The Questions Thread-Ask Here!

Hi all has anyone has surgery and then had a baby? will it effect having children with organs moving around and being about to provide enough food/nutrients for them during pregnancy?

Hi Glenice,

The reason they want the nail polish/acrylic nails off is because the little pegs (Oximeters) use light technology and it needs to be able to penetrate through the nail and into the capillary bed, it can't do that will nail polish or acrylics as they block the light. They can stick the little pegs on your ear lobe or on the toe nails, they might not want to but they can still get a reading off those sites. It's basically just to check your perfusion levels like you said, which is basically your oxygen levels in your blood, but they can also register your heart rate and pulse intensity.

Oh and if you do decide to take your acrylics off I suggest you just take one off say one little finger they can access that site, no need to take them all off. I believe you can take acrylics off by soaking them in nail polish remover for a while and then they will come off. But it leaves the nail underneath very weak and ugly looking that's why I wouldn't be doing that as a first choice.

hi Girls

I'm just wondering if anyone has gone into hospital with acrylic nails and whether you have to take the polish of or remove the nails altogether?  I do know they have a little peg these days on ya fingers to check things, so I;'m guessing this new technology removes teh need for nurses to check your finger nail beds, press them and see how quickly the blood returns to check if you're perfused post op.

Does anyone know if we have to take our nails off??? Glenice

liny wrote:

Hey ,

So I am going to have the sleeve hopeful it will be sometime in the next 3 months :) my initial appointment is on the 6Th of June With Dr Wong from gosford . anyway my one fear is having the surgery and not losing any weight or not losing much I know that its up to me to use it as a tool but I got the way i am now because i have zero will power and i am an emotional eater . do you think that the sleeve will help me or is there a huge risk for failure?

It will help, you will not be able to eat that much. they only way you could not lose weight would be if you literally ate something like butter all day everyday.

It changes your views on food, and it forces lifestyle change.

Hey ,

So I am going to have the sleeve hopeful it will be sometime in the next 3 months :) my initial appointment is on the 6Th of June With Dr Wong from gosford . anyway my one fear is having the surgery and not losing any weight or not losing much I know that its up to me to use it as a tool but I got the way i am now because i have zero will power and i am an emotional eater . do you think that the sleeve will help me or is there a huge risk for failure?

Hi guys new to the site and three weeks from Sleve Opperation- have 2 weeks of optifast and wondering how I will survive on shakes?? I have had a band that slipped and was removed my appetite is rediculous- any advice would be great!

Sorry for crashing you chat..lol :)

How long do you go on the opti for?

I had one, only briefly tho, from memory they removed it after 24hrs post op, honestly tho, that one didn't bother me I was to drugged up to care during that period and it was the drains coming outta my tummy that where horrible.

ok thanks guys! :P 7 sleeps to go......

ps... I'm the Adelaide girl who got all the blood in her stomach.

I'm not sure a naso-gastric tube would have saved me. There was a power failure of 15 seconds during my surgery, which may have interfered with the suction the surgeon was using to extract blood from the stomach, or it could have been that my seam took a while to clot (I'm a red head, and red heads do bleed more: true!).

Last time I got blood in my stomach it was during an eye operation -- so go figure!

it is sooooooo rare these days put it this way I would have major concerns using a surgeon who still used them. Just put your mind at rest phone your surgeons room and ask the receptionist if the surgeon uses a nasal gastric tube for sleeves, if she doesnt know ask her to please ask him and give you a phone call back as you are really stressing worring about this.

I sooooooooo did not want one especially as I have my nose peirced and I did not want to risk having to have it peirced again. Sook here hates needles. I did not even have to remove the stud for the surgery, they just taped it.

These days hospitals and the staff that work there can work around all your worries and concerns. If you want to know how for some list any concerns you have and see if anybody has already worked out a work around for it to help calm your nerves. Just remember always be polite and friendly and people will move mountains for you :)

applesauce

Hiya,

I had the nasogastric tube. I wondered why my doctor uses them and others don't. I just assumed he was being over cautious and making sure he spotted a leak straight away. Today one of the other Adelaide girls wrote on her diary that she spent the first day or 2 vomiting up dry blood that was ingested during the op, her doctor doesn't use the tubes. The nasogastric tube ensures there is nothing in the stomach and gets rid of the contents of it into the drainage bag.

Its all to do with the doctors preference.

My question is, how many of you have had the tube that goes from the nose, throat and stomach?
i have been told it isnt really nessacary but i would like to know if many have?
i guess it depends on the dr though... but thats the only thing i really dont want! argh\!!

Thanks everyone
I think Im just over thinking things and going through exactly the same thoughts and fears as many people on here.
I have decided to just try and relax and let whatever happens, happen : )

I was also told about the lack of long-term data. It didn't worry me at all!

I am just planning to be part of the successful data that they gather in another 5 years to encourage others with similar weight issues to take this positive step for themselves.

I do have to keep reminding myself that it is definitely only a tool for weight loss. If you did eat chocolate, icecream and other high-fat foods all day, you could gain weight! But I've found that if I eat a healthy diet most of the time, and occasionally have something naughty, I continue to lose weight, even if it is only slowly.

I did look for the negatives too - apart from the risks with any operation, I think most of them are psychological. If food is your way of coping with stress, remember you won't be able to use it for that any more!

Hugs
Caz

Now Piglet, I completely understand why you have a need to find out all the downs as well as the ups - I did the same!

I think it's because we have been getting in there first with any negatives before anyone else has a chance. It's a self-preservation thing (well thats my junior psychology on it anyway). I think if we know of any pitfalls we can protect ourself against every eventuality. I have done exactly the same thing LOL.

The only down thing I found was the chance that you could regain the weight by constantly grazing. But you already know that (through reading and common sense - if a person is determined to eat high calorie food they will. They will just spread the bad things over the course of the day). My consultant only had reservations in as much as he said he did not have any long term data on the sleeve past 5 years but give it another 5 years and he said it might be the way to go instead of the bypass.

I don't know how much you think you need to loose but I have heaps and it was getting beyond a joke! I am glad I have done something.

Have faith piglet
xx

Hi Piglet

Dont worry - with any operation obviously theres a risk. But whats the risk of staying overweight ?!?! Lots more, knee replacement, hip replacement, gallstones, bladder weakness, arthritus, physical restrictions, diabetes, cancer, ...... bad clothes, expensive clothes, old fashioned clothes....... feeling of inferiority, loss of fun, missing out on all those fairground rides because you cant fit.... etc etc........(obviously the last few are not medical issues !!).

Im having my operation on September 8th and i cant bloody wait... I have lost 5lbs so far on my pre-op diet and was encouraged when i was told that those lbs will never never go back on.
amazing.

Keep positive - it really makes all the difference.

I will try to keep a good log of my progress if you want to watch me, after my op.

Hi all

Well Im 28 days and counting till my big op day. And Im thinking the nerves are setting in already!! (yikes)

The thing is, Im looking forward to "my new life" and cant wait for the day to come. I have researched and asked the doctors and anyone who can and will help with any info they have on the sleeve. Ive also read many things on line and understand the complications.

What Im finding hard to get my head around is..... I have managed to find ONE, yep ONE site that is negative against the Sleeve and I think thats because it was a form of gastric sleeve or stomach stapling that was done between 15 - 20 years ago. I do feel for them with the complications they have been through, but the sleeve / stomach stapling (or whatever you would like to call it) I think, has come on leaps and bounds since the 80's.

What I dont understand is, where is the negative press about the sleeve? Not that I want there to be any, but there are always those horror stories or people in the minority that you read or hear about. I also understand its more recent operation compared to the Bypass or Band, so there might not be as many negatives out there, but the vast majority of info I find is positive, which is amazing.

Maybe its just me but when you are told its basically one of the best operations to have to help with weight loss and the many illnesses people suffer from, I start to think, is it too good to be true?

I think Im just trying to find more negatives to keep myself grounded incase the worst happens or gear myself up for the the likely hood of having possible complications so its not such a shock.



I think I should change my name to worry wort : )

Hi Road runner

Good on you for making a descicion that will change your life for the better im 14months out from my sleeve and can honestly say its the best thing ive ever done for myself

Ive had moments wen ive thought wish id never had the bloody sleeve but that is just course i wanted to eat more but couldnt of course thats why i had the bloody op so i dont over eat

There are people who have had some problems but i dont believe ive read any posts that they wished theyed never had the sleeve

Cheers Sue

Hi Roadrunner

Just want to add my welcome to you too. I am 10 days post op and doing fine. I did begin to scare myself reading some of the complications people had but decided to give myself and slap and do what my common sense was telling me - GET THE OP DONE!! I'm sure there will be days where I say 'What have I done' but I know for a fact that they will be few and far between. It's early days but it's the best decision I have made in years and the support from this site and my family and friends has been tremendous.

The fact that you have secured funding is great!! My op cost me a fortune but I would spend the money again in a nano-second!!

Good luck - post soon
xx

Hi Roadrunner and welcome. You might like to post in the Introductions thread as well, as more people are likely to introduce themselves to you there.

I second everything FG said. It is only a tool but a damned good one. Problems post op are in the minority and most of them are generally swiftly sorted out. I doubt you will find anyone who has had problems regretting the surgery.

Take the time to read around and you will quickly see how many members are overjoyed with their new tiny tummies. You will be too.

Hugs,

Hi Roadrunner and welcome to the forum!

First I would recommend spending some time reading the site. Start with the Pre-Op and Post-Op pages and move on to the members Diaries. Hopefully this will ease some of your fears.

Yes there have been a few people in here who have had issues that have continued for a number of months but I am relieved to say they are in the minority. There are risks in any operation.

However looking at the long termers, the thing most of them feel happy about is the huge amount of energy that they have - there is no doubt that you feel tired for the first few weeks, you have had major surgery but usually this has passed by 4 weeks. You can certainly still pack the calories down after the surgery if you want, the surgery like all others is a tool, not a magic bullet.

Hi everyone,
I am new to this forum, I am having my vertical sleeve done on October 7, in Traverse City Michigan. I am scared, here is what is botherring me and maybe some posters who are 6mths or more out can answer these, and newly sleeved posters can help me with their experience of surgery. I am scared to have the surgery because, i am afraid i will not be able to eat and drink enough to be healthy and energized. I am also very afraid of constant nausea, which i read someone where lots of people get. I am hypoglycemic to start with and i am worried. My friend had a rny 18mnths ago , no complications, lost 100 pds, and now at 18mths out she is in the hospital with infections from a bowel obstruction, and has been there for 17 days. Even though i am not hav ing the same surgery it still has scared me. I am pretty healthy and hope to continue to b e. I dont want to have surgery and be sick all the time. Any comments would be appreciated. I dont want to cancel out of fear as it is hard to get approved from ohip for this surgery and i am one of the few who did get approved.
roadrunner

It would also be a good idea to look in the individual diaries - at different stages post-op. A lot of people (including me) recorded quite religiously what they had each day, so that would give you a good idea.

Caz

Everybody is different so I can only give examples of what I can eat. Usually I have an Up & Go for breakfast and for lunch I can fit in approx. 3/4 bread and butter plate of food ie small serve of meat plus rice or vegies, dinner about the same. I am usually not hungry between meals and don't usually get hungry at all. I get an empty feeling rather than hunger. Although I do sometimes get head hunger (desire to eat something, rather than actually being hungry). I can eat anything, no issues with bread or steak which are often problem foods for bandsters. Have a look on the post op thread, called What Did You Eat Yesterday, which will give you some examples of what people usually eat in a day. Of course the first 6 - 8 weeks there will be restrictions as per the band, ie usually liquid diet for 1st two weeks, then mushies for next two weeks, then slowly thickening or having chunkier foods until you can tolerate normal food. I don't eat more often ie six meals a day, usually I have three meals a day, plus maybe a snack for supper. You can have some snacks between meals ie piece of fruit or yogurt or something like that, but when I am at work, I don't usually snack. And you must drink plenty of water, ideally between 1.5 - 2 ltr per day. I usually drink about 1.2lt water plus 1 - 2 cups of tea or coffee (additional 400mls). Some dietitions say you can include this as your fluid, some don't because of the cafeine.

Good luck on your journey. It is absolutely the best decision I ever made.