terry1118

I was told coffee will irritate the stomach pouch but even worse is it's a dieuretic. You need to stay hydrated and caffiene interferes with that. I gave up caffiene several weeks ago, and it wasn't too bad aside from having headaches for a week. I was pleasantly surprised and very happy that I am sleeping way better now. Alcohol is also a dieuretic. It's very bad for your healing stomach. Wine is acidic and will irritate it. With your changed digestive system you will become intoxicated sooner, on less, and it stays in your system longer.
I get very tipsy easily anyway and in my own experience, I eat more and have less self-control when I drink wine. Those two things could be very painful and maybe even dangerous after surgery. I believe it's best to follow your doctors instructions for success and to avoid problems.

Thank you for all your very helpful and informative replies. I am looking into a Nexus7 to help me track appointments and progress, and to remind me to take Vitamins and eat. Your replies have eased my mind about some of my concerns. I was brainstorming about how to prevent dehydration when I do my yardwork this summer and thought maybe one of those camelpacks that cyclists use may work. I think they strap to your back like a backpack and have a tube that you sip from. I'm going to google them now.

Losing my hair is my fear too. I googled it and the explaination I found was that ANY stress to the body can trigger hair loss... like surgery, weight loss, illness, emotional stress, etc. You've had two of those causes. Hair loss occurs several months after the stress/cause occurs. It'll fall out for a short time and a person can lose prehaps as much as 50% of thier hair (worst case). Once it starts there is nothing you can do to stop it because the stress that triggered it occured months ago. The important thing to remember is that IT WILL GROW BACK. It is only temporary.
I talked to my dietician and she confirmed what I read. With proper diet (protein and vitamins) you can minimize hair loss. Some people will lose hair no matter what and some will dodge the bullit. Creative hairstyling can help it to be less obvious.
IT IS ONLY TEMPORARY. You'll get through it and it too will be worth it! Hang in there!

Wow your history sounds like mine. I had my surgery last Monday March 4th. I had RNY also. I'm so happy I had this surgery even though its been a hard week. It doesn't fix your mind. Keep plugging away at all of your Appointments and your surgery will be here before you know it. I can't believe I had mine a week ago. As for work they have to give you off for surgery. Don't worry!!! Keep in touch it would be great to have a weight loss buddy! Good Luck

I think the GB is your best choice, I had the band and lost 80 lbs the first year, and throwed up for the next 3 yrs every day...finally had it removed in August 2012, having GB on 4/24/13...wished I had chosen this originally and I would be well into my new healthy life , but better late than never!! Best of Luck!!

I wanted to do something permanent. It seemed that RNY had the best long-term results and I really desperately want long term. I am tired of being overweight and feeling terrible. I just want to feel good again, especially after having a taste of it when I lost all that weight with Optifast. For a breif moment in time I was comfortable and very happy with myself. I want that back.

My name is Terry. I am 53 yrs old. I have been overweight since the birth of my twins, 26 yrs ago. I gained even more weight with my second pregnancy. I tried WW and lost 50 lbs, but gained it back, and then some. I tried Atkins and lost seventy 75 lbs, and gained it all back. I spent thousands on Optifast, lost 80 lbs, and gained it all back. I was so sure that I would keep off the weight after Optifast that I donated all my old clothes. I bought a whole new beautiful wardrobe and I felt so good! But the pounds have come back over the last 3yrs. I have had to pack up my pretty wardrobe and buy new fat clothes for my job in a bank. I have knee pain, lower back pain, and suffer through each and every day. My husband has been working out for years with my son and looks amazing for a man his age. I am embarrassed to be seen with him, not because of how he looks but because of how I look. I imagine people wonder why this handsome physically fit man who looks ten years younger than his actual age is with that short fat older looking woman. I am ashamed and miserable. I am also very afraid of what my future holds. Will I be fat, in pain, and miserable till I die? Or will I even HAVE a future?
I came to the decision that I want to enjoy the years I have left, not just exist and suffer through them. I want to be healthy, feel good, and look as good as I can. I want to do all the things I put off to raise my family. I want to enjoy these empty nest years with my husband. I started researching weightloss surgery options. My manager had the lapband and lost 140lbs. I started talking to him and reading all I could about all the options available. I watched youtube stories endlessly. I started deliberately searching for BAD experiences but couldn't find many. What I did find was people who had unpleasant experiences due to bad choices and poor decisions. Most of these people clearly stated that they caused thier own discomfort (wrong foods, too much food, not drinking enough, or skipping vitamins). Even people who had surgical complications did not regret their decision to have the surgery. Mostly I found people who had over all a positive life changing experience. I made an appointment with my doctor to talk to him about it. He approved and thought I'd be a good candidate. I had an appointment with my thyroid doctor also so I discussed my decision with him. He approved and encouraged me. He also gave me a lot of information about the doctor I would be seeing. They arranged for me to attend a seminar about WLS.
I needed to tell my husband now. He was not to happy about it but recognized that I really wanted this. One night he told me that he was concerned about the seriousness of the surgery and possible complications. He said he'd rather have a fat wife than a dead one. I told him I'd rather be a dead wife than live my life as a fat one. And without the WLS I would probably die much sooner than he would anyway.
I attended the seminar and started the process that hopefully will lead to the surgery, providing I am healthy enough. I have chosen the Roux en Y gastric bypass. I had my first appointment with the surgeon last week, I have an appointment scheduled with a dietician, I'm waiting on my appointment with the psych people, and my lab work info will be coming in the mail, perhaps today. I am excited (about begining my new life) and I'm aprehensive (that something will prevent me from having the surgery). I go to the stores and look at skinny clothes and dream. I'm starting to buy small dishes to eat off of, Water bottles to ensure I stay hydrated, and cute little plastic containers to measure out food to take to work. I've bought a food scale, and a mini food processor. I splurged on a really cute size 12 business suit that I hope to be wearing by this time next year. I have hopes and dreams for my future, not dread.
What is causing me the most anxiety about this whole process is timing. We are converting to a whole new operating system at work and it is a HUGE deal, with lots of specialized training that begins in May, understaffing issues during training, pre-launch trials, and finally going live in August. There are MANY blackout dates where staff cannot be out of work. I am hoping to accomplish having my surgery without creating a serious issue at work. I am very thankful that my boss, having undergone it himself, is very understanding and supportive. There are key date blocks that can't be approved by him, but need to go through our main office. If things take too long I might have to put off the surgery till September, which I DO NOT want to do. Wish me luck!

Check out Fmla at the bank - if your at a large chain they can't give you black out dates - they won't be happy - but they can't