KimTriesRNY

My surgeon had a group meeting with about ten of us. He went over both surgeries, the differences, what to expect, the actual anatomical changes, the possible risks. He then consulted with each of us separately after this to discuss which surgery we wanted and why. He did not pressure us either way which I liked. The good thing is information about these operations is so easily available on the internet.

Although I do not have sleep apnea, I enjoyed your post. Working in the hospital I meet many people that have sleep apnea and are highly resistant to wearing a CPAP at night. Sleep apnea can lead to so many problems. Thank you for sharing in such a fun and informative way.

I hope your recovery continues to go so smoothly!

Ugh. This. My least favorite is becoming I had surgery two weeks ago and I haven’t lost fifty pounds! What’s the matter with me! I guess I just felt so cruddy the first few weeks post op it didn’t even cross my mind to weigh myself and worry about it so soon.

Wow! Amazing work! Congratulations!

I’m making a commitment this month to really get back on track with my exercise. Much of my loss has been purely diet driven and I’m ready to up the ante!

I think this. It is unreasonable to think you will never eat a cookie, a piece of cake, a bit of ice cream again just because you had weight loss surgery. We have to figure out how to work these items in occasionally in a sensible and reasonable way. There are going to be parties, barbecues, weddings...nights out when you want a bit of something and we need to be able to enjoy it without shame to uneccesary guilt. That being said, some of us probably do have foods that trigger us to overeat, that we are not yet ready to introduce into our diet. Maybe we are unable to control the portion size at that point. For me, ice cream is one of those. I have avoided it since my surgery. I hope to be able to eat it one day in a sensible and normal way. I have eaten small amounts of baked goods that are homemade. People bring them into work. It’s easy to practice portion control because it’s not in my home. And homemade goodies are worth a splurge every now and then!

Well I certainly hope you stick around. Inspiration from those that have met goal and gone through the process is so valuable. I try to post daily because I can’t make it to my bariatric group meeting in person due to my work schedule. Maybe that will change when I’m at goal, and I will only post weekly. Too early to tell. All of us are different but I like reading everyone’s different opinions, even if I don’t always agree with them.

I wouldn't say 100lb in six months was slow, that's an average of nearly 17lb per month. My surgery weight was 369. It’s all relative. It’s slower than many people with that starting weight. But I’m fine with my progress.

Things to think about here. Thanks @Creekimp13.

It took me six months from my surgery date, which was my personal goal. I was heavier than you but am a slower loser. Slow, but consistent.

Oh no! I bought the cookies and cream because it’s my favorite flavor of almost anything! I have not tried it yet though....

Hmmmm. Is there a way you can discuss with them that waiting so long will push the date back? Did you ask the doctor why he wanted to perform the test if your other tests were negative? Maybe you could spin it in a way that you are worried your insurance won’t pay for the echo due to everything else being negative. The doctor should have a reason to perform the test for sure.

Is this appointment for the echo in September pushing back your Surgery date? If not then I wouldn’t necessarily fault the cardiologist for being overly careful in obtaining you clearance for surgery. Most people don’t become morbidly obese by eating a healthy diet and age does not exclude people from heart conditions especially in today’s society.

Sounds like you made a good informed decision! Congratulations and do keep us all posted!

Just don’t discuss it with people that aren’t supportive. They may come around when you start doing well, they may not. Either way you need to do what’s best for you and your health. Their feelings about your decision are secondary. In a perfect world they would be happy for you but the world isn’t perfect. As long as your husband is supportive that’s the most important thing. You can come here for support as needed from other women that struggle with their weight. If they are not obese and do not have the same health problems as you it will be impossible for you to convince them that this surgery is necessary and you shouldn’t have to. You’re a grown woman with your own family and you do not need their approval. Best of luck to you with your surgery!

I have several friends that were sleeved in Mexico without incident. If you want the surgery you are going to have to pay out of pocket with your BMI. My comment was meant to be helpful. If you do your research you could end up pleased with your results. You will be hard pressed to find any insurance here that will pay for your surgery with a BMI of less than 35. Good luck to you though.

If you are willing to self pay I’m sure you could be sleeved in Mexico.

I probably would seek out a new therapist. Those seem like really unprofessional answers from a therapist to a patient in this situation. Maybe I’m just being harsh, but it sounds like something a friend would say to reassure you while you’re having coffee, they don’t sound like therapeutic responses to your concerns. That being said, it is completely normal to have misgivings about surgery. I think most of us had doubts and fears before we went into surgery about the things that could happen. Fortunately I think most of us fear what will happen to us if we don’t have the surgery, and we stay obese more than operative risks. You are more likely to die from obesity further down the line from changing nothing rather than having surgery. There are a few posts I have seen with complications from minor to occasionally severe but most of us go through the operation and come out the other side with no complications. Don’t let your anxiety get the best of you. You jumped through the hoops to get this surgery for a reason! Best wishes!

You’ll be past the pain soon and on the road to a healthier you!

Yes. People post almost daily about why they are not losing weight immediately after surgery. The best thing you can do right now is focus on healing. Do your best to meet your fluid and protein goals. Walk when you can. Rest when you need to. You just had major surgery so give your body the time it needs to recuperate. Follow your plan and the weight loss will follow. If weighing yourself right now is discouraging, then do yourself a favor and don’t. Best wishes.

I was told birth control pills were not as effective post gastric bypass.

Interesting. Did you have an irregular heartbeat on your EKG? Did you have any cardiac enzymes tested during your ER stay? Did they check a BNP or give you lasix if you said you had extra fluid around your heart and lungs? Do you have a history of a lower blood pressure? Have you had any fevers since your surgery? I would be concerned at your age as well. Dehydration does not cause radiating pain to the arm or jaw. Of course make sure you are getting your fluids but I hope you get checked out by a cardiologist ASAP. I think sometimes too many people are brushed off due to age or other reasons and then something is wrong. We’ve seen it before on here. Best wishes.

What is your current weight or BMI? Have you been obese most of your life? There a few other things to consider than comorbid conditions, including your own comfort level with either procedure. Many people have good results with sleeves. If you have a BMI greater than 50, and have been obese since childhood though you may strongly consider gastric bypass. Do your own research on the surgeries and decide what you are comfortable doing. Good luck.

I’m a registered nurse working twelve hour shifts on a busy medical surgical floor. My surgeon cleared me to return to work after four weeks with weight restriction of 20 pounds. My supervisor did not accommodate the weight lifting limit so I ended up with the full six weeks off. It ended up being for the best. By the time six weeks passed my diet was almost progressed to normal and I was feeling much better. No one took it easy on me when I went back so if I were you take as much time as you can. Even after the six weeks I had to be careful lifting these people, and if you work in healthcare you know how these people want to pull and tug on you. You may qualify for short term disability through work as well so don’t rush going back.