stacyrg2

I love how the ones who respond to the "I ate a burrito 2 days post surgery" posts with "we're all human, we all 'cheated,' it'll be ok" are almost always new post ops. For the most part you never get that from the vets, because the vets know what it takes to be successful. Yet, the vets are seen as bullies, and haters and whatever the buzzword of the day is for someone who won't validate your choices. You ate a burrito 2 days post surgery? Good for you! It wasn't a "mistake," it was a choice. For the record, I didn't "cheat" on my pre OR post op diet. I didn't choose to eat things off plan. I was given a food plan that I followed because I wanted to be successful at this. And I have been. 2.5 years post surgery, 133 lbs lost, at goal, but still losing slowly. So, stop with the "everyone did it and survived" responses and mentality. You chose to eat off plan and you didn't get sick or injure yourself? Good for you. But stop with the generalizations that everyone does it. And to all of you who are seeking validation for bad CHOICES (not mistakes), stop complaining that you're being bullied when the successful vets on this site tell you how foolish you're being.

@@Djmohr Thank you for always being the voice of reason. I love to read your posts. I am a couple of months away from surgery. I decided because of much that I have read here to start counseling now to begin the change in my thinking about food. I find it sad that people go through this major surgery unprepared for reality. I am grateful that I found this sight and appreciate the "tough love".

Well said! Thank you for being a positive example of those of us who are new and learning. We don't need coddling, we need real life advice. I love hearing from the veterans of success.

@@Djmohr I was going to quote parts of your post where I was jumping up and down saying "YES YES YES!!" but then it was the whole post. So just YES!!!

I think that it frustrates me the most when reading to a post where someone ate something that they clearly know they should not have 1 week after surgery is that other posters coddle them. They tell them stories about how they did something similiar and they turned out ok so therefore you will be ok. What?! Really? Just because you did not get sick and die, doesnt mean the next person won't. There is a very good reason they put you on a clear liquid, full liquid, pureed, soft foods and finally regular foods diet. Oh, and regular foods does NOT mean the crap you used to eat.
Those of us that tell them to get help or questions their decisions are called haters. Hmmmm....Now I know i am not a hater but i will say I believe people who are sabotaging this early on need more help than anyone on this board can give them.
They need a therapist who specializes in food issues. If you are breaking the rules 1 week out, when your stitches are still fresh, you are likely still swollen that is called sabotage in my book.
Down the road, these are the same people that tell everyone the surgery did not work for them giving WLS a bad name. I know because i have a nurse (yes, a nurse) in my doctors office that blames her failed WLS on the surgery and not her own behaviors.
Too many others who don't know it yet, need this cure for obesity. I will be honest, I don't want the non rule followers to ruin it for all those that need to come after us.
Those of us that have followed the rules and have been successful work hard at educating people who might need this surgery down the road to survive. So pardon me if their behaviors pisses me off. It can be absolutely exhausting but someone has to tell it straight.
Thanks for your post!!! I agree with you. I don't get why people do this and more importantly I don't get that they won't go get some help to learn to deal with their issues.
And for those of you that won't like my response and question whether or not I followed the rules....I did pre op and post op to the letter until about 6 months post op, then i started introducing small things. I wish i never had done that because now it makes it easy to do it more often. It makes fighting the rebound gain much harder to deal with.
Rant over......

As I've said many times before, there's a difference between "cheating" when it's just a diet, and violating your prescribed diet advancement. One is a simple choice, good or bad. The other is taking your life into your hands. Eating solid food before your surgeon has cleared you is more than just "a mistake, we're all human". You don't see people in AA saying "hey, that's OK, we're all just human". No. They say "we're human, and we screw up, but you get that this was a really bad choice and it can kill you, right?"
Everyone on this board wants nothing but success for everyone on the board. But we get a lot of people who are posting about their choices like they want or need some kind of absolution. I don't get it, either. And a lot of people get their knickers in a twist because of someone else's "tone". Guess what, people? I've been on the internet since the AOL dial-up days, and there is no "tone" on the internet except what you read into it.
I followed my diet progression instructions to the letter, because I'm a nurse and I've seen what happens when people don't follow the post-op instructions. A lot of times, nothing happens. But sometimes, people end up in the ICU or the morgue because they thought they new better than the doctor, or they "just couldn't help it". It was rough. I wanted to taste something other than Water and Protein shakes so bad I was ready to lick a Dorito. But my health was important enough to me that I kept telling myself it was only 10 days more (or whatever at that point) and I got through it.
If you're not ready to muscle through the post-op diet progression, then you're not ready for surgery, period. If you've already had the surgery and have messed up, then the people here have a responsibility to say "hey, you know that was a bad choice, right, and it can hurt you?" And then to say "here's how I got through that rough patch myself". Tone be damned, we should not be expected to coddle people who are potentially killing themselves. Or let the silent readers who don't have good information from their surgery team think that it's just "cheating" and it's OK.
Now, once released to a full diet, I've eaten all sorts of things that would give the veterans on here fits. And I'll suffer the consequences for that, because I'm an adult and I decide what I eat and don't eat. So far, I haven't done too badly. That could change, but for now I'm good. I don't need absolution or permission from anyone for my diet choices, and I don't come here for some sort of weird confession. If I did, I would expect to have people tell me that similar choices derailed them and I might want to consider my choices. That's the point of an online support forum, it's not supposed to be an echo chamber where everyone coddles the poor choices other people make.
I'll step off the soapbox now.
And by the way, this is the rants and raves section. This is one of the purposes it serves. If you find it too negative, quit reading it.

Just had to say I love you. Your posts are great. That is all.

Scroll to the top of the thread. This area is called Rants and Raves. The description of the forum reads as follows:
Want debate? Get it here. Gripe, complain, moan, fight, rant and rave. Enter at your own risk!

Just wait until you are 3.5 years out, maintaining beautifully, and are called all sorts of fun names for giving well thought out, sincere advice. It's actually quite funny.

And then when the story changes to justify the behavior and it's all you can do not to bust out into mad giggles. My favorites are the people who eat more than I can at at my stage 4 or 5 days post op, say they are too afraid to tell their surgeon when urged to, and then come back and say that they DID tell their surgeon he was OK with it. Uhm, Ok.
Another favorite is the people who say they can "feel" that they are healed a week or two post op. They feel great, they know they should "listen to their bodies" and have at the chips, the ice cream and the pizza. Unless they were given some sort of internal camera and a medical degree at discharge, they can't know that they are healed in the inside. As far as listening to your body? Listening to your body most likely got you to this weight in the first place.

But let me stop...

if you notice at the very right up top that is where the person who posted posted in the correct part of the forum. It's states rants and raves.
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there is actually a section in this forum that states rants and raves!! So yes you can vent on here. Some people need to hear the hard truth. And everyone is entitle to an opinion. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

AMEN!!!! You are so right. And then u hear they're human they made a mistake. There is such a difference between being human and making a mistake, and MAKING A BAD CHOICE!!!! We obviously all had some sort of food issue or wldnt be here but some of us made good choices and some of us made bad choices. And some people need to hear the hard truth from someone.
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Please don't reply if your offended by what I'm about to say.
I know I'm not the only person who followed their post op diet to a perfect T. I don't understand why someone would cheat post op and risk their lives for a piece of food. Maybe it's because I don't see food as a crutch? The majority of my life I've only see carbs, fats and Protein. I'm not addicted to it, and it irks the hell out of me when people use that as their excuse. I know I snapped at a newbie on her post a few weeks ago, but I really had the best intentions. My husband, who is a slim guy and very health conscious about food, would chew me out if I even so much as looked at something I'm not supposed to have. He only has the best intentions for my success. I believe everyone going through surgery should have that sort of jerk to keep them in line. Which brings me to my second issue, why would you consult with a forum first, instead of your surgeon about your screw up? Knowing how people are on the Internet and how harsh and rude they can be, wouldn't you rather be reemed by the person who did your surgery and make you feel guilty, rather than a group of strangers? All of our post op diet plans are different, mine for example: Clear liquids for a week, full liquids for a week, my puree stage is 4 weeks long, then I move on to soft foods for 2 weeks after that. Then it's all maintenance from there. I've seen some people where they only need to puree for 1 week. So of course someone like me would have a heart attack thinking about someone eating solids during purees. People don't use their brains, and don't have any self control. And that's what bugs me the most. Our surgeons should make sure someone is mentally competent to handle the diet before the surgery to make sure they don't put their lives at stake over a sandwich, or a pork chop.
Sorry, I really needed to vent that. I'm just so tired of seeing the same posts over and over again

I do have Constipation, but 2 teaspoons of Metamucil at bed time cured that problem.

We're all "mean" for pointing out errors in her father's logic but her dad is just "nervous" for her? Someone who is just concerned for her wouldn't cherry pick pieces of an article out of context of the rest of the article, then inappropriately add them up in order to scare her into thinking that 86% of the people who have WLS have a serious complication. Someone who is just concerned for her, would do some research with an open mind and not call everything that goes against their negative opinion a "joke". Someone who is just concerned would attempt to meet with the medical team and ask questions about their concerns. Plus if you read her other posts/threads - there is a history there of negative and manipulative behavior on his part.
For the OP - I know based on your other threads that you were hoping/expecting your dad to pay for part of the surgery based on him initially offering too. My thought is he didn't actually think you were going to go through with it and probably never had any intention of paying for any of it and is using these scare tactics in order to not have to come right out and tell you that he is rescinding his offer. I think it would be in your best interest to try to find some other way to come up with the needed money and even check with your bariatric team to see if you can set up an installment payment plan with them.

With all due respect, your father doesn't understand how to interpret statistics associated with potential complications - you don't just simply add them up to arrive at a "total".
If he truly read the article you reference with an OPEN mind, he would have seen that for nausea and dehydration - the article itself even says this is when patients aren't getting in enough fluids. This is why the bariatric programs and the vets on this forum always always always stress how important it is to meet your Fluid intake goals. Seriously, getting in your fluids those first few weeks is YOUR JOB - even if it takes you 18hrs a day of constant sipping, DO IT. Drinking will get easier as the swelling goes down and you can drink more normally (rather than teeny tiny sips). But it is always important to track your Fluid intake and make sure you are getting enough.
As for GERD - it does happen but often is temporary - and most bariatric programs will have you on a PPI for a couple months. You may need to have your dosage adjusted, you may need to stay on it longer - but as long as you work with your bariatric team on this and don't ignore the symptoms, it is manageable.
Gallstones - yep this is a common one. And yes, a gallstone attack can be excruciatingly painful. But you know what? I'd still rather have a couple gallstone attacks and get my gallbladder removed if needed than deal with all the other LIFELONG and LIFE THREATENING side effects of obesity. Oh and guess what, there's a good chance you could end up with gallstones at some point even if you don't have WLS.
Strictures - there are people on this forum who have had a stricture. Perhaps one of them can weigh in here. I believe at least some of them have been able to have it corrected/managed and still don't regret the surgery one bit.
Deep vein thrombosis - a risk with any surgery honestly especially when your mobility may not be great immediately following. This is especially true with obese patients who already have mobility issues and/or aren't active. Many programs assess your risk for this based on your current condition and family history of blood clots. Based on this, it may be recommended to have an IVC filter put in your leg temporarily - the filter will catch any clots that form and migrate before they reach your lungs and lead to a pulmonary embolism. The more common approach is to administer blood thinner injections for a couple weeks after surgery. And to walk walk walk walk walk as much as you can post op - the more active you are, the less the change of a blot developing in the first place!
Nutritional deficiency - this is why you take Vitamins, calcium/vitamin D supplements and B12 supplements. Why you focus on Protein first, followed by veggies then fruit and lastly starches. And why you get your blood work checked regularly post op so that any deficiencies can be treated before they become a problem. For instance on my program, that means blood work at 3, 6, 9, 12 18 and 24 months post op and annually thereafter. Also, with the sleeve you don't have the malabsorption associated with the bypass. Your Vitamin supplementation is due to the reduced volume intake. And I know personally many sleeve patients who once they are a couple years out have been able to cut back to supplementing with just one Multivitamin a day.
I am guessing he thinks the forums are a joke because they don't support his pre-conceived negativity regarding this surgery? What exactly does he think your other options are and what are the "stats" associated with those options? His scare tactics are disgusting. Would he rather your life be shortened and your quality of life be miserable with the obesity? Have you really told him truthfully and completely the impact the obesity has on your life?
At the end of the day - you are a 46 year old woman. You don't need daddy to sign off on your surgery. I understand wanting family emotional support - but if you don't get it, you can still go ahead with surgery. This is a decision to be made between you and your medical team. Is dad willing to go to an appointment with your medical team and hear directly from them? Ask about the complications, how they can be mitigated and what their practice's actual complication rate is? Or is he so stuck in his negativity that he wouldn't listen to the medical professionals either?

I've been approved! At the final class I learned I also had to have a letter from my PCP (previously told no, I didn't need that) so it took a little while to get the appointment with my primary and get the letter sent over. I was submitted to Medicaid on December 1st and DENIED December 2nd. Why? Because my PCP's letter was too in depth so Medicaid didn't consider it a final clearance letter. I immediately called my PCP and she actually called the surgeon's office and worked with them directly so to write the letter exactly as requested. I was resubmitted that day (Friday the 2nd) and got the call yesterday (Monday the 5th) that I was APPROVED. Best of all there was still a surgical opening on December 19th, the last day of surgery for the year. I got it by the skin of my teeth but I got in this year! This has been such a crazy and stressful journey but now it's finally almost over. Well, this part of it anyway.

By the way, malabsorption only applies if you are having a gastric bypass. Not an issue with the sleeve. What type of surgery are you getting?
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An additional thought. If it's the coffee flavor you like, Sytrax makes a mocha flavored Protein powder as does Click and Chike. Or you can mix coffee (if allowed on your plan) in with a chocolate or vanilla Protein shake. You might want to check those out. All much better options than a frappuccino.

A grande light frappucinno has 23g of sugar and 24g of carbs. That would not be acceptable on my plan, well ever. A Protein shake by Premier, Quest or Syntrax would be a much better option. I know to be successful, I had to become much more selective about what I eat and drink. Again, this is all as it relates to me (I'm 2 and a half years post surgery I wouldn't drink anything with that much sugar or carbs. That drink has more carbs than a eat some days. Just a bit of advice, because I want people to be successful, you really should become a smart consumer and read before you consume. If you were aware of the stats of this drink and still are considering it post op, I apologize for trying to foist my beliefs regarding successful behavior post surgery, on you. Good luck!

A grande light frappucinno has 23g of sugar and 24g of carbs. That would not be acceptable on my plan, well ever. A Protein shake by Premier, Quest or Syntrax would be a much better option. I know to be successful, I had to become much more selective about what I eat and drink. Again, this is all as it relates to me (I'm 2 and a half years post surgery I wouldn't drink anything with that much sugar or carbs. That drink has more carbs than a eat some days. Just a bit of advice, because I want people to be successful, you really should become a smart consumer and read before you consume. If you were aware of the stats of this drink and still are considering it post op, I apologize for trying to foist my beliefs regarding successful behavior post surgery, on you. Good luck!

An additional thought. If it's the coffee flavor you like, Sytrax makes a mocha flavored Protein powder as does Click and Chike. Or you can mix coffee (if allowed on your plan) in with a chocolate or vanilla Protein shake. You might want to check those out. All much better options than a frappuccino.

Wow just got my date y'all !Dec 27th Amen !!
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Feeling pretty successful so far. I have 53 lbs to go to meet goal, but have lost 45!
HW: 240 (pictured in blue top 9/15/16, size 1x, 20
SW: 219 10/3/16
CW: 192. (Pictured In black 12/5/16), size L-xL, 14
Now time to keep focused and on track through holiday/cookie season!

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I am a few days late but my 1 month post op was on 12/3/16!!
I'm not going to say it went by quick because it didn't. I was one of the unlucky persons who was just going through it the first 2 weeks.
I have officially lost 15lbs which I am really excited about. My confidence is coming back. I still have one more week of soft food and I am still working on getting enough Protein and Water in a day.
I can't say how much I miss being able to gulp!
I work in the ER so my average steps in a day are around 16,000-18,000 ranging from 4-6 miles a day. And that's pretty much 4x a week. So no working out either. I do push ups from time to time though.
I do feel like I am going at a very slow process but I am happy to be at least 15lb down.
I wanted to put up a face to face to help motivate people especially the 1-2day post op sleevers. It gets better. I can't wait to see what I look like at my 2 month Post op! Top is surgery day and bottom is today! STATS:
HW: 246 SW:231
CW:215.4 GW:155  
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