Optifast questions

Hi Kabby,
Welcome to the board. Is there a major reason why the VSG didn't work for you. As I can see you are going for a bypass. Are u doing RnY or DS and with which doctor? I hope you do the rasberry crystal light with vanilla and not the chocolate right?  

hey guys!

The VGS did work for me as a first step in losing all the weigt. I lost 100 pounds. I have been at my current weight for more than 1 year now so that's why Dr Henri Atlas suggested I go with the bypass ( roux en Y) and he will also do a revision of my stomach ( if possible.)

I don't know why it stretched by it may be because I was often vomitting or maybe I forced it too much?

I still to this day cannot eat a 'normal' size portion by still my stomach is bigger then when I had my operation so I decided since I want to lose another 100 pounds I will go allt he way tiwh the operation and get the bypass. Dr Atlas had always told my it was the second step to the VSG if I did not lose enough weight and I hept telling myself I would not need it but today i realise that this second (and last) step is the right thing to do.

I had seen him for a checkup in dec 2009 and he wanted to operate me on Jan 5 2010 but it was too soon so now I feel I have had time to prepare my self...

So second day of Optifast today... I must think of the long term results...

Thanks for letting us know your story. Dr. Garneau told me the same thing when I went for my consult. I wanted the DS but he said he would do the VSG and see my results after a year and he would consider the DS if my weight loss wasn't sufficient. I'm 410 pounds so I need to lose 200 pounds. I still think the VSG will do the trick for me but I will need work. If you don't mind, how much do you weigh?

I don't mind telling people about my wieght since I think honesty is the way to go here lol

I weight 277 right now. I used to be 100 pounds more.

My goal is to be at 177 ( or in that rage where I am confortable with my weight and healthy).

Dr Atlas told be that the VSG is a good start for people that have alot to lose because it put less pressure on the body that a bypass. So you start with a VSG and then when you are at a stable weight and need to lose more, the bypass is an option.

I wasn't sure that I wanted the bypass because of all the issues that canc ome with it: longer hospital stay, dumping syndrome and other not so fun stuff.. but I am ok with it now ...

Also, some people think that the operations are magical and we lose weight by doing nothing but it's not true... if you stop exercising and eating right, the weight will stop coming off.It's a lifestyle change.. I told Dr Atlas that he operated my body and not my brain so I have to do the rest....

That's the right set of mind. The surgery is just something to help you out. The rest is up to you.
Did you look into the DS? I remember back last year when I was looking at surgery the DS was the best choice for me but everyone is different.

BTW, you are a very pretty girl. Down 100 pounds is a huge achievement and you should be very proud of yourself! :D

 For the DS i was not sure.. I really talked about the other option with my surgeon and went with what he mostly recommended. He did offer to put a slim band on my VSG but I did not want that for me.

I am very anxious about going to he hospital again.. but I think about what good things will come after. I going to bring good books, MP3 with my favorite music and mu family are not too far away (50 min) so I will get visitors..

My collegues find that I am pretty tough to do the optifast thing.. one of them came this morning and offered to do slimfast with me :) very compassionnate.. but she is already so slim and I said girl, you have not meat on your bones, you dont need slimfast but thanks for offering :) sweet!

I am pretty new here so I did not read all the posts, do you have your date set for your operation?

No I don't have a date yet. I've been on the waiting list since April of 09 so my guess is I have another 5-6 months to wait. I can see you know what do bring to keep u busy while at the hospital. I will do the same. It's so nice to have support like that. I hope my colleagues will be as nice. I know they are very stoked for me to get this surgery. They say I deserve it. Whatever that means. Where you from exactly?

I'm about an hour away from Montreal ( south -west)

It' very important to keep busy at the hospital and to move around the next day. You have to make an effort to get a little walk ( in your super hospital gown) because it will help you heal better.

It's funny because when I had my operation in '08 I was in the recovery room and my family was waiting for me for hours.. they had to wait because they were cleaning my hospital room out because of the C difficile bacteria... very comforting.. so If I survied that I guess this next operation will be ok!

I have people that encouraged me and others that judged.. some people don't think these types of operations should be coevred by the RAMQ... and I always reply that it will cost less to our health system If I am just that: healthy.. If i don,t have high blood pressure, diabetes, breathing issues.. it will cost less. Also, if people that smoke, drink are getting free healthcare, why would we be denied the same care?

You're a 100% right! Now if only we can get the RAMQ to acknowledge that and start waking up. I'm 2 hours west from Gatineau (Aylmer).

Hi Kabby, welcome to the board. I just had my VSG 2 1/2 week ago, and the woman in the bed next to me had also c.difficile... lucky I didn't caught it... seems to be very frequent at Sacre-Coeur, I know another woman who had Vsg in  there and caught c. difficile after the surgery... So be very careful and bring Purell !!!
Good luck with the optifast, I remember it so well...

Diane