Welcome guest, you have 1 message! Register

Pulling out of the forum !!

  1. Zeekecavaricci
    Zeekecavaricci
    I'm back !!
  2. T-bone
    T-bone
    personally i think the info provided is very helpful sorry to see you go
  3. Kazoogirl
    Kazoogirl
    I wish you wouldn't. Your information is soooo valuable! Especially to those of us who aren't having our surgeries in the US! Please reconsider.

    Christy
  4. 1happyloser2b
    1happyloser2b
    I wish you would come back, we just became friends!!!! When I read your Posts they were a WEALTH if information!!!!! You are needed on this forum!!! You have taken care of bariatric patients so you have SEEN a lot of things that we need to know!!! If only a few people APPRECIATE you (which I can't believe only a few) then that is enough to continue to help us!!!!! You took your time to explain and type all of that information that I first read your posts it was GREAT INFO.!!! I thought to myself WHERE HAS THIS GUY BEEN!!!! Please come back!!!!
  5. leo39
    leo39
    I'm sorry you have felt unwelcome, I personally thanked you for being a bit tough because you shared information that I really needed to hear and you answered questions I have wondered.... thanks for what you did provide. I know what it is to feel judged, I made a few comments about my experience and not everything was hunky dory - I bled too much and had a leak, and I also was surprised being Canadian at extra charges...I wanted to just make it known to other Canadians that it can happen, as no one had told me. I guess it sounded stupid to Americans who pay for their health care but other Canadians did appreciate the heads up. I was actually very positive overall and just being honest but one poster freaked on me. I felt hurt. I just hope you can overlook the people who do not appreciate your information and that you will continue to share your knowledge. Take care
  6. Truebody
    Truebody
    I'm so sorry that you felt you had to go. I just went to send you a private message to say thanks for setting up this group.
    Miss your input and would really like to have you back.
  7. Zeekecavaricci
    Zeekecavaricci
    Hey Guys. I'm back. I appreciate all of your comments. I realized that my information is valuable and welcomed by most of the Forum. I have been working on many new education pieces and added some today. I search for information and then compile, edit, and add from my personal experiences. I do plan to continue adding information on a regular basis. I have received so many messages from members and visitors stating that they received either no pre and post surgery information, or received very little. I have tried to make my discussion topics relevant to as many aspects of "sleeving" as I can. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like for me to research and post, just ask. Dennis (zeekecavaricci)
  8. rn4kids
    rn4kids
    I am new here and was so shocked to see that someone with your experience was so willing to be a source of information for us. Thank you! Thank you!!
    You are already greatly appreciated by me! I am not sure what happened but dont let one person or a group of people run you away! I am sure u will be an invaluable source of info for me, and manynothers in the next few weeks especially for me!
    Thanks again
  9. SandyF
    SandyF
    I am new to this site and have found your posts very helpfull. I am glad you decided to stay.
  10. Miss Jay
    Miss Jay
    Dennis, I,too am a nurse, but you are a Wonderful Source for us on this site. I really appreciate you, thanks for staying on board, we need you!! Thanks for sharing your surgical experience as well. I will be there May 30th, at the same place as you, hope I can do equally as well as you did, continue to enjoy your journey........
  11. ShandyLeigh11
    ShandyLeigh11
    Glad to see you are back...just in time for my surgery next week! Thanks so much for all the time and effort you have obviously put in informing and educating us here. It is greatly appreciated!
  12. Zeekecavaricci
    Zeekecavaricci
    Thank You all for the nice comments. I was frustrated due to some negative attitudes, but I agree and thought since I had been through this process for the last 6 years with my lap band and also being a bariatric surgery, recovery and E.R Nurse, I would come back and continue.

    My news since surgery on April 4th with Dr. Almanza in Tijuana. Perfect time there, but I progressed so quickly, they let me go after 3 days. I changed my flight back to Oklahoma but had to have 3 plane changes. I had not had any problem drinking, no nausea, no vomiting, and very little pain. WELL THAT ALL CHANGED AS I HAD TO TRAVERSE THE AIRPORT. I BECAME EXTREMELY TIRED AND WEAK AND FINALLY ASKED A SOUTHWEST AGENT TO GET ME SOME HELP. THEY SENT A MEDIC WHO STAYED WITH ME IN LAS VEGAS, THEY GOT ME WATER, YOGURT AND CHANGED MY TICKETS SO THAT i WOULD HAVE A WHEELCHAIR AND TRANSPORTER AT EACH CHANGE OF PLANES AND CITIES. IT TOOK ME FROM 11:00AM UNTIL 02:00AM THE FOLLOWING MORNING TO GET HOME. SINCE THEN GOING GOOD AND SLOWLY ADVANCING MY DIET.
    I have found that the clear and full liquid diet was easy for me so I stuck to it. My only issue was my asshole was like a water hose. I started having leg cramps from so much water diarrhea. Over the last couple of weeks I realized that what goes in must come out and it was running right through me. I also thought something was wrong because I hadn't had any restriction. DUH...the liquids just passed through the sleeve. The first time I thought o.k. I need to advance the diet was with mashed potatoes, then scrambled eggs, both thinned with soy milk. That helped. This last week I added some solid food and chewed really well and after about 3 tablespoons, I said, "O.K. there is a restriction and the eggs were stopping the pouch like they should. The diarrhea quit and I have continued to advance slowly, but I am trying not to stay with liquids. Between meals I get in about 3000 cc of fluid a day. I still am having Popsicle too and they really help.
    MY BIG, BIG PROBLEM. AFTER ABOUT 5 DAYS AFTER SURGERY, MY STOMACH STARTED TURNING BRILLIANT RED PURPLE WITH WHELPS, HIVES, AND SEVERE ITCHING. I WENT BACK TO WORK AFTER 1 WEEK AND IT WAS MISERABLE WORKING 12 HOURS SHIFTS AND SCRATCHING MYSELF TO DEATH. I WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND WE BOTH THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE TAPE OR PREP SOLUTION THEY USED. HE GAVE ME KENALOG AND DECADRON SHOTS AND PUT ME ON PREDNISONE FOR 5 DAYS. I HAVE ALSO BEEN USING TOPICAL CORTISONE AND COVERING MY ABDOMEN TIL IT IS WHITE. I THEN TAKE BENADRYL EVER 6 HOURS TOO. FINALLY TODAY THE RASH IS GOING AWAY. I GOT SMART AND THOUGHT, "I AM LOOKING THIS UP ON THE INTERNET AND SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. YOUR ASSIGNMENT------------GO TO THE INTERNET AND TYPE IN AT THE SEARCH LINE "RED RASH ON STOMACH AFTER SURGERY". HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT STARTED ON EVERYONE ABOUT 4, 5, 6, OR 9 DAYS AFTER THE SURGERY. ONE OF MY E.R. PHYSICIANS THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE CO2 GAS TRYING TO ESCAPE THROUGH THE SKIN, BUT THE RASH THAT EVERYONE INCLUDING ME NOTED WAS THAT THE RASH WAS LARGE RED CIRCLES (LOOKED LIKE DONUTS) AROUND EACH OF THE LAP PUNCTURE HOLES. i HAD 7 HOLES SINCE I HAD MY GALLBLADDER OUT, MY LAP BAND OUT, AND MY SLEEVE ALL DONE AT THE SAME TIME. I WAS IN SURGERY ALMOST 5 HOURS. NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON, BUT IT IS NOT INFECTION. THE ONLY PLACE I AM NOT HEALED IS THE 3 INCH INCISION WHERE THEY HAD TO REMOVE MY LAP BAND PORT. THEY ALSO USED IT TO PULL THE GALLBLADDER OUT, THE LAP BAND OUT AND THE STOMACH OUT OF THE SAME HOLE. IT STILL HAS STITCHES AND STILL OOZING A LITTLE BIT OF YELLOW FLUID, BUT I KEEP A DRESSING ON IT AND TODAY IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS FINALLY SCABBING OVER. THE OTHER GOOD NEWS IS THAT BY THIS AFTERNOON MY STOMACH IS NOT RED, BUT STILL ITCHES.
    So to make this long story longer............LOL..............This experience is different for everyone. I am down 32 pounds in 3 weeks. More than the weight is the fact that your features change faster than the weight loss. I have gone from size 38 waist, to a 36 waist and now a 34 waist. When I returned to work everyone was saying, "Oh my God you have lost a lot of weight and you look thin." With those comments, I quit focusing on the weight and have also noticed the changes to my face, neck, arms, legs, etc.............Nice to get the positive reinforcement.........Another truth is that at this point I am not hungry, craving, etc.....and have found it easy to resist even the cakes, donuts, cupcakes, pizzas that nurses and doctors bring to work everyday. My sense of smell has increased and most of the time just the thought or smell of food turns me off. I literally have to remind myself that I have to eat something or someone else has to remind me because I will forget. NOW THE EXERCISE------I HATE AND MY TREADMILL WAS TOO BOUNCY, AND I AM SO TIRED AFTER ABOUT 13 HOURS ON A DEAD RUN IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM HAS BEEN MY EXERCISE. I ALSO HAVEN'T FELT GOOD WITH THE ALLERGIC REACTION. NOW THAT THE RASH IS ALMOST GONE, I DON'T REALLY HAVE AN EXCUSE TO NOT EXERCISE. WE HAVE BEEN GOING TO HOME DEPOT, WALMART, AND PLACES AND WALK THROUGH THE STORES FOR EXERCISE. IT ALSO ISN'T SO BORING, SHOP WHILE YOU WALK.
    ANYWAY, I WOULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN EXCEPT FOR THE ALLERGIC RASH ISSUE. I AM GETTING STRONGER EVERY DAY AND I CATCH MYSELF JUMPING UP OFF THE COUCH OR OFF A CHAIR LIKE I AM 20 YEARS OLD, WITHOUT THE MOANING, GRUNTING, PUSHING AND ACHING LIKE I DID BEFORE. MY JOINTS ARE NOT HURTING ANYMORE AND MY 5 BLOOD PRESSURE PILLS ARE DOWN TO ONE. I AM WAITING TO BUY ANY MORE CLOTHES BECAUSE WHEN I DID THAT WITH THE LAP BAND, I HAD TO BUY MORE CLOTHES EVERY MONTH. I WAS LOSING 1 TO 1 1/2 POUND A DAY MY FIRST 9 MONTHS AND MY WARDROBE HAS EVERYTHING FROM SIZE 52 TO SIZE 34. MY HOSPITAL SCRUBS ARE HANGING OFF OF ME, BUT I JUST CINCH THEM TIGHTER AT THE WAIST. I FIGURE AFTER I GET TO ABOUT 160 POUNDS (AT 191 NOW), I WILL GO TO WORK IN MEDIUM SCRUBS INSTEAD OF THESE 2 XL I AM WEARING. I WILL SHOCK THEM WHEN THEY SEE THAT I HAVE A WAIST NOW.
    If you haven't had surgery yet, be sure to get really good hair and skin products before you go to surgery. Your hair and skin will get dry just due to diet and dehydration. Being a man, I have not used lots of care products, but it really makes a difference. I have had 11 plastic surgeries in the last 6 years, and during the last 3 weeks have had glycolic and TCA chemical peels, botox, restylane filler to the wrinkle lines, bleaching cream at night. Apricot scrub which removes the dry skin and then a moisturized after my shower. I grew my hair longer, had more gray streaks put in, changed the style, shaved off the goatee and mustache and many people have said "Wow, you skin looks great, what are you doing?" Since I am 60, but look 40, I have to keep up appearances..............LOL..............Besides my husband partner is 41 and I have narrow the age gap somehow. Anyway, enough of my rambling. If you have any questions at all, please send me a private message so I will get it. If you just post or blog, it gets lost in all the others. my personal email is: dennis.gregson@cox.net Email me anytime. I don't mind. No question is stupid or dumb. All of us here on the forum realize if you want the real help, go to the sleevers, banders, and bypassers. The friends, family, nurses and doctors who have not had the procedure just don't know "jackshit". You have to walk in those shoes first before you start giving out advice. That is one reason there is so much confusion before and after surgery. Stay in touch here on the forum and you will get all the help you need. Chao, Dennis
  13. 1happyloser2b
    1happyloser2b
    I love your candor!! Thanks Dennis!!
  14. KebfromCincy
    KebfromCincy
    Oh, Thank Heavens! You didn't disappear from here. I am an RN too and I like to communicate with someone who knows the path I have traveled. I am going to send you a private message. I too like your candor. Please stay. There are many who can benefit from your personal knowledge, including me.
  15. CidCherise
    CidCherise
    Ditto all the positive comments.. you're a wealth of information! You being on the journey with us is a bonus!
  16. JennySower
    JennySower
    Thanks Dennis!!
  17. BriThePie
    BriThePie
    Dennis, thanks for all the valuable information you have scattered throughout the various forums. As a Johnny-come-lately I really appreciate your style, you make it easier for a newbie to get the information that they really need!
  18. Narasweet
    Narasweet
    Glad you are still with us,I used to come to the forum every day, it helped more than any information booklet I got from the medical team, although they did a great job with it.

    Being almost a year out,I have far more good days than bad, much fitter, healthier & happier but still kinda stalled for some months on losing, but I plug on, and even if I do not lose more weight,I am working out more and am the fittest I have been in decades. What an amazing journey but I still have days where comfort eating calls to me, we still have to keep making right choices...for ever
Results 1 to 18 of 18