waterwoman

Sorry, not stomach, stoma

i wish I had a better understanding of my stomach and how to care for it. Ask your surgeon!

Like you, my energy did not increase after surgery. I gave never been a high energy person and was really hoping for a boost. I did notice that over the course of the first year my stamina increased, so I was grateful for that. Now, 4 years later, at the age of 68, my energy has improved slightly. Blood work has always been spot on, so I just accept this as part of who I am, and decide to be grateful for what I have.

I had surgery alone as well. My daughter lives out of town. All I needed was a ride there and a ride home. There really wasn't anything for another person to do, other than sit there. You will be fine. The kind of care you will need in the hospital will be provided by the professional staff. I think it might be more important to have someone available when you get home.

My daughter told me to go to R E I and buy whatever they told me. So glad I followed her advice. They were careful to hear my concerns and question me about my feet and expected activity. If you have a store nearby it might be worthwhile getting their recommendation.

Why not just tell the truth, I’m on a low carb high protein diet.

Remember change is scary and people of all genders aren’t always at their best when they are afraid. In times of significant change, it’s usually worth giving the other person the benefit of the doubt. Loving and caring for yourself doesn’t exclude loving and caring for him.

I tried to think of feeding my pouch as if I were feeding a baby. Starting with liquid then moving to purée is like moving from the bottle to baby food. Be gentle on yourself.

There is value in measuring and tracking what we can control, but no value in measuring what we can’t control. Why not track food and exercise? And celebrate the days you stay on track.

Why not take the week you have and hope for the best. If you’re not up to returning at the time, maybe your supervisor will allow you to come back part time or take a few days leave without pay. Sign up for FMLA.

You are absolutely normal to be nervous. With wls there is a sense in which you have changed “tribes.” You have left the “tribe” of overeaters and joined the “tribe” of healthy eaters. The party is a gathering of the over eaters, where you belong at the family level, but don’t share the same eating activity. Of course you are going to be nervous. Will they still love you if you don’t eat like than? By choosing to be healthy you are taking a stand that may separate you from your family. That is scary. It is also scary for them. Choosing to respond to fear with love takes courage and maturity. It’s not easy, but it’s worth the effort.

Sideeye - I too get depressed in the summer. So glad to finally meet another Summer SAD. Are you able to go someplace cooler, or do you just tough it out?

Check out the Verteran's Forum Thread "Is there Anything you still can't eat?"

I'm 4 years out and I still have to be careful with chicken. Once you've identified a food that is giving you problems, wait a couple of weeks, then try a small amount. Another suggestion is to try it in a soup first since it will be much moister. It was 2 years before I could eat asparagus. Now I can if I consciously chew and only eat the tips.

I had RNY 4 years ago and have tried a variety of supplements since. At one point I was diagnosed with very low iron and Dr. just suggested taking iron tables. I recently found attached from Kaiser which I thought was well laid out and, as current supplements were running low, decided to follow this plan. So far, so good. Bariatric Supplements - Kaiser.pdf

Unlike others, I had almost no pain after surgery. This was true when I had the lap band installed, had the lap band removed and then had the RNY. I was offered pain meds and really didn't need them.

I had taken Cymbalta for several years before my surgery. I missed one dose day of surgery, then, because capsule was too big to swallow, nurses suggested I empty capsule into jello, mix and eat. Tasted terrible!! But it worked and I avoided mental health issues.

For me, dumping just made me really sick.. Didn’t affect bathroom habits, just felt really sick for about 40 min. Came on about 20 min after eating too much sugar. Best thing was to lie down and try to sleep it off. Definitely prevented over indulging, at least for first 18 months.

Your attractiveness to me would depend a lot on your confidence and your attentiveness to others. At 36 maturity matters.

Will your insurance allow you to use Weight Watchers for the nutrition? WW has on online program.

Having a plan is important to any success. Rewarding success is also important - have you thought about how you will celebrate your successes?

I think it is rude to comment on anyone’s weight, either increase or decrease.

I also think you can just order a normal meal, eat the 7 or 8 bites of bariatric friendly food (the meatballs on a plate of spaghetti) take the rest home and throw it out when you walk in the door.

I got rid of my “big clothes” because I made the decision to get rid or my “big” life. It was incredibly freeing to uncover the new slender person underneath. She dresses well, takes care of herself and others, and thoroughly enjoys life. The old clothes wouldn’t fit her body or her personality.

I was 65 when I had my surgery. I am now 68 have maintained a loss of about 100 pounds and a much healthier now than I was then and I expect to be healthier going into my old age and I would’ve been had I not had the surgery.