The Greater Fool

Changing further out should not be a huge issue for your surgeon. Check with your insurance if there is an expiration date on approval. Good Luck, Tek

My Doc was very firm, which many took to be lack of understanding. He was not interested in excuses, he simply required compliance. Even the slightest deviation from the rules got a firm lecture about following the rules. Pre-op, we found reasons why our current diet wasn't working, or why we just had to go off plan. We don't want to repeat this post-op. Even if you can't stomach your program, you MUST do it. Figure it out, it's up to you. You've had your plumbing rearranged so even good excuses won't help. You have to make your program work. You really have no choice. At one week post-op, you are still dealing/suffering with the effects of surgery. Things are swollen and painful, which tends to gum up the works. So be patient with yourself. You need to figure out how to do your protein drinks (if that is your Doc's program). Week one, it's not the end of the world if you don't eat or drink every bit of whatever is on your program, just do your best. You may not be able to drink a whole or even half a protein drink at one time and even then you may have to take small sips. Try thinning or thickening the protein drink. What physically works does not always make sense. Make sure it is mixed well, as any lump could get stuck. Small sips. Take your time. You can do this. You need to do what your Doc says. Compliance is critical to long term success. You didn't get to needing surgery by doing things the right way. Not being able to eat or drink easily is your gateway to learning success. Small sips (whatever your doc says), go slow. When you get to food, small bites, chew well, then chew some more. Your first 6 months are when you learn everything, both good and bad. No excuses. It's up to you to make it work. Exciting times ahead. Enjoy them as best you can. Tek

Congratulations and welcome. I hope everything works out just how you imagine. Good luck. Tek

Gatorade is a salt and sugar concoction, so you may want to ponder it. At 5 weeks adding a meal in response to gaining 2 pounds in the last couple days seems odd. Heck, making any changes in response to what happened in the last 2 days seems questionable. I can't help but think we're missing some information here. I do understand wanting to increase 40g of protein, though. But, as I always say, it's more important to follow the plan then what the plan actually is. A big part of our program is learning to follow rules. At 5 weeks, I was on puree of 3 oz protein, 1 oz veggie, 3 times per day. That comes out to 60 grams protein. Actually, my program is still not all that different. For folks on protein drinks, a quick look at Amazon says 25-30 grams per drink minimum. So 3 of those = 75g. Food protein or drink protein, 3 times per day should not be overly taxing. Is it? So, I guess it comes down to your plan, and how you are doing on it. Good luck, Tek

Welcome. How do yo feel about your Doc? Office staff can be frustrating. Somehow, it seems our paperwork and approval is not as important to them as it is us. My Docs staff was generally, well, frustrating. I got all my requirements documented and submitted to the Office Insurance Coordinator. She said she would get it to the insurance in a day or two, great. In three or four days, I called the insurance company to 'help' if they had any questions or concerns. No file. I called the office person, oh it's sitting right in front of her, she's putting it together and will get it to the insurance in a day or two. In three or four days, I called the insurance company, and guess what? No file. Grrrr. I called the office again, and oh, they moved the office over the weekend, and the fax machine has not been hooked up. The file is right in front of her, and tomorrow when the fax is working, they'll get it out. A week later, I skipped calling the insurance and called the office. No, they hadn't faxed it yet. But they'll get right on it. If insurance has an issue, they kick it back pretty quick. Two days later, the office called me! I was approved. Moral of the story is don't take incompetence personally. If you like the doc, stick it out. Good luck, Tek

I may have answered through the lense of my baggage: Once I got the word from my docs I would not be asking about what the Doc obviously knows better than strangers. Sometimes I forget it's about listening rather than fixing, and sometimes it *Is* just about asking questions and not how to get around what needs to be done. Sorry. I'm a dumb guy who sometimes doesn't speak woman. I'm still learning. Worse, I'm overly analytical. Again, sorry. Good luck, Tek

Headline answer is eating rules work about the same for band as for RNY: Small bites, chew thoroughly, then chew some more. No drinking during meals. We are not supposed to drink with meals for the very reason that it washes it through a bit too quickly. Unlike the Band, there is no full stomach below our pouch, so when you drink you are washing it into your intestines. You won't be able to get as much food through with the band and it probably won't change your sense of hunger. Do it enough and you defeat the restriction aspect of surgery. So, don't get back into the habit of drinking during meals. Burping won't change things much. In fact, with no stomach below the restrictive pouch, burping probably won't be an issue as long as you don't swallow air when you eat. Like the band, you need to learn to chew thoroughly then chew some more. Fruits with skins or membranes (oranges, grapefruit) I find difficult to chew well enough that they definitely won't get stuck, so I tend to eat fruits I have more success with (grapes, peaches, banana). I don't care for strawberries, but the few times I ate one were no issue. Chewing well is the key to a happy life. Obviously, you know the band doesn't change, it's just our own "stuff" going on that lets us eat well at some times and less so at other times. So, your good and bad times will likely remain in some fashion with the RNY. For me, morning eating seems to be more restrictive also. As time passes I developed a sense memory such that I imagine what I want to eat and my pouch will communicate that it is good or not. I've learned not to argue with it. Good luck Tek

Welcome. I haven't had this test, but since it is a measurement of reflux and it turns out you have reflux then it's a good news, bad news situation: The good news is reflux is a comorbidity so it will likely improve your case to insurance; The bad news is you have reflux; Good luck, Tek

Congratulations on your baby boy and your other successes. The offer of answering questions regarding pregnancy is very generous. Being a guy it's obvious I know everything there is to know about pregnancy. I have done extensive research on pregnancy and rearing kids. So while it may sound counter-intuitive your baby boy is going to require a lot of your time, attention, and energy. In fact, your new baby boy will require almost as much time and energy as your spouse. As you said, accountability is up to you. It sounds like you are pretty good at it. You will get back into your healthy routines. Exciting times ahead. Tek

Congratulations! Tek

Welcome. I'm assuming that when you say "regular diet" you mean your food plan that you will be following the rest of your life? If so, your calories as part of your plan will be north of 1000 kcals, which along with drinking, should relieve some of the deprivation sensations. Cravings, however, are in your head not your stomach. Depending on your plan, you may be able to eat some of these cravings in much smaller quantity. Some folks change the cravings food to something more in line with their plan. However, at 6 weeks it's critical to your success to follow your plan. You making decisions about food got you to where you needed Gastric Bypass. The lesson we need to learn is to follow rules. Once you start changing things to off plan, then you are back where you were pre-op. Right now you are learning how to eat and what to eat and you need to stay on plan and create a pattern and history of success. Stay on plan. Good luck, Tek

Welcome. I'm confused. Why would you not trust what your surgeon is saying. He knows your plumbing better than anyone else, certainly better than us. The sleeve doesn't really change much about your plumbing. All the things that could have caused GERD pre-op is there for the sleeve post-op. Since your Doc said *IF* either you have not done imaging yet or you have not spoken to him about the imaging yet. That is what will tell him what is going on. Until then guessing and vexing, while fun, is not useful. The kind and generous folks here can share their experiences and give you encouragement, but your Doc has the answers. No one can make you get RNY. As your doc indicated, if it's a hernia it can be fixed. If it's GERD you can deny surgery and hope and try possible medications. Or you can simply choose to suffer with it. Chances are it will not kill you soon, but your Doc will be able to give you the scoop. The choice is ALWAYS yours. Good luck, Tek

Welcome, First, this is worth a call to your medical team. If it's nothing, let them tell you. The caring folks here and curmudgeons like me can share our experiences, give you encouragement, tell you what we did when we might of had a similar situation, but again, give your medical team a call. Now, having said that, is the itchy, red incision warm or hotter than the skin around it? Do you have a fever? Do you feel ill otherwise? If yes, definitely call your medical team. It could be an infection. Good luck, Tek

Welcome. While we can share our experiences, this sounds like something a call your medical team would like to get. It may be nothing or it may not. It may not even be related to your surgery. Good luck Tek

Go look at your pre-op pictures. Remember why you did this in the first place. Did you have a journal of any sort where you may have talked about how you felt back then? This may not actually help. I'm not sure anything any of us can say at this point will help. You don't remember why you had surgery 8 months ago yet want to get back on track? Those are amazingly contradictory ideas. If you don't know why you wanted to lose weight (aka 'motivation') why bother getting back on track? OK, how about: How do you feel about your weight now? If you're not unhappy with it then congratulations you are at your new goal. If you are unhappy about where you are but ambivalent about change, as it seems from your post, then you may have simply given up. Being unhappy and not caring is an obvious hint that you may be depressed. Get help of the professional variety. Talk to a therapist, now. Good luck, Tek

Glad to hear it. Your partitioned stomach needs to learn the new paradigm that it's not needed. You eat, it thinks it needs to get on the job. It will take a minute for it to learn it has no job. Good luck, Tek

These are actually pretty standard questions. The standard answers are pretty much you just had surgery. As long as you're not feeling pain, everything else can go either way. Hungry / not hungry, both are common. Rumbling / no rumbling, again common. Your plan at 1 week is purposely bland, gentle, and boring. Keep doing your plan. They key thing early on is to stay on plan, learn how to eat again. Staying on plan, following your rules, is the most important aspect of your surgery aside from your actual surgery. We got where we were by doing what we thought was right. It wasn't. The surgery changed your plumbing. Your plan changes your head. Stick with it. Good luck, Tek

Give a call to the Doc in the morning. Who knows what they encountered in surgery, so it may be totally expected or totally not. Either way, they are your medical team and the best source for information about you and what they did to you. While the kind hearted souls and curmudgeons like me want to share our experience and comfort, we are just voices in the dark. You had your innards messed with 4 days ago. You will have a lot of new sensations and experiences which will take time to learn and interpret. Fun times ahead for you. Enjoy the ride. Good luck, Tek

How did OMAD, or any other off-normal or crash diets, work for you pre-op? Did you lose? Did you maintain once you did? Return to your plan. Your normal, everyday, sustainable plan. Allow your plan, which is no doubt much healthier, do it's work. It may take longer, but it is sustainable and maintainable, and you will again re-establish good, healthy habits. Habits and health to take you through all your other challenges for the rest of your life. Good luck, Tek

Call your doc. Don't listen to idiots like me. Except when they say call your Doc. Pain is your body's way of getting attention. This is likely the result of a movement that pulled something inside, totally innocuous. Less likely, something is wrong. Good luck, Tek

Yes, bring it up with your Doc/Nut, and follow their plan. Following your plan, particularly early on, is where your success will come from. If your Doc/Nut say it's OK, as with most things, small bites, chew thoroughly, then chew more.

"That many a true word hath been spoke in jest." (James Joyce)

Hey, that's my shtick! Tek

I disagree with the first 1/3 of your post. As humans we project our experiences and feelings on what we see of others. I asked my wife about this idea that all marriages have abuse and she (and I) totally disagree. We also were up close viewers of our parents marriages and saw nothing close to abuse. Arguments? Boy howdy! But no abuse. The second 1/3 I don't disagree, but have a different take. In physics, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Marriages are not physics, but in some respects like a balance scale. When one side changes the other side must compensate in some way or the scale goes unbalanced. if or when we throw things out of balance we don't know what will happen on either side of the balance. We are often surprised what actually changes and where. The last 1/3. We are notoriously bad at predicting the future. All we can do now is express possibilities. Intentions are slightly better than predictions, but not by much. If we could predict the future accurately all those failed marriages would not have happened. They never did make long marriages. They only ever made marriages. People in the new ones working at them make them long.

Welcome back. Congratulations. Stay on plan. Tek