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NickelChip

Gastric Bypass Patients
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Status Replies posted by NickelChip

  1. Well, tomorrow I go in for an impromptu hiatal hernia repair after ending up in the ER over the weekend because I couldn't get food down and water was moving at a trickle... I've been having these symptoms on and off for a few weeks but Sunday was the worst by far and came with chest pain and trouble breathing. The ER PA thinks it is just esophagitis and that the surgeon and radiologist are wrong. But the bariatric surgeon swears it is a hernia, possibly a sliding one based on my symptoms. So he fit me into his schedule this week to repair it! I hope he's right and this sorts it out. He's going to do a scope afterwards to be sure there is nothing wrong with the esophagus. Here's hoping it all goes well!!

    1. NickelChip

      NickelChip

      I hope it goes well! Sending positive thoughts for a speedy recovery!

    2. (See 3 other replies to this status update)

  2. Help a newbie out please! First, how do you update the information about your surgery, weight, etc...? Every time I try to click on something it doesn't work. Second, how do I reply to a comment? Do I click the "+" button or quote or??? Yes, my name is Holly & I'm severely technically challenged!🤣🤣🤣

    1. NickelChip

      NickelChip

      You can hit quote to reply to someone, or you can use the "at" symbol and their name to tag without quoting. To update your details, you want to go to your profile and go to the My Surgery tab. I've heard this can be hard to do on a phone, so try it on a laptop if you can. It'll let you fill in your starting weight, current weight, surgery date, etc. Also, you can create tickers under the My Tickers section.

  3. How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?

    1. NickelChip

      NickelChip

      I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    2. (See 2 other replies to this status update)

  4. So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 

    1. NickelChip

      NickelChip

      It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    2. (See 1 other reply to this status update)

  5. How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?

    1. NickelChip

      NickelChip

      Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

      I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

    2. (See 2 other replies to this status update)

  6. I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 

    1. NickelChip

      NickelChip

      I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    2. (See 1 other reply to this status update)

  7. 2 of the Biggest NSV thus far in my life; 1) my 6yr old daughter can wrap her arms around me for the first time ever! 2) My 12yr old son is having a basketball game for the parents vs. their players and I am playing with him! Its been awhile since I played basketball so I have been practicing lol but I would never had even volunteered to do this 70lbs ago! 

    This surgery has changed my life for the better!

    1. NickelChip

      NickelChip

      That's fantastic!

  8. Had my 6 month post-op checkup with the surgeon 2 weeks ago. The nurse was directing me to stand on the usual scale, but I asked if I could get on the machine that can measure your fat/muscle percentage, water weight, bone weight, and some other things in addition to weight. You hold on to a couple of paddles and it sends a small electrical signal from one side to the other. She said sure, and I got on and got measured.

    Well, when the nutritionist came into the room, he had this massive smile on his face, I mean huge, smiling with his eyes, looking at me fiercely. He had these two print outs in his hand, and puts them down on the table. He starts pointing out how much of my body is muscle, how much is water, how much is bone, etc. He then gets to the section that shows my body fat percentage, and shows me that I am at 22%, which is 1% more than goal! He starts giving me high fives, I start crying, he gives me a hug and a pat on the back, and tells me that I have reached all of my goals at 6 months out.

    Wow! I left that appointment elated, floating, so proud of myself for finally getting fit and embracing the life I've always been meant to lead. I'm now at the point where I've got to consume more calories and transition to maintenance mode.

    Amazing. I'm so, SO happy 🤩

    1. NickelChip

      NickelChip

      Wow, congratulations! That has to be the best doctor's visit ever!

  9. I'm about 2 months post op and still trying to figuring out what my body/stomach cues are and what they mean. Also I know breakouts are pretty common, but what about random, small, red patches that are itchy and resemble bug bites? Or am I alone on that?

    1. NickelChip

      NickelChip

      It could be a lot of things, but there's a slight chance it could be a benign skin condition called granuloma annulare, which can look like bug bites. It's something I've had for about 20 years, and I've heard surgery can sometimes bring it on, and oddly can also resolve it. It's kind of a mystery. And it definitely might be something else, but I thought I'd throw that out there for you to look into because it's kind of obscure.

    2. (See 1 other reply to this status update)

  10. Feeling a little sad today because a few weeks ago I had a call from the surgeon's office and they had a last minute opening on November 20 because of a cancellation. I am not scheduled until December 27, which is way later than I had expected when I started all this. My "ideal" date in my head had been November 13. I was so ready to jump at the chance, but I just couldn't make it work. As soon as I mentioned it to my mom, instead of being supportive, she had all sorts of reasons why I shouldn't move the date. Some were valid, like my teen daughter has a special (but not super special) thing going on later in the week that I would probably have to miss, and others were less valid, like she didn't feel ready and it might ruin everyone's holidays. Um, excuse me? It's not about her! And how would I single handedly ruin both Thanksgiving AND Christmas for my entire family by having a surgery? But she had informed me when I first got the December date that she planned on getting a hotel near the hospital and staying that night to be nearby, despite the hospital only being about 40 miles away from home. I didn't ask her to do that, but that's her plan, so there you go. She didn't ask me if I felt ready now, or what the wait through the holidays felt like for me with the surgery looming. So that was the part that hurt. I felt like I was having to make sure everyone else was okay with my choices instead of me, which is a theme in my life for sure. Don't get me wrong, my parents have been there for me so many times, and I don't want to sound ungrateful. But this really made me sad that what I wanted simply didn't factor in. Basically, I passed on what felt like a dream come true to get that call, and I've had to reconcile myself to it as best I can. I've found some silver linings, like more time to clean my house and test some recipes. But if I hadn't, I would be on my pre-op diet now (my surgeon only does a short liquid diet beforehand, so a Monday surgery starts the pre-op diet on Saturday morning). Instead, I'm getting ready to make dinner for myself and the kids, and I still have 39 days to go...

    1. NickelChip

      NickelChip

      I'm glad your father did agree to respect your privacy by not sharing with your family. And I guess I should be glad my mom keeps the dramatic flair off of the socials!

      I'm both lucky and unlucky that my brother had VGS 15 years ago. On the one hand, my mom understands the concept and has seen my brother's good results from it, (we inherited the obesity from my father's side, and Mom has never dealt with more than those pesky 10 lbs average weight people always want to lose). On the other hand, my brother took exactly the opposite approach from me. He didn't live near family and told no one, had no support. He went to Mexico as self-pay and didn't say a word until about 4 weeks after when he was having some serious emotional struggles, living alone, and compounded by the fear of realizing that to get family support, he had to "confess." So his recovery was very different than what I anticipate for me. But because of all that, my mom definitely sees this as a "REALLY BIG DEAL." Which it is, but not the level she's at with it. Like, it's not an open heart surgery being performed in 1982, or experimental cancer treatment. I've also noticed that as my mom ages, she takes change a lot harder. She doesn't have the mental flexibility anymore to make an instant change of plans and roll with it, whereas I do that probably a dozen times a day.

      I'm grateful for their help, but it comes at a price.

    2. (See 1 other reply to this status update)

  11. Okay so, as of yesterday my insurance company contacted me direction to say, that I was approved and have completed all the required items on the "To Do List". so, I should be getting my appointment next week for meeting with the Anesthesiologist. I'm very excited/nervous, but extremely happy too. 

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