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Things you wish you knew....



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I'm 2 weeks out from my follow up with my surgeon after completing all the pre op visits and requirements. The coordinator believes I should be getting my surgery date then ((freaking out!)) and I'm curious if anyone who's gone through the process and surgery has any advice or pointers....tips or things you wish you knew beforehand to better prepare. :)

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Maintenance drugs: Extended release drugs work differently with sleeve, Ambien doesn't work for me now. So check with others who have had it who are on the same meds as you

Wean off caffeine over a couple of weeks instead of cold turkey at the hospital (ditto with alcohol and nicotine if applicable)

Get the emotional relationship with food in order: http://www.amazon.com/Emotional-First-Aid-Kit-Practical/dp/0976852659/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1441295897&sr=8-7&keywords=book+bariatric+surgery

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I'm 2 weeks out from my follow up with my surgeon after completing all the pre op visits and requirements. The coordinator believes I should be getting my surgery date then ((freaking out!)) and I'm curious if anyone who's gone through the process and surgery has any advice or pointers....tips or things you wish you knew beforehand to better prepare. :)[/quote

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I wish I had known I would be getting a shot in my stomach on surgery day (that one wasn't pleasant). I also wish I had known about the horrible gas pains in my abdomen and shoulder after surgery. They tell you to expect some pain but this was more than I was expecting. Just keep telling yourself "This is all temporary!!" It is sooo very worth it :-)

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I too wish I had known about the gas pains. My doc said to expect, "some discomfort" He didn't say it was going to feel like the critter from Alien was trying to burst out of my chest! :-P

I wish I would have known to bring my own CPAP Water to the hospital - they gave me sterilized Water, talk about nasty!

And I wish I would have brought my favorite pillow to the hospital. It would have made sleeping easier and helped on the ride home.

I wish I had known I would be getting a shot in my stomach on surgery day (that one wasn't pleasant). I also wish I had known about the horrible gas pains in my abdomen and shoulder after surgery. They tell you to expect some pain but this was more than I was expecting. Just keep telling yourself "This is all temporary!!" It is sooo very worth it :-)

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After you get home, and for the first week or so, don't trust a fart. Wish i would've known that. Gross, but true!

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All of this makes me laugh now...not so much three weeks ago. Gas was absolutely the worst especially since it took a week for me to feel better.

The shot in the stomach was painful to prevent blood clots. Ask for them to give it to you in the back of the arm which I did post op.

Don't trust a fart...so right. Especially if you are not home and can't get clean. The antibiotics act like liquid plumber.

I can only add two things... It was easy to go cold turkey with caffeine post op since you are in and out of sleep, and have other pains. I wish I had not been scared to take nexium post op and delayed it for a week. Stomach issues resolved within two days of taking it.

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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.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • 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
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
      · 0 replies
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    • bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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