What was one thing you wish you would have know pre-op that you didn't know?

2 minutes ago, Deactivatedfatgal said:

Uncontrollable gerd definitely but there's new management techniques for gerd such as the Linx. And not everyone has gerd or has it bad. I don't have the heartburn or regurgitation.

I have the LINX device. It worked well for the first year but my GERD is back and once again I have to use Prilosec to control it. So I'm hoping my GERD will improve after Bypass surgery.

3 minutes ago, MarinaGirl said:

I have the LINX device. It worked well for the first year but my GERD is back and once again I have to use Prilosec to control it. So I'm hoping my GERD will improve after Bypass surgery.

Yes hopefully it will improve for you!

The amount of time you can eat only small amounts of food is very short.

I know this before surgery, but you don't really know it until you have lived it.

And you can chug water again. I was more sad about not being able to chug water than anything else and by 1 year I could chug down water again without taking a breath like a champ.

I was leaning towards sleeve this is making me think bypass is the ticket.

I wish I had known the recovery would be harder than I thought. I had the misconception that a laparoscopic surgery would be easy and I'd be back to my normal self within a few days. Had my gall bladder out 12 years ago and I recovered quickly so didn't think this would be much different. Little did I know!! 3 weeks post op and I'm still not my self, still experiencing pain, and still exhausted like whoa!

Oh I'm so glad I read this. I'm 3 weeks post op too and I'm in the same boat. My belly button incision kills me and God help I sneeze. It feels like someone is ramming a hot poker through it when I do. I'm back at work but come 1pm it's like I hit a wall and am useless after that. I had my gallbladder out in 2010 and recovered quick and though that this would be similar. I sure had myself fooled.

I had the sleeve and today is my 1 month anniversary. So far so good. No pain, I can drink water pretty good.

The only thing I didn't know is that spicy food is pretty much a no go for me. Chicken skin is a no go for me too. Not sure why. Wish I would have known this before but wouldnt have done a different procedure if I had.

I wish I knew that I would have a drain coming out of surgery. That thing hurt so bad and having it made the first 48 hours hell.

6 hours ago, DS1 said:

The only thing I didn't know is that spicy food is pretty much a no go for me. chicken skin is a no go for me too. Not sure why. Wish I would have known this before but wouldnt have done a different procedure if I had.

The type of surgery wouldn't really matter. RNY recover is more complicated than Sleeve.

As far as spicy foods, are you taking an antacid and a PPI? I had spicy food the whole time.

At one month you can't really assess what you can and can't tolerate. I'm not really sure why you are eating chicken skin at this point anyway. Revisit it at 3 or 6 months.

7 hours ago, hardwork&dedication said:

It seems like the two options are dumping syndrome or GERD....I don't know which is worse?

Most people don't dump, just like most people don't get GERD. If you already have GERD then choosing RNY over the Sleeve is a no brainer. Choosing based on dumping doesn't make sense because most people don't dump and even people that do dump, only dump early on. That is why its funny to see people choosing RNY hoping it will help their sweet tooth. I just read someone today who had RNY around the same time I had the sleeve that eats candy bars and drinks full sugar soda EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Edited May 8, 20179 yr by OutsideMatchInside

I wish I'd known that all those foods I "enjoyed" one last time (out of fearfulness that I'd never eat them again) would lose their power over me post-surgery. I'm 9 weeks post op and about 47 pounds down from surgery and so far not really missing those foods. I put too much mental energy on my "food funerals".

12 hours ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

The amount of time you can eat only small amounts of food is very short.

I know this before surgery, but you don't really know it until you have lived it.

And you can chug Water again. I was more sad about not being able to chug water than anything else and by 1 year I could chug down water again without taking a breath like a champ.

That was my first question & biggest concern! My surgery is May 30th & the thought of not being able to chug water freaks me out! That's just how I've always drank it.

@SEAHAWKS FAN!

Before surgery I could drink a 16 ounce bottle of water without taking a breath. At one year I could do 8, I think I am up to about 12-13 now, but I haven't pushed it lately. Once I go to 8 I was really happy though. I love chugging water, it is something I have always done.

Me to a 16 or 20 oz cup/bottle without coming up for air. I also love water & have never drank it any other way.

I love water too, and I have always drank it very fast. I grew up in a town where the tap water is delicious, so I guess that helped.

36 minutes ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

I love Water too, and I have always drank it very fast. I grew up in a town where the tap water is delicious, so I guess that helped.

Spokane has a great aquifer! Any time we travel it's bottled water but at home straight from the tap.

I have not had any complications at all... no gerd, no pain... the only thing I wished I had known is that it is possible that when you go home you will be heavier than when you went into the hospital. Some people, me included, gain weight from the IV fluids. I was almost 10 pounds heavier and it was so disappointing. Yes, you lose it all but it was quite a shocker to me.