Keenikwe

I’ve hit one of my major goals. Online groups call it Onederland...
10/17/17
HW 291
SW 275
CW 198
GW 180

Guess what down another 3+ pounds that puts me at just over 52 wow incredible

That’s amazing!
I just checked my stats. I’m down 59 lbs since I started the program back in January 2017 and 43 lbs since surgery. I’m at the 2 month mark. Kind of remarkable

wow that is so weird I a with my surgeon for life I committed to seeing them at least 3x a year for the first two years then 1x a year after that. That is crazy that they cut you loose so early

I’ve committed to “the program,” 3 appointments in the first year and then annual as well, but it’s with the NUT and endocrinology. The surgeon himself would only get back involved if surgery was required. And if I want plastics I’d be referred to their plastics dept. so yea, he’s hands off now. It’s okay, I have a good report with the NUT team and my endocrinologist has good bedside manner... so did the surgeon and his team, but yes! His role is done.

That’s fortunate that it would be covered. My surgeons office “released me from their care,” at my 3 week Appointment. I was basically told to continue with my NUT appts and refer to my primary for any concerns. Including the open surgical sites... let’s say I wasn’t the most impressed with that portion, prior to that, excellent experience (Mayo Clinic)

I’m 6 weeks post op today. I started in size 24/26 and now in 18. My program has my goals set at BMI and I didn’t include it in the picture, but I started at BMI 48, surgery my BMI was 45 and today my BMI is 39.

I have been able to eat pretty much anything that will become a paste in my mouth. If it gets stuck, which none have, then I’ll know to keep chewing. I️ had a chicken breast with avocado and salsa. I️ ate maybe a tsp or two ... otherwise I️ eat hummus, cottage cheese, deli slice of chicken wrapped around a mozzarella stick... I️ can only eat 1/3 of it. I share with my 2 yr old; a lot! My go-to has been chili puréed with shredded cheese and sour cream, I️ do have a hard time adding unflavored Protein Powder to things... it ruins it lol... and idk how much to add to make it worth while ... I️ was told by my NUT that I️ need to start stretching my pouch... so I️ need to eat a piece of toast once a day. I’m so nervous to stretch my pouch! I’m not eating the volume I’m supposed to at this point... 1/3 cup. I’m 3 weeks 2 days.

Hey everyone! I had my 3 week post op check yesterday... my BMI changed from 45 on the day of surgery to 41 yesterday. I’ve lost 24 lbs. 10inches total... so like some from my waist and from my hips... those are really the only measurements I’m worried about at this time... I met with my NUT and she told me to start to eat that extra bite to start the process of stretching my pouch ... that seems so soon and I don’t feel ready to do that yet. She said I should be eating a cup of food around 3 months. I’m eating about 2oz. Per meal. I drink most of my Protein and she gave me the green light to keep doing that.

I do have an open wound still healing. It’s not causing any problems other than what one would expect from having to dress the wound every 8 hours and it gives me pain every so often and i want to itch it, but I refrain from that. If it weren’t for the open wound I’d feel pretty darn good... Also I’ve been waking up on my belly without pain and I’ve been getting good sleep... I’m looking into getting an individual membership to the community center to work out. I usually get a family one but no one comes with me and they don’t have a daycare option ....

I had to pick a program in network and to pay the least amount out of pocket I went with a “center of excellence “ I ended up getting the most experienced and top surgeon so after researching the available surgeons; I kept who I was under happily.

When it came time to decide who the surgeon would be, honestly, I said who has the soonest availability and then I went from there. I could change my mind after researching but I didn’t want to in the end.

I’m quite pleased with how this went except for one of my surgical sites opened... the only one that was stitched rather than glued ... so I’m packing and repacking all day long. And I have to take additional time off work to not move around so much. The surgeon wasn’t the one to close so... I get that... I just don’t understand why only one had stitches and wasn’t glued like the others. I’m going to ask at my follow up.

I do the “sip sip sip” method. I do better with my Fluid intake if I’m busy... I have my water bottle in hand at all times and i seem to “sip sip sip” at nearly every transition... my NUT told me not to consume more that 8oz in an hour... so I’ve been keeping to that.

The only thing that hasn’t been awesome, other than the site infection, is that I feel brain fog and the length of time to think things through tends to be longer than usual. It’s far different than before. My husband suggested that it could be due to the lack of calorie intake. He might be onto something. Anyone else notice anything like this?

I am 10 days post op and I’ve had so many compliments ... already? I’m feeling better but one of my surgical sites is infected and it’s a pain in the ... well... belly lol
Otherwise I feel fine and I’m energetic. I am having a hard time slowing down and not doing too much because I feel so good.

HW 291
SW 275
CW 259

I will be 1 week out tomorrow, I have been fine for the most part with my recovery. My main site is painful and I worry about possible infection. I have a nurse coming over later this afternoon. It had been giving me a rough go for the last couple days. It helps the most to “walk it off” pain meds don’t do a darn thing to even take the edge off the pain. They do make me sleepy, but the pain is still on full blast at that site spot. I am following the diet from the NUT and it’s very different from other programs and it gets frustrating (in other groups) to explain what I’m drinking and have a bunch of people jump on me ... that gets frustrating. But since I’ve been experiencing some dumping with the Gatorade I was told to drink, I’ve been given the thumbs up to start purées today! I first tried a Premier Protein shake and that was glorious and gave me a nice full feeling. I’m going to eat scrambled eggs for dinner ! I am so excited lol

For those of us who are post-op. How are you sleeping at home? Totally on your back? Kinda propped on one side? In a chair?

I had requested a private room so my husband could stay overnight, but they are reserved for icu patients first and then they move down the reserved list

“I got great sleep in my semi-private hospital room,” said no one

Forgive me for giggleing at that but I guess it’s one of those things no one tells you so is good to know I’m glad your doing good .. !! Can’t wait to be on the other side with you all

Girl!! I laughed and said, I guess it was wishful thinking

Oh and that apron part was stuck together from the antibacterial stuff... I’ve since pulled it apart lol my nurse explained it and helped me 🤦🏻‍♀️[emoji23]

I have that air/gas pains - they were horrible at first but have lessened a lot ... I am experiencing gerd from my Water but my nurse explained that the pouch is so so swollen that it’s temporary and should get better with each passing 12 hours

I had my surgery, technically yesterday, about 12 hours ago. It went very text book. My surgeon said it was boring for him lol. I was expecting the 4 incisions, but there’s one on my under belly... the “apron” is less and completely glued down. Anyone else experience this? And do you know why? My nurse should be back within 30 minutes and I’ll ask then but just curious if others got them as well

Up and going to wash with the special soap for the 2nd time! Leaving the house in less than an hour! Now it’s all feeling crazy but I know it’s cold feet and so I continue on! Here we go!

Tomorrow is surgery day. Starting weight 431 pre surgery after 2 weeks of liquid diet 408
Reqdy

Yay! Surgery twin! I’m so ready... check is in 9:00AM CST

I can barely sleep!

Are you sure they said that you could drink after midnight on the 18th? I've never heard of anyone being able to drink after midnight the night before surgery. It's thought of as dangerous in fact.

I have surgery in the morning and I’m able to drink Water or black coffee up until 30 minutes prior to check-in.

I also ate a “typical dinner” and didn’t have any liquid diet or anything...

Surgeons are so different! I trust my surgeon and the program I went with... so I’m following his instructions

I have pre-op today. Not sure what to expect... other than I saw my husband go thru it with a surgery he had at the same hospital... but his was the Day before... I went to my primary doctor 2 weeks ago for my annual and I had lost weight so that’s good. (I don’t have a scale in the house so I don’t weigh myself).

I’m a little nervous. During this whole process I’ve been really sticking to what needs to be done today rather than thinking too much about the surgery so now my mind is all on the surgery! I nearly forgot about this very important day, or it sure feels important.... I’m meeting the surgeon today.

How much time do you a plan to take off work? I am a cashier supervisor so 8 hrs on my feet and some lifting and brain work my surgeon wants me off 4 weeks I am hoping to go back sooner

Sent from my SM-G950W using BariatricPal mobile app

I’m taking 2 weeks because I work at a desk and I do drive to home visits but no real heavy lifting... and to be honest I plan to still put hours in while I’m at home... so my work laptop will be coming home. I just really don’t want to be overwhelmed when I return to work...

If I had a job with lifting I would take more time for sure! My husband’s good friend had a different surgery and he died due to internal bleeding.. his kids said he was still going about living like he hadn’t had an operation. It was very sad.

I do have a 2 yr old son and I’ve been getting him ready for this for a few months now. He now walks everywhere and holds my hand, he will climb into our van and he’ll climb into his seat. He enjoys getting out of the seat too and then jumps out of the van. That was my biggest worry. This last month I’ve been trying to just comfort him by sitting down and I’ll hold him when he needs it. He’s fully transitioned into his own room and bed and hasn’t crawled in with us in a number of weeks. I’m sad about that, but after I recover it won’t matter. I just didn’t want him to experience shock of mama being so different it would frustrate him or something.

You've lost 22 pounds in 6 weeks. I really don't see what the problem is. When is the last time you lost 22 pounds in 6 weeks? I conjecture the answer is, "Never."
My surgery day weight was 218 pounds, so you and I started at nearly the same starting point. Most of my monthly losses were single digit (1 to 7 pounds a month).
It took me 17 months to reach my goal weight. Although I was a slow loser, I'm dancing on a cloud because this is the first time I've been able to keep the weight off.
It's not about how rapidly you lose. Rather, it's about keeping it off for life.
Most of us could lose weight without surgery. Personally, I lost 200+ pounds in the 2 decades prior to surgery (lose 30, gain 50, lose 60, gain 90, rinse/repeat) but could never keep it off.
You're doing well when the bigger picture is examined. Stay off the scale so often and don't ruin a wonderful weight loss tool with a binge episode.
Good luck to you. You can do this.

She said she lost 6 lbs in 4 weeks and is pretty bummed about it... rightly so, but OP you’ve got this! Use the tool and get out there and keep being busy! Slow is better... but I totally understand your disappointment

I have my preop appointments on Tuesday... I don’t think much time goes between moments of thinking about the surgery... and thereafter... it’s so surreal. My first appointment with my primary was June 2016, but due to my husband’s health we put it off until January ... I called to schedule an appointment and we were at mayo for my husband’s checkup and it was a snow day... it was pretty quiet and people probably canceled - well it worked in my favor. We left that day and I had met with the endocrinologist and set 3 appointments for the following week to meet with the nutritionist, psych eval and endo again ... then I started my 12 week emotional behavioral weight management sessions that Friday, she happened to have a cancelation and could fit me in... it’s all been rolling along. The longest time I’ve had without contact with Mayo was after I was approved.... until this Tuesday. I’ve been smoke-free since January 10th. My weight on the day I met with the endo Dr on the first visit was 291 lbs. my weight at my primary annual exam last week was 273 lbs.
anyone else care to share their journey ?