BigDog Bryan

When I had my surgery, there was one thing that they pressed me to do concerning a potential gas issue - WALKING. The Gas-X strips and the "Hospital Shuffle" laps with the IV Drip in tow should help to reduce and gas issues. Also, attitude is VERY important, so PLEASE don't go into your surgery with the full expectation of "unbearable pain". Try to focus on your new life reset and the excitement of clothes shopping every 4-6 weeks!!

I get mine from the Vitamin Shoppe, their store brand is Body Tech. Whatever you choose, make sure that the supplement gives you over 20 grams of Protein per serving without a lot of sugars. Their WheyTech Pro 24 has 24 grams of Protein and only 1 gram of sugar. It is reasonably priced, and the Cookies and Crème is GREAT in Iced Coffee!!

The worst thing for me was the leak test the next morning (an AWFUL TASTE). I was a bit loopy for the first day, then I was walking around the ward floor 2-3 times a day - VERY SLOWLY. What to pack: 1- a Positive Attitude, 2- a loose fitting warmup suit for the trip home, 3- something to read and something to listen to, 4- COMFORTABLE SHOES. I made a travel bag of stuff that I never even opened - pack LIGHT and be EXCITED for the New Life you are about to enter into!

Your BMI and a cooperative Primary Care Physician who can write a proper Recommendation (and maybe your GYN as well) should be enough. This is NOT a vanity-based decision, so they should be able to get you approved Before symptoms and other conditions arise.

You CAN eat cheese, just NOT SO FAST. Take your time and cut it into small chunks. I too am a Cheddar-holic, and the appetizer size chunks are now 2 bites each of pure enjoyment. You have a new relationship with food now, so embrace it with both hands! Enjoy, just don't obsess on one thing. Taste it, enjoy it, have something else as well. Remember the word VARIETY!

If you were on Diabetic Medications before your surgery, you should probably stop them now. Metformin disappeared from my daily routine immediately, so check with your surgeon.

2 things to consider. 1 - Your progress is best measured in percentages, not pounds. Weight loss numbers like some of us have seen early (Myself included) are too often driven by the fact that we are looking to Lose more than what you weighed before your surgery! In my first year Post-Op, I lost about 100 pounds (sounds GREAT), but that is just 55% of my weight loss goal. Perspective is a HUGE part of this process. 2 - Keep a SERIOUS eye on your Protein and Daily Vitamin intake. I found that when I didn't get 80 grams a day of Protein through supplements and foods, that I did not lose AT ALL. Check in with your Nutritionist and keep a diary of Everything you Eat and Drink every day. That's what has worked for me, and I hope it helps you.

Think of this simple fact - in the liquid stage of post-op recovery the sause alone would feel like someone set your new stomach on FIRE when the acid from the tomato hits your incision line. Knowing what to avoid to stay away from SEVERE pain makes it MUCH easier to allow others to eat. If that does not work, think about the smaller clothes (SEVERAL different sizes to come SOON) in your near future. Then learn to focus on the enjoyment of the company of your friends, rather than the food they are eating. You will be at the point of tasting and enjoying VERY soon, so take care and get through the next few weeks!

Extraordinarily WELL DONE!! Complete and understandable information from a VERY credible perspective

Make the call IMMEDIATELY! You and your future are too important, so don't wait any longer than necessary. Be excited and ready to change your future for the better!!! It's an exciting and VERY eventful journey - we are all VERY happy for you!

Look at it this way, they are getting the Before Picture of you. I'm still about 80-100 pounds from the After version of me, so I feel bad for the surgical team!!

I am EXTATIC with my WLS Surgery decision, and I have had no real complications to speak of. Recently, however, I have developed a nerve pain (sort of a burning, numbing pain) in the quadriceps and hip area of my left thigh. It is localized, and never goes to or past my knee. Additionally, my right leg is just fine. I had the well-known numbness that many with morbid obesity learn to adapt to, and it disappeared after I lost my first 35-40 pounds. This seems to be a different pain in that it doesn't ever truly go away. Standing does intensify it, but walking is less of a discomfort. Sitting for 2-5 minutes is like a "reset button" that allows me to continue with normal activities. I found reference to Meralgia Paraesthetica online, but this forum has become a vital resource as well. Any similar experiences and/or solutions are greatly appreciated. Thanks, BigDogBryan

FYI - went to the Chiropractor and found that there is a serious impingement on the left side in my lower spine, requiring treatment and adjustments. The good news is that it will be treated successfully. Thanks to everyone for the advice, encouragement and help. Bryan

The bubbly stomach sounds like your culprit. Are you taking a Prilosec or other version of Omeprasol every morning? You should be taking one each morning Before you eat for at least the first year+, according to my Nut and Surgeon. If you are, perhaps you have other GI issues, or you simply need prescription strength products to fix your bumbling tummy. Just a thought, based on personal experiences only

Thanks for the info - I do have a friend who is a Chiropractor, so I will check in with him soon. P.S. that's how you spell ecstatic at 1 AM on a weeknight

The Green Beans or the Broccoli - Stay Veggie based and RUN AWAY from the starches (Rice is a PAINFUL experience for me - Immediately). Have some chicken and pineapple, and enjoy the Conversation (Never really heard people talking Before the Sleeve!)

I had a Very Large hernia (about the size of a plum), and was 200 pounds overweight. As a result, the decision was to wait until I got to my 2nd Milestone (250 lbs.) and then make the hernia surgery a 1-time fix. The surgery team, and a lot of , stated that hernias often recur when there is too much pressure on the mesh insert (a REAL risk for a large hernia, like mine). After 100 pounds gone, however, I developed an intestinal block, and the hernia was removed as emergency surgery. The only downside has been that even though I feel fine, I can't return to training or bike riding until January. I was advised to give the scar tissue about 6 months to fully seal in the mesh patch. Remember that my experience is based on a LARGE hernia. If yours is small, the wait may not be necessary.

I remember the most frustrating time was getting on the scale and seeing "301" after about 10 months. Happy to be sooooooooo close, and remembering my peak weight as just over 400. Then a month later at the appointment with my regular doctor, I see 291, and it's PARTY TIME - Chopped Fruit and Hummus for Everyone!! Seriously, cracking 300 is a HUGE Milestone. It's a Burn the Bridge moment, since you will NEVER GO BACK! Congratulations!!

When you do the math and realize that you've lost over a foot from your waistline. When the first digit on the waist went from a 4 to a 3, it was life-changing (Started as a 52, now a 38). Funny that stores now seem to have a boatload of jeans and pants in my Old sizes (44 x 30 seems to be popular at WalMart)

CONGRATULATIONS - A Milestone on your journey has been reached!!!!! Keep it going

Your Post-Op eating life does NOT mean you need to stretch your sleeve out. You can TASTE just about everything you did before. The BIG CHANGE is to the volume. Make a plate that encompases ALL of the flavors you enjoy, and ENJOY THEM. The only other change that you need to make is to stop drinking while you eat. This is NOT a big deal since you are also eating a lot less volume, so it's only a "loss" of 20-30 minutes of drink time. Additionally, assuming by eat and drink you mean food - it all means the same thing. It is time to learn to SAVOR the food AND the wine. Enjoy every flavor and you will NOT miss the quantity of either. You will, however, become very picky about how food is prepared and you will find your new list of favorite wines based on Taste!

DO NOT WEIGH YOURSELF EVERY DAY!!!!!!! The progress you make happens much faster that you were expecting, but it also does not happen at a constant rate. Your weight loss is more like the growth spurts of puberty - dramatic changes over time, but almost unnoticed from day to day. If you want to know what is happening, go clothes shopping every 4-6 weeks. The changes as you shrink will be VERY apparent since your sizes will change just about every time!!

For most people who say you "don't need surgery", you represent one of two things - Courage or Change. Most people lack the courage to make a REAL change for themselves, so they don't want a reminder of their own timid nature that their own body image and self-confidence will have to deal with YOUR changes in the next 6-12 months. Your changes can truly scare some people - even people you don't know. Embrace the intimidation of your courage as THEIR problem, not your burden.

Sounds like a Perfect Storm of a lack of Hydration, Nutrition, Vitamins, Proteins, Hormone changes, and a Surgery Team with all the bedside manor of a falling safe. That is NOT a judgement, but a statement of empathy and caution. After surgery, it is vital that we are aware of our nutrient and Water intake for each day. A LOT has changed, and we have to re-learn how to feed ourselves. We also depend on our Surgeon and Nutritionist teams to give us the guidance, direction, and corrections that are needed to help with our successful journey. Support groups are also extremely helpful. I also realize that none of this means much when you are neck deep in trying to recover from a string of ineptitude that would drive ANYONE crazy. Another idea would be to go back to your Gastroenterologist for a post-op look at your Upper GI tract. He or she may give you the answers you need and a plan for going forward. When they ask you why you are not talking with your Bariatric team, be blunt - "because they have shown themselves to be INCOMPETENT" and you NEED ANSWERS. Remember that the Doctors work for you, not the other way around! Take charge of the situation by changing your direction. Prayerfully, this, in combination with other suggestions, will get you on track and healthy again. We are ALL here for your success!

Cheddar cheese cubes. Sometimes they are my lunch, but NOT every day. The desire. for cheese was not a casualty of my surgery, unfortunately. I do find them filling, however (about 5-8 cubes).