Hi

[Luckyme1123]

Hi everyone, I am not sure what to say here. I am kinda nervous about everything here. I have not had my sleeve surgery as of yet. I am too anxious about everything. I also have had to move. I am not sure about the after part and I feel like I'm not going to be successful in it. I think it's because of lack of info from my Dr and it's frustrating for me. I have been trying to get a good idea of the stuff to do after the surgery. And I am afraid to commit to it if I don't know everything prior.

[SteelerChick]

I'm 4 days post-op and new here as of today. What I know is this is a journey, not a sprint. The 6 months leading up to surgery was sometimes a struggle but if you stick to your program, listen to your dietitian and doctor, you will be successful. I highly recommend reviewing some of Dr. Voung's videos on Facebook but do not replace his information with medical advice from your doctor.

[SteelerChick]

If you really feel like you're not getting enough information from your doctor, besides doing research on your own, you might want to think about another doctor. Just a suggestion.

[Luckyme1123]

I'm afraid that I am allowing my anxiety to stop me from this. I don't have a lot of choices since I am currently on the state medical plan. I am going to be on disability. And part is due to the anxiety. How much did you know before you actually scheduled the surgery. I have to schedule mine, then I get a pre-op visit to get specific information. They gave me the basic info and had me get various tests done and I had to get the approval of the surgeon and aanesethologist. They have made it sound so easy to do on the dietary stuff.

[Madsadclown]

Hi there. I can send you my doctor's paperwork so you can get an idea of what to expect. Today is Sat 09 Dec 2017, my surgery is next Tuesday Dec 12

[SteelerChick]

I went through 6 months of preparation before we ever got to scheduling a date. I have Medicare. We had 6 mandatory diet classes and 3 mandatory support groups (once a month) but everyone continues the support groups because they are so helpful. Medicare's criteria are very strict. I had a gazillion tests, had to quit smoking (had a nicotine test), had to see a psychiatrist, and everyone has to lose between 5-15% of their current body weight to prove they are serious. Is anxiety a problem you have or is it just over this procedure? I don't know what your requirements are. It's all insurance driven.

[simplyseahorse]

Hi and cute pic by the way!!! I am so glad you found this forum! People here have answered my questions, and I am inspired every day listening to what they have accomplished. I have anxiety as well so can relate. Moving is a major stressor all by itself. There are lots of good links for information online, but your doctor or program really should be communicating more. If you feel you can, see if you can set up a time to call and ask the nutritionist some questions. Otherwise, people here will try to steer you along the right path, but you really need your medical professional to be helping you. That is a shame!

I had to do 3 months of classes for my insurance, and they covered most nutrition, along with the vitamins and examples of actual brands and combinations that I could buy to get them all in, and then the assisting nurse for the surgeries who is the program coordinator came and did one class where she walked us through the entire procedure - and let us ask questions. She even told us about the different recovery plans for each of the surgeons (one allows clear liquid the same night, one does not do a catheter, that sort of thing). I also did a lot of research on my own and continue to learn from experiences here - while not always EXPERT in the field, everybody is thinking about or has already been through the same surgery, so there is a wealth or information here.

[Christie13]

This is the best surgery ever!! I am so very glad I did this. I am so much happier and healthier. If you want to know a lot of stuff then read up on here and also another good site is https://www.obesitycoverage.com/gast...erence-manual/ Only you can make the decision for what is right for you. My one regret was taking so long to make the decision. I also was afraid that somehow I would fail. Happy to say I lost and really had no issues.

[Stacey03]

Sounds like you're in the right place then. Welcome! :-)

[sraebaer]

I had a pre-op visit with my doctor, a pre-op visit with my nurse, blood tests, and then at least 4 classes (one-on-one) with my nutritionist before surgery. She basically gave me a "bible" to follow, with every little detail about everything, which she went over with me. How long to do the pre-op diet and what exact products were acceptable. The rules about vitamins. (Complicated! Like I can't take my calcium with my multi-vitamin.) A step-by-step program of what exactly to eat each week after surgery. She had a lot of requirements for the protein drinks, they had to be so much protein, less than so much sugar, etc. Each week new foods were added until I was cleared for all foods at 6 weeks after surgery. If you didn't get this information, ask for it. If they don't have it, would another surgeon be an option? This isn't something you go into not knowing exactly what you should be doing!

I referred back to my big packet of information daily for months. They also answered any phone calls with questions. I still attend the monthly support group after 4 years. It really was a lot to learn.

Good luck!