ChristyAZ

Those first few weeks after my surgery are almost a blur for me now (6 months post op) but I do remember literaly crying to my friend with regret because I hated how limited I was and how stagnet I felt with the soft foods and having to think SO much in regards to when/what to eat and how to do it slow, have no fluids before/after .... it was insane and I hated it .... but it really did get better. Not sure just when but when I returned to work and back into the swing of things i remember one day thinking ...huh ..... no angsty moments today, i ate decently ... people were calling me "Skinny Mini" in the office and it was a good feeling .... so give yourself time because as hard as it is, before you know it you will be 6 months out and in such a good place mentally and physically that you will honestly think the surgery was the best thing you have ever done for yourself ..... good luck

My first appointment was 4 hours long and included a (paid up front) session with a psychiatrist for clearance PRIOR to my being seen by the surgeons PA (whom I adored). I had already pre filed my new patient paperwork (internet) and they already had my insurance requirments and coverage options prior to my walking in the door. Had I not met all the requirements, I would not have been able to schedule that 1st appt. After the Psyc eval, I saw the PA and discussed the surgical options and what I wanted for myself, I saw the nutrition and excersise staff for full evals and then was off for bloodwork, a sleep study and a mammo (yup ...and ouch) .... it was busy and confusing and thrilling and I am so so glad I did it!!!! Good luck to you!!

I like watching the haul videos occasionaly to get new ideas about WLS friendly items at other stores then where I normaly shop. Especially places like Trader Joes and Costso ..... I have found quite a few "new to me" items like Hemp Hearts (@ Costco) and Mahi Mahi burgers (at TJs) and have added them to my weekly diet plans ..... thats why I watch anyway

Goldfish crackers. And mini pretzels. And Skinny Girl popcorn (not all that Skinny lol) ..... salty and carby are my biggest weakness ....

Hemp Hearts! Taste like supper soft and chewy sunflower seeds. I add to my greek yogurt as well as to salads. 10 grams of protien for 3 TBS ... a little pricey in the calories but I really love the stuff!

I use ProCare Health Bariatric chewables. Inexpensive and tasty!! Glad I found these for my multi Vitamin. I have not been very diligant with the Calcium so I will have to keep an eye out for what the others say as well .....

Hi all ...

I am 3 months post gastric bypass and am finding the nibbling and snacking can really sneak up on me. A "bite" here and a "handfull" there and before I know it I have had more then I should. I can't see my future eating to NEVER include an indulgence however every day is probably not the best route to go. I can bypass the donuts at the office and the candy on desks ... my problem is the salty and crunchy ... I need crunch like I need air!!! I am still losing well and I feel awesome so I don't think it has become a problem per say but I can see it doing so if I don't develope better snacking habits. Anyone else having this issue so soon after their surgery? It was sooooo easy before my procedure to say "Im going to be so good....no WAY will I do anything to screw up this chance I have been given" but wow is it hard to just ALWAYS walk away from every temptation!!!

When there is a fire drill at work and you climb back UP the 4 flights of stairs with your coworkers instead of waiting for the elevator when its over. Without thinking about it. Like it's NORMAL to climb 4 flights of stairs. And your make it with little problem. Dream come true

I am 8 days post op and as silly as it is, I wonder if things are on track food wise. My program called for a clear liquid diet for the week following surgery and I had no issues at all with it. No hunger (head or otherwise). I did have issues with plain Water but I think that was just not liking it due to taste more then anything. Caffeine withdrawal headaches were sucky so I drank enough iced tea to combat this (I know...bad lol) but it did boost my Fluid intake. I had my post op class 6 days out and was fed my first meal. I ate 1/2 HB egg and an ounce of refried Beans. No problems but then again, I still had no real hunger. I was released to eat most items at that time with a restriction on whole grains (6 months out) and raw veggies (2 months out) and beef/lamb/pork (8 months out). Now for the weird (or not?) part. All my meals since have gone down fine. Greek yogurt, refried beans, Protein Drinks, ckn tortilla Soup, scrambled egg with a few sautéed mushrooms ...and so have all fluids ... even coffee. I have yet to "gulp" liquids but a normal mouthful is no problem. I have not had anything stuck, I never get a full felling though I stop myself at the allowed ounces (2-4) at meal times and I an fine with it. I don't get hungry even watching food commercials ... just that nostalgic desire to nibble. Am I just lucky? Is this weird? Prior to surgery I read so many with pouch issues...dumping syndrome... pouches that can only handle a few bites or certain things .... tastes that have changed ... unable to tolerate Protein drinks ....and I have none of this! Logically I know my surgeon did the procedure but it seems so unreal to not have any issues. So what do you think .... extremely luck or oddly weird??? It does kind of worry me and makes me fearful that if I have no issues...it will be that much harder to stay on track ...

Look at the recipes for Protein Shakes on the website theworldaccordingtoeggface dot com. She has some amazing ones made with sugar free puddings, instant coffee, fruits and other things. Maybe you will find something you can work with.

So I am 8 days post op RNY and Gallbladder removal and I have to say ..... it was harder then I imagined. It was painful but after a few days, I was off all pain meds. I plan to return to work in another week and don't anticipate any issues. Glad the gallbladder and all its poisonous joys are gone so that makes it all worth it!

Maybe a heating pad? I am so sorry you are having pain ....

AND MY FAVORITE PILLOW! Have no idea how I could have forgotten that ..... it was a must have!

I had my surgery last week. I took my Kindle (my second husband as my family calls it), Galaxy Tablet, iPhone and all chargers. I used my phone only. I packed chap stick and I did use it. I did take lotion but with the nausea, the smell made me feel yucky so I wished I had brought unscented. The hospital provided slippy socks. I hate hospital gowns so I packed loose comfy jammie pants, oversized cotton panties and cotton tank tops. I worse both sets and used the bariatric gown as a robe. Braless was my friend. SWEAR! With the abdominal distention from the gas and trauma plus the incisions, any bands would have killed. Worked perfect. I was allowed a shower my second day and they asked if I had brought my own supplies, I said no and they provided everything I needed (soap, Shampoo and conditioner). I honestly had very little idle time on my hand nor the concentration to read or web surf. I walked, sipped, walked, sipped, rested, napped and time passed quick ..... I did watch a bit of TV but don't remember much of it .....I had the poots but there was no odor to worry about (it was CO2 and I had no solid food in my system to cause it) .... I packed baby wipes however preferred the cool or warm washcloths from the in suite restroom so I did not even open them. Hope this helps!

My daughter is 18 and we have an amazing relationship like you and your daughter. She was very supportive and stayed almost round the clock with me in the hospital however in the pre surgery stage, when I was obsessed with everything WLS she did get a tad grumpy...... so I asked her what the heck was up. She admitted that she wanted me healthy but she was afraid I would change and then so would our close relationship. She also said she afraid for me having problems and not coming home. With everything out in the open, we talked some and she researched some .... in the end, she was wholly on board and quite a help to me, Since the surgery, I have tried really hard to keep things the same. I cook for her occasionally, go out shopping (although in sort spurts and she understands I am still recovering and tire easily) ... we are planning on yoga classes together .... I just keep her as the most important as it always has been ..... the RNY was a procedure, not my life (in my opinion) ..... hope that helps!

Mint herbal caffeine free tea worked wonders with my nausea while inpatient. I would sip it when warm then be nausea free for hours. Just thought I would share what worked for me .... I hope you can get ahead of the nausea and begin to heal!

That is absolutely amazing progress! Good for you!!!!

I had the same concerns however after chatting with others that have had both the bypass and the sleeve, I was ok. They reminded me that I will not have to give up those favorite foods .... just practice moderation which wont be that hard with the size of our new tummy's. Unless the issue is dumping, you can still have a bite or two of enchiladas once in awhile or a bite of your favorite cheesecake at holiday time. If you always deprive yourself, it won't be a good way to live in my opinion. I also think that our tastes will change as we begin to lose. What once was a favorite my be something e can't even imagine eating down the road. So don't give up on yourself. You can do this in a way that will work for YOU .... good luck!

When first out of recovery, I was on IV Morphine. When that proved to not work they switched to Diluded (sp?). It seemed to work better but for shorted timeframe. Once they added IV Tylenol along with the Diluded and it was wonderful. The next day, IV came out and I was switched to liquid Vicoden (Lortab) and although it tasted awful, it worked great. I was released with a script for the liquid Lortab and I have used it 2-3 times. Definitely at night so I can get some rest. Hope that helps

If your surgeon's plan calls for a caffeine free diet following your surgery and advise you to wean prior ... do it!! Do it and stick with it! I didn't and I paid a HUGE price in the hospital when the caffeine withdrawal hit. I am sure things are different for everyone but I had a headache that NOTHING would touch. And trust me, they tried everything short of giving me caffeine. The headache, nausea and fogginess made my stay a trial and had I just weaned as they advised, I would have had a MUCH better outcome. So that is my pearl of wisdom .... good luck to all still awaiting their surgery!!

I had my RNY on Wednesday 8-13-2014 and was released yesterday only with the promise of walking and sipping constantly. I had a rough few days while inpatient because I never weaned myself off of caffeine prior to my surgery. I had WICKED headaches and dizziness the whole stay. I also had more pain then anticipated but I was assured that was from my gallbladder removal that they did during my surgery. I was on oxygen and breathing treatments the whole time as well because my o2 stats were consistently low ... in the low 80's. However by day 3, I knew I recoup better at home so I begged and my surgeon reluctantly agreed to release me as long as I was good lol. Since I have been home, my tolerance for plain Water ... even the Smart Water ... has declined. I was never a water drinker before the surgery but I did ok with it in the hospital but once home, not happening. My hubby and some family friends who are RN's helped me concoct a beverage that was as close to plain water as my tummy would handle. I basically purchased a bunch of Tazo teas that were caffeine free or as close to it as possible. I add 6 oz of boiling Smart Water to two bags of tea (my current fav is the Twinnings black tea which is naturally decaffeinated) and a splash of sugar free raspberry Torani's Syrup. Once it steeps and cools, I add to a larger insulated cup and add crushed ice and fill the rest of the way with Smart Water. To me it is utter bliss. I have flavor and I can drink it no problem. I know it's not just plain ole water but I had to error on the side of not dehydrating myself and plain water was coming back up unpleasantly. I am down to pain meds at night only and even went out for "coffee" with some coworkers today (I had sugar free peach green tea). I am getting around well and the nausea/dizziness fog has lifted. I have yet to suffer any real hunger ... just a twinge of craving for a salty something that is not just broth lol. I return for follow up class next Tuesday so in that I am very lucky. Only one week (6 days really) of clear liquid diet before I will start the next level and I am so ready! I did have a moment or two of "buyers remorse" in the hospital but here 3 days out, I am so glad I did this for myself. I am ready to begin the next leg in my amazingly blessed journey!

My program does not have a liquid diet, just clear fluids the day before my procedure, so my last meal would have been the evening before THAT. My gallbladder however had different plans and decided that my planned gorging on chips, salsa and tacos and my favorite Mexican food place would not be taking place. Sadly, I ended up eating mashed potatoes. No butter, no sour cream, no gravy .... just a scoop of potatoes. I was sad lol ....

Well, my surgery is in 3 days and I am having both RNY and gallbladder removal so I can let you know in a week or so how bad it was

Well my surgery date has arrived faster then I ever thought possible. This will be the 2nd date as my 1st was postponed by 3 months and I never thought the day would EVER get here .... and now I am quietly freaking out! It seems so real now. And kind of scary. And almost a sadness that I will never eat normal again. Well, normal for the plus sized me as I am now which really is not "normal". I find I am not so much concerned about the actual procedure as I am about what follows. I know that it will be worth it. The health benefits and the energy levels .... even the slimmed down woman I long to be, in cute clothes and able to actually cross my legs .... but I am still really nervous and apprehensive. Monday my co-workers are throwing me a little celebration and I have tons of support but I somehow feel crazy with all the OMG thoughts rattling around my head .... and then I feel shamed because I worked hard to get this thru the insurance and get all my tests and studies completed. I want this, but this is kinda scary. Ok, stopping whining now ...

Positive thoughts for you and all those having their surgeries tomorrow! Your journey truly begins now .... one loaded with energy, health and confidence ...... Best wishes to you .....