SweetPeas

I also felt like everything tasted way too sweet after surgery. The broth was much better and ended up being my go-to during the clear liquid stage. I used a variety of chicken/beef/vegetable broth to get through that stage. Even eight months later the taste of anything sweet makes me feel icky. It's like my taste buds changed and what would have previously been a pleasant sweet taste now seems sickly sweet.

I was on my cycle for surgery and it ended up being no big deal. Just like someone else said- disposable undies and off to the OR I went and the nurses were great in making sure I was comfy. The thing that I wish I would have known was how the surgery would spin up my hormones. It sounds like others are having this issue with the liquid diet-I didn't do that pre op but made up for it post op. When I got home my cycle was on a week/off a week/back on/off/etc. for about 8 weeks before finally going back to every 28 days.

Nobody would dream of telling someone who got a haircut how much better their hair looks now- so good I almost didn't recognize you! This would be the epitome of rude. Weight seems to be a domain where it is socially acceptable to comment and give one's unsolicited opinion. I don't mind someone looking to be more healthy asking an honest question about what is working for me. Every other day comments on my weight, what I'm eating, saying I've lost too much or might blow away/etc. is unwelcome and intrusive.

I don't attend a support group either. The groups I have previously attended were hit and miss. I find these boards to be very helpful and they have the draw of 24/7 convenience. There is a lot of collective knowledge available and for the most part people are genuinely willing to give their best advice/tips gained from personal experience.

Oh no, that sounds uncomfortable. I had the same issue with fish. For the first few months any type of fish would make me ill and eventually come back up. I backed off for a couple of months and now I can eat salmon with no problems. At my bariatric group several folks reported a similar issue with foods and the general consensus is to give it a break and revisit the food later. No matter what I eat going slowly and thoroughly chewing really helps.

Tomato Soup was one of my the first foods I could tolerate. It's easy to make at home and most restaurants serve it too- ditto on it being a lifesaver.

My office is filled with jerks who bring mini candy bars and Cookies. The nerve of some people.

I use a digital scale and ninja almost daily. Good measuring cups/spoons and a veggie spiral thing are also good to have on hand and we use our crock pot at least weekly. I am interested in one of those steamers.

You may have to try a few to find one you like. Single serve packs might be a good idea until you know you like something. I also add a couple of spoonfuls of PB2 powdered Peanut Butter (chocolate) and a splash of vanilla extract. The Premier Protein ready made drinks are also pretty good and they have a few flavors.

My surgeon and NUT are ok with caffeine (as long as the Fluid requirements are met), but I didn't have any taste for coffee until about two months out (and don't drink any other caffeinated drinks). Now I am on the 1/2 caffeine low acid (GI friendly) coffee with a splash of sugar free Creamer. About one 12oz cup does it for me, although I do indulge the occasional cup of completely caffeine free coffee in the evening. The Vitamin drink mentioned earlier sounds interesting- will have to check it out.

There are a few people at work who frequently say "you're getting too skinny" or "you're losing too much weight." It's a bit intrusive as I am for the most part a private type of person and wouldn't dream of making such bold comments about another person's appearance. More on the embarrassment end of the spectrum is having to walk away from someone mid-conversation because you just know part of your dinner isn't staying down.

@@Djmohr This is exactly how lettuce (and carrots) make me feel. It's like they pile up in my pouch and just sit there for a while until they come back up. I'm giving myself a break from salads and will try again in a month of so. Fish did the same thing to me and I am glad to say after taking a break I'm at a point where small portions of salmon can be tolerated. It's nice to have a little variety.

My surgery was in February and I still struggle with lettuce. It's usually 50-50 on whether even a little bit will make me vomit. That being said, I have had a couple of good experiences with using lettuce in place of bread as a bun. What seems to work for me is eating a little bit to get the sandwich started and then kind of peeling the lettuce back like a banana (so that most of it ends of being discarded).

While I was in the process of doing the 12 week supervised bariatric weight loss group program my insurance (BCBS) notified me that this program wouldn't "count" and I would end up being denied. They required me to do three additional visits with a NUT instead of the more stringent 12 week program (and the doctor's program has one NUT visit at the beginning and another right before surgery, and then several post op). It was irritating, especially because the hospital still required the 12 week program.

Thankfully the doctor's office had the insurance folks do a preliminary review to check before sending in for the final approval. Oh- one more irritation was that a lady in my group program had the exact same insurance and they did not require her to do the 3 NUT visits. I considered arguing it with BCBS but figured it would only delay my ultimate goal so I just did the additional NUT visits. During all of this there was a sleep study which diagnosed me with severe sleep apnea, so that also made my case stronger for approval.

They will likely require someone drive you home at discharge. As for how you will feel, I think everyone's experience is different. I was in the hospital 5 days and ended up being up and about pretty quickly. Things tired me easily and I moved slowly but after about a week I felt human again.

Surgery was in February- labs done at 1 month and 3 months and scheduled for 6 months.

I was told no NSAIDS due to the risk of ulcers.

@@Carissa05 has good advice. The hubs brought me a pillow and I sandwiched it in half under the seatbelt. It made the 2 hour ride home a lot more tolerable.

A few NSV's I have enjoyed so far:

Not needing an extender for the airplane seatbelt (for that matter, fitting comfortably in the airplane seat)

Not hiding when it's time for pictures (and not freaking if someone posts them on social media)

Being able to buy a "regular" size bra that doesn't require special order/shopping at a specialty store for the size

These are good lists and close to what I brought. The things I really used while in the hospital were: phone/charger, Chapstick, a couple of magazines, flip flops, comfortable clothes to wear home, and a hairbrush with rubber band.

I got my first B12 shot while in the hospital and take it monthly. All other Vitamins I started upon returning home.

I also like to imagine certain foods taste awful or are super greasy and this seems to work. Avoiding the communal food table can be tricky.

Western Wisconsin here!

I thought your post was great and not at all offensive. It's been a long road for me to even begin seeing myself in a positive manner, and seeing that "reckless love" for self in others is inspiring. Mean people suck, but I hope you don't let that push you away from this community.

It is normal to feel scared. Surgery is a big deal and part of a complete lifestyle change. For a long time I was interested in having RNY but something (fear, shame) always kept me from approaching my doctor. Ten years passed and I had only succeeded in putting on more weight and adding elevated blood sugars and severe sleep apnea to the mix. I'm a newbie-just 5 months out- but can honestly say having the surgery was one of the best decisions I ever made. Yes, you still have to do a lot of hard work, eat right, exercise, commit to a total lifestyle overhaul- but for me the benefits have definitely been worth the risk.