Jeanniebug

When was the last time you had your labs checked? Are you taking your vitamins? Meeting your protein goals?

We will - eventually - be able to eat just as much as we could eat before surgery, if we don't watch ourselves. This is why we're not supposed to eat until we're full. We're supposed to stop eating before we feel full, so we don't stretch our pouches. I think the recommendation is that we eat 8 ounces of food per meal - forever (once we can eat that much). That's why it's so important to get our eating habits under control while we have the restriction - because it won't always be there. At some point, we will be relying on our routines and habits, to keep us in check. And if we go back to eating the way we ate before surgery, then this will all be for naught and we'll regain all our weight.

Are you taking your measurements? That might be a better indicator.

What the heck???!!!! My husband is on a pain contract and it has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with any other medical conditions that he may have. You weren't there for pain-related issues, you were there for dehydration. I'd be calling the Ombudsman and if they did nothing, I'd call the TV station. People need to know that this hospital is okay with letting people die.

I've started therapy to try to get a handle on some of my issues, before I have surgery. Perhaps counseling would help you, too?

I went through a spell of having low blood pressure and the doctor told me that there is no minimum low blood pressure, if you're asymptomatic. There's a "normal" range, but if you're not having symptoms, then there is no dangerous low level. I had surgery several years ago. Every time I laid down, my BP would drop to 80/40, or something like that, and it would make the alarm go off. The nurse kept rushing in, but I was just fine. After 3 or 4 times of reducing the alarm threshold, she finally just turned it off. LOL! So, as long as you feel fine, you're good.

Maybe chew gum? I've been an ex-smoker, for years and I've got quite the gum habit. I've been told that once I'm 6 weeks out, I can have gum again.

LOL! Weird questions!!! Yeah, maybe they want to know if you're a big risk taker..? Very odd. LOL!

I've started therapy to try to get a handle on some of these issues, before I go in for surgery. Perhaps counseling would help you, too?

I was initially scheduled for the RNY on November 8th, but they just changed my date to October 18th! I'm so excited!

I'm scheduled for the 18th! You're half the world away from me, so we very well might be having surgery at the same time. Remember your "why". Why do you want this surgery? The things you're worried about, won't be an issue after you're at your goal weight. Your stomach is going to relax and stretch. And guess what..? It's going to be the size of a "normal" stomach! You'll be able to eat a plate of food. That's why it's so important that we take this time to build healthy habits. Because, eventually, we'll be able to go right back to the way we were before. Dumping is another thing that most people "grow out of". You dump at first, but after a while you won't be dumping as much, if at all. You WILL be able to feel normal again. It might be a couple of years before you get there, but you will. Hang in there. You've got this!

You might lose your hair. But what will you gain? Why are you having this surgery? Would you be willing to lose your hair, if it meant adding 20 years to your life? I lost half of my hair when I did keto and it never grew back. I might lose the other half of my hair after I have surgery. The way I see it, my hair is a small price to pay for better health and a longer life. Would I be willing to be bald, if it meant being able to see my grandchildren? You betcha. The people whose opinions matter to me, will still love me even if I don't have hair. Everyone else can kiss my grits. I'll invest in some fun wigs. My husband can have a different woman, every night! LOL! But, chances are, my hair will grow back - and yours will too.

From what I understand, this is very common after surgery. If the smell is really bad, talk to your doctor. They can give you something for it.

OHMYGOSH, YOU GUYS!!! They changed my surgery date. It's now October 18th!!! In 12 days!!! I feel like I've won the lottery!

Yay!

I'm looking forward to getting off this ghrelin/leptin hunger rollercoaster. I'm looking forward to getting off some of my prescriptions. I'm looking forward to having a better relationship with food. I'm looking forward to not being hot all the time. But the biggest thing - the #1 thing - I'm looking forward to is having more energy. There are things I want to do and I need energy to be able to do them. I want to be able to say, "Yes!" when my friend invites me to go on a hike with her. The fact that I will look better in clothes, is just icing on the cake.

I would definitely get away from that FB group. I have anxiety bad enough, I don't need to add fuel to the fire. LOL! I think that most complications happen early on, after surgery. Your body is adjusting and freaking out. The bowel obstruction thing... Well, that's a lifelong concern - but it is for us sitting here, now, too. I think of it like this... If the doctor told me that I would have to have 5 more surgeries, would I still do it if it meant a longer, healthier, better life after? Yes. If he told me that I would have to have a colostomy bag, would I still do it? Yes. If he said I'd need to get a pacemaker for my heart, would I still do it? Yes. I just had to come to grips with the "what ifs". If I knew that the "what ifs" were definitely going to happen, would I still go through with the surgery? When the answer to that became "Yes" my anxiety and fears pretty much went away. All the possible complications - short of dying on the table - can be treated. But there is a 99% chance that we won't have any complications at all. The vast majority of patients have no problems. We hear most often about the complications, not the successes.

You inspired me. I just bought a snow cone machine. LOL!

I'm scheduled for November 8th!!!

Like others, not waking up is a concern. I've had many surgeries in my life. My odds are getting worse. I'm a bit anxious about complications. My biggest worries are: Post Bariatric Hypoglycemia, low blood pressure, and heart arrhythmia. Dehydration and bowel obstruction are other concerns, but not the biggest. I also have a weird worry that I am going to lose too much weight. I went to Dr. Google (LOL) and studied up on all the complications and the treatments. That has reassured me and calmed me down, a lot. Pretty much every complication can be treated. Some need to be recognized sooner than others, but with timely intervention they can be taken care of.

Your story sounds very similar to mine! I'm sick of yo-yo dieting, as well. I've been off and on keto for a few years, too. I actually lost 62 pounds doing keto, but it wasn't sustainable for me and I was STARVING ALL THE TIME. People say they're never hungry on keto. Ha! I wish! I couldn't eat enough food. And I think it changed the ghrelin and leptin in my stomach. Because now I'm either STARVING or I'm full - there's no in between. After going off keto, I gained back all but 15 pounds. Thankfully I didn't put on even more weight than I lost. I've tried other diets and I failed all of them. I have diabetes and high cholesterol. My blood pressure, while still normal, is creeping up. I'm going to say that I have metabolic syndrome. I'm 52-years old. With my co-morbidities, I don't think I'll make it to 60. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. I have a life to live and I need energy to do it. Gastric bypass in 34 days!!! Woo hoo!!!

What type of protein are you consuming? Whey protein concentrate messes up my tummy. I have to stick with the whey protein isolate.

Greasy, fatty foods can cause dumping. Maybe that's what you have going on.

Thank you for the suggestion. Anxiety, stress and emotional eating have all played a part in getting me to this place. I started seeing a therapist, a couple of months ago. I knew that I would need help after surgery (because the surgeon will fix my stomach, but not my brain LOL!) and wanted to get the relationship established well before then.

You're very welcome! I'm diabetic and I was quite nervous that I might end up having the post bariatric hypoglycemia, so I started looking into it. I found that article and it was very reassuring to me. I don't feel so nervous about, anymore. I know that there's a fairly simple fix for it and that calmed that anxiety for me. I hoped it might help someone else.