terry1118

I'm in south Tiverton RI, near Adamsville, and just a couple miles from Westport Village (MA). I was terrified I'd get denied because I wanted the surgery so bad. I looked at it as a final chance to get my life back. I never feared the surgery itself, or worried about complications. Wareham has an amazing reputation with excellent results. My life was becoming unbearable - pain, discomfort, misery, depression, isolation, increasing health problems were all making me dread my future. Now my weight problem, and all the other problems caused by excess weight, are gone. It is the single most best thing I have ever done for myself. Like you, I was worried about the initial expense not covered by my insurance ($500 workshop fee, and deductible for the surgery). That was my biggest out of pocket expense. But after surgery you go to monthly support groups for life, so really you get so much more included in the cost. What are some of your specific fears and/or worries? I don't know everything but I can certainly share my own personal experience with you. :-)

They will. You may only get to wear them a few times before they get too big though! :-)

I did. It gave me something to anticipate but I made the mistake of buying too much in a size I was hoping to reach (I was hoping to teach a 12 or 14). When I dropped quickly below those sizes no one was more surprised than me! I'm now in a 6p and a small top. I never in my wildest dreams ever thought I'd get that small!!!! Throughout my whole losing experience I shopped for clothes as I lost, at first buying things with a lot of stretch to them because sometimes you could get through a couple sizes with them. I work in a bank so I always needed a professional wardrobe. Also, my kids are grown so I could afford to shop as needed. In addition to shopping I had an attic full of clothes ranging from sz16 - 24 from all my diet yo-yoing over the years. This time as I lost I gave all my old clothes to a young woman I met in my support group who was a few months behind me in her journey. It was a pleasure to help someone else. You could get together with others and do a clothing swap. :-)

The classes that meet once a week for three weeks are the workshops. The nurse education class is the last thing you need. It's all about everything you need to know about the medical aspect of your surgery, before, during, and after. It covers pre op prep, your hospital stay, after care, what to expect, what can go wrong, how to avoid problems, ANYTHING you want to know you can find out at the nurse education class. You usually get to bring a loved one or caregiver to this class (they can ask questions, too). It was very informative and helped my hubby get over his heebie-jeebies. He came out of it feeling better about my surgery because he had a better understanding of it and knew what to expect.

I know they wouldn't schedule the nurse education class until I got ins approval, as this is specifically related to the surgery itself (preop, surgery/Hosp, and post op). I don't remember if the workshops were afterwards, but I think they were. My ins approval only took 4-5 days. Wareham is very good at making sure all requirements are met before submitting to insurance.

I had Dr Colacchio. Love, love, love him! I also saw doctor Kreuger once for an emergency... I liked him too. My whole experience with Wareham Surgical Associates and Tobey Hospital was awesome. :-)

Yes, I know what you mean. I always viewed my gallbladder as a 'ticking time bomb' - I never knew when it would go off making itself painfully known. It was a relief to be rid of it. :-) I'm glad all is going well for you. :-)

Chike High Protein Coffee is also available in Mocha flavor. I find the mocha flavor too chocolaty so sometimes I use a scoop of each to change things up a bit. You could probably also use Torani sugar free syrups to add a 'flavor shot' - like Kahlua, French vanilla, caramel, or hazelnut to make it taste like your favorite flavored coffee. :-)

Chike High Protein coffee. It contains the equivalent of two real espresso shots, so it replaces my morning coffee in addition to supplying 20 gr protein. I buy it on Amazon. I could never find a protein powder that I liked until someone suggested it. If I make it with Water and crushed ice in the blender it tastes just like a Dunkin Donuts Coffee Coolatta - delicious! My surgical team allows caffeine after three months because caffeine has been proven to help with constipation. I've been using Chike protein daily since the beginning of April this year and have not been constipated even once since starting it. I don't know if it's the caffeine or not - but it works and I love the taste! :-)

Just about everything! Food is definitely on the back burner these days. It's so liberating to not be controlled by it. :-)

We should be eating real food - meats, vegetables, and whole grains. Any reputable 'diet' program will suggest shopping the outer edges of a grocery store where these things are found, and avoid shopping the aisles in the middle where all packaged, processed, convenience, and boxed foods are. Foods that are classified as light, sugar free, low fat, or no fat aren't usually god for you and are misleading. Whenever they remove something they replace it with something else just as bad. These options aren't even less calories as a rule but people think if a product is 'low fat' for example, then they will tend to eat more of it unwittingly consuming too many calories. Do you have to meet with your nutritionist? In addition to a large binder with everything I need to know about my surgery, before and after, my program required two one-on-one meetings with a nutritionist, three educational workshops, one nurse education class, and monthly support group meetings which are split between a nutritionist and a psychiatrist. Follow-ups with a nutritionist are available if needed, and they are also on call if I have a specific question I need answered. If you're not getting all of the education and support you need there are countless resources for info on the internet. Except for our specific protein-rich and low sugar/fat requirements, Weight Watchers and other programs can be adapted to meet our dietary needs. In the absence of a support group, belonging to WW could be helpful, again keeping in mind that your dietary requirements will be slightly different.

I never look at what something would have cost me, and I don't look at gross pay on my paycheck. There are some things I don't want to know... :-p

My husband has been unaffected by my journey at all. It is I who have benefited by HIS lifestyle. He has been heavily into body-building for about ten years now. His diet consists of lean Protein, veggies, whole grains, and Protein shakes and this is my life now, also. There is no more crap-food in my house (said crap used to belong to me). :-)

I'm almost 15 months post op and have experienced Dumping Syndrome twice. I have to have lab work for my endocrinologist today and the one for blood sugar is making me nervous. I have to drink that nasty syrup. I never even thought twice about it but when I woke up this morning I was wondering " Will it make me dump?". How much sugar is in that stuff? I've dumped on as little as 13 grams. Since I have to be out all morning - lab work, car inspection, then Dr appt for my poison ivy - I'm very concerned about not being close to a bathroom if I dump. And the other effects of dumping that could make me feel terrible and also interfere with my morning. Has anyone who gets dumping syndrome had the test and dumped?

I'm thinking that I may not even need that test now, given my weight loss. Before surgery I was pre-diabetic. I'm sure I'm not now. :-)

I had to go to the lab early this morning because I was fasting. I sat in the parking lot until I could get in touch w/my surgeon's office. They said definitely DON'T drink it and that there are other ways they can test me. So today I did everything except that one and will talk to my thyroid doc next week at my scheduled appointment. Should be an interesting appointment... the last time I saw him I was over 200 pounds! :-)

A bad gallbladder attack can have pain that radiates throughout and around the entire midsection. It can feel like a very strong labor contraction (the difference being it's constant and won't let up like a contraction will). My first and worst attack was like that and lasted 9-10 hours before easing up. I had driven myself to the ER but they couldn't give me medication because I was driving, and they wouldn't let me leave in case I needed emergency surgery. It was a loooong 9-10 hours!!!! . :-p

PB2 is also available in Target and Walmart and is pretty cheap. My nut says you can reconstitute it by adding water till it's at a peanut butter-like consistency.

You're post op? It could be increased hormones in your system. They told us that hormones are stored in your fat, so during the first few months when fat burning is at it's highest these hormones are being released quickly into your system. It can result in increased hormone related symptoms like acne and emotional turmoil. It is only a temporary thing though. For me it leveled off around the 3-4 month mark.

Toxins, yes, but also hormones. There are a lot of hormones in your stored fat. During the fastest part of the fat burning process (first 3-6 mos) these hormones are being released quickly into your system, resulting in acne and emotional turmoil. We were warned of this effect during my pre op educational classes. It's temporary and will level off. :-)

From reading comments over the last 18 months, it seems fairly common for people to have hernias. They can do a hernia repair during your bypass surgery. My doc found and repaired a hernia when I had my gallbladder removal in December. You should be fine. :-)

I eat full fat cheese. I love it. For me the lower fat or no-fat options just don't cut it. So I eat it it rarely, but I love it when I eat it. SO worth it to have the real thing!!!!

Even more disgusting is puking up everything you just ate because you didn't chew it well. You learn to do what needs to be done...

It's common. I'm 15 months post op and still get them, usually if I forget that I'm not 'normal'. You can avoid them by taking small bites, chew-chew-chew, eat slowly, measure small portions and stick to them, and avoid dry food. Even so you may still have bouts. It's a wake-up call, a reminder, and a deterrent. It helps keep you on track.

I don't have hunger at all if I stay away from simple carbs. I have tons of energy and have since immediately following my surgery a year ago, probably because I'm eating better - lots of Protein and complex carbs. I lost a lot of hair but just went to a shorter hairstyle which I'm keeping short until the new growth catches up (I already have 2 inches of new growth). I found a Protein powder that cured my constipation. I have never had a problem finding something to eat at any restaurant I go to, except the fast food places that have nothing but garbage. My boobs are pretty much gone but I had a bra fitting at Victoria's Secret and now know my correct size and what type of bra helps my girls look better. For every problem you mention there is a solution. The key to happiness is always going to come from inside yourself - it's a positive attitude and outlook. Focus on positives, not negatives. It's harder for some people than others but with a conscious effort you can feel better about yourself and what you've accomplished so far. I'm sure there must be SOME improvement to your life since losing 50 pounds. It's still a lot of weight - I can't lift 50 pounds!