DOT888

Nash, exactly the same for me! I watched it from time to time before, but now that I'm scheduled for surgery (March 4), I find it much more compelling. For one thing, I now understand the procedures they are having (and I'm horrified at how poorly some of them eat after surgery).
I talked about the show with my surgeon, and she hates it because it's very hard to relate to the people on that show. She would like to do "My 300-Pound Life" that shows normal, relatable people getting surgery to de-mystify the process and inspire people.

I've been lurking here and reading for several months. I had RNY 12/14/20. I had saved leave time to cover my recovery so I was able to take a full 4 weeks off. That was a good decision as it allowed me to fully focus on liquids, protein and recovery. I returned to work this week. It has gone well but does require me to plan what I am going to take to work for food and drink. While I was home, I was able to simply choose from whatever appropriate choice was in the frig. My thoughts and observations so far:
I have not had one single problem. I've had no pain, no nausea and have not needed any of the medication I was provided for those. I have no problem meeting liquid or protein goals. I am going with my program 100%. At this time, I do not feel any hunger (I know that will return). I also don't feel fullness. I realize that is because I am sticking to the suggested amounts. That is a learning experience for me. I was used to eating way beyond full all the time and feeling overstuffed and uncomfortable after a meal.
I don't generally sit and watch extended TV. But being off work and while recovering, we binge-watched a lot of shows. That was another learning experience. My desire was to much on something salty and savory as that has been my past behavior. My husband was very considerate and did not munch. I fully recognized that I wasn't actually hungry but was simply trying to revert to old behaviors. My saving grace was popsicles. They provided crunch and froze my mouth as well. As expected, surgery removed the hunger but not the desire and comfort of previous behaviors.
Returning to work has given me more structure in some areas but also means I have to be more proactive in planning.
I know people are more likely to post when they have problems but I wanted to be the voice of someone who has so far, experienced no problems. Now the hard mental work begins..................

Hi December buddies! I had my gastric sleeve on this past Tuesday, December 15. Everything went really well with the surgery, but I wanted to give you a heads up about recovery. If you have Fibro, or any autoimmune disease, please make sure anesthesiologist takes this into account - so that they can offset any potential flares. I have had several surgeries under general in the past, and never had a reaction like this one. Don't want to scare you - but if I can save someone the agony I went through I'd like to.
The side effects were an extremely painful recovery in the neck & shoulders waking up from surgery, a longer than normal time in post-op to try to calm my spasms, spasms throughout my calves. The day in the hospital was fine, as long as I was on Tramadol, but once I got home, and the meds wore off, the pain became excruciating - all the large muscle groups, extremities, joints both hurt and were on fire. The surgeon's office said since it was extremities it wasn't related to the surgery, and go to the ER, or my doctor who treats my other conditions. I went to my doctor, since he knows my other conditions. He gave me Gabapentin and a cream form of Voltaren; I am also on Flexeril normally. And I started a course of Methylprednisone for the inflammation. Today I woke up feeling better, and have gotten progressively better throughout the day.
The pain was in the back of the thighs, the front of the thighs, the shoulders, forearms and biceps and triceps and shoulder joints and ribs. I couldn't cough the surgery fluid up, and it was actually terrifying to be in so much pain, I have never experienced like this before. Funny enough, my surgery site, and tummy - they were all great!
Sitting in the shower under the warm water helped, but only as long as I was there. I needed a stepstool to get into my bed, and had walk excruciatingly slow. When I woke up, the burning would be there and I would have to pull really hard, as I cried, to try to lift a leg, turn over, or push myself up.
Again, I don't want to scare anyone, but if you have any underlying condition where you are prone to inflammation (autoimmune) or fibro (mixed signals and flares), talk to your anethesiologist in advance, and make sure you have the proper meds going home.
That said, I am great 3 days out, have lost 8 pounds, and am so excited to be on this journey to a healthier me, for me. My surgeon was great, and I am so blessed. Good luck to each of you!
#fibromyalgia, #lupus, #autoimmune, #recovery

I haven't gained it all back, but two years post-op and during COVID I've regained 10-12 lbs of it back. I'm actively losing again and the smaller stomach (VSG/sleeve WLS) really still works and is a great tool. I've remembered the right portion sizes and macros so I feel confident that I will not gain more and will re-lose this temporary setback.

Wow it only took a month? I had to have test, bloodwork, a psych eval, and 6 nutritional classes. I finished everything and I have one more class left on Monday. I am hoping it won’t take forever and a day to get approved I am so ready for this. Did you get the surgery?

I have bcbs. It was very quick. Meet with Dr. on 10.27.20. Original surgery scheduled for 11.30.20.

Just seems weird that some of the plans vary so much. You would think there would be a standard. Next questions i guess is, did you atrixtly adhere to what your apecific doctor/ NUT said or did you add something to one of the stages because you saw other's programs allowed it?

What a beautiful mum..always a mum

I had my surgery at the end of January and I did need a little help, but not much. I was a little unsteady for the first week or so because I felt really weak and my Mom took time off work and helped me and followed behind me when I walked so that I didn't fall, but other than that I was pretty much okay. My Mom technically didn't actually have to take time off work, but two and a half years ago I had brain surgery and then ended up with meningitis following the surgery and could have died so... she's really over protective even though I'm 32 and an adult she always responds 'No matter how old you, your sister, and brother are, you're still my babies' so yeah... I think you'll be fine though!

I am 6 years out from surgery.

I started out at 371. I am now at 234.
I’ll answer your questions in the order you asked them:
- What foods do you avoid? (Fatty foods? Carbs? Can you tolerate small amounts?)
Foods I avoid: Rice! and Carbonated beverages. Both have a very negative effect on my stomach even now. Rice seems to grow once it gets in my stomach causing it to feel overfull. Carbonated beverages are to be avoided anyway but occasionally it’s the only thing around to sip and never has there been a time that I didn’t regret it!
- Do you have diarrhea?
Occasionally but it’s rare and usually something I know is going to happen. Constipation is a bigger issue and my go to remedy is a slice of plain cheesecake. Seriously. It works better than anything else. To help keep things moving I am sure to add real butter to any carbs I eat. Sometime I use MCT oil to help keep things moving but be careful cause it can cause very loose stool.

- How many Vitamins do you take? Have you experienced Vitamin deficiencies? Have you had to get infusions?
I use PERSONA now for vitamins They do an assessment that determines your vitamin needs for me that is one Bariatric Multi, 8 Calcium Citrates spaced out in three doses, Vitamin D, and a Probiotic. I was seriously anemic and had to do iron infusions until I had a hysterectomy July 2019. Now I’m normal and won’t need them again. I take powdered Collagen in my coffee everyday to keep my hair growing, my skin from drying, and my muscle from aching.
- Do you struggle to maintain your weight loss? Do you feel like you are constantly on a diet?
Weight loss is a constant struggle, you will not lose on a smooth downhill slide. It will fluctuate and drop suddenly then rise and fall like ocean waves. Keeping the weight off is the challenge and with the DS weight gain is less likely it still is very possible if Carbohydrates are your source of comfort in times of struggle and stress. You won’t feel like you are on a diet, you will feel like you are a slave to your stomach. You’ll spend an hour making the most delicious meal and take two bites and be full. You’ll find that foods you once loved now don’t make your new stomach all that happy. But with all that you lose and all that is frustrating comes so much amazing stuff like feeling average sized. Shopping in a average clothing store, sitting in theater seats or airplane seats or really any seats and not worrying about what the person next to you might think. Saving so much money cause you can split meals with friends.
 - Anything else you wish you had known before surgery?
My words of advice: find a local support group or an online one if you can’t find one in your area and stay faithful to going to meetings and events for at least one full year but two would be better. Your family and friends will have no idea what you are going through and will say things that will be surprisingly hurtful but they won’t mean it that way, like “Wow, you look how small you’ve gotten!” (Internal thought: I must have been huge) You’ll need people who know not to say those things and instead say “You are making great progress! I am so glad to see you again!”

Good Luck!

It gets better!
Walk Sip Walk Sip
Never Trust a Fart! ?

Welcome to the forums.
There are brilliant folks around here that can help provide you all the information on these. I am not one of these.
I'm here to say welcome, which I satisfied in the first sentence. The rest is just pleasant chit-chat.
Good Luck,
Tek

Even before I put surgery as an option I quit cheat days cause for me cheat days turn into cheat week chips and other processed food is so addictive that one bite is enough to derail me. instead, I found new healthy ways to eat and I try to focus on that

Hello all! I’m scheduled to have gastric bypass surgery in 2 days 10/22/2020. I had my pre-op appointment yesterday and completed all my labs. Since the beginning of this process I wanted the sleeve but my surgeon feels like I will have greater results and long term results with the bypass. I’m 30, 5’8 and weigh 307. Highest weight 323. I have been going back and forth in my head about just going through with the bypass, but I have not came to peace about the decision as of yet. Has anyone experienced this before? Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks for reading!

I'm self-pay and my surgeon is Dr. Garth Davis. He's 100% plant-based himself, and wrote a book about the detrimental effects of animal food consumption and high protein diets called "Proteinaholic" (mentioned in the resource list above). The dieticians at the clinic are very knowledgeable and completely support a WFPB lifestyle.

I would suggest two videos for anyone remotely interested in WFPB lifestyle. "The Game Changers" and "Forks over Knives" are the two that piqued my interest initially. They just made sense. Michael Greger was the medical consultant for "The Game Changers." I have really liked his books, "How not to Die" and "How not to Diet." They are practical and all evidence based. My favorite cook books so far and the magazines that are put out by Forks over Knives. The recipes are really pretty good, no artificial ingredients, and nothing so exotic that I can't make most of them right from what I have in my panty. The Forks over Knives website has some great recipes, as well. My family (all carnivores) actually like most of what I throw at them! The "How not to Die Cookbook" is also good. I am having so much fun with new recipes and new ways to prepare food.