Neska

16 pounds in first month. I'm 6 weeks today and down 18. Lost 4 inches off my waist- that means as much to me as the overall pounds.

I had my RNY August 4 with the best surgeon in the world, Dr. Suh. I've lost just 13 lbs in 3 weeks but I'm doing absolutely everything according to his protocol so I trust the scale will move soon I do wonder if I'm not loosing so fast because I lost 40 in the two months prior to surgery because of a really sick gallbladder and following his pre op no starch diet. At the very least I'm fairly sure I lost all the Water weight a long time before surgery! I love recording my measurements though. Waist was 49 at first surgeon's visit and it's 43 now Recovery has been absolutely unbelievable to me. Last time I had laparoscopic surgery I was on narcotics for three weeks and still had pain. This time I got one dose of the good stuff the morning after coming home from the hospital and then had to switch to Tylenol. I told the the amazing nurse that works for Dr. Suh that it just wasn't going to work for me but what do you know it did. It was uncomfortable and lying down was tough for the first 10 days but I did not need narcotics. Amazing to this gal with zero pain tolerance! Here my one week recovery in case this helps anyone. I read a lot on this board about the recovery before my surgery because I was really nervous. Pain numbers Surgery day- 8-9 Surgery + 1- 6-8 Surgery +2-4-6 Surgery + 3- 4 Surgery + 4-3 Surgery + 5-2 Surgery + 6-2 Surgery + 7-2 liquids Surgery day- none Surgery + 1- ice, water, juice about 15 oz Surgery +2- ice, water, juice, Protein liquid about 20 oz Surgery + 3-water 80 oz, broth 4oz, juice 4 oz. Surgery + 4- water 80 oz, milk 20 oz, juice 9 oz Surgery + 5- water 60 oz, broth 10 oz, juice 4 oz, 2 outshine Popsicles Surgery + 6-water 90 oz, cream Soup 1/2 c, broth 6 oz, 2 outshine Popsicles Surgery + 7-water 84 oz, juice 16 oz, 2 outshine Popsicles, milk 2 c., Protein Surgery day- none Surgery + 1- ? Surgery +2-? Surgery + 3- 77 grams Surgery + 4-65 Surgery + 5-75 Surgery + 6-73 Surgery + 7-59 Walking- so slow my fitbit only counted every 2-3 steps!! Surgery day- very little and very slow and painful Surgery + 1- every 3-4 hours once around the ward Surgery +2-every 2-3 hours once around the ward Surgery + 3- 1500 steps Surgery + 4- 2000 Surgery + 5-2200 Surgery + 6- 1600 Surgery + 7-2200 Overall I had very low grade nausea, more like just an icky feeling in my stomach. Didn't have to take anything for it. I did take gas-x but turns out it doesn't help with the particular gas we have after surgery since the gas is "too low and too high" for it to help.

It could be blood from your pouch so I would say call your doctor ASAP. I had black diarrhea and the nurse said it could be old food or old blood from surgery and I had to go back to full liquid for 3-4 days. So some blood does come out of the digestive tract but she said if it is bright blood it's a problem. Good luck! I hope it turns out fine for you. But seriously, call.

Just wanted to add my experience. Unfortunately Health Net HMO Platinum in California does not cover the shakes.

I'm with you on wanting to ride like I used to! I just don't feel as secure as I need to be. And wearing boots and breeches at 265 is not a pretty sight!

My nutritional plan allows calcium carbonate but you must take 500mg more than the citrate, take at least 2 hours after any iron, and spread out the dose into 2-3 times a day.

1. See my labs get Better every year, not worse. 2. Undue the damage I've caused to my son as I've taught him by example to overeat and use food for comfort; learn to eat healthy together. 3. Be finished with yo yo dieting forever. 4. Give my judgmental mother in law the shock of her life when she sees me thin. 5. Blend in with the crowd when I'm in Europe where all the women under 60 are thin. Right now the only country in which I can buy clothes is England cause they are fat like Americans 6. Be free from the thrall of food. Eat to live. 7. Ride my horse in the monthly neighborhood horse show without everyone feeling sorry for my poor mare. 8. Buy a pony because I really want a small horse and hopefully I will be light enough to soon. 9. Make my Iron Man finisher father proud. 10. Not make the ski lift chair tip at a dangerous angle, worry about fitting in the zipline harness, fit into the kayak, etc. Just be able to do normal recreation and sports.

Hello, I had Dr. Suh at inland Valley. I wanted Loma Linda in Murrieta as well but HMO approved Inland Valley and I had a good experience. The nurses were kind, gentle and caring and I spent just the estimated 2 nights so things went well. Every single person at Inland Valley hospital had something good to say about Dr. Suh, from the volunteer who checked me in to the surgery prep nurses, anesthesiologist, Dietician, etc. that made a very favorable impression on me. One of the nurses, said he would be the only surgeon she would consider for herself or her family if they needed a laparoscopic operation of any type. He may not be the most charming guy in the world with his patients but I really couldn't care less about that...his reputation as a surgeon is far more important. He has a strict post op eating plan including NO deserts, chips, soda ever again in your life. He requires attendance at support group and I like the one on Wednesdays at Loma Linda but there are several choices. My insurance was Health Net HMO with Inland Valley doctors group and it was approved in less than 5 days.

I am still pre-op, surgery August 4, and my surgeon told me I had to stop eating deserts, soda, crackers, popcorn, bread, rice, pasta and potatoes from the initial consulation on May 28. Five days later I had the worst gallbladder attack ever- inflamed and infected gallbladder and I was very sick for about three weeks. I had no idea I had gallstones until I had to go to the ER for the pain. It took 20 days of antibiotics to stop the fever and control the infection. So between the pre-op modified Atkins and being really ill and scared to have almost any fat at all, I have lost 30 pounds. So of course my brother who thinks I'm an idiot to have the surgery says that this proves that all I need to do is to eat less. I suppose that would work if I could have an infected gallbladder for the rest of my life. But that would lead to pancreatitis and I would have a much shorter life! I still have another month to go before surgery so we'll see how much my gallbladder will help me lose before then.