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And me checking in 6 months later. I am where you dream of when you start your journeys. I am finishing up my presurgical/liver shrinking diet. I have lost 15 pounds since August 1st almost a month ago. And next Wednesday September 5th 2018 at 7 AM EDT at,the Ohio State University Hospital- Wexner Medical Center with my Bariatric Surgeon Bradley J Needleman MD I will receive my RNY gastric bypass surgery. Am I excited? You bet I am, I scarcely can wait. But mote than the mere joy, I am deeply humbled. You see,reader, I was a person who things making it difficult to reach,,this day. You see I completed another facilities program twice and then they refused me my surgery. I had to seek another program, complete some facets for a third time, the saying is: The Third Time is the Charm, this is true except I worked very hard, many times thinking it was without hope, and I grew tired, oh so tired! You see I am 72 years old, far beyond the average age, my resilence isn't what it once was, some things do take longer, but i am stubborn, natural strawberry blonde hair, so red-head stubborn, I am dedicated, commuted and do believe in ME, in the rightness of what I am doing. . And I made it through, swamps, roadblocks and nay-sayers but I made it through. If you are reading and think Oh this is TOO HARD. yes it is HARD but it is so so worth it. And never think, oh it's TOO Late, I live as a witness it is NOT! Come join me, it is the JOURNEY OF YOUR LIFETIME, and a renewed life waits you afterward. If you have the dream, the desire, the commitment, YOUR FUTURE AWAITS

Great job on getting in activity. If you are working out as much as you posted you need energy to keep going. My nutritionist had me add more calories daily to keep up with my new routine. Talk to your bariatric team on this as well as how much activity you are getting in, I had to wait 6 weeks to be cleared for exercise beyond walking.

I had read this article pre surgery and thought it was good but of course wasn't there yet. Just stumbled across it again and I find it very helpful in a motivational way. I've read some of the guys other articles on his experience and they are really good. http://www.jeremycschofield.com/fitness-bariatric-surgery/ He mentions an exercise tracking app called JEFIT . Has or does anyone use this? If so how is it? I just downloaded it and am going to mess around with it in a bit.

I had read this article pre surgery and thought it was good but of course wasn't there yet. Just stumbled across it again and I find it very helpful in a motivational way. I've read some of the guys other articles on his experience and they are really good. http://www.jeremycschofield.com/fitness-bariatric-surgery/ He mentions an exercise tracking app called JEFIT . Has or does anyone use this? If so how is it? I just downloaded it and am going to mess around with it in a bit.

Some things I'd love to do now, not in any order: 1. Renew my vows. My husband and I didn't do it the traditional way, partly because I was embarrassed to have a formal wedding at my former size. 2. Go on a vacation with LOTS of outdoor activities. I'd love to go paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, horseback riding, zip-lining... you name it... I want to try it. (With the exception of skydiving). 3. Start a family. This is something very motivating for me. We were unsuccessful trying for the past 5 years of marriage. I'm really hoping that we will get pregnant fairly quickly after my 12 month waiting period. 4. Get professional family photos done. 5. Go ride rides at an amusement park.

Wanna Whimper? I am one Day30 of 35 but then I I am an OVER-ACHEIVER. My,Bariatric Surgeon said I had NASH I am going to shrink that hepatic chubbiness DOWN! Girls stay strong, YOU will make it!

Hello Bariatric nation. Well I am super excited to say that my gastric bypass reversal is scheduled for next Wednesday. It took the insurance company only 24 hours to read the doctors notes with test results and ER visit documentation to decide that the procedure is medically necessary. I long for the day I can keep food in and have energy and the stomach ulcers will heal and I can stop taking so much medication. The surgery is on 09/05/2018 I will let everyone know how I feel and the results as time goes on. Thank you to all those that have had such kind words of encouragement.

You,know My Surgery is Next Wednesday SEPTEMBER 5th, do you suppose,if I asked SWEETLY Ken S. or some nice person could enter IT? On A Beta Android Bariatric Pal app. I have not A Snowball's,Chance in Hades of getting thongs updated. For a reason known only to God and Ken my profile (I amTold) thinks I had surgery in 2004 or 14, wasn't even a Bariatric Newbie the!

And its all good, I don't think I'm ovrrpreosring am I? This is my,only weight loss surgery, like to say,it is the last manor surgery but it is not. My left,shoulder is deteriorating, should have already been done,but,i wanted my Bariatric first, 3years up'down-side to side jerking,. Long story,short time. Maybe recover 6 weeks before,that. Then I have a lipoma on the inner surface left arm, just above elbow,fold. Was,like small walnut when I pointed it,out to orthopaedic surgeon, yeah ther one who,wants to do,his,tender,mercies on shoulder. Was almond size,then, now half tennis ball in only couple months. Hello? OCP also interested, General surgeon next? He recommened LOCAL, I am going to OSU for,my "slice and dice the abdomen" Wednesday, maybe ask someone at a Level One Hospital instead of my community hospital "band aid station" oh Columbus does not have much,use for county and community hospitals! And do I deserve "the very best" instead of "make do"?

That is awesome! How are you doing? I am 14 days away from RNY with Dr. Carraro at Novant Bariatric Solutions.

Hi all, I dunno if any of you have read any of my posts before. I recently ranted about an ER visit due to this issue I'm having and I'm hoping maybe someone else has experienced it? I had RNY Gastric Bypass in 2009, Galbladder Removed in 2010 and a Hernia repair in 2013. I've regained weight for several reasons but I'm getting back on track and you can find more background on that on my other posts. I just need to see if anyone has experienced something similar. For a few months on and off now I've been getting this pain om my lower right quadrant. It starts dull by my belly button then slowly goes to the side and it starts getting so unbearable, reminds me of when I used to get gallbladder attacks. Sometimes I also feel it on my right mid to low back as well. The pain gets so unbearable I've had multiple ER visits and every time the CT Scan comes back clear and they just send me home (with an attitude because apparently everyone is a drug seeker now , but I digress). I even saw my surgeon's resident at the ER on Monday but instead of a CT she did an X-Ray and she said she couldn't see anything weird and I'm probably just constipated and make an appointment with my bariatric surgeon in a week. I will. But, has any of you ever experienced anything like that? The pain comes in waves it's never fully gone but it can be bearable. As of this week I'm really not into food at all and have just been living off water and protein shakes or coffee and the occasional cheese stick. If you've had this happen did anyone ever figure it out? Did it get better? Did I break something they can't see? This is maddening? Please feel free to comment with any idea you may have even if you haven't experienced this. Thanks in advance.

Well folks add my 15 pounds to the ticker! To many who have had astronomical losses that sounds puny, but let me assure you every one of those,16 ounces. was hard to,lose. Folks you have here I 72 year,or person with Basal Metabolism,Rate of a sick 🐌 snail on antidepressant.And still somehow I won this victory. And it was quite an honor,to,make,the total a little higher. HURRAY,FOR TEAM BARIATRIC🎭We Got the Job Done!

Separ, I am trying to make the same decision myself and have been researching the heck of this subject. It doesn't help that the medical community is split on this subject--just like many of us. There are some facts about both procedures that are not in dispute. First, if you have Type 2 Diabetes, there are multiple studies that show that bypass has substantially greater likelihood of resolving diabetes when compared to other surgical options. Researchers don't know exactly what mechanism is triggered by bypass that makes so much more effective--but the result is clear (particularly for people with mild to moderate T2DM who have had the disease for 8 years or less). Gastric Sleeve is also beneficial for those with T2DM, but not to the same degree. Second, if you have acid reflux (all the time, not just after a crazy night of Mexican or Indian food), sleeve is probably not the way to go. It can make reflux worse and it can cause reflux in people that didn't have it before the surgery. The reflux can be control with proton pump inhibitors (pepcid ac etc.), but it's not great to be on those long term. In the alternative, bypass is used as a treatment to reduce reflux for people that suffer from it. Third, gastric sleeve is a less invasive procedure (although it is still major surgery), but the complication rate between the two procedures are pretty comparable. There are some small statistical differences that favor the sleeve, but those numbers don't really have much real world significance. Some of the historical data for bypass is skewed because the surgery was done as an open procedure in many cases before 2011. It's almost exclusively done laparoscopically today--which reduced the complication rate so it's pretty much the same as the sleeve. Fourth, the prep and recovery from both procedures is the same, so that shouldn't be a factor in your decision. Fifth, many people that have bypass experience dumping syndrome, which makes it difficult to process simple carbohydrates and greasy/fatty fried foods. If you have a carb addiction, this will stop you from eating those carbs--and it will punish you. There's a funny story about Al Roker (who had gastric bypass) having explosive diarrhea while he was visiting the White House years ago (worth a google). You can have some food intolerance after sleeve, but it's not the same by any means. Sixth, gastric bypass has a malabsorption component, which requires more supplementation than is required for the sleeve. There are some long term studies which show that after several years, your body adjusts and the malabsorption component is less of an issue (and less of a benefit). The jury is still out on this. Seventh, there is a dearth of long term studies on sleeve, so we don't know how effective it will be 10 years post op and what long term issues might arise. Bypass has been around for a lot longer, so we do know that it is generally very effective for the long term. We do know that sleeve and bypass have reasonably comparable weight loss results at the 3 and 5 year mark, although people tend to lose about 5-10% more with the bypass and they lose it faster (which may or may not be a good thing). Eight, gastric sleeve can be revised and converted to a bypass or a duodenal switch if you fail to lose sufficient weight or have difficulty controlling diabetes or reflux. The benefits of revision are limited when compared to your first surgery (at least as far as weight loss is concerned). The options for revising gastric bypass are more limited. That said, many bariatric surgeons believe that you should go with what they consider the more effective and proven surgery out of the box and that shouldn't go into your primary surgery thinking that if doesn't work out you can just switch it up later on. Moreover, there is a higher complication rate with revisions, revisions are less effective than primary procedures and some insurance carriers have more challenging criteria for qualifying for revisions than primary surgeries. Ninth, for people that: (i) extremely high BMI's (over 70); (ii) are older (over 65); (iii) have pulmonary or heart issues; and (iv) have had significant abdominal surgery in the past, gastric sleeve may be preferable. It takes less time to perform; therefore, you are under anesthesia for shorter period of time. It also doesn't require any rearrangement of the intestines/digestive track. Tenth, if you need to take time released medicine or NSAID's for pain management, gastric bypass may not be the way to go. You can develop ulcers in the unused portion of your stomach and they are not easy to treat. This is definitely a disadvantage of the bypass IMO. I am sure there are some other factors to consider, but these are some of the big ones that strike me as important. I have to make the same decision as you. I am a 44 year old man, 5'9'' and I weighed ~260 at my highest weight (around 245 now). I have mild-moderate T2DM, but a relatively low BMI (just over 35). I am leaning towards bypass because I really want this procedure to resolve my T2DM and I want what I hope will be the most effective. I will have to change some of my medications in the future if I go this route. The surgeon that I am currently working with is a big advocate for the sleeve. I have an appointment to meet with another surgeon in a couple of weeks for a second opinion--so I have definitely not made up my mind yet (and I was also told that I can change my mind last minute--although I assume that means a few days before the surgery date). Anyway, good luck with your choice and ask as many questions as you want!

Bariatrician? Bariatric Nutritionist? You didn't start out super big so weight loss can be slower for lower bmi people. Up your plain water intake, and protein to 80gr, carbs under 50. Vary your types of protein, don't eat the same menus weekly. Don't worry about the calories so much. Slow losses are fine and there will be stalls. Usually inches are lost during stalls. Everyone loses at different rates and to put an exact number on expected weight loss is silly advice and not helpful.

Thank you! And honestly, there are ways doctors can tell you're in actual pain. High heart rate, high blood pressure, I had all of that, you can't fake that. Ugh, I'm still fuming! I'm calling my surgeon's office again today if not I'm gonna have to find a new bariatric surgeon.

My Bariatric Program would say Yes they want all cardiac💓 ones stopped 72 hours ahead.

I recently found Pinterest to be a huge help as well. I've typed in Bariatric Diet, Gastric Sleeve and other items but there are a ton of great recipes. If you are staying low carb, try some of the Keto recipes too. There are some delicious recipes out there.

Wow! I too am having RNY. I’m with Novant Bariatric. Did you have any complications or do you have any words of advice for me?

@Ellie123 told me about those sipping broths she got from Bariatric Pal ,think I am going to try those. I am sweet enough without the constant drinks, aren't I? LOL

I've used Pinterest. A huge amount of Bariatric diet sites post there and you'll find yourself still looking through all of them hours later. Congrats on your success!!!

Don't start out trying to eat🐎 right away! Start with donkeys or Wesh ponies and work your way up. Seriously don't overtax your internal incisions, you are dtill,healing and will be for quite a while. An exploding stomach,is corting a fatal outcome. Please go very slow and follow your bariatric plan closely, it's set up that way to protect you.

Hey guys I am new here and I am eating some solid foods and I am a little over 3 weeks out and I am tolerating everything real well I haven't thrown up. I guess I am asking has anybody started introducing solid foods earlier than phase 4 and was there any side effects? I bought snacks from bariatric pal (moon cheese and others) and it seems to be working however I cant break the 250's) thanks

Oh I am sorry TX4everLinds maybe they'll give you some stuff at your Pre-op appointment. OSU calls it a peri-operative but same dang thing. Got weighed, talked an Internal medicine girl doctor, she went down the list from hades medical checklist, each and every bodily system,swear we started with the head and brain and worked out way down. Wished I could have told her I had. twin aunts that died from the hiccups, anything to brighten up the litany. Then I had a nurse-practioner,who was supposed to teach me how to scrub myself with Hibaclenz, except,i am allergic to that so she had to go to Plan B D8al gold liquid soap. Second,of two showers I have to leave the suds on for at least 5 minutes and be sure to clean my navel.Hunnh? Don't shave,don't pluck my belly, double Hunnh? Dress in clean clothes afterwards. Promise not to get sick or take antibiotics before your surgery. We went down the list of my,medications, what I had to stop taking, what I could take morning of with teensy sip,water. Brush my teeth so,no germs in mouth, moot point, I have dentures. Don't break any bones before surgery.Yadda Yadda Yadda! Then I went and had X Ray , 1 front , 1 from left side. Didn't make me hold a sign , so I guess I wasn't arrested. Then it was off to the lab. Funny I didn't know I had an excess amount of blood, must have because the took out a pint. Now I had swore an oath that I don't drink, smoke, do recreational drugs, hasn't to the best of my knowledge been exposed to communicable disease, and that Promise I would not get sick. But shall we,make sure of that, let's run some tests. CBC, BUN, creatinine, glucose, some nobody else knows about. And letsvtype it, I said I know I am A rhNegative, didn't care, apparently me and the American Red Cross,know NOTHING! Then they presented me a red legal sized envelope is a green plastic bracelet with important info. This is my Golden Ticket into the WONDERFUL WORLD OF SURGERY. No tickee, no surgery! This envelope is in my safe. I will not leave home without IT! That card that RnY Bet got and I have yet, entiles you to eat off the children's menu. And I have heard some have a notation about being able to box half your entree. On the other side it usuall states you are a bariatric patient. Neat thing to Have.

Okay, so I've been having this unexplained pain on my lower stomach for a few moths and it comes and goes but sometimes it gets so severe I end up at the ER. And usually they start out super nice, treat the pain then do CT scan but can never see anything. Then they just do a 180 with their attitude with me and act as if I'm faking the pain and just sent me home. A couple of times I've been admitted and they found a hiatal hernia but the doctor said "everyone has those, it wouldn't cause that pain" and again, sent me home feeling humiliated for being treated like a drug seeker. I'm convinced it says that on my chart now. So I go see my bariatric surgeon's NP yesterday to go over my regain and I tell her about the pain and she's like omg that's awful! Your surgeon is actually at the hospital you had your surgery at, go straight to the ER, I will page him and make sure when you get there you tell them you're there to see him. By now the pain has gotten so bad it's not just on my lower right abdomen, it loops to my lower and middle back. I tell them I haven't been able to have a bowel movement or pass gas. The ER doctor saw me first, very nice she said don't worry we're gonna get you comfortable while we page Dr. De La Cruz. They gave me 4 mg of morphine and guys, IT DID NOTHING. I was sobbing! The nurse was like, I got you, I'll ask for something stronger I'll be right be right back. While waiting, finally my surgeon sent his "chief attending" cuz I guess he was in surgery and she examined me, asked questions, poked me around a lot and saw how I howled in pain n the areas she touched that hurt the most. And she goes "Well, you had a CT scan like a week ago so I'm not doing that again, we'll just do an xray but I'm sure you're just constipated and you don't need pain medication, it'll just make it worse." So the nurse comes back and she's like, I can;t give you anything until after the x-ray." I hold out crying for the x-ray. The guy and lady who did it manhandled the heck out of me then I had to wait an hour for the results, still almost yelling I was sobbing so loudly and no one would come to even check on me. Finally the ER doc comes in and was like "well, we couldn't see any impacted stool or anything but the resident from your surgeon's team chose against scanning youand to follow up w your surgeon in a week so I'm gonna send you home. Just drink lots of water and you can take ibuprofen and I'm like 1) I'm allergic and 2) bariatric patients can't take NSAIDS. She's just like "I'm not giving you narcotics" and I'm like "I'm not asking for narcotics! I just need someone to find out what's wrong with me and fix it, please" I didn't even finish my sentence when she just turned around an walked out of the room. WHO DOES THAT! The nurse came by to take off my IV and help me get dressed and she was like "I'm sorry but they made a bad call. You call your surgeon tomorrow and complain because anyone can see you're not faking" She was the one person that was nice to me. I'm sorry for the wrong rant but I'm so discouraged. I thought my surgeon would at least see me himself or admit me so they can really take a look at what could be wrong. I've left 4 messages at his office today and no call backs yet. I know it sounds crazy but maybe it's because I'm one of his failure patients cuz I gained weight so he doesn't want to really deal with me. My pain is so bad, the only way I can deal at work is if I take one of my husband's muscle relaxants. It doesn't make the pain go away but it makes it bearable. I'm barely eating but I look 6 months pregnant and I feel awful. I hope I can get to see him again and make sure it's HIM soon. I don't know what else to do. I hate being treated like a junkie when I'm legitimately in pain.

To (hopefully) avoid any hiccups with ordering smaller portions or off of the kids menu at restaurants. Well I met the bariatric nurse navigator today and she gave me the pre op goodies (ensure,hibiclens,incentive spirometer) and gave me a rundown of the what to expect during the last two days of preop and the hospital stay. I also met with the dietician and we went over pre op nutrition, and the first two weeks of post op nutrition. I’ll see her again on surgery day and two weeks after that for another nutrition class. No they didn’t draw from my wrist, they poked me 4 times (I’m a hard stick and I was probably dehydrated). They used a syringe on the 4th poke. How do you feel?!