Timing of your surgery

[CowgirlJane 14,260]

I have some flexibility in taking time off from work, but if I want to do the sleeve this year (I have insurance approval in hand for 2011!) the only time I can take 2-3 weeks off in a row is December. Pre-op diet would start right after Thanksgiving and so I would be either doing pre-op diet or freshly sleeved through the holidays.

I could take more time off in the spring, but need to double check that my insurance doesn't change with the new plan year and risk my coverage.

I guess I consider taking the step to getting the weight off as a good gift to myself, but I also want to be careful to be setup for success. Would any of you who have already been sleeved be concerned about scheduling surgery over the holidays??? What would you advise your friend/sister based on your own experiences? It does have a certain appeal to know that by the first day of summer, I could very well be 80-100# lighter!

[jbauti5 3]

Hi, I am in the same boat with getting sleeved around the holidays. I will actually be on my Pre-op diet during Thanksgiving. I am the one who make the Turkey for our family. I am alittle nervous about it but determined to get sleeved. I will be interested in what others have to say about being sleeved around the holidays.

[emily_0192010 168]

If your pre-op was during Thanksgiving then you should be either on mushies or just starting to eat "normal" foods around Christmas time. I think for me it would have been worth it, but at the same time the beginning is the hardest because there is just so much that is new. I think if I had to turn down even just bites of my christmas dinner because it wasn't pureed it would be an emotional rollercoaster and I'd be in the in "what the heck did I do to myself" stage. That being said, if you are on the stage where you can start to eat "normal" foods again I would say it would be fine because you could still have the food, just in tiny amounts. It would also be a pretty awesome gift to yourself and I bet it would be the first year you wouldn't gain during the holidays!

[LindaS 316]

The pre-op diet was the hardest since I had to use my will power not to eat. I was sleeved in August, but it meant I was on a liquid diet for my birthday, and for Labor Day, I was eating mushies. I did miss most of the season's fresh corn on the cob, which is one of my favorite summer time treats. I survived.

I was able to eat in front of my family, so I would sit next to them at meal times and eat my pudding or whatever. I had Jello for my birthday while my family ate cheesecake. I was fine with that, but my family members did feel guilty eating in front of me at first. I know some VSG patients struggle with being around food they can't eat especially when they are pre-op.

The holidays (Thanksgiving/Christmas) really revolve around food. It may put unnecessary emotional burdens on you, but I don't think there is any "good" time of year to do this. You are going to miss out on something, but it is temporary. I know that after cooking for days in advance, my mom would proudly display a table full of food and every year snap a picture. There are some foods that I had to eat because so and so brought it and would be upset if I didn't. So food at the holidays is a big deal. You need to have a strategy to deal with it.

When I made this decision, I wanted the surgery as soon as possible. I didn't want to wait, and I would be willing to give up eating birthday cake on my birthday to get it. I didn't want my kids to miss out, however, so I bought my own cake this year even though I didn't eat any. My daughter made a big deal out of making me Jello just for my birthday.

My advice -- realize that there will be family events and plan what you will eat in advance. Bring a sugar-free popsicle for your dessert or Jello. Stash Protein shakes in places where you might stay later. I keep a couple at my in-laws house since my family sometimes ends up there unexpectedly at dinner time.

I found that I can enjoy the smells of the food without actually eating it. But I don't think I was "attached" to food before my surgery either. Yes, I ate, but I didn't care what I ate. I didn't enjoy cooking or eating. I just did it although sometimes I'd forget to eat and skip meals. I hated making and/or planning meals.

My sister is looking into getting WLS, and I worry about her since her life revolves around food. She enjoys the planning and cooking and serving and eating. It is an integral part of her social life and her personality. She tries new recipes and spends a lot of money on good quality foods.

Now obviously, I have my own issues with food since I am obese, but I didn't get pleasure out of it. My tastes are fairly simple. I'm not adventurous with my taste buds. If you are more like my sister, not being able to participate in holiday meals may be harder on you than it has to be. But when would be a good time? There is always someone's birthday or anniversary or something.

Best of luck to you in whatever you decide.

[Felicia 28]

Haven't we all enjoyed enough holidays and the foods/festivities that revolve around them. Isn't that what got us into this boat in the first place, making something revolve around food instead of other things. Sounds harsh but it is true. Maybe your focus is not the food part but actually instead the family part. You should be feeling well enough to be around your family, you just wont be eating what they're eating in the quantity that they are eating it. Which you will have to get used to eventually anyways.

My surgeon estimated I should be having surgery sometime between Mid-November and Mid-December, I wouldn't trade it for the world. It is the ultimate test, because if I can get thru the holidays with mine and my BF's family (who revolve everything around food) then I can get thru anything. Plus as an added bonus like you said, skinnier for the summer.

That is so worth it to me. Giving up one Thanksgiving and one Christmas to be thinner and healthier for the next summer and the holidays that follow has no contest to not having the surgery this year just to eat holiday foods and hang out with my family. I will still be hanging out with my family but I will be eating chicken broth and relaxing a lot more. They will be eating Turkey, sledding, and building snowmen.

As a side note I will most likely be cooking a lot of holiday dishes too, but it doesn't matter to me. I am too determined to put it off now.

You should do the surgery sooner rather than later, JMHO.

[CowgirlJane 14,260]

I am not worried about not being able to eat a big christmas dinner or anything like that. It is more like, I want to plan to succeed, plan for success. Try to make choices, where I can, that make success easier - that is all.

I also tend to think that there really is never a good time.... my college age sons will be home for the holidays over that time. It will be good to have the company while I am recovering, but a part of me would rather be alone too...lol some people have super easy recoveries and there is really no way of knowing in advance how it will go - I am just assuming that I will be pretty tired and feeling kinda cruddy at times. I already know that I have a hard time recovering from anesthesia - hence planning for 3 weeks off, just in case I need it. When I had the band removal surgery, I had some emotional meltdowns as part of recovery. I WANTED that band gone, so it wasn't remorse or anything... it was more like the drugs just triggered some strong emotions is all.

[Sonja 16]

I am getting sleeved the day before Thanksgiving!! I think it is pretty symbolic. I keep telling myself that while all the people around me are gaining weight, I will be getting more gorgeous & healthy!!

[MEDICPRINCESS 2]

Yes, I will be starting the Pre-op diet a couple days before Thanksgiving and will be almost 3 wks post op at Christmas. A little nervous, but that's the only time I could get off work before the end of the year. I to would appreciate any helpful hints for the holidays as well as returning to work about 11 days post op - I am a paramedic so I have a pretty rigerous schedule but I have a great partner who's willing to pick up some of my slack for the first couple weeks

Hi, I am in the same boat with getting sleeved around the holidays. I will actually be on my Pre-op diet during Thanksgiving. I am the one who make the Turkey for our family. I am alittle nervous about it but determined to get sleeved. I will be interested in what others have to say about being sleeved around the holidays.

[fluffylibra30 323]

i just sent in my paperwork to get approved from insurance, it should take 2 weeks to get approved and my doc said there are still appts available in Nov so being sleeved before thanksgiving is in my sights. I see it as I have enjoyed 25 atleast Thanksgivings Christmass and New Years, what is one year? You will have to get used to not eating and as someone else said no time is a good time. I am just going to enjoy my puddings, chocolare flavored Protein Shakes and deal cause i will be in a bikini by next summers vacation :-)

[illgeturhairdid 176]

My surgery is scheduled for December 8th. My surgeon has your do liquids two days prior to surgery, so I will be able to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family. Following surgery I will be on two weeks of liquids which puts me barely on mushies by Christmas. It will be a bit easier for me because my cousin and I are having our surgeries on the same day at the same hospital. So while our family is chowing down we will have each other to be miserable with

This being said, I wouldn't wait any longer than I have to. I'd have been sleeved the day after I made my decision if it wasn't for my dang insurance company!!

Good luck to you!

[longer-life 139]

It is probably not the ideal time. I do worry a little. I would rather not have a lot of extended family around, just my immediate ones, but it is what it is. I will deal with it. My desire to begin 2012 already sleeved and somewhat recovered is much greater.

Having said that, I know I won't pick a date before November 12 though. I have awesome tickets to see Sting in concert and I won't miss it! We have to have our priorities straight, ya know.

[Lilu 65]

I have some flexibility in taking time off from work, but if I want to do the sleeve this year (I have insurance approval in hand for 2011!) the only time I can take 2-3 weeks off in a row is December. Pre-op diet would start right after Thanksgiving and so I would be either doing pre-op diet or freshly sleeved through the holidays.

I could take more time off in the spring, but need to double check that my insurance doesn't change with the new plan year and risk my coverage.

I guess I consider taking the step to getting the weight off as a good gift to myself, but I also want to be careful to be setup for success. Would any of you who have already been sleeved be concerned about scheduling surgery over the holidays??? What would you advise your friend/sister based on your own experiences? It does have a certain appeal to know that by the first day of summer, I could very well be 80-100# lighter!

I am in the same place as both of you guys. I am looking forward to be sleeved by December. I also am the one that takes care of thankgiving dinner and Christmas also. I have been waiting for this since October 2010. I had the issue with new insurance so now I got a jump on it and need two requirements and I am on my way. By Dec 6 I will have complete all requirement. I hope i am scheduled for the last week of Dec.

My advice to you is this, What do you? Do you want to go into the New Year with better health. I would do it

Good Luck

[smallgirlsxthree 23]

How are you going you be able to work 11 days post-op?? I'm an xray tech and it's absolutely mandatory that I take 6 weeks off, because I can't be released to lift any type of weight before then.I know that if someone started to fall in front of me, I'd try to stop it whether I was supposed to or not. The risk of messing up all that's went on in my belly is soooo not worth it. I'm 11 days post-op today, and I still have pain in an incision site whenever I bend over and I'm still pretty uncomfortable when I stand up for too long. I can't imagine working right now, I'd be useless at moving patients or anything for that matter lol I'd try to get some more time off...just saying!!

Yes, I will be starting the Pre-op diet a couple days before Thanksgiving and will be almost 3 wks post op at Christmas. A little nervous, but that's the only time I could get off work before the end of the year. I to would appreciate any helpful hints for the holidays as well as returning to work about 11 days post op - I am a paramedic so I have a pretty rigerous schedule but I have a great partner who's willing to pick up some of my slack for the first couple weeks

[lessofme2010 25]

I am having mine 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. So no Turkey for me this year... This will actually be the very fisrt holidays that I haven't gained weight!!!!

My husband said I didn't have to cook Thanksgiving dinner , but Iwould not do that to my kids.. Just because I had surgery doesn't mean they should all go without. They have all offered to help me though

I will be on full liquids by that time. I will be okay. By Christmas I should be on to more regg. food.

Julie

[NtvTxn 1,262]

If you can have surgery BEFORE Thanksgiving, I wouldn't hesitate. I had NO hunger, not eating Thanksgiving food would not have been a problem!! I would NOT want to be on the pre-op liquid though. If you can't schedule it before Thanksgiving, try to get it where your liquid diet starts after that holiday, have surgery before Christmas. Like I said, wanting to eat should not be a problem. I would NOT cook, just because. I don't know if I'll ever make that 'feast' again - I'll have it at our house, but everyone else will have to bring the bulk of the food.

I am having mine 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. So no Turkey for me this year... This will actually be the very fisrt holidays that I haven't gained weight!!!!

My husband said I didn't have to cook Thanksgiving dinner , but Iwould not do that to my kids.. Just because I had surgery doesn't mean they should all go without. They have all offered to help me though

I will be on full liquids by that time. I will be okay. By Christmas I should be on to more regg. food.

Julie