TX2NC

Thanks everyone for the replies! I know it will pass. I am fortunate in that other than beef, nothing else seems to bother me. I’m cautious of course and avoid sugar, simple carbs and junk food. I have noticed that I’m feeling hungry more often, but I honestly think it’s just head hunger. When I’m actually hungry, I generally know what I need and want to eat and it’s fairly straight forward. This is more of a vague feeling of wanting to eat but just for the sake of doing it. So, I just drink my water and wait. It’s not easy, but since my stomach isn’t actually growling, I think it’s just a habit I’m in the process of breaking. Ahh, the joys of the bariatric head work😁

Hi All, I hope everyone is doing well. Has anyone hit the often commiserated about 3 week stall yet? I’m right in the middle of it and it’s making me crazy! Not a single fraction of a pound budged in over 2 weeks. I’m working my plan, getting in my protein and water, but it’s still very frustrating. I’m averaging about 4 ounces per meal, get full and stay full on 3 meals per day. My calories are roughly 600 per day, 69 grams of protein, 23 total carbs and 18 net carbs. The other thing is that I honestly don’t feel any different. When I had my band I struggled so much to eat that it’s actually a relief to eat without pain. I just wish there was some way to move this along!

Hi All, So this is sort of a weird question, but did anyone else read their operation report and know how much of their jejunum was bypassed? When I spoke with my surgeon at my 3 week post op appointment, he mentioned that he bypassed “a bit more” of the jejunum than average, because he also makes the pouch a little bit larger “to improve quality of life.” From what I understand my pouch is about the size of a small tangerine/golf ball and in reading the op report it looks like most of my jejunum is bypassed. Which does not bother me in the least. I’m actually pleased with that surgical approach and I also realize that I’ll have to be extra diligent with taking my vitamins. When I researched, it looked like the average is about 35-45cm bypassed. Sorry for such a technical post. I’m a former nurse and I still love researching and reading medical info.

From what I’ve read, you’re right Mikeyy. It creates a short common channel, which from my understanding is the section of intestine that the gastric fluids get added and the food broken down.

Thanks for the reply Mikeyy. Yeah I’m just a medical nerd and I found it interesting that he bypassed so much of the jejunum.

I just had my 3 week post op and will go back at 3 months, 6 months and 1 year. My out of pocket has been met for the year, so the 6th months and 12 month appointments I’ll have to pay.

Hi All, Revision from band to bypass was this past Friday 9/13. I was in the hospital until Sunday mid morning. Overall I feel ok. Main issue has been pain and bloating at the top of my stomach. Like right below my sternum. I’ve never really pushed out there much except when I was pregnant and right now I’m looking about 8 months along. Lol🤣😂 Fortunately my incisions haven’t hurt much and liquids are going down very well with no nausea or tummy trouble. Wednesday’s are my usual weigh on days, but given how bloated I am, I’m going to wait a few more days, just so I can try and get a somewhat close to actual starting weight. Hope everyone is doing well!!

Hi All, Looking for some help. I’m on my second week of pre-op diet and I’m 4 days in of just protein shakes and water only. Here’s my problem, since about last night around bedtime, I keep having recurrent palpitations. I’m using Baritastic and for the past 4 days I’ve averaged around 700 calories, and about 18 carbs a day. I’m more than hitting the 60 grams of protein with the 5 shakes. I researched a bit and it appears that irregular heart rhythm can occur with low calorie/low carb diets. Has anyone else experienced this? What helped? And how many carbs did/do are you supposed to have a day? Thanks!

Today’s the day! See y’all on the losers bench!😁😁

Thank you! Today I set a goal of getting at least 30 grams of carbs and it seems to have helped a little. I’ll grab a Gatorade zero on the way to work tomorrow.

A couple of things. 1st check your policy. If what you are waiting on is an approval for the revision, most insurance companies stipulate a time frame. Generally about 14 days. One thing to remember is that they work on a business day schedule not a calendar day. So it’s about a 3 week time span. 2nd If you’ve already been submitted, it was denied and an appeal has been submitted, there should still be documentation in the policy regarding the maximum amount of time they have to let you know of their decision. 3rd. It may take a phone call to get all of the information from your insurance company. My revision was listed as a covered procedure, but it wasn’t plainly listed in my policy. I had to call and get them to email it to me. Best of luck!

HI KohakuSeuda, There’s actually a warning statement on the bottom of my pre-op diet sheet that says dizziness is common during the diet . Because the shakes are so low in sugar, it’s just enough to keep us above hypoglycemia. I’m on Day 2 of full liquids. Last week I had a meal and 2 shakes. Now, 5 shakes plus water like you. I will say from my memory when I had my lap band, day 3 is the worst. For many it gets a little better. Since sugar free jello is considered a clear 0 cal liquid, I’ve added those as well, just to feel the little bit of weight in my tummy. It seems to help with the hunger. Best of luck!

Thanksgiving is MY holiday. People can keep Christmas, way to much stress for my buck. Hopefully, this thread will be full of great ideas:)

Hi everyone! I’ve got a quick question about mixing up protein powders. I bought the sampler of the syntax and several of them are fruity flavors. The directions say to mix them with water which makes sense but it also says to add 8-16 ounces. I tried it, but good gravy! It is much too strong. I’m a plain water drinker, and this is overpowering. About the only way I can manage it is to mix the packet in at least 22-24 ounces. Do y’all think this is okay?

Thanks FluffyChix! I was worried I was doing something wrong by diluting it more.

It’s interesting really. I seem to be pushing thinking about the actual surgery to the back of my mind and am only dealing with the day to day things as they come up. My pre-op class was over a week ago and that went smoothly. Last week I got the official call to tell me what time to be there on the 13th- 6:30 AM 😳since I’m apparently the 1st case of the day and I go this week for my pre-op anesthesia appointment. Oh and I started my 1st week of pre-op diet yesterday. All of that I’ve just assimilated. But it’s weird stuff that I seem to be avoiding doing. Like my surgeon has everyone take B1 in chewable form starting the day you go home. The milligrams he requires isn’t typically sold in stores, but yet I haven’t ordered it online yet. I’ve only purchased enough protein drinks to get me through this week. Even though next week I will be on all shakes. If I think about it, I wonder if I’m just being superstitious in a weird way. Like if I buy things I don’t need yet that it’ll jinx it all in some way. What’s nuts is that I’m not a superstitious person. I’m usually very logical. Who knows. I’ll just keep working it all through and getting my head ready for surgery. Also, are any other lap band people struggling with the pre-op diet. My band even with no fluid in it is fairly tight, so eating over 30 minutes is easy. What’s killing me though is the lean meal I’m allowed to have. With all the band issues I have trying to get lean 3-4 ounces protein and 1-2 cups of veg in has been a bear. Especially with no liquids while eating. My band is so screwed up literally every bite I take gets stuck. So last night was my first meal without drinking. It took me 40 minutes to eat, and last night and today so far my GERD is worse than it’s been in months. I know it will be better after surgery, but in the meantime😩

I start the exactly same diet on Friday. Well, for a week at least. Then I have week of 5 protein drinks + 64 ounces of water every day for the 2nd week.😭 Every time I’ve had to do this type of diet, what really seems to help me is staying busy. Reading, surfing the web, anything to keep my mind off what I’m not eating. We’ll get through it! Like the saying goes, if you wanna get something, you gotta give something. Best of luck!

I have a very select group of people that I have and will tell. Hubs- obvs- he’s the greatest Dad- Uber nonjudgemental and his whole family has struggled with weight, one of my aunts just had a sleeve. 2 local very close friends to help with kiddo transport/hub support Boss- I work for a very small woman owned non-profit. They are super supportive and have told me to take all the time I need. And that’s it! Not my mom, church friends, other friends/family, siblings. Everyone else is being told I have to have my gallbladder removed if they ask. I will say it’s helpful that I live out of state from the rest of my family.

Yep. I have a 2 week pre-op diet and I’m RYN. 1st week is 2 protein shakes, 2 snacks and a “lean and green” dinner, (3-4 ounces lean protein and a cup or two of non-starch veg and of course water. 2nd week is 5 protein shakes, plus the 64oz water.

My doc only has a no drinking while eating rule. But before and after are fine. He said he finds it’s too easy to get dehydrated when there’s 4.5 hours during the day that patients can’t consume fluids. And that’s just for meals. When you add in snacks it’s closer to 7 hours. He’s a proponent of eating 4-6 small meals a day though so that’s probably why. It’s still really hard to imagine not eating my glass of tea next to me.

Hello All! My band to RNY revision is scheduled for 9/13. Honestly, my decision for bypass was 2 fold: 1. Complications due to band failure. Even today, after having all of the fluid removed four years ago due to recurrent gastritis and esophageal spasms, I still struggle daily with never knowing what will get stuck, terrible reflux, sliming constantly with every meal, the chest pressure with eating anything, the nightly gas pains under my collar bones, vomiting, and belly pain. All this while eating way smaller portions than most, just to almost be back to my pre-lap band weight, plus all the problems I didn’t have before the lapband. I feel like I’m a Prius in the metabolism race. I apparently hold onto every single calorie I ingest, so malabsorption as a tool might be a more effective option for me. And removing the ban will take care of the issues. 2. My surgeon prefers band to bypass when there is a history of GERD. From my understanding gerd after sleeve is quite common. Enough so that one of the local research hospitals is currently doing clinical trials for a procedure to treat reflux specifically for post sleeve patients. I’m already experiencing a life of reflux and anything I can do to make that better instead of potentially worse is where I’m looking. I really don’t want the acute gastritis and spasms again! Nothing like heart attack like symptoms to get you started:( My revision was requested as general surgery instead of bariatric, due to all of the complications, and approved 2 weeks after being submitted. I will be having my revision in one surgery. I specifically requested that from my surgeon. He is comfortable with and has experience doing it all at once, so that is my plan. I’m very adverse to two rounds under anesthesia and post op recoveries. One of the folks who post on the forums has a favorite saying: YMMV. Your Milage May Vary. Basically, your journey is your journey. Whatever decision you and your surgeon make whether bypass or sleeve is the right one for you. You have to feel confident and empowered in the decision process. It’s your health! Educate yourself, don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself and make the best choice for YOU. Good vibes to us all!

Hmm let’s see. When I went today, I asked the following: Expected stay in hospital Blood clot prevention- I have a history of one Post op, does my protein fluids count in the 64 I’m supposed to drink Pre-op, I didn’t really have too many. He went through the meds he’d be ordering for after. He gave me a hand out for my pre-op diet. It’s fairly straight forward, so it was pretty easy to understand. Oh I did ask if I needed to buy vitamins and he said other than B1(thiamin) I won’t take any until I transition to soft foods at week 3.

Official lap band to RNY revision date is 9/13/19. Woohoo!! Did my pre-op labs while I was there, found out I can still drink coffee( praise all the saints!) and start my pre-op diet in a week. Yeah!

Thanks for the reassurance everyone!

Well, this is a new one for me. So I received the approval letter via snail mail from my insurance company yesterday, which is great, but... I’m confused. The form is a standard approval letter that indicates that the procedures has been deemed medically necessary. It also states that the procedure is approved for a specific date, but the approval date was 8/5??? Huh? My doc’s office wasn’t even notified until late Thursday/early Friday. So how does this all work? How does a letter get sent out past the date of procedure approval? Now what happens? Does my surgeons office just ask for an extension? I’m supposed to go in for my pre-op appt on Thursday. Does it have to get re-submitted for review due to the date change? I’m very confused. If anyone’s had this happen as well and can clarify I’d appreciate it. Thanks!