LinSmargiassi

Hi everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've been on. I had so much surgical prep appointments, work, home, husband. You know the drill... I am now 5 days post op and it is 10 days until Christmas. I am feeling great overall - today I had my first experience with the foamies, but it wasn't that bad. It didn't last long and it didn't spill out of my mouth. It was just sort of a regurgitation in the back of my mouth. But you know - don't let that scare you if you're pre op. It's not a big deal. But it's a learning curve for sure! My RA was quite active going into surgery, because I had to come off of everything in order to get surgery, no NSAIDs, DMARDs, Biologics, NADA!!! So I took a lot of tramadol until the day before surgery. I was kind of lethargic and a waste of space in general because pain was driving my inability to move or accomplish much. I stopped all biologics 2 full months before surgery, NSAIDs 1 full week prior, DMARDs 1 full week prior. My surgery went without a single hitch and I sang part of 'O mio babbino caro' to the OR staff whilst my ass was hanging out and I was hopping up onto the surgical table! of course, when I awoke I felt like SHITE, but that passed quickly, and I started on the pain meds ASAP. I recommend you do the same. And just take the damn things and don't worry about it, ok? Just take them and they make you feel better and after about 3 or 4 days you can stop taking pain meds. I hardly took any of the liquid Rx I filled. I never felt pain from any of the port incisions, and I had very little nausea. Look, you're having stomach surgery, doesn't it stand to reason that a little nausea might happen? just deal and breathe and concentrate on healing and drinking sips of water and crystal light and isopure and you'll be fine. In two days I start on puree. I'm totally ready for that and ready to move more! Snow storm kept me from walking outside yet, but I plan to try tomorrow. Be well! Be strong! You can DO THIS!!!

PB2 is a peanut butter derived powder that you can add to stuff for peanut butter flavor. it is AMAZING!!!!!! I bought mine through Amazon!

I've not had surgery yet, but have they advised you how they want to treat it? Have they further advised you how it occurred? Wishing you lots of luck....!

Like you, I struggle with whether or not I will obsess over food post surgery. I have disordered eating - I will eat nothing and then I'll be famished and over eat. I need to get committed to eating consistently to combat that. I have been on diets like all of us, cutting out carbs, eating low fat, going on a soup diet, you name it. I've tried it. But nothing could ever stick for long because I would feel that depriving myself of things I want isn't natural and I didn't want to make food groups evil. I want to be able to choose without struggling over my decision. That doesn't mean I want to have chocolate cake for breakfast lunch and dinner, either. I really like fruit - not having fruit for ever isn't an option for me. Not ever having bread again isn't an option either. My Nutritionist told me that eventually I will enjoy many of the foods I won't eat for a while, but that I shouldn't worry about that because the goal is to be able to eat a piece of fruit and be full from it. Or to have a NORMAL portion of food and it will be enough. I just keep thinking about those things, and if it means that I have to think about food a lot to get my weight to a reasonable place - then I win!!!! Good luck to you, too!!

I didn't suggest that to check on the bougie size - rather just to make sure the surgeon's actually using one. Some don't (SCARY) and they are bad bariatric surgeons! It's just a way to ask without asking directly... I found two surgeon's I interviewed to be quite offended that I asked. Surprising but true. I also didn't hire them to be my Doctor!

Get a personal trainer who is willing to kick your ass to make you do right. I'm saying this in my most compassionate voice - I'm not trying to be rude or mean. If you want to get the weight off you need to make the right choices and put in the work. Of course, I can say that because I'm pre-op. I may face the same struggle. Just do the right thing for yourself!!!!! The REAL right thing!!!

YAY! Good for you! Congrats!!!

What is his complication rate? How does his team handle complications? Has he ever lost a patient? How can he reach you if you have an emergency or questions to help determine an emergency? Does he over-sew the staples? What size bougie does he use? If there's a hiatal hernia can he repair while he's in there for the sleeve procedure? That's all I can think of this moment...

Are you tall as well? Your weight doesn't sound over the top, but starting where you did would also lead me to believe, "the smaller they are the less they fall" a little.... how about exercise? How much do you do? Is it enough or is it too much, and is that why you're body thinks you're starving? Personally, my most sincere suggestion is that you reach out to Cirangle's team. He's the surgeon, he may or may not have an intervention through surgery, but he has a crackerjack team assembled. The other thing you could do is think about reaching out to a geneticist. There may be a something at a cellular level that is being overlooked or not considered by the other members of your medical team. I really hope you find an answer, or that I had more advice to share. Good luck to you!!!!! xo!!!

I have not seen him personally because I have an equally qualified surgeon in NYC. However, I have done extensive research on surgeons in the United States, and since you're on the west coast, Cirangle makes a more logical choice. Can you give an idea of your current weight and how much you have either gained or lost? Mostly I'm just curious to know.

honestly it sounds like you need an expert. Dr Cirangle with San Francisco Laproscopic Surgeons out in San Francisco is the top whiz on this surgery. He has done more than about 7000 of these surgeries at this point. I think you should pursue getting an evaluation with him using your medical records and an extensive food log. You will have to write down every single thing you put in your mouth to track the way you should. Good luck to you! I hope you find an answer!