Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Little Green

Gastric Bypass Patients
  • Content Count

    457
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Little Green

  1. Little Green

    First appointment scheduled

    In my experience, no, they will not accept it. Generally it has to be done "in house" with the surgeon's bariatric program. I hope they do, though! That would be fabulous. And good on you for taking initiative to establish healthy habits! The lower your weight at surgery, the safer and more effective it will be, so even if you have to do another 3 months you've still done yourself a great favor.
  2. Little Green

    s

    This was a post about switching surgeons at the last minute. They had gone through everything and were waiting on insurance approval, but they found another hospital a few hours away with more surgeries per year and fewer complications and wanted advice on if they should switch and how to do it. Not sure why that merited a delete! *shrug*
  3. Little Green

    Thinking of joining WW ?

    Yes. Honestly I don't really like TOPS itself at all anymore (regardless of surgery) but I still go because some of the members have become friends and I feel like I need to keep the pseudoscience in check. We do a "program" each week but anyone can bring in any content. The # of random Dr. Oz and Women's World crappy fad diet articles that people bring in drives me nuts. I was the leader of our group for awhile and tried to influence the program types but then my husband's accident happen and I had to step down so nothing ever really stuck. So now I just try to pipe up a lot and offer sound nutrition advice prefaced with, "My registered dietitian told me blah blah... HINT HINT" LOL.
  4. Little Green

    Sleeve vs RNY

    I don't think anyone needs to get defensive over their decision. I just think there are pros to RNY that I rarely see discussed on this site because a vast majority are sleeve patients who were fearful of the RNY or felt it was too extreme or invasive. If they felt that way, it's fine, but the truth is it's a very safe surgery that's performed without complications every single day and it's a great option for a lot of bariatric patients. Not trying to flame any drama, but someone posted a thread the other day saying their doctor recommended WLS and they had no idea where to start, so they wanted information. Within just a few posts that person was saying that it sounded like "the sleeve is the better option" and she was going to go with that one. I don't mind if she gets VSG - heck, like I said, if I woke up with a VSG instead of RNY I'd be pleased as punch. But I would hate for someone to make a decision about surgery without evaluating all of the evidence simply because of fear.
  5. Little Green

    Sleeve vs RNY

    Even though I am choosing RNY, the bolded is exactly what my surgeon and RD have said. In my consult I expressed concerns about ever being able to get to BMI 25 and said I'd settle for BMI 29. My surgeon dismissed that completely and said with my age and health there is no reason I can't get to BMI 25 if I want to. The numbers are just that, numbers. Statistics, averages, etc. They are of course very useful for educational purposes and I'm definitely an evidence-driven person, but body chemistry, hormones, environment, stress, etc. all play a role in our results and the stats don't factor that in. And... never forget that statistics proves the average human has one t*sticle! (Ok, I stole that from a Facebook post I saw!) Nowadays the recommendations are usually based on which surgery matches the health profile of the patient better; if none of these specific "go left" or "go right" conditions is present, it's for the patient to decide which surgery they feel most comfortable with - based on any of the factors we're discussing in this thread. Which, incidentally, is the info OP asked for! So how are we doing, OP?! Clear as mud, eh?
  6. Little Green

    Stressed!

    I learned to paint my nails really well and do nail art. I'm still pre-op but I wanted something that wasn't "go shopping" or "go get a pedicure" because my life is too stressful to be able to afford that stuff all the time LOL. So painting nails is something cheap... and you can't eat during obviously, and you also can't eat after because either your nails are still wet or they reek of nail polish/acetone. Very effective lol. I am a "peeler" so I now do my nails 2-3x a week to prevent myself from peeling them.
  7. Little Green

    Thinking of joining WW ?

    I'm a current member of TOPS. I would caution bariatric patients about it... not that you can't, or even shouldn't, join, but just be cautious about it. Based on my 4 years of experience with TOPS they have an extremely negative view of bariatric surgery with members considering it "cheating" and looking down on it. You are not eligible for any royalty awards which is a clear indicator they do not consider WLS-assisted weight loss as an achievement to be celebrated equally. All members who get bariatric surgery are placed into one single division no matter their starting weight. So you could have a 220-lb woman in the same division as a 500-lb man - there is no way that lower weight people could have a fair shot at winning their division, as they go by pounds lost, not percent! However, even if you don't care about the awards at all, you also cannot be Best Loser in your weekly group. So, no matter how well you do, you will not be recognized in the TOPS traditions. Also, imagine sitting at a table with your former self (or 5-6 of your former selves, or 20-25, or however big your group is) and how frustrated and hopeless you felt back then because you kept losing and regaining the same 20 lbs. Do you think anyone is going to listen to what you have to say, about nutrition, or willpower, or suggestions for managing cravings, etc.? No. As soon as you pipe up, their ears will close because in their mind, you cheated by getting surgery. I really don't think that is a positive or helpful environment for a bariatric patient to be in and that's why I'm not staying. Dang, this is by far the most negative post I have ever written on this site! LOL! I'm so sorry! I guess I needed to rant because I'm feeling frustrated that I "have" to leave my group. I just know once I told them about surgery that all of the "support" I get from the group would go away. Every time WLS comes up the conversation is so negative and smug. Even though there are people in my group who joined in the 90's and are 50 or 100 lbs heavier than they were when they joined, so you'd think they'd be open-minded since their way clearly doesn't work. I don't know. Maybe it's just my group and another TOPS group would be great. But I'm not so sure and I don't want to risk the negativity.
  8. Little Green

    Sleeve vs RNY

    Thanks for clarifying @OutsideMatchInside. I appreciate that. I personally have not heard or read of any incidents of intestinal failure due to RNY, but I am sure there are complications of all stripes out there. Thanks for bringing that one to light for this conversation!
  9. OP said he absolutely loves to cook & based on his subsequent comments it seems like he's already pretty good at it. I do agree (in general, not directed at OP) that finding new, interesting ways to cook healthy foods instead of the traditional "grilled chicken with steamed broccoli" is a good way to learn to enjoy healthy food. Definitely something that's VERY high on my priority list.
  10. Little Green

    Sleeve vs RNY

    Disclaimer: I would never question anybody having whichever surgery they prefer! I'm so glad you had VSG & you are one of my favorite members to follow due to your success. Can you elaborate on your comment about intestines? It's my understanding they do not remove or otherwise alter your intestines, beyond connecting them in a different manner to the new pouch. I do completely understand that VSG leaves the intestines totally intact and that was your concern, but I'm confused as to how someone would be "living without intestines" due to RNY.
  11. Had my 3rd diet visit today (which is a restart in the process since I missed 2 appts) and it went very well. I lost 10.58 pounds (4.8 kg) since my last visit of April 28, about 10 weeks ago. They were very proud and encouraging. I talked a long time with the NP (bless her patience!) about some of my fears and anxieties about getting surgery and besides giving me lots of good info she reminded me that since I still have five visits to go before we can submit for approval, I have plenty of time to make decisions.

    I am enjoying the new protein-focused diet which I find easy to stick to at the moment, and I am swimming every day which is also helping! Between the nutrition changes, therapy, and sleeping a bit better I am feeling pretty positive about my chances for success.

    It looks like December is totally out for surgery since my final visit with the surgeon is 12/15 and the NP said it's 3-4 weeks for approval usually. So looking at the middle or end of January at the earliest. That will change some of my plans for school, but thankfully I planned ahead and I already have all the classes I need to transfer in the fall, so I can just take online or half-semester courses to allow for some downtime in Jan & Feb. I do need to be enrolled in at least 6 credits to keep some of my merit-related things in place, but I think I'll find something that works.

    So once I get approved, they schedule a pre-op visit with anesthesia to get cleared for surgery and I will attend a class that gives all the nitty gritty about post-op care and diet. That will also be the start of the 2-week liquid diet which will continue for 2 weeks after surgery (or 3 weeks if I change to the VSG). I'm really looking forward to getting to this stage! I'm at 362.75 pounds at the moment and between the liquid diet and my pre-op diet changes, I would love to hit the operating table at 299. Can I do it in six months?????? :D

    Sorry for the rambling update! Hope everyone has a great weekend, and stay cool out there!!!!

    1. Meryline

      Meryline

      Sounds like you have an awesome plan and determination. You can do this! Good luck.

    2. MSinger

      MSinger

      Having the surgery in January might be a blessing in disguise. My only regret with having my surgery when I did (end of May), is that I'm spending my summer recovering. It's hard to exercise outside in the heat. Plus, you'll be very well healed and on your weight loss journey by next summer.

    3. MSinger

      MSinger

      Congrats on the loss too!

    4. Show next comments  48 more
  12. Little Green

    Sleeve vs RNY

    You're so welcome. Yeah, it would make your life super easy if your surgeon says, "Oh I think [X] would be best for you." Mine left it up to me and I'm like... uhhh..... LOL! Good luck!
  13. Little Green

    Sleeve vs RNY

    I'm about 85% sure I'm going with RNY. My main reasons are 1. that my BMI is over 50, and while many surgeons still do VSG for patients like me (and my surgeon was willing to do it), my current understanding is that in terms of the literature RNY is preferred for us super-obese folks; and 2. due to my life circumstances I need to lose weight very quickly - RNY has a significant edge over VSG in terms of % weight lost at the 1-year mark. VSG mostly catches up by 2 years, though, so many, many people are also very successful even though it might be a bit slower. Some lesser reasons, in no particular order... there is way more data on RNY particularly about complications and long-term success, just a result of it being around longer. With VSG you have about 1/3 risk of developing acid reflux or GERD. Also, you generally lose about 15-20 pounds less on average with VSG. (I want to emphasize it's an average. I believe the numbers I saw at 2 years were RNY 70-77% excess weight loss and VSG 68-70%. So even using averages, 70% is in range for both surgeries.) I have seen many posts of people getting revisions from VSG to RNY and as anesthesia is one of my greatest fears I have no interest in going under the knife again. A majority of people on this forum are sleeve patients so there is a lot of good info out there, and IMO it's a fabulous surgery. If I woke up after surgery and my surgeon said she had to do VSG instead of RNY for x or y reason I would not be unhappy at all. But there are definite pros to RNY as well, which I've noticed are sometimes not discussed. So there ya go
  14. I don't think you got an answer to this. I found my therapist by searching for one that specializes in eating disorders. Although you may not (probably don't) have an actual diagnosable eating disorder, those types of therapists generally have a good understanding of what goes on in our minds when we're struggling with our eating habits so they can really help. They probably have helped many bariatric patients! You can call your insurance company and they can actually look up in-network therapists with this specialty for you. I'm pre-op so with my therapist I'm working on things like mindful eating, emotions about eating, strategies for learning to adapt to nutritious foods instead of "tasty" (what I think of as tasty right now, anyway) processed foods, etc. I'm trying to do this before surgery so I'm prepared, but even after surgery you should get a lot of benefit from it! I've watched a lot of Dr. Weiner's videos, particularly the ones about weight regain after surgery (my second biggest fear - the first being not waking up from the surgery!), and they have convinced me that I need to totally change my diet instead of relying on the restriction for portion control to induce weight loss, because the appetite eventually comes back for 100% of patients. Even so, I personally still think that I'll occasionally eat things like Wendy's chili or a salad from a fast food place. Are leafy greens with red cabbage, tomato, and carrot magically not "whole" foods just because they're from Chick-Fil-A?
  15. Little Green

    Need Encouragement! -pre op diet

    Milk seems like a good option for a liquid diet - calcium and protein, plus some natural lactose sugar for energy. I never thought about that before. Now that I do think about it, though, I think I saw a sample meal plan for WLS once that included an 8 oz glass of milk as a "snack."
  16. Little Green

    Berry Good!

    Great idea about putting the puree in yogurt! Yum
  17. I keep thinking the same thing but I will probably be too curious. Gah!
  18. Little Green

    Starbucks Anyone?

    Pre-op so I can't give too much advice, but I do know the frappucinos would definitely not be considered carbonated, any more than a regular smoothie you make at home. They just use a blender at Starbucks to make those.
  19. Little Green

    Acid Reflux

    My surgeon told me 1/3 of VSG patients will develop issues with acid reflux after surgery. Whether that is full-on GERD, I don't know (although I doubt it). So, you have a 2/3 chance of not having any issues at all. I agree with @OutsideMatchInside, the people who are going to be searching on the internet for help are the ones who have complications. Sort of like vomiting or dumping after RNY - it seems like everyone has that issue but the stats my surgeon gave me disprove that. Many meds have side effects... Tylenol and liver, Advil and heart, etc. But truthfully, being obese is going to reduce your life expectancy far more than taking a PPI long-term. (And that's assuming that stat is true, which sounds a little sensational to me.) So, choose the surgery that you think will be successful, and the one you can live with forever!
  20. Found out the hard way that for all insurance companies your appointments must be in consecutive months, or else you have to start over from month 1. Um, whoops! I have a specific timeframe for my surgery because I am a student. So, I knew when I started my diet visits in March that I did not want to have surgery right at the end of them (August) as I wanted to wait until the semester was over. So I'm looking at December or early January. The surgeon's office said I could just do my appointments and then get approved, but not schedule the surgery until the time I needed. Great! Unfortunately the last two months I had to reschedule my appointments several times and after multiple scheduling issues I ended up canceling both of them. (Causes were my husband's surgery and unexpectedly painful recovery, my own extreme sickness with double ear infection and bronchitis, plus separate health crises of two family members which necessitated travel.) I would have tried much harder to just make the appointments work as best I could had I known that I would have to start all over! It's not a huge deal for me as this puts my last diet visit in December which is right on schedule, but I would hate for it to affect anyone else. SO - do NOT miss appointments! -Annie
  21. I'm glad you said that! The voicemail my coordinator left me said "all insurance plans across the board" -- maybe he just meant the ones they are in-network for, not sure. Definitely good advice about following the individual policy to the letter!
  22. Met with my therapist today and we discussed sleep. Less than six hours sleep affects hormone production and can cause heart attack or stroke. I haven't slept more than 6 hours regularly for years. One solution might be for my husband and I to sleep separately, which I am fine with but my husband is extremely upset by. Have had issues with sleep for over 15 years, so I'm willing to try just about anything.

    1. Newme17

      Newme17

      Both. All the lights are out, but I might be on my phone reading, playing Words with Friends, or catching up on a show. I'm usually pretty relaxed and ready for sleep once it's 10 or 11.

      I'm so thankful my husband isn't a constant snorer. If he is, then I don't know, cause I sleep pretty heavy most nights anyway. You could always wear ear plugs to bed. :) My mom always has a pair of them ready at bedtime...my dad is the world's LOUDEST snorer. I have heard him across the house on occasion. lol

    2. Little Green

      Little Green

      Apple, I definitely have the same feeling of "adjustment" when I change my sleep schedule. When I increase my sleep I find it harder to wake up and I feel sleepier during the day - it's VERY frustrating. I'm glad you've had success with changing your sleep habits! We did try the strips a few years ago but they don't work. This is a very light snore, almost a loud breath sound. I wish my ears weren't so sensitive to it :(

      Newme, I actually can do pretty well if I listen to a white noise app with my headphones on, but unfortunately leaving those in all night causes my ears to be very sore. It would probably be the same with ear plugs. Right now I'm going to stay in our bed but focus on exercising during the day, trying the meditate-to-sleep thing, and getting back on melatonin regularly. Hopefully those things will make me sleep harder!

    3. Newme17

      Newme17

      Hope it all works out for you, finding your adjustments. Happy sleeping hon!

    4. Show next comments  48 more
  23. Little Green

    Dehydration!

    Oh no! I hope you are feeling better soon. Did you have any signs or symptoms of dehydration, or was it just your doctor telling you that alerted you to it?
  24. Nice job! I'm having a breakthrough with the diet, too. I think focusing on protein instead of worrying about calories has really made the difference (and the calories always end up lower anyway!). Eating out is our huge struggle as well. My solution lately is when I do eat out I prioritize finding a meal item with a good balance of protein to fat. So, like, not a double cheeseburger because although it has a lot of protein it has way more fat. But a grilled chicken sandwich with cheese and honey mustard at Wendy's is 40 grams of protein and very tasty! Then I get chili instead of fries. Total calories 540, 49 protein, 12 fat. I don't feel like it's depriving or "dieting" but the macros are great. Also at McDonald's since they have breakfast all day I get the egg mcmuffin with apple slices and go-gurt. Keep up the great work! How much longer do you have of the supervised diet?
  25. Little Green

    Breads Products!

    Sorry, didn't mean to direct my comment at you! I was referring to those who insist keto is the best way to eat (not just for them personally but in general). You just literally can't eat fruit or beans on keto, you don't have enough carbs in the day. So those become "bad" foods on that diet. I personally think that's crazy! But I do know keto works for many people, so to each his own I guess! I'm going to do exactly what my surgeon tells me for at least a year. After that if I want to experiment with different ratios of carbs or fat, I'll do it. But I figure I've been knowledgeable and well-versed in nutrition for years and I'm still extremely obese, so I'm gonna go with what the person who's rearranging my organs wants me to do, LOL!

PatchAid Vitamin Patches

×