Katriena

Absolutely necessary: a huge database and a reasonably easy way to add foods. The database is the reason I'm on MFP instead of any special bariatric app.


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

I was told this isn't the operation for a model's body; it's an operation to get us close to a normal weight. I'm curious where I will end up.


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

Maybe I'm the only one, but I sure didn't worry about wearing a bra when I came home. :-) You know, recovering from major surgery and all.


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

OK then! [emoji1]


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

Whether or not you worry a lot about carbs depends on your program, but as far as being tolerable for WLS folk, most fruits are good according to my program. So far I've had apples, strawberries, and bananas. Be careful with peels/skins and seeds and chew well, that would be my only other advice.
RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

You've got two great suggestions right there: a food scale (doesn't have to be expensive) and some small containers so you can take food with you. You've really got it, but if you're looking for additional items, an attractive water bottle might make it easier for you to drink Water (I've got the Camelbak Eddy, but there are tons of water bottles out there). Also, I got one of those hot water plates for when I started to eat more or less solid food: we have to eat so slowly that my food was stone cold before I even got halfway! As far as cold water goes, you might discover that warm liquids feel better. Everyone's different. And don't worry about getting more food; your tastes might change and that's impossible to predict. Sounds like you're really pretty much ready. Good luck!


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

Absolutely necessary: a huge database and a reasonably easy way to add foods. The database is the reason I'm on MFP instead of any special bariatric app.


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

Absolutely necessary: a huge database and a reasonably easy way to add foods. The database is the reason I'm on MFP instead of any special bariatric app.


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

Here's the caveat...no matter how kindly and supportively we present a suggestion, the person who originally sought the 'advice' often replies in a testy manner that, "I didn't ask about that! I asked if a Taco Bell burrito supreme is okay to eat in the soft food phase. Only supportive responses, please!"
Regardless of how helpful and supportive a reply is, many people have the ulterior motive of only fishing around for validation of their poor decisions. And of course, when they start regaining weight a few years from now, the blame and anger will be displaced onto some entity other than themselves (e.g., "the sleeve failed me").

Ultimately, I posted this because I was frustrated with the way in which some people responded to the people on the forums. I feel that many overweight people are stereotyped and have likely had little compassion for their situation. In my opinion, compassion and patience do not equal coddling per say. Tough love doesn't mean being rude; it represents honesty and a genuine willingness to help someone. Perhaps I was a bit unhinged and didn't completely express myself as I would have liked in the initial post.
I do not disagree with being honest by any means, but as some have mentioned, there's a difference between being honest and being rude. Bluntness can be necessary, and I agree there are many posts in which people are seeking justification for bad choices.
Additionally, I should say that when you post something on the internet asking for advice, you should show the same respect towards the people who are genuinely looking out for you and ignore those who are taking the time to be hurtful and mean.
My post is mostly to say that I wish people wouldn't assume something about a situation, stereotype weight loss surgery patients (especially those who are WLS-patient's themselves), and to in general show kindness to one another. Outside of this community is already flush with judgment and it would be nice if we could just be nice.
I appreciate everyone who contributed their thoughts, and I apologize if I didn't accurately express my feelings. I did not intend come across as we should live in a world with rainbows, unicorns, and sunshine all the time. I simply mean to say, that you should think about what the person is asking, consider if what you're writing truly expresses what you mean to say, and if it's worth saying what you have to say.

In complete transparency-
My "moment" is when I started to do "Olympic gymnastics" just to wipe myself on the toilet. I never admitted that to friends and family, but I didn't want to live my life in the condition or worse because of my weight.
Everything else just added to that. I felt so ashamed this past November when I visited long time family friends feeling and looking huge. I felt like such a failure in so many ways.
I was not comfortable in my skin, in my clothes, in my Dr's office, and more and more in my life. At age 47, the thoughts of life expectancy became a reoccurring thought. Will I love to see my 9 year old get married? Will I love to see my grandkids? Will I be home bound? While I realize I am a food addict, attending addiction recovery meetings weren't enough for me to make lasting change. So while I resisted surgery, trying to just do the same thing surgery would do for me, I failed at it.

So then the dialogue changed to, If not now, then when? How bad does it need to become, before I allow myself the ability to leverage surgery."

I am a teacher and on-air FM radio personality in my mid-30s from south Texas. I found BariatricPal on a Google search for Bariatric compression pants pulled up a forum post from this site.
I am 5 months post-op, and am doing absolutely magnificent. I now recommend Bariatric surgery for anyone who asks me about it, of course after asking the "qualifying questions" first (i.e. Are you morbidly obese? Do you have high blood pressure? How about sleep apnea? Diabetes?)
I got weight loss surgery because I've been a big dude my entire life. The last time my family remembers me being "thin" was age 7. Post-30 years old, I got sick and had to go to the doctor. I had the shock of my life when I was told I was over 450 pounds, and approaching 460. I had no clue I was that heavy because I had nowhere to weigh myself, and was in complete denial. After that, I started pursuing Bariatric surgery.
I had pursued it before, a few years earlier. That was how I found out I had sleep apnea, because that surgeon required a sleep study. However, I felt like chattel being run through a cookie cutter system, and I didn't like that, so I stopped seeing that doctor and let it go for a couple years.
When I found the surgeon I eventually used, everything changed. I felt like a person, not just a file. I felt like he was actually catering my program for my specific needs, not trying to fit me into a pre-prepared program.
I had my surgery on July 5, 2016, one day after Independence Day. I am now independent, and not a slave to my body or my weight. I have lost 145 pounds total, 101 of those pounds was lost after surgery. I am now 313 and much happier with myself. I am only 57 pounds away from my year goal, which is 7 months from now. I have already hit my 6 month goal 1 month early.
The best part of the process is seeing the looks on people's faces (especially my students) when I tell them about how much weight I've lost and just the overall feeling better and being able to move a lot better than I have in years. The pain that I have felt in my knees has gone completely and the pain in my back has diminished (will not ever completely go away due to scoliosis).
The worst part has already passed, and every day is getting better. The worst part was the 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery, when the intense diets were. The shake replacements were absolutely the worst part, because for me, they really didn't taste good with anything. I am getting my Protein now through bars, which, oddly enough, taste better than the shakes, and eating a lot more meat than I'm used to for all my meals.
I hope to benefit from BariatricPal because I live in a rural area with no access to surgery support groups less than an hour's drive from my town. I can't afford to drive that far weekly, and I'm hoping BariatricPal can help with that.
All in all, I'm happy with how things have gone. I'm looking forward to what my life will bring, and I'm extremely happy already. I can't wait for the rest of my life.

How cool that you got a pin! Yes, wear it with pride.
RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

I can also relate, and I second the advice about Courage to heal as well as DBT. There are also other therapies that some find useful, and many women's shelters hold support groups for sexual abuse survivors that can be very helpful. But I think the reason you're not finding "an answer" is because no therapist our doctor on earth had those kinds of answers. The brain and our bodies are enormously complex things, and researchers have barely scratched the surface of why we do the things we do. I've come to the conclusion, after 30 years of therapy and personal seeking, that while I might have originally started overeating as a response to trauma, that is by no means the whole story. Environment, behavioral reinforcement, and genetics had parts to play too. There's probably other things in the mix that I haven't got a clue about. That's not really the important part -- the important part is figuring out how to change my future behavior. And that will be a work in progress for the rest of my life.

Sent from my SM-G930V using BariatricPal mobile app

And I'm high as a frickin' kite lol. Thank goodness for Dilaudid
No nausea, none! I walk every three hours, breathe into a tool once an hour, breathing exercises in between. Pee pretty good, and then I feel like I was kicked by a ninja on my solar plexus.
Gotta love the gas they pump into ya!
But the staff have has been so so incredibly amazing. Everybody is so kind at the Desert Springs Medical Center. They look after me and think I'm pretty amazing due to my high spirits, though I ache like a mofo.
My head hurts from the drugs too.
I've managed all my chicken broth, lots of Water, half a Jell-O cup. Not bad.
I can't wait to go home tomorrow and sleep in my own bed. I can't wait to start losing more weight. So many "I can't waits."
This will be the hardest and easiest thing I've ever done on my life, funny how that works.
Update:
Feeling really strong now, was able to make my bed, do two laps around hospital floor, bathe myself with towelettes effortlessly.
I feel very energetic, wondering how normal that is, to feel so happy and active when I see others looking so glum and miserable. Poor things, I can understand it though.
Not tired at all, even when taking dilaudid. When the drug wears off, minimal pain. I was so concerned I worried he didn't give me the sleeve, but found out he indeed did lol
Signing off,
Mbird

Baritastic might be OK for your needs. I downloaded it, wasn't able to find the first three foods I tried to look up, and deleted the app. Their food database is relatively small; MyFitnessPal's is light years bigger. And the Water tracking is fine imo.


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

Baritastic might be OK for your needs. I downloaded it, wasn't able to find the first three foods I tried to look up, and deleted the app. Their food database is relatively small; MyFitnessPal's is light years bigger. And the Water tracking is fine imo.


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

Katriena, thank you so much for the reply. I keep feeling like time is ticking out and I don't want to realize last minute I've forgotten something I'll need! I'll google for one of the plates you're talking about, and make sure to bring the mini storage containers I have with me too.
thank you again!

Absolutely necessary: a huge database and a reasonably easy way to add foods. The database is the reason I'm on MFP instead of any special bariatric app.


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

You've got two great suggestions right there: a food scale (doesn't have to be expensive) and some small containers so you can take food with you. You've really got it, but if you're looking for additional items, an attractive water bottle might make it easier for you to drink Water (I've got the Camelbak Eddy, but there are tons of water bottles out there). Also, I got one of those hot water plates for when I started to eat more or less solid food: we have to eat so slowly that my food was stone cold before I even got halfway! As far as cold water goes, you might discover that warm liquids feel better. Everyone's different. And don't worry about getting more food; your tastes might change and that's impossible to predict. Sounds like you're really pretty much ready. Good luck!


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

Three weeks out and going back in today. Luckily I can abort mission and go home early if I need to. :-)


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

Absolutely necessary: a huge database and a reasonably easy way to add foods. The database is the reason I'm on MFP instead of any special bariatric app.


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

You've got two great suggestions right there: a food scale (doesn't have to be expensive) and some small containers so you can take food with you. You've really got it, but if you're looking for additional items, an attractive water bottle might make it easier for you to drink Water (I've got the Camelbak Eddy, but there are tons of water bottles out there). Also, I got one of those hot water plates for when I started to eat more or less solid food: we have to eat so slowly that my food was stone cold before I even got halfway! As far as cold water goes, you might discover that warm liquids feel better. Everyone's different. And don't worry about getting more food; your tastes might change and that's impossible to predict. Sounds like you're really pretty much ready. Good luck!


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)