MandM1188

Omg August is almost here, congratulations Ricksters!!!!

Teri: I’m hoping to get surgery the end of this year as well.
Hi neighbor, I’m in the Bronx as well. When is your meeting with your surgeon?
^^check your message. I messaged you both.

Yolev112: Wow, how EXCITING!!!!!! Time flies, YOU GOT THIS!!!

Keep us posted with your journey.

Hi everyone,

I am going to have gastric bypass Surgery between 08/2021-01/2022. I am excited to be here, I am excited to do everything required of me pre & post op.

is there anyone in this forum that currently resides in NYC?

Aww I’m so sorry, I COMPLETELY understand how you feel. Your feelings are valid.

Just give yourself some grace and understand that they need to tend to others right now AND will get to you in due time.

I just made the call last week. My initial 1st appointment with the Surgeon will be in 2 months from now. I feel inpatient and ready to do surgery RIGHT NOW BUT, I gotta wait.

Time flies, we WILL get surgery SOON, no worries. Sending you TONS of positive vibes your way.

Keep yourself occupied in a positive way. This too shall pass. 😊

Too funny, I needed this. Thank you! LMAO

Hi everyone,

I am going to have gastric bypass Surgery between 08/2021-01/2022. I am excited to be here, I am excited to do everything required of me pre & post op.

is there anyone in this forum that currently resides in NYC?

I haven’t but I would be interested in coordinating to do that. Nice to know that it would be helpful! Welcome to to the forum - I would love to discuss the intersection of sexuality and weight gain.

For those that in the pre-op phase, just know that there are lots of different opinions you'll hear about nutrition and getting ready for surgery, and after the surgery. The main thing they want to see in the beginning is that you can stick to a program and show progress before you introduce the element of surgery. Because after that, there's no turning back. Try to find a routine that you can keep up for months and months (maybe years), as this is a life changing decision.
What worked for me- high Protein, low carb, kept calories below 1200 pre-op, and drank lots of Gatorade Zero and Protein Shakes. I had to read lots of labels and try different things to find foods/shakes/protein bars I liked enough to have every day. And I kept a log of everything I ate and drank for three or four months until I got into a solid routine. I stuck with it and am still following the program for the most part, although I have made a few changes as my body has changed.
Remember that everyone is different and you may need something different - That's between you and your doctor and the nutritionist. They should be able to help you come up with a good plan that works and this forum has lots of people that have been down this road, so there is a lot of helpful advice and wisdom to get here.

it's going to depend somewhat on whether this is for the professionally-supervised diet that a lot of insurance companies require for a few months, or if it's just a visit or two that your bariatric clinic wants you to do with their resident dietitian as part of its requirements. If the former, the dietitian will probably have you keep records of what you're eating and you'll check in with him/her once a month to review your logs and they'll make suggestions on where to improve. If the latter, it'll probably be something more along the lines of FutureSkyDiver said - they'll probably talk about the basics of nutrition, how many proteins/carbs you should be getting, how much Fluid you should be getting, etc.
I had to do both - meet with a dietitian once a month for at least six months (to meet insurance company requirements) and then once I was closer to surgery, I had to meet with one of my clinic's dietitians to review their requirements for post-op eating. I think I met with her once or maybe twice.

Wow!! Your nutritionist sounds awesome! Mine seems useless. I’ve met with her twice. The first time she spent an hour going over the calories in carbs/fats/proteins, which is information I’ve known since age 13 (when my parents put me in my first diet workshop). The second time she spent telling me about the liquid diet pre-op, but couldn’t tell me how long it would be, what counted as liquid (I.e., can I have things like popsicles and jello), or any sort of caloric goals-high or low. I feel very much like it was wasted time, but my surgeon requires it, so I jumped through that hoop!
I’d much prefer to visit your nutritionist. She seems to be providing a useful service!

I just Had my second meeting with my nutritionist. She has told me to keep a journal and I use myfitnesspal for that. I’ve been having some issues so she now has asked me to create meal plans for the week And be very formal about it. She reviews the information in myfitnesspal and gives me feedback on what I have done and what changes I need to make. She makes sure that I understand and I’m following the 30 rule and encourages me to eat more Protein. Protein protein protein! Since I have been having some trouble over the last month in keeping with the program I am going to have another meeting with her but I think that’s an extra meeting. I have been encouraged to contact any of the weight loss staff if I have concerns or questions and if I felt that I needed additional time with a nutritionist that is available to me I believe.

I’m in Bronx, NY

Aww I’m so sorry, I COMPLETELY understand how you feel. Your feelings are valid.

Just give yourself some grace and understand that they need to tend to others right now AND will get to you in due time.

I just made the call last week. My initial 1st appointment with the Surgeon will be in 2 months from now. I feel inpatient and ready to do surgery RIGHT NOW BUT, I gotta wait.

Time flies, we WILL get surgery SOON, no worries. Sending you TONS of positive vibes your way.

Keep yourself occupied in a positive way. This too shall pass. 😊

I am in support of affinity forums. Why not?! There are plenty of forums here. I personally saw the girls room and thought that was great! As a poc, I wouldn't mind exchanging thoughts with other people who might have a better understanding of what I am going through. Creating affinity groups does not erase public forums nor do they exclude others. It's just a way to hopefully ensure that the people who post in them care about that specific thing.
I will agree that sometimes, when I learn a person has a particular political view, it can be hard not to see that in everything they say. So this forum may not be the best place to discuss the happenings of the world. But that's not what an affinity group is. The girls group for example, doesn't post about unequal wages and gender discrimination. Although imo, a post about the dismissive nature of doctors towards women (Particularly women of color) and how that affects your journey could be more interesting then the standard "stalling" thread.
EDIT to add: I'd also like to add that unfortunately people in underrepresented and marginalized communities can often be afraid to share their stories. Affinity groups allow a safe space to do that. Im sure everyone feels a little insecure when posting but some people have the added pressure of hoping not to be discriminated against, judged or isolated when engaging with larger groups.

Not at all. That was the impression I got from the previous comment, that they were offended by my question. I don’t get that impression from your comment, and I welcome yours and others’ input.

I do agree that we all have similar weight loss journeys physically, but I guess I am also looking for support that is emotionally, culturally, and psychologically in sync; in the same way that experiences with weight loss can be supportive when someone has had the same surgery or is the same body type, it can be very helpful (to me) to have someone who is aligned with you in other ways. The kind of family I have is part of that, while it may not be for others.

Thank you for your perspective.

Hello - I’m scheduled for a gastric sleeve at Blossom Bariatrics later in June. I have done a lot of research and they have a lot of educational materials/videos that they have provided. However, I know I do not know everything, and am trying to prepare.
What questions did you ask your surgeon pre-op? I’m making a list and would love to know what you found helpful to ask. Thanks!

Congratulations on your surgery date. Just stick to your plan and don’t compare your progress to others. Trust the process and you will do great.

I am scheduled for VSG surgery in 2 weeks! I’m super excited but I know I’ll be more nervous the closer it gets. Any advice/tips, things you wish you had known are welcome!

You are so worthy of this and so much more. You are enough. You are important. You are deserving of so many good things. 💜 Even without the surgery you are worthy of all the good things. I’m sorry you are having delays. Keep going! You can do this!

My surgery has been delayed many times due to a hiatal hernia, asthma attacks, GERD, and a questionable Barrett’s esophagus. I had to refocus my attention on my feelings to say weight loss is a goal. It’s a long term goal like achieving my bachelors degree and master’s degree. It’s a long term process that has nothing to do with my worthiness but how much effort I put forth, AND my perseverance.

Sometimes I journal my disappointment, distract myself with tictock videos, do a short term task that has immediate results like cleaning. I picture each moment as a small pearl slowly sliding onto a necklace. I get scared thinking about the absolutely giant necklace of healthy living for a lifetime, so instead I try to concentrate on one pearl of living healthy in this moment. I distract myself enough living in the moment, then look back and become proud of the pearl necklace I have built so far. It’s ok to feel all the feelings. Just sit with them, let them become a pearl moment. Yeah, therapy is awesome :)

That was my biggest concern, also. What's gonna happen if I put in all this effort, only to regain my weight and then some? I'm roughly a year and a half post-op. Can't say that I've been perfect along the way, but I have certainly not given up and I am still losing weight. That being said, I think the regaining is the furthest thing from my mind right now. I still get sick eating the wrong foods...So I guess my new question/anxiety is- will I feel sick forever? The weight is gone, but that doesn't mean it went peacefully. Many, long nights, I spent over a trash can after eating something that "didn't agree with me". And still learning, to this day.
As far as the pre-op diet goes, I figured that would be my downfall, too. While I can't recommend what I did (sneaking in some crackers here and there), I CAN tell you that it is best to keep it interesting. Think of ANYTHING liquid. My typical food was a Protein Shake from Glucerna (the hunger smart ones seem to be the best tasting IMO). I absolutely LOATHE Protein Drinks. There is also one by shamrock farms that is under 200 calories and tastes like a melted shake to me. You could look into that as well. I found that I could palate campbells fat free broccoli cheddar Soup thinned with some fat free milk and then strained to get all the broccoli pieces out. It sucked the first week and a half, but by day 12, you really don't care. You are just so excited to get on that operating table (side note- I was f**king TERRIFIED the day of).
Suffice to say, keep the diet simple and interesting. Change it up, as much as possible. Jell-o, Soups, drinks, etc etc. Don't start thinking about the failure now...That's a terrible mindset. This absolutely, 100%, needs to be a commitment of the heart, mind AND stomach. You aren't doing this for now. You are doing this for your future. When you think back to a miserable time (like when I couldn't buckle my seatbelt in a friends car), all of that "can I do this forever?" crap just fades away. Realize you made a huge decision that is going to be life-altering. Accept it and press forward and maintain a positive outlook that you will succeed and be healthy.
Sending good vibes your way!

I just got scheduled for surgery on August 12th. I don’t know any more than you but I plan on watching my son’s baseball games, learning guitar, and riding my bike/walking whenever I get antsy about it. It’s just short term, one moment, one day at a time.

I am working on my clearances to have a DS. It will take me until July 13 to finish all of them due to waiting times for appointments. From what I understand, It will be August 27 or later before I can be placed on the surgery list at the University of Chicago with Dr. Alverdy. I am feeling anticipation.

Hang in there! And maybe call them and let them know you will take any cancellation spot that comes available and you can be ready within 24hrs [if that is doable for you]...If they sense your dedication, maybe get you scheduled quicker? It will happen! 😊

It sort of reminds me of signing up for college classes. The hoops you go through to get signed up, financing, acquiring books, etc is often more difficult than the classes themselves. Makes you sort of wonder if they make it hard on purpose sometimes. Obviously they don’t but it is a necessary part of the process. Just keep pushing forward and know that it will all be worth it in the end.