toasty

My surgery is this Friday, Sept. 11. I've been having this sort of waking dream, and I thought I'd share it with you all. I'm at a waterpark, and standing at the top of a huge waterslide. I've been climbing the stairs up to this slide for a long time, and there are just a few people in front of me. Then it'll be my turn. There's a slight breeze against my cheek, and as I look around I can see for miles around, a beautiful view. I feel kinda dizzy, and a bit scared, and a lot excited. I wonder what the ride will be like. I see a huge group of people at the bottom of the slide, all with smiles and jumping up and down. I can hear them, they are cheering me on, saying, "You can do it!", and "It's a great ride!" But when I look down, it looks so far away, and I have butterflies in my stomach the size of bowling balls thinking about going down. I know all I have to do is to let go, don't fight it, and ride the slide down to the bottom. There goes the last person ahead of me. It's my turn.

Everyone is different. My doctor recommended I take off four weeks, and I am lucky I can do that. In general, I would say to expect a minimum of two weeks off work. Some people have very easy surgeries, and are able to get back to work in a week. Some people are still dealing with pain and vomiting three weeks out (I wouldn't want to be at work if I were nauseous and vomiting). No way to know where you will be until after the surgery. However, I certainly wouldn't plan on being back to work in less than a week. Remember this is Major Surgery. In my case, I will be in surgery for 2 1/2 hours, then in the hospital for 2 days recovering. And then I come home and start doing the real recovering. And re-learning how to eat and drink. No way I could do that and work at the same time. And I have a desk job too.

I have heard lots and lots and lots of people say GasX strips helped with the body gas that's pumped into us during surgery, but when I asked the PA about it at my final pre-op appt., he said GasX shouldn't have any effect because the gas is in the body cavity, not the GI tract. According to him, walking is the only real way to deal with the gas, otherwise they would prescribe anti-gas medications. I have no experience to base any of this on, but what are your thoughts?

@@Annek2014 You said: "... If it is not better after that Endoscopy, we are looking a revision surgery." I'm confused about what you mean by "revision". Usually people mean something like "revision to RNY from band" or something like that, but there should be no revision from an RNY. Unless you mean reversing the whole RNY surgery, and reconnecting your stomach? Is that the "revision" you are talking about?

All NSAIDS are "contraindicated" (i.e., forbidden) because they have a high likelihood of causing ulcers in WLS patients. NSAIDs include: Ibuprofen (e.g. brand names Advil, Motrin, Nuprin) Naproxen (e.g. brand names Aleve, Naprosyn) COX-2 inhibitors (e.g. brand name Celebrex) Aspirin (Bayer, Bufferin, Excedrin) Google around and you will find many reputable sources, which all say the same thing: No to NSAIDs for WLS patients. As far as I know, Tylenol (acetaminophen) is the only over the counter pain reliever we can use (there may be some others by prescription).

@@coltsfan I am a believer in listening to our doctors, but I do have to point out that all of the literature I have seen says very strictly no NSAIDS at all, ever. Very high likelihood of ulcers in RNY patients. Just google around and you will see lots of reputable sources.

@@theother_onefoot I've heard a couple of people on the boards talking about Fairlife. I will have to look into it. I am currently mildly lactose-intolerant, and I have heard that the lactose-intolerance increases after the surgery, so I may have to move to almond milk or something. But I will try Fairlife out first and see if I can tolerate it. Thanks!

Thanks @@Summermonkey! I am really excited, and I am allowing myself only happy thoughts about the surgery. I am definitely going to take your advice. I have a great doc and NUT (I email her just about every day and she responds usually same day), and I have so far had no problem following their guidance. Thanks for all the positive vibes!

I love what some of the other posters here have said, and I agree with them. Having food at the absolute center of our lives is what got us here in the first place, and is what has kept us obese. My surgery is on Sept. 11, so I'm only a few days away as well. I understand your feelings. In my family, I have always been known for my cooking, both of meals and baking. I love cooking and making great tasting food for my family and friends. One thing to consider, however, is that all of your cooking skills don't just have to go away. As a really good cook, you know a number of techniques that can be just as valuable post-surgery. Put that knowledge to good use developing new ways of cooking that are more healthy, flavorful, and eye-catching. Consider some of the alternatives: nonfat greek yogurt instead of mayo, pureed cooked cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes, small turkey sandwiches with cucumber slices instead of bread, etc. There are lots of places out there with great ideas that you can adapt. One place to look is http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/. She has great ideas. I hope you can see that we can still enjoy our craft, we just have to change the focus from high-fat, high-carb, large quantities, to a more healthy style. And remember that food, while important, is not the center of our lives anymore. We should be defined by more than the food we make or consume.

My daughter just turned 9, and I told her very soon after I made the decision to have the surgery (about 7 or 8 months ago; I am 3 days away from having the surgery). My daughter is generally very sensitive, and she became very worried about it. But I told her that after the surgery Daddy would be much more healthy and eventually able to do more things with her, like riding bikes, going hiking, riding in rollercoasters, even going to a rock-climbing wall. What I didn't say was that this way Daddy will also have a better chance of living to see her graduate, find a great guy and get married, have kids, etc. These are certainly some of the other reasons I am having this surgery, but I don't need to worry her about that right now. I guess I tried to think of her perspective, and I tried to explain it to her in a way she could understand, so she would be able to see the positive outcomes. And I don't share any of the stuff that will scare her, like my own anxieties about the surgery. For young kids, put a positive spin on it, and they will have a positive outlook on things as well. Finally, I have asked for her help as well. She and I go on walks together, go swimming together, and she has told me she wants to eat more healthy too. All of that is positive, and I look forward to including her on my weight loss journey.

What kind of fish? How was it prepared? How much of it did you eat? As @@Crosby says, it sounds more like your pouch had a bad reaction to something about the fish. Dumping would normally also include feelings of lightheadedness, fatigue, abdominal pain, sweating, or something like that.

This is all exactly how I feel too. I am three days from my surgery (Sept. 11). One moment I'm excited, then nervous, etc. Actually, what I really want is for it to be over and done. I'm tired of this crazy waiting, not knowing what will happen, what it will be like after. I've read so many people's stories here, the only one thing that's consistent is that everyone's different! The pre-op diet hasn't been so bad, and I keep telling myself that my diet afterward will actually be less restrictive (I'm restricted to Clear liquids only right now; full liquids after I get home from the hospital). I can't believe it, but I am actually looking forward to the pureed foods stage!

...and there's always someone ready to sell them that answer! Whether or not it is snake oil.

@@Stevehud Wow, 10-15g of carbs a day is extraordinarily low. The bariatric paper referenced above indicates (CHO = Carbohydrates): "Clinically, it has been proven that a low intake of carbohydrates may cause some damage to the human body. A severe restriction of CHO (in diets of about 15g of CHO per day) may lead to an increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), following the increased consumption of foods rich in fat and low in nutritional value, thus raising the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, diets rich in fatty foods can induce a state of insulin resistance. Over time, these diets may cause acute ketonemia, which can lead to metabolic acidity. Additionally, the specific recommendation of a high-Protein intake and totally eliminating CHO from the diet has serious consequences to patients’ health, such as Vitamin and mineral deficiencies and ketosis, which can lead to cognitive alteration and an increased glomerular filtration rate. Furthermore, long-term effects can include nephrolithiasis and osteoporosis." I would be very cautious about such incredibly low carb diets for any extended length of time.

I am so surprised to be hearing people asking these questions here. As part of your bariatric team do you have a NUT that will return your calls? I ask because I email my NUT almost every day asking one crazy question or another, and she always answers the same day or the next at the latest. I would certainly be asking my NUT about this rather than worrying over whether I was doing it correctly. I sure hope your NUT is accessible. If they are, I would urge you to contact them and ask them to get the official scoop.

It all depends on your surgeon though. I am currently in my pre-op diet, and I am only allowed clear liquids and Protein drinks, no solid food whatsoever. No pudding, no pickles, no applesauce, just clear liquids. I have been trying Miso soup (with all of the tofu and other stuff strained out), which has been very tasty (I really like Japanese food). I have also tried chicken broth with Old Bay seasoning added, which is very yummy (nice spiciness to it). SF Jello and SF popsicles, of course. I don't just stick with one Protein Drink, I try different ones to give me some variety (I use Premier Protein and Isopure right now). For me, after surgery (which is this Friday, 9/11) when I get home I will be on "full liquids" for two weeks, which will include milk, blended Soups (like cream of tomato), and yogurt. I can hardly wait!

My NUT suggested Flintstones Chewables, just like I used to take when I was a kid! Funny, but they are available everywhere and they have everything we need.

I had almost the exact same issue as you: good during the day, but awful in the evening. My decision was to just completely cut out all eating after dinner, since anything I ate after that was pure junk. But doing that cold-turkey was really difficult, so when I got to the point where I really wanted something, I got out a tablespoon of creamy Peanut Butter (still left on the spoon) and would lick that for a few minutes. Lick it, don't just swallow it at once. It's consistency and taste was enough to get me through the night. And not too many carbs in it, more Protein and a bit of fat. The taste stays in your mouth, to help satisfy that head hunger. Once you start eating the carbs, they will just call for more carbs, and you will be on the slope of doom. At least that was how it was for me.

@ I really liked that idea about Old Bay seasoning, I use it with chicken broth myself and it is wonderful. I also really love miso Soup, so I make a packet of that and strain out all of the seaweed and tofu. Vitamin Water Zero and Crystal Light Fruit Punch are my go-to drinks, SF popsicles and SF Jello are my Desserts. Tom.

I'm taking 4 weeks, which is what my doctor recommends. I am using FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act), and my state (CA) has State Disability Insurance that pays me income while I am out. By taking the 4 weeks, I am giving myself time to heal plus learn all of the new eating habits, so when I return to work I will have some good habits under my belt. Also, this way when I return I will be on soft foods rather than liquids or pureed foods. Works for me.

Like some others here, I have told everyone at work. They have all been very supportive, and have even talked to me about people they know who have had the surgery and were very successful. In the end, if people have bad things to say about it or are negative/nonsupportive, who cares? They haven't had to live my life, and I could care less what they think. At least that's what people say That's what people say But I keep cruising Can't stop, won't stop moving It's like I got this music In my mind, saying it's gonna be alright Cause the players gonna play, play, play And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate Baby I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake Shake it off -- Taylor Swift, "Shake It Off"

If you start not following your doctor's instructions, you are headed for a slippery slope. Best results come from following their instructions, or you will have nobody but yourself to blame if things go poorly. Those that are told they can, fine. Those that are told don't, shouldn't. My $0.02.

This is pretty much done now. Either she had her surgery on Sept. 2, or it was postponed. @@sallymann never replied so we don't know what happened.

@@emiko_oz We're on the same day! Good luck.

I have tried Isopure (Dutch Chocolate), and it was pretty good. They also have an unflavored kind, that you can just put in anything to boost the Protein. The big draw for me is that it is lactose-free. I am mildly lactose-intolerant, and from what I have heard I can expect it to get much worse after surgery, so I am always looking for something lactose-free now. Be sure you get their low-carb, since their regular formulas have too much sugar. Other people also swear by unjury, but I have never tried it. I have found that most of the Protein drinks sold in grocery stores (or walmart) don't really work well for me, with the exception of Premier Protein from costco. Otherwise, I have gone to GNC or online to look into protein drinks/powder.