LosingItForMe2011

Hi Tim, I had the lapband as well. It was put in place in 2006, revision due to a slip in 2008 and then had to have it removed in 2010 due to a really bad prolaps. I waited until 2011 to start the RNY process. mainly because I was so dang afraid of all the re-arranging that would have to happen. That's why I got the lapband in the first place. But....I knew I had to do something because I've been heavy most of my life. I had my RNY 7/2012 and I ran into a complication with the main incision. It got infected so had to be reopened. The antibiotics caused me to have an imbalance in my bowel so that the good bacteria and bad bacteria got all wacked - called CDiff. Yet another antibiotic for that...had to do a few boughts with that but, I'm feeling great. Once in a while, I feel a bit off but, it doesn't last long. I'm thankful I didn't have any major complications but, as mentioned above...the rate of complications has gone down drastically from when we had our lapbands. I was told Less than 1% of RNY patient's have complications with their surgeries. Great odds to me! Ask all the questions you have, not one is too silly and all are important for you to understand and feel comfortable. You can ask here but, every question should be run by your own surgeon and follow the surgeons recommendations over any advice here. We all try to help but can only offer you the information we've gone through or experienced. It's helpful for sure especially when you can't get to your surgeon's office right away. YOu'll hear many of us mention you should call your own doc while we offer what we've experienced. Congratulations on your journey with RNY and welcome to the boards. Keep us posted!

Have you asked the surgeon's office or others in a support group from the same office if this provider has ever cancelled a surgery because they didn't lose 15 pounds? My doctors office wanted me to lose 10% of my weight about 24 pounds or so. I lost about 15. My surgeon said as long as I was losing then my liver was in the best shape because the liver loses the weight first but, also gains it first. So I did what they told me to do. If you start too early, I can tell you, you'll get really tired of the shakes and you'll need to have those after surgery. The shakes you have before, you may not like after the surgery. I got so tired of shakes and I didn't have to do a liquid diet before my surgery. I had to lose weight but, wasn't given a diet to follow. Also, shakes don't supply all the Vitamins you'll need so if you switch to shakes only in order to lose weight you're going to want to make sure you're taking in vitamins so you're not deficient in any nutrients you'll need to heal up. Did they put you on vitamins already? I had to go on them early so I'd build up a supply in my body/blood before surgery because my surgeon's office didn't advise taking vitamins right after the surgery. They wanted me to heal up for 3 weeks then start taking them. all offices are different though so follow the recommendations of the surgeon you're trusting to do your surgery. Good luck!

I only told a few people and the rest at work I just said I was having abdominal surgery. It's not lying....it was done in my abdomin. They of course now know for the most part because I've lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time. I'm not worried about it and I've been fortunate not to hear any negative comments so far. As far as flab under your arms...well yup that doesn't go away and yup it can get worse looking because there isn't anything filling them up anymore but, I'll take that over the health issues that can cause issues because of the added weight. When I'm done losing weight...I'll make the decision then whether or not to have the lose skin removed. Can't even begin to think of it now...I have quite a bit more to go.

Welcome to the boards!

Congrats on the start of your journey. You're in the right place. Welcome to the boards!

I lose slowly about 1-2 pounds a week...more often 1 pounds per week but, you know what.....it's still coming off. I'm still doing better than I did before I started and this time of year I would normally be gaining weight. If you're following your surgeon's/nutritionist's recommendations then you're doing the right thing and it will come off. You're body is going through lots of changes and it will have times it will stall or be slower...just keep on keeping on and it will come off.

Congratulations...you're going to do great! Best wishes on your surgery and a speedy recovery.

Head hunger is one of the toughest "habits" to break and to learn if it's true hunger or not. You're already doing a good thing in that when you have this feeling you drink some water. I was told that after drinking water and allowing 20-30 minutes to pass after drinking it that if I still felt I was hungry to ask myself this question. Will and apple help kill the feeling of hunger. If the answer is yes...then eat the apple. If the answer is no...then it's head hunger. It's a weird question but, it does make you stop and think. If it's truly hunger than something healthy wil appease it but, if you're craving is more on something we shouldn't have then it's head hunger or emotional hunger. Hope this helps a bit Congrats on the 100 pounds gone!

I've used it quite a bit and it doesn't matter what type of food is stuck or sitting like a brick in your pouch. It really helps with digestion of proteins too. I got the Spring Valley brand found in department stores in the vitamin section. You can also get them at GNC.

You absolutely can call your health insurance and ask if the paperwork for RNY was submitted and if it has if the approval has been issued. No harm in you calling your insurance!

Awesome job! It's definitely a lot of mind work but, you can do it. Read what you can, research and try out new hobbies! It's all worth it because YOU'RE WORTH IT!

Congratuations you too! HOpe you're doing well and healing up!

Oh I just can't drink that stuff. I don't like any whey protein products that I can taste nothing but whey in and Isopure grape and punch were awful I wish I liked them because its thin and goes down easy but, oh lordy the after taste. Now I'm finding my body is too sensitive to whey. Have to get my protein in through solids.

Most protein shots aren't the correct protein to take in either. Collegin (spelling?) type protein is not used properly...you have to take in soy or whey isolate to get the protein in.

Is that the only drink you're surgeon is allowing? Diet is based off of protein grams and ounces of fluid for most docs. Post-op most docs want you to sip all day. EAch surgeon's requirement for post-op protein is different as well. Best to ask your bariatric center/nutritionist/surgeon what they require for you.

different for everyone in both diet requirements and how long pre-op it is so that makes a big difference in how much folks lose. Also have to factor in the starting weight. The best any of us can do is follow it strictly. Just doing that will shrink the liver which is the surgeon's biggest concern. I wasn't required to havce a pre-op liquid diet. I was told they wanted me to lose 10% of my body weight....would be 20 pounds but, I lost about 12 and they still did the surgery.

is there redness and is the skin hot? I had it on my left incision site that is the one most used. Turned out to be an infection for me but, mine was raised, red and hot.

Music - I was diagnosed with CDiff myself and I've had issues with it off and on. I even took two rounds of the antibiotic but, I HIGHLY recommend you taking a probiotic with them. The first time I wasn't told to take the probiotic. I finished the antibiotics, which tasted terrible by the way (bleck), and a week or two later the same issue started back up. They didn't re-test me...I had asked them to to make sure it was gone but, they didn't. So back on the antibiotics again this time with Probiotics called Florastor. Well......I've been off those antibiotics for I guess about 6 weeks and I'm still having issues here and there. I did notice that if I do take in too much dairy or if I have the whey based shakes for get it...I'm running to the bathroom and I can't run fast enough. I had to go home from work just last week because one day was so bad. I was hurting by the time that day ended. So back onto the florastor for me. I try to take at least 2 a day. I'm staying on them at this point but unfortunately, after a while....OTHER issues start because while it's correcting your colon...your female part because to reap havoc. (sigh) CDiff isn't fun! Mine was caused from the antibiotics they put me on for the wound infection I had. Odd how taking an antibiotic caused it so they put you on yet another antibiotic to get it back in line huh? Sky - CDiff actually short for Clostridium difficile. CDiff is a species of Gram-positivebacteria of the genus Clostridium that causes severe diarrhea and other intestinal disease when competing bacteria in the gut flora have been wiped out by antibiotics. Clostridia are anaerobic, spore-forming rods (bacilli).[2] C. difficile is the most serious cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) and can lead to pseudomembranous colitis, a severe inflammation of the colon, often resulting from eradication of the normal gut flora by antibiotics.[3] In a very small percentage of the adult population, C. difficile bacteria naturally reside in the gut. Other people accidentally ingest spores of the bacteria while they are patients in a hospital, nursing home, or similar facility. When the bacteria are in a colon in which the normal gut flora has been destroyed (usually after a broad-spectrum antibiotic such as clindamycin has been used), the gut becomes overrun with C. difficile. This overpopulation is harmful because the bacteria release toxins that can cause bloating and diarrhea, with abdominal pain, which may become severe. C. difficile infections are the most common cause of pseudomembranous colitis, and in rare cases this can progress to toxic megacolon, which can be life-threatening. Latent symptoms of C. difficile infection often mimic some flu-like symptoms and can mimic disease flare in patients with inflammatory bowel disease-associated colitis.[4] Mild cases of C. difficile infection can often be cured by discontinuing the antibiotics responsible.[2] In more serious cases, oral administration of, first, oral metronidazole and — if that fails — then, second, vancomycin and if unsuccessful again, intravenous metronidazole can be used. Relapses of C. difficile AAD have been reported in up to 20% of cases.[2]

How far along from surgery are you? It sounds like you have a stricture which can happen at any point. You should definitely call your surgeon/bariatric center.

The hole or incision I had left from my drain healed up pretty quickly. The biggest and most used incision on the left hurt the most for me and unfortunately became infected. If the area you're talking about isn't red, hot or inflamed sounds like you'll be ok. It's always best just to call your surgeon just in case.

Hello Mitzie...while in the hospital after surgery is very common for folks to have nausea due to all the work done on your stomach to make it a pouch etc. Sometimes for folks after going home that nausea remains for a while but, you're sent home with a prescription to calm the nausea. After a while you don't need to take it again. After though....some foods will make your pouch not feel so well. You don't really know if it will happen to you or not so that's why they recommend you take a bit or sip, chew it well and let it sit in your pouch for a bit if it's a new food/drink. This way you don't take in too much too quickly if your body doesn't want it. Another time it can happen is if you eat too much. Take that one bite too many and it can happen...some folks have nausea...others get pain because they ate too much. Chew well, eat slowly and don't take in too much and it helps prevent it. There will be times you'll feel sick anyway at first and then other times you'll be fine with no issues with the same food that upset your pouch. It's hard to say when it will or will not happen. All you can do is follow the rules your surgeon/bariatric center gives you Vomiting...well that mainly happens because you took too much into your pouch too fast and you're gone over your pouches' limit. I've had this happen myself...about 3 times since I had surgery 7/11/12. twice I was able to walk and stretch it off. I took a bite or too too quickly and didn't chew it well enough. The other time, I took in too much of something...scrambled eggs for me. Bingo, walking and stretching didn't help and up it came. Really odd, really weird....and very uncomfortable thing to happen. You don't have a full sized stomach anymore therefore the push from your stomach isn't there to get it up. AT least for me it feels this way. It took a bit but, my body did what it wanted to until it got rid of what it wanted to and then I felt better. I had to go on liquids for the rest of the day though and I was fine. It doesn't happen all the time and after you heal up it happens even less. YOu'll do great! Good luck.

To get more Water in try different temperatures of it. Ice cold, warm, room temp or hot anything that feels better and will allow you to drink. Just keep trying. It made my pouch hurt too at first but, I kept trying until I got what was right for my body. Try different flavorings as well.....if crystal light is too much, as it is for me, try Mio which is a liquid flavoring so it mixes great. There at lots of store brand liquid mix ins as well that are sugar free. Walmart, Target and grocery stores carry them. There are plenty of powdered sugar free mix ins as well. One day I was fine with Mio strawberry watermelon flavor and the next thing I knew I couldn't drink it anymore....picky pouch but, I moved on to the next flavor. Grape was a great one for me. Lately I've been mixing in Koolaid flavorings but, using splenda to sweeten it...plenty of flavors there too. Today I tried a new thing....I cut up an apple and put it in a 2 quart pitcher, then I added two cinnamon sticks and filled it with water. Shook it up and put it in the fridge. It's been easy going down and different Now on the subject of straws or no straws. Most surgeons will say no straw it adds air. Well.....for me the straw makes it so I don't take in as much air so I use one unless I'm drinking from a water bottle. I just find that I get much less air in if I use one. When I drink from a cup or bigger mouthed bottle I tend to gulp even when I'm trying not to. I don't gulp with the straw. I think you'll know what's best for you as you try it. You can definitely tell when you're getting air in your pouch...it's very uncomfortable. Flexible straws tend to get a hole in the flex/bend part...that will draw in air. You don't want that...I use hard plastic straws I got from the store. Many cups come with them in them already. I find I get less air with such a solid straw. Good luck and definitely keep trying....you need your water

You should call your surgeon...maybe the omeprazole isn't working for you now and you need a different med.

To answer your questions... 1. I am a lap band to r n y on the 26th. Not doing well on pre diet need to know drastic measure to shrink liver by Thursday. You really need to get back to the pre-op diet your surgeon/bariatric center put you on and stick to it. It's the best you can do. The whole idea of the pre-op diet is to help shrink your liver for the safety of you during the surgery and it makes it easier for your surgeon. The easier the better...the smaller your liver the better and easier it is for your surgeon to hold it aside while working on your stomach. They have to push and hold the liver out of the way so as not to nick it and to have the best possibly access. Buckle down and stick to your pre-op diet...it's the best thing you can do for yourself. There are no drastic measures you can take....liquid diets are tough period. The liver is the first to gain fat weight and fortunately the first to lose it according to my surgeon. Stick STRICTLY to the pre-op diet. 2. Any successful converters? I had the lapband. It was removed in Jan/Feb of 2010 but, my surgeon said it was still a revision because the stomach still has the flap in it that held the lapband in place. She did say that they remove that flap and that will sometimes cause them to have to make the RNY pouch a bit bigger than they would for someone who hasn't had the lapband because of scarring. In my case she did make it slightly bigger but, I feel great and I'm losing weight. Also all well if u take Vitamins? Vitamins are ABSOLUTELY necessary because of the malabsorption our bodies go through after RNY. We have to take a higher dose of vitamins in order to get the right amount in our bodies because of this. Definitely buy those vitamins and try them prior to your surgery. Your surgery is close so hopefully you've gotten them already or have tried some. If not I highly recommend picking some up. My surgeon didn't require me to take them for 2-3 weeks after my surgery because she said our bodies have them stored and they can sometimes upset the pouch early after surgery for some folks. I had no issues taking mine at the 3-4 week mark and I take them daily. The hardest one to remember though is the Calcium because I can't take them in the morning with everything else. The Iron and calcium fight for absorption so you have to take one or the other two or more hours. With Calcium your body won't absorb more than 600 mg at a time so having to take 1500 mg once again...I have to wait in between. So it's a bit harder to get all that in but, I get some calcium from milk and cheese too. Also 1.5 weeks off of work? Need to be clear headed for work. Ok expectation My surgeon recommended 3 weeks out with a revision surgery because of the added work done to accomplish it. I ended up being out 6 weeks because I had an infection in the main incision site. Going back was still difficult because you're body is getting used to less calories and if your job is stressful...well...that doesn't help. Mine is stressful so it took a while for me to get back into the swing of things but, all set now. Everyone is different so all times back are different. Take the cues from your body and listen to them though. This is the time to take care of YOU...work will be there! 3. Worried about long term complications. Thoughts? Most people fine? There are complications for some folks just as there are for any surgery. I looked at it as...I was having more complications with being overweight at the moment and they weren't going to get any better..if anything it would get worse and a shorter life. For me the surgery was worth it. Most folks are fine. There are some postings within this board from DLCoggin that are great to read. The postings are from studies he's read about and tell of the percentage of issues etc. Worth a peek. (Sorry I can't point you to the exact postings at the moment...DL if you see this can you post the link to the thread.) 4. Really no beer ever - Go with what your surgeon/Bariatric center recommends. Mine says no carbonation. That means soda, beer anything with carbination bubbles. They say after a year out from surgeon an occassional, stressing occassional, glass of wine is ok but again that's after a year. Alcohol can and has become an issue for many RNY patients because they've replaced the comfort food with alcohol. It's really important to work on the issues of why the choice of comfort foods in the first place. Just like any habit.....they are tough to break and takes lot of mind work to accomplish conquering....but always remain a work in progress. I do know a few folks who do drink a beer here and there and have no issues. Fortunately for me, I only occassionally had a drink maybe 4 a year so I'm just choosing to not bother. Everyone is different and reacts differently to alcohol though so be careful if you choose to have it. Good luck with your surgery!

Closest I've had was a Skinny Cow No Sugar Added Ice Cream Sandwich. It was under the sugar count and fat count limits that my surgeon/bariatric center recommends so it worked great. At least at Disney they offered this option while my hubby ate a regular Mickey Head icecream sandwich. I don't normally choose the ice cream or sweets because I can survive without them and have really tried to limit those things. I wouldn't recommend the full fledged sugar/fat type ice creams to anyone. It's not worth the risk of dumping or even worse...worth finding out you don't dump! Knowing you don't dump and not being fully prepared mindwise can lead to using it once again for a comfort food with the risk of over use.