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Hello all!

I recently had RNY GB (6/11/14). Feeling great so far!

I'm 34 and before surgery, I tipped the scales at a studly 346lbs. After weighing in this morning, I'm at 295!!! I had a "castaway" moment where I looked back at the island (300+lbs for over a decade) and just began to choke up.

My surgeon was the great Dr. Marema, in St Augustine, Fl. I had no complications and was out of the hospital the next day (not typical apparently). In my opinion, the most important part of all of this was the prep. I had 3 weeks and in that 3 weeks I made the tough decision not to be a slave to food and to exercise, exercise, exercise! I ended up losing 30lbs pre-op by following the phase II diet and walking. For anyone having this or any other WLS, I strongly recommend preparing your body any way that you can, so that your recovery can be as seamless as possible.

With it being day 9, the only discomfort I'm having is to the left of my abdomen (muscle wall incisions). It takes a few weeks to truly heal up, I'm told. All other pain subsided for me by post op day 4. My meal regimen has been pretty blah, and this surgery will not discontinue your head hunger or cravings I'm finding, but it does make me full and my pouch keeps me wanting to be honest (or suffer the consequences!!).

I wanted to join this forum to discuss my journey and the journey's of others, so if I can answer any questions from anyone considering this surgery, please don't hesitate to

Let me know!!

Thanks all!!!

Matt

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Welcome Matt! It is an amazing journey and I am glad you joined along. I am 4 pounds from leaving the island as you called it. I can't wait. Men are amazing at losing fast so it should be quite the experience. Read the posts here for a wealth of information and enjoy! Congratulations!

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Awesome Matt!! Congrats on your success, keep up the great work!!

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Congratulations to you! Thanks for sharing your story, you have a gift with words!

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Very nice!!! How is your pain level and energy?

Pain level has gone down. I get a burst of energy every once in a while but then my brain reminds me I just had major surgery.

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I'm also 6 days post op! No pain but abdomen tightness and pressure. I'm also nauseous thinking about food...even food I loved! Lol. I also have diarrhea (tmi? Sorry) and I hate my Protein Shakes. Am I normal?! Blah. Down 14 lbs!!!

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I'm also 6 days post op! No pain but abdomen tightness and pressure. I'm also nauseous thinking about food...even food I loved! Lol. I also have diarrhea (tmi? Sorry) and I hate my Protein shakes. Am I normal?! Blah. Down 14 lbs!!!

Congrats on the 14lbs!!!

The loose stool is pretty common. Some of the Protein Shakes are horrible. I like the Premier Protein 11 oz. they pack 30g of Protein per serving and I can get them down in about 15 minutes.

What I've found is I have pin point tightness when I sit at a 90 degree angle.

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Very nice!!! How is your pain level and energy?

Pain level has gone down. I get a burst of energy every once in a while but then my brain reminds me I just had major surgery.

Ditto here on the burst. But the burst is getting so much better with each day. I knocked a 5 mile walk out this evening (paid for it when I got home by crashing!!!). I've also hit the dreaded week 2 plateau in my loss. This is the week where you stop burning Fluid and start replacing fat with muscle. Don't get discouraged if it happens to you. The inches are still melting!!!!

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Ditto here on the burst. But the burst is getting so much better with each day. I knocked a 5 mile walk out this evening (paid for it when I got home by crashing!!!). I've also hit the dreaded week 2 plateau in my loss. This is the week where you stop burning Fluid and start replacing fat with muscle. Don't get discouraged if it happens to you. The inches are still melting!!!!

Thank you so much for the advice. I will really take it to heart. 5 miles???? You are strong.

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Hey Matt! Today is surgery day for me, and your post inspired me. Glad to hear you are doing well. I passed the 'island this week, and have decided I am not weighing myself until 2 weeks post op, so will never see that number again. Looking forward to getting home after surgery. Hopefully mine goes as pain free as yours, and maybe I can give you a little weight loss completion. Talk to ya post op!

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Hey Matt! Today is surgery day for me, and your post inspired me. Glad to hear you are doing well. I passed the 'island this week, and have decided I am not weighing myself until 2 weeks post op, so will never see that number again. Looking forward to getting home after surgery. Hopefully mine goes as pain free as yours, and maybe I can give you a little weight loss completion. Talk to ya post op!

Good luck Mike! You will be in my thoughts and prayers!

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Hi Matt I just started my pre-op diet on today, surgery scheduled for July 9th. Any suggestions on what kind of exercise during this time? CW 341

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    • Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
      I'm down 31 pounds since the day of surgery and 47 since my pre-op diet began, with that typical week long stall occurring at three weeks. I'm really starting to see some changes lately- some of my clothing is too big, some fits again. The most drastic changes I notice however are in my face. I've also noticed my endurance and flexibility increasing. I was really starting to be held up physically, and I'm so grateful that I'm seeing that turn around in such short order. 
      My general disposition lately is hopeful and motivated. The only thing that bugs me on a daily basis still is the way those supplements make my house smell. So stink! But I just bought a smell proof bag online that other people use to put their pot in. My house doesn't stink anymore. 
       
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    • BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
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    • BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
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    • ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
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    • BeanitoDiego

      Still purging all of the larger clothing. This morning, a shirt that I ADORED wearing ended up on top. Hard to let it go, but it was also hard to let go of those habits that also no longer serve my highest good. Onward and upward!
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