Cherry

I'm in Buffalo NY area. 8 wks ago they set me up with the mandatory nutritionist and she gave me a modified version of the "pre-op" diet and asked me to see if I could stick to it for 2 weeks. Well I basically just never stopped, and dropped 32 lbs in 8 wks. So my liver-reduction diet began recently and I am fine with it because it's so similar. Yes I have my protien shakes lined up but I am not going to be able to do them - I hate shakes. So I got the unjury chicken Soup flavored protien mix, and it has been amazing!! I also got the Bariatric fusion Vitamins (cherry) and am actually enjoying them. I am very concerend about hair loss so I am trying to keep my protien up and take enough vitamins PRE surgery... then of course post surgery. We have the same dates! I am anticipating a 3 days hospital stay since I know my recovery issues - and I have anesthesia problems so they will take all the precautions. I am not rushing to get out of the hospital, that's for sure.

I just don't get why 2 people who had successful RNYs would do such a thing. JERKS. Well, going back to your original post.... I have not told my friends about my surgery. I am not especially close to anyone other than my husband. I have very judgmental friends who put everything down from food Stamp recipients to Breast Implants.... and I am fairly confident that since they don't know me that well, they will be quick to say this is a vanity thing and I am "taking the shortcut". I do feel awkward though since they are catty and as I lose weight they will ask me a million questions about how I am doing it. I have already lost 32 lbs in 8 weeks so in terms of weight loss, I have already "set the stage". I am already predicting how HORRIBLE I will feel not confessing that I had WLS, although I NEVER will. My attitude is that it's MY business and they do not need to know.

OMG You are a perfect match!!! We spoke before. I am so overwhelmed and excited that I cant recall who I have chatted with LOL

DD is a course you take 1x every 3 years to reduce your car insurance. You can take it at a place or do it online. In the past when I have lost weight naturally (I am pre-op), I can immediately feel my bony knees! When I shave my legs, it's hard...and when I sleep I have to put a pillow between them. I have also enjoyed feeling my hip bones despite sometimes getting bruises there.

evrey doctor seems to give different directions regarding the pre-op. The goal of the pre-op as I understand it, has to do with liver shrinkage so that the Dr can avoid it more easily during the surgery and not accidentally knick it. (and of course to empty the stomache and intestines) I've read Drs vary between full liquid diet for 2 wks, to only liquid diet 3 days before surgery. I think some of this is based on a patient's overall health AND also the Dr's preferance. I know we are all on a jourbey here, but this is a life altering surgery (medically) and for some it is a life altering lifestyle (emotionally and in terms of food). For your own benefit, please try to follow your particular Dr's directions. I don't see your slip-up as being all that big of a deal 8 days before surgery, although you didn't specify what "Normal eating" was. That could mean anything really. You will be fine I think.

I'm going through similar. In your case, why are they saying/being critical of you having this surgery? When you answer, I will tell you what I am experiencing.

what do they taste like: lemon, cherry, grape? Details on taste please

So what does it taste like please (the MC I am referring to obviously for the comedians )

that just made my night!! I was just doing a search on this here because I have to do it too soon

I'm a little fearful that if I ask my surgeon these things, he's going to think I am a nut. If I can get a little bit of info here, it would be very helpful. Please keep in mind, I am a (not active) EMT so I am very interested in understanding biology. When you cut the stomach, what happens to the inside contents during the surgery; the acid, enzymes, and any contents? Can or does it leak out in to the cavity or muscles/fat that surrounds the stomach? IF not, WHAT prevents it? If so, can this' poison' you or contribute to infection? (I am referring to the time DURING the surgery) Once the stomach is disected and the old stomach is stapled up and moved out of the way, what occurs INSIDE of it? I have read that normal functions continue but I don't think I really understand what can be 'normal' about a stomach that is no longer serving it's function. Maybe someone can explain? And finally, what about nerves and vessles to the old stomach and the new pouch; Does the doctor just leave them all attached as they were (some to the new pouch and most to the old stomach)? Can one bleed out from the disection of vessles? Are any vessels caulderized during all of this? Oh and 1 more.... Is muscle ever cut during this procedure? I know it's laproscopic and the cavity is inflated with gas, but is there any muscle anywhere that needs to be disected/resected? Thank you

this is a wayyyyyy out comment, but is there any chance you were allergic to the staples?? It's rare to be allergic to titanium but possible.

yeah wow. I just stalked one of your threads. I don't think I want to know. But I can tell you that I am a high risk patient and the OR has to take precautions. I wrote about this in other topics, but my husband and family are not supporting this - simply because I am high risk.... well that and because I lost 30lbs pre-op and they seem to think this is all about weight and will power. Oh gawd, don't get me started. I hope you have a better day tomo. I am also disabled and in chronic pain from an accident I was in. I could go on.....and on.....and on

ok that is definitely something I would do..... well when not busy having anxiety over anesthesia.I'm hesitant to ask what your signiture is about ("disabled due to GP complications") ugggg **shrinking in chair** :ph34r:

OH NO I do NOT want to strip naked in the OR LOLOLOLOL For IChatman: ok let me see... the disection of the stomach is done by a tool - it looks like a duck's bill. It is a medical stapler that has 6 rows of TINY staples (titanium) with a knife inbetween. I got to play with the stapler! It looks like a futuristic ray gun to be honest. It's about 18" long with the "duck's bill" on the end. It does ALL the work for the doctor in disection. When he places that to the area he is going to "cut", it cuts AND seals both the old and new stomach simultaneously. Thus there is no abilty for the stomach to leak.... although it can, but it really shouldn't during or after the procedure. Since we are doing some forms of liquid dieting pre-op, and we do a bowel cleanse thing and then not eating a while before surgery, the stomach is empty. The old stomach then will continue to secrete its normal hormones & enzymes etc, as stimulated (which basically it never will be) and if it should, it cannot go upwards. There are no nerves to be injured and any vessels that might bleed, will be caulderized as needed. When they blow the cavity up with gas, it seperates the organs from the muscles, although there is fat all over. Hope that made sense.

Yes I do believe it!!! There are people in this world who are in one particular profession, NOT because they don't have the smarts to be in a different profession, but because they got 'stuck' somewhere.

What's a little suprising is that my doctors (all of them) tell me constantly that most people never ask questions like mine. When I was going to be having an endoscopy, one of the questions I asked the doctor was if the specific anesthesia people (or those monitoring me) had a protocal or were trained in case I had bad reaction to the anesthesia and/or stroked? He told me "that won't happen" and when I said, "well what if it did?" he began to get an attitude while explaining how minimal the risks were blah blah blah.... and I didn't like his answer because I AM in the high risk minority. He then cancelled my procedure and said I had too much anxiety.... WTH? No, HE had the anxiety. When I asked my RNY doctor what type of metal the staples are made of, and he answered, he also said "Wow, there's a question most people don't ask". I am an EMT and I LOVE biology. Plus its my body, my life.... and I want to know what other people are doing to it basically. Apparently a lot of people just dont think to ask or they have a lot more trust than I do.

I learned a ton by watching some autual surgery videos. Today my surgeon not only answered all of my qustions, he showed me some of the tools used! Was fun and awesome!

Well just watched about 20 youtube videos of actual surgery and got many of my questions answered. I really enjoyed watching them. Off to see my Dr in the morning!

LOL thanks.... now I am reading about Lovenox injections? LOL just what I need to know about. I see my Dr again tomo. My surgery in April 17.

I once asked a doctor serious questions about my endoscopy. He was mortified and cancelled my procedure and told my PCP it was becasue I had too much anxiety. Ummm noooo, it was because HE had too much anxiety when I asked practical questions. I was f*cking pissed - I needed the endoscopy and had waited 3 months for it!

Well I just watchd a video that definately helped me understand the stapling procedure!!

I SWEAR by Flinstones!!! (pre op I take Flinstones complete)

Well I will not be taking Biotin again..... I started today and took a 5000 capsule in the AM with Breakfast, then late afternoon with a late lunch... I also ate 3x more today than I normally do and was excessively hungry. I haven't felt hungry like this in 3 months, and I actually just dropped 30 lbs (pre op). So it happened that I was looking up the correct amount of biotin tonight to be sure that 10,000 wasn't dangerous or anything and I was APALLED to see the dozens and dozens of people who said they gained weight and had additional hunger. Many stopped taking it, and numberour people never noticied a benefit in their hair regardless. So today was the first and last day I will be taking it. I was sooooo hungry today and couldnt figure out why. Now I know.

I've had 9 major surgeries in my life so I am like a pain description guru.... So can anyone describe what the pain feels like on the day after the surgery in detail? Thank you (Trying to consider what to expect) Also, what pain meds do most people get sent home with?