MarisAthena

I will post as soon as I can after the surgery. Thank you everyone for your support, it meant a lot and made my journey easier. I hope that this surgery will help me reverse diabetes, reverse atrial fibrillation (if the Aussies are right, weight loss can actually reverse this heart arrhythmia in the first year after diagnosis, this is a new discovery from Australia), heal the Barrett’s Esophagus (that is what the doc said, the pre cancerous cells will heal with time after the bypass), decrease the future chances of pulmonary embolism, and last but not least allow the sleep without a CPAP. All of these with one single surgery! Even if only one of these gets resolved, life is longer . Wishing everyone a wonderful peaceful night!

From what I read the tightness around the lungs comes from air that was trapped during the surgery. They said that the way to get rid of it is to walk. My surgery is in 6 hours and my surgeon told me that I have to start walking right after the surgery.

Six hours until the surgery. 😀

Hi Carla, I was on the same diet as you and I barely lost 4 pounds, so please do not worry. I think they recommend the number of protein shakes based on height and weight, some are on three, some on four. My surgery is in 6 hours and I will ask if the fact that I lost only 4 pounds is an issue, but I do not think so.

My surgery is tomorrow, I will not know the time until this evening after 6:00 p.m. I do not know why Mayo Clinic does this, but they do not let you know what time the surgery is until the night prior to the surgery. They did the same for my husband’s brain surgery couple of years ago. I still have doubts about this gastric bypass surgery and probably I will until they roll me in, but I think it is a normal reaction to fear. I have so many underlying health conditions that will be resolved with this surgery and I still doubt my decision. My mind will play this game until I wake up from the surgery and I will know that I do not have any other options. 😀

My nutritionist advised me to add protein powder to everything, including the water I drink at least in the first month after surgery so I can meet the protein goal. Just some info for you.

Please do not worry Carla, this is why we are here for each other. Stay strong, you shall overcome, all will be wonderful! We will be healthier, and live longer!

Happy to hear you are home and well. Try to walk as often as you can, I was told that is most important after surgery. I love kitties, they are the best! They say that people that have kitties or puppies live longer. Enjoy your time home. For me Monday cannot come quick enough! 😀

Thank you so much! Funny, I just realized that you are British! In US we call the theatre, surgery room, and we do not have Paracetamol (I remember that medication since I grew up in Europe, my Mom used to give it to me as a child). 😀 I think the US equivalent is Tylenol. Very encouraging information! The fact that you are doing so well with no other pain medication is great! We are going into the weekend and my surgery is on Monday. I hope to do as well as you. Stay strong, keep hydrated. I was told that the first couple of weeks are a bit hazy due to all the hormonal changes. Rest well, we will talk soon, praying for you tonight (it is 12:30 am where I live 😀).

Just a question for you, did they give you any type of pain medication? Thank you!

Thank you so much for these news, great encouraging information!

Thank you for the update! I have the same surgery as you on Monday and I am still very scared. Your posts will help me sleep better until then. Please keep them coming, you are helping all of us. Praying for all of us tonight. Thank you so very much!

I am so sorry you feel this way, I am exactly the opposite, I feel I am beautiful at over 300 pounds. I always blame it on my husband, we have been together for 23 years and he makes me feel like I am the most beautiful woman on earth. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and the most important beholder is you. Love yourself.. Your husband loves you and thinks you are beautiful, allow yourself to feel that way. This surgery is mostly a tool to be healthy, live longer, not be in pain. You are beautiful inside and out, give yourself the gift of happiness, the gift of life. The older we get, how we look becomes so much less important. I remember 30 years ago, in my early twenties looking at one of my pictures and thinking “I am so fat”. I was 158 pounds and I am almost 6 feet tall. I had a very harsh view of who I was supposed to be. Your feelings remind me of a much younger me. You shall conquer and overcome this stage, I did, and so will you.

Congratulations! Let’s hope you will continue doing well and have no pain. Will keep you in my prayers, keep us updated if you can.

Hi Ang, please do not worry, there is no standard amongst the specialists (nutritionists or surgeons). Be happy that you do not have to do the liquid diet and enjoy your last “food funerals”. I posted before how frustrated I was about this, but we have no choice on those decisions and we should never worry about things we cannot control. I am sure your surgery will be very successful!

My surgery is in 4 days. So far so good. I found and excellent website that talks about the importance of vitamins and minerals after surgery. I am sharing this so you can read it. Who knew that you are not supposed to take the iron and calcium at the same time and that they should be separated by at least two hours? Enjoy reading. 😀 https://www.obesitycoverage.com/bariatric-vitamins-guidelines/

Just a FYI, from Mayo Clinic, it seems that iron should not be taken together with calcium or multivitamins. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/iron-supplement-oral-route-parenteral-route/precautions/drg-20070148#:~:text=Do not take iron supplements,each medicine or dietary supplement.

I am doing the liquid diet right now. It is very very difficult. I never heard before of 4 weeks liquid diet. It is really worrisome to me when all nutritionists, doctors and all hospitals differ in their opinions and their requirements. Some do not require any diet but for the couple of days prior to surgery, some allow 1 meal per day, others want all liquid, some ask for one week liquid others for 4 weeks. I understand that these decisions are based on BMI, etc, but why such high variation in requirements? To top this, my nutritionist placed me on all liquids diet two weeks ago and today when I met with my my surgeon he said I can have a small piece of chicken per day and I can replace the orange juice with 2 small bananas. I am really confused so I will continue the total liquid diet. I make it through this thinking that if I fail I will let them know, I will talk to my nutritionist. I also hope that I do not fail in the week prior to the surgery because they need to have a clear view. After all we are all humans, nobody is perfect and I am also sure I will not be the only patient in the world that had a mishap! I am angry, hungry and hopeful for the best! 😀 This is all I can do! Oh, by the way, warm chicken clear broth has been a life savior for me the couple of times when I was ready to fail! I bought these on Amazon, they are called Herb Ox sodium free granulated (chicken and beef) bullion. I add my own salt. They are yummy and a bowl of that will stop your craving and hunger. Sigh…Surgery cannot come fast enough! 😀

My surgery is scheduled for June 5th. I started the liquid diet yesterday, today was the second day, and it has been difficult. The hospital is asking for two weeks liquid diet and I started earlier because I want to make sure that by next week when I meet with the team I can ask all questions regarding my blood sugar levels through this diet. I have diabetes and my glucose levels are going all over the place, some high numbers that I did not see before (197 first thing this morning). I think it has to do with the orange juice and Liquid IV drinks that both have huge amount of sugar. I am meeting with the preop team in 3 days and I will ask if indeed it is ok to have diabetics drink those high sugar drinks. I managed to bring the glucose levels lower by drinking broth. The document I received from them asked not to contact the doctor unless the glucose is lower than 70 or higher than 270 so I assume this variation is acceptable in their view. Certainly not ok from my point of view but I am looking forward to get the surgery and reverse the diabetes.

Thank you for letting me know, it is good to know that there were no complications. Good wishes and lemon flowers aromas your way!

Thank you for counting for both of us. 😀 I have a phone preop on Monday and several physical appointments the week after. I actually decided to start the liquid diet one week earlier than they recommended maybe it will help the surgeon more. For the diabetics here, please know that there is a blood test that your diabetes doctor can order for you, that will let you know if you can reverse your diabetes. I have been a diabetic for 15 years and my doctor and I did not believe that we can reverse it. Guess what? The test results came back on Wednesday and I can still reverse the diabetes! Yeaay!

Hi Lindsay, how are you doing, how are you feeling? You had the surgery on my birthday and I was thinking of you, how is everything almost two weeks after?

Hi, I understand how you might find this difficult and overwhelming, but what is very important is that you can learn a lot by doing simple searches. My bypass is coming up on June 5th and the other night I was simply wondering if anyone that completed this surgery had regrets. I just typed in the word “regret” in the search box and a vast array of information, some very old some newer came up. I could go to sleep that night calm, after I read all those posts. I learned that while initially some go through a regret stage, in time everyone is content with the life decision they made. This website is amazing when it comes to information. I hope this helps.

Can you please let me know where can I get the pretty chart with weight loss information under your message? I saw it around this forum and would like to create one for myself. Thank you!

Yes, I know, I saw your answer earlier. I will be at Mayo Clinic in Florida. Where are you getting the surgery? I think we should keep in contact.