Only 1 step left....Surgery!

[kelly17 0]

I have finished all my pre-op tests/appointments and have a sleeve date of 12/11/09. I'm feeling excited, anxious, nervous, and generally overwhelmed. Sometimes it's hard to believe I'm actually going to be able to lose all of this weight. I know this is the beginning of a new life for me, but I'm open to whatever advice or tips anyone has to share (especially regarding post-op diet). Is it December yet?!

Edited October 31, 2009 by kelly17

[Ky.hen 5]

Hello Kelly and welcome to the forum. You will find all the answers you need on this board. Just keep reading and you will learn a lot from other peoples experiences. You will also find a post-op diet posted by Vega Angel that is very helpful.

Congrats. on your date and good luck on your new journey.

[carolyn24seven 11]

Congrats Kelly! Welcome. The time will fly by. What a nice Christmas present you are giving yourself. Try to keep thinking in that line, that you are doing this as a gift to yourself. It is perfectly normal to have so many doubts, ease your mind. I smile when I think of my sleeve. Just the perfect gift.

[kelly17 0]

Thank you all. My sleeve is my birthday and Christmas present to myself (my birthday is the week after surgery). The major struggle right now is waivering between being on a good pre-op diet and wanting to eat foods that I may not be able to eat again for a long time. I've talked with sleeved people in my surgeon's support group and they ALL say that they do not even care about eating foods they used to love. I KNOW this is supposed to be true, and I hear people saying it, but I still find it almost impossible to believe.

[Malaika 50]

Hi Kelly and welcome to VST. I am in Vegas too and there are a few others of us as well; however we all had our surgery in Mexicali by Dr. Aceves. Who is doing your surgery?

Looking forward to following your success.

[FreeToBeMe 2]

Hi Kelly,

My birthday is also in December and I am being sleeved on Dec 2nd. I am totally excited and nervous! Last night, I had a gorgefest on In-N-Out cheeseburgers (my uttermost temptation) and I realized that I can't keep eating like that. I want to be lighter and healthier for my surgery so I've decided to eat normal amounts of healthier but tasty foods and exercise.

Anyway, I am so thrilled for both of us!

Pennie

[mona 0]

Hi Kelly. I am so excited for you. I too have recently finished my Pre op tests. I assume everything went well. I am schedule Nov. 16 for my concent date and surgery the following Thursday. I am soooo excited. I am now on a count down for my date. I started my Pre op diet two weeks ago and have lost a little over 10 pounds. I wanted to get use to the idea of eatting smaller meals and being disciplined. I feel by reading other post that this could be a good thing to help with the sudden aspect of no food! It becomes such a big part of our lives and we need to find ways to replace it! Good luck and I will let you know how my days of diets come pre and post.

[Chancie 65]

Hi Kelly and welcome and CONGRATULATIONS!!

You have ligit questions and normal fears, but let me tell you this from personal experience-I didn't believe it either about not wanting to eat foods I once loved. My highest weight was 373- so you can take it from there- I LOVED food.< /span>

It doesn't consume you like it once did after being sleeved. I think the weeks prior to surgery was the hardest for me- thinking I need to eat this now because I won't be able to eat it afterwards. But eventually you can eat things again, just not in larger quanities.

Now my focus on food is healthy- I try to plan my meals, and I try to eat 3 X's a day.

You'll be just fine!!

Mona and free-

CONGRATULATIONS to both of you too!!! Can't wait for alll of you to be on the losers bench with us!!

[cajun 46]

Thank you all. My sleeve is my birthday and Christmas present to myself (my birthday is the week after surgery). The major struggle right now is waivering between being on a good pre-op diet and wanting to eat foods that I may not be able to eat again for a long time. I've talked with sleeved people in my surgeon's support group and they ALL say that they do not even care about eating foods they used to love. I KNOW this is supposed to be true, and I hear people saying it, but I still find it almost impossible to believe.

Kelly, Congratulations on taking this step, you will be so glad you did! If your surgeon recommended a pre-op diet, know that it is essential to follow it carefully because the purpose is to shrink the liver, and get it out of the way so they can safely perform the surgery. If it is not done properly you have a higher risk of serious complications. Some people don't have to do a preop diet and your surgeon will let you know if you need one.

Welcome to the forum!

[lucygoose 0]

Hi Kelly,

I know how excited you are. My surgery is scheduled for 12/8. Good luck!

[thinoneday 445]

I have finished all my pre-op tests/appointments and have a sleeve date of 12/11/09. I'm feeling excited, anxious, nervous, and generally overwhelmed. Sometimes it's hard to believe I'm actually going to be able to lose all of this weight. I know this is the beginning of a new life for me, but I'm open to whatever advice or tips anyone has to share (especially regarding post-op diet). Is it December yet?!

Hi Kelly, yes I agree with Ky.Hen, just keep reading all the posts and you'll learn. . . trust me you WILL learn. . . I'm not even sleeved yet (January) and I already know what NOT to do and what to do, and what size the sleeves are and how not to get constipated and so on. . . just read and you'll learn lots! these folks are the best teachers!:crying:

[lucygoose 0]

Hi thinoneday,

I agree with how wonderful this site is. I actually have not heard the Constipation remedy yet though. Would you share your secret?

[thinoneday 445]

Water, water, water, and more water, Fiber sources, like vegatables, NOT cheese (it binds) and of course, walking and exercise. I think someone even mentioned that fiber stuff you dissolve in water and it's colorless, odorless, and tasteless. . .there have been several posts about really bad Constipation and it makes me hurt just to read them. . . eeekkkkk Go to the complications section and read about the fiber posts. . . you'll see what i mean!

Edited November 4, 2009 by thinoneday

[Chancie 65]

Yep...... I really thought I was "educated" prior to my suregery....... but I wasn't.

Constipation- BIG issue ( in more ways than one )

Hair loss.......... another issue i knew about, but thought it wouldn't happen to me, Plus I had a head of thick hair...........WRONG!!

It can and probably will happen........ taken preventative measureas, hair , nails and skin vitiamins..... Important!

Nottrying to be negative, just read al you can and do all you can to prevent alot of unnessary issues!

[kelly17 0]

I have not been instructed regarding a pre-op diet other then trying to stick with 1200 cal/day. What I have found myself doing is saving those calories for bascially one meal a day to have foods I love and don't think I'll be able to have for awhile post-op. I know this is wrong, but can't seem to help myself. I will have to look into the Constipation issue further. I had thought about it, but didn't think it would be a major concern. I should know better after having constipation after having my gallbladder out. I do worry quite a bit about hair and skin. Those have always been the two things about the way I looked that I loved. I have a kitchen cabinet full of supplements and Vitamins to help combat these problems.

Those of you already sleeved, how much time off work did you take? Did you wish you had taken more? less?

Thank you all for your encouragement.