Katenct

Unscented lotion, iPad for games, chargers for phones & iPad, slip on shoes for walking, CPAP, eye mask & ear plugs.

My favorite:http://beforeandafterfatlosspics.tumblr.com
People add to it every day! Not all through WLS but some are. Regardless, it is so fun to see before and afters!

Hi, I am 9 months post op. I am 49 years old. Prior to surgery I weighed 330 pounds and had horrible low back and knee pain. I saw a chiropractor every week and had injections in my knees. I lost 40 pounds prior to surgery, and with every pound I lost, my pain was less. I have lost a total of 185 pounds and I am still shocked to wake every morning without any pain. I still come to the top of the stairs and grab the railing waiting for that sharp stabbing pain with the first step down, only the pain doesn't come!!
I would advise you to find some form of exercise that works for you. I found a recumbent elliptical. The more weight I lost, the less pain I had. Today I took a 90 minute Zumba class, and even with all that jumping around I sit here pain free. I don't have words for how liberating it is!
I know you asked how much you would need to soar, and I don't have a number for you. I will tell you that every pound makes a difference. Congratulations on taking this step! You are going to love your pain free life!

My surgeon recommends 60-80grams of protein per day either shakes,food,protein bars..whichever fits your lifestyle best. I use several forms for protein,I like the whey liquid tubes berry flavors @Wal-Mart 42grams per tube,injury Orange creme&other flavors @Amazon,pure Protein Bars @Wal-Mart ..injury brand mixes very well no grit,also Vitamin shoppe has bariactric protein also& mixes well.

Numbers can be deceptive but a conservative estimate is that there is a 50/50 chance that you will experience dumping following gastric bypass. Reality check - that means that there is a 50% chance that you might not experience dumping at all. It is a mistake going into bariatric surgery assuming that dumping will occur. But in the overall scheme of things - dumping is just not that important.
There is a long list of benefits associated with bariatric surgery including improvement or resolution of more than 30 comorbidities associated with obesity including type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, cardio vascular disease and many more. Not a single one of these benefits is attributed to dumping. None. Zero.
You certainly are not alone in having a pre-op sweet tooth and I'm sure others will share their post-op experiences. For now, consider the importance of what you likely heard at your seminar - lifestyle changes. The surgery is not a magic bullet. It can be defeated. Healthcare professionals seem to do a very good job of stressing the importance of lifestyle changes, but perhaps they are less effective in helping folks understand how to achieve those changes.
In my experience, the key is "follow your plan". As closely to the letter as you possibly can. Your team will almost certainly give you detailed instructions regarding what your plan is for each stage of your journey. It is the act of following that plan, literally living that plan, that produces the all-important lifestyle changes. In the beginning, it can be challenging. But changes are taking place, even though you may not be aware of them. Every day it becomes a little easier. Every day you think about it a little less. Every day that you follow your plan is a success worthy of celebrating. Some tips for your consideration:
Stay focused - follow your plan as closely to the letter as you possibly can. Stay positive - as long as you are following your plan, there is absolutely no doubt that you will lose weight. The laws of science and the universe cannot be denied. Trust the process. Stay patient - forget about a timeline. Commit to following your plan for as long as it takes. Never compare your weight loss to someone else's weight loss. Everyone is different. There are simply too many variables. Exercise - when cleared by your doctor, exercise at least three times a week. Exercise does not have to be synonymous with working your body to exhaustion. I lost 130 lbs just plain old walking. Three or more times per week. I started with 20 minutes each time. Today I walk about 3 miles at least three times a week, sometimes more. Stay away from the scales - we all understand the temptation. But there are going to be times when you lose weight very quickly, other times when you lose more slowly, and still other times when you don't lose at all. You know those times are coming. You know they're all perfectly normal. If you measure your success by the number on the scale, it is frustrating, stressful, discouraging and even self-defeating. Regardless of what your weight is doing, your response is a l w a y s the same - follow your plan. The weight will take care of itself. Do your best to resist the temptation to weigh more often than every two weeks. Maintain a food log - My Fitness Pal is highly recommended but there are a number of apps that do essentially the same thing. There are countless benefits to using a food log but perhaps this is the most important one - clinical studies have proven, again and again, that folks who maintain a food log lose more weight, lose it faster and are more successful at maintaining their weight than those who don't. Next to the surgery, food logs are the most powerful tool you can have in your arsenal. Forget about a weight goal - I know, this is a tough one, but it has great benefits. Commit to following your plan until your body tells you that it's at the weight it wants to be at. In my case my weight stabilized at 155 just a little under 14 months post-op. Today, a year and a half later, I'm at 153. That's where my body wants to be. Your journey will be less stressful, less frustrating, more fun, and much easier if you just trust the process, trust your body, and let it happen. Your goal is physical change but your challenge is mental discipline. Follow your plan and...
You're gonna love the new you!!

I was so upset about the waiting process when I found out. I had met with my surgeon, did the orientation, was emotionally all hyped up. The next day I called insurance and was told to have medically supervised for 6 months. That was back in November, so I have two more appointments. Now that I have been doing this about 4 months, I think it is a good thing, I have changed my habits and I am on a 2,000 calorie diet. I think it will be an easier transition to the bariatric diet, (hopefully). I wish you guys the best of luck!!

Thank you all for your support!!! I am back on the wagon and excited and I know I can do this. Also, I want to thank you all!

I just made a Walmart run to get some smaller plates, spoons, bowls, ice cube trays for freezing smaller portions, quarter cup snack containers etc. to help me on this journey in the beginning. I found most of it in the baby section. When I went to the check out the woman said, "Oh Oh! Your little one must be ready for real food!' I chuckled and said, "Yes..... I am"....she looked at me with a bit of bewilderment on her face and I just continued to smile.
I realized we are all a bit child like in this process, graduating just like children to new utensils, foods and the like with each phase we complete.
Here's to walking the path of "Gerber Graduates" Sleeve style!

Hi Dawn!
Thank you so much for your post. Sounds like quite the roller coaster ride but I am ready! Like you said it took longer for me to gain the weight than what it takes to get to the end of the ride but it will all be worth it in the end. I wish you all the best and please keep me posted on your progress!

Definitely will....

Hello Kate. I am from CT... Northwest hills.
I have not had my surgery yet but have gone through the seminar AS WELL AS (get ready) --- blood work, cat scan, heart doctor (for an Echocardiogram as well as a follow up visit), pulmonary doctor (and follow up - I have asthma), psychiatric evaluation, sleep study, upper GI, colonoscopy AND finally nutritionist. My insurance requires 6 visits (months) and I am on my 3rd. So I am hopefully looking at June or July for the surgery.
I had my seminar in January (then I had to meet with the coordinator as well as my surgeon).
I found that getting everything (all of the procedures) over and done with is easier (for me anyway). Now all I have to do is concentrate on my nutrition visits.
Don't freak out over the psych evaluation...(I see a lot of people on here do). The psychiatrist is wanting to confirm that you know what you are getting into, they will confirm you have support (family/friends) and will just ask you a LOT of questions. None of which is uncomfortable.
The upper GI and colonoscopy were absolutely nothing to worry about either. I don't know if you will need the colonoscopy - my surgeon recommended it because I am 51(damn him:). But you will have the upper GI...again you are out when they do this.
So it is pretty much hurry up and wait. I am anxious and excited to get this done...but I do realize this (my weight) was not put on in 6 months so .... I take this time to research....research.......research!!! I have also taken this time to try new Protein rich recipes as well as shakes, etc.
If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask on here ...everyone is extremely kind and very supportive.
Best of luck to you (us) on our new journey.
I am sure we will "talk" on here further.
Dawn

Hi,
I'm new and from Connecticut (southwest shoreline area) and was wondering if there is anyone here from my area? I am just getting started, I go to the seminar on April 21st and then will be going through all the pre-op appointments and tests. I am looking for online support as well so if anyone would like to friend me please do!

just wanted to throw out there this info...on youtube there is a great show from the UK called Fat Doctor. MANY episodes uploaded and no commercials. It is similar to 'my 600 lb life' however these people weigh anywhere from about 275 up to 450, so it is way more comparable to many of us getting surgery.
I have been watching the episodes this weekend as I am really focused on educating myself as MUCH as possible as I prepare for my surgery. FYI- there are VERY graphic scenes of the surgery itself but it is also a great view into what exactly happens-being a nurse it didn't bother me at all.
Just wanted to pass this along as I thought that it was really great to find such a wealth of info from the shows. btw, 1 stone=14 lb.