PennyinAL

I have asked the question earlier about protein intake and was given the answer to ask my nutritionist but I don’t have one. Not being difficult but why does it seem like the protein intake recommended seems excessive? I understand that with bypass surgery you may not absorb the full amount of nutrients but CDC recommends something like 35 grams per day for a woman, and I understand that under normal circumstances the body can only absorb no more than around 25-30g at one meal yet I’m seeing some women say they’re aiming for 100-130 grams per day! That seems like a lot of protein and calories…what’s the deal? What am I missing?

Bwaahhaaaa now that made me laugh ( with you not at you) especially being ftt try on New Orleans myself I love the voodoo reference 😍 I have considered myself lucky to never have had serious issues with my knees as I’ve watched several family members suffer and struggle with just basic daily activities from them, as you can imagine they are also obese. About a month before I started the process of getting my surgery in late June early July my one knee started hurting and it would feel better if I stayed off it but that’s a hard thing to do! It really just cemented my decision to go with surgery.

I'm only 18 days out, down 24 lbs since first going to surgeon...I usually put lotion on my legs and feet every night and last night I realized that even though there is still some surgery discomfort from incisions, I could put my foot in my lap and could play with my toes without issue! This is a game changer because for a long time now I have been paying for mani/pedis mostly bc it is painful to reach my toes as I have major back problems but just the little weight I've lost so far makes it not hurt to get to my feet!!!! It may be a while before I can do my own pedicures but I was just so surprised

I LOVE to cook, I'm not a chef or don't do "fancy" cooking, I'm from New Orleans and lived in FL & AL so I do Cajun and Country foods mostly. My husband and I spent a lot of years on the road for work and really got burned out on restaurant foods plus we live in a small town (we literally do not have any fast food restaurants here, only 2 cafe's open for breakfast and lunch and close at 2 pm)so cooking is an essential unless we want to drive 20+ minutes to go get something. I see the amount people spend on social media for restaurant food and I'm usually shocked, I am pretty frugal and just can't see wasting that much on junk food that I am usually disappointed in. So most of our meals are eaten at home unless we're out for dr or other kinds of appointments and have to grab while out (then I look for deals/coupons, lol) That said...one of only "date nights" is when we go out to dinner once or sometimes twice a month or grab Domino's and hit the drive-in movie theater so I'm thinking to myself, this is really going to put a damper on what social activities we do manage... Yes, we will save some money on restaurants I suppose but I'm also seeing that much of the expenses people think they will have they may not actually be required??? I'm drinking a clear protein about every other day until I can start pureed foods Monday after my 2nd post-op appt. I've never been a big fan of drinking my calories, don't much care for sweet drinks and drink water with lemon or iced tea most of the time. What other expenses am I missing?

I am so sorry you are hurting so much. I too, had a very rough time of the pain. Like you, I've got major back issues (herniated discs neck, mid and low back) and have had several surgeries in the past and this lapband removal/bypass replacement hurt like hell. I wasn't trying to scare anyone off, I even said I would do it again but just really didn't realize how much it would hurt because compared to the prior LapBand, it was 10x worse in pain. I take Norco (hydrocodone & acet) and Lyrica and that Dilautin (sp?) was awful, it only worked for an hour at most but once I was able to get back on my Norco, it was bearable. And I'm not a medical professional, but I am a bit of an observer of human behaviors and the human condition and at my age, I've seen a lot of things and have learned that it is best to try to prepare yourself for whatever life may want to throw at you because bad stuff never seems to happen at a good time :). Thus, I made sure I had my own pain meds because just when a bitchy old hag of a nurse wants to threaten to hold them over your head, you don't have to put up with crap, Or more likely, when staff is short and you are forgotten by the folks who are supposed to be caring for you in the middle of the night, etc. I'm not saying you need to ignore dr orders, I merely said it never hurts to be prepared for people to not do what they're supposed to do for you! Be prepared to take care of yourself. I remembered my husband having spinal fusion surgery 10+ years ago, malfunction at hospital pharmacy so he was hours without meds. I watched that man screaming in pain and literally could do nothing to help him! The nurses had the audacity to try to come close his door (so they didn't have to hear him in agony) which made my head explode, I pretty much told them that IF I HAD TO HEAR HIM, THEY HAD TO HEAR HIM TOO AND IF THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR HIM TO GET HIM THE HELLO OUT OF PAIN! Going through these life experiences changes your perception, tends to make you learn what you don't want to go through again. SoutheastP-Again, not trying to scare you. You may not have the same pain level or tolerance level, I'm just saying for me, IT HURT. That damned drain "football" suction port thing is what literally felt like they were suctioning my insides out! IF you have one, make them empty it (or have family do it) within 2 hours, do not let it get too full or have too much suction on it because I thought I was going to die from the pain. And you don't have to take anything with you, I merely said that you might wish you had it. It is hard enough to be recovering from surgery, but if you are a chronic pain patient like I am, those pain meds help make life bearable most days for me, to be hurting from fresh incisions and still have my back & neck pain & hips hurting is a lot to bear. Many of the bariatric patients I speak to have spinal issues which is why so many of them are overweight to begin with as they cannot get much exercise due to pain issues or mobility issues. And I also said, I'd do it again, but just like to be prepared for whatever you are going to encounter. I also had a LapBand REMOVED and then replaced with a new Gastric Bypass so a 2-in-1 surgery which may have made mine more painful than what you're getting. In any event, see you on the other side of it and wishing you a lot of success! peace

Hi I had my lap band (originally inserted 2009) removed and replaced by a gastric bypass yesterday at 11am and sent to ICU here in local hospital. No one told me and I’m losing my ever loving mind here because I haven’t had anything to drink since the tiny bottle of pre-operative body armor drink I was given to drink before my surgery! I was told to do liquid diet 24 hrs before and then nothing after midnight so 12:01 am Tuesday morning I stopped drinking anything, headed to hospital I was told to drink the little bottle of body armor which was about 7 oz. Arrived early taken back and done early and into ICU room by around 2-3 pm Tuesday. Upon waking I immediately asked for some water and was told that I am not allowed to have it! I was shocked and asked when it would be possible and nurse said that I have to wait until the next day and that I have to have a bariatric fluid drink and test before I can have a drink! I’m dying of thirst here and still can’t believe that this is happening! nothing I read anywhere says this!!!! Has anyone else been through this? I have asked when the test will be and they said they will check on the schedule and let me know. I’m also a little frustrated bc they have a catheter in me and I’m pretty much stuck in the bed here, I’d have preferred to have been able to go to the bathroom but they don’t have a real bath in the room either just a toilet and there is literally a door that has a window across the room about 8 feet away… I’m not kidding. I’m really feeling like a prisoner in here and the little prison toilet just ads to it! im thinking of calling the bariatric testing center to see if I can get some answers. Is this normal? Has anyone else had this problem?

2 weeks post op today. I am seeing that I am VERY fortunate to not have to have dealt with a bunch of crazy crap from my insurer. I had a LapBand in 2009. Went to surgeon to have removed/replaced discussion, he ordered and did an endoscope, said all clear. His office sent request and a couple hours later literally my insurer called me, 2 days later, I had an approval letter to remove band and do a gastric bypass. Since I paid cash for my initial LapBand surgery, I didn't have to go through it all with the 6 mos trials and psychologists, etc. and there weren't any requirements. Had scope in July and Aug 1 did bypass. I had a 10 day low carb pre-op diet only and 24 hours liquid preop diet. I've been on liquids for two weeks now and he wants me to do a third week! urgghhh.... I cannot imagine doing a 10-14 day preop liquid followed by a 2-4 week post op liquid. This 2 weeks diet has been brutal. Let me say this as well, and it isn't meant to scare you but rather to prepare you: IT HURTS! IT IS VERY PAINFUL. Never had kids but I'd put the pain up against a Cesarean. Don't let anyone try to convince you it doesn't hurt or that it is "mild" because it isn't. The hospital was less than stellar. I was ordered morphene which doesn't work for me. Then switched to Dilautin, which only works about an hour then wears off. Since I have major back injuries (part of why I'm overweight to begin with) I take pain meds for chronic pain. Hospital finally said they would give me my pain pill every 6 hours along with the Dilautin shot every 3 hours. IF you take pain meds, bring them to the hospital. Yeah, I know they say don't but give them to a friend/family member because I PROMISE YOU that you don't want to be begging/waiting for someone to bring you something and honestly, I'd strongly advise you to buy some liquid Acetamenaphen to have in your bag as well. I actually had one old crotchety nurse who thought she would hold my pain meds over me as an inducement to get me up and moving. I told her pretty much that I'd move when I had my shot and was out of pain (otherwise a few obscenities were about to fly but hubby said she could give me my shot now and I'm so very grateful he was there) and other craziness. I rotated my own pain pills in with their meds, some may not agree with this but I don't think I could have stood it otherwise. Given the prescription my dr gave me to come home with, it was exactly it, a pain pill every 3-4 hours. I'm not a lightweight I assure you and I've had several surgeries (tubal, gall bladder, appendix,stents, etc) but this one DOES HURT so I'm saying BE PREPARED FOR IT! IF at all humanly possible, HAVE SOMEONE STAY WITH YOU FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST NIGHT OR AS LATE INTO THE NIGHT AS YOU CAN GET THEM TO STAY WITH YOU! Again, most hospitals are understaffed and I nearly pissed myself one night trying to get out of bed after my sister had left and when I couldn't get a nurse to come help me get up (they remove the catheter after 24 hours or so). Even little stuff is very hard to do when you're in pain. Bring and charge a phone and zip tie it to your hand if need be because I nearly called my husband to come get me. And when I got no answers about when I was expected to get my barium xray, I called to radiology over & over. No phone in the room (ICU) to call out. Yes, I'd do it again in spite of the awful pain but I think I'd have gone to a bigger city. I also was never told that I would come out of surgery and have to wait until the next DAY to get a barium xray before I'd be allowed anything to drink. I thought I would die of thirst so avoid a first thing am appointment if you can bc if you're in a room at 4 pm you have a lot less time to go thirsty. I'm down 23 lbs since my July dr visit. I'm pleased with that. But it hasn't been easy. I do enjoy the support here in this forum. Good luck.

Hi Everyone, I'm sorry it has taken so long to get back with this post. I couldn't find it duh... Anyway, it was a rough morning, I started calling radiology asap and after a bit of acting up, they sent two ladies to retrieve me and administer the barium test which they couldn't determine the results of...no matter as I was given something to drink. I had to stay from Tuesday morn to Friday morn when I was released. Yes, the prison toilet situation was horrible! They have a curtain there in the ICU you can close and the nursing staff actually seemed offended and disbelieving of my modesty at not wanting the male CNA to help me pee and the curtain closed!! gasp, lol. I must say, that when that catheter came out, I wished it back in. Trying to get out of the bed was godawful painful and that 6-8 ft walk was a very long one. I have NEVER BEEN IN SO DAMNED MUCH PAIN IN MY LIFE! IT REALLY FRIGGIN' HURT! The delaudin? they had me on was not very strong and I have herniated discs so I routinely take pain meds and this was not as good as what I take at home. After about 48 hours they let me take my own meds mixed in with theirs to get the pain under control somewhat. I'm 10 days out now, down 20 lbs and am told I'll be on liquids until day 21 when I go for 2nd post op. They took out my pic line on day 7. I've been living on broth, popsicles/snowcones, one fruit juice icee smoothie thing a day and water. Dr, did recommend the Ensure Clear which is a protein drink I can have so I'm allowing one per day as I don't want to end up with a bunch of liquid calories. I have tons of questions but planning to search the forums before I bombard with questions. Thanks so much for your help and encouragement!

Hi summerseeker, isnt restriction what we’re aiming for? My Dr basically said (and I heard this from a 2nd one I considered as well) that you want the most restricted from the outset and the goal is to lose as much weight as you possibly can in the first 6-12 mos bc weight loss wanes or stops after that. And I did lookup some dieticians in Huntsville that I am planning to try to go see if I can get an appointment Ty

Does everyone get a "nutritionist" with their surgery? I'm in a small town in Alabama, my surgeon doesn't have one on staff that I am aware of. He has a nurse that gives you the "plan" which is a pretty basic low carb plan where they want you to eat less than 4 oz, give you a little 4 oz measuring cup, say protein first, then veg then carb if allowed after you have eaten your protein but basically tell you that no carbs are allowed i,e., no cereals or grains. When I asked the dr about it, he said that since I was familiar with whole grains I was probably allowed those later on as most of his patients don't understand the more complicated diets. I noticed that most surgeons in the larger cities have nutritionists on staff. When I went to the only one at our local hospital a few years ago for a "class" about diabetes, she and I didn't exactly get on. I'm concerned that the plan isn't really a great plan, gives me no guidance on amount of carbs allowed per day, I know mine should be low. I also know that my body refuses to give up a pound unless I drop below 700 calories in a day. My goal is less than 500 calories per day. I'm seeing different amounts for the required protein amounts, some say as low as 45-50 and I see some suggesting as high as 80-120 which seems like a LOT of protein and calories to reach that amount. And can someone tell me where you found your suggested goal weight? Again, seems all the charts are different. I'm 5'9" larger frame 233 lb. I'm aiming for around 145-150? not sure if that is a good goal? I'm having the lap band removed and replaced with a gastric bypass on 08/01/23 so Tuesday! Hopeful but a bit worried in a small town here.