BitterSweet*

The quickest way to get it done is to be well informed about the process and the requirements. Get yourself a folder and a calendar. Be meticulous about keeping your documents in order, having a checklist of things to do, and a calender to be able to view upcoming appointments. Open a MyFitness Pal account because tracking your nutritional intake will be part of the process, and you might as well get started on that. I can't tell you many posts I've read regarding delays because of an unmet requirement. This process is not complicated, but there can be all kinds of delays when people are uninformed and disorganized.

@@nprcowboy, his assumption of an ileus was based on your exam today or from reviewing your radiology films? Did your CT and abdominal x-rays show an ileus? That TPN is long overdue; I said it two weeks ago. Smh.

Glad to hear that. Please update us as soon as you can after your appointment. Did you pick up or have a copy of your medical records sent to the GI specialist and second bariatric surgeon? It'll be really important to both of them to have a copy of your records, particularly a disk of all your radiology films, EGD results, labs etc. If you haven't done that, please do so before your apoointment tomorrow. Good luck.....

Hey Summer! I'm so glad to hear from you. I'm glad the surgery is over and that you're on your way to recovering. I'm sure you'll be feeling much better very soon. =)

Definitely call the doctor. Let us know what happens.

I agree with what others have said.

An esophageal hernia is not normal. Not today. Not ever. It is a known problem that you have and it seems quite obvious that it may in fact be the sole reason you aren't doing well. I just don't understand your doctor's reasoning, so my prayer for you will be that you get a second opinion. Immediately. A GI specialist may also be able to help so don't just ask for a referral to another bariatric surgeon, ask for one to a gastroenterologist as well. I wish I could help more, but my gut says it's the hernia. Truly praying that this resolves soon enough. Hugs from afar......

@@Buttercupbrown, yes you are right. Flabby "bat wing" arms are quite unforgiving and hard to shape up. Hard, but not impossible. Our arms will never look flawless as they did prior to massive weight gain, but other than plastic surgery, weights are all we have. Lighter weights (those in the range you are using) are good for people who have limitations or they are already a normal weight and just trying to tone. Light weights + lots of repetitions = toning for regular folks. Heavy weights + lower repititions = muscle building for obese folks. The building of muscles is what helps the appearance of the arms. Cardio exercises will help burn off the fat and the heavy weights will help build the muscles to fill out the loose skin. If you can do more than 8-10 repititions with your weights, they aren't heavy enough.

@@Galaxy Girl, I'm so glad you did some research and have tried weights for yourself. Weights are the true hidden gem to transforming the body, and I wish others would understand that. People tend to think that they will end up looking like a body builder - which is what scares them (especially women) away from lifting, and nothing could be further from the truth. I'm with you about skipping a brachioplasty. Plastic surgery is all about trading one set of flaws (loose skin, stretch marks, cellulite) for another flaw (surgical scars), and I just don't want those scars on my arms.......so weights it will be. I advocate weights for anyone that is able and I feel so silly about all of the gadgets and equipment I've purchased over the years that were a complete waste of time and money.

This is my concern as well.

Yeah, he's wacky and needs an eval his damn self. If he wants to be a dietician or a nutritionist he needs to go back to school. His specialty is noodle brains, not noodles on a plate. Tell him to stay in his lane.

Stay off it. Go take your measurements, and I mean all of your measurements, and use that as your guide of success. Drink your Water, eat your Protein, take your Vitamins, and move your body. Oh, and stay off of that scale. =)

No self sabotaging allowed. Get your @ss in gear. You're 3 freakin pounds from Onderland! GET UP and go kick some @ss! =)

Yep, sex. It's a great distraction, stress reliever, calorie burner, and when pre-op nerves are at their prime, it's a nice way to connect with your partner and refocus on the bigger picture; getting healthy, dropping massive weight, losing all of those prescription meds, and having better sex. =)

Have sex. Workout. Online shop. Call up an ex and tell him how much of an @ss he really was. Make a vision board of where you want to be. Pay bills. Go volunteer at a homeless shelter. Have sex (yes, twice). Turn off the TV. Drink 2 glasses of Water. You get the point..... A biscuit won't kill you and it will squash the craving, but then you are left with worry about your surgery day and it's just not worth it.

My very first impression is gallbladder disease, combined with needing a prescription strength (not an OTC) PPI, that you need to take first thing upon waking on an empty stomach. The acid is there even when the symptoms are not present, so my suggestion is to take the PPI as a routine, scheduled medication instead of using it when symptoms arise. The concensus I've seen from the hundreds and hundreds of posts that I've read all lean towards taking a scheduled PPI the first months after surgery. Btw, I'm glad to hear you're doing ok in general and I love that you explained the part about not seeking to be diagnosed. We're here to provide feedback of our experiences and hopefully everyone here is intellligent enough to understand that. Hopefully. I agree with you that doing a little bit of research is always wise. It keeps you informed in general and even if your 'self diagnosis' is off, you've started a great conversation with your doctor that will benefit you. Good luck and keep us posted!

@@par1959, I totally agree. I used the word "men" because I'm referring to another adult (the OP). My kid is a tween and girls at this age are easily caught up thinking that they must impress boys when that is far from the case. Boys in her age group are easily impressed because they are kids. She has several classmates who are constantly trying to win the affections of some pimply-faced boy, and the shenanigans she describes to me are unbelievable. So that's where my comment comes from. Any man worth attracting and keeping should have just as high standards and expectations as the woman. Sorry if my post doesn't read that way. The point is to just be yourself. Plus, attracting someone is easy, keeping them is another matter entirely.

Weights are truly the best thing ever. I have tried every single exercise on the planet and used to be sold on cardio exercises because they really help you drop pounds. The problem is that cardio did nothing for my muscles. I ran mile after mile and just ended up looking like a smaller version of myself. All of the wiggles and jiggles on my thighs (and the back of my thighs and butt!) were still there, and still hideous. I started walking long distances and using heavy weights to do squats and OMG I promise (Bible) that my legs looked 75% better. It is truly amazing how weights can transform a problematic body area......and yes, that includes arms AND abs. If your doctor has cleared you, try doing weights every other day and cardio in between.

LMAO!!!!!

I like what @@bobbyswife said so I am going to second it. Btw, I tell my daughter all of the time that men are easily impressed. They're usually just happy when you show up, so there's never a need to be something that you're not. Be yourself and what ^^^^^ said will come to fruition. Keep your standards high and believe that you deserve nothing but the best, 'cause there are PLENTY of thirsty and shady dudes willing to take advantage of you whether you're big or small. For the record though, at best I could be your older sister, not your mom. =)

Goodness. I sure hope you this becomes a distant memory very shortly. Sending hugs and well wishes your way!

I responded in your other post as well and I'm really glad you created this one, because I don't think everyone realizes the kind of internal damage that can occur over time when meals are not balanced. The human body is not designed to function without carbs, and the ones we chose to eat that packed on the pounds gives carbs a bad rep in general. However, we need and should include complex carbs in our meals as frightening as that may sound to some.

@@bdcsail, thanks for your update. I have seen a few other posts about this issue and also the development of kidney stones from too much protein. I'm sure all will be well with your next set of labs. Google vegetables and fruits that promote kidney function and see if you can incorporate some of them into your nutritional plan. Good luck!

When repeated hair loss occurs, the likelyhood of it returning fully is next to impossible. After my fourth episode over 12 years, I now use Rogaine, and it will be for life. Even with Rogaine, my hair never fully came back in.

How can your meds have expired within 30 days? That sounds weird!