KarenLR75

This is just one of the many things I like about reading what you post...love your sense of humor! You also have now somewhat countered Nancy's back end explosion although you did put 6 month caveat in there which seems reasonable to me. There are so many things we have to learn out of trial and error and if there are things in the 'probably don't try until after 6 months'...I'm planning to do just that... WAIT 6 months. Ah man, no watermelon on the cruise ship...oh Lord, I would hate to have an experience like Nancy's on a cruise ship. There will be other fruit that would be safer to try at that point if I haven't already. Am trying to figure out what fruit might be easiest with a picky pouch to try in the pureed week...strawberries? bananas? pears? peaches? I guess sometimes we just have to try?

I'm onto you now NancyLF and fellow July surgery sibling!!! You've been giving yourself watermelon enemas with a different 'entry point'!! LOL, all in good fun I hope you know. I know you have worked hard and had awesome weight loss results but as soon as I read what you posted...I grinned and thought 'aha, there is her secret'! I love having ppl I can joke/tease with I'm actually grateful to OP for bringing this up. I ADORE watermelon but with a hissy-fit throwing pouch..there just is no way I'm going near it unless I'm SO constipated and in pain..that I decide that an 'explosion' would be an acceptable exchange..LOL

Mikeyy, it's definitely going on my list of questions for my Dr. I'd like to think that all of us have chosen wisely and our surgeons do..as you said, the best procedure possible...but now I am SO CURIOUS. That is great that your BMI is lower! Since the definition I pasted was one of several...hundreds in my google search..I skimmed just a few but they all seemed to talk bout ppl with higher BMI's. My doctor likes to educate so I gonna run it by him just for grins

Ah, here they are, yes I have forgotten and started to drink while eating a meal. Since I just had my first egg today, that is what I was thinking of. Maybe down the road this would change but until then...I'm trying really hard to find a system to remind me of the 30/30/30. I had realized that I was drinking water @ the same time as my protein shakes and while that is likely NOT as big an issue as drinking with an actual meal, I did realize I was filling up volume in my pouch with water and not allow the protein drink to be the main focus. I have started setting 30 mins alarms now before I start on a protein drink. Didn't get in their daily protein intake - yep, on multiple days although I always tried hard & kept track of what I missed, esp when I started to get really impacted week 2 due to dehydration & a few days with no intake of calories whatsoever, not even from shakes. Ended up on IV's for hrs due to this and yeah, it was more about water than protein but my 1st wk post-op I was doing well and on point not only for protein but also water and decent 200 to 340 calories. Was humbled quickly in wk 2 & am struggling both with protein & water but water worries me more right now. I hope having the dialogue was interesting for ppl. I like to be able to discuss things with openness and honesty and I don't mind if ppl care enough about me or the topic to ask where I'm coming from or to take time enough to comment and gently..sometimes even bluntly try to share their experience with me or get clarification, etc.

I also took your post as a conversation starter. That is a big issue sometimes with all of this 'written communication' is interpretation of tone and intent sometimes. My answers to your inquiry are as follows: 1) Vitamin query - I'm still on vitamin patches only and I have had 1 day each week where I've forgotten to put on a new patch. The 2nd time I forgot, I was back at the hospital getting IV fluids and find out my blood thinning levels were way too high. I let the vitamin patch slide when I got home as I momentarily was simply overwhelmed. I also have huge invested interest in trying to do anything to stave off as much hair loss as possible. I understand that I can still do all the very SMALL things that MAY have a slight impact (or not) on trying to reduce hair loss and it may not matter one iota. However, I will at least know that I did all that anyone has suggested/can think of/ dr input/ veteran input, etc. In the end, what will come...will come. And probably on Month 4 when I'm on a cruise ship! 2) Regarding NSAID's - ABSOLUTEY not cuz am on a blood thinner so I've been used to avoiding these since 2011. It would be a great threat to me physically, especially these days. I also remember a woman I worked with for 10 yrs who downed multiple doses of Ibuprofen throughout the day..way more than suggested & ended up with MAJOR issues in the hospital with her stomach/intestines and that sticks in the back of my mind. 3) Eating out - too afraid & am supposed to just start purees tomorrow. After my experience today, am going to throttle that back & talk to Dr. When time comes that I felt am ok with eating out, I'll go to places where I know I can order a healthy/clean meal. This is an area I identified as potential weakness as my emotional/mental wellbeing needs more work. I do however follow a fun thread of BEFORE & AFTER food/meal pics and have learned a lot of easy things. Also learned that I'm online with some AMAZINGLY gifted cooks and meal 'wonder workers'. There are also ppl like Fluffychix and others that will help out with ppl seeking easier ways to get their meals at home. One mental/or experience advantage I have is that I was a member of AA/NA for many yrs and I still keep at heart the warning to stay away from people, places and things that can jeopardize my 12 step program or 'insert goal here' Err..I forgot the other questions! LOL

@slady - I do know my Dr. doesn't want us to take vitamins for a month after surgery but he has no problem with Vitamin Patches. I also have encountered some folks on here who take the vitamin patches as an alternative to ones that give them enough trouble where they need an alternate way to supplement. Maybe talk to your doctor about this as an alternative? Just a thought....

Girl, you are still rocking it!! I am so very pleased for you!!

I so get this! Except it is a bar my husband and eldest daughter like to go as they are both crazy about beer. I have been to ashamed of how I look to even want to show up . I just have become so incredibly large and somehow I was still semi-blind to the magnitude and then a picture would come up that someone managed to snag and I was even more horrified. I'm also afraid to buy any tickets to concerts and bands coming through (Like Queen in October) as I'm afraid I won't fit in the seats. Flying on Southwest at X-mas and had to buy an extra seat. Afraid of trying new restaurants until I have been able to 'scope out their seating arrangements'. Had too many times I've been OBVIOUSLY stuck when trying to sit in a booth...I won't even try it...at least NOT YET. I had accepted for a brief period that my life was going to be defined on my large physical mass...and then I realized I could NOT keep living this way. Trapped. Like you said...in prison

Um, this is all I could come up with and now it has made me want to ask my Dr. as I never knew there was RNY Proximal and RNY Distal. It's like the more I learn, the less I know. Here is the info on distal that I found. Someone set me straight if this is wrong. Since my BMI at one time was about 60 and when I met my surgeon it was in the mid 50's - I now wonder....if our Dr doesn't say do those of us who have RNY "assume" we had proximal rather than distal? I qualify..and still do in the super obese group. RNY Gastric Bypass (Distal)- usually performed for patients who are in the super obese group (BMI over 50). Depending on their obesity, more small intestines are bypassed when the obesity is more severe to help them lose more weight. When more intestines are bypassed, there will be less intestinal surface for absorption of calories, especially fat. This results in more frequent bowel movements per day. If fat is consumed in the diet, fat will be digested less, and will be eliminated undigested. This may create foul smelling, loose stools. Indication for this procedure is reserved for bigger patients, or for those patients who have failed their original gastric bypass. Patients with the distal gastric bypass may need other fat soluble vitamin supplements, such as Vitamin A, D, E, and K, depends on how long their small intestine is bypassed. Patient follow up is very important to make sure they are metabolically and nutritionally healthy.

Can't wait for your day to come, @Mikeyy!! Thanks for your responses. Sounds like you have a lot of things in place. You may already be following this other thread/topic, but for anyone who is not whether they are pre-op, post-op, etc. I highly recommend FluffyChix's "Doing the Headwork" topic. I've joined a few FB groups and learned a lot more. Am searching for a new therapist that has experience with clients who have had WLS. I had one who was wonderful but he is ill & no longer practicing), but I know I need someone to still work with as I have decades of learned behavior, habits, and bad coping skills that food was centered around or it came into play at some point. I'd like to find someone who specializes not only in WLS clients but also in grief support.

Did you recently post about this on another thread? I had read something recently about it and was intrigued which is why I was asking. I think after I focus on recovering from my first...um...egg...I would like to look into this although I'm a big premier protein fan for 'myself' so far but am always open.

I've had pneumonia only once and it is one of the harder thing I've ever recovered from. Get what you can in each day. I've heard my own dr say that 60 mgs is the goal but do what you can. I know we have some very savvy veterans and some amazing medical professionals that are going through this same journey. I could be wrong but I think your 1st pty is to stay hydrated, then to get as much protein as you can. My Dr's post-op even says 'there will be some days you only get 40 gms and other days where you can go higher. One thing his practices puts great emphasis is that full healing (per my Dr) takes 6 to 8 weeks. His nutritionist has told me twice this month that my body is going to take every calories i'm giving it to try to use to help heal my body. They've been doing this for over 15 years but even I have a hard time believing when she continues to assure me that my 'chances' at seeing a more rapid weight loss will actually come when my pouch and everything else has healed. I know my DR doesn't want me taking the extra vitamins we need in pill form right now, but he is OK with vitamin patches. He also prescribed this weekly 'inhaler' basically of B12 that you inhale it up one nostril. Is there some supportive stuff like this that your Dr will allow to help keep up a bit with vitamin and nutrient needs (I will say that the B12 once a week seems to help). I think...is it Frustr8 or someone else who actually goes in to their dr either monthly or bi-monthly and they get injections and some other stuff? Anyone know who I might be referring to? Give yourself a break though...pneumonia on top of a new sleeve (we're July surgery siblings) is a lot for your body to take in and try to heal you from. I don't always have the right words to say nor am I a veteran but I want you to know that I do care and I hope that you start to heal quickly..and that you can take some comfort in trying to stay hydrated and do the best you can on protein, obviously keeping in touch with your Dr. Sending hugs and prayers your way.

I tried about 40 mins ago as stomach continued growling...and by now it had been another hr or 2..to sip 1 oz of Premier Protein Banana Cream shake which I have not had any issues with. I was doing a jigsaw puzzle with my husband so while I did not 'sip, sip, sip' the 1 oz, I did 'sip' it. Lord, I think y'all are the only ppl who can even make sense of what I'm trying to say. Well, I never anticipated that 1 oz would be a problem but as I was pouring out another measured ounce to drink in about 15 minutes, I could feel my pouch rejecting the 1 oz..well, first came that hard core restricted feeling and then..it felt like the protein shake wanted to come back up. Kept trying to focus on the puzzle pieces and doing deep breathing exercises. I know this sounds weird, but do pouches spasm? I actually have a high tolerance to 'pain' in general. I have found since I tore my knee up, I do NOT do as well with chronic pain. Tonight after I drank that 1 oz of protein shake, the restriction or whatever it was that I was feeling, brought tears to my eyes. I have only at one time almost begged for painkillers and it was not through 2 very difficult labor and deliveries, the 2nd of which was 36 hrs and at hour 25, I finally asked for an epidural. It was 2 years ago when I was bleeding internally. It hurt more than a gallbladder attack which thankfully has been the ONLY gallbladder attack I've ever had. Tonight..I came SO close to asking husband to drive me to ER. I went back in my bedroom and let a couple of tears out. I was raised with 3 brothers and my Dad had a saying that was basically "if you are not coughing up a lung, then there's nothing wrong". My Dad indeed did truly love us and show it, but he was a pretty tough guy and he raised kids that all have a high tolerance for pain..or maybe it is just that we learned to push past it? I'd put the pain tonight on a scale of slightly less than a gallbladder attack. Is this the norm? Should I be taking 1 of my last 3 robaxin's when it hurts like this? I'll be emailing dr' in the morning. I thought I had gotten past "hell week" although honestly, my first week was SO much easier. I was able to take in more liquids than I could the 2nd week. If this is what everyone deals with, just let me know. I really wish I had been able to make actual new friends before this surgery. I had joined a women's group as I've been dreadfully missing my Mom and my best friend of 20 yrs who passed a couple of yrs before my Mom from brain cancer. You don't just replace relationships like that but God do I feel so very alone right now.

Hey siblings, I'm a bit bummed right now. My weight is actually up 1.5 lbs from my current 'profile weight'. I had RNY on 7/25. I've stuck to liquids like a madwoman. I've tracked intake on various days of ea week. I've averaged anywhere from 100 calories a day to 340. Ironically the 1st week after surgery I was closer to 300 calorie mark and then I had issues with nausea, feeling tight restriction even when only drinking few oz's, etc. so I dropped down to 100 calories or less for about 4 days. Ended up getting 2 bags of IV fluids last Thurs Wasn't on an IV for 24 hours, etc. I knew I'd have some 'water weight' gain from 2 bags of IV fluids but scale has not budged from current gain (Waited 3 days to weigh hoping I'd get some water off). So am almost 3 wks out with only a 10 lb loss to show. Was SO looking forward to pureed foods as I've been on liquids FOREVER, but now am terrified I'll eat pureed foods and start gaining. I plan to keep pureed (plus any shake supplementation) down to a bare minimum of calories/fat/carbs (of course protein is my main focus). Weird, while I was typing this my dr called!! Said he wants me to start taking some bites of food tomorrow. He said avocado, eggs, etc. I was like..um...puree stuff. he said 'no, real bites'. LOL..I told him I'd do whatever he asked lol...as I"m staring at HIS list for the pureed phase which I was supposed to start this Thursday. GAH! I just realized I'm posting as I'm so nervous about what will happen when I add purees (and I know tracking is crucial, at least it is to me..it gives me comfort)..and now he said 'start tomorrow'. Oh sweet baby Jesus... I am seriously so happy that my siblings are doing so well but I must admit I'm becoming very sad and bewildered.

Since you can work remotely/from home, that is a big benefit. I work remotely and went back to work the same day of surgery (at night). I did take 1/2 the day off the next day to 'sleep in', but since we had huge deadlines at work, that next day I started what would end up to be a 75-78 hr work week. If I had to drive in to work and/or had a more labor intensive job, I would have taken at least 3 or 4 days off.

lol..not sure if it is strength and/or the fact that 1) I was under a huge deadline as well as 2) It helped me to stop thinking "when will this gas pain go away" after all other measures to rid myself of gas had been exhausted

Wow, you have good eyes!!!

I work remotely but I work a lot of hrs each week. I went back to work the same night on 7/25 - the date of my RNY.

I had an RNY but I experienced similar sensations..pulling at my incisions especially the larger ones and I had a particularly deep/semi-constant burning pain on the 'right side' incisions - again..especially the larger one. I did mention to Dr. @ post op visit and both he and his staff told me the burning sensations were a good sign? Healing, I guess? I had some other urgent issues we had to deal with so I didn't query them further about why specifically it was a good sign, but they definitely indicated that it was normal for my situation. Whenever I engage my core...it would burn and tug. Am now 17 days post op and the tugging and burning have both stopped. I have a decent pain tolerance but I had both gas/constipation and other abdominal aches that I address primarily by walking, taking Gas-Ex, ensuring I had semi-regular bowel movements..and a med , Robaxin, that my dr prescribes all his patients (for muscle spasms and light pain relief). I don't take it these days.

Thank you for this. Before my RNY on 7/25, I had spent 15 months on a version of keto. There were 2 critical things about my food choices: meet the nutrition requirements/macro limitations and EASY. I tried to turn food into a non-event. My family asked how I could eat/drink same things over & over. I was not looking for food, I was looking for fuel. Not going to lie though when odd urge struck me on keto, I'd look up recipes but if they didn't fit my target macros then I gave them a hard pass. I know youngest daughter thinks the way I was eating was too limited, boring, etc. I HAVE to have 'EASE' & convenience due to my work schedule & honestly do not want to spend too much time on cooking, food prep, etc. I DO want to know tips/tricks, etc. that are in line with what we should be doing the 1st couple of mos, to ensure that things like chicken, etc. go down smoothly (add broth, etc.) I was so torn on other thread re: Dr. Brian/Bryan? But I think none of us really..wants to blow this HUGE change we've made to our bodies. Most have heard about honeymoon period, the X amt of mos where you lose majority and how we can "break it or make it". I feel I'm going to have to get back in with a therapist as with all addictions, when you are "new in recovery"..In AA & NA they tell you to stay away from people, places and things you used to associate with as you don't have good chance at staying clean/sober if you repeat old behavior..even if you don't relapse. I can't afford a 'food relapse'. I need safety. Was tempted to check out recipes, but I kept reading different input & it brought me back to where my mind had been planning to go...which is for ME, I must KISS (must be simple). And I have to be accountable to stay in my "lane" dr prescribed. As I'm not 30 anymore, I can't afford for this opportunity to get sacrificed in a sudden urge to search for, what would be for me, distractions. Heck, some of you know due to last min dr. change, I've been doing full liquids (pre-op & post-op) for 49 days as of today & by time my dr let's me move to pureed, it will be 54 days. I had felt sorry for myself a few times but I'm going to change that by telling all of you how I absolutely rocked the liquids stage...I did it! I'm still doing it! Just to clarify, I feel we can find flavor & variation in things as we go down this road, but just like in recovery, we are warned to keep main focus of 1st year solely on self. No new relationships, etc. I've been clean for 30+ years now & let me tell you,a food addiction makes getting clean/sober look like child's play for ME personally. Glad we can all talk about this. I have to understand too that what 1 person can eat/not eat & successfully lose weight on does not make it true for me. Think I will keep training wheels on for now.

@MeowAMR - what a difference! SO awesome!!

Haven't posted regularly the past few days. Had 1st post-op visit with Dr. I was dehydrated and having pain in kidneys and lower abdomen (not consistent/ruled out with gas, BM’s, etc). Also, starting a few days ago, just drinking my Protein Shake or water...after 2-3 ozs, the next 'drink' makes me feel constriction to such a degree it feels like a knot in my chest Dr sent me to for an upper GI (kinda?). Things looked ok from what they could see. They were able to run tests with me just sipping 4 ozs of a horrible soap drink. Tech that was left at the end said "wow, things go through you fast". LOL..uh yeah..RNY here. Also had my INR (blood thinner levels) checked as I was so busy working last wk that I hadn't had it checked. Am on blood thinner for repeat PE’s and DVT's. GOOD thing we had labs pulled. My INR is a 7! VERY HIGH! If blood thinning levels are too high, you can start bleeding internally. Last yr, I ended up in hospital for 2 wks when INR was '9' & I started urinating blood. My dr said to immediately stop blood thinner and had me send husband to store to buy spinach. Had me blend it up with a liquid (used broth) since spinach has high lvl of vitamin K & can help reduce my INR. Well, am still on liquid post op diet and pouch did NOT react well to all that fiber. Was in bathroom most of night. Ended up back at local hospital for IV treatment. Unsure if I will weigh soon after all the fluid that was put in me. Finally home again.

how do i get a post deleted? I want to move my post on Thurs @ 11:34 to the July surgery siblings post op thread and remove it from here. I cannot edit it any longer..and I remember something about not being able to edit at a certain point.

@Healthy_life2 - would it be possible to get the recipe for those awesome looking enchiladas? Picture was so good it made my mouth water.

Hey everyone, Haven't posted regularly the past few days. Had first post-op visit with Dr. I was dehydrated but was also having some pain in kidneys and lower in abdomen (not consistent with gas, constipation, etc. - or rather I should saw, have been getting fairly regular BM's and have taken the usual Gas-Ex which solves any gas issue quickly). Also, starting a few days ago, just drinking my protein shake or water...after 2 to 3 ozs, the next 'drink' makes me feel that constriction to such a degree it feels like a knot in my chest where my pouch is. I can only assume this is what a pouch would feel like if you overdrink/overeat? My doc to be thorough sent me 5 mins down the road to a hospital and they did an upper GI (kinda?). Things looked ok from what they could see...I thought i was going to die when they made me try to drink this soapy tasting water! I walked in and they had 2 HUGE styrofoam containers - like 8 to 12 oz containers. I blinked at them and asked if they knew I had just had WLS. One dr nodded and I told him, even if I can drink this w/o it impacting that odd 'restriction sensation'...I CANNOT down 16 to 24 ozs anytime in the next 12 to 18 hrs. Water, even when I can get it down is making me very nauseated to point that it sometimes comes back up in my throat. Long story short, things checked out from a stitching/no leak perspective which is great. They were able to run tests with me taking in maybe...4 ozs of this horrible (BUT WELL LUBRICATED SOAP) across an hour. The one tech that was left at the end said "wow, do things go through you fast". LOL..Um..yeah..RNY here. I called Dr's office back on my way to go get the test and asked if I could have my INR (blood thinner levels) checked as I was so busy working (75 hrs last wk, actually really more like 78) that I hadn't had it checked. Am on a blood thinner for repeat pulmonary embolisms and DVT's. Well, it is a GOOD thing that we had labs pulled. My INR is a 7! For those that don't know what normal is - if you do not take aspirin/blood thinners, you are usually a '1'. For someone who has a clotting history, at least on Coumadin/Warfarin, they want MY range to be between a 2 and a 3. That is considered 'therapeutic'. Well, if your blood thinning levels goes to high, you will start bleeding internally (brain bleed, etc.). Last summer, I ended up in a local hospital for 2 weeks as my INR level got to '9' and I started urinating blood. My dr said to immediately stop my blood thinner and he had me send my husband to the store to buy some spinach and told me to blend it up with almond milk or something. A Vitamin K injection is how hospitals handle an 'out of control' blood thinning level. The issue with this is it sends you immediately to a '1' and if you have a tendency to clot, you can clot while they are trying to get you from '1'..back to the 2-3 range which is what happened last year when they gave me the shot. Just in the few days of trying to get me restarted, I threw some clots that went to my lungs. So he is using the Vitamin K in the spinach to be a more gentle type of Vitamin K and I'm to got to hospital tomorrow to get it checked and they are going to put me on IV's for several hrs to rehydrate. My dr is familiar with my work situation. He did want me admitted but I said no, no, no. It wasn't until I was driving 1.5 hrs back to my house that they got the blood test results. If I had known I was at a '7', I probably would have let them admit me. Well, at least my dr seems on top of things. I think he is going to try to have a "Come to Jesus" meeting with my cardiologist as that dr does NOT want me to switch to something like Eliquis and my surgeon knows that with all of the internal changes, having something that can slide so much in terms of range with a 'pouch' is just not something he feels is right, safe, or sustainable. Miss posting real stuff. Oh crud...let me know if I need to delete this and post it elsewhere. I just thought of my August buddies. Well, back to work, I'll try to monitor if you need me to move this.