I♡BypassedMyPhatAss♡

Recliner, cane/walker, step stool for getting into bed if you're short like me (I have to jump up onto my bed otherwise). If you're sent home with JP drains, I found it helpful to get a badge lanyard and clip a laundry bra bag onto the lanyard and wear it around my neck and place the drains inside. It ensures not accidentally dropping a drain which can cause pain. And this helped so much with showering. I also used a binder around my tummy and a grabber tool for picking up things off of the floor so I wouldn't have to bend over to avoid putting pressure on my incisions. A lot of these recommendations I used during my recovery of my tummy tuck. So it may not be helpful for just wls.

Maybe it's the Dermabond glue highlighting the bruising and making it appear darker? I'm not sure, but it looks like a nicely healing incision to me.

The pre op diet is no big deal. And the post op pain was non existent for me. I had some discomfort from the carbon dioxide gas, but it was nothing that ever made me regret having the surgery. Surgery technique has improved over the years so much. Robotic surgery causes less tissue disruption so there's less pain post op. Also my hospital does abdominal nerve blocks that cuts way down on immediate surgical pain post op. It lasts for 24 - 48 hours. In my opinion, it's a small price to pay to regain good health and to be happier when you lose weight. I think having the right mindset going into this journey is critical, and will carry you far. Best wishes!

You're quite welcome!

Yeah I get that. I have RA. I stopped Celebrex about 6 months ago and then began CBD oil. It's working for me. Has your mom tried CBD oil? She might talk to her doctor about it if she hasn't. It might give her some well needed pain relief. It also helps inflammation.

Some Lap Band and VSG patients end up developing GERD or reflux several years post op those two weight loss surgeries. I'm one of them (Lap Band). Both surgeries operate under a high pressure system and years later for whatever reason the high pressure placed on the esophageal sphincter causes reflux/GERD. So now I'm awaiting revision. My surgeon told me that anyone with reflux or GERD currently or in the past, she recommends RNY. Sure repairing the hernia now will fix the reflux issue currently. But then years later you may be impacted by reflux/GERD again due to the high pressure on the esopageal sphincter (nothing to do with a hernia). When that happens to "cure" the reflux/GERD many revise to RNY.

I experienced this early post op after my Lap Band was placed. It was my "full cue" It was basically my full pouch pressing the phrenic nerve, which extends from the left side of the diaphragm upwards to the neck/jaw area. Phrenic nerve irritation causes pain in the left shoulder. I didn't experience this much past the first year post op tho.

I'm in the process of revision. My band was removed one year ago. I'm about to have bypass surgery very soon. I can tell you that medicare covers revision and it's based upon medical necessity, and they review each case individually. I had GERD. So before removing my band, my surgeon did a couple of tests. An EGD and also a special fluoroscopy test that looks for dysmotility of the esophagus and also reflux/GERD. You basically eat a marshmallow and then a piece of bagel (if neccessary) on fluoroscopy while they tilt the table that you're secured on to certain degrees. It's almost like swallowing food at an angle. It's really strange. I didn't even get to the bagel before the marshmallow refluxed upwards and outward. The test reports are sent to the insurance company to establish medical necessity for removal. So because Lap Band failed me, I can get revision. So if you're having issues with your band, I would say you will be approved very easily. When you have issues with the band, those issues override BMI. Because you're not asking for revision so much for weight loss, but primarily due to the intolerance or issues the band has created. I wish you well on your journey to revision!

💀 🤣

This reminds me of the whole Lap Band thing. So many people jumped on the bandwagon with it when it was new. Then it came full circle as a failure and even harmful for some people. Vape is the Lap Band of the weed world. 😂

https://sydneybariatricclinic.com/our_treatment/gastric-sleeve-with-minimiser-ring/#:~:text=An option at the time,from stretching in the future. >>> An option at the time of Gastric Sleeve surgery is to have a device called the MiniMizer Ring (MMR) placed around the top of the newly-sleeved stomach. The aim of the MMR is to prevent the Sleeve stomach from stretching in the future. I'm wondering about the long term effects of this ring now. I'm curious what the rates for GERD are when adding this ring on top of a sleeve? Does it cause more pressure than normal?

Opinions are judgements. So you saying that I'm the only judgemental person here isn't exactly right. You yourself are judgemental as well because you stated your opinion. My original reply to you was in reply to this ☝️ You said we don't understand your way of thinking. So I said you don't understand my way of thinking. I think we've covered this thoroughly at this point. No one understands each others stance, and we're all judgemental. Well done. Now we can move on.

That's my opinion. I'm allowed to have opinions, lol. Just as you are. I never asked for help. Did I?

Well it's specific to each surgeon. They have different pre op diets, so I would talk to your surgeons office before stocking up on anything. One person on here had to use the protein shake that his surgeon provided. So I can't offer any advice. Sorry.

First of all this is a forum. I have no friends here, lol. I don't use that word loosely. I said I understand. I explained it in my previous post. I'm not sure what's difficult to understand about this. I don't care what nationality or culture I was, even if I wasn't American, I would have the same stance. It has nothing to do with where I live. Lol @ judgemental. Okayyy. So yeah, I understand perfectly well.

You have a surgery date, but do not know what a pre-op diet is? Didn't your dietician or nutritionist explain this to you?

Some people don't find drinking "fun." It's just the way it is. Not everyone has to drink in order to have fun. But I get it also that some can't enjoy life or have "fun" without being inebriated.

Well this just makes me sad. You're in your honeymoon phase with your sleeve and you're already thinking about the possibility of revision. And being self pay, and the steps you'd have to take to get said revision. It shouldn't be this way. I was curious about The Affordable Care act and what Obamacare covers. So I just looked into it. It covers substance abuse in every state. But only select states cover bariatric surgery. It makes no sense. I hope the pain in your chest turns out to be nothing, especially not acid reflux and you have a long and happy marriage with your sleeve!

I totally understand what you mean about removing part of your stomach. I feel the same way. There are weight loss surgeries that do not remove anything and are reversible. Just know that you have options. Losing weight helps decrease systemic inflammation, so that may be of some benefit given your history of cancer. It can perhaps reduce your chances of any inflammatory type of illnesses in the future. And it's always smart to get the good, the bad and the ugly sides of any weight loss procedure that you're considering. It will help you to be better prepared for what you may face in the future. Best wishes on your journey!

Hi! Welcome to the forums! I'm not familiar with the sleeve with minimizer ring, so I Googled it... If it's anything like the Lap Band, (it looks to be a similar concept) I can tell you when I had my Lap Band and when I ate something that I didn't chew properly, said food would meet my Lap Band, it couldn't pass, so it would come back up. Often with some pain. I hope someone with a minimizer ring gives you a better answer than I did. Best wishes on your journey.

I'm so sorry for your loss. 🤗

That was why I bought it. I know how I burn out fast on the sweet protein shakes post op. So I was going to add it to broth.

Oh boy. That's the one I ordered last week. I haven't tried it yet. Maybe I should just go ahead and return it. Thanks for the heads up!

They're calcium chewies. https://www.bariatricadvantage.com/item/calcium_citrate_chewy_bites_500mg

Which brand of unflavored protein powder did you try?