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Djmohr

Gastric Bypass Patients
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Everything posted by Djmohr

  1. Djmohr

    Weightloss before surgery

    I was able to lose 13 lbs in 10 days on the liquid diet required by my surgeon. I never cheated once, it is too important to shrink your fatty liver before this surgery. Also I did lose another 15 lbs in the 6 months supervised diet just by changing some bad habits. Trust me when I tell you it is all well worth it. If you stay on track with all your appointments it may help with the lay off thing as well. I was laid off right smack in the middle of my 6 month supervised diet but thankfully was given a severance package that extended my insurance so I was able to get it all done on time. You must be on top of all your appointments and doing what you are supposed to. If you want it bad enough you can make it happen. That time goes by very very fast.
  2. Djmohr

    Jealous and Frustrated :(

    I had to wait 9 months to the day before my surgery. For me if I lost great, but I was not allowed to gain weight. The important thing was to build good eating habits during that time and if you did so, you would be more successful longer term. I lost most of my weight during the two week liver cleanse which was a very strict liquid only and I did not cheat once.
  3. Djmohr

    How long in real pain?

    No. I was home from the hospital on wed. And off all pain killers by Thursday night. Now I did have what I would describe as some discomfort but nothing that even required Tylenol. Where exactly is the pain and can you describe it? Maybe there is something more going on and you should get checked out. I am so sorry you are hurting this bad! Get well soon.
  4. Djmohr

    Skin break out?

    I went to my dermatologist and he said he has seen this issue with WLS patients usually in the beginning. 99 percent of the time it comes from dehydration. This is partially why they have us drink a minimum of 64 oz. per day. As soon as I started hitting that goal my skin issues resolved almost immediately.
  5. Djmohr

    How to bring it up?

    My general doctor had referred me to a nephrologist because my kidney function had been deteriorating for almost 2 years. She mentioned that I "have kidney disease dear". By the way during the entire time I had Been seeing her she never even mentioned that my kidney function was a problem. I went to a nephrologist who then pulled up the exact same charts she looks at and walked me through a 2 year history of my failing kidney function. I was already at stage 3 and progressing very quickly to a very bad place. He is the person who went through my complete medical history and asked me if I had ever thought about weight loss surgery. He could see through 17 years of yo yo dieting in my medical records and knew I needed help. I went home and started researching immediately, made an appointment with my general doctor and basically told her this was where I was headed. She literally tried to talk me out of it and suggested I speak with one of their nutritionists. I had already begun the process of WLS and had completed the seminar and was scheduled to meet with the psychology, nutritionist and Bariatric surgeon. Her only job in this whole thing was to complete a pre op physical when the time came. We had been planning on moving out of state or I would have looked for a new general doctor at the time. I was angry that she had not even mentioned my kidney situation until 2 years had gone by and I was at stage 3. Well I had my surgery in sept. Then about a month ago I was immediately scheduled for a 3 level cervical fusion and needed a preop done again. When she saw me, she literally could not believe that I had lost over 100 lbs and all my comorbitities were gone. She kept saying how great I looked. Then, she said maybe she should look into WLS for herself! How stupid of me for staying with this doctor for so long! I have moved out of state now and will be looking for a new general doctor and trust me, I won't be so stupid this time either. I really believe now that she didn't suggest it or initially support it because she herself is obese and didn't know how that would be received coming from her. (This is just me theory) Once she saw my results and I told her that my nephrologist has been my hero for even discussing the option with me, she admitted she should have talked to me about it several years ago. My advice is to go in well educated about WLS, be prepared to talk about your own weight loss history and the medical issues that are resulting from it. Explain you are looking for her/his support. The reality is, your insurance company will likely require you use a Bariatric center of excellence and should be able to give you the names of some in your area. You might even have that info in your back pocket. My lesson in all this is, to start taking control of your own health. I was clearly ok with allowing many years to go by with many comorbitities and a doctor who honestly never addressed any of them. I was clearly not in control at all. That is no longer my behavior and never will be again. Good luck with your journey! You deserve to be a healthier you!
  6. Djmohr

    How do you deal with cramps?

    All NSAIDs are off limits post WLS surgery. They can cause ulcers in your new tummy. That being said, no one has ever verified if this is forever.
  7. Djmohr

    What is your cocktail?

    I leveraged the required list from my Bariatric center of excellence. They do not push or sell a certain type of solutions, they simply give you a list of requirements and where they can be purchased for less. AM Take Biotin (this is optional and helps with hair, skin, nails) calcium citrate PM Multi Vitamin with Iron D3 Calcium Citrate Twice weekly sublingual B12 Most everything I buy I get at costco in bulk. I do not take iron separately as I no longer have my period and my iron levels have been excellent. Prior to my bypass I was anemic and having to take iron everyday.
  8. Djmohr

    Weigh ins

    It depends on your insurance. Mine would have had no problem.
  9. You are doing fantastic and I love the analogy that the sugar is leaving your body kicking and screaming! That is a good way to describe it. Good luck to you!
  10. Djmohr

    gas and smell

    I have not really had that problem other than in the first couple of weeks. Once I was back on a normal diet everything went back to normal.
  11. I will be one of those people who will drink one a day forever mostly because I cannot consume enough food to deliver 70 grams or more of Protein. I am over 8 months post op. I have never been told to stop them at a certain point but have been coached to focus my actual meals on protein and good carbs like vegetables and fruits. Then supplement with a shake if necessary.
  12. Djmohr

    Just made decision!

    It completely depends on your insurance requirements. Mine "Medica" had a 6 month supervised diet so by the time I got all the appointments with nutritionists, bariatricians, stress test sect., it was actually almost 9 months to the day. Best to call your insurance and get very clear about their requirements. I am glad I had that time because there were a lot of habits I was able to work on during that time. Good luck to you!
  13. Djmohr

    Nausea

    Most of the time that nausea is due to not enough liquids. It can really create havoc on your body.
  14. Yes, this fatigue is normal and the only way to deal with it really is to start to push yourself. This assumes you are getting your proper hydration. I just had surgery last wed. On my spine and I can barely keep my eyes open. I realize it is time for me to get my behind moving a bit more. You really have to push yourself to get that back. It will get better.
  15. I had 7 incisions and they really are all over. I was actually surprised to see how high they actually are. Also don't put the pillow under your seat belt, it is just to hold on your tummy when u go over bumps. I will be honest, I would not have needed the pillow and was off all pain medication by Thursday. I had my surgery on Monday night. If I got uncomfortable I took some liquid Tylenol. The reality is, the pain Ned's did not help the type of pain I had. Most of my pain was from the gas they use in your tummy. Once that passes I could handle the small amount of pain I had from the surgery. I will say everyone is different and I have had 5 spinal surgeries since 2001. For me the bypass really was a piece of cake. I was uncomfortable but not in pain. I was more exhausted from lack of Water and nutrition. My surgeon told me that this was actually pretty normal for most people. Some people have a harder time managing pain that others so you just want to make sure you have your mess with you and stat hydrated.
  16. Djmohr

    Big Daddy Burger!

    That is just plain gross! I bet you are right and they do sell them.
  17. Djmohr

    Protein

    1 gram for every inch you are tall minimum. It is harder in those beginning weeks that is why it is so important to use a tracker like my fitness pal to help you track your progress.
  18. @@Annek2014, I totally feel your pain. I just had a 3 level cervical spine surgery last week and I am so afraid it is going to set me back. Fortunately I have not been able to eat a lot because they went through my throat. The bad news is because I am not getting enough calories and Protein and I am restricted on exercise, I am stalled and even gained 2 lbs. It makes no sense, the only thing I have been able to eat is cottage cheese, pudding and some clear broth type Soups. Anyway, I know that my protein is really short so I am going to try drinking 3 Protein shakes for the next couple of days and see if that will help get things moving again. Water as well, I have had such a hard time swallowing anything including water. I am going to really work hard at those two things and see if it helps. Oh, and of course all these stinking pain killers have caused me to be constipated which I am sure is also part of my problem. I tried backing off some of the pain killers and then spent most of the day in tears yesterday because the pain was so bad and clearly it was too soon to be backing off. I am in a hard color neck brace for 12 weeks minimum which makes any kind of exercise besides slow walking next to impossible plus I a, restricted anyway. I am usually a positive person but this can bring you down in a hurry. I just cannot let it do that so today I am going to try to work through this differently and see if it helps. The only advice I can give you is don't miss your protein and water, it causes more problems than you need. Keep me posted on your surgery and I will try to do the same with you. Good luck and I hope you have a speedy recovery!
  19. My number 1 favorite Protein can be purchased at costco. It is called Premier Protein and they are ready made shakes. They do go on sale fairly regularly. chocolate is the best flavor but strawberries and cream is pretty good as well. Drink them ice cold and shake them up before you open them. They do not have that gritty, nasty protein flavor you get with some shakes. I also use Syntrax nectars for something different. I order them on Amazon and love fuzzy naval, Caribbean cooler and vanilla bean torte. You could also order a sampler that has all the different flavors for you to try. I prefer the grab and go because it is all pre measured, all you have to do is add Water or milk.
  20. Protein is hard because what you might like now, may change after your surgery. The best thing you can do is go onto a site and order some samples so you can try the different flavor until you find some that you love. That being said, I have some absolute favorites that i would recommend trying: 1. This is my favorite! Premier Protein ready made shakes. The have 30 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar. They come in chocolate, strawberries and cream and vanilla. For me, chocolate is my favorite because it is not overly sweet. You can buy these in bulk at Sam's and costco and the do go on sale. 2. Syntrax grab and go nectars - these can be made with milk or Water are are absolutely delicious. I am drinking a fuzzy naval flavor mixed with water. It is delicious. There are 23 grams of protein in these but could be boosted if you make them with fair life milk. I also love the Vanilla Bean Torte which I do make with milk and it tastes like a delicious milkshake. Lastly I also love the Caribbean cooler which tastes like one of those fru fru drinks you get on vacation. Honestly these are the Proteins that I prefer. I have trouble with a lot of the whey protein mixes but for some reason Syntrax seems lighter and more delicious. Go onto Amazon and order a sample pack so you can try the different flavors.
  21. I am not sure what surgery part two even is? Are you saying your sleeve has failed and need a revision or are you talking about plastics or what?
  22. Djmohr

    No energy 3 weeks post op

    Without the Protein and Fluid you will continue to feel tired and lethargic. Do your best to get as much as possible in. In terms of not liking G it, you will have to find something that works for you. Try samples til you find one you like. Mt favorite is Premier Protein ready made shakes. As soon as I was able to drink those I started feeling a lot better.
  23. I ended up with RNY for the very same reasons as listed above. RNY will cure it while the sleeve and lap and can make it much worse requiring a revision to bypass anyway. Good luck!
  24. Djmohr

    Laser hair removal - OUCH!

    I had my lip and between my brows done. I was shocked at how painful this procedure actually is. Yet I went back once a month for 6 months for more torture. Thank god I just had my lip and brow done. I cannot imagine the pain of having my hoo haa done! No way, no how! There has to be a better way to have hair removed permanently without the torture. I swear every time they zapped my lip I felt it in my teeth! I swear a masochist must have invented this lovely procedure! Oh and of course every time I came in for the next procedure they would ask if I wanted the numbing cream?!?! Are you for real? Of course, please numb my whole head so I cannot feel anything please! Not sure what it actually numbed but it sure wasn't my lip! I have honestly thought it would be a really good way to get back at that man in your life when they irritate you!
  25. There are several Protein shakes that I use and are delicious. My favorite is Premier Protein ready made shakes. You can buy them at Sam's or costco. chocolate is my favorite flavor is it is not overly sweet. You get 30 grams of protein and only 1 gram of sugar. These are very tolerable shakes and were recommended by my Bariatric team when I struggled with some of the others. Recently I also had the need to try another type of shake called Syntrax nectars. I chose the grab and go packets to try and they can be mixed with Water or milk. The fuzzy naval, Caribbean cooler and vanilla bean torte are all delicious. I choose to mix the vanilla bean torte with milk. You do have to mix these well, wait a few moments and shake them one more time. I do not get any grit nor do I taste that nasty protein taste. They are delicious and have 23 grams of protein in each shake. In terms of Vitamins I initially used Centrum chewables. They were just fine. Now I can swallow a small daily multi Vitamin with Iron with no problem.

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