Jonathan Blue

If this continues in the next few days I would call your doctor and talk with him about. It could be a sign of something more serious. At this point it is probably just post op healing. What kind of pain medications does the doctor have you on? Mine preferred oral Percocet. It worked wonders for me, but you need to be religious about taking it every 4 hours like clockwork, even at night. This pain is a lot like falling off a cliff. You never want to medication to fully wear off or down you go: and fast! after about the first 7 days I started reducing the dosage little by little every day, still taking it every 4 hours though. Then after about 5 more days I started toying with waiting longer between doses until I didn't need it anymore. The pain medication is there to reduce the pain so you can function and move a little. This will help you heal faster and prevent pneumonia. If it is not working, then talk to your doctor about getting you something stronger and use the fear of complication as the valid argument for it. I hope this helps. Your pain will go away before too long and you will be able to begin enjoying your new and amazing life. This is just a small step on your journey. Take this time to prepare for all of the amazing things you will be doing in the coming year!

Keep strong. You are not alone. Try sugar free chewing gum. I find that just having something in my mouth and keeping it occupied helps. Also, try finding something else you enjoy doing. For example, I love mountain biking and I think it is such a high. Every time I feel the urge to overeat or snack, I just jump on my bike and go until I am satisfied. By doing this I am rewiring my brain to crave the emotional high of something good for me, in this case exercise, as apposed to the emotional high from food. I hope this helps. I know it is hard. If you need anything at all, you have an entire community here for you.

The final thing I did to prepare myself for surgery was probably one of the most emotional and religious experiences for me. This is a very tough topic to write about so I will do my best to do so with tact and reverence. This part of preparing for surgery made me look deep into my soul and ask some really tough questions. The last thing I needed to do before surgery was prepare my soul. The hardest question I had to ask myself was what if the worst should happen? How would I handle it? With surgery there are risks and having a full gastric bypass is no exception. It is a risky procedure and you need to be prepare for any of the complications that arise. How worth it is it to you to be skinny if you could never keep solid food down ever again and had to drink your nutrition? How worth it is being healthy to you if you wound up needing a colostomy bag for the rest of your life? How would you handle it if you woke up in an ICU attached to machines and tubes? What happens if you are in a coma, how long do they wait to pull the plug? WHAT IF I DIE? All of these questions are really really scary and I wouldn't blame you if you were thinking about calling your surgeon right now to tell them to shove off. Believe me I thought about it. I also thought about all the things I wanted to do and realized there is a small chance of these things happening and it was worth the gamble. I was taking a chance on me and my future, my health, and my life. I wasn't going to have much of a life if I didn't so I had nothing to lose. The point of this post is not to be morbid or to scare you. It is simply to prepare you to think about every aspect of this surgery. That includes the worst. There will be plenty of people talking about these things with you, but you will ultimately need to come to terms with them on your own and in your own way. There will be people asking you to sign paperwork to say how long to keep you on life support before they pull the plug. There will be papers asking who will make medical decisions if you are in a coma and can't answer. That is something to really think about. Your life is in their hands. You also will need to sign paperwork, should go south, if you don't want them to try and save you. This is why I say that you need to prepare your soul. You may be heading straight for a code brown in the pants with me talking about all of these horrific things to think about, but let me tell you that it is worth the risk. Many of us got to the size we were because we gave up on ourselves and just stopped caring. IT"S TIME TO START! I was in a support group with Phil, who had surgery 4 months before I had met him at the group. I changed the gentleman's name for his protection and HIPPA. A woman had pushed him into the room sitting in a wheelchair. I was interested to see what he had to say when it became his time to speak and I was completely shocked by what I heard. Phil explained how his pre-surgery weight was over 680 lbs. He was wheelchair bound, housebound, and had even contemplated suicide. He decided to have the surgery and worst case scenario he would get his wish and his life would be over. He said the surgery was rough with the surgeon needing to do a hand assist on him. The nurse had told him that the doctor was up to his shoulder in his abdomen trying to get everything where it needed to be and patched up. By this point I was just transfixed by his story. Phil went on to explain how in the last 4 months since surgery he had not been able to keep anything down at all. Everything he ate, including Water sometimes, would come back up within a few minutes of eating. He told the group how he had been in the hospital on nine separate occasions because of dehydration during which time and how he struggled a lot with why things had not gone according to plan. I was feeling really guilty at this point that my surgery had gone so well and I was supposed to share my story right after this. Then to my surprise Phil smiled. Not just a faint grin, but a giant ear to ear, light up the room kind of grin. I was even more confused by this. He explain how he didn't want anyone to feel sorry for him. I thought he was crazy. Crazy Phil, I thought about calling him. It was at this point that he stood up from his chair and started walking around the perimeter of the room. As he walked he explained that he had not been able to stand up and walk without pain in almost 15 years and that in the 4 months since the surgery he had lost almost 180lbs! He said that the stuff he had been through since surgery had sucked, but that he would go through all of it every day for the rest of his life if it meant he could keep walking like he was. You see, Phil made the decision going into surgery that he was worth the risk. His life was worth risking. The benefits far outweighed the gamble. To him, the ability to walk and move and do all the things he thought he would never do again were worth not being able to keep down solid food. It was worth the hospital stays. It was worth every single complication he had to endure since having surgery. Phil is my hero. That day in group his story just floored me. It has truly been one of the most inspirational stories I have ever heard from another weight loss patient. I have done a lot of amazing things in the last year, but I did all of it with no complications. I just can't say it enough. Phil is my inspiration. Keep in mind moving forward as you prepare for surgery that what you are doing is not free of risk. Bad things can happen. Complications could arise. Though the risk is very small there is still risk, you could die. Just remember, like Phil demonstrated to me, it is worth the risk. You are worth the risk. So pull up your funderwear, rub some dirt on it, get tough, and take the risk because you are worth going all in for. If you have an questions or comments feel free to post them below and I will try to answer each and every one of them. Also, please share these posts around so others can benefit from the knowledge of how to prepare for their weight loss surgery.

I was pretty open with everyone about what I was doing. It was nice because it kept me accountable. I can understand your frustration though. If it was not something you expressly asked her to do, perhaps it was just an oversight. She was probably not intending to out your information and writing that you were out for FMLA just a standard procedure. If you had asked her not to and she did, it is a completely different story. I would be miffed too. However, at this point all you can do is move on and focus on the surgery ahead. I know how people love to talk in a hospital. I work in one too, but just try to let everyone know you are fine and its none of their business. I know this is easier said than done, but this close to surgery, you need to not let people get you too riled up and focus on preparing yourself for the journey of a lifetime. It does suck when you don't want your information to get out there and it does. I am sorry that this happened to you. I hope it all works out and you have some amazing success!

I second the medication aspect of things. Also, your body is going through some crazy changes and there will be an adjustment period. It could also be that your body is not getting enough calories in the day which is common the first couple weeks after surgery. You will find that as you get more and more active, you balance this fine line between the number of calories you burn in a day, and the number of calories you eat to fuel your body. There will be a deficit and it is just a delicate balance. I highly recommend a FitBit to wear. It will track the daily calories you burn through walking, exercising, and just functioning. You will also be able to record all the food you are eating in a day. Over time you will be able to observe your sweet spot of calories in verses calories out. You are definitely on the right track trying to get as much of your Protein in as you can. Also try to get your calories up to around 600 a day or so. This should help alleviate some of the light hotheadedness. If the symptoms continue or you begin getting really dizzy definitely consult your doctor immediately.

We have all been there at one point in time. The feeling of failure and disappointment in our own actions can be devastating at time. You need to realize we are all human and we all make mistakes. The important thing here is to not make it a habit. If you have gotten off the wagon the easiest thing to do it to work to get back on. The key to success is getting back up and going more times than you make that mistake. OK, so I know I have just spent an entire paragraph spouting one cliche thing after another. How was thing helpful, right? Well the key here is to understand that you are not alone and we all make mistakes. There is an amazing community here for you to lean on when things begin to go south. It is OK to eat out every now and again so long as you are making the right choices when you do. Avoiding fried, fat heavy, and sugar packed foods. The other thing is at the beginning of the meal go ahead and ask for a box. Then put into the box everything but what your portion for that meal will be and sit it on the seat next to you. Another thing that I have found helpful if it feels like you have stretched your stomach is to take a step back. Reduce your activity to light to moderate for a week and cut your eating back to liquid only (Protein shakes, Jello, etc.) or back to the pureed food stage and the portions associated with it. This will give your stomach a little break and allow it to shrink a little bit. Then start reintroducing food slowly and in smaller portions. This "fast" will help you refocus and rewire as well as re acclimate your body for weight loss. The key here is that when you make a mistake or you fall off the wagon to realize you are not alone. This is an amazing community that is here for you with love, support, an encouragement. You have come so far, so now, just take a step back, refocus, and attack it fresh in a week or so. If you need anything at all, please let me know. I am an open book and am here to encourage you in any way that I can. I wish you all the best of luck. I know you can do this!

I have always loved the Isopure Zero Carb Protein drinks. One scoop has 25 grams of protein and is only 110 calories. They come in the standard chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, but also come in Cookies and creme and even coffee I think. All of these taste pretty decent with milk or almond milk. They also have a pineapple orange banana and a mango peach which are my go to's when I don't want something as heavy as the other flavors and they taste great just mixed with Water. Big plus on saving the calories. They are comparable in price to the unjury many doctors recommend as well as in nutrients.This is my go to brand for Protein Drinks. As far as bars go, there are plenty of options. Quest, think thin, and ProBar all have pretty solid Protein Bars as well. In the end I highly recommend experimenting with different brands. Many Vitamin stores have sample packs you can buy for a dollar or two before you get a big tub and most health food stores also allow you to buy the bars individually. I am almost a year out from surgery and I am still exploring and experimenting, trying to find the next great protein source.

This is all perfectly normal. I would honestly be worried if you weren't freaking out a little. This shows me you know how serious what you are about to do is and what will be required of you. It is an amazing journey that only you can experience and the nerves leading up to it are a part of it. Revel in them, bath in them, it is all a part of this amazing journey. The anticipation is what makes it all the more sweeter. If you are still too anxious once you get to the hospital, let them know. They are usually able to put something in your IV for the nerves to help calm you down. For tonight, just stay focused on why you are doing this and all of the amazing things you will be able to do once this part of the journey is over. You will wake up from surgery tomorrow ready to tackle the rest of your life in a way you have never been able to before. I am so excited for you. I still looking back at the nerves I had before surgery and think fondle about how they shaped my view of the whole process to get where I am today. It did not seem like it at the time, but it is worth it. If there is anything I can do to continue helping or you have any questions, I am an open book. My contact info is below.

I know it feels like it will never happen. Believe me, it will happen faster than you imagine. The anticipation and frustration leading up to the surgery is all a part of this amazing journey. Looking back you will be so glad you gave yourself the gift of experiencing those emotions. Immerse yourself in it. revel in it, because in a short time you will have the surgery and all the preparation for your travels will be complete. I know it seems hectic now, but this is the calm before the storm, a chance to prepare your mind and body for the journey. (I have posted on my blog about the three things I did to prepare for surgery I think you will find it very helpful. The link is below) This will be one of the most amazing things you will ever do and the best gift you could give yourself and your family. Strive to do amazing things with your gift. Make a difference. I know you will do awesome. If you need someone to listen and to process your emotions with, I am here for you. My contact information is below. I am so excited for you!

I used to hate getting any extra attention. I felt like when I was much larger, it was for all of the wrong reasons and many times it was behind my back. I always hated when people would focus on my size. At first, I was never a fan of the added attention I got after surgery mostly because of the negative feelings and emotions I had always associated with it. Now, I use it as motivation on days when I am not feeling so good about myself. There will be days on your journey where you just wont feel like you are progressing or have lost anything at all. You feel bloated and fat. It happens to all of us. Those are the days it always seems like I get a comment about how well I am doing and it always lets me know the I am on the right track regardless of how I feel. I now love when people notice me because I know people are seeing all the hard work I am putting in and it makes me feel validated. My encouragement to you would be to embrace the attention. I know it may feel weird at first, but it is a sure sing people are noticing that there is something different about you in a good way. Your hard work is paying off. Keep up the great work!

MisforMimi, I agree with you completely. It was a very hard post to write. I get a little choked up even now that its over just thinking about it. The best part about it, is though it is rough, it will be one of the parts of your journey that will begin to show you just how strong and just how determined you are. Thinking about it now, I am so glad I had to deal with it because it made me realize all the reasons I was doing the surgery and that it was worth every risk I was taking. Thank you so much for your kind words. I know you will do amazing. I promise it will be something you will never forget. Taking back your life and experiencing this amazing journey is a privilege very few have. Savor and enjoy every bit of it, the good and the bad.

Here is the link. You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter from there as well as sign up for email alerts whenever I post something new. http://wakingupfromheavysetdreams.blogspot.com/

I took the time to find a bunch of Russel Stovers sugar free chocolate candies. They go a long way to curb any craving for sweets I have without blowing my sugar or calorie intake out of the Water. I have also found the Jolly Rancher and a few other hard candy companies also make sugar free versions of their products. You just need to look for them. I usually do not eat many sweets, but when I feel like I need a little something to combat those cravings, or when it is all around me, I reach for one of these go to options. I can have something a little sweet without blowing my calorie intake for the day.

I agree with Chelly. I used to drink before surgery, but since I have sworn it off entirely. Though I know plenty of people drink after surgery, my doctor strictly says no, and after everything I went through to get my body back I am not going to risk it over alcohol. With that being said, to each his own. Here is just some thoughts to think about. Like Chelly said, the alcohol will accumulate faster in your blood stream due to the small size of your stomach. This may seem nice since it wont take some many drinks to get drunk, but it wont take so many drinks to get drunk. Some people don't realize that and can get themselves into trouble. Another thing to consider is that there is virtually no nutritional value to a cocktail or alcohol of any kind. Even for regular people nutritionists talk about it being empty calories, but with how few calories we are able to take in after surgery, do you really want to wastes 20% or more of them in a day on a drink that will do nothing to strengthen and energize your body? The last and most serious reason that alcohol should be avoided post surgery is the possibility of addiction. Most all of us wound up needing the surgery because to varying degrees we were all addicted to food. With that addition no longer a possibility, many surgery patients become alcoholics due to the the quick high and cheap nature of getting drunk with a smaller stomach. Weather you think you can handle the drinks without getting addicted over time is up to you, but why risk the possibility. In the end the choice to drink or not too is personal. It is the reasoning above that I do not. I worked too hard and went through too much, to throw it all away possibly with alcohol. Alcohol is not inherently bad and you could probably have a few cocktails without issue, I just don't want to open myself up to the possibility of losing everything I worked for. My line in the sand is to just not play with fire. I hope these facts were helpful in aiding you in a decision. No matter what you decide, keep up the amazing work. You are going through a time of discover you will never again have and the journey is absolutely amazing. You will find yourself able to do things you never thought you could or would be able to do again. For that, I am so excited for you . If you have any additional questions or I can help in any way, please let me know. My contact information is below.

On your profile, that is the likes section. It goes up the more people like your comments or posts. Just look at it as a gauge of how many people you are affecting within the community as a whole.

Jeffrey, No problem. I think it is a story that needs to be shared. We all face these same questions going into surgery and none of them are easy to answer. My one year surgiversary is on November 4. Keep up the hard work and check out some of my other posts on how I prepared for surgery. The would probably be very helpful for you. If you have trouble finding them on here, they are all on my blog as well. Best of Luck,

Lori, One of the biggest things I could possibly recommend to anyone going through this process is to surround themselves with like minded people. You made a great step posting and getting involved in this forum, but you need the personal touch as well. You need to try your best to get connect with your local support group. They will be your accountability more than any of us online could be. Starting you on a pre-surgical liquid diet without even having a surgery date or insurance approval does seem a little odd. I would check with your doctor to make sure this is correct and what the reasoning is. With this process, knowledge is power. The more you know about what is going on, the better. Best of luck and if you have any other questions or concerns, I will do what I can to help out and answer them.

I strongly agree with the above comments to speak with your nutritionist and have a plan laid out. With that disclaimer said, the common consensus is that it will be a liquid diet the first week after surgery which it sounds like you have a pretty solid handle on. The next stage which you are asking about is the pureed food stage. For this, you want all the food you are eating to be the consistency of baby food. I actually know people who have just bought a bunch of cans of real baby food because the servings are the right size and the consistency is correct. The first thing I ate on the pureed food diet was mashed potatoes and boy were they amazing. I made sure when making them that I made with fresh real potatoes, not that flaked junk. Then I was especially careful to blend them really well. They were a bit runnier than traditional mashed potatoes, but still tasted amazing. I would not recommend grits at this stage due to the nature of the grain used, but you can experiment with plain oats a little bit. Once again, you want to make sure it is the soupier consistency of baby food to make sure it does not clump in your stomach. A side note for the oats is to be especially careful to eat them slowly. The oats will expand in your stomach and can stretch things out a little bit so slow and steady is the name of the game. I would even go so far as to recommend when you are eating it to consume about half of the serving size they are recommending during the pureed stage. Every adapts to new foods and to each stage in their own way. Just take your time and slowly add new things into the diet every couple meals. You will be on this stage for about two weeks. Caution is key here. One thing that was really helpful for me was to cook in bulk. I would make two whole potatoes into pureed potatoes for example. Then I would portion them into a bunch of little plastic containers and store in the fridge. Every time it was time to eat for a couple meals, all I would need to do is pull one out and pop it into the microwave for a minute. This helped me not have to be cooking like crazy or have to alter my cooking style too drastically to keep up with the smaller portions. I would usually have two or three different purees in my fridge at any given time. Best of luck to you. This is truly and amazing journey and you are right on the cusp of the incredible experience of rediscovering your body and all of the remarkable things it can do. Take your time and enjoy it. It may annoy you know, but in a year you will look back fondly at how far you have come. I am so excited for you. If there is anything I can do or you have any additional questions let me know. I used to work as a Chef for Walt Disney World, so the cooking part of the journey and trying to figure out how to make the things I enjoyed healthy was so much fun for me. If you need any pureed food recipes just reach out to one of the links below to contact me directly.

I do not currently have any tattoos, but I am planning on getting a pretty epic one once my body is where I am happy with it. I want a tear away full shoulder tattoo with a suit of celtic armour underneath. Woven into the armour would be my wifes name, the names of any children at the time, and my surgery date. There will be other tatoos in the same fashion on other ares covering my first full ironman and my colorado bike ride. I hope it all works out well for you.

It is a really tough choice to make. The sleve does have a slighlty lower chance of side effects, but the rny has a slightly better success rate in terms of patients who keep the weight off for at least 5 years. The sleve is also used on paitent who are at a higher risk of complications due to other health concerns. Since I do not know anything about your medical history I cannot weigh in here. The other thing to consider is that the sleeve can be converted into a full rny down the line, but the rny is as far as it goes. Its the end all. Ultimately, what does your surgeon think? He is the expert and would know what is best for you with your medical history. I had the full bypass and have not regretted it a single day. Weight loss surgery is like picking out your favorite ice cream. We all have one and we all like different ones and combinations. It ultimately comes down to what works for you. Is there one that your gut is telling you is the one to go for. I have learned a long time ago to always go with my gut. I hope this helps a little. If you want to discuss it further I am an open book. You can reach me at any of the links below. I would even be wililng to give you my phone number if you needed to talk to a live person to help you through this. It is a tough decision and a big step, but you are making the right choice at least pursuing it. I am so excited for you and your future.

The hair loss usually starts about the 4 month mark and will go until about the 1 yr mark. The times may vary slightly. You can actually help negate this a little bit by upping your Protein intake. The added protein in some people can help prevent or even reduce hair loss. After the 1 year mak, things usually work their way back to normal in terms of hair thinkness. It is just your body trying to adjust to the rapid weight loss. Keep up the amazing work with the weight loss! It sounds like you are well on your way. Is there anything you are doing now that you never thought you would ever do again? I am always excited to hear the stories of the amazing things people are doing after their surgery.

It sounds like you just overfilled your stomach. If the pain does not subside in half an hour then go to the ER to get checked out. Even though it feels like you can take on more, it takes time for the liquid to travel to your stomach. You need to be very careful to drink the recommended amounts regularly. With all that said, you are not alone. Everyone has done it. If they say they haven't they are lying. It is all a part of the growing and learning process. You are discovering your new body and it will take time to figure out what it can and can not do. I still to this day, almost a year out from surgery, occassionally eat too much and pay the price. For the first several weeks after surgery I used a 1 oz. shot glass with Water and made it a point to drink a shot every 8 min. except for meals. This helped me get the water intake I needed in a day without stretching out the stomach or causing it to hurt like that. I hope this helps a little and that you feel better soon.

Nancy, Stay stong. I know it is rough, but as you know it will be worth it. I would highly recommend keeping a list of all the reasons you are doing this and all the amazing things you will be try to do post surgery on you at all times. That way when things get super rough you can take some time and read them to remind yourself it will be worth it. Another thing is to keep yourself busy, even if it is as simple as going to the mall or a bookstore. Just try to do things otu and about and avoid food places. The other thing I did was immerse myself in television, particularly shows of people doing all of the things I wanted to do. I recall during my week before surgery I watched every Ironman World Championship race in the last 12 years and most of them I watched more than once. It is just flooding your mind with the constant reminders of why your putting yourself through this and how amazing it will be in just a few short weeks. If I don't speak with you again good luck on your surgery and welcome to the rest of your amazing life. I can't wait to see how you are in a year. If you need any help, encouragement, or advice at any time please email me or contact me through the links below. If you need it, I will email you my phone number if you need to text or chat with someone. I want to see you succeed because I know how amazing life after surgery is.

Having a support system is very valuable when it comes to surgical success. However, my wife wan't the biggest fan at first and she turned around the more I went through the process and the more she learned about. Honestly, I would have done it wheather she wanted me too or not. In the end, it is your life and you cannot remain overweaight and unhealthy just because someone doesn't want you to get better. The biggest thing to make sure that he realizes is that the surgery is a tool and not the solution. It is there to aid weight loss. Right now your body is fighting itself with slightly out of whack insulin and blood preassure levels. Even at your best effort, the hormone changes for a larger person fights against the bodies desire to lose weight even when the calorie counts and activity level is correct. That is why the surgery is a tool, to help you fight your body wanting to remain fat. It is rough if he is not on board, but you need to take care of yourself, if not for you then for your children. Can I ask if he is overweight? It could be that he is also insecure about the fact the you could get hot and leave him or make him feel more insecure about himself. It might have nothing to do with you or the surgery. I know that was my wifes initial issue I think. Just encourage him to continue coming with you through the process and for him, and yourself, to learn as much about the process as you can. This will aide in his comfort as well as yours. Just to keep him going with you I would even tell him you are still exploring and will not make a final decision until the six month mark even though deep down you may already know you will go througgh with it. It will give him time to get comfortable with it.

Congratulations on making this journey. It will be one of the most amazing times of adventure and discovery how amazing your body truly is. First off with the pudding cups, I would be very careful of eating the whole thing in 15 minutes. Try to take it in over 20 or 30. To help with this I highly recommend eating with a baby spoon. I know it sounds rediculous, but it will keep you from taking too big a bite and hurting your stomach that way, but it will also slow down your eating. When eating with this spoon I also highly recommend setting the spoon down between bites. It sounds like for the most part with the liquid your are on the right track. The best I can offer is to keep at it. The 1 0z shot glass ever 8 minutes was my goal and my life revolved around what I was drinking for weeks afterwards. I know it is super frustrating now, but it does get better as your stomach expands slightly and you are able to take on more and more liquid at a time you wont have to be constantly drinking to get the same amount. At this stage you could probably also start eating things like highly whipped regular or sweet potatos and others. You could even try things like pureed Beans or cauliflower. I have a ton of reciped I came up with during this stage if you are interested. I even have a recipe for Protein Fruit Sorbet on my blog that is similar to the Dole Whip that is so popular at Disney Parks. Great job on staying active. I know the scale is the go to benchmark right now, but you need to try and only look once a week. Believe me, I know this is hard, but your body is going through some insane changes and your weight will fluctuate. There will be days when you don't lose anything and you feel like you could take on the world and there will be days where you feel like crap and lose 5. Your body is going to be going through so many crazy changes it can't keep up with itself. Don't try to fixate on the scale. I recommend using "Goal Clothes." Clothes that don't quit fit and then when you are having a rough day try them on. You will notice each time it will get closer and closer to fitting until ultimately you are down a whole size and can wear the crap out of it. Best of luck, I hope this helps, and if you have any additional questions let me know.