The Starving Mom

Any Bariatric friends in the beautiful state of Ohio? I am in North East Ohio (Ashtabula County) and my Surgery is Sept 21st I'm having Gastric Bypass Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

So I am having Gastric Bypass on the 21st... Yay 16 more days!!! So here is the big one- I have an appointment with my primary Dr on Saturday to go on birth control - I have been using natural family planning with success for 2 years now but I know that after surgery I will have a huge fertility boost and I dont want to risk a pregnancy... Soooo I know the pill is not a super great option due to absorption issues- but what birth control have you all tried? I was thinking of the depo prevara because I have had success in the past with it- but I also gained weight on it and I am worried about using a birth control that could be counter productive. Have any of you had any success with the depo? What birth controls would you recommend?

Wow, we're neighbors practically! I have been recovering pretty well, got my staples and stuff out yesterday and actually ended up having my gastric bypass on the 14th! Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

Yay! I am finally home from the hospital! Woot Woot! So here is the low down people: On Tuesday my surgeon decided that because he would be performing multiple surgeries and due to the complexity involved that he would like to move my surgery date up- So I had surgery the next day (a big deciding factor in this was that he would be going out of the country the day after my originally scheduled surgery and wanted to be on call to me while I was in the hospital should any complications arise). So we scrambled and moved stuff around and at 6am Wednesday morning I went in for surgery. Dr Rogula performed a RNY Gastric Bypass, A midline abdominal muscle resection, removal of previous hernia repair (completely- scar tissue, mesh, everything), and hernia repair. The open abdominal wound, mesh, and infection that has been causing me issues for months? He literally cut the whole damn thing out of me! My stay at UH Geauga was 5 very long days- I do have to say, I AM NOT A FAN of this surgery. Not because of the long hospital stay but the pain OMG there is sooooo much pain! I thought eh itd be like a c-sec/hernia surgery MAN I WAS WRONG!!! This surgery hurts super bad- I am not a fan. The nausea has not been too bad, I am tolerating liquids and Proteins well, I am healing beautifully, no issues with my staples or anything everything is going great- ALTHOUGH I did have to have 6 IV's while in the hospital- that is normal for me my veins are fickle bitches like me lol. All in All I am doing great, happy to be home, happy for liquid oxycodone, and happy for an awesome surgeon! But here I am wondering 3 things... 1. I think I am constipated but not sure how I can tell... 2. I don't feel my pain meds are adequate, I got sent home with the same thing any others bypass patient would have... but I have extra incisions/staples so is it OK for me to feel more pain and not be as fully relieved as other patients? 3. While I really want to poo because I am feeling backed up, I know it is hard for me to maneuver to wipe right now... anyone else have this issue or is that one just me? Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

I am doing good, because of the open bypass they put in two drainage tubes (which I get out Tuesday) and one got a tiny infection, but the pain is better and the diet not as hard as I thought it'd be Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

I officially just finished my absolute final meal until after surgery- Pre-op diet has officially started... I splurged on myself- I had a cheeseburger... I hadn't had one for a long while and I know it will be a very long time before I get one again.... So what was your guys' "final meal" before surgery?

So happy to hear you are doing well! They should be able to give you something for nausea, did you pass your leak test yet? Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

You got this girl! Just remember the pain subsides, it's worth it, and this is for you- you deserve it! Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

14 days, take niacin for the fiirst 4 and drink lots of cranberry juice.... Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

I went in for my final Pre-op appointment with my surgeon today... my surgery was just moved up, due to complications, moved a week up - to TOMORROW!!!! I AM FREAKING OUT... I have so much to do! Surgery is at 6am! Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

Quick update- zofran seemed to calm nausea, sipping on a dose of Tylenol to help headache now... Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

Any help? Did anyone get woken up after surgery because they were dizzy? I literally just woke up feeling nauseous because before I opened my eyes the room was spinning... I have a small headache, I am not dizzy anymore but I am very nauseous.... 6 days post op with gastric bypass... Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

Actually it was 5 days ago lol Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

Yay! I am finally home from the hospital! Woot Woot! So here is the low down people: On Tuesday my surgeon decided that because he would be performing multiple surgeries and due to the complexity involved that he would like to move my surgery date up- So I had surgery the next day (a big deciding factor in this was that he would be going out of the country the day after my originally scheduled surgery and wanted to be on call to me while I was in the hospital should any complications arise). So we scrambled and moved stuff around and at 6am Wednesday morning I went in for surgery. Dr Rogula performed a RNY Gastric Bypass, A midline abdominal muscle resection, removal of previous hernia repair (completely- scar tissue, mesh, everything), and hernia repair. The open abdominal wound, mesh, and infection that has been causing me issues for months? He literally cut the whole damn thing out of me! My stay at UH Geauga was 5 very long days- I do have to say, I AM NOT A FAN of this surgery. Not because of the long hospital stay but the pain OMG there is sooooo much pain! I thought eh itd be like a c-sec/hernia surgery MAN I WAS WRONG!!! This surgery hurts super bad- I am not a fan. The nausea has not been too bad, I am tolerating liquids and Proteins well, I am healing beautifully, no issues with my staples or anything everything is going great- ALTHOUGH I did have to have 6 IV's while in the hospital- that is normal for me my veins are fickle bitches like me lol. All in All I am doing great, happy to be home, happy for liquid oxycodone, and happy for an awesome surgeon! Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

That's where I'm at plus kid stuff to move around child care work stuff husband stuff lol I am scrambling right now trying to get it all done, while doing bowel prep ICK. Oh and I dunno what everyone else does for bowel prep but lucky me I have 2 more hours to finish this gallon of Go lytley... YUCK! Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

I started this whole process because in December I found out I had to get a midline abdominal muscle resection and complete abdominal wall repair- due to multiple(4) large (largest is 5") complicated reoccurring hernias... went to a surgeon and he said lose 40lbs we'll do the surgery... that was December 2015 and I weighed 285lbs.... I have been trying to lose weight for 9 months- diets, meds, exercise, gym, more diets, more meds- And I actually gained 15 lbs smdh...3 months ago (6 months into failure) I decided to go ahead and proceed with Gastric Bypass Surgery as everyone had been suggesting... Still never lost any weight but maintained at 300lbs since I made the decision for weightloss surgery 3 months ago (even with diet and exercise). Soooooooo..... I am on my 4th day of my 2 week pre-op diet. So I weighed myself, for the hell of it, and I am so mad, yet not mad, and yet find it funny too... Apparently thanks to this pre-op diet I have finally lost weight! I have been on pre-op diet for 4 days and I am down 7lbs! OMFG I cannot believe it! Wow I am Happy to see some weight loss but OMG am I mad because it seems I could have done this diet months ago and possibly gotten my abdominal wall repair done already! But also I am so freaking happy to see the scale fall finally. And find it funny that you know 10 days out from bariatric surgery I FINALLY am starting to lose weight AFTER 9 FREAKING MONTHS LOL.... But in the end I am happy to be below 300 and excited to continue to watch the scale fall.... 10 more days til surgery! I can't wait!

Yes FINALLY seeing the scale move in the downward direction was amazing and very motivating! How are you doing on this day 4? Only 10 more days to go! Luckily I have appointments Monday, Tuesday, Friday- have errands on Wednesday/Thursday, my oldest has Homecoming Game Friday, Homecoming Dance Saturday, and My Youngest's birthday party is Sunday! So I am sincerely hopeful that once Monday hits time will FLY by!

Hey hun today I officially start day for of pre-op liquid diet. It gets easier and yes at first you will be HUNGRY. To help I took ice and blended my Protein shakes with it (once or twice a day) it helped to make me feel more fool- even if it was just ice lol Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

21 DAYS UNTIL SURGERY WOOT WOOT! YAY ME! So I am starting a few habits early- I already got my water intake up to 124 ounces- made that a habit and have been at if for weeks already. But today I am starting the 30-30-30 rule- maybe if I spend the next couple of weeks doing it it will be easier after surgery... What other things did y'all start BEFORE surgery to help get you in the groove of things?

Thanks all! I thought I was being a weirdo by making a big deal out of my "last meal" I feel way better knowing I was not the only one lol

Hello I recognize you!! You are my blog friend (raisinghumaz) ... and surgery date partner x Sent from my iPod touch using the BariatricPal App Hey Woman! How went day 2 of liquids for you?

Aww that's awesome! I will be far enough post op by thanksgiving that I should be able to enjoy some turkey enjoy your thanksgiving in September Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

Cheeseburgers are my absolute favorite food lol... My hubby took me to a very expensive restaurant for our anniversary and to his dismay ended up spending $28 on a cheeseburger for me LOL...

I think we are going to continue natural family planning but add in condoms ... I wanted to do the depo but I am seriously concerned about it hindering my weight-loss Hope Your Day is Great, *Amber* The Starving Mom starvingmom.wordpress.com “I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” - Art Williams

I have 2 weeks of protein shakes starting Wednesday- I am super nervous! surgery is only 16 days away!