DLCoggin

When the gas subsides (and it will) and the pounds start melting away (and they will), all those thoughts of regret will disappear! Hang in there - you're gonna love the new you!!

I was told that straws are strictly taboo - for life. You take in air which can be painful and potentially stretch the pouch. I'd check with your doctor before using a straw.

I've heard of it too and if I recall correctly, the success rate for treating it is quite high. Definitely a conversation you want to have with your doctor.

Well done Mr. David! Thanks so much for sharing!

You might like to check out the video link in my post at http://www.rnytalk.c...__fromsearch__1 . I'm sure your boyfriend means well. But "diet and exercise" and "try harder" are simplistic comments from a person who is ignorant of the realities of an obesity epidemic that affects 2/3 of the adult population in the U.S. and literally hundreds of millions of people around the world. If he genuinely wants to help and support you, he needs to genuinely put forth the effort to understand the complexity of the problem. The decision to move forward or not is one that only you can make. Whatever you do, don't decide for or against because of anything that anyone else says or thinks. Do the research and decide what's best for you. This forum is an amazing resource where you can ask any question and get answers from lots of folks who will not judge you and who know exactly where you are coming from. Treat it like the potentially life-changing decision that it is and you'll make the right decision for you! Here are some links to help you (and possibly your boyfriend) get started on getting educated. · http://www.hsph.harv...vention-source/ (Harvard School of Public Health) · http://www.webmd.com/ · http://asmbs.org/ (American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery) · http://iom.edu/Repor...Prevention.aspx (Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science) · http://www.wlslifestyles.com/ (This is a digital magazine with an ENORMOUS amount of information on weight loss surgery. Cost is $19.95 for a one year subscription and imho that's a real bargain.) · http://www.mayoclinic.com/ Mayo Clinic

Congratulations!! Walking will help with the pain and the gas. Start slow and increase as you get more comfortable. You're gonna love the new you!!

Congratulations and welcome to the big losers! Walking will help with the gas. Start slow and increase as you get more comfortable. You're gonna love the new you!!

If you haven't done so already, now is a good time to sample some Protein shakes and see what you like. Myoplex, Muscle Milk, Synthrax and Pure Protein (my favorite) are all popular. Most of the shake manufacturers also make powders in their most popular flavors - powder is about half the cost of the ready-to-drink shakes. You can also see my high protein food list at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AquBbFV701VcdGZFc2p2Q29QTXIxc0tVU1lxMklBOHc#gid=0 . Special thanks to Dallas for posting it on the Net. Good ideas on there once you're back on regular foods.

Second the Pure Protein Bars. The Chocolate Deluxe are over the top good. Target has them (but they go fast) and at the best price I've seen anywhere. In addition to the 20g bars, Pure also has 35g bars. I've never seen them but they show them online going up to a whopping 78g of protein - gotta be one big bar! LOL

A general rule of thumb for a healthy diet (not RNY specific) is 40/30/30, carbs/fats/protein. Depending on how much protein your doctor recommends, you may exceed the protein requirement every day. I was never given a specific number for carbs and fats - or even for calories for that matter. If it helps, I've averaged 109g of carbs, 37g of fat, and 96g of protein (my doctor requires 100g of protein a day) since Dec 7, 2011 up to yesterday. And 1299 calories average over the same period.

Great story Jen! And a huge congrats on being in the Member Spotlight this month!!

Wow - good for you! Man, you must have seen it all.

Hey David! You mentioned that you're in the medical field. I'm curious what part of the "biz" you're in if you'd care to or PM me.

You most certainly are welcome!

It is unfortunate but undeniable that the surgery can be defeated. When all is said and done, the bottom line is that it's all about lifestyle changes. The first time I heard "lifestyle changes" from my surgeon it scared me right down to my toes. Very intimidating. That said, I can't imagine any more powerful motivation than your concern for your daughter and your sister. This forum is an amazingly valuable resource and it doesn't cost a dime. Here you can read real stories from real people with real successes - and real failures. You can read about struggles. And you can read about solutions. You can read about fears. And you can read about overcoming them. You can ask any question without fear of judgment. We've all been there at one time or another. This is "reality TV" Internet style. Take your time. Post comments, share your fears, ask questions and carefully consider your options. There is nothing you cannot be, do, or have.

Very good point!

Pre-op, post-op, whatever op - EVERY pound lost is a reason to celebrate!! Great job!!!

1. The average hospital stay is two days. Some folks are out in one, some may be in for four or more days if any complications arise. 2. You guys correct me if I'm wrong but I think most doctors suggest two to three weeks. I have two family members who went back to work in a week and have read of others here on the forum who did the same. I also have read of others who took six weeks off. An awful lot depends on the individual. Personally, I'm not big on sitting around doing nothing and I couldn't wait to get back to work. More importantly, I think getting back into your routine promotes faster healing and your recovery is a LOT easier when you're busy. 3. My doctor told me not to lift more than ten pounds for at least three months - lifting too much weight too soon could cause some sutures to break free until they have had time to heal. That said, you most certainly will be able to play with your baby! The first two or three weeks immediately following the surgery you'll likely be moving a little slower than normal. It's all downhill after that!! You're gonna love the new you!!

Mom sounds like - well...a Mom! LOL! She's done the research on the sleeve so perhaps she's up for doing the same for RNY? If she is, it might help alleviate some of her concerns. There is a LOT of long-term data on RNY - much more than there is on sleeve because sleeve is still relatively new. There is solid 3-year data on sleeve. There is solid 30+ year data on RNY. Here are some sites (there are many more) that she might want to start with: http://www.hsph.harv...vention-source/ (Harvard School of Public Health) http://www.webmd.com/ http://asmbs.org/ (American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery) http://iom.edu/Repor...Prevention.aspx (Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science) http://www.wlslifestyles.com/ (This is a digital magazine with an ENORMOUS amount of information on weight loss surgery. Cost is $19.95 for a one year subscription and imho that's a real bargain.) All surgeries have risks. There simply are no absolute guarantees. But if Mom is willing, I think that she'll find that when all is said is done, the odds are overwhelmingly in your favor for a life-changing experience that both of you will look back on knowing that it was a good decision.

Love turkey! Love hummus! Great combination!!

At four days out there's a good chance that what you're experiencing is "head hunger". Most folks aren't physically hungry until they're further out. The good news is that head hunger subsides pretty quickly. Very likely that you'll see it decrease significantly if not disappear entirely in the next couple of weeks. Congratulations on the surgery - you're gonna love the new you!!

Damn right!! LOL! Congratulations!!

51 lbs in ten weeks? I'd be doing cartwheels!! Congratulations!!

Here's a summary of a post that I did a while back comparing the two surgeries. Everything I've read leads me to believe that the two surgeries (RNY and Sleeve) are roughly comparable with their own advantages and disadvantages. Sleeve is strictly restrictive. RNY uses restriction and malabsorption. Most studies seem to give RNY the nod for the most weight lost in the shortest time, and for the best long-term success rates, but not by huge margins. Although seldom done, RNY is theoretically reversible. The sleeve is not reversible since 75% to 85% of the stomach is removed. RNY changes the path that the food takes, bypassing a portion of the small intestine which results in some malabsorption and makes nutritional supplements absolutely imperative - for life. The sleeve does not alter the path of the food and does not bypass any part of the intestine and as a result, has a lower risk of malnutrition. Along the same line as above, since the sleeve does not alter the food path, there is no dumping syndrome with the sleeve. Dumping does not occur in all RNY patients but it is common. Both surgeries appear to be equally safe but the sleeve is less invasive and can be completed more quickly than RNY. The sleeve is relatively new so there is much less data available regarding long-term effectiveness. At least in part for this reason, some insurance companies do not currently cover the sleeve. That will likely change over time as more long term data becomes available. RNY continues to be the most popular bariatric surgery worldwide - about 80% of all bariatric surgeries are RNY. There is an excellent article on WebMD that you can find at http://www.webmd.com...king-the-choice for more information.

Very well put Dawn! Welcome to the forum!!