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Hi all, I am new and am pre-op right now but I had a couple questions for post op people.

First, When you first start loosing weight, where do you notice it first on your body?

Second, Can you drink caffeine after surgery?

Thanks

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For me, it was in my face. It wasn't until I had lost 40 pounds before I was able to change pant sizes. Of course, you have to know everyone is going to be different as we do carry our weight differently.

As far as caffeine goes, it is suggested to wait at least 6 months. Caffeine is a diuretic. It takes awhile to be able to get back to "normal" Fluid intake, so drinking caffeine early out is only going to exacerbate low Fluid level issues. But, after that, caffeine can be re-introduced.

I see you are from Oregon. Me too. Welcome to BariatricPal!

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Hi PdxMan,

where did you have your surgery at?

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I see my surgeon on the 18th of March. I don't know what kinds of questions to ask. Any tips?

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My recommendation is you first do some internet research on your surgeon. Call the office manager and ask how many of his surgeries had leaks or complications that resulted from the surgery. Your questions will have standard answers which is always helpful, but what matters is that you are comfortable with your surgeon.

Good luck

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I first noticed my belly. Hubby and son say my belly, hips, and butt.

I followed the no caffeine rule during pre-op and for one week post-op. After that I went back to my normal one 12 oz. cup of coffee a day. I never went overboard with coffee so I did not see any reason to abstain.

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It was 40lbs for me, too, before I went down a size but now it seems like I go down a size every 3 weeks! I tend to gain and lose very evenly so it was at about 50 lbs when people started really noticing... very frustrating. Although at this time I still have some loose fat low on my belly, in clothes my stomach looks nice and flat. I love that I don't feel like I look pregnant anymore. I still have about 40lbs to goal and I really think my skin will tone up and I won't need plastics. My skin gets alot tighter when I'm on a plateau and when I'm losing fast it gets all loose again. Very interesting.

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Oh yeah... I am completely off caffeine, just don't need it anymore

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Hi PdxMan,

where did you have your surgery at?

I had mine done by Dr Thomas Umbach in Las Vegas. I went to the seminar with Dr Emma Patterson, but my insurance did not cover WLS and her office quoted me $35,000 for self pay. Well ... that was just not reasonable. I paid $10,400 and had a great experience.

Where are you doing yours? Does your insurance cover it? What part of Oregon are you?

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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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