Surgery 2/1/18

Hello everyone,

I have been a silent participant of the VSG forum for months now and this week I finally built up the courage to post! I am having surgery this Thursday, 2/1/18, and I am so excited it is insane! All of the hard work that I have put in throughout this process is finally going to start paying off! A little bit about me: My name is Lauren, I'm 25 years old, and I am a nurse. I have a 9 month old daughter, she is my biggest inspiration for this choice, and am at my "pre-baby" weight now. I am 5'3" tall HW: 275 CW: 260.

I just wanted to introduce myself because I am sure I will be reaching out to you all in the near future. Also, I wanted to see if anyone had any advice on what to bring to the hospital, what to expect post-op, liquid/puree protein ideas that I might not think of otherwise, or just kind pre-op words of wisdom.

Thank you in advanced! I am so happy to be a part of this group and to start this adventure to a healthier me.

The biggest challenge post op is to drink your fluids and consume enough protein. It is very easy to forget about eating or drinking post surgery so you want to make sure you create a system that will support getting the appropriate nutrients to your body throughout the day so that you do not forget to eat. What can I say about puree? Horrible. I did not like eating pureed chicken or turkey. Fortunately, that phase was short lived and I was able to move into mashed foods, which is where I am right now. I had my VSG on November 29, 2017 so it is still relatively new. I know that as I move to more solid foods, my weight loss has slowed quite a bit, but I also attribute that to the fact that I am starting to work out and build muscle mass. With that said, I am still losing inches around my waist. Hope this helps a little.

Thank you so much! You put a lot of helpful tips into your post and I really appreciate it. I must say I am really nervous for puree, but I am sure I will get through it. Thanks again and congrats on your weight loss!

Puree only lasted 4 days for me. Small discomfort in the grand scheme of things.

No worries! I was a quiet participant as well. I finally just gave in and started posting. I've been back and forth to this site for years and I'm going to take full advantage of the wisdom of the people here, this time around.

Congratulations on your upcoming surgery! I remember how excited/nervous I was for my surgery day. You'll do great. Just follow the instructions of your doctor and do the best you can.

Thanks for the advice, June. I think that sticking with "support groups" such as this one will keep me on track. I am very excited/nervous and I really can't wait to be on the other side of this whole thing. Thanks for being so encouraging. I hope you all the success in your ongoing journey also.

Welcome! I took my toiletries, to include, my own soap, deodorant, toothpaste, and hairbrush, chapstick, change of clothes, adidas slides (any slip on shoe would be fine), phone, and charger.

No need for pjs/night gown. You'll be hooked up to all sorts of lines (as you know), and regular night clothes aren't very practical.

Wishing you an uneventful surgery and a speedy recovery!

Thanks for the warm wishes, Shannon. And thank you for the insight on what to put in my overnight bag. I have the tendency to over-pack (for the birth of my daughter, I had about 3 tote bags full of junk I never used). I think I'm going to take your approach and keep it simple! Thanks again, I look forward to talking more in the future :).

I literally didn't have a bag I took to the hospital, just a few things tucked into my oversized purse. I wore my slippers on the way to the hospital, so I didn't have to worry about carrying them.

Make sure you take some sort of lip hydration (blistex or even Badger Balm), as your lips with be dry after surgery. Also take reading material if you like to read, as there is usually nothing on TV!

I had an unusual post op experience with not being able to keep fluids down for a few days, but most people, I hear, have no problem with that. Make certain you are able to drink the four ounces an hour before you head home and then keep track!!! Also, a good thing to have at home is sugar free jello in your favorite flavor (peach, lime, cherry) and also for when you are on more than just clear liquids, either protein shakes or pudding with whey protein mixed into it. Oh, forgot, the best thing I did for after I came home was sugar free popsicles (Tropical flavors). The coolness really helped with the constant dry mouth.

I would be willing to bet that with a 9 month old, you have some Beechnut pureed chicken babyfood on hand. I added some poultry seasoning and a little pepper to the jar and that was my "pureed" chicken for a weekend, because we went out of town before I was eating solid foods!

Welcome to the fold! The people here are so nice, use them for support!

Thank you for all of this awesome information and advice! I will be sure to get Popsicles. I actually have a TON of beechnut chicken, turkey, and beef baby food. Bad mom confession: I have never tried it myself! But it looks like I will be in the coming weeks. I'll have to pick up a good book tonight also. Thanks again and I will be sure to keep everyone updated with my progress. I have only come across very kind, and helpful people on here.

Thanks a million! :)