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One week away! Posted by AngieB, Apr 16 2009, 09:34 AM Admin/Owner Options Make This Entry A Draft

I just paid the hospital there share this morning, before doing my prep. My surgeon will get his next week. I tried to get this approved 8 years ago with Aetna, and ultimately was denied after 6 months of hoop jumping. This time, when I decided I wanted to try again, my husband and I decided to pay cash. I wish that I could have relied on my health insurance to cover most of it, but I am glad that we are in the position to cover the cost.

I have always been overweight. In elementary school there used to be a day every year where they weighed you in gym; I think it was at the same time that they did the scoliosis test. I don’t ever remember a year where I wasn’t afraid and embarrassed to step on that scale. My parents tried to get me involved in sports to help control my weight and I played little league soft-ball and soccer, but it didn’t keep the pounds off. By the time I was 12 and heading off to junior high, my parents were even more concerned about my weight and the implications it would have on my social life. That summer they shipped me off to fat-camp. I lost about 25lbs that summer and gained about 50 the following year. During junior high I joined the cross country and track teams and ran for miles--albeit very slowly--but no matter how many pounds I ran off, I ate more on. I tried plenty of diets: Weight Watchers, Atkins, I met with nutritionists, I even gave bulimia a stab. I went to a psychiatrist to help me deal with my issues with food and managed to get my binging and purging habits under control, but the obsessive over-eating continued to plague me. When I went away to college my daily exercise decreased and my eating--with all you can eat cafeterias, and no parents on my case--increased. I gained even more. The first time I remember weight-loss surgery coming up was my senior year. My parents wanted me to do it but I wasn’t ready--it scared the bejesus out of me. One night, after discussing it with my parents on the phone, I decided I needed something drastic. I headed off to Walmart to buy some of those stupid, dangerous, Ephedra, over the counter weight-loss pills. I was depressed and desperate for something to help me. I needed these to work. I never even really got to give them a chance. Just buying them gave me a panic attack. It was probably the scariest experience of my life. It was about as close to an out-of-body experience as I can imagine getting. I felt very far away from all of my surroundings. My heart was pounding and my breathing was sharp and shallow. My head was racing, but it was the same thought over and over again--I had to move. I paced the store, my hands shaking. Stupidly enough I got behind the wheel of my car, but managed to make it home safely. The panic attack was still going strong. By that point it was about 11PM on a Friday night. I felt like I had to do something, I had to keep moving. I rolled up my pants, filled the bathtub with water and bleach, and got in and started scrubbing madly. When I was finished with the bathroom I went into my room, pulled out the top drawer of my desk and began frantically throwing the papers around in what was supposed to be an attempt to organize. Half-way through I suddenly stopped, lay down on the floor where I was and cried. I had a few more miny-attacks as I tried to deal with my depression but slowly--with time, some happy pills from my doctor, and the help of my family and friends--I pulled myself out of that big, black hole. And, of course, I got rid of the Trim-Spa, or whatever it was I had bought that night. Still, I had no control over my weight. The little exercise I got in college slowed even more in vet school. For a short while I would walk this huge hill a couple of times a week--about two-miles round trip--but that didn’t last long, especially as my work-load increased and my free-time decreased. I was working 70-80 hour weeks and studying any other time that wasn’t spent sleeping. I certainly wasn’t taking the time out to cook healthy, gourmet, meals--I was stuffing myself full of crap. By the time I graduated I had hit the mark I had always promised myself I would never hit--The big 3-0-0. It was around this time that I started seriously considering weight-loss surgery. I had always been invested in my education. I put the rest of my life on hold. Now there was no more school and I was ready for my life to begin. But what kind of life could I have trapped in the body of a morbidly obese person? I moved back to Long Island where I grew up, but I didn’t really know anyone in the area anymore except for my family. I didn’t have the built in social circle of fellow class mates that I’d always had in the past and I was--and still am--too insecure to really put myself out there and meet new people. So for the past year my social life has been even more stagnant than before. I’ve got my job of course, which--though I’m still getting comfortable with the new responsibility--I thoroughly enjoy. But when I see an obese cat or dog, I feel like a hypocrite. When people ask me about making their pet lose weight, I usually tell them the same thing…”If I had someone with my best interests at heart controlling everything that went into my mouth, I’d be a lot better off for it.” And it’s true—but why shouldn’t I be that person with my best interests at heart? Despite all of my medical, health, and nutritional knowledge, I’m still slowly eating myself to death. So, the time has finally come. I know that even surgery isn’t some “magic bullet.” I will have to work hard and make some serious changes in my life. There is a possibility that I might fail, even at this. But I’m ready to take that chance. I’m ready to make those changes. After all, I spent the last 26 years in school learning, preparing, waiting for my life to begin and now that school is over, I feel like I’m still waiting. If I wait much longer for my life to start, I just might be waiting until my life is over.

I'm 2 weeks post op today and still miserable! I am nauseated all the time!!!! I'm still sore. It seems that everything makes me sick. I haven't been able to get the protein shakes down in about a week. Has anyone else still felt this badly 2 weeks later and when should I expect to see a difference with the way I am feeling?

I had a shocking revelation today. I was able to use my lap for a laptop. I have never done this before. Then it dawned on me, I have been fat since before there were laptops…ouch. I really should not be surprised, but I am. I believe this qualifies as one of those NSVs, but it was still somewhat disturbing that I have been fat longer than laptops have existed. I do travel almost every week for my job and I have over 3,000,000 miles on American Airlines alone, and about that many on United and other airlines. I even bought my roll-aboard suitcase because it made a good table for my laptop when I was on the road. OK…probably not the most earth-shattering event ever, but very helpful anyway.

I had a shocking revelation today. I was able to use my lap for a laptop. I have never done this before. Then it dawned on me, I have been fat since before there were laptops…ouch. I really should not be surprised, but I am. I believe this qualifies as one of those NSVs, but it was still somewhat disturbing that I have been fat longer than laptops have existed. I do travel almost every week for my job and I have over 3,000,000 miles on American Airlines alone, and about that many on United and other airlines. I even bought my roll-aboard suitcase because it made a good table for my laptop when I was on the road. OK…probably not the most earth-shattering event ever, but very helpful anyway.

Enjoyed a lovely carvey with hubby and our two sons yesterday for my birthday which is today. i even had half a yorkshire pudding, it was yummy. I am getting a stairlift fitted today, I didn't think i would be so excited by a stairlift on my 55th birthday, but can't wait, my left leg is agony when i walk, no more crawling upstairs in agony, yay. I am going out tonight with the ladies from our church, it is the ladies christmas meal that just so happens to be on my birthday, thinking i might have a steak. I am hoping that by this time next year i will be wearing size 18 rather than the 28 i am in today, or even a 16. I am already eating much smaller meals than i was able to eat last year, and next year i suspect i might be eating a starter for my main course, bring it on. Still waiting to get my blood test results back, hoping it will be soon, ive waited 5 weeks now, so must be nearer getting them. Funny thing about time, 5 weeks just seemed like an eternity 5 weeks ago, but here i am, 5 weeks done and hoping i will get the phone call any day now. I have been able to address comfort eating in this waiting time and also am pleased that i now prefer to go for the healthier options for my meals and always try to share it with my dogs or leave some on the plate, not bad for someone who was brought up to eat everything on my large plate. It took a long time to get over the dissapointment of my sleeve op being cancelled, but now i am at peace that i will have it when it is the right time for me, God knows best, i am resting in Him. I particularly wanted to do a blog today to record how i am feeling and will compare with how i am next year, believing God Has got good plans for me, to do me good and not harm, and that my latter years will be even more fruitful than my former years, that the years that the locusts have stolen from me will be restored back to me 100 fold, amen. Praying for everyone who reads this to have a quick easy operation with no complications and a swift good recovery, to get to the weight of your dreams. I also pray for all who have already been sleeved for good healthe and continous weight loss to get to your dream weight too, God Bless to all, Janet, xxxxx

I too am VERY hungry the past week or so, it's not heloping that I'm totally PMSing and I want to eat everything. Hang in there and be prepared for your 1st fill not making that much of a difference. My 1st fill made a difference for about 2-3 days then I was back to no restriction. Thankfully the place i go to will do a fill every 3 weeks and I plan on taking advantage of that as long as I need to. I thought my 1.5 hour drive to get a fill was far, 3 hours! 4-5 hours!! wowza! I hope things are easirer for you today Jadeite!

I was not hungry at all for like 5 days after i had my surgery. Mine was done easter weekend and my whole family came over the day after my surgery and they had bbq and i didn't even care. I had no appetite. i even cooked a huge breakfast 2 days later for everyone and it did not bother me a bit to not be able to eat any of it. just had my broth and some popcisles. LOL! My only real issue was the freaking GAS!!! oh that is miserable. the belching like a drunken sailor, the pain in the shoulders. ugh! that is not fun! i used a heating pad on my shoulder, took my pain meds on time, used my incentive spirometer for the lungs, and chewed up mylanta gas tabs like crazy. oh and walked around alot to get that gas moving. i didn't really crave any food until one week after surgery when i could have pureed foods. hope everything goes smoothly for you! good luck on your journey to your new life

I am 12 weeks out and have lost 46 lbs. 25 more to go. I have been eating right, so don't take this wrong. I am starting to want (not need) a sweet here or there. I am a salt addict...not a sweet addict. I am not talking about candy bars and ice cream. I'm just wondering if anyone has any vsg friendly baked desserts?

Just thought I'd take a moment to say hi and introduce myself. I'm Kathy and have been researching and contemplating WLS since November of last year. I actually had surgery for something uncomplicated and unrelated and first heard about the sleeve from my general surgeon. Her practice is entirely WLS, but she assisted in my surgery as a favor to a colleague. She invited me to find out more about WLS. Initially, I thought I'd be set on the Lapband. After attending a seminar, though, I decided the sleeve could be a viable option. I researched, changed jobs, and researched some more. I set an appointment and followed up with the surgeon I'd developed a rapport with, only to then find out my insurance has a specific exclusion for WLS. I was basically back to square one... Then lucky for me, I stumbled across information about self-pay and the option of surgery in Mexico. I tend to be a researcher by nature and have spent months gathering information, making lists and spreadsheets, and talking the few people who know about my plans to death over it all. I think I have decided upon a surgeon (not sharing until I have heard back on final emails I've sent) and am excited about the prospect. With my work schedule and my boyfriend's, I'm hoping to schedule in October sometime. I anticipate placing a deposit and scheduling in the next couple of weeks. I read the rest of the board, but tend to come back to this area over and over, since I have been trying to narrow down surgeons and read more about Mexico experiences. Anyway, <waving> just saying hello!

I have several size 20 & 22 jeans that are in great shape. Average length. A few lane bryant, some from Target & walmart. I'm going to take them to GoodWill in a few weeks unless someone wants them. I do ask that you pay me for shipping. Please PM me if interested, I won't remember to check in here.

Lake city fla and hour from Gainesville I was sleeved at Uf in Gainesville 6 weeks ago May 21,2015

It'll go away, they intubate when you are put under, so that pain in your throat is more than likely from that. It will go away, it just takes a little time depending on how damaged your esophagus is, I had a sore throat for 3 days and a sore on my lip from where the tube was rubbing for almost 2 weeks.

that's a stricture. Happens to about 5% of RNY patients. They almost always appear within the first three months post-surgery; they're very rare after that. They're caused by overgrown scar tissue. I had two of them - at four weeks out and again at eight weeks out. Easy fix. And you'll feel 100% better afterward.

Hi everyone! so I would like to discuss the possible negatives of the surgery and how to fix/avoid. the first 3 weeks are crucial IMO. the healing process can be tricky. I wasn't able to eat at all and I barely drank. I was admitted this past Monday for severe dehydration and they agreed to do an upper endoscopy to check if there is anything blocking. it turns out that the food passage (the new connection) was nearly the size of a pin and they immediately fixed it. now I can eat and drink so much better. they opened it to about 10-12mm. A fellow member here gave me the heads up (thank you). I decided to share because the Doctor told me that it is common and it's an easy fix. I hope whoever is experiencing this finds this post and helps them out. this is such a good surgery and the lifestyle change leads to a healthier life. After 4 weeks I don't have sleep apnea, no plantar fasciitis, and lost 40 lbs.

my name is Carla, I live on the Oregon coast. I have mobility trouble so it's hard to exercise out of the water, but I do swim twice a week. I was banded in Mexico 4/10/07. I've had a hard time of it with this band. I'm down almost 40lbs. I have a hard time with drinking so much water. I do eat good food but not much of it. I know I'm going to beat this weight issue and be healthy someday. I will not ever give up no matter how slow I lose the pounds. Good luck to all with a healthly life.

HI, I had my sleeve on April 6 and I can relate. I also had 2 C sections and a total knee replacement and thought this would be very easy as far as recovery. Everyone spoke about barely any recovery time and I was disappointed in myself when I felt miserable for the first few days, not even gas related but as you're saying incisional pain. I had 2 areas on my right side that were painful, I couldn't find a comfortable position. My back hurt, I had a headache and yes I also took my Percocet. Even though I did my breathing exercises it hurt to breathe and I felt short of breath when I walked. Anyway the good news is I was sleeved on a Thursday and by Tuesday I felt significantly better and by the one week mark completely back at my norm. So as a fellow RN I am writing to encourage you with my story and let you know you are about to turn the corner. Ive lost 26 lbs and am tolerating a pureed/soft diet and feeling great. Just give it another day or two. If you need someone to talk to Im here and I would love to see how you progress in the next week or so. Deb

Soft, mushy ones. I wasn't allowed to eat any veggies for 8 weeks. Once I could eat them again, they had to be pretty soft - well cooked broccoli was good. Canned pumpkin/yams another good one. I like to make pumpkin custard, using more eggs than normal pumpkin pie to up the protein. I use a little Monkfruit sweetener and bake without a crust. It's a great way to get in an orange veggie + protein. Canned beets, well cooked green beans, turnip all good. You can put green leafies in the blender for smoothies. 6 months out and I am just able to eat raw veggies. They have to be chewed to mush and swallowed very carefully in tiny bits. More often than not, I make a veggie soup with shredded carrot, cabbage, onion, shredded broccoli stems. Made with bone broth as stock, it has protein and is a good filler if I get the "hungries."

@@anthonyb hey dude 120 lbs down!!! holy moly that's wonderful!! great accomplishment!!! next month i will be 4 years PO can't believe how time flies!!! one month after my sleeve i turned 58 years OLD 235 lbs next month i turn 62 years YOUNG 130 lbs GOAL (actually i am 6.3 lbs over goal now) little temporary setback please don't tell anyone "they" lied about saving money since we don't go out to eat the money i've "saved" - all went to my crossover addiction SHOPPING LOL sounds like you know what i mean!! i have had my share of ups and downs, stalls, frustration etc etc all those issues don't compare to the way i feel now that's my story and i'm stickin' to it kathy congrats

I really don't like meat or eggs. I never have. After being being sleeved I dislike meat even more. That being said I don't know how to get my protein in. Cottage Cheese and Yogurt are tolerable, but boy that gets boring. I have refried nonfat beans almost everyday, and protein shakes. I am almost 4 weeks out & starting "real" food. Any suggestions? Have any of you tried quinoa after being sleeved?

It was so much less intimidating than I thought it would be! My surgeon and insurance don't require a specific amount of weight to lose aside from the two-week 1000 cal max diet right before the operation. I was terrified I would have to strictly justify everything I ate to an obsessive degree. Instead I was told to hit the 60-90g Protein target every day, sample different protein powders and shakes, to slow down eating so that a meal takes me 20-30 minutes to eat, to practice sipping Water slowly, and to start the protein first, veggies next, carbs only if you're still hungry pattern. And no meal skipping (I tend to skip breakfast). She said most people naturally start to lose weight even pre-surgery when they start these habits. I'll have a weigh-in next month but it doesn't sound like it'll be Draconian.

Hope, you're lucky..my discharge papers said 2 weeks, but I had to start after about 10 days...couldn't do it anymore...my busy life just couldn't handle not driving!

Congrats @@katanne ! My first appointment with the dietician is in a couple of weeks. My plan is the same as yours... I don't have to lose a specific amount of weight (outside the 2 week liquid diet), but gaining is a deal breaker. I'm also lucky the only real thing my insurance requires is phone calls with their people.

Your calories are the total of the calories in your meals combined with the calories in your Protein shakes or other protein supplements. The three most important elements after RNY gastric bypass surgery are to meet your daily protein, Fluid and Vitamin requirements. food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight. So generally forget about counting calories but make sure you meet the protein, fluid and vitamin requirements. Weight loss is achieved after surgery through meal volume control. You begin at 2 ounces (1/4 cup) per meal and gradually over the next year and a half increase the volume to 1 cup per meal. With this minuscule amount of food, it is next to impossible to meet your protein daily requirements by food alone, so therefore you need to rely on supplements such as Protein Shakes.