Hi All,

Well I'm back on the boards again and have an appointment for Bypass in December. I started this journey in 2006 with a LapBand in TJ,Mx. I moved to Tucson, AZ later that year and found that no medical center would accept me as a regular patient. I found a doc that was doing a private practice in weight loss who agreed to work with me, however it seemed I could never make it past 8 weeks without major swelling that called for a re-adjustment...and starting over with an unfill. After a few years of this I just couldn't afford the 300$ weekly visits as I went back to university, so I unfilled it in 2010 and there it sat.

Now I am through university and am living in Norway. I made the decision to have bypass and the date is coming up fast! What I'd like to know is, what are the 'normal' preparations people experience in the States? I'm wondering if it is different here. So far I have had a one-day seminar (in Norwegian, with an interpreter trying to keep up) on the procedure, what to expect, specifics on medical staff involved and a guest speaker with personal experience. As I don't speak Norwegian (my fault, but there it is), I missed quite a lot. I have an appointment with a nutritionist next week to 'prescribe' my pre-op diet and the surgery is mid December.

Am I missing anything??

Good luck with your conversion.

I had this surgery 6 days ago.

So far so good ...

As far as prep:

I needed to lose 30-35 pounds prior.

I lost 28 and that was fine.

I had to go to four 90 minute meetings all about mindful eating and strategies for success.

I met with my dietician 3 times prior.

I had lots of blood work done and a barium swallow (which revealed an enflamed esophagus)

They wanted to take out all of my fluid prior but I convinced them otherwise (it was still a tool I needed)

I was put on a liquid diet 2 weeks prior (protein shakes and drinks) which I did not follow religiously.

They told me it was so my liver would not be enlarged and it would make the surgery easier for both of us and recovery would be better as well.

I had to stop taking any Advil and all vitamins one week prior.

Clear liquids only 24 hours prior.

Nothing after midnight on surgery day, except a sip to take my one prescription pill.

Good luck!