months, and that she had the correct chart, and the 258 from last June was correct, and the 162 today is also correct!!! What a great feeling! Anyway; Please post as soon as you feel well enough to be on the computer. Am so anxious to hear how you are doing!!! Take care, relax and rest easy! AND Welcome..... to the Loosers Bench!!!!! Love and Hugs and Prayers coming your way! Kathy D (alias Helen the Cat)

What a GREAT idea! Thanks illgeturhairdid for suggesting it! I have to say though, for SO many years, my thoughts, no, my entire life has centered around "what can I do to get rid of some of this weight? I know I would be happier (healthier, more content, would love myself more, would feel better about myself, etc) if I was thinner"! But anyway, here goes...... I am a 62 year old female, a wife of 42 years to Bill, mother to Katie, 37, Sarah 36, J.D. also 36 (NOT twins!) and Daniel 35. (Sarah will soon be 37 and Katie soon to be 38). I am also Grandma to Taylor, 17 tomorrow!, Alex 14, Ella 7, Tate 6 and Tyler 5. The kids, their spouses and the grandkids are the lights of my life and the joy of my heart! I am a Labor and Delivery nurse of 42 years and still working. I am a travel nurse, which means I work for an agency that contracts me out, usually for periods of 13 weeks to various hospitals. I grew up and live in Iowa, but have been working contracts in California for the last 4-5 years. I HATE Iowa winters (it is freezing rain right now as I write this, the TV is already publishing the school closings for tomorrow!) which is one of the reasons I love to work in California. I love to cook and bake (one of the reasons I ended up having a VSG!) and of course I used to love to sample what I made. My only regret in life is that I didn't understand how much I loved to cook and bake till about 10-15 years ago. If I had realized it in my 20's, I would have been a chef, not a nurse. My youngest son IS a chef, and he kindly teaches me lots of tips and tricks of the trade. So I do get to do some "chef" like cooking sometimes. I love to read (Yeah Kindle!), cook/bake (already mentioned that one), travel (hench the Travel Nurse job), collect antiques (have a house full, am becoming VERY selective of what I buy these days!), decorate my house (am currently stripping the wallpaper in our bedroom. If I even mention wallpapering one of the rooms in our house again, please shoot me! I HATE TO STRIP WALLPAPER!!!), shop (that one gets me into trouble!), Entertain (hence the cooking/baking) and socialize with friends and family. I had a total hip replacement when I was 48, and my doctor told me he was sure my weight at least contributed to my need for it. My joints (other hip and knees) have been painful for years now, and I was dreading the thought of more surgery, which seemed like it was going to need to be done SOON. I was plagued by fatigue from dragging 260 pounds around all the time. I was finding it difficult to go out in public anymore as I was ashamed of how I looked. My (Intimate) relationship with my husband had deteriorated due to the fact that I hated to have him see or touch me as I was so fat. In short, I was miserable! I hated my body and how I looked. I finally decided I HAD to do SOMETHING in order to feel better physically, and to feel better about myself! My cousin IS a bariatric surgeon, and I went to see him for a consult. He offered to do my surgery for free, but I would still have to pay the hospital and anesthesia charges myself, as our insurance would not cover any of it. Since those two items would amount to almost $15,000-20,000, I decided to go to Mexico for the surgery. I cashed in one of my retirement 401Ks to pay for the procedure. I wanted it THAT badly! And I have to say, it is the best thing I have EVER done for myself! I have lost 98 pounds so far and am within 10 pounds of my goal weight. I went from wearing a size 26/28 top and size 24 pants to size 12/14 tops and size 8 jeans/slacks! I love it! And I love the way I look now. I hate it that my skin is saggy and floppy, but in my Size 8 jeans, no one can tell! When I had my surgery, I was working a contract in California. My husband flew out and went to Tijuana with me, and then came home, leaving me in CA. That was in June. The next time he saw me was the end of September, when I flew home for a week of vacation, He came to the airport to pick me up, I was waiting curb side with my luggage. Guess what? He drove right past me! He didn't recognize me standing there, and we have been married for 42 years! As he drove by, he thought he recognized the luggage, and stopped and backed up to see if it really was me! I am now home, working a contract at a small county hospital in (cold and frozen) Iowa. (Did I mention I HATE winter in Iowa?) I am hoping to do a contract on the east coast, somewhere within commute distance of Washington, DC this spring, as I have never been there and want so badly to explore the Smithsonian, all the Memorials and Monuments, the historic places, etc. To help in my Quest to get healthy and fit, I recently joined a fitness center near our home, and now I work out for an hour four days per week. I HATE it too! But I am DETERMINED that I will succeed. I will be healthy. I will not go into old age gracefully giving up doing the things that I want to do. I will work to be lean and fighting mean and HEALTHY! Since the surgery, I have been able to go off my arthritis medications, my blood pressure meds, my cholesterol meds and my allergy meds (who knows about that last one? I don't have ANY idea why my allergies would be better from loosing weight!) But I am saving big bucks not having to purchase all those meds, and I AM Healthier! And I almost forgot, I LOVE PINK TOO!!!

Sunday evening, the 22nd Paola, Just a note to tell you that talking about food/cooking food/baking food/watching TV about food, etc does NOT always lead to failure. I LOVE to cook and bake. I almost ALWAYS bake something to take to work the three nights per week that I work. In recent weeks I have made Cookies (six or seven different kinds), cheese cake, brownies, Dutch Letters, Almond Pastry, and various different kinds of candy to take to work, just because I enjoy making it. I don't eat what I make, as I know I need to eat Protein FIRST! And then I don't have room for sweets. I have lost 98 pounds since my VGS surgery, and continue to loose. I intend to NEVER gain the weight back either!!! You have made a committment. So tell Dad to stand back and watch as you fulfill your committment as you travel your new journey. Never the less, I know it is extremely hard to have a parent criticize you or tear you down. I KNOW for a fact that my Dad loved me, but he was always brutally critical of me, especially my weight problem. Sadly, he did not live to see my success. You are in my thoughts and prayers! Love and Hugs and Prayers coming your way! Keep on Keeping on! Kathy D (alias Helen the Cat)

Glad to hear you are feeling better. I was just thinking this morning that there are definitly days when I have "buyer's remorse"! I don't usually do Fast Foods any more, but this morning I was starved cause I didn't get a lunch break at work last night. (worked 12 1/2 hours with NO break at all) I have almost a two hour commute to and from work, and thought I CAN'T wait two more hours to eat, so went through the drive up at Mickey Ds. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE their Bacon Egg and cheese Biscuits!!! In my former life (before VSG) I would eat two of them on my way home from work every morning. Well, I can only eat 5-7 bites of one now (about 1/2 to 2/3 of the biscuit), so I got one. It was fresh out of the oven, or whatever. The biscuit was tender and fluffy, not hard and dry. The bacon was crisp, and very flavorful, just the way I love it. The cheese was melting and gooey. The egg so fluffy and tender. In other words, a PERFECT Bacon Egg & Cheese Biscuit! After my sixth bite, I knew I was full and couldn't eat another bite or I would be very uncomfortable (read that to mean IN PAIN!). And I was SO SAD. I mean I REALLY WANTED THE REST OF THAT BACON EGG AND CHEESE BISCUIT in the WORST way!!! And then at Noon, my hubbie and I went out for brunch with another couple. Our son is a chef and his restaurant serves a Breakfast buffet on Sundays and we went to try it out. I SO wanted to eat more than I did. They had so many yummy foods on the buffet, and I wanted to try them ALL! But tonight, I am happy that I only ate 6 bites of the biscuit. And even happier that I didn't overeat at the buffet. I came home and still weigh what I weighed yesterday. I wasn't uncomfortable and didn't have to feel guilty all the way home thinking that I had AGAIN eaten WAY to much! Buyer's Remorse ? Yep, for sure! Change and go back to having my whole stomach and weighing 260 pounds again? NO WAY! I will live with my occasional buyer's remorse as I put my size 8 jeans on, and as I save all kinds of $$$$ since I was able to come off 5 or 6 different medications that I no longer need since I have lost 98 pounds!

Sunday evening, the 22nd Dear Writergirl, Congratulations on your decision to get healthier! I have spent most of my life going to Weight Watchers, Overeaters Annonymous, Overeaters Victorious, Diet Center, Jenny Craig, Weight Down Workshop, etc., etc., etc.!!! Essentially doing ANYTHING I could to lose excess weight. I did EVERYTHING I could think of, read about, etc to lose weight. And I did loose weight. I ALWAYS lost a significant amount of weight. The only problem was, when I would get bored with my diet, or when I got most of the weight off, I would think "Yeah! Now I can eat again!" and soon I would gain everything back, plus a few more pounds. I have always been "fluffy", but the last few years (I am 62), I gained enough to qualify as "morbidly obese". I finally made the decision in early 2011 that I had to "do something" to stop the madness! After spending a lot of time on this web site reading other individuals experiences, I made the decision to have a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. I had my surgery on June 18, and have lost a total of 98 pounds so far. I have 10 pounds left to go to get to goal. My weight loss has slowed down considerably, but I am confident that I will eventually get there eventually. And truthfully, if I NEVER loose another ounce, I am happy where I am! I am so thrilled with how I feel, and needless to say, I am thrilled to death with how I look! I wore a size 26/28 top and size 24 pants prior to my surgery. I now wear a size 8 in slacks/pants/jeans and a 12 or 14 in tops. I have been able to go off my blood pressure medication, my arthritis meds, my cholesterol meds and my allergy meds (can't tell you why on that last one!). I have loads of energy and feel so much better than I did 8 months ago. It wasn't all easy. I was plagued by a bone deep fatigue for weeks after the surgery. I went back to work 10 days after the surgery, and let me tell you, I had to literally DRAG myself to work every night! I am a nurse and work 12 hour shifts, and I wasn't sure I was going to make it initially when I went back to work. I also fought with nausea for several weeks after the surgery. I still have to eat slowly to "catch" the "cue" that I am full. I try to count my bites as I eat, and chew slowly and really well. I know that my pouch will hold 7-8 bites. If I go one bite past full I am very uncomfortable for several hours, so I try to catch that "cue" when it happens so I don't over eat. I also lost a lot of my hair when I was about 4-5 months post op. But it is coming back now, the fatigue is long gone, and the nausea is only a distant memory. I personally have four friends who have had various bariatric type surgeries in the past, and have overeaten and gained all or most of their weight back. I am working REALLY hard to make sure that I don't join their little group. I have joined a Wellness Center and work out four days a week. I am doing everything I know of to get and stay healthy. So again, let me congratulate you on your decision! Be sure and keep us all posted as to how you are doing after your surgery. We all love to Celebrate your victories with you. Will be sending prayers your way as you undergo your procedure! Best of luck and keep us all posted! Kathy D (alias Helen the Cat)

Sunday evening the 22nd Dear Proudmomma, Congratulations on your decision to change your life in such a positive way! It is truly a life changing decision. The pre op diet WAS the hardest part of the entire thing for me. My surgeon wanted me to limit my carbs to 20 Gm of carbs per day, and nothing else except Protein. I love protein, but giving up the carbs was REALLY hard for me. (I LOVE bread, Pasta, potatoes, rice!) I also gave up Diet Pepsi, as I had read that carbonated beverages can stretch the pouch out, and lord knows, I didn't want to do that. So Diet Pepsi addict that I was, I went "cold turkey" and gave it up. Every once in a while I still have a single swallow of Diet Pepsi, but for the most part I don't drink it at all anymore. Have switched to iced coffee for my caffiene fix! It is really great that your parents are available to help you out with your children! My children are all raised, so I didn't have that worry. But my husband was a huge support for me. I too had my surgery in Mexico, and he went with me and took care of me the entire time I was recovering. I am so thankful for his assistance! Be sure you post after your surgery to let us know how everything went, how you are doing, and how you are loosing! We all want to Celebrate with you when you join the "loosers bench"! I will keep you in my prayers as your surgery date comes closer! The entire experience is a journey that you will walk for the rest of your life, and it is so exciting. I have lost around 98 pounds so far, and love the changes that I am experiencing in how I look and feel. I know that I am so much healthier than I was before I lost all the weight. Don't get discouraged and enjoy every minute of your new life! Love and Hugs and Prayers coming your way!!! Kathy D (Alias Helen the Cat)

Sunday, the 22nd Garyrupp, Congratulations on your decision to change your life in a fantastically positive way! It is a huge life style change, and I have to admit that some days I still regret that I can not eat everything I ate in the volume that I used to eat it. I eat my five or six bites (and am full) and think "gee that was a REALLY good __(whatever)_____! I WISH I could eat some more!!!" But I know that if I eat one bite past my "full point" I will be uncomfortable and hurt for several hours. And that is enough to deter me from eating "just one more bite" (most of the time)! Also after all I have gone through to get to where I am (I've lost about 98 pounds so far), I don't want to start "undoing" everything by overeating and stretching out my pouch! I have four friends who have had various bariatric surgeries, lost a lot of weight, and gone on to overeat again, on a chronic basis, and gained back most or all of their weight! THAT is something I NEVER want to do! How long have you been comtemplating having surgery? Have you educated yourself really well about it? Are you prepared to change your life radically? Is your surgery already scheduled? How soon? How much do you have to loose? These are all things you need to reconcile in your mind before you have your surgery. I am NOT trying to talk you out of the surgery, just trying to get you to think about how your life is going to change. Best of luck with your decision! I will keep you in my prayers. Please post more and let us all know where and when your surgery is going to take place, and especially how you do after your surgery. We all love to hear success stories and celebrate your victories with you! Love and Hugs and Prayers coming your way!!! Kathy D (alias Helen the Cat)

Sunday evening Tenna, Just wanted to drop you a note to encourage you and to assure you of my prayers tomorrow for both you and your family. You are correct when you say you are starting a journey. It is the journey of a life time, as it is truly life changing! I am 7 1/2 months post op, and have lost around 98 pounds (it varies a pound or two either way depending on the day). I went from a size 26/28 top to a 12/14 and 24 pant size to a Size 8! I am SO thrilled with how I look, but even more thrilled with how I FEEL! Some days I have a little "buyers remores" when I am eating something really good, and have to stop after just a couple of bites. I am really sad some days, cause I want to eat more of what ever it is that is tasting so good. But I know that is how I got into this situation in the first place, and my sleeve is my tool to help me overcome my problems with food and overeating. Anyway, prayers coming your way tonight and tomorrow. Be sure and post to let us know how you are doing!!! Best wishes, love, hugs and prayers!!! Kathy D (alias HelentheCat)

Sunday evening, the 22nd Tiffanye, So glad you posted how you are doing. I have been thinking about you and praying for you these past days. I had to work the last three nights, so haven't had time to check these boards. I work 12 hour shifts (am a Labor & Delivery nurse), and when I work two or three nights in a row, all I have time to do is travel home from work in the morning, shower, sleep, get up, get ready for work, travel to work, work my 12 hours and start all over again! I commute almost two hours to and from work, so I literally don't do ANYTHING I don't have to when I am working several nights in a row. So glad to hear the pain isn't bad. I didn't find it horrible, and my doctor did not prescribe any narcotic medication AT ALL. I was nervous about that before the surgery, because I am a wimp when it comes to pain, but I didn't think it was all that bad. And once I got rid of the gas, I felt pretty good. Today my hubbie and I drove to Des Moines (about 2 hours south of where we live) to go out to brunch with some friends. It was icy and snowy, and I am a chicken about driving in bad weather. But we did well. We went to a restaurant where our son is the executive chef. They served a breakfast brunch buffet, and it really tested my will power not to over eat! I feel I was fairly successful though, and came away without being in pain, which happens still if I overeat. So I have to count today as a victory. They had Salmon parfaits, which was flaked smoked salmon on a bed of diced hard boiled egg and either creme frech or sour cream. Was really yummy, and since eggs and salmon are a good source of protein, I didn't feel at all guilty about eating it! And I LOVE salmon! I imagine you are on liquids now. Soon you will be progressing to mushies and then solids. Take it slow and enjoy the journey. I will keep you in my prayers. Post again soon so we all know how you are doing! Love and Hugs and Prayers! Kathy