goodnuff

Be patient. Your body is going through a lot right now. You'll read here http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/341786-when-did-you-start-to-feel-like-yourself-again/ that we all take so me time to feel "normal" again. I was feeling great for about a week and now am tired again. Be sure to get 64 ounces of fluids, including Protein shakes. Your body needs fluids, Proteins and vitamins to heal. You need to heal to start feeling energy. It'll happen.

Every surgeon and dietician will likely have a different answer for you. My surgeon is ok with 2 cups of caffeinated coffee/day and has been since 2 weeks post-op. I have one or two cups in the morning, I add Benefiber to one cup so I have no guilt about it. I also drink 16 ounces of water with it. I will also have a decaf, sugar free mocha Americano in the afternoon many days but add a scoop of unflavored protein and call it a win. I use Splenda, I know there have been studies saying artificial sweeteners increase cravings for sugar, cause cancer, make the dog bark at the wind and are the reason for global warming. I'll risk it.

It is an NSV! Celebrate!! Went out to eat last night to a BBQ joint. I ordered the sliders appetizer, no buns. When the plate arrived with three "dollops" of meat I thought maybe I should have ordered a side too. Nope, half of it was left on my plate and I was full. Funny thing was when my friend apologized for eating her bun in front of me. It's the second time that has happened. Oddly enough I don't feel deprived like I have in the past so I hadn't even thought about it. Weird how these surgeries work on your brain just a little.

I started having a burning pain that turned into sensitivity around my belly button on monday. I knew I was seeing my surgeon on Wednesday for my three month follow-up appointment so I just waited until then. He thinks on of the sutures that anchors the mesh "popped". He asked the same question he has asked at every appointment, how much weight I lift at work. I told him once again that I'm a labor and delivery nurse and my patients weigh 150-300 pounds. In urgent situations I reposition them by myself and they often have epidurals that limit their ability to help. I also help hold their legs while they push their baby out for up to 3 or 4 hours. Epiduralized legs are not light. I don't understand why he seems to have a difficult time grasping the concept that my job is physically demanding. The first time I answered that question he tried dismissing my answer by stating that "babies don't weigh that much do they?" I told him that as a Labor Nurse I rarely hold a baby, I work with the moms. Anyway, after listing some of the things I do in a typical day he advised me to wear an abdominal binder at work. He told me at my six week appointment not to do sit ups or anything that would crunch my stomach in half but cleared me to start working with a personal trainer. I followed his instructions but was curious why I couldn't do a sit up if I was released to work where I'm bending, stooping etc.? I asked if I could continue my work outs, he kept saying that he doesn't think I need to lift weights and that I should just do cardio to lose weight. I explained to him that I do the weight lifting to tone-up and build strength, he seemed confused as to why I would want to do that but said it was ok to do. I asked if I could do planks, again...I'm engaging my core at work All. The. Time. His response was to "give it two months to heal". So I can work. I can work out. But I'm not supposed to use my abdominal muscles? Umm, ok. The biggest irritation is that this hernia never bothered me before surgery. I was aware that my stomach pooched out a bit but it never hurt and never gave me problems. Now there's constant pain, severity depends on position and if I have anything to eat or drink. I really really hope this isn't the start of long term complications. Anyone have similar hernia issues after repair?

Thanks lisacaron. The bariatric surgeon did my bypass and two hernia repairs, I was surprised when let me return to work without restrictions at six weeks. His nurse even verified it with him because I had complications, a bowel obstruction, that required a second surgery a week after the bypass, she wanted to be sure that he had remembered that. I trust that my personal trainer will be able to modify my workouts but I can't change what I do at work other than wearing the binder. It doesn't fit well and rolls up on itself so this should be a fun 8 weeks. Good luck to your husband. @cowgirljane, he used mesh to repair both hernias. Not all doctors use it. The only restrictions he gave me after 6 weeks was not to do "sit-ups or crunches"

@@foodfighter78, if I remember correctly, we had surgery the same week. You are looking amazing! Congratulations on your success!!!

It depends on where you wear your pants. I wear mine right at my belly button. My pants laid right across the incision there and the one holding the drain which was just to the side of my belly button. Elastic waist was fine, jeans were too uncomfortable for at least three weeks.

@@coloradosnyder, I chose Dr. Chae in Denver.

I had my first "normal life" experience since surgery this past weekend. It's been 11 weeks since RNY, I spent the first 6 at home recovering. I've spent all day every day timing eating and drinking to make sure I get in enough Protein and fluids. I haven't felt tempted to push the guidelines given to me. This past weekend my niece came to visit. We haven't seen each other in 18 months and she's never been to the great state of Colorado. I chose to go out to eat. We shared most meals. I had my first bites of white bread, the size of which what would equate to one of my past single bites. Over four days I had spinach artichoke dip, a tator tot, one and a half steak fries, three delicious bites of my favorite dessert, 1/2 cup of caramel popcorn and three small squares of dark chocolate. Kind of a confession. Definitely not looking for approval. I'm conflicted over how I feel. The ultimate goal I had envisioned for myself in maintenance was to be able to have all of those things in small doses. I am proud for being able to self limit, dumping or feelings of restriction did not stop me from eating that whole bowl of Sticky Toffee pudding...I did that. However, this early on, for a person that has not felt as much restriction as anticipated or gotten dumping as easily as others it may not have been a wise choice. I had 29 more small squares of dark chocolate left, silly me bought a whole bar of it. I had three squares again on monday night and last night I had five. Today I threw it in the dumpster. I realized I don't have this in the bag, that it is very much about making a series of decisions every day, all day. That I can not count on negative reinforcement to keep myself under control. The struggle is real and surgery is just a tool...even as early as 11 weeks out. It's scary to feel like I may have thrown in the towel and lost this battle for three bites of dessert. I know better, but today that is what it felt like when I woke up and remembered the chocolate in my refrigerator before my eyes were even all the way open. On a positive note, I have no desire to brave the trash compactor to retrieve the disposed of transgression. That's true growth right there!!

My very recent experience with "relaxing" for four days has robbed me of the ease I previously felt walking away from foods that hold no nutritional value. For 10 weeks I was able to look at sweets and think, "that looks good but I don't feel like I have to have it" and walking away. I know I'm a newbie in comparison but I really thought I was in better control already. I thought a few bites of dessert and breads over four days would be no big deal. It took me two days beyond those four days to realize I was craving and thinking about sweets for the first time since surgery. I personally wish I hadn't even gone there.

Could be from tape. I work in an OR and sometimes we have to tape "things" out of the way. It's a sensitive area and tape can be harsh.

I told my daughter, best friend and current co-workers immediately, I'm a self discloser about just about everything. I wasn't going to tell other family members but as I got closer to approval I decided to tell my sisters. my family and best friend live 1000 miles away. I asked them not to tell anyone else. When I had complications in the hospital I reached out to my work family back home for prayers and support. I had been afraid of unwanted advice and scrutiny from all of the people I hesitated to tell and have gotten nothing but support. Telling them all was the right choice for me. I wonder how many of us don't tell people out of fear of judgement only to learn we judge ourselves more than anyone else ever could?

Funny enough it was at exactly 11 weeks, which was 4 days ago. It was the first time I worked a 12+ hour shift and did not feel like falling over. The next day I woke up early to go to the gym and did not curse everything from the sound of my alarm to the doors to the gym. And it repeated today so I'm guessing it's for real.

@@Kasey I had to lol, I molest my collarbone all day long and they're not even quite yet visible just more prominent.

1 week before surgery and 11 weeks after...

Yes it is. Because so many had shared that they got full from "just two bites" I was so worried about being able to eat a whole egg or 1/3 cup of just about anything without feeling any fullness or restriction. I was certain I was going to be the freak of nature that the surgery wasn't going to work for. I talked to my dietician, surgeon and bariatric trainer and they all reassured me that eating that amount was normal. I started feeling more restriction and satiety around 9 weeks.

Lord have mercy, it'd take less words to tell you when I wasn't slobbish in the last 42 years. ;-D

When were you told you could start drinking fluids after eating? I was instructed by my dietician to wait 60 minutes, always and forever no matter what but recently started working out with a trainer that has a 10 year history of working with post-op bariatric patients who says sipping after 30 minutes is ok. Both are adamant in their beliefs. They are both very smart and I respect them. I can find information to support both camps. Intellectually I know I need to do what works for me, ultimately I want to do what is best for me. my Fluid needs have increased with working out so I'd love that extra 30 minutes to get more in but don't want to decrease my chances of long term success. It's effing frustrating.

One scoop of unflavored Isopure to an iced grande sugar free whatever you like Americano. I also add a dash of half and half but I doubt that makes it or breaks it as far as flavor. It's delicious.

Thanks @@debeade, the reasoning is understandable. I was curious what others have been told to do in regards to timing. I can't find any studies supporting 60 minutes versus 30 minutes.

The one month goal I was given was 10% of my pre-op weight. 309 x .10 = 31-ish pounds. The second 10% was of my one month weight, so another 28-ish pounds. I have read that RNY loss averages are 70% of your excess weight, this was supported by a large study published in JAMA http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=199587#RESULTS my dietician expects I'll lose 50% of my excess weight by six months and the other 20% by one year for a total of 70% by one year. I plan to make her at least right and ideally more than right!

Fear not my friends. I did not start feeling restriction until the end of week 8. I was told this was normal because of nerve involvement and swelling. But hearing so many others say, "I can barely tolerate a tablespoon of pudding...blah, blah, blah" had me wondering what kind of circus freak I was. There have been a few studies that show that pouch size does not correlate with success it is behavioral changes, or lack of, that make the difference. The best advice I was given early on was to measure all of my food with measuring cups not the scale, "Your pouch knows volume not weight. It's approximately the size of a hard boiled egg". Eat it slow enough that it takes you 15-30 minutes to finish it. And most importantly, a good new habit is to NOT eat until you are full. Just because you can eat more without any sensation of fullness doesn't mean you should. It was harder to make myself stop eating when the food was gone instead of until I felt full. I can still eat more than most everyone I know who has had the surgery which makes me feel like the freak in the room at support meetings. I was told at week 6 that I could eat up to 1/2-3/4 a cup at a time to feel satiation and that has worked and I'm right on track for weight loss. 50+ pounds in 8 weeks. Also the statistics my team gave me were 10% weight loss in the first month. Then 10% of that weight by the 3rd month. So @@SavorySweet, you are doing fantastic! Remember, a lot of us stall for about 10 days around week 3 so don't let that hurdle freak you out if it happens to you. I'm only weighing once a month but as of a week ago I had four weeks to lose 8.8 pounds to stay on goal.

Excellent!!! Congratulations!

Thank you for your responses. Looks just like everything else gastric bypass rules related...we all get instructed something a little different. If anyone runs across articles that state why we should wait 60 minutes after eating I'd be interested in reading them. Thanks again!