Nancy Rivers

I was just wondering how soon after surgery you could go and have a massage for example. I know I should wait a while to allow the incisions to heal. I had a full body massage for my birthday this year and loved it so much that I want to do it again!

Thanks ladies for your input.

Glad you are home and feeling better. Thanks for the update.

My surgeon's office says to not weigh yourself everyday - only do it once a week at the very most because it often will "mess with you" . I started my pre-op today. My surgeon only does a 12 day pre-op instead of the 14 day that I originally thought it was. 4 Protein shakes per day plus 6 servings of "real food" that I get to pick from a list of 6 foods. Hmm... something strange about that. LOL Anyway, it's 8pm and I am full but still have 2 servings of real food to eat today. I'm going to try to do better tomorrow and make sure I get everything in. This is going to be hard from the perspective of eating everything they want me to! I had originally thought that I would be hungry during this phase, but that definitely isn't the case today. Keep with it - the pounds will eventually come off. Make sure you are getting all of your Water too.

I would take your food/exercise diary with you. Your surgeon may want to take a look at it. Definitely have your list of questions for the surgeon. Other than that, I wouldn't take anything else for the first meeting. The surgeon will discuss the options and your health history and will decide if you would be a potentially good candidate for surgery. Sounds like you are on top of it. Oh, and welcome to the forums!

After not drinking the carbonated beverages for a while, I have found I really don't like the carbonation. That's why I shake these waters - once they are flat, I really enjoy them. I just wish they would make them without the carbonation, but then how would I get my exercise in? LOL

Wow - congratulations on the weight loss so far! That is awesome!!!!

I was the same way. I had such a LONG time (at least it seemed that way to me) from the informational seminar on April 6 to the first appointment on May 18 then to all of the hoops on starting on June 21. Now here I am starting the pre-op diet today (my doc required a 12 day diet) and now it seems like a whirlwind. Back in April and May I just wanted to get started on it, but couldn't. So, I kept coming onto the forums, researching (which I LOVE to do), and started making small changes that I knew I would have to later - like stopping the caffeine and carbonated beverages, stopping the fast food - although frankly that one was the hardest and least successful of the changes, eating more often but in smaller quantities, etc. I figured if I did it one step at a time, it would be easier in the long run for me. And it helped keep my excitement up because I actually felt like I was working toward the new me.

Congrats on getting a date!

I don't look at it as giving up control. I look at it as taking control over my life. I am learning how to eat to be healthier, how to exercise to be healthier, etc. Before this journey, there was no exercise, and my eating was out of control as I would eat anything and everything that I wanted. How was that in control? Now, I'm learning to control my urges and eat only to live - not living to eat. It's a major change in mindset - but it's a change for the better. It will be hard, no doubt about it. Change is always hard - especially when social situations all have unhealthy foods that we are expected to eat. But you can do it! One of my best friends in high school was in a different social situation with me and got very angry with me and stopped talking to me when I was cooking a dinner and made it a healthier version that what was normal. I actually had a lot of people come to me after the dinner saying it was one of the best they had in that type of situation. I think she was just jealous that I was making the meal my own instead of the unhealthy versions that everyone else had been using because they were following the ancient recipes. Well, I followed the recipe too - I just made some healthier substitutions. It still tasted very similar. This was a few years ago, and it upset me at the time, but now I know it was probably just jealousy and frankly, I'm better off without her in my life. I hate to say that, but it's true.

During my pre-op teaching, the PA said that there was no solid evidence that drinking through a straw produced more gas - so if we wanted to we could.

I hope you get feeling better soon!

Yesterday in pre-op teaching they told me that the vitamins would be started 2 weeks after surgery.

Congratulations and good luck with your upcoming surgery!

No, I am extremely sedentary. When I started this process, I couldn't stand for 5 minutes without breaking out into a sweat. I couldn't walk 5 minutes without being winded (and that was on a level surface walking very slowly!). I've started to walk a little bit more and can get up to about 10 minutes before becoming winded and about 10 minutes of standing without breaking out in a sweat. I know it will improve after surgery as the weight comes off, it will be easier for me to exercise. I had back surgery 4 years ago - and since then, my health has really gone downhill. It was only about 3 months ago that I was able to finally stand up straight! This surgery will literally give me my life back. I can't help but be excited about that.

Congratulations on making it through the surgery and welcome to the forums! Thank you for sharing your story. So sorry you had such pain. Many people report having pain from the gas after the surgery. It will get better though.

Welcome to the forums and good luck! My EGD was completely normal as well as gallbladder. I didn't need cardiac or pulmonary clearances, so I can't help with those concerns. Hoping you get good news.

Congratulations on getting through the consult! The rest will be easy!

I'm really excited to be starting life anew. I start the pre-op diet tomorrow and while I kind of dread it, I really am looking forward to it. I did my shopping today so I'll be ready!

Do not take motrin - take Tylenol instead. At my pre-op teaching yesterday they told us the ONLY pain med we could take within 2 weeks of surgery is Tylenol. It will get easier - you are going through carb detox... I'm about to join you.

I've told virtually everyone EXCEPT my family. Why haven't I told them? Because they are the ultimate in negativity and dead set against me having surgery or even making any decisions for myself on my own despite the fact they know I research everything first. Eventually I MAY tell them, but then it will be too late for them to bellyache about it.

It can take a week or two to get a response.

I have a scale that will zero itself out before you step on it. You have to tap it in the center to turn it on and let it zero out, then you step on it and will accurately weigh you. I just need to make sure I put it on the bathroom floor where there is no carpeting because that will screw with it.

Just be careful to take the medication according to directions. For example, some medications cannot be taken with dairy or any type of food. Some medications cannot be taken with other medications because it will negate their effects.

Yes, it is very good. I found it a couple of months ago on another website along with ones from 3 or 4 other doctors across the country. I have read them all. While there were some differences, there were a lot of similarities. Just yesterday I received a similar packet from my surgeon in pre-op teaching. Again, there are some differences, but there are a lot of similarities too.