Nnoi

Oooppp replied to BMI discussions before reading the thread so I am bowing out and not getting my toe wet in this pond

I recently spent a full day 11am-11pm at our state fair, met family there and then stayed with my mom (also post RNY) for a concert that evening. And I was expecting there to be nothing that we could eat there, and for the most part I was right

HOWEVER I was very surprised to find there were some healthy options. I got a grilled chicken sandwich at one stall with peppers, onions, and mushrooms and ate part of the meat and veg no bread, and for dinner we found a "Tastes of Ohio" restaurant that was selling various meats and shared a delicious grilled chicken meal with my mom complete with fresh cooked green beans!

We did indulge and had a few bites of ice cream YUMM but for the most part we were very proud of ourselves for navigating what we expected to be a tough day cravings wise without really any cravings at all (That got oil smell is so off-putting now)

So don't give up hope even though there were an alarming amount of deep fried foods there were some decent choices mixed in

I appreciate nuts and I believe we were allowed to start introducing them around 5-6 weeks post op they were one of the last foods

I will say however that I can not eat Pistachios anymore. I used to love them, but they are the one and only food I have dumped on

It is confusing to a lot of people why I would dump on pistachios of all things but they triggered something in me that was very very VERY bad, so anyone seeing them remember just because a food is delicious, and fits in your doctors limits, and it went down fine before. Try to remember to take it slow the first time to see how your new body handles it because it made me very very sick (to the point that the sounds I was making were compared to a wildcat trapped in my throat as I dry heaved)

8 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

it happens to a lot of people - you'll find a ton of postings about it on this site. It supposedly happens because estrogen is stored in fat cells, so when they "melt", the estrogen is released, thus flooding your system. Your cycles (and possibly your moods) can be kind of wonky for awhile, but they'll eventually regulate again

This

It can be SUPER annoying, and sometimes if your flows are very heavy (which is sounds like yours are) it can be scary. It is normal but if it continues it can lead to some Iron issues, so bring it up with your surgeon. I had a bit of a 'melt' post op as well but I was really worried because I had always had very heavy flows pre-op and my flows were more often but much lighter and shorter post-op and then I started skipping months, and finally I brought it up after not having a flow in almost four months and they gave me some pills to jump start my system and it set me right back to normal

So yes it is common, but it can cause issues don't suffer alone, bring it up with your doc if it continues!

I am coming up on my year next month,

I lost an alarming amount of hair from about month 4-month 7 My Hair loss started to get better around Month 6th but then I had my Gallbladder removed, and had a bile leak and was in and out of the hospital for several weeks with a drain and that sent my body into a tail spin AGAIN.

BUT I have SO MANY baby hairs and regrowth. My hair is def thinner I notice a difference but most people can't tell looking at me (I did start out with a lot of hair so I was lucky)

I know when you are going through it, and it is YOUR hair clogging the drain and covering your clothes and pillow and filling your brush it is SO HARD to look at it and think...It is ok...this is going to pass

But it is normal and it will pass and most of the time it does come back, it seems so horrible at the time but keep taking your Vitamins, take some Biotin if you want (I know I did and still do) and know that in a few months it will all be over

I have some similar issues, Some people who are still bigger that I used to be "One Of Them" now get uncomfortable talking about things dealing with weight or food around me. Not so much that they are cold just that my weight loss has perhaps made them more self conscious about themselves. I also have found the thinner/average sized co-workers fall into three groups

1. The super supportive ones who suddenly want to discuss Protein Shakes and workout routines with yout

2. The insecure ones who start telling you to STOP LOSING WEIGHT, or YOU LOOK SICK, or YOU LOOK LIKE A BOBBLE HEAD

3. The secret saboteurs those ones that come in with a bag of peanut m&ms and offer you some

I try to remind myself that the only thing I can do is not let their reactions change my attitude which is honestly easier said than done. But I am trying everyday to stay the same personality wise, and I am still and will always be a fat girl in my head so I try to not let my appearance or the surgery and my lifestyle changes change the way that I interact with people and it has honestly gotten better. My larger friends know I am not judging them or their food choices and also that they can talk about food or eat in front of me it doesn't bother me at all. My thinner/average size friends know that I am not going to eat what they offer me but thanks anyway, and I will totally talk about Protein shakes but I still hate working out, and the insecure ones have to work on themselves not the other way around so I don't waste my time of them if they are rude or negative toward me because they are the ones who changed not me.

Hang in there it can be alarming on the outside to see the changes we are going through after surgery but if you keep being you they will either come around or they were not worth your time to begin with.

I am just going to reply to this topic with an update in case anyone searching comes across this post.

I did discuss it with my Bariatric Surgeon and they did not see a problem with it (which honestly still surprises me) but when I saw my Oncologist he just assumed we were putting it off a year and I was FINE with that. So I am seeing my Oncologist again next month and will be scheduling my uptake for most likely late August or Early September (more than a year post op) because I will have to do the Low Iodine Diet for a few weeks before my uptake. The Low Iodine diet is a whole different can of worms. So anyone who is seeing them in the future that is going through what I am, please feel free to reach out to me here and I can discuss my experiences with Radiation Uptakes and Low Iodine Diets after RNY with you.

Hello My Friends 💜

I had Gastric Bypass in July. So far I am doing pretty well, feeling great, I have my three month check-up with my surgeon the end of the month!

But today I wanted to talk more about something else

I am a thyroid cancer survivor, I was diagnosed, had my thyroid removed and did radiation in 2012. Every year my oncologist alternates between doing a chest x-ray or a Thyroid uptake scan to check that the cancer is not back. I am due for a Thyroid uptake scan soon. I WILL be talking with my surgeon at my appointment about it. But was curious if any of you wonderful people were also Thyroid Cancer survivors or have done a thyroid uptake scan post-op.

My main concern is that while the dose of radiation you take for an uptake scan is not as high as when you are doing actual radiation I will still be swallowing a radioactive pill, which they request/suggest you take with a full glass of Water all at once. I know I can not drink that much water all at once, but I am also concerned that if I am discouraged to consume caffeine for six months post-op (which is what my program suggests I know not all of them do) that consuming actual radioactive materials is probably not advisable either.

Anyone here who does Radioactive Thyroid Uptake Scans? Any suggestions on how long you waited post-op?

Again I will talk with my doctor's both my Bariatric Surgeon and my Oncologist about my concerns and imagine that I will just be pushing the Uptake scan out at least a year post-op but I am just checking to see what other peoples experiences were...

I am working in getting fluids in some days are easier than others but I am only working on one month post op so I have time. I did end up investing in a special Water bottle off Amazon called a zak hydratrak (linked to the website) it's a 20 oz bottle and has 8 bands around it that you can roll up or removed and wear as bracelets for each time you empty the bottle. I have found with keeping track of Vitamins, and pills, and times and yada yada yada that taking away having to track how many times I refilled my water bottle helps!

Also on straws. I was never told no straws in my program, so at my first movie outing post-op I got a strawberry power-ade from those coke drink stations and tried a straw with trepidation because I know everyone on here says straws are bad. And I have found I am fine drinking from a straw and actually am able to drink more through a straw.

My mom is 5 weeks ahead of me post-op and was struggling to get her fluids in and her surgeon literally told her to drink through a straw if it helps

I know the theory is you swallow air through a straw but I have actually noticed a decrease in gas pains since switching.

I weight once a week which I guess is not normal ... but I will also weight again sometimes if I have success in the bathroom and want to see if that made an impact. I also take a selfie on weigh in days so that I might eventually look back on the weekly selfies and see myself changing (?) I don't know I don't notice a difference in the selfies but I do on the scale...

Hello there, thank you for the kind words. How are you feeling?

Feeling good most of the time I feel totally normal it is insane how quickly I felt better. I started soft foods today and that is sitting different then blended so figuring it out. Fluids are not always easy to get in but I'm managing at least 60oz.
Lost some weight before surgery but since surgery I'm down 20lbs. Super happy I did this.

I was told the caffeine is too acidic and can cause post pone healing. I am sure someone is going to come behind me and act like I'm an idiot. But honestly it's up to you if you do I wouldn't do it often and would maybe drink some milk or something with it. But it's up to you listen to your pouch if you drink it and it doesn't sit well try again later.

Anybody have pain on the right side? Like a dull achy pain sometimes not always.. its right above my biggest incision?? Its not too bad but its like an annoying dull ache on right side

I was told that the site where the doc works aka the big incision will have internal stitches that can cause some pain when they start to dissolve. Some people describe it as a dull ache others a spasm. Sounds like that might be what you're doing

You and@Nnoi are my Local Militia, won't be anything we 3 cannot handle, we make it the Power Rangers look like wimps![emoji138]&[emoji137]&[emoji135]

True facts!

You find a good man then sent me his older brother or cousin lol

Phone and charger, eye mask, and headphones were a lifesaver.
I also took my own toothbrush and toothpaste and
I have super thick hair so I took Shampoo and conditioner and went home sparkling clean.

Most hospitals will give you baby shampoo, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, and chapstick but anything you need/like special take.

You're so right. I find room temp feels better. How's hot liquids for you?

Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hot liquids do good lived off hot peppermint tea and broth at first [emoji6]

Hello!

I am another Ohioan, had my surgery last month at Riverside (this way you will know two people Frustr8 - OSU and Me @ Riverside in case you are going through either place and have questions) It is perfectly normal to be nervous. General Anes can be scary, I work in surgery at a different hospital and it is often something people worry about before going under the first time. Often if you left them know before the surgery that you nervous they can give you something to calm you down, or make you sleepy so you don't even remember going into the OR. I know my mom had RNY before me and she did not even remember being wheeled into the back let alone see any OR's for me they shot something in my IV in the hallway right outside of my OR wheeled in me told me to introduce myself and confirm my surgery which I did and then I woke up in recovery. The risks of complication are very low, but it is scary and they will make you sign some papers before surgery with a list of all the scary complications to prove you are aware of them. Try to get through it the risk of a leak and tube feedings is very very low.

As for thinking of your babies. Of course you are, that is part of being a Mom and feeling guilty for doing this. You have to remember all the wonderful memories you are going to be able to make post-op when you are lighter and healthier and feeling better. You have so many games of tag to play, and laughs to share, and memories to be made. You are making a choice to do what is best for you right now so that you are here and healthy enough to invest in their futures! So it may feel selfish right now and but you are doing something so selfless and ensure you are in their lives so much longer.

Hang in there!

I'm following this post as well. I am starting to drink faster too, and am not sure if I should be worried.

So sorry nothing to add, just stalking this thread!

it's different with each doc, but with my program they ease you back into the Vitamins. They know coming home post op is a lot, so at least with us they do not make you start all your vitamins right away, you can slowly ease into it. I was taking my Multi's both by day three, and eased into the Calcium slowly (I do three calcium) it seems like SO MUCH post op especially included with the acid reducer, pain meds, stool softeners and other maintenance drugs you might have. I know for me, I take thyroid medication in the morning so I have to space it out from food, acid reducer and calcium, and calcium has to be spaced from your Multi if it has Iron. But it is going to be okay. By the time I went in for my two week post-op appt I had my Multi's and was getting all three calcium most of the time. Then I added the D3 and the B12. I am still working on getting everything in (almost a month post op) so it isn't easy but it isn't as hard as it seems at first. I set alarms on my phone to remind me to eat and take my vitamins and I helps!

I take my thyroid pill first time in the morning and start on my Water, Then I take some Vitamin with every eating encounter. Multi and D with Breakfast, Calcium and stool softener with am snack, Calcium and acid reducer with lunch, Multi (sometimes sec stool softener) with afternoon snack, Calcium and B with dinner

For me the most annoying part is just chewing those vitamins, the calcium seem like giant tums and I have a hard time choking them down three times a day, I just ordered some soft chews to mix in to help me get my calcium in. It is annoying but it is necessary and eventually it is going to be second nature to us both!

I am coming up on a month post-op and I still get that feeling, especially the first few sips in the morning, or if the liquid is REALLY cold. I have found that plain Water tends to cause it more for me then if I use a SF drink mix, or a Powerade Zero but I think that must just be in my head (?)

It is tough to push through that ache, for me it feels like a clenched fist in my gut. Maybe play with temperatures a little to see if that helps. I know I get it every single time I buy a water out of the cooler at a store or shop because they are so cold. And then play with different liquids. I crave plain water, most of these drink mixes are too strong in flavor for me now, but I have to put something in my water to keep from cramping up so I get crystal light in the squeeze bottle so I can control how much flavor I add. It is crazy but adding something to my water has almost completely stopped the cramping through out the day!

I'm a little further out then you surgery was 7/12/18. But I'm like you I am having a seriously hard time getting my fluids in. I am getting all my Multi Vitamins in but not all my Calcium. shakes are doing ok going down usually just sick of them already. But Water is not going down well, a lot of people say try different temps which I am trying. I am also trying different flavors, and different cups to drink from. Getting our 64oz is so important but it is so hard. I am not really able to offer any advice all I can say is you are not alone and if I find something that helps I will share.

@ mercmerc And @ Nnoi I am moving my base of operations to a new forum. No days open on this month, so scheduled September 5 ,2018 at 7 AM. Waving bye bye, Blowing kisses.
I will still be watching both of your stories unfold.Be Happy For Me![emoji13][emoji256][emoji13]

I was just getting back on specifically looking for your date!! I am so happy for you, but I hate it's so far off hang in there, I keep hearing it's worth it lol I am currently firmly in the. "what have I done to myself". "was this a mistake" phase but also weight less then I have in over 10 years soooo. We both just need to hang in there friend

I know I made it sound bad but honestly only 4days post op I feel amazing, literally every hour you feel better it is about getting through that first hump of pain then every day you are better by leaps and bounds I went from literally wanting to die to less than 48 hours later off IV pain meds, walking laps like crazy ready to go home. The body is an amazing thing. I am shocked by how good I feel. All those with dates coming you are gonna do great it might be rough but it gets better so fast. [emoji173]️[emoji173]️. And@frust8 good luck thanks for the good vibes anxious to here of your date!

Hey all. I am now 4 days post op. It has been an adventure, but thought I would share. My surgery was scheduled for 9:15 am Thurs morning, I was wheeled back around 9:30 so not to bad. Surgery took about 2hours (RNY) they also did a liver biopsy, and egd, and found and repaired a hiatal hernia. I woke up in A LOT of pain. They tried to get me up and walking when I got to my room but I was shaky, dizzy, light headed and super nacseous (Know that's spelled wrong). That first night was very very rough but they left a catheter in so I didn't have to get up till morning. My pain meds were not lasting I could get something every four hours but my pain surged back to full after 2hours. I must have felt bad because it seems like I told everyone I wanted to die. [emoji45].

This is not to scare anyone I swear stick with me because my 9 the next morning less than 24 hours after my surgery it was already SO MUCH BETTER. In the morning I grabbed a resident and told him to address my pain what they had me on was not working. He listened and they staggered my pain meds between two kinds. My mom (who is 5weeks post-op) pushed and got that catheter out to make me get up, and got me on Water. Then my mom set me in a chair in the bathroom in my room and washed my arms and back legs and face...she basically reminded me I was human and to stop saying I wanted to die! I did my first full lap around the bariatric floor and didn't feel like dieing. I was officially on the mend.

It is going g to be rough, gas pain is no joke, I think the majority of my pain was gas and hiatal hernia. But you will get through it, tell them what you need, and have support there for you that know what you need, will fight for you, remind you you are worth fighting for, and who will sit and hold your hand when nothing else helps.