lizonaplane

I've been waiting six months to get surgery... just last week I got my surgery date, so it will be 7.5 months from when I called the surgery center to when I get surgery... assuming COVID doesn't cause them to cancel my surgery! I have kept my motivation by continuing to work on losing weight, although at this point I can't lose anymore or I won't qualify for surgery (I've lost 45 lbs). I also have spent a LOT of time on these message boards and on YouTube and I found a good FB support group. Most of them are terrible. Fortunately, work finally got busy so I have been distracted a bit and also I went on vacation and have done more exercise (got back into swimming!).

Just because you CAN eat something doesn't mean you SHOULD. I agree with what everyone else is saying, but you might also consider seeing a therapist if you were overeating due to binge eating especially if you have struggled with that in the past. If you were just testing out the limits of your stomach, call your surgery center, but if it was that you were craving ice cream, and felt the need to eat four eggs instead of one, think about whether therapy would be of use.

I have to agree that asking for what the "plan" will be on here is pretty useless, because each surgery center is so different. It really bothered me, because there should be some evidence-based medicine happening - but then, I work in clinical trials in cancer, where they have protocols for everything that are standardized across hospitals. I know that I wasn't asked to lose weight before my surgery, but a lot of that is dependent not just on your surgery center, but also on your insurance. However, I wanted to make sure I got used to eating in a more healthy way to "practice" for life after surgery, so I started eating lower carb (I still eat a lot of fruit) and higher protein. I've lost about 45 lbs and I've been less hungry than on previous weight loss attempts when I just cut calories. I'm eating about 1400 a day, on average. However, if I lose any more weight, I will not qualify for surgery, so I'm going to relax my eating until it's time to start my official "shrink the liver" diet at the end of the month. Many/most people have a liquid diet, but I just have to do ultra low carb/low fat high protein with low fruit and lots of veggies. I get it that the hard part is not knowing and not being able to plan. It took six months for me to get my surgery date, due to backlogs from COVID and the surgery center being short-staffed. Hang in there, and read as much here as you can. Be careful not to take anything as Gospel, either here or anywhere else on the internet, unless it's a hospital or professional website, like mayo.org or ASMBS.org.

When you go to the Field Museum... the exhibits on the first floor are really good, but check out the gem exhibit on the 3rd (?) floor if that's something you're into. It's quite good. There are other exhibits on the higher floors too, but there's not the clearest labeling about them, so I almost missed seeing that there were higher floors.

When you say it is low, do you mean you are dizzy? Because "low" blood pressure is only a problem when it's symptomatic, meaning it's causing you problems. My blood pressure used to be around 90/60, due to genetics and medications I was taking for non-weight issues, and that was just normal for me. It's a little higher now, but still normal. If it's low and making you dizzy/light headed, you can drink more water, try electrolytes/high sodium foods, etc, but you may need to see a doctor if you continue to have issues because it could be something else. Did you already stop your BP meds?

Just because something's on YouTube doesn't mean it's true. Talk to your surgery team/nutritionist.

Talk to your surgery team and see if they can recommend an ob/gyn who is familiar with bariatric patients. That would be your best bet to keep weight regain low and vitamins on track. You could also call some ob/gyns who are listed on your insurance and just ask the office staff if this is something the dr/NP is familiar with, or you can have them work with your surgery team.

This doesn't sound normal to me either. Keep calling your doctor. Also, if you don't have a history of abusing pain meds, why didn't they prescribe something stronger? Especially if you also had a hiatal hernia repair, as that is said to be more painful than VSG. Maybe your call slipped through the cracks. Keep calling. You shouldn't have to be in pain.

I did the aquarium and another museum (the Museum of Mexican Art - very small, but nice) in one day, along with Millennium Park and the Riverwalk. It was a lot, but I'm not in very good shape. I do, however, like to squeeze every minute out of my days off. I think a lot depends of how well situated your hotel is. I don't know where the Drake is, but the name is familiar to me (I used to work in Chicago a lot). I stayed at the Palmer House, which is just a few blocks from Millennium Park. We did end up driving from my cousin's apartment to the Aquarium and then the Mexican Art museum (not sure of the exact name) but I walked to her apartment via the Riverwalk from my hotel... Chicago is pretty spread out compared to Boston, where I live. I would also get timed tickets to the museums because, for example, the aquarium was totally sold out when we went, but we already had tickets.

You've kept off a LOT of weight, congrats on that! Wanting to graze could be because you are tired, so figure out why you are tired: are you sleeping enough? Are you drinking enough water, eating enough protein? Are you depressed? Do you have sleep apnea? Anemia? Have you gotten your B12 and other vitamin levels checked? Also, consider seeing a therapist to deal with wanting to graze. Many people find it super helpful. Or, you can find a WLS support group. Also consider tracking your eating on MyFitnessPal or another app to see when you have problems and what is going on in your mind and body when you are eating things that aren't helpful. Good luck!

I loved the Art Institute of Chicago. I was there 4th of July Weekend and they had the Obama Portraits, not sure if they're still there. I loved the Field Museum as well, and the Aquarium, tho it was expensive! Do an architecture boat tour (there are several different "brands" all claiming to be the best... not sure it matters.) Walk along the river walk. Go to see the "Bean" in Millennium Park. There's also a Zoo, but I didn't have time for that. For a restaurant, I don't really have a recommendation as I just looked for places that were close to me. You can go to google and look for restaurants near the Drake and then read the reviews (that's what I always do). You should try to make reservations as a lot of restaurants have closed and some are operating on reduced capacity.

Thanks! 13Sep2021!

Ugh! Surgeons have no bedside manner. They should just stick to cutting people up physically and not emotionally. I'm sorry you're dealing with this. Just keep following your plan and don't compare your results to others. Take walks if you're able, more for your mental health than for your physical health. I like to walk and stop to take pictures of flowers in my neighborhood.

Can you increase the frequency of seeing your therapist as you go through this rough patch? I know when I'm dealing with a lot I see my therapist more frequently. I agree with everything @catwoman7 said too. Hang in there!

This sounds more likely related to your surgery than diverticulosis, as diverticulosis doesn't hurt. If you have diverticulitis, that is painful, but that has other symptoms as well. Definitely call your surgeon.

Yes, it's very common. It could be "keto flu" as you stop carbs. It should stop soon, as long as you don't "cheat". Feel better soon!

Today I was able to open the gas tank door lever on my car without opening my door or undoing my seatbelt!! I just bent over in my seat like an average sized person!

I work in leukemia trials and the patients take tylenol all the time. Maybe she has a particular liver issue? But patients with leukemia often take prescription/opioid pain medication depending on the stage of their disease. Also, my surgery center says that patients with sleeve can take liquid, chewable, or capsule NSAIDs, just not tablet and they should take with acid reducers. So she may be able to take some NSAIDS, depending on a number of factors.

I am scheduled for 13Sep. I am getting anxious but right now work is going crazy so I'm trying to enjoy work because I won't enjoy having to take two weeks off to just sit and recover. And then I won't be able to fly for another two weeks! That's really going to cramp my style! I'm also trying not to go too crazy with the food funerals because my pre-op diet starts 30Aug and my friend will be here from NC when I'm on pre-op. Usually we go out to Mexican and Indian when I visit him, but he's coming here so I can cook. I have no idea what I can cook that is on my pre-op diet (I can eat real food two meals a day, but it's ultra low carb and low fat).

I'm sorry you've had so many difficulties! A lot of people gained weight with the pandemic; you're by no means alone in that. I know there are many people who have successfully lost regain, and you're doing all the right things to be among them! Keep working at it and it sounds like you know just what you need to do... which we knew all along was the easy part! I think working with the therapist is going to be a great help. Hopefully you will be able to make some friends who like healthy, active pursuits, but we all know it's hard to make new friends as we get older. I am worried because many of my friends have horrible eating habits and are sedentary and I am working to improve that as I go through this process. Best of luck to you! Keep us posted.

Just got my date! Sept 13. Hopefully you can have support from your family. I have my parents coming to help me for two weeks, but I don't think I'll need it that long. I can't imagine how hard it would be if I had kids!

I knew when I was starting to feel unhealthy after being so sedentary during the pandemic and I wasn't even enjoying my food anymore, just shoveling it in. I had developed asthma and GERD in a short period of time and had gained back the last of the 100 lbs that I lost 6 years ago. I had considered bariatric surgery a few times, but I was always too scared. Now I'm too scared of being unable to keep up with the activities I enjoy (travel and hiking) to not have surgery. But I'm still scared of surgery!

I know someone from another bariatric group who takes RA drugs and has lost a lot of weight. She has been put on steroids now and has stalled, but not everyone with RA has to go on steroids too. There are lots of monoclonal antibody drugs. Are you not taking one of those? Are you seeing a rheumatologist? Or was this your PCP?

I had to stop my BC 6 weeks before my surgery (so a few days ago). I haven't had my period in over a decade because I take my BC continuous cycling since my period gives me so many problems. I'm so scared of getting my period again and I don't know when it will come. I travel a lot so I'm going to have to start packing tampons. And I throw up a lot with my period... that is not going to be fun while traveling... I hate being female....

I haven't tried that one, but I like isopure or Genepro (the caveat with Genepro is that they say you get 30g of protein from a 7g serving, which seems completely impossible, but lots of people say it works for them. There was a lawsuit, but it was dismissed on a technicality). The main thing I've found with these is that you have to be careful how you add them to food. You have to mix them with a little lukewarm water until they fully dissolve before adding them to hot food, like soup or oatmeal. If you try to heat (or reheat) the food with the protein powder in them, it's an absolutely disgusting mess of clumps. Also, the isopure smells terrible, but I've used it in some pretty bland foods like oatmeal and lobster bisque and it doesn't taste like anything.