SuzeMuze

Wow, none of these were anything like what I had to do. I had to fill out a "circle your answer" type of question sheet...not hundreds, by any means. Most of the psych visit was face time with the psychiatrist who primarily wanted to hear my reasons behind having the surgery. I believe the point of the psych "exam" is to ensure that your expectations are realistic, that you have a good understanding of the purpose and procedure is of your chosen surgery, and that you have a positive outlook and the drive to help yourself succeed with the tool you're being given in the procedure itself.

The whole process for me took just under 3 months. Fortunately, I'd been working with my Primary Care Dr. + a dietician for a while before I took the plunge and chose RNY surgery. It started with meeting the surgeon's office staff after attending an informational class at the hospital (and monthly meetings after that) , followed by clearances for Cardio, Pulmonary, Psych, sleep Study, Abdominal Ultrasound, DVT ultrasound & full bloodwork. After all of that, a surgery date was set & the insurance company was notified & given proof of medically supervised weight loss before the RNY surgery request (it took less than a week to hear back) . I didn't actually meet the surgeon until relatively close to the surgery date- maybe a month or so. Best of luck to you!

I agree with Merkman. I've got my list of comfort foods too that I wonder if I'll be able to live without, but fear of "hurting" myself is keeping me from even wanting to try any of them. Honestly, for how much you need to drink to stay hydrated, you might not even feel those comfort food cravings- I really haven't. It takes a while (from my experience) to understand your body again and signals that its full- once you get your Protein in from a meal, I really don't have the desire anymore to eat the comfort sides.

That seeming "Weight gain" happened to me too! While the scale might not be your friend right now, the internet certainly CAN be. I read a ridiculous amount before and still after the surgery, looking for comfort that what was going on- from that post surgery weight GAIN to the hideous "gurgly gut" that plagued me for about a week- was normal. Keep your chin up, my friend. It will get better and the weight will come off.

Greetings, fellow humor lovers! I'm happy to say that I had my first post surgery doc appointment today and I was granted the golden key to "Stage 2 foods"! (insert dramatic music here) I put my foot in the proverbial pool by trying some oatmeal, mashed potatoes & Babybel Lite cheese wheels- not the best tasting cheese on the planet, but at 12 grams of Protein in 2 little 1-inch wagon wheels sounds good to me. I'm 8 pounds down and as a diabetic for a couple of years now, I'm off of ALL of my meds & my sugars have consistently hovered around 100 since the day I got home from the hospital. Oddly enough, I seem to be a poster child (for a good reason this time) of a good recovery. 2 days on pain meds and that was enough for me. I've started walking an average of 2.5 miles a day since the third day home from the hospital & I'm down 8 pounds- not too shabby. Halloween came and went with only a minor breakdown as the Almond Joys were calling me, but I didn't even lick that chocolate candle! I guess I'm so thrilled at remembering how to CHEW after over 3 weeks of just liquids I kind of forgot that chocolate used to be such a dear friend of mine. With any luck, I just may be able to have tidbits of Thanksgiving dinner this year- yay! I'd love to talk with folks who are at the same stage of post-surgery bliss that I am, whether you're doing well or not. I'm a great listener & am able to find humor in just about anything- I was even able to laugh at the post surgery diarrhea fairy that visited for a couple of days last week. If any of you are looking for a lift, shoulder to cry on, or a "Jeez, does this happen to YOU" partner, hit me up

Hi to Everyone! I'm one week post-op today, and came across these forums as I while away my recovery time at home. All in all, I think I'm doing pretty well- off of pain meds and out walking 2 miles a day since 3 days post-op. I have to keep reminding myself that I didn't get this heavy in a week...I'm certainly not going to lose it in a week! I've got my first post-op visit with my surgeon on Monday & am hoping like crazy that I can be moved forward to delicious pureed food. I'm pretty sure at this point if I cut myself I'd bleed chicken broth ;p I'm surprised at how well I'm not allowing the enormous bags of Halloween candy's incessant calls to me get under my skin, but I wont' lie- the smell of all the great food I still cook for my family (while I grapple with what kind of broth I want to indulge in each night) and the scent of some of my candles (hence the post title) really makes me miss the old life of "Want it? Eat it!" However, I'm stronger than that. And I'm sure there are others out there just like me. If anyone's interested in chatting, give me a holler, especially those who are contemplating RNY surgery and/or are at the same stage I am. Disclaimer: If you have a sensitivity or disapproval of an irreverent sense of humor, I might not be the best "pal" for you- I LOVE to laugh and find humor in just about everything! Good luck to all!