KarenLR75

I have always assumed, ok..in the last few weeks when I changed dr's and the new one said that I could indeed have a gastric bypass and that based on the weight I need to lose, etc. it would be the best best - especially as my insurance is a "one and done" (i.e. you only get 1 bariatric surgery..EVER)....I assumed the RNY would be done via laparoscopy? Hopefully the days of "open" RNY's, etc. are a thing of the past. However, I just got my "official copy" of my insurance approval and it says "Gastric Bypass by Endoscopy" What the heck? Is this a normal part of RNY - do they go down your..um...esophagus and also do little incisions on your abdomen? I've been so heavily sleeve focused for past 3 yrs, I feel like I've missed something crucial..or I just don't understand. Why am I drawing a blank on this?? It's just made me....pause (not changing mind - still having surgery on 7/25)...and try to 'catch up' on just what is going to happen "now". I mean, I've watched videos, TV shows, etc. but so far I've seen the use of robotics/laparoscopy or just laparoscopy. Maybe I wasn't paying attention enough or missed that part of the show?

Sorry, missed Lovely Life - will work on finding pic for it. For OOTD: I haven't lost my weight yet and am not comfortable with any pics...instead I will post a pic of what the "new me" would most likely seek out to wear although how the heck I'm ever going to wear this fabulous trench in Texas...is beyond me! I can always save it for when I go to PA or if I decide to switch to the side of my company that travels. I still have a few good yrs left that I could handle that again. Kids out of the house so no more...lol...ok, less "how will they get to all of their activities" type worries...calls I'd get when I was in another state on business...that was hard! I'm not really having a great summer. Being 300+ lbs in TX or any other 'hot place' & being at the age where these so called "hot flashes" are picking up...is honestly downright miserable. I can tell that you ladies, even if you are too young to have 'hot flashes', know what I mean about feeling hot, damp, messy, but even more just feeling so bad about how you look and how you feel. I'm looking forward to 7/25 to get RNY surgery. To show I'm not completely gloomy, I'm ready to rock the look below in hopefully the next 2 years..and then I won't be saying I'm having "hot flashes"...I will be having POWER SURGES!! Oh yeah, the challenge - I didn't do arms today but I did swim in the pool and did some arm exercises in there for about 45 mins.

So happy things went so well! Was thinking about you and greentealael yesterday..

THIS is SO TRUE!

Absolutely! I was actually looking at some posts from some of my 'initial faves' (they still are faves!) and found 'you' @GreenTealael in just the past week or so. I 'followed' you as you have such humor, wisdom, kindness and experience that I want to soak up as much as I can before my surgery on 7/25 (RNY). I've been posting a LOT and replying a LOT...and maybe that is typical prior to surgery. Sometimes I feel like I post too much..and I don't know why I feel that way. Honestly, last night when I had joined the July Challenge...an emotional issue that always hovers at the edges of my daily life came through as I was posting my flower pics..and that is...I miss my Mom. I miss my Dad too...but I so wish my Mom was here...she was an incredible Mother...and best friend. Her face is so very dear to me...I wish I could see it again before surgery. I feel like I'm a child again..but I really want my Mom... Dear Lord..where did all of that come from? I started this reply with the intent of assuring you....of how much help you have been..and don't even know about as I read posts from months ago. I understood where @justmetj heart/reason for posting was coming from. We do need our veterans, our pros, or even people who have recently stumbled (or not) to try to help ppl who post about things like 'pizza' and other choices or behaviors that could seriously endanger their physical well being or emotional well being. Not trying to help would form a 'conspiracy of silence' which would not help the OP. Confrontation is seen as 'negative' but it can be helpful, constructive and kind, even. I pray when I am making bad choices (as I don't think WLS nor my preparation is going to spare me from the fact that I am human)..that ppl CARE enough to call me on it...hopefully politely...but if someone cares to reply, 90%+ of the times, I'm going to take it as they care.

Woohoo! In addition to a 'July surgery sibling', we are 'same day siblings'! Are you on your pre-op diet yet? Seems that diff dr's vary between wanting their patients to start 3 weeks before surgery date, some are 2 weeks...some are 10 days...and I've heard of a very very few that required no preop diet.

Sleek Arms Challenge - Done Single chest press pulse was shockingly..."felt"... I could feel muscles in upper arms burning after just 3! Man, I am so out of shape. I cannot get down on the floor for the Half Cobra or Up Up Down Downs - I think I'll pull some arm exercises from the other sets. Picture - Flowers: Our hydrangea went nuts and then my youngest daughter took some pics of our local wildflowers...

This is one of my greatest motivators. I want to be able to go, do, travel and enjoy vacations. I've wasted so much of my life. By the way, that pic you posted is absolutely gorgeous. I've always wanted to try a zipline but knew I am simply just too large..that and I'm afraid of heights! I love riding horses but abandoned it for same reasons you mentioned.. Is it too late to join the July challenge? I really don't do 'instagram' and I realized after I read thru this all, that I'm sitting here passively waiting for 'surgery' to happen to me on 7/25. I was...I guess this sounds kind of stupid/obvious...startled into realizing that I could actually do the arm exercises. I don't have to wait for surgery to start things that need to become my 'new habits', 'my new ways to cope', my new ways to care for myself...

@Sharon B A - wow, that is so cool....I love that whole area (the Solana area, trophy club in general..Roanoke has GROWN SO MUCH, etc. I live in Keller so definitely close! So will your surgery be in Irving? I know you are having surgery..what, 2 days before me on 7/23? Let's stay in touch! We are 'July surgery siblings' after all And we are all dodging funnel clouds, high winds and other crazy things together up here in North Texas!

I completely understand. I posted a HUNGRY/HANGRY topic last night as this has become so very hard. I know we can get through it, but this is harder than I expected and I've done the pre-op diet before for 13 days.... It is hard trying to go to sleep with true, almost unrelenting hunger pains...and wake up feeling the same. I can deal with them much better throughout the day as I just try to focus on something else. I haven't had any real desire for sugar free jello but maybe I need to eat some anyways. I have found, and don't know if there is any science behind it, but warmer things (protein soups, protein cocoa) send to content the vast abyss that is my stomach moreso than cold things (protein shakes)...

LOL, just found the topic you started 'Update on Barry'. I'm all caught up now!

Oh my gosh...If I were further south in TX or LA, I'm so focused on my sugar free or 'sugar grams greatly reduced' popsicles, I might be tempted to rent a generator to protect my 'stash' All kidding aside, I've been through typhoons before, one of which had winds that were in the Hurricane Harvey realm so I understand. Our gulf coast areas here in the South have become experts at preparing (as much as one can) for these things. Those of us further north of the gulf...worry over everyone each time though....

LOL, I swear it has been this way since the long ago days when I was a kid...whatever your favorite flavor is...you get 2 of...and whatever your least favorite is...takes up about 70% of the box it seems

Oh my gosh, I just realized you posted and then thought..."what is the situation with Barry?". I haven't turned on my TV yet. I've been thinking about you and hubby and praying that Barry kept going down in potential 'threat' level...so maybe it would just be a slight enough (one can wish!) to also not contribute to any more flooding (I know wishful thinking, I'm sure). I always worry about LA and the TX Gulf coast areas (esp Houston) after what both states have gone thru in the past. My fave place to go in TX - Port Aransas still has not recovered from the horrific damage of Hurricane Harvey.

The no sugar version are the ones I'm eating. They are 10 calories...in the end it seems that most liver shrink diets are largely based on or at some point...being on mostly liquids...and under 800 calories (maybe more for some ppl) as it is the extreme low calories that I've heard ultimately help to shrink the liver (anyone with a greater understanding, feel free to let us know more) I'm unsure if the 'things that are being consumed' play a larger role in the shrinking of said liver or not. My dr doesn't even have the 'clear liquids phase'..for the 2 days prior to operation. I have the Popsicle brand as well and sometimes i alternate, but the Outshine ones taste so much better. My pre-op plan allows for a protein bar 2 x's a day up until the day before surgery which I am not doing. I figure the Outshine bars have to be a better 'closer to full liquids' choice than those bars even though that is NOT a requirement of my pre-op diet. I do understand that for other people, they all have diff pre-op diets. When in doubt, ask your dr's office - mine knows I eat the Outshine popsicles

Yay, Texas! My surgeon is Dr. Chad Carlton (he's way up in Frisco) but operates @ Baylor Trophy Club thankfully. Who is yours?

Was going to clear this with my dr but have seen several people recommend taking Gas-Ex to the hospital. May just keep some in my purse from now on. Also have seen a pillow recommended, especially to cushion your abdomen on the way home. J actually bought some new, easy to get into PJ's...taking them to hospital as I hate hate hate those dang gowns. I always feel self conscious walking in them. If nothing else, I'll wear the PJ's home!

Oh my gosh....YESSSSSSS! I have both 'kinds' too. I'm like 'I'm splurging...I'll walk back and forth more to burn those dang 10 calorie popsicles".....they taste so much better!!

I'm scheduled for RNY on 7/25! Was originally scheduled for a sleeve on 7/1 but I changed dr's @ last minute and new dr felt I absolutely should be doing RNY instead of sleeve. So now on 2nd round of pre-op dieting. Congrats to all the bypass peeps already done in July - I hope your recoveries are going well!

Congrats on getting a date! I'm scheduled for 7/25 so we are both in the same week! I definitely understand 'scary excitement'! I am so very happy for you!

Oh my gosh...AWESOME JOB and in under a year!! You definitely should be very very proud of yourself!

Dang! Was going to reply YESSSSSS! Then i realized I'm Week 4!! UGH. Sorry, that probably didn't sound gracious...I'm still "GO WEEK 3 PEEPS!!!"

OK, was on Day 13 of pre-op diet when I changed dr's. Had 2 or 3 days off...and back onto pre-op diet. By time surgery date comes around, I'll have been 'pre-op'ing for 30+ days. WHY is it harder this first week of starting again...than the ENTIRE 13 days I had been on it before. I was never as hungry as I am now even though I'm following same pre-op. I am not having the 1 lb a day loss I was having during my first pre-op attempt. Is it my body resisting me playing starvation games already...or maybe my mental mindset? Probably both. Trying to think, within the bounds of the pre-op items I'm allowed, if I can come up with some happier combination where I won't feel within an hour the deep growling, grumbling and that sick/nauseated feeling you get when you haven't eaten. My mind and/or body thinks it is not getting ANYTHING. I'm guess I'm surprised that I"m struggling already on just...Day 7 or 8 of my 2nd pre-op diet. The Premier shakes that usually always keep hunger at bay are not working, sugar free popsicles and jello...my body has its 'BS detector' out in full force...I think it literally just laughs when I desperately grab them from my fridge/freezer...like 'Yeah, right...not having it..nope...give me some REAL food'. I had done Keto for 15 months prior to mid-June when 1st pre-op started so I don't think I'm detoxing, etc. And I work such long hrs that I have often relied on Premier Protein drinks to keep me satisfied for HOURS upon HOURS. I even tried some Bariatric Fusion bars my dr's office uses...nope. The soup I ordered from bariatricpal isn't cutting it for more than an hour and it has always been very satisfying..plus it tastes good..but tummy still not happy (tummy going to be REALLY unhappy on 7/25..lol). I will say the Cocoa Variety pack from bariatricpal is the ONE thing that literally seems to make my stomach happy this time around still! @Alex Brecher I ordered more boxes and am giving you a pass on harassing you about API's, etc. to resolve the auto-renewal items in 'cart' situation since you are still recovering from MAJOR DANG surgery! Besides, I gotta have more cocoa!! (and my point total will continue going higher which is GREAT!) Ideas anyone? So bizarre!!

Sale? Hopefully like somewhere we might have in common between TX and NY...Hhmmm..Sam's club? Kroger? LOL about your Mom's comment!! If I'm ever in NY, I'll know who has the market cornered on them!

OH my gosh, logistical nightmare! Been through that once...crazy, crazy, especially while in pain/agony although I get the sense that you still cracked jokes Love it!