Brian88ss

The best way to do battle with it I have found is stay occupied. Don't sit in front of the TV that's my worst time. A good saying goes well here. Idol minds are the Devil's play things. Best of Luck. I'm with ya on this one. Brian

I'm with ya, a daily occurence here too. Hang in there... You're not alone. Brian

Yeah, I get it still geting used to it myself. Brian

Yes, How are you doing?

Yes Unity Point has one in West Des Moines on the first Saturday of the month and anyone is welcome to come to it. Normally it is required by most insurances to attend at least one informational support group. But if your not able to do it through insurance it would be just informational but lots of questions could be answered. About Mexico procedures I haven't heard any talk about that at support group. Hope this helps Look up Untiy Point Weight Loss (https://www.unitypoint.org/desmoines/classes-and-events-details.aspx?id=baab9cdd-0a9c-4905-a9dd-85957470da8b&typeid=d0c9b280-d721-4180-b9a5-f692a8d3b220)

Dub, Sorry I am taking so long to jump into this conversation. I just had my bypass a week ago and was feeling a little bad but I'm back in the saddle now, but dude you pretty much just told my story verbatim. I completely get where your coming from I also have UHC and yes the are a pain in the ass, and I had to go through 6 months of diet and exercise counseling with either a dietitian or my primary care doctor. The whole process for me took almost a year to get to surgery, it sounds like your laying a lot of good ground work and have a great attitude. If you have to do the D&E counseling make sure your doc notes what you are doing as far as calorie intake, amount of exercise, BMI, current weight, and goals. If you'd like I can send you the form we used and submitted I was approved first time through. The 6 months thing is a real downer but I assure you like I did use this time to your advantage, I used the time to do as DJ said practice not drinking 30 min prior to or after eating, try taking much smaller bites, (it might seem silly to you but I went out and bought a baby spoon to make me more aware of the size of the bites I was taking) practice chew, chew, chew, and chew your food some more this will give your new stomach time afer surgery time to tell you I"M FULL. There are other little tips I have heard along the way but any pre surgery retraining of your habits will only help you in a postive way on the other side of the surgery. I am so much like you in the way that I also enjoy to cook out and entertain friends. I full intend to continue to have friends over hangout on the deck grill out go swimming and such I just will have to do so as my new lifestyle will allow. The days of yesterday are gone I am doing this for me and I really don't want to give up hanging out with my friends but somethings gotta give. If things aren't changed my friends could be hanging out with me in a whole different scenario (ie Hospital, Funeral Home you get the picture). So what I'm saying is keep your head high and your definitely moving in a forward motion and if you need any help with what ever forms or resources I have just shoot me a message. NO QUESTION TOWARDS HELPING YOU REACH YOUR GOAL IS OFFLIMITS I will do my best to answer it. Good luck DUB Brian

I am thank you very much, and thanks for asking. Hope everything is going well for you too. Brian

Grandma, I know you are very determined to win, with that said weighing your self everyday could be quite depressing, even without wls. Most people I have heard from and I have chose to believe say once a week on the same scale at the same time of day. That's the best way to get the most consistent results. Wls journey is hard enough without the disappointment of a daily reminder. Your weight can and will fluctuate hang in there you'll get there. Brian

Hey Big Opie, I say going into wls with out the knowledge is VERY foolish. One of the best ways I gained great amounts of knowledge before I had my bypass is #1 have a wonderful wife who had a sleeve and has managed to lose 100 lbs in her first 6 months with great determination and complete commitment to following the rules. #2 is I have attended over 12 in person different support groups between her program and mine. If you have access to support group before or after surgery take it. The people at them will be people who have been there or are going on the same journey as you and are most likely to be the most help to you, and you to them. If anyone is to tell you that support group is for POST OP ONLY tell them I don't care I would like to attend anyway I am trying to gain perspective of wls (I was told this by my program and I informed them after I had attended several that they still had people at their front desk informing people it was for POST OP ONLY and the organizers of our support group took care of it). To tell the truth when I went to my support group I was the first pre op patient to come to it, they seemed quite shocked that I was attending but I must say they were very welcoming, supportive, and wanted nothing but success for their fellow friends. That is where you will find your acceptance it's almost a church of your people (if you will) they get it and understand the sacrifices and commitment that you will be facing in your near future and can be a tremendous help in your journey. I have found that the more you talk to people that either don't need a tool such as ours or haven't realized they are in need of help they generally don't understand or want to face the reality of their health concerns (god knows I didn't) until they come to the bottom of the well and figure out the only way up is to change (no matter how you do it whether it be wls or if your able to change your whole lifestyle without wls) they will never get it. If they don't support you in your life's journey, you don't want them anyway. (keep in mind everyone's wls journey is theirs and everyone's results most likely will be different). Welcome and Best of Luck Fellow Friend!!! Brian

Hey, I think I gonna live maybe? Feel quite a bit better, between getting my drain out, switch to week two diet, Mira lax,bene fiber, time & a dose of pain med for tolerance I'm feeling better. Yeah so far (knock wood, fingers crossed). ????. Brian

Will do thanks. Brian

Thank You I'll give that a try. I do know that deep breaths tends to help with a lot of things I just don't always remember to do it. Thanks for the reminder. Brian

Unfortunately Dr doesn't like Milk of Magnesia, but did get told that I looked very good and it's normal for a Bypass patient to feel uncomfortable and bloated one week out from surgery. Once they took my drain out made some difference but not a lot was told to take another dose of Mira Lax and add some Bene Fiber to my diet and constipation maybe something I may need to watch for in the future. So until things get moving I will probably continue to feel bloated. So I guess I let nature take its course for now, just get in some more walks and stay active to keep things rollin' and Thank god I got friends in my corner to talk to. Thanks a lot for your soft shoulders to cry on. Brian

That's why I haven't been on here much just haven't felt very good and a little sorry for myself. Just having a moment. It'll get better I hope... Brian

I'm doing Ok. get my drain taken out tomorrow can wait.... Still awful bloated feeling not sure what to think of that but I am going to the weight loss center tomorrow for my post surgery nutrition class hopefully get it straightened out tomorrow hope everyone is doing better than I am feeling quite bloated and miserable hope it passes. Great job everyone. Brian

I'm doing OK but I still feel very bloated. I went in for my swallow study today and go in tomorrow for a nutrition class and get my drain taken out I can't wait. Has anyone had issues with being stopped up? I haven't have a BM Until today after my swallow study. When I did my prep for surgery Sunday before last I was suppose to drink a bottle of Magnesium Citrate to clean me out. I got Nothin..... Called the on call Dr. and he said no problem just come in as planned. I ask the surgeon when I got there and he had already talked with the on call Dr. and also told me not to worry. But I am now one week out and feel stopped up and every time I keep drinking Water like I'm told I just feel more bloated. I go for several walk and that lets out a little gas and I feel some comfort but I still have yet to figure out what my full feeling is because of this bloating issue. I'm going to talk with the girls at the weight loss center tomorrow but I also was wondering what others having the by pass were experiencing. Any help on this would be great. Is it gas or constipation cause mag citrate didn't seem to do the trick. Thanks Brian

Quick dissolve Gas X That has worked great for me and tiny sips of room temp Water after surgery, to keep hydrated. Also, follow your Doc's advice. Best of luck I had mine on Monday. Brian

how long was the shedding?

I know that feeling all to well. Good luck hope your surgery goes well.☺️

Hey Dub, Something to keep in the back of your head when buying protein is what you might like pre op you may not like post op. So just good advice to try sample packs unless you have money burning a hole in your pocket. Just an FYI. Didnt know if anyone else covered that. I like unjury, quest, and syntrax nectar. Best of luck to you. Brian

Splenda (sucralose), Truvia (stevia), Equal (aspartame), and Agave Nectar to name a few. On some natural sugars like agave nectar be sure to read the nutritional information on it. My wife and I primarily use Splenda. We use to use stevia but it would tend to leave an after taste. It may very well be up to your taste what you'll like. Hope this helps. Brian

Hey everyone i'm doing ok. Third day post op not feeling too bad as long as I take the correct amount of pain med I suppose to. I was using the wrong measuring cup for my pain meds that sucked but all better now. Hope everyone is doing great and anyone coming up best of luck. I'll be thinking of you. Brian

Amylynn, She is almost post op a year she had her sleeve on July 2 2014 and she has been my inspiration for my decision to have the surgery. She took the whole week off to help me get through the first week or so. She has lost 115lbs in a years time frame with the greatest majority of weight loss in the first 6 months. I'll be on clear liquids for week 1 and can advance to just liquid diet after my drain is taken out on Monday. Thanks again for asking... Brian

Yes, I had my surgery Monday. Getting around ok pretty sore but after looking at my pain meds we figured out I was using the wrong measuring cup. In turn not taking to little hydrocodone hence the extra pain. Got that straightened out feel lots better now. I hate it when I put myself through more pain than need be but being 47 years old you'd think I would be used to it. I have always seemed to learn the hard way. Oh well better to catch it on my first day home rather than later find out. Thanks for asking. Brian

Pretty sore trying to get around hopefully walking will help. Best wishes to everyone else. Brian