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joycie4smiles

By joycie4smiles, in Duodenal Switch Surgery Forum

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joycie4smiles    21

joycie4smiles
Posted

Hello all from the Northen Shenandoah Valley of Virginia! I'm in the beginning process of this wls journey. I had my initial consult w/ my surgeon and have all my appointments scheduled out. The last of them is set for mid Jan. I imagine, if ins approves, surgery would be sometime after that. Initially I was thinking about RNY but I'm feeling more confident about having the DS now that I've researched it. My surgeon also thinks it's a great option for me. What are somethings I could start doing now that would make this new lifestyle a bit easier post op?

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1Day1Life4Now    882

1Day1Life4Now
Posted

I would invest in a few good books on weight loss surgery with sections on recipes and meal preparation for post surgery. Get a Nutri Bullet or good blender for your shakes and food. This is the most important part of the weight loss journey because you are having to change your eating and cooking habits. If you don't your weight loss will be limited and ultimately unsuccessful. Start walking or exercising... it will make the surgery much easier on you. Good luck, i hope you do well.

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Pescador    1,374

Pescador
Posted

Wooooohooooo and welcome'

!!!!!!

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TraciK69    22

TraciK69
Posted

Welcome :) I'm also pre-op and in Northern Virginia. You have a better idea when your surgery is than I do! Hopefully mine will be somewhere between mid-December and mid-January. As goofy as it sounds I like the idea of having it right around the new year - you know, new year new me. I'm working my way through all of the appointments and tests at this point. I'm also working on cutting out processed foods and reducing carbs as cbonet suggested.

Good luck!

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shoodle72    61

shoodle72
Posted

Welcome. The time leading up to the surgery comes up so fast. I'm having gastric sleeve surgery on the 21st October. I'm in Sydney, Australia. I can't wait to start my pre-op diet in 4 days time.

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Pescador    1,374

Pescador
Posted

Good luck to you all. I remember that excitement. One thing for sure, the hospital stay, surgery, and recovery was 10 times easier than expected. I was bored, driving and shopping four days after the sleeve.

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joycie4smiles    21

joycie4smiles
Posted

Welcome :) I'm also pre-op and in Northern Virginia. You have a better idea when your surgery is than I do! Hopefully mine will be somewhere between mid-December and mid-January. As goofy as it sounds I like the idea of having it right around the new year - you know, new year new me. I'm working my way through all of the appointments and tests at this point. I'm also working on cutting out processed foods and reducing carbs as cbonet suggested.

Good luck!

Yes! Keep us posted about your surgery date. Loving all the suggestions from everyone. I'm in Winchester. Where are you?

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James Marusek    5,244

James Marusek
Posted

Since you are at the beginning of this process, I would recommend three things.


1. Take a good before photograph of yourself, so that you have something to compare to after surgery. Many times we are blind to our obesity. We do not see ourselves. Therefore when the weight begins to drop off rather dramatically, we question if this is really happening. Photographs are a good visualization of our success. Many people carry a before and after photo with them, just to remind themselves of their success.

2. Walk 30 minutes each day, every day until surgery (or equivalent exercise). Walking helps the recovery process go smoothly and minimized the pain levels from surgery.

3. Wean yourself from caffeine and carbonated beverages now. After I gave up my 6 diet coke a day habit, I suffered from a week of severe withdrawal syndrome consisting of severe headaches and body aches. I was miserable. You don't want to combine the effects of caffeine withdrawal with the effects of surgery.

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TraciK69    22

TraciK69
Posted

Yes! Keep us posted about your surgery date. Loving all the suggestions from everyone. I'm in Winchester. Where are you?

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I am in Manassas. I will update once I've got more information from my doctors - but I think they don't even discuss dates until all the tests are done.

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TraciK69    22

TraciK69
Posted

Welcome :) I'm also pre-op and in Northern Virginia. You have a better idea when your surgery is than I do! Hopefully mine will be somewhere between mid-December and mid-January. As goofy as it sounds I like the idea of having it right around the new year - you know, new year new me. I'm working my way through all of the appointments and tests at this point. I'm also working on cutting out processed foods and reducing carbs as cbonet suggested.

Good luck!

Yes! Keep us posted about your surgery date. Loving all the suggestions from everyone. I'm in Winchester. Where are you?

Sent from my SM-G930P using the BariatricPal App

I am in Manassas. I will update more about my surgery when I have more info. I don't think my doctor will discuss dates until the tests are done and insurance has approved. I guess this makes sense but right now I just want to be done with all of this and feel like I'm moving forward!

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TraciK69    22

TraciK69
Posted

Sorry for the double post - it is way too early for me!

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joycie4smiles    21

joycie4smiles
Posted

Welcome :) I'm also pre-op and in Northern Virginia. You have a better idea when your surgery is than I do! Hopefully mine will be somewhere between mid-December and mid-January. As goofy as it sounds I like the idea of having it right around the new year - you know, new year new me. I'm working my way through all of the appointments and tests at this point. I'm also working on cutting out processed foods and reducing carbs as cbonet suggested.

Good luck!

Yes! Keep us posted about your surgery date. Loving all the suggestions from everyone. I'm in Winchester. Where are you?

Sent from my SM-G930P using the BariatricPal App

I am in Manassas. I will update more about my surgery when I have more info. I don't think my doctor will discuss dates until the tests are done and insurance has approved. I guess this makes sense but right now I just want to be done with all of this and feel like I'm moving forward!

Sounds good. Yes, I was just guessing that my surgery would be sometime after my last apt in Jan but there really is no way for me to know for sure at this point. I feel you therr! After each appointment I remind myself that I'm one step closer to finding out if this going to happen.

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Go To Topic Listing Duodenal Switch Surgery Forum

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    • Aunty Mamo

      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. 
       
      · 0 replies
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    • BeanitoDiego

      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
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      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! 🤣
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • ChunkCat

      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 
      · 0 replies
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    • BeanitoDiego

      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!
      · 0 replies
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