clabelle2007

Look for Dannon's Oikos triple 0 - 15g Protein, 0 added sugar (stevia), 120 calories. I love all the flavors, but the coconut creme I mix with my chocolate Protein shake to give me a "I'm eating a Mounds bar" feeling

I really like the strawberry cheesecake one as well!

Hi Everyone! I know I came to these forums to help prepare me for the surgery, so this post is about helping you be as prepared as possible and know the nitty gritty.
I was sleeved Wednesday 1/24 in Chicago. Your mileage may vary.
The night before, I was NPO after 9PM and was the first surgery of the day, so I had to be at the hospital at 5:15 am. Have a backup ride ready because you might not know this until the day before, and my husband had to stay home with our kids. Pro Tip: You can reserve a cab or Lyft ride in advance, so I had a lyft scheduled at 4:30 AM.
They do weigh you at the hospital when you arrive. Pre-Op was a breeze. I have a high BMI so I had a shot of a drug to prevent blood clots, if you don't like shots, ask for it in the thigh. I had mine in my right shoulder both days and it was fine, nothing more than a flu shot feeling.
Post op your mouth will be DRY. DRY DRY DRY DRY DRY. Bring lip balm to keep your lips moist and you will, will, WILL get through it. If it's really bad, make sure you are not getting dehydrated. Late on the night of my surgery, my heart rate and blood pressure went way up, so they gave me a "BOLUS" for dehydration, which is a lot of IV fluids really fast, it did the trick and by morning I was fine.
WALK! Get up as soon as you feel able to. I walked and walked, and peed and peed. They will measure your urine so don't flush it, there will be a measuring thing in the toilet, don't put paper in it because you want credit for every ML of urine you produce! And did I mention walk? It's so easy. I was shocked that I was the only person walking around the floor. It really helps with that gas pain.
The morning after surgery I did a "water trial" where a member of the doc's team brought in two thimbles of Water. I had two hours to finish them and it took really about an hour. Go slowly. After that, I was not brought a tray of anything, just a FULL styrofoam cup of probably 20 oz of water and was told "this is what is between here and home." It took me about 3 hours to drink it, and then I was finally discharged around 3PM. Walking around in CVS on the way home is when the farting began. It hasn't stopped but I'll tell you I have zero gas pains!
Get the liquid Tylenol. You will want it when you are home, even if just one incision hurts (I have five "stab wounds" and only one is really bothersome at all - and the liquid tylenol is enough.) Now I am home and am slowly sipping Premier Protien Clear (yum) and water (yum) all day. TIP: Don't buy the orange Protein water sold at Target, order the Premier Protein clear online. They are vastly different.
TL:DR? You will fart a lot. That's good. You will burp a lot. That's fine. WALK A LOT. Stand up a lot. You'll do great.
Ask me anything!

I wish I'd have known the pure joy of buying a dress (albeit a size 16) in the "normal" section at Kohls. NOT THE WOMENS! I was giddy at the checkout. It's sleeveless (bummer) but it's perfect in every other way. I've lost 83 and have 70+ to go. I'm only 4 months post. But shopping is fun again!

Because you are cute as a button. i found these for you

I called today to check on the preauth and she told me I was approved!!! Woohoo!
I had a "oh crap" moment because she said I was approved for surgery TOMORROW... um...? But it was just a dummy date they put on the request. So I called the bariatric office to confirm and they said the coordinator wasn't in the office but she'd call me tomorrow or Friday to set up the date and pre-op labs!
I'm kinda sick with anxiety, I'm thrilled but my stomach is just roiling and twisting with knots. I probably have around six weeks before my surgery now and it seems like it's next week. It's been 14 months since I decided to pursue WLS and almost 10 months since my consult! Long time coming, but it'll be worth the wait!

This photo has helped me to not be discouraged but look forward to weeks

Started at a size 24 and xxl shirt. Now I’m in a size 6 and a medium shirt. Down to 170 pounds and only 20 away from my goal weight.

Only thing I was told when I had mine was moist heat. Just so you don't freak out - I remember when mine burst open. I was in the in my chair and absently scratched at my stomach when there was an itch or tickle. I don't know if it had started leaking and that's what caused the itch, but the gentle scratch unleashed a flood. I freaked out! Dark muddy blood was flowing from my largest incision area. I shuffled to the bathroom and kept folding toilet paper to absorb the blood.
I don't remember how much there was, but it seemed to continue to empty forever. And when it finally stopped and I stood back up, it started all over again. I called the hotline and they explained what was going on and told me to calm down. The next day I went to the surgeons office and they packed it with gauze and left it open to drain. It will heal from the inside out. Left with a patch of gauze taped to me and was back to normal.
I ended up using a maxipad taped to my stomach for the next couple days. I joked to my boss and wife about my entire ordeal up to then. I was cranky, tired, swinging from being OK then weepy and full of regret the next, and now I was using a maxipad. Obviously I had just gotten my first period.

Oh good times! So my guys know me. They know I'm chicken and love having a good time. So they give me fentanyl, because I'm allergic to benzodiazipines, to start trippin. Then we talk and listen to Pink Floyd "Comfortably Numb" as they are getting me settled on the OR table. They know better than to put a mask over my face until I'm totally whacked. Mostly a lot of laughing and joking, then nothing. Zonk.
I wake up in recovery sitting up cracking jokes. I'm a happy, cheap drunk. I would probably spill the secrets of the Western world if asked, but I don't think those guys have time. They want to put me under without a freak show and get me safely through to the other side without issue.
You'll do just fine!

There is a phase that patients go through after bariatric surgery. Luckily it is fairly short. It is so common that people have coined a phrase for it - "Never trust a fart".

I hear you, I'd love for it to happen sooner but every appointment brings you closer. Best wishes!

I'm hoping I won't run into this issue. I had a sleep study last year, but my sleep apnea is mild (6 episodes per hour) and I actually feel like my sleep has improved. I guess I will find out... still waiting to here back from my patient advocate, but this Holiday stuff is in the way, lol. Likely next week... I wonder if I will have to do another sleep study. :x

I am looking forward to receiving my cpap.The dr said to use it until I feel I no longer need it.

I love my surgeon, but the office is so crazy busy I feel like I get blown off a lot. I have tests, never get the results (this is for my EKG, MRSA test *and* my Endoscopy... when I brought it up they said the nutritionist would go through the results with me at my next medically supervised weight loss appt). I get appointments with the wrong people, there are items on my online checklist in their system that they say I haven't completed that I have. Not life and death but um- surgery IS and if they can't manage my care now, how can they do it after surgery?
Anyhow, there's an insurance issue (it's a good one actually, I can get approved sooner than expected) and they literally won't believe me. I have a NOTE from insurance telling them why they can submit now, and I talked to no less than 4 people who keep telling me what insurance requires. So today I just got mad, and called and asked to talk to my surgeon. They asked why, and I said that I think they're being terrible and I want someone to listen. I got the clinic manager. She's looking into it now.
I am sure she's mad (she gave me several reasons things have gone the way they have- staff changes, etc) but I really don't care. It's time to start taking care of ME and I am not going to 3 more months of appointments if I don't need to just because someone wants to ignore me. It actually feels kind of good to stand up for myself. We'll see what happens, hopefully I won't get screwed over. But my surgeon talked a lot about patient rights and support, and I feel I deserve that.

Yeah I don't want advice from skinny b*****s unless they have been through it before. I hate when my friends with flat stomachs are like yeah I need to lose 20 pounds. So annoying.

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

I just need to vent for a moment. Nearly everyone I've told about this surgery thinks they have some way to relate. What is it with people? If they've dieted, they think they know the same issues, or had another surgery, or ate baby food.
Has anyone else had this? I'm glad I limited who I've told. This is annoying.