Miss Mac

Here is an on-going thread that has almost 1,000 replies! http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/219831-what-was-your-final-straw-that-broke-the-camels-back/page-99#entry3821412

In 1973, when I was only 21 and thin, I was experiencing the same symptoms you described. It felt like someone was stabbing me under the right shoulder blade and twisting it. I sufffered for a couple of weeks, and finally went to a doctor. He sent me over to the ER, and they mis-diagnosed the problem as ulcer pains, and gave me something creamy to calm the pain. Well, what happened was that creamy liquid sent my gallbladder into spasms and it ruptured right then and there. While I was in radiology, I hyperventilated and passed out from the pain. The images showed the whole mess and I was sent right off to the operating room. The surgeon said he had to go fish because there were gallstones everywhere. That was back when they cut you half in two. I was in the hospital for eleven days. I am so glad you ae getting your gallbladder out before it ruptures. These days it is commonly done laparascopically, with an overnight stay or as outpatient surgery. The process has really been streamlined. You should not expect any complications. The sooner - the better. I don't miss mine at all, i wish you good luck and good health.

That's a new one. I have never heard of a sleeve being called a sweater. What a dork.

I had no choice. Mine ruptured after weeks of miserable pain and discomfort. After surgery, I had to eat on the bland side during healing, but I never really missed the thing. What I have to watch now, 42 years later, is fatty, greasy, rich foods, because I don't have that gallbladder to process fats. But that's ok. I shouldn't eat that stuff anyway. I was 21 and it was 1973, back when they still cut you half in two. I was in the hospital eleven days. Today, they do it laparasopically and in some places it is outpatient day-surgery.

MauiGirl5555, Did your doctor say anything about your liver being exceptionally large? That is the only reason I could think of for such a long liquid diet. There have been a couple of people on the forum who only had to do one day or two? I had to do ten days. I hope you can have another conversation with your doctor. I suppose you could just tell him that one month seems awfully harsh for someone who works on the go and extensively drives a motor vehicle - and would he think that is even safe. If you could convince him that you will be the best patient he's ever had, maybe he would cave in a little. Back yourself up with a little research. The one with the most documentation wins. Good luck, dear.

Well, this is surgery, and they do alter body parts while they're in there, so it's no picnic. But, my recovery has pretty much been textbook for the sleeve. I was nauseous, but I had meds to help with that. I was thirsty, but able to start small sips of Water the evening of surgery. I was not hungery for weeks and had to remind myself when it was time to eat. The pain really was not so bad. I was sore the first couple of days, but after that did not need pain meds at all. Some people get shoulder gas residual from the CO2 used to expand your abdominal cavity. I did not. Some people lose a lot of hair about 2-3 months in. I did not. A lot about recovery is sooooo individual that it is hard to tell you what to expect. But most of the time, barring complications, it's not as bad as we think it's going to be. However, I had the advantage of being retired. If I had to return to work or watch small kidlets, my recovery may have been different.

I take grapefruit Syntrax and mix it with Crystal Lite. It tastes just like Fresca. I put Ocean Spray Cran-grape cocktail with cranberry Protein powder. Before I drink iy, I run it through a small strainer to get lumps out. My other favorite is Syntrax chocolate Mint. I mix that with Almond Milk. It is like drinking a Peppermit Patty. Sometimes I will take unflavored unjury protein powder and put it in cooled-down jello-Water and drink that.

Well, I am fifteen + moths out and have a similar dilemma My goal is within reach reach but my body has shrunk in such a way that I feel like a pencil with a Life-Saver candy for a belt. Boy these last pounds better come off the middle. I don't want to have a panni, but my insurance will pay for it after two years. I am seriously thinking about. What's one more surgery, anyway?

Camkids, it sounds like they holllowed you out! Don't worry. I have not had a gallbladder since 1973 and haven't missed it at all. I hope you are having a good recovery.

Sounds normal. That's about where I was at, at four months. I am 15 1/2 months now and can eat 3/4 cup volume. Sometimes I can eat up to a cup, but I don't push it. Miss Tummy gives me signals, like burping, hiccups or sneezing. If I disrespect her, she punishes me for hours.

I don't get it. What is the attraction with liquor that it is so important to defend? Most of it smells like horse piss anyway. What amazes me is that a person can drink a six pack or a twelve pack of beer on Superbowl Sunday, but no way would they drink 12 cans of Water. I do understand that in some places around the globe, the wine is safer to drink than the water, but we are not in Outer Mongolia. Oh well. We have gone around the barn and back with this thread. I give up. I'm out.

That reminds me. I need to buy some new perfumes. Maybe my first quality ones - ever - instead of dollar store bargains. I have worked hard for this.

If nothing else, you can look forward to shopping for new clothes.

After I lost my first 50 pounds, I made up this rewards list for myself. You will figure out easily that I have a Celtic Scots-Irish heritage, but the nature of some of my rewards. Weight Loss Rewards 185 - “Yes” trip to Trader Joe’s for specialty items 180 – Kitchen gadget, probably a reversible stovetop grill / griddle 175 – Garden gloves and hat (use gloves for work-out also?) 170 – More CD’s for outside exercise / or MP 3 player w/sleeve band 165 – Backyard fitness trail equipment 160 = Plants for the yard = lilacs or honeysuckle 155 – ½ hour massage at Massage Envy 150 – Genealogy trip somewhere 145 – Style consultation 140 – Another Professional bra fitting 135 – Family portraits Alternate suggestions: replace Claddaugh ring, nice jewelry item (maybe an ankle bracelet), go to arts and crafts fair (or Scottish festival), go to that local church flea market, office supplies or new deluxe office chair)

Well, what happened was.......you did not measure out your portion before you started to eat it. I have found that even at 15 1/2 months out, if I do not weigh and measure I can lose my perspective of volume and quantity very quickly. I have to keep repeating to myself a scientific principle I learned from my father, who was a science and biology teacher. He said that in the lab, you cannot control that which you do not measure. I miss him, but his guidance did not fall on deaf ears. I have had a couple of mishaps like yours and agree. It's over and done before you know what hit you.

What she said.

I have never heard of Enmend, so I had to look it up. Apparently it is prescribe quite frequently for chemotherapy patients. I did just fine with the Scopolomine ear Patches, Reglan, and Zofran. I also took (and still take) Omeprozole to reduce reflux. The nause subsided considerably after the first week, when I was able to stop the Hydrocodone I was taking for post-op pain.

You are getting sleeeepy..............

Losing a hundred pounds is making all the difference for me. At 100 pounds overweight, I have already had a stroke and my spine was collapsing under the excess weight. I have 17 herniated discs and several neuropathies (including sciatica) because of it. You have not filled in a profile yet, so I will guess that you are probably in your thirties and have not suffered painful or life-shortening consequences yet. Believe me, it will catch up with you sooner than later. By the time I lost the first thirty pounds, I was already feeling the difference. I can't imagine now that I could tape eighty pounds of potatoes around my waist and go through my day like I used to. By the time I reach goal and lose the entire 100 pounds, I will have lost the equivalent of wearing a newborn colt for belt. If you are on the fence and still want to try something else before committing to surgery, go to http://www.marksdailyapple.com. It is a website that embraces much of what we are doing with our bariatric programs, but without the surgery. Here is what we have in common with Mark's Daily Apple and his program of primal low carb / high Protein eating and exercise that makes sense: Drink Water until your eyeballs float. Track your carbs, protein, fluids, and calories for at least a month. Be honest with yourself, so that you can effectively get a true picture of what you are consuming. Count everything, including the sample from the deli or bakery at the supermarket to licking the spoon after cooking something. Try to find a nutritional balance between 80-100 ounces of non-caloric fluids, 60-100 grams of quality protein (baked chicken breast is better than Slim Jim's Jerky sticks). Many of us in our pre-op nutritionist - supervised three to six month diet have a limit of around 1200 calories. It is do-able if you eat your protein first, and then non-starchy veggies, and limited fruit (I was allowed one serving a day). Dessert is an apple, not Grandma's apple pie with two scoops of Bryer's ice cream. Keep in mind that starches and sugars make you hungry for more starches and sugars, and you will never fill up. It's like when I could eat a whole big bag of potato chips by myself, but when it comes to boiled eggs, I can eat two and I'm done. Do not eat anything made in a factory. That is where a lot of the damaging sugar, starches, oils, and salts come from that derail our best efforts. Shop the perimeter of the market where the produce, meat, and dairy is. Don't become part of the sofa. One thing that Mark encourages is finding exercise that is fun and does not feel like exercise. I was surprised to find that I like boxing. Go figure! Nobody better try to kidnap me. I'll punch them in the throat and be glad to do it. When I am doing housework, I turn the TV to the Classic Rock Work-out station and crank up the volume. When I do that, I have a lot more pep in my step and burn a lot of extra calories. Whatever you decide to do, losing weight permanently will take committment on your part. Trying to keep with our pre-op regimine will give you an idea of how badly you want to succeed. I wish you good luck and good health.

When my achy parts and sciatica get restless and act up, the first thing I want is homemade potato Soup, a grilled cheese sandwich or a cheese danish. None of theses are kept on hand, which makes it inconvenient enough to find a healthier alternative that is handy. For me, pain equals carbs and I have to be really strong to resist. I have a daughter who is an occupational therapist and she is always reminding that it's ok to have a disability or condition that impedes recovery. She has shown me many ways to self-comfort without food, and one of those is music. I have post-stroke balance issues which make some exercises dangerous for me, but if I put on some rock music and crank it up loud, I can boogie the body parts that will move. I probably never will run, but I turned my back yard into my personal fitness trail. The most important thing is to not become part of the couch. Open up the curtains. Go outside and get some fresh air and Vitamin D sunshine. So......tomorrow there will be no sitting on the pity pot. Get up and get out and do what you can do. Your body can't function and heal properly on crap. If you have to do one thing, then make a covenant with yourself to not eat anything made in a factory. That will help.

You are doing great! Emotional upheaval is quite normal on this ride. Actually, thirty pounds down is sort of a benchmark where you will notice the oddest things that feel better or looser or stranger. Once you are able to start soft foods you will mellow out a bit. Then when you can eat regular foods, zippity do dah - what a wonderful day. My first regular food was a Wendy's chili on my way home from the bariatric center. It was the best meal I ever had in my klfe even though it took four days to eat it all. Hang in there, bariatric brother. This process gets better. Next May you will wonder where the year went.

Just so you know, stalls are like lovers. Your first will probably not be your last. I am at 80 grams of Protein and 64 ounces of Water. There is no requirement to monitor carbs, because by the time I get in the 80 grams of protein, there is not much room for foods with many carbs. I find though, that if I go over 50 grams a day, it slows my roll. My sweet spot is around 30 grams.

Depends. How many toes do you have?

I weigh and measure my food to the capacity I was told my little tummy holds, and then never eat the last bite. If I get independant and eat too much, it does stack up my esophagus. Miss Tummy is the boss of me, and if I cross her - she punishes me for hours.

Green tea tastes like feet. What is the post about?