fit2Bme2014

Are you having problems due to nausea? If that's the case, I'm sure your doctor can give you some antinausea medication that would help you.

Since you asked about suggestions for body wash and deodorant sprays, I personally use antibacterial Dial liquid soap because I have always been Uber conscious of smells and never wanted to be a smelly "fat person" or be accused by anyone of it. I am shocked that professionals such as your coworkers had that reaction to you. I am very sorry that you've had to endure that. Take care.

You might try some Gas-X strips. Definitely call your surgeon, even the on-call today. I'm preop. And, my surgeon sent me home with a huge binder of what's going to happen before surgery and after, the diet before him the diet after. Did you get anything like that? Maybe they do have it spelled out in detail in writing, whereas the doctor just told you something simple verbally. Hang in there.

That's crazy! Never heard of that but kind of glad that it actually happens... I'm going to need all the help I can get, and in an odd sick way this might help me.

I too, and pretty private . Ive told my mom, and a couple friends who've already had surgery. I haven't told my best friend or my boyfriend. Not sure that I will.

Runny nose, sneezing or hiccups? Did I miss something? Never heard those to be signs of being full...After the surgery your vagus nerve is very sensitive from the surgery and reacts to your eating. When you get full a lot of us notice a runny nose, hiccups, sneezing that is a sign that you need to stop eating because you have reached the full point. If this isn't happening to you no worries some do and some don't.Wow! Great to know! Ty!!

I now have an Rx for Omeprazole (Prilosec), hope it starts working soon! Thanks for the input! Hope you're right!!

Sooo, to answer my own question: from the research I've done and input from others who have already gone down this road, I shouldn't have any problem getting the surgery... we shall see what the surgeon says about it. Nerves!

After this past week, I'm about ready to cry UNCLE!! So, not only did I have an appointment for the Endoscopy, but I also had to meet with a 'general' surgeon to find out if that HUGE lump to the right of belly button is indeed a hernia or something worse to worry about. Last year, I had to have a total hysterectomy and due to my rather enlarged Uterus, the 'normal' bikini cut turned into a very long vertical cut that went above my belly button. During the surgery, my Gyno found I had a small Umbilical Hernia which he repaired. Well, of course, After surgery I went and gained 50# (which I am almost positive has been because and made difficult to lose due to hormonal issues, but no one will give me a definitive answer), and blew the repair... and guess what...NOW I ALSO have an Incisional Hernia. The former is 2 inches, the latter, 4 inches. I kid you not! I need to go to church more, I'm so holey (insert snicker... oh, and eye roll) smh! I didn't realize anything was wrong until last fall when I got bronchitis and had this horrible cough, and I noticed when ever I tightened my tummy there was a VERY large, very scarey lump, but only when the muscles where tightened. So, my PCP sent me to a general surgeon last week how sent me in for a CT Scan, which if you haven't had one with IV Contrast, let me tell you, the contrast, when it hits your system makes you feel like you are peeing your pants. Weird. Anyway, everything looks good, except for the LARGE HerniaS. The General Surgeon would like me to go forward with the Sleeve, saying that surgery would be safer and more successful should I lose a 'significant' amount of weight, and as a bonus, she can do some 'corrective' skin removal that will aid the stability... blah, blah, blah. UNLESS...unless the fat that is now protruding through the largest one changes to intestine, or the smaller one gets intestines stuck in it and I can't 'manually' reduce it either by myself or by the ER within 6 hours, and I have to have EMERGENCY surgery, in that case, no 'corrective' surgery. But, hey, she says she's worked successfully on ladies larger than me (which, some how, though she was nice and sincere, made me feel like crap.) So tonight, that side hurts. Kinda sharp, slicing pain when I breath (nothing intolerable and might be constipation or the Chili I've eaten for two days) but, I can find any 'protrusions' when I palpate my stomach, so I'm thinking that that whole stomach area is over sensitized because of all the poking and prodding and attention it has been getting lately. That, and my gastritis is off the hook right now. UGH!! Yeah, that might be the Chili too. Tomorrow is another day. With it brings a visit to the NUT, the PSYCH (to make sure I'm not a nut) and the CARDIOlogist... Whatever the cute abbreviation is for that, I do not know right now., Tomorrow also brings with it the pre-surgery diet, which I should have been doing this past week, and kinda did, but really didn't want to in case it turned out that the hernia was something worse or that the hernias along with all my other maladies would prevent me from having surgery... yeah, I know, I hear the corporate sigh... you can sigh at me all you want, you know my sick brain, cuz yours is to... if it wasn't, we'd all thin and not need such a life changing intervention. Night y'all! La La Love

After losing so much weight, I'm sure there's an issue with loose skin. Is your partner affected by that? I'm worried that it'll gross my partner out too much... I'm already grossed out thinking about it.

Things are starting to roll now, and as much as I try to stay objective about it all and kind of view it from a third person, it's really starting to get REAL, real quick. I feel almost on the verge of panic at times. I had my Endoscopy on Friday. For quite some time I've been experiencing nausea and occasional dry heavie'ness. My G.I. tract tends to be a bit sensitive , and a bout bronchitis back in November and the subsequent round of antibiotics seem to have set it off, causing ulcer like symptoms. Before I left my doctors office, I was given the report his findings. Prior to the test, my major concern was Barretts of the esophagus. My surgeon told me that if I have Barretts, they would not be able to do surgery. Now back to that report: my esophagus looked fine, no Barrett's (yay!); however, I have erosive gastritis, of which he took several biopsies; he removed a polyp, which will also be biopsied; and finally, he took a biopsy specific to check for celiac. My concern now, is the erosive gastritis. I'm hoping that it will not prevent me from having surgery. At least now I know what's been causing the nausea. Has anyone else had experience with this? Might this interfere with me having surgery?

Where did you get your information on how to eat if you did not have a nutritionist? You've been super successful, and I want to be that successful when I have my surgery too. ????

You look amazing!!

Runny nose, sneezing or hiccups? Did I miss something? Never heard those to be signs of being full...

And, if you really feel that the surgeon was at fault in this, I hope that you have made the appropriate notations on the various sites out there where people can check the health grades of the doctor. Your sisters experience could save somebody else's life.

Thank you so much for sharing your sisters journey. The more information We have regarding the surgery, the better off we are. To think that we're going to go into this and it's going to be a bed of roses would be ignorant on our part. Everything in life comes with a risk...when we stop taking risks, we stop living. And, I think many of us know what that's like. I'm glad that you were still able to go forward with your own journey, and I pray that it will be a successful one. I do have one question: did you have the same surgeon?

Please forgive me. I really need to get all of this out of my head, however, I'm emotionally exhausted after my appointment today, and this is probably going to be long and rambley. It's more for me, than you anyway, but if it helps you, great! After a sleepless night, I met with my Surgeon this morning at 9am. A one hour appointment lasted almost 3. They weighed me (350.4 ), took my height (5'8" ) and before photos (glad I did my hair and makeup, because I certainly didn't expect that ). Side note: when I was younger, I had surgery to correct scoliosis; after surgery, I was told I was 5'7 3/4". As an adult, I'm usually told I'm about 5'6", and assumed shrinking. Today, they measured me at 5'8" on the dot. I felt the thingy on the top of my head, lightly, but unlike usual, I really tried to stand up straight (and proud). Though I'm rather dubious about this, I'll stop saying I'm 5'6" and go back to saying I'm 5'7 3/4". Anyway, about the appointment. A nurse took down all my stats, bp, pulse, temp. I questioned her over my bp and pulse; both were remarkably NORMAL, which couldn't possibly be... I could have sworn my heart was going to beat out of my chest, I was so nervous about the appointment. Then she proceeded to log all the meds and vitamins I had brought in as per their request. The majority of the vitamins I don't take on a consistent basis... maybe if I did I would be healthier. When the nurse was done with me, the surgeon came in. I'd met her briefly before, at the orientation several weeks before. She shook my hand and sincerely asked why I looked so familiar When I told her I went to the seminar, she remembered me, which was surprising because there were well over 25 people in attendance and I didn't speak with her after as others did, I just thanked her and handed in my application. That simple act put me at ease though. I forget how the simplest acts can often mean the world to others. She went over my medical history, why I was considering surgery, and we talked about the enigma of obesity and how researchers are getting closer and closer to understanding why some struggle with it and others don't. She says they are right on the cusp. Which is exciting, and nice to meet a doctor who really understands this is more about more than just 'will power', I mean, hell, I'm one of the most stubborn people you'll ever meet, cut my nose despite my face, so I know will power, I have will power... just not always over food. And, I don't know why. It's like a switch. She examined me, and felt up my liver. I was amazed she could feel through all my chub, but she said she could, and she was impressed it isn't as enlarged as she would expect it to be for my size, and because of that, I don't need to lose as much weight before surgery as she originally thought. She says 20#. I told her I wanted to lose 50# before surgery. She said, "Ok, 25#"! Lol! She also commented because I carry my weight 'all over' (not an apple or a pear) I'm relatively healthy. I ended up having well over 30 questions, and really thought my surgeon was going to be seriously irritated with me. She was just the opposite, saying she appreciated the questions, they were smart, and being better informed will help me have appropriate expectation. She actually remarked she felt I was intelligent and highly motivated and should do well with the surgery. We discussed what my weight loss is expected to be. It was a little disappointing. She said, based on their calculations which include height, age, current weight and ?? I am only expected to lose 60-70% of my excess weight at the one year point. That would put me at 220#. She did say she would like to see me below 200# and it would be hard. She also said I should lose 50% of my excess weight in the first 6 month, and after a year, you really don't lose more weight, it becomes about maintaining the weight you've lost. A bit disappointing. I have unrealistic dreams of being 135#. Lol! So what comes next? Well, because my BMI is over 40 and I have co-morbidities (high bp and sleep apnea), my insurance doesn't require I go on the standard 6 month weight loss program prior to surgery, as soon as I get through all my pre-op appointments, lose my 25# and am medically cleared, I can proceed to surgery!! They gave me a very informative notebook I need to take to all my appointments: Labs Treadmill Stress Test Venous Duplex Test (looks at legs for clots) Mammogram Upper Endoscopy Psychological Evaluation Nutritional Consultation (my ins. doesn't cover seeing the Dietitian beyond this appointment because I am not diabetic) Evaluation/Clearance from my PCP The Upper Endoscopy will be interesting. I have gerd and if there are any changed to the tissue of my esophagus or if I have a hiatal hernia, they wont do the sleeve. Due to physical issues, I use a LOT of nSAIDs, which with the RnY, you can NEVER take again. So it's imperative I get cleared for the sleeve. All I can do is take a deep breath and keep moving forward. THE END.

Thanks! It's an exciting time. I love hearing about everyone else's victories. Makes me feel like my goals are obtainable.

I'm suddenly overwhelmed at the idea of my first appointment with my surgeon, that my mind has emptied out and I've lost ever question I had. SO, I though I would ask you. What questions did you or do you wish you would have asked your doctor prior to your surgery. Hopefully, this time tomorrow I will be on my pre-op diet plan. Questions, please.