bwohlgemuth

Three weeks post surgery on my revision to a distal gastric bypass and my urine output keeps dropping. I drink 80-100oz of water a day, but am barely peeing like I did before. Scale hasn’t moved since the first week of surgery either. I’ve called the doc and they said since I’m not having problems breathing or swelling in my extremities, it’s just a stall. My pee is getting darker and it’s starting to get me worried.

I figured out that it looks like I'm going to be perpetually dehydrated. I was able to get myself rehydrated, but yesterday hit it hard on the elliptical for 30 min and this morning I'm back to being dehydrated.

I was having dehydration issues the week after surgery and I’ve now switched to straight water/ice instead of my flavored water I was using earlier. Seems to have helped a bit. I’m also having issues with my protein (separate issue) and slowed that while I get dehydrated. Thanks for the help everyone.

Frak, a banana would be frigging paradise right now ...Day five of pre-op all liquid diet. ....Someone throw me a Cheeto!

Only an hour, and he asked if I felt the need to come back, that I could. Nice guy here in Fort Wayne. Seeing as how I'm the 4th in my family to get this surgery done, i think I'm a bit prepared for what's going to happen...

Due to circumstances beyond my control, the doc started me on Optifast this week. I pushed until this morning (after having a really nasty gallbladder attack last night) and am trying to hold it together. No, the ribs in the fridge aren't calling my name but it is getting interesting around here (especially with all the damn Halloween candy). And no, meditation, walking, keeping busy isn't really helping. I'm craving meat, something substantial and of course, can't. Surgery is November 26th now (doc pushed it two days due to my gallbladder getting yanked at the same time). 25 days....

OK, the rib tips won. Had one, reheated. No bread or other carbs with it, trimmed off any fat and enjoyed the meat for a small amount of time. I'd say about 200 cal, but at least it's mostly Protein. :-) Went out and walked off those calories. Stomach is actually feeling better since I did that (remnants of last night's attack were still hanging around). Trying to eat my Honey Nut 'n Oat bar which is slight better than the stack of wood in my backyard.

November 24th here. I'm self pay, but I'm also having my gall bladder taken out at the same time. Fighting with my insurance company to have them pay for a part of the surgery...

Remember, the lapband doesn't PREVENT you from eating those things. It just prevents you from eating LOTS of those things. My mom still enjoys pizza and all the other things, just in much smaller doses.

Oh, my eating habits were hilarious. 1 2-liter of Pepsi per day 2x take out (Two EggMcMuffin sandwiches for Breakfast, then something like a #2 at Wendy's for lunch (small size, of course, I didn't want to be a pig!) dinner....sometimes at home, sometimes out. Always regular pop. Add on top of that the occasional ice cream, Cookies, and other crap and it ends up around 4,000 calories per day. Good thing, at 476 pounds I naturally burn around 3,500 per day. Today, it's pretty straightforward (pre surgery, post surgery it will be even less). Breakfast: One egg, with a touch of milk, one slice of real cheese, and two thin slices of ham on whole wheat toast (tastier & faster than McD's). Add one fruit. Lunch: Meat/protein/whatever plus more fruit. Snack: Occasional pretzels, but also more fruit. Dinner: 30 minutes before we eat, more fruit & Water. Then, Small portion of what the family is having. I'm am NOT a salad fan, so no fresh veggies in there (my nurse is freaking over that, but my mom can testify that I couldn't stand them since I was born.

Isn't losing privileges a BIG thing... I would wait to get the full details, but I would also start shopping around for a new surgeon.

Nicole, you need to do this for yourself. I bet the family is scared of the horror stories of bariatric surgery, like it was 15 years ago. As long as you follow your surgeons advice, do everything you can to lose weight before the surgery, and get moving NOW; your life will be immensely better for it. Good Luck! Brian

Greetings all. Newbie here, so here we go. 5'11"/460 and trying to get this damn thing done. I am trying to get the band implanted sometime during mid April. My doctor (who I just met today) tells me I have to lose 40 pounds before surgery. This won't be a big deal, but I have a timing constraint. This summer, my family and I are taking a cruise in early July. I want to be healed up and ready to go before we leave on the cruise. Looking at my book and from others, it looks like the "life back to normal" timeframe is about four to six weeks (when I say normal, I mean being able to lift kids/bags and run around after my kids like a normal dad and swim in the ocean). This means I have to have the surgery completed by mid-May. I can't wait until after the cruise because of a work blackout for timeoff. That lifts sometime in Sept/Oct depends on negotiations. This is also my first time under the knife and I have no idea how I'll heal (normally fast for small stuff...) I'm self-paying for the Op (insurance excludes coverage) and I don't want to spend six weeks of shakes/etc if there's no way I'm going to make the "forty pounds in six weeks" timeline. The doc also wants to now keep me overnight which almost doubles the price. I don't want to put this off, but I also don't want to throw cash at a pipe dream (especially since I know can live at 1200-1500 cal/day and have lost 17 pounds without really trying since my initial visit in January). I want to get this done (tomorrow if possible) but I also want to take a practical approach to it. Sorry if this question has been asked before. Also, do all doctors take the magic BMI spinning wheel as "word from God"? I had the head of our fitness department at the local university do a BMI check on my and it was around 42. According to the "magic wheel", it's around 65. Up until last year I was doing twice-weekly Tang Soo Do lessons and can run around like any normal dad. Thanks, Brian

Sorry guys, but I'm grinning ear to ear today. #1. Delayed surgery until August. Timing and six weeks of all liquid just turned my resolve into pudding (not the good kind of pudding, the kind your grandmother made in the old country and smelled like burnt bat). #2. Lost seven pounds. #3. Totally off caffeine!!!!! To Celebrate, I'm off to walk off dinner!

Had my psych eval yesterday. Besides the fact that I'm nuts, I passed easily. Just wanted to know if you fully understood the procedure, the changes that will be made to your life, and what support you have. They also will ask about your family history and such. Relax, just think of it as an hour of talking about you. :wink2:

Well boys and girls, it looks like I'm going to hold off until post-cruise (Late Summer/Fall 08). Talked to my mom's nurse today (super-nurse Tony) and he told me to get below 400 before I do the surgery. Best case, he says I'm going to lose 100-150 with the band. If my target is 290, his target would be 250. He made some great points about what I should expect and I ordered a book "The LapBand Solution Book" on his recommendation. I probably will change to have the procedure done in Chicago as opposed to out here in Fort Wayne, but we'll see what how things go over the next few weeks. Since the rush is now off, I can just continue doing what I have over the past two weeks and hopefully make some good progress.

Luckily, I have three people in my family who have had either RNY or Lapband, so family support isn't a problem. I'm not telling anyone else because I want the surprise from them. I also want to see who is suddenly going to become "more available" after I get thinner (as in friends, family, etc) who tend to avoid me because of my weight. And anyone who thinks that and bariatric surgery is a "easy fix", I'll just give them the old "yer #1" salute....

That's me right now. :biggrin2: But I know I won't be this way forever.

I @#*^#^ing hate that "magic wheel" BMI crap. According to the doc, I should weigh around 190. Back when I was in college, working every day and riding my bike seven miles a day, I was 290. I had a registered dietician do a real BMI calculation and it came in around 43. My lean body mass was around 240. Ideally I should weigh around 290. Now, I know I'll lose some muscle mass (in HS I would leg press 1200, today I can do 800-1k) by not carrying around a big load all the time. But I highly doubt my ideal weight is 190. If I get down to a 2x shirt and buy clothes at Target, I'm a happy guy.

I have been all over the place this week, and I haven't even started my liquid diet this week! Last night I wanted to just give up before we went out for pizza and everything. However, I did eat much less than I normally would (ate six small 2" square pieces instead of the entire damn thing). Had some pop as well (bad, bad). But this morning I went out and walked 1.2 miles and got my heart rate above 130 for most of it. I am really not looking forward to all liquids for five/six weeks. The doc wants me to lose 40 pounds, and I'm not sure if I want to try to squeeze this all in before my cut off date for the surgery or just try it my way and see what happens.

I would agree (and I'm not a lapband patient yet). Hold off on the fill, or get it as soon as possible. There are too many things that are easy to respond to at home, but impossible on a cruise ship out in the middle of the Atlantic. BTW, which cruise are you going on? We're going on the Carnival Glory July 5th.

The two weeks was from my mom and from the office as a "area of concern". She had her lapband last year and is within 20 pounds of her target weight. I'm talking to her nurse from the place she had her surgery done today. Maybe he can reset some of my expectations. I tend to prepare for the worst/work for the best, especially when it's something like this.

Actually, I'm not worried about the cruise and what I'll eat. I rarely eat a whole bunch in front of people. Strange, I know. My problem is functioning on six hours of sleep and eating during late night conference calls. I work from home, so I'm always near the fridge and stuff. Never went out to walk or anything. If anything, I will be glad to pick out what I need from the buffets and just spend time with my wife, kids, and friends. Plus, we're going to St. Maarten and I'm a die hard plane freak. Maho beach...here I come :-)

Yeah, April works out perfect. My fear is May, especially mid-May. By May 15th, that puts me at six weeks post-op for the cruise. By then I'm supposed to have my first fill, which means most likely all liquids for two weeks. Hauling around a week plus of protein shakes, plus the problem if the bag gets lost/whatever puts additional strain on the whole thing.

No chance on postponing the trip. Already paid for along with tickets and everything. Plus, we are meeting some good friends of mine on the trip and we're going to have four families on this cruise. I am NOT going to ruin everyone's trip because of this surgery. The first fill according to the office is 4-6 weeks after surgery. Going all liquid on the cruise is a major problem, especially if there are complications just after the fill. Last thing I want to do is be stuck on an island or being evac'd because of this thing. And before you ask, yes, I want to get this done. I would love to be 70 pounds lighter going on the boat.