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Thank you! So far so good. I'm almost 9 weeks.
My dietician and High risk OB doctor are working together for my care. They have me continuing with my bariatric Vitamins (when i can keep them down) with a separate folic acid supplement. I have lost 15 lbs since finding out about the pregnancy as morning (and noon, and night) sickness is kicking my butt. Other than that the doctors think all should go well. Surprisingly my surgeon congratulated me instead of lecturing me which was a relief! I was terrified to tell him but he was happy for my husband and I. This will be my rainbow baby after 2 losses so fingers and toes crossed it works out well for me and baby both!

One week post op too, first few nights had hard time sleeping, couldn't get comfortable, had some coughing so I felt I had to sleep sitting up, once that passed I actually slept flat and feel that helped open my abdomen to breathe better, plus I still use a CPAP machine, which is why I did this so I don't sleep with a machine for the rest of my life, in short it gets better and do breathing exercises and walk walk walk

Congrats guys for being recently rearranged!! [emoji6] All of those things u describe should be gone within another week or 2. I am only 4 weeks out but it feels like I was in the hospital forever ago, oddly enough. The hard part is coming up, which involves the new way to eat, drinking so much Water, new exercise regimen (if u didn't have an established one before), and basically waiting, wishing, wanting every week for the weight to pour off. That's actually the most frustrating part, at least for me it has been. Seeing others on here lose so quickly should be an inspiration but it can be a frustration, personally. So I hope the fat falls off the bones for y'all, but if it doesn't, you're not alone. We're here for u, to give u pep talks! [emoji5]

I wish u guys all the best of luck!! Dont ever hesitate to reach out to ur medical teams with any concerns. You'll also find so much support on here too, which has been awesome! Take care, don't push ur pouches too soon, and remember, even if a certain food or liquid is on ur 'ok to ingest' list, always listen to ur body. It may not like that food now, so don't force yourself.

1 week post op today. I have done alright over all. No nausea, able to keep fluids down. I am also getting at least 60 grams of Protein. I am still sore, and still have a heavy feeling in my abdomen at times. How long did it take for these symptoms to improve?

I found that softer foods such as chili and Soups went down much easier than harder foods such as chicken and steaks. So therefore I relied on these. I also found that mixing food groups together gave it more flavor and it brought back some of the enjoyment in eating meals. Chili and soups also allowed me to use spices in my meals. I put some recipes at the end of the following article. http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery.pdf
I did not like Protein Shakes at all. So as my meal volume increased, I was able to derive more Protein from my meals and begin to offload my reliance on protein shakes. When my meal volume increased at the end of a year and a half to 1 cup per meal, I was able to offload all my protein supplements. But this approach only works if one concentrates on consuming high protein meals.

There are two phases to gastric bypass surgery, the weight loss phase and the maintenance phase. I am over 4 years post op RNY gastric bypass surgery. This describes my approach to the maintenance phase. http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery2.pdf

Thank you friends ❤️

I had my RNY 10/2. I was not allowed to have anything to drink that day. Yesterday I could have Clear Liquids. Today my surgeon instructed me to start my two weeks of liquid diet again. I have not been hungry at all but has been a process to get my Water in. I have been able to keep one premier shake down. But I am so full. Every surgeon is different.

I love your exuberance about your coming WLS. Wish I didn't have so long to wait for mine!
But I just have a question cuz we're all SO very different! No judgement here, just curiosity. I'm using this time while I wait for surgery to research all the things. All. The. Things. Trying to figure out and get my head in the game so I don't act like the movie Groundhog Day and repeat the weight gain after surgery. I do not want to ever have to lose weight a second time. So from the things I used to eat that are now sitting strapped to my ass (and have been for about 47 years), to the knowledge that once a food junkie always a food junkie...I know I have to stay away from certain things. One of those things would be beer (other than a once in a blue moon thing, or maybe only a pull off someone's bottle of beer).
Why would you work so hard, go through so much pain, money and endure so much upheaval, just to look forward to going back to eating and drinking the same stuff that got you to the dance in the first place? I've no problem with the idea of eating 4oz of a steak in the future. I don't believe that's what made you or I fluffy. But the beer? Um, yeah...not to mention that even after 6mos to a year, alcohol is really pretty hard on the liver. The surgery isn't magic. Things that made you fat before will still make you fat for future you once you start ingesting them again. You will be able to figure out how to eat around your restriction...
In my unsolicited pre-surg opinion, it seems to me, that a really good activity would be to look at the things that contributed to your present health situation. Catalogue them. Write them in red on your mirror so you read them every day--and often. Then steer your new anatomy and path so very far around those previous things that you cut a very wide berth from them!? Don't you agree?

I'm pretty sure you know that a 4oz of steak and big bowl of sauteed greens and garlic didn't make you husky. Right?
Sorry to offend you and not trying to kill your joy. Just seriously curious about what's going on in your mind right now as you process what's about to happen to you?

My surgery is coming up fast (10/2). I have been doing my liquid diet since 9/18. That overall has been alright, not too bad. I am starting to wonder if I am making the right decision to have gastric bypass. I do not know if it is just my nerves kicking in since I am nervous about surgery, or if I am really doubting my decision to have the surgery. Did anyone else feel this way before surgery?

That is an excellent reason to have the surgery. At your stage I would recommend three things.
1. Take a good before photograph of yourself, so that you have something to compare to after surgery. Many times we are blind to our obesity. We do not see ourselves. Therefore when the weight begins to drop off rather dramatically, we question if this is really happening. Photographs are a good visualization of our success. Many people carry a before and after photo with them, just to remind themselves of their success.
2. Walk 30 minutes each day, every day until surgery (or equivalent exercise). Walking helps the recovery process go smoothly and minimized the pain levels from surgery.
3. Wean yourself from caffeine and carbonated beverages now. After I gave up my 6 diet coke a day habit, I suffered from a week of severe withdrawal syndrome consisting of severe headaches and body aches. I was miserable. You don't want to combine the effects of caffeine withdrawal with the effects of surgery.

Thank you. I also am doing this because I want to watch my kids grow up and be there when they have kids someday. I have been overweight since I was a child. Lose weight put it back on, and then some. I know this is a tool, and I am ready to make the necessary changes. I really think the actual surgery part is just freaking me out.

I'm the same way! So scared of the actual surgery and the risks! I'd love to just fast forward to even 1 day post op

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I don't think you'd be normal if you didn't question this decision. Its a life changing decision. Instead of chosing day to day and meal to meal whether or not you will be working to get healthy, you are making that decision for the rest of your life! Surgery is no small thing. But you're changing your life for the better and sometimes we have to make tough decisions for a brighter future.

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I felt like that the week before my surgery. I was a bundle of nerves and anxiety. I had to look back at all I had to do to get to the surgery stage and that opened my eyes. I also had to evaluate my life for the last ten years. I tried so many times to lose weight on my own and it never lasted. I'd get sick of the diet and gain more weight. I finally realized I really needed this WLS tool to get me healthy again. I wanted to be around to see my daughter graduate from college, get married, and have grad babies! I always put everyone before myself and now I had to put me first and be a bit selfish. I had RNY 6/21/17 and I wouldn't change a thing. I am now the lightest I've been in over 8 years. That sense of accomplishment is awesome. My back and knees no longer hurt and I have energy to spare.
This is a big decision to make and you've done that already. You chose to change yourself and get healthy. You can do this! Keep your chin up! Feel free to PM me if I can help you I will. Good luck in your decision. Keep us posted!

It's a huge life change, and I'm finding the pre op has made me clear that while nervous, this is the best health decision I could make. And having struggled with WL for a long time, my successes didn't stay very long. I do realise it's a tool, not the end game.
Try writing down why you wanted it. Then right down your concerns. Compare them, think about them, and maybe talk to a close friend. You'll know what's right for you..

For my pre op diet, I used slim fast high Protein Shakes from Walmart, along with a few Premier Protein, but I saved most of them for post op. Both were low in carbs.
Good luck! So far, I thought the pre op stage was the hardest!

I absolutely understand! I had to do the same - 2 weeks of liquids pre-op, then 2 weeks of liquid post-op. I was so sick of Protein shakes! Have you tried thinning out some yogurt? Soups? I finally got some clear Protein Drinks (lemonade and kiwi & berry from the Bariatric Pal store) and they were a nice break from the sweet Protein Shakes. I'd also mix a little sugar-free Hershey's Syrup with my fair life milk to make high-protein chocolate milk. Hang in there! You'll make it! Make sure you're staying hydrated. That will keep you full longer. On my 3rd week post-op, I was able to have pureed foods and could definitely tell a difference in my energy level (a lot more energy!). Refried Beans and little cheese were my go-to food as well as unflavored Protein Powder mixed with mashed potatoes thinned out with Fairlife milk, with a little cheese. Those were really good and filling. Today (week 5), I begin soft foods. I had some sliced turkey breast and avocado for lunch and my pouch has been ok with it so far.

Stick with it! You'll get there and it will be worth it!!

HW 280
CW 254
SW 274
DOS 8/24/17

10/2

After RNY gastric bypass surgery, the part of your stomach that normally processes fats and sugars has been cut away and therefore if you consume these, they may lead to dumping. But after about a year, your body changes. The intestines figure out that the stomach is no longer processing these so they adjust and begin processing fats and sugars. At that point after about a year, it is possible to eat fats and sugars.
After gastric bypass, I completely lost my hunger. So it was not difficult for me to drop the pounds after surgery because I was no longer hungry. The three most important elements after RNY gastric bypass surgery are to meet your daily Protein, Fluid and Vitamin requirements. food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight. This lack of hunger does not last forever. It comes back after about a year but it is not as strong as pre-surgery. Not everyone experiences this phenomena but most do. This effect is not noticeable until one transitions from the full liquid stage and puree stage and advances into the solid food stage. So weight loss after surgery is very different than dieting.
Weight loss is achieved after surgery through meal volume control. You begin at 2 ounces (1/4 cup) per meal and gradually over the next year and a half increase the volume to 1 cup per meal. With this minuscule amount of food, it is next to impossible to meet your protein daily requirements by food alone, so therefore you need to rely on supplements such as Protein Shakes.
Without sufficient protein, your body will scavenge protein from other areas of your body, such as your muscles. Protein is extremely important after surgery as its job in the body is to build and maintain tissues including your body's major organs and skeletal muscles. Protein deficiency, when continued over a long period of time can cause a disease known as protein caloric malnutrition. Common symptoms are poor healing, fatigue, Hair loss and muscle wasting. Immediate post op, protein promotes healing of the staple line and incisions.
After around the first year after gastric bypass surgery, the weight has been lost and one transitions quite naturally from the weight loss phase into the maintenance phase. At this point hunger returns and the process of maintaining is similar to dieting. The goal here is to maintain the weight loss not necessarily to lose any more weight. Since hunger has returned, it is very important to control the hunger. Fats help to take away hunger. And at this stage, your body can consume fats. So it is important at this stage to begin to include fats back into your diet. So after about a year or two post-op, my nutritionist recommends that meals contain an equal amount of protein, fat and carbs, but always put protein first.

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10/2

My surgeon says to stay away from it. Prior to surgery I was a diet coke addict. I have so much gas inside my tummy, I am not about to put more into it. Some don't have issues, but it is a slippery slope in my opinion. They offer no nutritional value and are empty calories. The diet drinks are worse. I just say no.