Leaderboard

Hi everyone! This is my first post here and my surgery was a week ago tomorrow (7/9/21). It’s amazing seeing so many people willing to undertake such a huge life altering change!! Good luck to everyone!!

@lizonaplane....best quote! Made me lol!🤣

I had both realistic and irrational fears: what if I don't wake up from surgery, what if this is a mistake, will I ever be normal again. It's normal. I couldn't have anyone in the hospital with me due to Covid. I was in the hospital one night. I was fine without anyone there. Having someone hover over me would have just gotten on my nerves. I texted and phoned when I felt like it. My parents dropped me off and picked me up. My husband stayed home with the dog (ours is also old and cannot be kenneled so I get that)

As @AjaSlimtone said, your starting weight is quite low, so you will not be able to lose fast, like people who start at 300 or 400 lbs. Just follow your surgery center's instructions to the letter and trust in the process. Make sure you're getting your fluids and protein. You got this!

if you read enough posts it seems that the rate of loss is a little slower after revision I’m currently 2 yrs post revision from VSG to RNY (for GERD not regain) and for me I have been able to maintain the same weight I was with VSG but I’m now GERD free. Initially I lost a little but since I was already at goal my surgeon wanted me to maintain not lose so I ate whatever I wanted for a short period of time. Then went back to normal (post bari lifestyle of moderation and overall food changes/substitution) Knowing what I now know, I think revisioners should consider asking their surgeons: 1. No GERD but substantial regain- Should I consider VSG to DS/SIPS for greater weightloss? 2. GERD and substantial regain- Should I convert from VSG to RNY with a longer bypass? 3. GERD but no regain- Should I convert from VSG to RNY with a slightly shorter bypass to prevent excess loss? Good Luck ❤️

PREOP DIET: THE WHYS I did some extensive reading last night, and discovered that the preop diet is mainly intended to help patients lose weight and de-glycogen their liver to make it more pliable in surgery. That's basically it. In order to do this, one needs to be on a low carb, low fat, high protein diet. They call it a "Very Low Calorie Diet" or VLCD. Some of us have been on this kind of diet in the past. In fact, I lost 50lbs on a VLCD—twice! And of course I gained all the weight back and more, as soon as I allowed myself 1200 calories of healthy food—both times! It slowed my metabolism down to a crawl and didn't allow me energy to exercise. One time I did it sans drugs and had no energy to do anything in my life—it was impossible, but I stuck to these horrible shakes only, and I did this for months. The other time, I just reduced the calories in my daily diet and used Phentermine (so much easier!). Both times I was put on an 800 calorie a day diet. About the fact that it's a liquid diet: this seems not to matter until close to the surgery (last few days?) because they want no particles of poorly chewed food in your stomach's staple line. There could be other reasons for requiring it to be liquid that I have not yet read about, and I'm still looking. Anyone who knows--please jump in. The other bit about it, unfortunately, is the usual infantilizing of overweight people thing: "to get you used to how you will have to eat post-surgery!". I don't know about anyone else, but I don't need to "get used to" drinking artificial shakes. The less I have to be on a shakes diet, the more committed I'll be to the necessary time I have to do it. After surgery, no one even wants to eat a bowl full of broccoli rabe or a fistfull of spikey toast and sharp pieces of metal, or so I've heard. It seems that drinking water is a challenge at first, and that most are not interested in eating for a while. I'd prefer to go the math/science route and be told exactly what the breakdown of the diet is and why, so I can customize according to my own body's medical needs. But preop, it seems that patients should be armed with what will help them succeed at the objectives. If the dietician can't offer true individualized help, and can only communicate in condescending 3-word emails, then they need to print out the diet's actual parameters in the $350 packet of 6 sheets they hand you when you have the all-important "dietician consult". Mine was a joke. The dietician read the packet to me basically. I'm serious. Is this worth $350? I can read. I'm not sure why the parameters need to be so mysterious. Maybe to justify paying a dietician in the first place? An insurance thing like the psych consult? (also a hoop jump for insurance only) The other thing that I hope changes: the condescension towards fat people from some in the medical profession. Overweight people are just people. They aren't somehow deficient, un-smart people, or inherently lacking in discipline or agency because they struggle with their weight/metabolism. This issue isn't about simple "willpower" and anyone who claims it is has not done research or has simply ignored any research that doesn't confirm their own bias against those who are overweight. I know we all—or hopefully many of us—know this and can name a never-ending list of accomplished thinkers, scientists, artists, directors, lawyers, athletes, comedians and yes---doctors! who struggle with their weight for a variety of reasons. In fact, just like in the general non-overweight population, there are intelligent people who are successful at other things in their life in the fat population. So it really bothers me when we are infantilized en masse. Perhaps some people on the preop diet like the authoritarian approach, and that's ok! Not all of us want to be treated like that, and we should be accommodated and armed with science and math on this diet to minimize our own suffering and maximize our chance of success on the diet. Some seem to think we deserve some more suffering for being overweight, and if we balk at this, it's a sign we should think more about our commitment to health before undergoing surgery. That ethos is part of some kind of seriously retrograde, patriarchal justified-by-labor nonsense that has nothing to do with this problem. I'm still working on the research, guys. Meanwhile, I'm trying the lower-calcium Owyn shakes today (that got horrible reviews for taste- yum!) because my dietician was able to suggest those when pushed for a lower calcium option.

@brightly @Shop Girl I agree - my surgeon said I could have MyProtein shakes etc my Dietitian said no. I messaged her with the comparisons of everything and she said it’s fine. My surgeon said I’ve obviously done my research and asked questions which was his guidance so he knows I’m not going to go off track….. my PreOp was high protein low carbs low fat and my post off was clear liquids and then full liquids which I’ve struggled with and to get the fluids in. Yes everyone has a different experience but speak to your surgeon as they will know what’s best and they ultimately know more and are more supportive

I have thought about all the milestones (negative) that I hit before finally turning to surgery. These were NOT tipping points for me: -needing seat belt extender on flight -struggling to tie my sneakers -Winded walking to my office or up the stairs -prediabetes diagnosis And so many years of dieting struggles The tipping point was -getting an A1C test of 6.9 and a Diabetes diagnosis. - getting prescribed diabetes, cholesterol, and blood pressure medications. -And Not being able to go on bike rides with my daughter I felt so hopeless until I finally followed my cardiologists suggestion to attend an informational session for bariatric surgery. After another 4 months of considering all the risks (real and perceived) with taking this step, I could not imagine any other way that I would be able to lose the amount of weight that I needed to get healthy again. Just over 3 months later and 54 lbs down, I am only sorry I was so resistant to the idea of surgery to help lose weight. I feel more than hopeful again. I have a long way still to go, but it feels doable now. And I already feel so much success to be able to move more comfortably and no longer need the medication prescribed just 8 months ago! And I am getting my bike tuned so I can go biking with my daughter on the nearby bike path that I have avoided riding for over 5 years!!

So sorry about that. Find people for support- loved ones, people in forums such as this one. I can be that for you. Message me, let's support 1 another. DO NOT let anyone dim your light. Do what is best for you regardless of who is for or against it, PERIOD!!

I was 262 at surgery so about the same ( although I'm a little taller sa bmi slightly less) I'm not a speedy looser ! 2.5 weeks is still early enough to be holding in some of those iv fluids they pump into you in the hospital. Plenty of people In these forums actually have recorded a TEMPORARY GAIN in weight post op. Also at 2.5 weeks your stomach tissues etc may still be swollen Swollen tissues hang onto fluids So effectively what you're looking is probably cancelled out (TEMPORARILY!) by the fluids you are retaining IM SURE THIS WILL CHANGE SOON! In the meantime I suggest/recommend you take baseline measurements NOW! ALSO if you have any clothes that were snug/tight before surgery ...try them on now!!! Hopefully they will already fit better Good luck ...