Kindle

My doctor was able to write me a scrip for Omeprazole (which I believe is Prilosec) which I had to get compounded at a pharmacy so it's a liquid I take 10 mL each morning... It "says" it's supposed to taste like grape, but it tastes like grapes that have been stomped by people who didn't wash their feet. LOL
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My surgeon gave me a list of recommended blood tests to do at 3, 6. 12 months and annually after that. I took it to my PCP and he has taken care of all of that. My OB/Gyn actually offered to do the bloodwork, too. That's the only followup care I ever needed. I have a gastroenterologist that could have stepped in if I'd had any problems or my PCP would have referred me to a bariatric specialist.

Gee, thanks @@CowgirlJane my "strong, confident independent woman" persona can come off as "stubborn, cold hearted b1tch", but I'll take tough cowgirl, too
Yes, I answered this post from a physical support aspect. I don't typically think about the emotional/moral support aspect of things (because I'm so cold hearted). In general, I prefer solitude to work things out on my own, but in reality I have a loving supportive family just a phone call away if I ever need them, and friends that would be there in a second.

]For whatever reason, a doctor should treat a patient if they need it no matter what the circumstances. Their obligations should be to the best welfare of the patient, not their own self interests. The US surgeon who removed my gallbladder had nothing but bad things to say about the fact I went to Mexico for my VSG. Despite the fact I had a completely easy, pain free recovery with no complications and successful weight loss, he was clearly prejudiced against a non-US surgeon. Ironically, he created a hernia during my gallbladder surgery. I've already talked to a different surgeon about repairing that hernia. He doesn't care that he wasn't the one who caused the problem. Another friend had complications from a colonoscopy and a different gastroenterologist readily accepted her as a patient and took care of everything. I realize everyone makes mistakes, but when there are complications, why should someone be forced to go back to the doctor that caused the problem in the first place?
I am a vet tech and we don't turn our patients away just because they were previously cared for by another vet. We give second opinions and treat animals with complications from other vets all the time.

Blood work (chemistry panel, CBC, folate, B12, D3, iron/ferritin, and calcium) at 3, 6, 12 mo this and annually thereafter. @@gina171 it's always a good idea to keep your will updated. I don't have kids, but I do have pets that I need taken care of. As well as a house, property and investments. I've had a will and living will since my mid 20's. It's easy to do and can save your family a lot of problems and heartache if anything happens, surgery or no surgery. Heck, you could be hit by a truck tomorrow. My best friend committed suicide with no will. Believe me, the estate and child support/custody stuff turned into a complete nightmare for his parents, ex wife, and kid. Death and grief bring out the worst in people. It's a lot easier with a will spelling out every detail.

Thanks for starting this thread. I meant to do it when I posted in the other thread but didn't get around to it. Looking forward to the replies.

The only thing that limits you to only losing 60% of your excess weight is you. I've lost over 100% and am maintaining easily. I eat whatever I want whenever I'm hungry....protein first, then veggies, fruit and whole grains. But I also eat ice cream, desert, bread, alcohol, cake, etc.... just everything in moderation. I do not excercise and I've never tracked or counted or measured my food. I didn't have surgery just to be on a diet the rest of my life. I do make sure I drink at least 64oz of Fluid and I do take my Vitamins (but I've always taken Vitamins, so this is no change)
Other than making much healthier food choices, my life isn't a whole lot different than preop. Unless you count Having a normal BMI, shopping in regular stores for clothes, not being in pain everyday, spending a lot less money on groceries, and being able to hike, climb stairs, etc without getting out of breath, Perhaps I am an anomaly, but I just wanted to let you know that there is more than one way to be successful and postop life does not have to be all that complicated.

@@Kindle .... I have been reading and posting here for months, and I never ever thought of you as cold hearted. Never.
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@@gina171, if you think now that having your husband around will be more stressful than helpful, leave him out of the equation. He can visit you after you've been home a couple of days.
There's no way to know in advance how you'll feel after surgery. You'll be wise to have someone, whether a home aide or other, stop in for however many days. You'll definitely need someone to escort you through the hospital exit. Because their liability insurers are fussy, hospital personnel balk and gritch when someone wants to leave solo. They don't care a hoot once you're out on the pavement.
Yes, stock up before your surgery date. If you can have your home pain meds in advance, great.
Use your stress-free, alone time as vacation. Think your thoughts, sing, read and contemplate the wonders to come.

I experimented with dozens of different Protein supplements. But since individual tastes are do different, You can get single serve packets from Nashua Nutrition and check em out for yourself.
Ones I Really liked were....quest, Syntrax nectar, body fortress, syntha6, muscle milk, powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury and Spirutein
Ones that I hated and would never try a second time were....SAN Raw fusion, Bariatric Advantage, Bariatric Fusion, designer whey, SDC Nutrition, and Isopure.
Ones that were OK But not my favs were Protizyme, Jay Robb, Click, and javapro
And, BTW, I always dilute RTD with milk or Water and use twice as much liquid as instructed to cut the thickness and sweetness. Adding Torani syrups and PB2 to various Protein powders gives you nearly unlimited flavor possibilities.....chocolate Peanut Butter, vanilla almond, chocolate banana, strawberry banana, Irish cream, Peanut Butter cookie, raspberry vanilla, red velvet cake and caramel, chocolate mint, English toffee, hazelnut, vanilla pumpkin pie, gingerbread, Orange dreamsicle, peach mango, cherry lemonade, piña colada, etc......
However, I Do NOT recommend mixing Syntrax Apple and Torani caramel. It does NOT taste like a caramel apple

I am single and live alone. I travelled to Mexico for surgery. Went shopping the day after surgery, I was on the 6th floor of the Marriot and I purposely walked up and down the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Drove myself home from the airport five hours 3 days postop. Returned to a driveway full of snow, which I plowed with my ATV. I fed and watered my horses, dogs and cats. I went shopping, did laundry, got a haircut, and was back to work within a week. Other than asking a friend to shovel a path to the barn I had no problems taking care of myself and house/ranch chores. Couldnt lift over 20 pounds for 3 weeks, but that was manageable.

Telling you not to drink 20/30 min before and after your Protein shake is just stupid. The only reason for that rule is to not flush solids through your sleeve too soon so that you end up eating more than you should. So it really doesnt apply with Protein shakes . Fluids are fluids. And even the eating/drinking rule is archaic, carried over from the rules of bypass with no real logic behind it when it comes to VSG because out pyloric valve s still intact.
I say do what you've gotta do to get in all your protein and fluids and ignore the stupid rules that don't make sense and actually impede your ability to reach goals. And, BTW, that 64oz is a minimum you should aim for. You should actually shoot for more than that, especially if you are excercising, live in a warm climate, are experiencing a stall, diarrhea or Constipation. I actually got dehydrated on 64oz and now get 100oz every day.

This does sound complicated. You may have to make a schedule.
For me, all of my fluids (Protein shakes, Popsicles, etc.) counted towards my Fluid total.
For me, the bottom line is: 100 grams Protein, 64 oz Fluid. Sip, sip, sip.

@@trekker954
You should be drinking Water all day every day. And drinking your Protein shakes at meals times.
In the beginning it is really important to constantly drink as it helps keep your stomach open and prevent dehydration.
I'm not sure why they put a limit on how much you can drink at 64 ounces, but other than that, the instructions make perfect sense.
The instructions are always assuming that you are actually resting after major surgery and not working. I understand everyone can't take 2 full weeks off from work but you do need to keep drinking all day. You can't just chug Water at the end of the day and make up your water needs to avoid dehydration.

Those instructions sound confusing to me. After surgery, there are three daily requirements that are important. These are Protein, fluids and Vitamins. food is less important because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight. It is also important to walk 30 minutes every day (or equivalent exercise).
Right after surgery your body will be in a major heal mode. So it may be difficult to meet your Protein and Fluid requirements. Keep striving towards those minimum daily requirements and you will eventually be able to get there.
Your daily protein requirement is met by a combination of the protein you obtain from meals combined with the protein from supplements (protein shakes, protein bars). But at the beginning your meal volume will be so low you will need to rely on supplements. Otherwise your body will scavenger protein from your muscles, such as your heart muscle, your hair and you will become weak. That is why the focus is protein.
Fluids are also important. As your body destroys fat cells, it releases chemicals and hormones stored in the cells. These need to be flushed through your kidneys and expelled in your urine. So you need to stay hydrated. But fluids are more than just Water. It includes milk, the Water you drink with your Vitamins, the water you use in making your Protein Shakes, tea, Decaf coffee, the water component in Soups. So generally it is not difficult to meet this requirement. But it is an important one.
So 64 ounces per day of liquid sounds like a good minimum. 60 grams of protein per day might be a little on the low side especially if you are active.

Telling you not to drink 20/30 min before and after your Protein shake is just stupid. The only reason for that rule is to not flush solids through your sleeve too soon so that you end up eating more than you should. So it really doesnt apply with Protein shakes . Fluids are fluids. And even the eating/drinking rule is archaic, carried over from the rules of bypass with no real logic behind it when it comes to VSG because out pyloric valve s still intact.
I say do what you've gotta do to get in all your protein and fluids and ignore the stupid rules that don't make sense and actually impede your ability to reach goals. And, BTW, that 64oz is a minimum you should aim for. You should actually shoot for more than that, especially if you are excercising, live in a warm climate, are experiencing a stall, diarrhea or Constipation. I actually got dehydrated on 64oz and now get 100oz every day.

@@gina171 I live alone, not near any family or friends and I am single. My friend was here with me for surgery to take me to and from the hospital. I came home 26 hours after surgery, and my friend left the next morning. I was alone, and I was perfectly fine. I stopped taking the pain meds before my friend left and I was up and driving and caring for myself.
If you have a smooth recovery and a high pain tolerance, I think you will be fine alone. I actually recommend being alone because it is easier to work through your own emotions without other people projecting their feelings and expectations on you.

Do not go with the advice you get on here. You need to contact your surgical team directly since every anesthesiologist has different preferences. I absolutely could not keep my acrylics on for my VSG but I could for my gall bladder removal (different surgeon/anesthesiologist/hospital)

Lol
But don't get me wrong. I don't dislike men. I'm not a crazy nazi feminist that wants to degrade the male sex. I love men. Some of my best friends are men. Sure, I've been in love and I've had my heart broken. But I've had mostly good relationships and never been emotionally or physically abused. My parents have been great role models, being happily married for almost 55 years.
My disinterest in dating and having a relationship stems directly from the fact I am a non-social, selfish person. I wanna do what I wanna do when I wanna do it. Single means not having to compromise or negotiate. And the fact Is I prefer to be at home alone with my cats or on a trail with my horse and dog rather than interact with people (male or female).

I would certainly like to hear from the veteran veterans about ways to overcome the struggles that come up at those 3 , 4, 5 year marks. i keep getting hints that things are gonna change, so am feeling a little apprehensive as I approach the 3 year mark. I think details about the new challenges and advice from those that have been there done that would be extremely helpful in preparing for the future. I welcome your advice.

]For whatever reason, a doctor should treat a patient if they need it no matter what the circumstances. Their obligations should be to the best welfare of the patient, not their own self interests. The US surgeon who removed my gallbladder had nothing but bad things to say about the fact I went to Mexico for my VSG. Despite the fact I had a completely easy, pain free recovery with no complications and successful weight loss, he was clearly prejudiced against a non-US surgeon. Ironically, he created a hernia during my gallbladder surgery. I've already talked to a different surgeon about repairing that hernia. He doesn't care that he wasn't the one who caused the problem. Another friend had complications from a colonoscopy and a different gastroenterologist readily accepted her as a patient and took care of everything. I realize everyone makes mistakes, but when there are complications, why should someone be forced to go back to the doctor that caused the problem in the first place?
I am a vet tech and we don't turn our patients away just because they were previously cared for by another vet. We give second opinions and treat animals with complications from other vets all the time.

Your surgeon in Mexico should provide you with all the info you need about your postop care. My surgeon in Mexico provided me with a detailed diet plan, General excercise and nutritional info and postop care instructions. He and his nutritionist are always available for questions via phone and email. My PCP takes care of all of the bloodwork recommended by my surgeon. My OB/Gyn also offered to order whatever blood tests I need, too, so that may be another place to look if you don't have a PCP.
Other than bloodwork, I didn't need any other followup care, but if I had had any complications, my PCP would have referred me to the appropriate specialist. If you find yourself in that situation and no bariatric surgeon will see you (which is common because so many are arrogant pricks that don't believe there is excellent health care available outside the US) you would end up going to the ER where they have to treat you.

]For whatever reason, a doctor should treat a patient if they need it no matter what the circumstances. Their obligations should be to the best welfare of the patient, not their own self interests. The US surgeon who removed my gallbladder had nothing but bad things to say about the fact I went to Mexico for my VSG. Despite the fact I had a completely easy, pain free recovery with no complications and successful weight loss, he was clearly prejudiced against a non-US surgeon. Ironically, he created a hernia during my gallbladder surgery. I've already talked to a different surgeon about repairing that hernia. He doesn't care that he wasn't the one who caused the problem. Another friend had complications from a colonoscopy and a different gastroenterologist readily accepted her as a patient and took care of everything. I realize everyone makes mistakes, but when there are complications, why should someone be forced to go back to the doctor that caused the problem in the first place?
I am a vet tech and we don't turn our patients away just because they were previously cared for by another vet. We give second opinions and treat animals with complications from other vets all the time.

Gee, thanks @@CowgirlJane my "strong, confident independent woman" persona can come off as "stubborn, cold hearted b1tch", but I'll take tough cowgirl, too
Yes, I answered this post from a physical support aspect. I don't typically think about the emotional/moral support aspect of things (because I'm so cold hearted). In general, I prefer solitude to work things out on my own, but in reality I have a loving supportive family just a phone call away if I ever need them, and friends that would be there in a second.

I would certainly like to hear from the veteran veterans about ways to overcome the struggles that come up at those 3 , 4, 5 year marks. i keep getting hints that things are gonna change, so am feeling a little apprehensive as I approach the 3 year mark. I think details about the new challenges and advice from those that have been there done that would be extremely helpful in preparing for the future. I welcome your advice.