guatemama05

I think being able to eat more than you could at 3 months is normal. Your stomach is still healing and changing. I am 10 months out and have thought the same thing. As far as how easy it is to stretch your stomach........that's a good question. I suppose if you do things you aren't supposed to like drink while you eat, drink carbonated beverages or over eat, it will eventually happen. I think it takes some effort to accomplish this! It's not one sip of Diet Coke, or eating too much in a few meals but continued bad choices! I didn't get hungry for a long time but it has returned a little. As far as eating too much, if you stop when you feel you are full and not stuffed that's good! Don't try to get a few more bites down. I know it's easier said than done.

I haven't had any issues with that. Unfortunately I can eat anything. That's the good news and the bad news.

What about your blood pressure? I was on blood pressure meds and ended up cutting my dosage in half. Did the trick. Stopped taking them all together at about 3 months. I find that broccoli fills me up more than some other things and if I eat salad that has very little dressing, does the same thing. I think it's the water in the salad items. I kinda feel sloshy. If it's covered in Caesar dressing the weight helps and it goes down better. Ooh did I say that.....I mean I don't eat Caesar dressing.....I've just HEARD that!

I had my surgery in June and I'm cold much more than I used to be. I was such a hottie and now I am a different kind of hottie! I've heard this happens with rapid weight loss, but I find being cold is such a new experience and better than being hot. I love that I can wear real winter clothes this year!

I'll be happy to tell! I had my surgery on June 10th of 2013 and as of today I am down 80 pounds. I started at 258 and I am 5'5". My surgery was a piece of cake and the trip to Mexico was a mini vacation. I have never been sick or needed any pain meds and I have NEVER thrown up. As of probably 2 months after my surgery I was off my blood pressure meds and cholesterol meds! These days, I know when I am full and I stop eating! My body tends to loose a good amount, stall, gain a pound loose a pound then another good loss. I'm not exercising alot maybe once a week I make it to water aerobics, but I am so happy with my results. I've also not constantly monitored what I eat. I focus on protein, throw in a little veggies and fruit and drink water with crystal light in it! I also think the weeks I focus on starting my day with a protein shake my weight loss is better. Might be my imagination but it's an easy breakfast I throw some fruit in and it works for me. I also tend to weigh just once a week. I don't want to be obsessed with the scales and my clothes definitely show me my weight loss! Let me know if I can answer any questions. Laurie

Jnlebean here are my answers to your questions. I'm not a revision patient but did have sleeve surgery with Dr. Ortiz in June and I am down 76 pounds!I currently get food stuck, almost like my band is to tight, although I am completely empty. Do patients with VSG, get food stuck, like Lap-band patients? I have never had this issue. I believe if you eat too fast or too much you can get that stuck feeling. It's like a pain in your chest. They tell you to get up and walk it off. Do not eat anymore or drink anything. Do you have to chew the food until there is just nothing left to chew, like you do with the Lap-band? You are encouraged to chew your food VERY thoroughly. I think this is even more important when you start adding solid foods back. It also makes you eat slower which is a very good thing. Me....I'm still stuck in my old habits more times than not and eat quickly and don't chew as much as I should. I think I just fill up faster. I noticed if I am out at a restaurant or a party and am talking I tend to eat slower - maybe it's grazing - and seem to eat more. Are there no no foods, like there is with the lap-band? It was years before I could eat a sandwich after having the lapband put in. I still to this day can’t eat dry meat, like steaks or pork. I stay away from rice, pasta and fresh bread. Rice and pasta just swell in your stomach along with being carbs. I tried a bite of a sandwich at about 4 months out and it went down fine and I didn't have any problems but I could really feel what I call restriction. Chicken does that to me too. I don't know what it is but turkey, pork and fish I guess aren't as dense and are easier for me to eat. Maybe it's I can eat more of that without feeling so full quite as fast. I agree dry meats are harder to eat. Pork is one of my go to meats and I haven't tried steak. I think I could handle it if it were a good cut and not dry. Are you able to drink when you are eating, unlike the lapband, where you should wait at least 30 min. No! They say stop drinking 5 minutes before you eat and nothing to drink for an hour after. Not drinking keeps the food in your stomach longer which makes you feel fuller longer and doesn't wash the food/nutrients out of your stomach. How long was it after your VSG surgery until you could really eat solid foods? The OCC recommends you start mushy foods in the 21st day and I want to say about 2 weeks later slowly start adding solids. How much food can you eat? Let’s say a year after surgery are you still only able to eat 1/2cup of food at a time? I am 6 months out and if I do the cottage cheese test I can hold about a cup of food. This has been the case for a while. I didn't do that test until about 4 months out I believe. The swelling when down in my stomach relatively fast (2.5 or 3 months maybe) and I think I am pretty much to my 'normal' stomach. Can you go out for dinner and order a meal? Girl YES! I end up splitting an order usually with someone or I take it home for leftovers. I was going out and eating soup or broth not long after my surgery. Chili is always a good option for me in a restaurant if the menu seems limited. Just recently I tried salad again and I can eat a VERY small salad. I say very small because I want to be able to eat my entree too. OK half of it, or 1/3 of it! I think Dr. Ortiz advised a friend to wait 10 weeks before trying salad. I have a friend that had the surgery about a year before me with Dr. Ortiz and she says the good news is I can eat almost anything. The bad news is I can eat almost anything! I find that true for me too. Luckily I can't eat the amount I used to. I finally really understood that the sleeve is definitely a tool. If you can make good food choices, it will help you take off the weight. If you make bad food choices, luckily it will stop you from eating pre-surgery portions. Dr. Ortiz is such a great surgeon and I am 100% convinced his skill is what makes his patients so successful. Feel free to send me a message if you have any other questions. I don't log on to the forum much but a private message comes to my email! Laurie

Hey Chechelrachel - I wondered what to do with my things too but I just put them in my suitcase and they were fine! After my surgery I felt fine! I actually slept until about 9:00 that night, woke up and went right back to sleep. Woke up at midnight, texted my family and went right back to sleep. I walked out the next morning without any pain or nauseousness at all! I think you would feel up to a few things after surgery. I had my surgery on Monday and Wednesday I walked to the market a couple streets over from the OCC and back. Dr. Ortiz is an excellent surgeon and I am 100% convinced his expertise is what makes his patients have an easy journey! Don't be nervous, you are in great hands! I am 5 and a half months out and am down 75 pounds! I actually am IN our Christmas card picture for the first time ever!

I went alone for my sleeve surgery in June. It was a piece of cake and a mini vacation. Dr. Ortiz is the BEST!

I have a friend that had a band in the states and then decided she wanted it removed and changed to a sleeve. She ended up going to Dr. Ortiz and has had no regrets. Her process was very smooth and she has been very happy. I was just a sleeve surgery with Dr. Ortiz and it was super smooth and easy. I was never sick or in any pain. No regrets at all! I am down 64 pounds since June and would do it again in a heartbeat! verticalsleevetalk.com has some good advice but there is quite a bit of drama there too! Just be aware of that.

I tried the Enspira production and I LOVED them. The shakes were very tasty. Then they changed the formula and were NASTY. The protein was reduced to only 13 grams! I sent them back and have never received a refund. Supposedly the formula was suppose to change in August and offer more protein but I haven't had the nerve to re-order. I order the 'good' stuff in April and the 'bad' stuff in June. I need to email Lucia and find out what they are really shipping these days.

Definitely a question for a doctor. Since that is a blood thinner, I would think you would have to stop taking it for a period of time before surgery. I know I could not take any NSAIDS for I believe 2 weeks before surgery. The OCC is very helpful answering questions like this.

Vannie4 I can relate to what you are saying. I didn't want to give up being able to eat my favorite pizza and salad, or a big ole Mexican meal or that huge pasta dinner from my favorite Italian restaurant. it all gave me comfort. But I had to stop and ask myself, WHY do I ever need to be able to eat that much again? That's what got me in the shape/trouble I was in before my surgery. Now I'm down 58 pounds and my big old fat tshirts and capris that were tight on me are hanging! That is definitely worth changing my habits. It's definitely a life change and the tool I really needed to force me to make those changes that I couldn't make on my own. I know I can no longer eat my way to comfort. I think this mental image I have of my new stomach helps and I definitely don't want to mess it up at all! Best of luck in your decision. I agree with Dolittle......you will look back and wonder why you waited and had so much anxiety. I also think Dr. Ortiz is amazing! I am convinced his expertise is what makes the process so smooth for his patients!

I was sleeved by Dr. Ortiz on June 10th this summer and it has been a wonderful journey. I have had no pain or nausea at all! It's been 12 weeks today and I am down 58 pounds! I also traveled alone and it was heaven! I'm a single mom to an 8 year old so I was glad to rest, watch TV, nap and walk around without worrying about someone else's schedule or answering any questions. There are plenty of other sleevers to make friends with too. The Marriott and the OCC will take excellent care of you. Dr. Ortiz is an excellent surgeon and I am convinced his expertise is what makes the journey so smooth for his patients!

I did it! Went by myself. It was heaven and the surgery was a breeze! 10 weeks today and no regrets at all! Dr. Ortiz is awesome.

I had my surgery at the OCC on June 10th and have NO regrets at all! Dr. Ortiz is awesome and had better care there than here in the US. I am truly convinced his experience makes the journey so smooth for his patients. I never had any pain or nauseousness. I woke up the next morning and walked out no problems at all! I was a tiny bit sore at the incisions but that's it! I also went alone which was heavenly! It was a mini vacation for me. I rested and did only what I wanted and didn't have anyone to answer to! It's been 10 weeks today and as of Saturday I'm down 50.5 pounds! If I can answer any questions, please ask. I'm happy to share and answer any questions you have.

A didgeridoo is an Australian instrument. But I would guess Mikke5Vancouver doesn't know what he is talking about since he told some other ladies and I quote:

Yes the OCC has Wi-Fi. I was there in June and was able to use the Wi-Fi to text on my iPhone and iPad.

I did order their pre-op kit and I have to say their shakes are the best! Much better than the Unjury and Isopure. I love that the vitamins are all in one and formulated especially for bariatric patients. They don't smell like other vitamins too! LOL I didn't do very good on the pre-op. I ended up with a horrible migraine headache and missed some work. I ended up adding a little bit of lean protein and that helped tremendously. Don't be nervous. You will be in great hands and for me the down time at the Marriott was a welcome change of pace! Drinking gets easier each day and when you can have drinkable yogurt....OMG that was heaven!

Magee my experience was wonderful! It has been such an easy, smooth journey. I have had no pain other than a little gas rumbles but nothing major at all and I haven't taken the pain medication I was given either! It seems by Friday (my surgery was on a Monday) the swallowing was much easier and I could take larger sips. I think Dr. Ortiz is just a wonderful surgeon and his skill has resulted in such a smooth journey. I have a friend at work that had the same procedure here in the states and she was in the hospital on morphine for 2 days and had some nauseousness. I haven't had any at all! You will be in great hands with the OCC!

I was just sleeved last Monday and was given antibiotics to take but nothing in particular for my incisions. Whatever Dr. Ortiz uses looks like a seal over the incisions. They are clean, dry and pretty.....if you can call incisions pretty!

Hang in there! You can do it! I like Bella's response to eat a popsicle. You get to chew and get some fluids in! Being skinnier during the hot summer is going to be awesome........assuming you have hot summers. I'm in the south so it's definitely hot and steamy!

I was told their rates were really high and there is an additional fee. I got a loan thru my bank, but if that's your only option then go for it.

I am choosing VSG because for me, I didn't like part of my stomach being folded in. That just sounded a little too much outside the norm of how my stomach should be formed. This is just my opinion and isn't based on any research just sorta a gut feeling for me. I want to say I have seen research that VSG patients are more successful and come closer to loosing all the weight they want to loose. The VSG is also an older procedure so there is more history of successes, complications etc. In regards to financing, I went through my local bank for a loan. The interest rate was much lower and I didn't have to pay the extra fee. Hope that helps!

I will be thinking about you ladies next week! Update when you can!

OMG you look AMAZING! Congrats on the weight loss!