Maria M.
Well here it goes! I weighed in at 297.5lbs on 12/15/06
Today was my consultation with Dr.Rosenthal at CCW. I was very satisfied with our session. Thank you to all who have contributed to this site or I would never have thought of all the questions that I did. Its only fair that I return the service. Since its fresh in my mind I will try to recount the entire conversation,
My first and most important concern was that I had a pulmonary embolism when I started the pill at 21yrs old. He immediately went to the IVC filter and reasured me that he takes every extrameasure to secure the patients safety and that an IVC filter will be placed on the day of the surgery. I asked when does it come out? He answered: It stays with you for life, we do not remove it. It is like a tiny umbrella that prevents a clot from the legs to enter the lungs. I here mentioned that I am a pack a day smoke. Here he responded that he was pleased I chose the sleeve, because of the smoking I would not be a good canditate for gastric bypass (complications are worse as a smoker such as stictures and ulcers). I asked: I've read that with the sleeve 60-85% of the stomach is removed, what percent do you remove? He answered: I don't know the percentage of the stomach but what remains is the size of a cigar. I will be self pay so I asked: What if a wake up in ICU and discover complications have happened and I have to go back to OR for what ever reason, can you assure me I won't have to sell the farm? He answered: I will wake up in ICU but whatever develops associated with the surgery will be covered under the flat fee of $17,615.00. How many VSG have you performed? 150 was the answer and informed me that it is still considered experimental by most insurace companies. They at CC have performed them for 2 yrs. How long before the edema and blood pressure drop. Its individual between two weeks and two months but it will regulate as the weight comes off. What is the rush of loosing all the weight so quickly? if I loose the weight slowly like over 2 yrs since I have about 180lbs to loose, will that give my body a chance to reabsorb the extra skin? At the end of 1 yr you will plateau and for the comorbidity issues the sooner it comes off the better,yes you can continue to lose the weight its up to you. Yes I will be left with excess skin no way around it. I'll stop for now but I'll come back to continue. By the way I made an appointment at the Lifeline smoking cessation clinic in Miami Beach for 12/18/06 I want to get rid of this nasty habit once and for all. Wish me luck!
2/26/07
The day has come DH dropped me off at CCF. I checked in at 6:30 am I was scheduled for IVC Filter at 8:00am.They weighed me at 283.4 fully dressed. They took me to what I later found out was the recovery room, had me change into hospital gown and booties. Cynthia God Bless her was the name of my nurse. What a wonderful person. Steven from radiology came shortly after to introduce himself he was to take me for the filter. Very pleasant person. I was taken to radiology for the IVC filter. They did the prep and then we waited for Dr. Brandin the head of radiology and the physician to place the filter. He came in about 9:am. He took the time to answer my questions; then performed the procedure under local anesthesia. I was taken back to recovery and fell asleep. Dr. Rosenthal came by at 11:00am. He looked at my stomach and was pleased (I guess that I had lost some weight). I fell back asleep waiting. At about 2:30 they wheeled me into OR. They had me transfer onto a narrow gurney and strapped me in. No counting backwards, no mask, I just went out. I remember waking up from anesthesia not remembering I was just in surgery. My first words were I have such a tummy ache worst than I ever had. I recollect a burning sensation. But just briefly. The days to follow I believe I was feeling gas pains no pain to stomach. My struggle was with thirst. My mouth was so dry. I tried to get a s/f lozenge in by bag they told me I couldn't. She brought me a moist cotton swab, bless her heart. That helped me get through the first night since I didn't get to my room till about 7:00pm. The next day I was brought to the leak test. That evening I got a tray of liquids. It took me a while to figure out it was gas pains not surgery, when the pain moved from place to place it dawned on me it was gas pains. For the first couple of night I had pain in my shoulder. I filled a latex glove with hot water and tied it and used it as a hot water bottle than helped a lot. By the 3rd day it was gone. The next 4 days It was like a stay at a resort. I felt waited on hand and foot. Dr.R is excellent. On Thursday after I passed gas I was discharged. Day 1 at home, this is day 4 post-op I managed to get down 1 AchievOne and a 16 oz water bottle. Each day Iam able to tolerate more liquids. I continued AchievOne for breakfast and then 3 oz profect for lunch and dinner, 3 to 4 cups of water. Day 7 Post-op. Been feeling kind of shaky all day, at about 4:PM I bent down to get something on the floor felt dizzy or light headed I'm not sure which. I took my blood pressure reading 107/73. Much lower than usual but I didn't think dangerously low. I took my BP meds this morning but obviously withheld evening dose. Laid down, raising my feet not much improvement. Drank beef broth & about 6oz gator aid no difference. Hadn't really paid attention to my pulse which is usually about 80 the last 2 readings 103 & 107. I know to contact my surgeon in the morning, in the mean time I'm scared to go to sleep. Total weight loss as of this morning 30 Lbs. since before pre-op liquid. Am I loosing to quickly?Day 8 Post-op. My Bp this morning is 124/78 Pulse 92. Gonna hold off my BP meds till I consult MD. You're all right probably dehydrated and low sugar. I guess my body is reacting to the rapid weight change. But boy I feel like I've been drinking so much I'm going to start to float. But I guess not enough. I didn't have high sugar pre-op so that probably was one factor. From when I started monitoring my BP yesterday it fluctuated between 86/65 and the low hundreds 100/67, 108/72, 102/72, 104/70, 107/73. My journal, 1 Achiev one for breakfast 1/2c s/f jello with BP meds, 32oz water, 16oz propel water, 1 Achiev one for lunch, 1profect for dinner, totaling 65g of protein. 1cup of beef broth, 6 oz Gatorade, 1 cup chicken broth, 2 fudgsicles (no sugar added), 1/2c s/f jello.
3/19/07
Weighed in at 265.5 today, 3 wks post-op. Lost 38 lbs 146.5 to go. I've bonded with my new stomach. I started eating 1 wk ago after my 2 wk post-op appointment. I love this I'm so grateful to eat food again after 4 weeks of liquid. I'm taking between 25 & 35 minutes to eat each meal. I'm confortable with about 2.5 to 3 oz of protein, about 1/4 chickpeas or beans and about 2 tbls yogurt. No protein suplements at this time.
4/23/07
Two months check in, am at 255 and loving it. Am down 48.5 lbs. Am still on Phase 3, protein and beans but am really working my meals. I can tolerate chicken, cheese, eggs, turkey, fish and alternate with chick peas salad, baked beans or black bean salad. I usually add either yogurt or pudding so I eat 3 things at every meal. My average meal would be 3oz chicken, 1/4 c beans, 1/4 to 1/2 cup pudding or yogurt. I excercise on the treadmill 3 to 4 times a week 30 min. Can't wait to start veggies. I would of never settled for this without the surgery. Now I feel content with this. I don't feel at all deprived. I cook on the weekends and have meals for the whole week, and I cook whatever I want its so tasty.
5/11/07
Just visited surgeon's office for 2nd post-op visit. Am at 249.5. Phase 4 has begun, just graduated to vegetables and am thrilled, it's almost 12 weeks since I ate veggies.Was kinda disappointed to learn must cut protein to 2 oz. but I get to add 2 oz of vegetables. Wipee! Celebrating now! Nut made a point of saying if I need to supplement protein then the shake becomes a meal replacement. How do you get 60-70g of protein with 2 oz. of protein 3 times a day when I barely made it when I was eating protein alone? Blood work is great, no deficiencies. Am waiting to get results of allergy test on shrimp, I think I have developed a shrimp alergy. The last time I ate shrimp I felt like I was turning into a lobster. I got a blood rush to my face and hands and spread like wild fire. Probably has nothing to do with the surgery but is kreepy nonetheless. I haven't eaten shrimp since. Still taking blood presure meds but have cut that in half.
5/26/07
Hi Friends!
I'm checking in at 3 months. Lost 63 lbs 116 lbs to go. Start BMI 57.8 now 45.3 I feel great! I’m wearing size 20 top 22 bottoms down from size 26. It took a while to get consistent in exercise now walking 30 min a day 7 days a week. The more I walk the more consistent the weight loss no way around it. My next goal is 100 lbs. It looks like its so attainable. God I love my sleeve. Got back my shrimp allergy test results, turns out I'm not allergic to shrimp thank God. Still baffled by the strange reaction.
6/27/07
Hi All!
Checking in at 4 months. Lost 73 lbs 106 lbs to go. Learning to live with my new stomach and very proud of myself. Ate out 4 times in the past 2 weeks. Making the right choices, ordering whatever I desire eating a little of it and taking home the rest. Not overeating and eating only protein and vegetables. I'm happy. Going for my first 100 lb goal shoud be there by the end of summer. Wearing size 18 top and size 20 bottom. Looking forward to fit into a size 16 so I can start shopping at reular stores. Bought my first pair of high heels in a long time. I just love shoes how awesome. I'm walking 7 days a week for 35 min on the treadmill. It's getting easier and easier to move.
7/26/07
5 months check-in. Lost 80 lbs 99 lbs to go. 1st milestone achieved less than 100 to go and next milestone 20 lbs away from 100 by God I can't wait. I'm so in love with life right now, I feel so good about myself. I'm looking good I'm in size 18 cloths. I feel like a normal size human being for the first time in a long time. It's amazing how much our culture puts so much enphasyis on our appearance I'm getting compliments and I'm being noticed by the opposite sex all of a suddden. I feel like my colleages at work are my chearing team everyone is so supportive.
8/26/07
I'm checking in at 6 months down 90.5 lbs am at 213 lbs 88lbs to go. My BMI is at 40.2 from 57.8. If I could resolve my issue with food anyone can. I never thought I could beat this after struggling with food since I was 10yrs. old. The sleeve has been the answer to my prayers. God I love my sleeve, this is the best decision I ever made. This feels like new ground I'm looking forward to onederland haven't seen it in over 15 yrs. before my son was born. I'm eating like a queen, just very little of it. I don't eat any carbs other than what's in the skim milk and veggies, which is something you couldn't have convinced me of pre-op. But after putting so much emphasis on protein I developed a whole new respect for protein and vegetables. I walk on the treadmill every morning at 5 o'clock for 35 min this is my physical activity for the day, and the only time I can fit it in my schedule. Thanks for visiting with me, love to all!
9/14/07
Today is the day I hit 100 lbs. weight loss. What an accomplishment! I walked around the office all day with a sign with a big 100 on my back. I feel so happy, I can't believe I did this so quickly. God I love my sleeve! I'm so grateful or this wonderful tool. It can be done.
9/29/07
Hi everybody! I could hardly beleive it I made it to onederland this morning at 7 months post-op. Yoo! Hoo! I weighed in at 198.5 for a total of 105 lbs. Can you beleive it? Have been taking dancing lessons, I'm in heaven going dancing tonight. Life has surely changed.
10/27/07
Well here we are 8 months check-in 191.5 lbs. 112 lbs. loss, 67 lbs.to go. I'm thrilled how this is progressing, I'm fitting into size 14's. I'm becoming more and more social. I've joined an outdoor adventure group, last Sunday I did a 5 mile leisure walk on the boardwalk, (my god I didn't know I could walk 5 miles) tonight is Moonlight paddle with dinner, latin dancing later, tommorow morning is 5 mile walk again. How nice it is to have no physical limits.
11/26/07
Hi All! checking in at 9 months 184.5lbs. 119 lbs. loss, 60 lbs. to go. I'm having trouble this month. I seem to be fluctuating can't seem to get a grip on it. I started a new job, I love it but I'm putting in alot of hours. Haven't been pre cooking much. Dont have refrigeration so most of the time I seem to be drinking my meals. This is a real interuption in my eating habits. I'm considering buying a fridge although I'm spending alot of time on the road. Maybe a cooler. Have to do some planning. The first few days stopped at Publix to buy ready made salad, sick of that.
12/27/07
What a blessing! 10 months out and 125.5 lbs. total weight loss Yoo! Hoo! Current weight 178 lbs. What a terrific accomplishment I'm so pleased I feel like a new person. Hang in there my fellow sleevesters it really pays off. God I love my sleeve. Thanks Dr. Rosenthal you're an angel.
02/29/08
Hi my OH friends!
Just checking in to let you know it works, and you can lose whatever you set your mind to loose. This is a tool and its all you need if you put it to work for you. On February 26th it made 1 year I got my sleeve. I lost a total of 135.5 lbs. Current weight 168. Who said its not as affective as the Gastric Bypass? Its as effective as you make it to be. and it could be done. Needless to say, life has surely changed and I love every minute of it. I'm not done yet I have 43.5 lbs to go and I will achieve it. I admire all of you for taking this step, I'm proof that it can be done. Hang in there its all worth it at the end.
02/28/09
2 yr anniversary! What a wonderful thing! This is so awesome, I'm a new person and for the first time in my life I'm maintaining. I'm comfortable at 154 lbs. I think I'll stay here for a while. My God! life has changed so much in the past 2 years, This is the best decision I ever made. I'm now divorced, my 16 yr old is now living with his father, I met someone a yr ago, he's wonderful! I'm full of energy and love my Sleeve. I still love food as much as ever but I make the best choices now. Occasionaly I'll indulge but my body reacts to it immediately so it deteres me to eating healthy again because I feel so much better when I feed my body the right foods. What a wonderful tool!
05/26/09
Happy Memorial Day! too all my friends, old and new. Just checking in to report well I guess I decided to keep going and am at 143 lbs. and loving it! Changes of life are coming at me left and right, good and bad. But I seem to adjust and move on. I guess these are the perks of growing older and better. I feel as if I'm 25 with the physical changes. Courage to you all! This is worth every penny, struggle, effort, complication.... etc. Go for it! I have no regrets.
