BlueBongo

So as I was going through my process pre-surgery almost 3 years ago, I struggled and learned a lot through my own research and understanding. I made sure I was prepared for surgery and am pretty much on top of tracking food, water, vitamins, and calorie intake (meeting my macros every day). I had a good experience because I wanted to get the most from this bariatric process. However, it was a struggle and I feel like everyone struggles through this are very unique. I've known more than a handful of people that passed in the almost 3 years I've been going through this and I have really wanted to find a way to help other bariatric patients on an individual (and community) level. So I have been working in and on education in Nutrition. I am going to grad school currently and will be an RDN/Nutritionist once completed. My overall goal is to work with and for people going through the various processes of bariatric surgery as well as provide more in-depth long term support. SO, long story short, I need help narrowing my focus for an intervention with and for bariatric patients in my small forest town and I thought I would reach out here to see if anyone is willing to help! I am interested in knowing what people at any level of the bariatric process think may have helped them, had this help been available or accessible? Is there any program, care, or process that you feel would be or have been helpful on an individual level? And/or are there things you think could have been improved upon that were provided from the program, doctor, or insurance company that approved or provided your surgery? I want to help bariatric patients and provide substantial support and nutrition assistance. In reality I wish I could do this for everyone, but realistically I have to implement something smaller for my graduate project and I am just trying to collect information from other bariatric patients that will help me narrow my scope of focus to a more useful and specific intervention that will help me to meet my professional goal and genuinely help people at all stages of this weight loss journey. Any help or ideas would be great, but I do have to provide the disclaimer that I am not a doctor and do not want personal health information, I am only looking for insight into anything that might have helped from a provider in making the process easier as it is a struggle and I don't feel that there is enough medical, nutritional, or individualized support for bariatric patients on a long-term basis. Thank you!

I had arguments like that with my nutritionist post surgery, too. Just more fodder on my fire and whimsy to get into nutrition for bariatrics as a Registered Dietitian. Does your nutritionist specialize in working with bariatric patients? I know the first one I went to pre-op had placed me on a very very bad diet and so I found a better program and set of professionals to work with through my process almost 3 years ago. Given the amount of future medical issues that can arise post-op, I am interested in and currently work with people on a local level going through their own weight loss journey. There is so much to be taken into consideration on an individual level when going through nutritional counseling and putting together your macros, I managed to get a hold on it before surgery and haven't let myself slide from meeting my daily macros though I eat roughly 1300-1500 calories a day (and up that to over 2,000 when I am doing the longer hikes and trail runs a few days a week between grad classes). Definitely fluctuates depending on activity, but I enjoy getting in my trail runs most days and lengthier hikes, kayaking, or swimming, when I am not bogged down in school or medical work for school). It really is interesting learning what other's have found helpful and not helpful in their own experiences going through bariatric surgery. Thank you for sharing

Thank you both! I really appreciate that feedback. It is definitely quite interesting how we are so well prepped ahead of time to handle the beginning of the process and there just isn't much more to it, where we navigate and learn on our own. I'm thinking small for my graduate project, but I really hope to and look forward to helping patients with long-term care and support. Thank you again for your time and assistance! :) -Trisha

Until it is fedrally recognized and taken off the narcotics list, it will sadly remain taboo. Post surgery my anxiety increased dramatically and I don't like the massive head fog from anti-depressants or neurological meds. I havd found doses of thc and cbd that work well to control my anxieties. I know how to measure it out for infusion and use both in my daily cooking and liquids. I prefer ingesting them than smoking. Just have to find what works for you and learn how to properly use/dose it.

I didn't like how anti-depressants made me feel. It felt like being in a fog constantly when I was a flight attendant... it was so hard to focus on the job for sure. After two years of not taking anything, I started having trouble with anxiety and depression again.... but I didn't want to get on any other medications. So I spoke with my surgeon and decided to opt for more holistic methods of handling the stress and depression. I got my medical marijuana card and found what dosage works for me. I make my own cannabutter and honestly feel so much better since making my own edibles and finding what works for me. I am definitely not recommending this route for others, just know that this helped with my issues and it takes time to find what works for each person on an individual level.

It is hard to not want to look at the scale every day, buuuut you need to stop doing that to yourself! It is negative reinforcement and doesn't help the psyche either. Also the 1 pound weight gain could simply be due to increased water intake, I went through that a lot post-surgery two years ago. It was hard to not want to step on the scale every day and see what was happening. You should pick one or may two days out of the week and use those as the days to hop on the scale. By doing this you will be able to keep a healthy routine and not stress yourself out so much about what is or isn't happening. I wish you the best on your journey and keep up the great work, just keep active and take care of yourself and everything else will fall into place... just be as patient as you can

Oh my goodness this is one of the very questions I asked of my support group last week!!! I feel like we are all given this massive amount of education and help pre-op and then we are left to our own devices post-op. It was an interesting adventure to navigate post op, but I feel like there is SUCH a HUGE lack of long term support for all bariatric patients. Yes, we have out follow up appointments.. but what about emotional, educational, physical, and all of those changes we go through that have such a massive impact on our progress and growing into these more positive improved versions of ourselves on our journey. I was so disappointed by the lack of long term care I went back to school and am working on my Masters in Health Science (will be a registered dietician at the end of it all!). I work with the two local weight loss centers in my little forest town and have helped put together a great long term care program for patients that includes having access to nutrition, support of various types, and focuses on helping people grow in a positive direction post-op. It is so amazing to be able to help people that are at various stages of their journey and offer them support along the way, I feel like if we knew then what we have learned now and through these journeys we would all have made healthier choices hopefully not needing to go through all of this. BUT without this journey I would not be who I am and I would not be able to have such a positive impact on the world around me and helping others as they work through and navigate their own journeys.

Those are quite a few major changes in a short period of time. I went through a whirlwind of crazy life experiences both pre and post op! Everything from divorce, to getting pregnant, to miscarriage, to literally finding myself falling into a wicked depression... so battle that I just worked harder at getting back to myself and cut everything else that wasn't positively impacting my life out. Keeping only the positive relationships in my life and focusing on myself helped immensely. It is still early and you will go through so many changes where you will be up and down like a wacky roller coaster, but it is all worth it and you will be a newer and better version of you at the end of it all. Reaching those goals and staying on track. I found it helpful to turn to my friends when I started feeling down, we would then get together and go running or do another physical activity while I vented. Without that support, I dunno where I would be. Everyone's journey is truly unique, but I wish you the very best in your journey!

I've never taken NSAIDs, but definitely know it is a no-go post surgery. I started having trouble with pain and anxiety about 6 months ago and started using more natural methods for handling this. I started making my own cannabutter and found a dosage and strain of medical marijuana that works for me... I prefer edibles by far. But everyone has different things that work for them. I know that using this method has helped my pain and lowered my anxiety a lot.

Pre-surgery I never smoked and definitely stopped drinking... but post surgery, once I was where I needed to be I added in a glass of red wine here and there, but it definitely hit me a lot harder post surgery.. so it is very seldom that I do that. I was just shy of 2 years post op last December when my anxiety began to get so much worse and I was having panic attacks, I usually combat that by trail running...but even that wasn't helping. SO, I began exploring making my own cannabutter and from there used that and made healthy edibles (which I still make and use). I do smoke once in a while, but it is all for medicinal purposes. I definitely understand quitting all of that pre-surgery as it can help lead to ulcers and other post-op issues that nobody wants to deal with. I think everyone handles their anxiety, depression, and other stuff in their own ways. My goal is to not add to my plethora of vitamins and supplements I take daily, so it was important to explore more holistic options for handling my rising anxiety. I found a dosage that works for me and I have felt so much better in the past 6 months. I am working towards my MPH to be a registered dietician in my state so I can help bariatric patients long term, the lack of long term support and education kinda drives me nuts. So I am looking forward to working with the local weight loss clinics in my small forest town to set up a positive environment for patients to ask questions and get any help they may need,

So I'm about 2 years post-op, just turned 36, and I definitely concur with many people that you really want to get yourself centered, happy, and comfortable before getting out there. I moved to a forest town and adventure all the time (trail run daily and I wouldn't change it for the world!). I recently started dating after a couple of years focused on me and now being happy and centered in my own existence... it really can be a challenge. I have pretty high expectations and definitely only date people that will positively impact my life.... and it really has been amazing meeting awesome people. Sure there are those that are looking for something different than I am, but for the most part still good people. I'm still single, but have made some pretty amazing friends in this new and wonderful active and adventurous lifestyle of mine... still wouldn't change it for the world! You'll definitely have your pick and gotta find that person that can keep up with ya, when you're ready!

I was on vacation in Hawaii.. mid-trip felt a bit weird and took a test. Definitely put a spin on the rest of my trip! lol I have/had pseudotumor cerebri with papilledema, which is why I had RNY surgery in the first place. I was down a total of 120 pounds (with 30 more to go) when I got the big news that I didn't anticipate. So I immediately contacted and OBGYN and began figuring out what I needed to do for myself to make sure this would be a healthy pregnancy. I was glad to learn that many of the vitamins I was already taking post-op sort of mimic pre-natals, but I found a great liquid pre-natal and changed my vitamins around a bit. Went back to my nutritionist and am still figuring out my diet, but I log everything and make sure I meet my daily goals. So far everything looks good, baby has a healthy heartbeat at 6 weeks. The doctor said if I follow what I've been doing I will only likely gain 15 pounds or so... hopefully. Just wondering what anyone else's experience with this might be? I've read lots of posts about finding out about being pregnant, but not too much on the journey or how things wound up afterwards for post-bariatric patients. Bad enough my family is scarring me for life thinking about how most babies in my family were no less than 10 pounds at birth..... gotta love family!

I take a liquid one that I got from sprouts, it doesn't taste uber pleasant but I prefer that to the pills for sure. However, many of the regular Vitamins we have to take post-op mimic some of what is in prenatals, so I know for me it was only minor changes to my daily Vitamin routine. Though I had to stop taking the two prescriptions I was on. I prefer to take the liquid forms of the meds too as you can always mix them in with your food or drinks. I think it is just whatever your personal preference is.

My OBGYN hasn't had many patients with gastric bypass, and I asked about that fizzy drink for that test. I am supposed to do that next week, but I think I will pass on that test.... that was my first question, "Is that drink carbonated?"... lol. I'm just over 8 months post-op and found out I was 6 weeks pregnant. So far, so good. Minus the fact I am considered high risk for both my age and being post-op.

Well, I am only just over 8 months post-op and found out I was 6 weeks pregnant. I will also be 35 next month... both of which make me sort of high risk. BUT a lot of the daily Vitamins we already take sort of mimic what is in a prenatal Vitamin, so there were only minor changes to that. So I lost 120 pounds (30 away from goal) and have to put that on hold. However my OBGYN says everything looks good, baby has a very strong heart beat and I've been taking really good care of myself... still losing weight a bit, even with eating a few extra small meals per day, getting in lots of Protein, and liquids. I have/had pseudotumor cerebri with papilledema and it was birth control over many many years that got me to the point I was at where I was having lumbar punctures bi-weekly and needing surgery in the first place. Luckily everything has gone pretty well with recovery, except the unanticipated pregnancy.... but even that won't be so bad as all is well, so far. I am pretty nazi like about food intake, as well. I log everything and make sure I balance my diet that I set with my nutritionist. I've been doing pretty well so far, minus feeling like I constantly need a nap. lol.

I am about 8 months out myself and find I get tired pretty easily. I eat well, balance my diet, meet all of my nutritional and liquid goals daily AND take all of my meds. I also have regular blood tests done and everything comes out normal. it's weird and my doctor can't totally figure it out either.

I had to get my RNY surgery because of Psuedotumor cerebri (intercranial hypertension)... I've been on topomax for years, I was taking 50mg per day pre-op. I'm 7 months out and have lost 105 lbs since surgery, I cut it down to 25 mg per day 2 months after my surgery. My problems with topomax are with how it makes me feel in the heat since I work outside all day and have a VERY physical job. I am hoping my doctors will let me get off of it completely by October because I'm tired of the cloudy, groggy, and weird feelings I get from it when I am at work trying to focus.

So I'm not so great about sharing my journey or talking about myself. I am always the advice giver, caretaker, and listener... so you'll have to bare with me through out my long winded discussion of my massive lifestyle changes. I've yo-yo'ed with weight since I was about 18. Between stress, depression, anxiety, and life... I managed to pack on 330 pounds at my heaviest (as seen in my largest photo!). In 2012 I was diagnosed with Pseudotumor cerebri (Intercranial hypertenstion) which also caused Papilledema. What is Pesudotumor cerebri and papilledema, you ask? (Well, I'm gonna tell you even if you don't want to know.. mwahaha!) Pseudotumor cerebri is a condition common in women of child bearing age (and women with a long history of birth control as was in my situation) that causes the body to create excess spinal Fluid. Why is extra spinal fluid in the head so bad, you might ask? Well, your sinuses, eyes, brain, and skull are already full.. in fact, your head is already full of spinal fluid. Adding MORE pushes everything in your head together causing horrible pressure and forcing it out of your skull in the most painful way possible.... here is where the patient would get regular SPINAL TAPS AND/OR A SHUNT TO RELIEVE THE EXCESS PRESSURE! There is no real cure for this and being overweight makes it worse as your body compensates by creating even MORE fluid due to the excess weight. Papilledema is the pressure that the excess spinal fluid from this condition puts on the eyes causing blindness and other serious eye injuries. Fast forward to 2015... I broke my foot at work and was rather sedentary for a few months, gaining about 30 lbs. This set on my pseudotumor and issues with papilledema. I was back up to about 320 and miserable... OH SO VERY MISERABLE. This condition just about caused my death twice in 2015 and my doctors told me I needed to lose a massive amount of weight quickly. The neurological medications I was on to treat this sort of negated losing more than a pound or two per week, and that wasn't enough weight loss to help the condition and pain. So I began changing my entire diet, went to counseling, and also decided to pursue RNY Gastric Bypass after a great deal of research, classes, and educational information about various options and long term benefits/downfalls of doing such drastic procedures. On January 27th, 2016 I went in to St. Luke's in Phoenix with my amazing and steady surgeon, Dr. Rob Schuster and was up walking to dull the pain as soon as the anesthesia wore off that day. My recovery was really best case scenario all around because I binge watched "My 600 lb Life" before going in and didn't want to be miserable while in the hospital for a few days and also wanted to kick my butt in gear to get on with this second chance at life. It was a massive lifestyle change. To anyone that thinks or feels surgical weight loss is an "easy way out" or in general isn't difficult has no idea the months and months of work people must go through, the hoops insurance puts you through, plus the amount of will power and motivation someone must have through good and bad to ensure they stay on top of all of it both before, during, and after surgery. You are forced to change your entire lifestyle, you change your relationship with food permanently, and learn to make far healthier and wiser choices as you can literally only put 4 oz of anything in you at any time and it MUST be seen as fuel or your honestly doing it wrong and hurting yourself in the process. I've dropped close to 90 lbs so far with another 50-60 to go to reach my goal. I feel better now than I have since I was 18. I am so much happier, healthier, and in general just more motivated to take on life. My life in the past two months has literally crashed into perfection. I can't think of a better way to sum it all up. My goals in life are to live simply, be happy, love honestly, and just be myself. I'm extremely blessed and grateful for how my life has crashed into perfection recently and wouldn't change it for the world, even with the nuances and odd things life may bring my way. I'm all smiles these days!

The weight did affect it when I was heaviest, losing the weight was the closet thing to a "cure" I will get. Mainly the extra weight caused my body to work in overtime creating even more excess spinal Fluid, causing even more excess pressure. I work for an airline, fly a lot and scuba dive a lot....I've not been able to do those two things in three years because my head would literally explode due to excess pressure from the extra spinal fluid on my skull and the added pressure from the atmospheric changes. I've had no issues with this condition since my surgery. In fact, my papilledema swelling in my eyes from the pseudotumor haso been reduced by 85 percent in the 5 months since my surgery and I will be completely off the neurological medications in the next few months!

Had any one else had issues with heat and added stress to the body due to higher temperatures? I knew this summer was going to be a challenge working on the tarmac that's 140+ degrees and am outside temperature upwards of 120+. I drink a ton of liquids....literally feels like a ton. I am outside at the airport most of my shift.... it finally happened that I passed out yesterday from severe heat exhaustion I am gonna try drinking more coconut Water and definitely getting more electrolytes, as that's where my biggest issue has been in not replenishing those...some I only drink water. I was just curious if anyone else had adverse reactions to the higher temps as well and what you may have done to combat it? I've got a few more months of this junk... ugh. Lol. Thanks!

Yeah, I do take breaks.. but it is still just crazy hot outside. I knew it was going to be a challenge. What I have been doing is keeping a small ice chest with fruit with me at my gate while working my flights and that has seemed to help wonders, as well as drinking a bit more stuff with electrolytes and getting a little more salt in as well. Hoping I can be down to my goal by the end of summer or close to. I know I am only 4 months out, but I've been making decent progress and plan on keeping it up.. even with the crazy heat and the 150 degree temps on the tarmac at the airport, lol. On the plus side that only lasts for another couple months before the temperatures break with our weird monsoon season! Thank you all for for your help!