Recidivist

Nice to hear from you! Are they giving you anything for the pain?

That's great to hear, Blue. I'll have to keep that in mind in first few days after surgery.

Hi, Cher--welcome to the group! We'll have to compare notes as we go through this at the same time. I just started the liquid diet today. So far, so good. Are you on liquids today as well?

AZhiker, what a wonderful post. You have very clearly and candidly discussed the challenges we will all face, and then showed the exact kind of discipline and mental process that makes this work. Some people get the surgery but don't do the psychological work, but I can tell from your post that you are going to be a success story!

I have a very similar story, Steve. I was underweight as a kid and all the way through HS and college. I was a competitive swimmer as a teenager. I weighed 120 pounds when I joined the Army and then bulked up (in a good way--I gained muscle). At 30 I became a lawyer, and that's when it hit. I had always been able to eat whatever I wanted without gaining weight, and it's almost like it changed overnight. I gained 100 pounds in just a few years. I'm now 59 and have yo-yo dieted for the last 30 years--half my life. Like MouseCat, I still think of myself as thin, and I'm always a little bit stunned when I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror or see photos. I also still think I can do more physically than I can at this size--and I can't wait until I'm back at the point where I can lead an active lifestyle again.

I'm American and have a friend who went to India for the surgery (self-pay). He has insurance but didn't want to jump through all the hoops that were necessary before the could have surgery. He saw the doctor one week and had surgery the next. First of all, I would never go to India for any type of major surgery. And I agree with 49Nash--the time involved in getting all the required approvals gave me lots of time to do research and fully understand what this surgery is about. It made me feel much more confident of my decision and much less anxious.

FluffyChix, it looks like you are almost exactly a year since your surgery. I have heard that hunger starts to return after the "honeymoon phase" and that's when the real work starts as you try to figure out what you need to do to maintain your weight at that level. What was your experience?

I've seen quite a few people in this forum who are having sleeve to bypass revision. I was sort of on the fence about which to get, and I went with bypass. It seems now that was probably the right decision. (My surgeon called it the "gold standard" of bariatric surgery.) Ellf, is there some reason to believe that they might not be able to do bypass safely?

Welcome, SkyGuy! There are at least a couple of other men here. 🙂 I was originally scheduled for February 25, and thought I would be the last one to have surgery. However, mine was postponed until March 4. I had my "last meal" before liquids last Sunday based on the Feb. 25 day, and I'm having it again tonight. (As some people here know, it was a big, juicy steak.) I have also found this forum incredibly reassuring, particularly this particular thread with people having surgery in the same month. I hope we will continue to be a source of support and inspiration as we move share our success and setbacks over the coming months..

Oh, of course--you mentioned that before. Sorry about that!

Good luck, Marine! Seemed like this day would never come, right? What time is your surgery? We'll be thinking of you, and check in with us when you are able.

Deneen, I was told no caffeine for the first year (and ideally never) and no carbonated drinks ever. I was wondering the same thing as you. I'm not sure whether artificial sweeteners are okay or not--does anyone know?

Awww, EmzBee, you are so sweet. 🙂 Intellectually I know you are right that I shouldn't compare myself to others, but it's hard not to! I guess I just want to get an idea whether my progress is generally comparable to what most people are experiencing. Pre-surgery liquid start on Monday--away we go!

Barb, I just noticed that our heights, current weights and goal weights are approximately the same. One difference is that I'm a man. We should compare notes on how we are doing after surgery!

Nash, exactly the same for me! I watched it from time to time before, but now that I'm scheduled for surgery (March 4), I find it much more compelling. For one thing, I now understand the procedures they are having (and I'm horrified at how poorly some of them eat after surgery). I talked about the show with my surgeon, and she hates it because it's very hard to relate to the people on that show. She would like to do "My 300-Pound Life" that shows normal, relatable people getting surgery to de-mystify the process and inspire people.

Has anyone had nausea for an extended period (like months) after surgery, or is it generally a short-term thing right after surgery?

March 4 (postponed from February 25). I may be the first of the March group!

I have a very similar story, Amanda. I started thinking about doing this three years ago and actually met with a doctor at that time--but I kept thinking I could lose this weight on my own (and I'm sure I could, because I have lost and regained the same 60 pounds multiple times over the past 30 years). Fast forward to 2018. I was having a physical and my doctor said I needed to lose weight. I am 59, and he told me that at my age there was very little chance for me to lose a meaningful amount of weight and keep it off without surgery. Then he said that if I didn't have the surgery, I had about 10 to 12 more years before having a massive stroke or heart attack. That did the trick! I will admit, however, that it will be nice to board a plane and not have everyone looking at me and thinking, "I hope the fat guy isn't sitting next to me."

I was going to say the same thing but you beat me to it. I'm still pre-op, but I don't intend to check the scale very often afterwards. I'll know I'm successful if I feel better and have more energy; the weight loss will come eventually if we follow the rules.

I think the bottom line is that everyone is different and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We each know our bodies very well and know what we need to be successful.

Wow--now that's what I call dedication to this group! I'm not sure that my first thought in the recovery room would be to post here. 🙂

My insurance company approved the surgery, and only one night in the hospital--although I hope they would approve more if there are complications and I need to stay longer.

I also need to be at the hospital at 5:30 a.m. on March 4 and will be the first surgery of the day, which I kind of like.

Hooray!! So glad to hear from you EmzBee, and congratulations on doing so well. It's especially good that you were able to get through the first day with almost no morphine. I'm a bit curious about the acid, because I thought we weren't supposed to have reflux after RnY. What are your issues with water? Not getting enough water after surgery is one of my big fears.

That's great, IDawn! I start liquids next Monday. I am going to take "before" pictures on Sunday, and I may post them one day when there is an "after" for comparison.