Karen B45

Hi everyone! I just had gastric bypass on 9/23 at Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland and I would love to find some local people to hang out/work out with and just discuss the surgery and up and downs as we adjust to our new lifestyle. Hope to find some NW buddies! I am in the Seattle area, eastside (actually Redmond).

Hi everyone, I am Karen and I live in the Seattle area. I had my surgery on 9/23 and I am actually a revision, I went from a sleeve to the bypass. Would love to connect with others who are starting out on the journey around the same time to share support and stories...and maybe some grumbling once in a while.

Hi everyone, I am Karen and I live in the Seattle area. I had my surgery on 9/23 and I am actually a revision, I went from a sleeve to the bypass. Would love to connect with others who are starting out on the journey around the same time to share support and stories...and maybe some grumbling once in a while.

I am wondering what type of vitamins people use and how much you are paying for them? I have to start my vitamins this week and am probably going to go with Unjury unless I find something else that is comparable and cheaper. I know a lot of people use Bariatric Advantage....wondering what the lowest cost online site is for them? Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks!

Thanks very much guys, appreciate the feedback!

I know the feeling. I had surgery to feel better about myself in addition to improving my health. I also would love to find a partner, but just cannot find anyone to date. It's definitely harder to date over forty than it is when you are younger. I have been celibate for three years...don't want to say that I am asexual or giving up, but I definitely have times when I take a break and don't try for a while. You might just want to do that, take a break for a while and then go back to it. A few months away does a lot for your perspective on it. Best of luck whatever you decide!

coffee....I miss it so much! I am eleven days post op and have not had any complications beyond a super sore incision that they say is just bruised, not infected....but anyway, I am missing my morning friend and I am wondering who has gone back to drinking coffee and at what point after surgery. I don't want to drink too much to interfere with my liquid intake but seriously, even a cup would lift my spirits so much (not that they are down, I just miss my morning cup of coffee). Thoughts?

Wow I am sorry to hear that you had that happen but it is good you did the surgery, you wouldn't have found the problem otherwise, and that would have killed you. So I think it's a good thing. We had our surgeries (your original one) on the same day. I feel so much better than I did, right after surgery and you will too. I can't imagine being back where you are but as your original date buddy I can tell you IT DOES GET BETTER, REALLY. Now on the hunger. I am hungry too, most of the time. But it's not really actual hunger, it's head hunger. Seriously. No way your stomach wants more food than you are able to give it right now, it couldn't process it. But your head, that;s another story. I literally had to shut myself in my bedroom on Friday night, which is our family pizza night. Now if I tried to eat a piece of pizza I would be throwing up all over, but my head thinks it's a great idea. Stupid head, it's what got us here in the first place. I am a lot older than you are, and I applaud your courage for taking this step and taking control now. Good for you. Remember....it really will get better.

Thanks everyone! Yes, I meant to ask it at my post op and forgot and have been kicking myself ever since. I will give them a call tomorrow.

It wasn't a mistake, it was a great empowering step you took for yourself and your health. Don't beat yourself up for a couple of crackers. Now just think...I bet pre surgery you would have eaten the whole sleeve, or close to it, right? look at it that way, how many fewer you ate. I am two days behind you, I had my surgery on 9/23. I agree it's super hard to live on this stuff, and I have another week to go. We have pizza night every Friday, and I literally had to go sit in my bedroom until everyone is done eating. I know I would be super sick if I ate pizza, but that does not prevent me from wanting it. it's all about the head in this. The place where I had my surgery done has support groups, and I am going to join one of those, and then see about therapy to help with the head hunger. Your mind is bored with all the liquid stuff, your stomach couldn't care less. But I would just get back on the wagon, try to quit feeling so guilty and keep moving forward. It's a journey for the rest of your life, and this one tiny thing is not going to define the whole thing for you.

I don't like Water, so i have to have it flavored somehow. Right now I am 11 days since my surgery and I am drinking 2 Isopure Protein drinks, which is not a shake but a water drink...and then i have my two Protein shakes that I make with soy milk. Other than that, just water so far, but Iam about to do a post about how many people are back on coffee because i REALLY miss it and want a cup very much!

I buy my unjury at unjury.com, and the Isopure I did a google serach because they do sell it on Amazon but I found a site called Lucky Vitamins where it was cheaper and I had no prolems with the shipping, etc.

I am six days out from my surgery and my surgeon puts you on pureed foods on day four. I hate to say this, but I am BORED with the very limited types of stuff we can have, and trying to find ways to make it more interesting. So I was thinking maybe eggdrop Soup, but a variation, basically I would just boil some chicken broth and stick an egg in it and mix thoroughly. Thoughts? My sister said no, that would be too tough but the consistency wouldn't be much different with the egg than a soft boiled, I wouldn't think. Anyway, any thoughts would be welcome, or suggestions for other foods to try in this stage. Have to do it for another eight days, so input would be great, thanks!

Boy that is awesome, good for you! My surgery was two days before yours, on 9/23. I wouldn't say I have a ton of pain, but I did have some. I have a lot of soreness with the incisions now, that's about it. I was very glad when i was able to take a deep breath again without it being painful. I am excited for the journey too, but I do think the surgery took a lot out of me. I am defintely feeling better every day, but don't think I want to go back to work early....although I am going back after two weeks. I have been getting my fluids in, and I do feel pretty good about that. Anyway, it will be great to see how things progress as we keep going down this path! Exciting changes for sure.

Well I think that's something you have to decide for yourself. When i decided to have the sleeve, it was because it wasn't as major of a surgery, the recovery was shorter and less chance of complications. With a bypass as you know, they reroute your small intestine...which seemed like a really big deal to me. Well actually, still does. My sleeve stretched. I basically got to the point where I could eat what I had been able to pre procedure. I had some medical problems which prevented exercising, and the weight was piling back on. Also, I had my surgery in Mexico so not any follow up or mental help for the mental hunger issues, and I just was not able to be successful. The sleeve is great, and the success rate is really high. I just unfortunately am in the 30% that regain weight. But if it's a concern, I would really research which is best for you. Good luck!

I am a sleeve to bypass revision as well. My surgery was last Wednesday, Sept. 23 and my sleeve was in March 2012. I had no problems with the sleeve, and no complications. My sister did the same thing, sleeve and then revision to bypass. She warned me that the recovery for the bypass is harder, and to be honest, I have to say she was probably right. The bypass is more major surgery in that they take something and reroute it. I mean I know that's obvious but.....it does make a difference. Having said that, I havne't had any complications, and I am not at all regretting having it done. There are a lot of things that are the same, the tiredness, etc. I think you will do great, and the complications are just such a small percentage. My surgeon told me afterwards that he was expecting it to be much more difficult than it was, which was nice to hear. The surgery did take about three and a half hours. I also am off work for two weeks, including the surgery. I still feel like Ike I just had major surgery, but I am sure I will be ready to go back in a week. Although most people do say take another week off if you can. The other thing I have noticed....definitely still using my pain medication, but that is more for my incisions than anything. It just seems odd to me that I got on a flight home from Mexico two days after my last surgery, I totally cannot imagine doing that this time. It's just a different recovery. I don't know if that helps? But that has been my experience so far. I think you had messaged me previously, so if you would like to chat more, just let me know.

I love my unjury Protein powder. i have all the flavors, inlcuding the unflavored and chicken Soup. I just did the revision from sleeve to bypass and they were trying to get me to change at the surgeons office and I was like....no way, I am keeping what I know and love. What I have discovered this time through that I love and am addicted to for my Water is the Isopure Zero Carb Protein Drink. It has forty grams of protein in it, and tastes really good. It's 20 fl ounces. So I get in part of my water and protein at the same time, which I am really happy about. Anyway, those are my loves so far.

I was excited to see this post as I have the same problem going on and actually came on to the site to see if anyone else was having the same problem. My surgery was last Wednesday, 9/23. My big incision is pretty painful. I am not sure that it's really red or swollen, it just hurts. My post op appointment is tomorrow, so I will be interested to see what the surgeon says. I was also wondering if anyone had any tips for more pain control besides the meds for the incisions? i.e. like any over the counter ointments, etc? I am so sorry to hear about the draining they did on you though. That sounds very unpleasant. Hopefully it gets better now

I would like to have some Fitness Pal friends too, I am using it for tracking my food intake right now, but I agree it goes better when you have some friends sharing your journey. I am under kmbrooks69.

I am currently leaning to Dr. Louisiana Valenalzuela because I found her at Mexico Bariatric center she seems to be very qualified and will only do 3 surgeries a day. Also I asked the Facilitator if they were referring a family member who would they choose amd he said DR, V without question. I haven't found any negative about her, so that's where I am at. I am going to have a revision from sleeve to bypass done in August, and am also going with Dr. Valenalzuela. Have you decided that is who you are using? When are you going down for your surgery?

I haven't been on this board in over a year, but I see this thread has been reactivated so wanted to put in my two cents. I was sleeved by Dr. Kelly in March 2012. I booked directly with him and had no problems doing so. I was originally going through a Lighter Me, and then chose not to do so after the Dr. they wanted me to see after they stopped working with Dr, Kelly had some really negative issues posted on this forum. I did know about the patient death with Dr. Kelly but did my research and found many people who had been happy with their experience with him. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about him, he came to see me several times before and after to make sure that all my questions and concerns were answered about the surgery. I felt that he honestly cared about my well being. As for my surgery, he did a great job. I had no complications, and my incisions healed really well. Weight loss surgery is hard, don't kid yourself otherwise. You can't eat very much for quite a long time afterwards, and it takes a while to kind of return to feeling "normal". I did have my sister go with me to Tijuana so I didn't go by myself. Anyway, just wanted to voice my opinion that Dr, Kelly is a good surgeon in my opinion and I have no reservations about recommending him to anyone who is considering surgery in Mexico. As for my weight loss, I am down seventy pounds from my surgery. Should be more, but...that's me, not Dr. Kelly! Currently a size ten, started out at a size 18. Very happy I had the surgery, it changed my life. Everyone has to make the right decision for themselves, but if you are considering a surgeon in Mexico, I would definitely recommend you consider Dr. Kelly.

So I am having my surgery on March 15th with Dr. Kelly in Tijuana, MX. I would love to make friends with some fellow March 2012 sleevers to share the journey....

Yes, I am having depression and hormone issues also. To the point I almost lost my job b/c I lost it a couple of times at work and just couldn't stop crying. Not good. But my weight loss is going well, I just don't have a very wide variety of foods that I can eat comfortably, in my opinion. But it's getting better every day (the foods) and I am overall very happy I had the procedure. I am very glad to be almost six weeks out. The first couple of weeks were pretty hard in my opinion. I am glad to be at the point where I am almost down one complete size.

I was sleeved 3/15 by Dr. Kelly. I think he did a fabulous job, and the medical care was very good. I would go back to him.

My sister told me that the first six weeks were the worst and then things started to get easier. I don't know, I was hoping to lose more in my first month, but I am making progress so I am glad about that. I think it gets better, you just have to give it time. I was not at all hungry for the first three weeks, but that does get better. As for things not tasting good, I hear you. But a lot of people talk about that, how food tastes different after you are sleeved. Hang in there, it will get better.