angelface811

Nani, I had the same issue. Very intense left side abdominal pain. They were never able to make it go away in the hospital. I felt it the same day of the surgery and felt like I was having back spasms up and down my back. This pain is slowly going away and I am at day 17. But I heal slowly. My doctor said it was very intense because they used that incision (I only have 4) to go in and out of the most. Just take it easy and try an abdominal binder. It really helped me feel supported and it made it easier to walk and sleep. It will get better. Every day...listen to your body. Best wishes

I also haven't tolerated pain meds very well. My doctor just put me on a muscle relaxer. The left side of my tummy hurts pretty good even after 17 days. It is getting better but I am a slow healer. So I am going to give it a try and hope this makes a difference. I only have 4 incisions and the left tummy incision was the one they used the most thus hurts the most. I am walking 30 minutes a day but my biggest problem is constipation. Ugh! I am taking the daily liquid stool softener but already had to use laxative once and probably going to have to use again. I move onto puréed foods tomorrow. Any suggestions?

I had allergy to pain med in the hospital and was on benadryl. At home I was instructed to take either liquid benadryl or dissolvable benadryl. It worked. But I would call dr or his/her nurse for dosing.

Wow joleneB that's awesome!! I had bypass May 5th and I am still very sore. I have 4 incisions which I am really happy about. I have been walking 30 minutes a day since the hospital. Getting in all protein and liquid but my doctor doesn't advance us to soft foods until 4 weeks post opt. They will advance me to puréed food this week for 2 weeks. I am down 19.5 pounds since the surgery which I didn't expect. I didn't have my first BM (tmi) for almost 12 days. I get better every day but I think I heal a little on the slow side.

PrincessM I totally understand what you mean. I had my RNY surgery last week. For me it was about improving several health conditions. But I really loved my outside appearance. My best friend and I are a size apart. She would always say things like "we can't wear that stuff cause we are fat" or they don't make things like that in our size. Always lumping me in with her in a negative light. I finally had to talk to her and say I think I am beautiful. I'm sorry that's how you feel about yourself but I don't share your sentiments. I know it sounds corny and cliche but I believe in finding the beauty in yourself at any size. If you think you aren't going to have body issues even at a smaller size I think you are mistaken. We are always going to find something.

Wow your body is shaping up nicely. You look really well proportioned. Great waist and legs! I hope my body responds as well. Great job...

I was given an abdominal binder cupcake. I love it! Helps with soreness and it makes it easier for me to stand and walk.

I also had bypass May 5th. I am so thankful for you guys sharing your experiences. I am getting about 60 ounces of fluid and about 50 grams of protein per day. I am still taking the liquid Vicodin but not as often. I am going on 3 ten minute walks per day. Has anybody else had issues with back spasms? It started the first day. I am still a bit hunched not standing fully straight up.

I am Day 8 post-op and things get a little better every day. I am so thankful to have family helping me. I can now lay on my right side at bedtime but not on my left just yet. My diet consists of water, powerade zero, herbal tea, premier protein with a splash of milk and sugar free torani syrups, crystal light, homemade chicken broth, sf Popsicles and no sugar added stage 1 applesauce. I found the lemonade crystal light to be to acidic for the moment but rasberry ice is pretty good. I also found some sf jello to be to acidic. So I am holding up on those for now. I am on prevacid once a day. My upper stomach is still a bit bloated but when my husband took my binder off last night to inspect my incisions he was like Whoa! Your stomach is way flatter! You have to come look in the mirror honey. It was! That felt good. Doing pretty good on the vitamins and reaching about 60 oz a day. Still only about 50 grams of protein. It is very filling. Liquid stool softener yucky! But I'm doing it. Scared of having my first BM (tmi) it's been about 9 days. So this is my experience thus far can't wait to here more from y'all.

I had my surgery this past Monday. Of course I think it will pay off but my experience was a little different. I had to stay in surgery an extra hour because my fatty liver was a bit larger than they anticipated so it was a bigger task to keep it up and lifted out of the way. My surgeon was determined to keep it laparoscopic which I am so thankful for. A total of 4 incisions...one with a drain. I am a size 18 right now. I was in a pretty good amount of pain but I can't handle the heavy painkillers only Vicodin. I had what felt like heartburn for 2 days which they said could be residual acid and sure enough it went away. The incision they used the most burns inside and the other ones itch a bit now. I had nausea for the first 4 days but meds took care of that. I was in the hospital a little over 72 hours. I have been doing my walking at home. It gets a bit easier every day. I love the abdominal binder the hospital gave me in fact I asked for another one and got it. Fits under the breast down to about the top of the pubic bone. I am already off 3 meds and monitoring at home. Yeah! I am up to 60 ounces of fluid a day and about 50 grams of protein but still trying to get in more protein.

I am one more night away from surgery...May 5th. I am in Southern California and I have been pursuing the surgery since 2008. Can't believe I am actually a day away. My insurance and medical group required 32 weeks worth of classes and support groups. It was a 3 hour round trip at least once a week but I made it! I am having the bypass and will be kept for a minimum of 48 hours. I am so thankful for this site and to all of you who share your stories. Thanks to you all! Keep sharing and I hope we can continue to help one another through the ups and downs. God Bless You All...

My surgeon also prefers the Bariatric Advantage Line. I take the chewable multi-vitamin RNY formula in berry. Their dissolvable b-12. The calcium citrate chewy bites in chocolate. The chewable iron in passion fruit. I also take a chewable biotin with folate from Costco. We were given samples of a couple different companies. But these turned out to be my favorite. These break down to about $42 per month. My doctor said he preferred that our multi vitamin was for bariatrics but on the other supplements he didn't mind if they were different. Just chewable and sugar free.

Try and stay calm...no caffeine no stimulants or your bp could go up. I am on bp meds and while your bp isn't great it's not that bad. When I did my stress test they gave me a target heart rate on the treadmill. I was on for 10 minutes. Then did the echo and the muscle and chambers look great. I also have an accelerated heart rate due to another condition. But I still got approved. They are looking for you to be have "conditions" to justify surgery. You will persevere!!!

You look great girl!!! Thanks for the inspiration and your honesty! My surgery is May 5th...

My son has recently gotten sick also with a fever and cold symptoms. I told him I couldn't love on him as much because of my surgery May 5th????. Anyhow I have been taking extra vitamins and also having fresh oranges. Drinking a lot of water and making sure I sanitize and wash a lot. But if you work at a school I would imagine your immune systems defenses are pretty darn good. You are exposed to,I don't know how many, different immune systems every day. So that honestly works in your favor. Other than that for me I just try to give it to God. I am rooting for you and understand ALL of the arrangements you need to orchestrate to make this happen. Best of luck!!!

You are not old! And you are certainly not to old for this surgery...in my endeavor to get bariatric surgery I had to go through a 6 month process. An entire group of us started at the same time. About 60 people...at 37 I was one of the youngest in the bunch. Those who fell between 40-50 were the largest group by far. About 90% female. I have kept in touch with some of the gals and none have said it was a problem with there surgeons. I actually met someone in there 70's who did it. I'm sure there will be others posting after me that will encourage you and assure you that you are not to old! Best of luck to you!

Anybody have a goal in mind? Does your bariatric surgeon have a goal set for you? I think in terms of sizes I am currently an 18 and my dream size would be an 8. I was a 24/26 at my largest. The weight chart my doctor uses puts me at weighing between 125-135 for a healthy bmi at 5'4. My surgeon would like to see me between 150-160. The nutritionist I saw actually took into account my body frame by examining my wrists etc. She said I have a large frame and said I should weigh between 140-150. Anyhow in my mind 160 is good 150 is better and 140 is best. So how about you all?

I was diagnosed with Graves Disease (a form of hyperthyroidism) and Thyroid Eye Disease in 2001. Typically when you have a hyperactive thyroid all of your body's functions speed up. In my case it sped up my resting heart rate. 140 beats per minute was normal for me. So I was then put on metropolol to slow my heart and it worked. Many people who have this condition are very thin because of the sped up metabolism but I was one of the lucky few who this didn't happen to...that Nurse who told one of you that you should be thin um...perhaps you should give her some literature on the topic so she is better informed. I weighed 302 lbs! Even with such a high heart rate! Anyhow in 2008 my endocrinologist advised me to have radiation therapy to kill off a portion of my thyroid. He told me methimazole is not meant to be on for so long. He also told me it would be healthier for my body if my thyroid was under active...easier to treat as well. This of course is my individual case. So I had the radiation done and some of my symptoms went away. But my heart still won't slow down without medication. My eyes are still affected but not as bad. I am currently on 150mcg of Levothyroxine. I get my levels checked at least twice a year. As long as my thyroid is on point my weight loss is good. Only once did I start to gain and wondered "what the heck"...tests showed my thyroid levels were low so we adjusted my meds and the gain stopped. It will be interesting to see what affect further weight loss will have on my thyroid. Everyone's body is different...Amen!

Hi Karen in the wood of Alaska! So excited for you. Please do impart your knowledge and keep us updated on your progress. God bless!

Try buying Leslie Sansone or Denise Austin walking videos. You may even be able to bring them up on YouTube. Leslie Sansone specializes in walking exercise videos and has numerous ones out there. They vary in music, speed, target areas etc. I think it's a great alternative if you aren't able to get out and depending on the video you get I think it's a great transition back into getting active. There are some people that push to hard to fast. While their eagerness is awesome sometimes they cause internal damage, additional scar tissue, hernias or aggravation of the incisions because they didn't allow their bodies enough time to heal. Walking is ideal for starting off...best of luck to you!!

My personal redneck favorite his "frank and beans"

Really enjoyed watching your story...

I don't know if your particular insurance covers the sleep study and cpap supplies if needed. Most insurance companies do cover both the study and cpap if needed because it is medically necessary. They must show reason for needing sleep study and you have that. Then if you need a cpap it is a life-saving device. My insurance covered all except a small co-pay. I get supplies every couple of months. The study itself makes some people uncomfortable. You typically have 2 sleep techs at the sleep center that set you up. Wear comfy pajamas 2 piece loose top and bottom is best. Your hair needs to be squeaky clean because you will have an adhesive placed on your head in several places. I felt like predator. The will also run sensors on the rest of your body. Some places let you watch tv others don't. It sounds kind of crazy but it's no biggie. All the sleep techs I have had have been great. It's just another necessary part of the process right?

I'm sorry your having a rough time. It must have been so discouraging to not lose how much you thought you might. There are some people who don't lose all they needed to with the sleeve and then need to convert to bypass. Maybe it's worth looking into in addition to getting a good work up. Make sure your thyroid is good, adrenal functions and hormones etc.

Bras are so incredibly important especially if you want to accentuate your figure. They should lift, hold you in and in turn help you with posture. I took my sister out bra shopping because she was frustrated with her bras, we found the right style for her breasts (a plunge style) and she says "oh my gosh I have a waist." I still love my cacique bras from lane bryant. They go down to a 38 and have so many styles. Keep an eye out for sales. Twice a year they have buy 2 get 2 free. Great quality...hang dry.