RapidFirePickle

So, after my surgery (when I had already lost more than 50 pounds) and my husband had been complaining about how his weight was "stuck" (having trouble sticking to a healthy diet), we happened to stop in and visit some neighbors. They asked my husband if he had lost weight because he looked slimmer, but not a single word for the lady who actually DID lose weight, and a significant amount! Sheesh! I must be wearing a cloaking device!

I have a busy on-my-feet job. I went back after three weeks but had lifting restrictions for one more week.

It would come and go, so just be gentle and do very slow stretches and lots of walking (easy walking unless you are already really fit). Try to keep good posture, standing up as straight as you can without making it too uncomfortable. Hunching will just make it take longer to feel better. Tylenol (acetaminophen) is the only over-the-counter pain relief that is safe post-op, so you can try it. Heating pad may help.

As for acidic, coffee is about a pH of 5, stomach acid is pH 3-4, so it’s not more acidic, but during healing when you are taking proton pump inhibitors to reduce acid production, it may aggravate the stomach.

There are three reasons why they say decaf. One - caffeine hits your system quicker now so you may experience rapid heart rates. Two - caffeine is a stimulant, including a bowel stimulant. You may have to go more urgently. Three - caffeine strips calcium out of your system and can lead to brittle bones, so make sure you are getting lots of calcium if you go caffeinated. You should be able to go to caffeine eventually, just be gentle.

I had tugging pain and cramping in my abdomen near the incisions but inside. Your insides have been rearranged a bit and things are tender and hanging differently. I would be fine and then it would pull. It went away 3-6 weeks post-surgery.

*highest to none (dang mobile)

(That was biggest to none during that time)

I was on two oral meds, an injectable, and insulin. I was told to stop both orals and the insulin post-op, and I stepped off the injectable within six weeks (dropped from highest to nine during that time. Before surgery I had an A1c of 8.3, now it’s 5.5 with no meds.

It's such a liberating and unreal feeling, isn't it? I have been in the "regular" clothing section for a while, but it took a couple of months of my husband steering me there before it sank in that I no longer needed plus sized clothing. Congratulations on your hard work and this amazing victory!

Factor V (5) Leiden is a genetic clotting disorder that can go undetected until it smacks you down with PE (pulmonary embolisms - clots in the lungs). My mother-in-law has Factor V Leiden and found out when she developed PEs like you. One of her kids has the gene, one does not. If it turns out you have Factor V Leiden and you have kids, they will want to be tested for the gene as young adults or at least before taking birth control pills. May you recover quickly, and I'm sorry you had to experience this!

I was very sore for the first few days, but having lived with chronic pain I made myself get moving. Within a few days most of the pain was gone, but it took a week or so to really become minimal. I also have not ever had good luck with pain killers, so I only took them when it got really bad, and after Day 3 or 4 I no longer needed any. Pain is very much an individual experience, which is why they recommend YOU decide how long it will take you to get back to full activity but they won't let you just lay there either. Heal at your pace - you have to be strong and humble; strong enough to push your limits, humble enough to know when to ease up on yourself.

I'm 5 months out and as long as the meat isn't too dry I can swallow/digest just fine. Too greasy/fatty makes me very sick. I have eaten nuts and seeds, crunchy vegetables and fruit (apple), and other "tough" foods. I've been very fortunate that I've only had four or five episodes of unhappy pouch, and those were trial and error and not blatant rule-breaking. I have never had a band, but gastric bypass has been relatively smooth and uneventful for me. Good luck and best wishes on your journey.

For me it was less about the amount of weight I had to lose, and more about the reversal/remission of my diabetes. RNY gastric bypass is more efficient at diabetes reversal than the sleeve. I am happy to say that 4.5 months later I am pretty dang happy with the choice.

It was actually my doctor who suggested the surgery in the first place, based on my health conditions. I had no trouble getting a referral, though I didn't really need one.

When my son had spinal surgery, his incision drained a LOT. Doc said it was because the stitches under the skin were supposed to dissolve, but sometimes the body tries to "spit them out", hence the massive drainage.

Milk doesn't irritate my stomach, but it does produce some noxious gas. Macadamia nut milk is also an alternative if you want something other than almond milk. Also there is something called A2 milk that comes from certain breeds of cows and has a different protein content than most milk, but it won't help if you are lactose intolerant. I hope this helps.

I was able to do soft lettuce (baby greens) at one month post-op; most vegetables at 3 months post-op.

I had no lovenox once I left the hospital and no body odor issues.

I am sorry to hear that you have gone through such a difficult time, but I am pleased you were able to get approval to reverse the surgery so you can be well. This is NOT supposed to be a torture device, but a tool for health, and when it goes wrong, it is time to make it right. Swift healing and good health to you on the other side.

Before surgery I was on 80 Units Lantus, 300 mg Invokana, 1.8 mg Victoza, and 2000 mg Metformin and I had a Hemoglobin A1c of 8.3%. I was also on 200 mg of Metoprolol succinate, 0.1mg Clonidine, and 10 mg of chlorthalidone for hypertension. I stopped all diabetes medications the night before surgery except the Victoza. I also went off the Chlorthalidone and the Metoprolol the night before surgery. I was able to stop the last blood pressure medication within a month post-surgery. I also reduced my Victoza to 0.6 mg (still have small Dawn effect) and at 4 months post-op my Hemoglobin A1c was 5.6. All I can offer for advice is to monitor you sugars and blood pressure, and work with your doctor(s) to reduce the amount of medication as your numbers improve. Good luck to you!

Smartcakes - monkfruit and sugar alcohols for sweetener, and they are 38 calories each (76 calories a package). No net carbs, fiber-rich, and they are tasty.

Actually, gastric bypass CAN be reversed, just it usually isn't unless there's a medical reason for reversal. Many people feel something between "what the heck did I just do?" and "why the heck did I do this?". It's a HUGE lifestyle change, and it takes time to adjust. For me, being free of seven medications, a CPAP, and putting my diabetes in remission is totally worth it. Now I just have to make sure I have enough clothing layers to brave winter in Alaska!

I lost just under 14 pounds my first three weeks, and I was walking 4+ miles a day and very strict with my diet. Now I am down 51 pounds at four months post-op. It is happening, it will continue to happen, so long as you do everything you are supposed to. Best wishes!

The BMI restriction is likely due to the depth of the puncture they'd have to make to reach the pelvic plate where they collect the marrow. It's not fair, but it's the way the tools they use are made. Bone marrow sampling is extremely uncomfortable just for a small sample in diagnosis; the amount they would need for a donation would be very difficult to collect on a larger person. Again, not fair, but that's the way it is.