Hi there SausageDog, I also have a tentative date for my surgery for the 8th November 2017. Just like yourself now comes all the paperwork, referrals, pre-surgery blood tests.

All the best for the 9th Nov.

I have purchased Optifast as this is the recommended product from my Specialist, cleared out the cupboards of all food items (left enough for 3 days while I start slow on pre-surgery weight loss)

I will look into the vitamins next week, considering these are going to be a life long addition to my daily routine I am looing into bulk buying these same as the Optifast shakes, soups and snack bars. I have never heard of the vitamin/nutrient patches, then again I am in a country town in Australia (we are so far behind the world and so over priced it sucks, oh well)

I would be interested to hear what you think about those patches. As for being stoked, well umm... perhaps apprehensive more so for myself.

Hey Johno,
I will be having the sleeve gastrectomy in Mexico. So there is minimal paperwork. I have a lower BMI I will start the pre-surgery diet seven days out. It's a good idea to clean out the cupboards, so I will start doing that also.
You can order the patches on Amazon. It's either Drpatch or patchdr. I will let you know what I think of them.
Well good luck with the pre-op diet and surgery. What surgery are you having? Keep me posted on your progress!
Julie (sausagedog) I have a dachshund hence the funny name!

I have spent many hours over several days looking into the types for pros and cons of each and it seems that the sleeve and banding are the ones that have the cons over the Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass (RNY) after all I don't like the idea of spending $25k on surgery just to have to pay for it again.

Band adjustments or replacements if it pulls through the wall and small risk of leaking along the staple line and with the sleeve the intestines have risk of getting caught in the gaps as weight it lost basically internal intestinal hernias can be formed which is a serious complication, obviously all this is yet to be discussed at the initial consult in 18 days so it ultimately is up-to the Specialist doing the op.

Australia thrives on paperwork and red tape for everything it is ridiculous, the politicians get richer while rest of country suffers under the pressures of excess governance. Australia certainly is not the lucky country.

Yea for you! I got my protein for shakes at vitamin shop. They have a whole wall of choices and take returns if you don't like them. I liked Nectar pre op but post op it was too sweet. About Time is really good with no artificial sweeteners. I got it through Amazon. Body Fortress is good too. I never drank the nasty premades. Yuck! Tastes often change post op so don't stock up too much on the protein.

Lcat4 thanks for the info! What do you mix the protein powder with, water or can you use almond milk? I have my date set, the 8th of November. I am practicing sipping instead of gulping and not drinking with meals. Or right after! It takes some awareness for sure. Oh! Chewing thoroughly is something I really need practice with! I hope time will fly between now and surgery! It's going to be tricky the week before, I will be in New Orleans for my daughter's wedding. So the liquid diet will be interesting

Hi Julie
Australia is seriously restricted to places we can go and have any real major surgery, selection is hindered as majority of major surgeries are done in the cities and there are no real differences for it price wise.

I have selected Roux-En-Y on the form so we shall see what the doctor has to say or recommend at the initial consult. Started with the Optifast Chai, it is disgusting, very sweet in a bad way, I just threw the last packet of that out, thankfully I grabbed the mixed box so I have other selections.

Heading out today to buy that bike training stand I have been putting of for far too long to see how that goes with the back.

Go the sausage dogs, I had a Roman Nose Bull Terrier, 20kg lapdog...

Johno,
How are you doing? I made a mistake on those patches, they are from PatchMD. I haven't ordered any yet but I will keep you posted. Right now I am taking a liquid multivitamin, Natures Plus, Ultra Source of Life. Also taking a chewable biotin supplement. It has 5000 much of biotin. I really don't want to lose much hair

Hi Julie,
I have not gone looking into the patches as no doubt they will not be available in Australia and probably couldn't import them myself neither, Australia sucks to large degree.

Hmmm. liquid multivitamin, wouldn't this just go straight through and not be absorbed? I am yet to discuss all this with the surgeon at initial consult, seems ages away.

Already got the thinning hair guess I will be shaving it all off or let it grow, another rbridge to cross when I get to that lol.

I am on Optifast as directed by the surgeon and I have to say so far I am not a fan of Optifast shakes, they taste and smell absolutely disgusting, this is the part I think I will struggle with considering I have to be on these for lie 3 months minimum if not longer :-(

ok an update for the Optifast Shakes, do as suggested and add 3 or 4 ice cubes to the water, this cooler temperature improves the taste %100. The soups are nice, need to be careful to stick to measured levels. The Snack Bars are just too nice and should be avoided as absolute last resort when you get that sugar craving, go buy mixed box, done, be warned, too nice ;-)

Sausagedog, biotin might help a little but hair loss is inevitable.

Johnno, liquid vitamins are easily absorbed. They don't have to be digested to glean the nutrients. I use liquid multi and sublinguals.

Well had my first set back today before even getting to see the surgeon with my doctor being hesitant to complete the paperwork I require... I guess one thing came from the appointment is I now know one of my triggers for eating wrong foods etc. and that is disappointment, unfortunately my life has consisted of disappointment one after the other.

Let's see what Monday brings and hopefully my GP has had a change of mind, I hope he does considering his statement "you're not to bad" you don't weigh 130kgs.. mood is not at all good, still sticking to my Optifast in case. Heck, Optifact VLCD might work for me without RNY.

update to my last post.

woohoo my GP signed off on the forms required, have done the Sleep Study, now I just need the last two departments to sign off, both hardest of all to convince and approve, fingers crossed, in the meantime I have the Hospital pre-admission ($17,000) and Anaesthetist ($1,900) appointments both on 2nd November 2017

Yea! That's really good news Johnno!

bit of an update, things going ok, gone from 117 kg down to 88-90 kg since surgery.

As for other things well yeah not too good, bad habits sneaking/snuck back in.

Not happy with myself for this. Feeling the blues currently, I created another thread/post for this so will not go into it here.

Recovery after surgery have been fine, no complications. I think I have developed some reflux but this is to be accepted I think.

One thing I have developed big time is like a 'tick' after speaking for a period I will start to like get the hiccups in my neck, the muscles start twitching rel bad and I need to stop talking and like calm down some. I will try to record a video of this next time it occurs, it doesn't hurt, not painful etc., just like a 'twitch tick' lol

Unfortunately, reflux is a common issue with vsg so you have to make sure you take very small bites. Acknowledge the blues and bad habits and then choose you. You can do this!