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Surgery date septmber 4, 2013



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Start weight 259, surgery date weight 238, today's weight 205 goal is 140.

My hubby was not in favor of me having this surgery. We have been together for over seven years. I turned double nickels 55 this summer. My surgery was a planned open surgery due to lots of scar tissue on my stomach. We arrived at the hospital at 8:00 am, I was taken back, they weighed me and I remember thinking goodbye fat Donna. They started the IV the gas doctor came and talked to my husband and I, and off I went to surgery? now you should know that there was a chance They could not do the surgery because of the scar tissue. I do not remember waking up in recovery, I do remember waking up in my room. I kept asking hubby were they able to do the surgery? he said yes, then I would fall back asleep and ask the same thing again a few minutes later.

I was up and walking around that evening with a morphine drip. I had 30 staples from my breastbone to a couple of inches below my belly button. I told the doctor I was expecting 36 staples. I was in the hospital for four days, my potassium level was low so they made me drink potassium prior to going home - very nasty stuff! I was afraid to drink and eat broth and it felt weird drinking and filling full.

Even when I got home, I walked six times a day, around the block and kept increasing it. I did go back to work after two weeks. I have a desk job and am salaried so I only worked about five hours a day the first week. My stomach muscles hurt the most from getting up from my chair. Not sure what potassium everyone takes. I cut my pills in half, taking the whole pill will make me sick to my stomach. Wish they had told me that from the beginning. I was two weeks post op before they told me. doctor said any pill bigger than an m&m should be cut in half.

My biggest problem even today is getting in enough liquids. I have not found a drink that I really like. Ice tea was my go to drink and I really am not fond of it now? Peach crystal light is okay, propel is better but I am told to only drink two bottles a day of the propel. just Water does not do it for me. I am going to try a lemon slice today.

I have been dumping about once a day. I was eating three meals a day, doctor said I need to eat four to five times a day. My day starts at 4:30 am. Breakfast at 7:30, lunch at noon and dinner at 6:30, dinner is generally what I lose, so doctor suggested to eat at 3:30 something like a couple of bites of cottage cheese or half of a Protein drink.

I guess I am a slow learner, I made BBQ chicken the other night and had some BBQ Sauce with it and did not even finish my meal prior to getting sick. I never thought that the BBQ sauce had too much sugar. I now read every label prior to buying the food.

BTW, the reason my hubby was against the surgery was our social life would change, and the horror stories of bad surgeries. He is very supportive, when I have a bad day, he just holds me and tells me tomorrow will be better. He llkes me being cold because I snuggle with him lots more to stay warm.

One of my hobbies is scuba diving, the more you weigh the more weight you need to get under the Water. My last scuba dive I needed 32 lbs of weights, my smaller friends use 18 lbs of weights. Trying to get into and out of the water with 32 lbs of weights and all your gear is difficult. I can not wait to go diving again maybe sometime in February using half the weights,I started with!

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Start weight 259, surgery date weight 238, today's weight 205 goal is 140.

My hubby was not in favor of me having this surgery. We have been together for over seven years. I turned double nickels 55 this summer. My surgery was a planned open surgery due to lots of scar tissue on my stomach. We arrived at the hospital at 8:00 am, I was taken back, they weighed me and I remember thinking goodbye fat Donna. They started the IV the gas doctor came and talked to my husband and I, and off I went to surgery? now you should know that there was a chance They could not do the surgery because of the scar tissue. I do not remember waking up in recovery, I do remember waking up in my room. I kept asking hubby were they able to do the surgery? he said yes, then I would fall back asleep and ask the same thing again a few minutes later.

I was up and walking around that evening with a morphine drip. I had 30 staples from my breastbone to a couple of inches below my belly button. I told the doctor I was expecting 36 staples. I was in the hospital for four days, my potassium level was low so they made me drink potassium prior to going home - very nasty stuff! I was afraid to drink and eat broth and it felt weird drinking and filling full.

Even when I got home, I walked six times a day, around the block and kept increasing it. I did go back to work after two weeks. I have a desk job and am salaried so I only worked about five hours a day the first week. My stomach muscles hurt the most from getting up from my chair. Not sure what potassium everyone takes. I cut my pills in half, taking the whole pill will make me sick to my stomach. Wish they had told me that from the beginning. I was two weeks post op before they told me. doctor said any pill bigger than an m&m should be cut in half.

My biggest problem even today is getting in enough liquids. I have not found a drink that I really like. Ice tea was my go to drink and I really am not fond of it now? Peach crystal light is okay, propel is better but I am told to only drink two bottles a day of the propel. just Water does not do it for me. I am going to try a lemon slice today.

I have been dumping about once a day. I was eating three meals a day, doctor said I need to eat four to five times a day. My day starts at 4:30 am. Breakfast at 7:30, lunch at noon and dinner at 6:30, dinner is generally what I lose, so doctor suggested to eat at 3:30 something like a couple of bites of cottage cheese or half of a Protein drink.

I guess I am a slow learner, I made BBQ chicken the other night and had some BBQ Sauce with it and did not even finish my meal prior to getting sick. I never thought that the BBQ sauce had too much sugar. I now read every label prior to buying the food.

BTW, the reason my hubby was against the surgery was our social life would change, and the horror stories of bad surgeries. He is very supportive, when I have a bad day, he just holds me and tells me tomorrow will be better. He llkes me being cold because I snuggle with him lots more to stay warm.

One of my hobbies is scuba diving, the more you weigh the more weight you need to get under the Water. My last scuba dive I needed 32 lbs of weights, my smaller friends use 18 lbs of weights. Trying to get into and out of the water with 32 lbs of weights and all your gear is difficult. I can not wait to go diving again maybe sometime in February using half the weights,I started with!

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Welcome to the site.

Try lime in your Water as well. It enjoy it from time to time in my water.

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Welcome to the site.

Try lime in your Water as well. It enjoy it from time to time in my water.

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I just wanted to mention that dumping once a day isn't normal (or healthy) dehydration is very common when this happens when you dump. You might want to talk to your surgeon and reevaluate what you are eating. You are still early post op and it sounds like you are pushing the boundaries pretty quickly with pretty bad choices for so early out. Just my opinion, no judgement, just advice :)

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When I went grocery shopping yesterday it took me several hours because I read everything, I found low sugar ketchup, calorie free BBQ Sauce, turkey sausage patties and much more. I did not dump yesterday once and my goal is not dump. Maybe I pushed the envelope, maybe it takes longer for my brain to absorb. This is life changing and I want to succeed!

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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