Em's Mom

If you are on a liquid preop diet, drinking will knock you flat. Also, if you are having problems with following instructions before the surgery, are you sure you're ready to face the diet restrictions that will follow the surgery? The preop diet is for shrinking the fat around your liver to minimize complications during surgery. Drinking 8 oz of alcohol is a lot for one evening. Please think hard about what you are doing.

I'm on Medicare, but I was told the same thing about skin removal. The counselor explained that skin removal was not the same as a tummy tuck, so if I wanted to have the whole navel placement, I'd have to pay the difference. I don't know whether that was explained or not.

Maybe because I didn't have a weight problem until my 40s, I didn't really see myself as obese, even when I was over 300 pounds. I had the surgery because I want to have knee replacement surgery and have to be 180 pounds maximum for it to be really successful. I've only lost around 90 pounds so far, but even at 227 pounds I feel sexy. I have the saggy skin, turkey neck, and saggy boobs, but so what. I don't have to take medication for my diabetes and blood pressure anymore, and I think I look good. I probably will have surgery eventually to get rid of the turkey neck, but in the meantime I get to buy a lot of pretty, new clothes. When I reach a size 16, I'll feel like I've made it. I was a size 8 most of my adult life, but that was then. I'll never be what I was when I was in my early 40s, but I'm a lot better than I was two years ago. Healing from this very difficult surgery and reaching your goal weight are huge accomplishments. We should all be proud of ourselves for the courage and determination it has taken to get so far.

Are you getting your protein in? Lack of enough protein can cause hair loss. I haven't had this problem, but all my reading says that protein is essential to maintain muscle and hair. I use Unjury protein, which is vey high quality and tastes the best of all the bariatric protein powders I've tried.

I'm sorry you are having problems. I didn't go through this, but I would contact your counselor to reassure yourself that you aren't having low sugar problems or potassium problems. Are you taking your nutritional supplements daily? This is very important, especially because you won't be getting the vitamins and minerals you need to heal. I had problems with stomach issues for quite a few weeks after the surgery. I threw up often because I didn't always know what worked for me. Each person is different. It's been nearly two years since my surgery, but I still have a hard time digesting rice and heavy pasta. I feel fine though with nearly everything else I eat, including spicy Mexican and Chinese. My weight loss was less then expected, but I have physical problems that made exercise in the early stages impossible. I'm still losing weight though without trying to, only very slowly, which I like. So hang in there. It takes awhile for your stomach to heal completely, but it will feel normal again, just not as soon as you'd like :=}

I met with my surgeon on Friday for the first time. I settled on the sleeve after discussing it with him. It seems the surgery with the fewest behavior adjustments and the most normal eating. He said that I'm supermorbidly obese at 296 lb. I've always had to watch the calories but it wasn't until my early 40s that the pounds piled on and wouldn't come off. I decided to have bariatric surgery this summer when X-rays showed that I'm bone on bone in my knees and can't have knee replacement surgery until the weight is in a normal range. Dr. Hirai of St. Francis will do my surgery, but he wants me to lose 30 lb before surgery. I want to have the surgery in December, so that doesn't leave me much time to lose it. Is there anyone else who has had to have presurgical dieting and succeeded in getting it off fast. Right now I'm looking at using a protein drink a couple of times a day in place of a meal and cutting out the simple carbs.