What a difference a month makes.....

[Keys Pirate 70]

Hey Anna,

Just want to say I've been watching your posts from the beginning. I am so proud of your success so far, especially considering the rocky road you went through from the start. I loved your last post, the comment about greater nourishment on less was brilliant. Keep up the good work, kiddo. You're a trooper.

C

[wannalise 16]

Hey Anna,

Just want to say I've been watching your posts from the beginning. I am so proud of your success so far, especially considering the rocky road you went through from the start. I loved your last post, the comment about greater nourishment on less was brilliant. Keep up the good work, kiddo. You're a trooper.

C

Thanks so much! I don't know how much of a trooper I am, I got in a fight with some mashed potatoes on Sunday and started to bawl! It took me a few minutes to realize just how ridiculous my reaction was. But the support on these boards has been such an important lifeline to me.

[BJean 16]

First, who won? Mashed potatoes are one of the things on my list as mushies when I get to that stage. Are they difficult to eat, or what?

Second, I don't think that having a good little cry over some spilled potatoes is that big a deal. I'm expecting to be an emotional light weight since I hear that some of the hormones that we used to produce with our bigger stomaches will be gone. It's a mixed blessing I guess. We aren't as hungry because we don't have all those hormones guiding us to eat but without those hormones we won't be able to be our old selves. If I'm wrong about this, somebody please correct me.

[wannalise 16]

Well....let me preface with I am a born and bred Idaho girl. I got out of school two weeks of every year for the spud harvest. I adore potatoes. They are not a part of my post op plan, and my sweet roommate in an effort to be supportive brought the thickest buttery mess of potatoes to me at work. I ate them at the pace I used to eat at, not the take a small bite, set fork down 2 minutes, next bite. They literally were lodged in my esophogus. It hurt and made me angry and I cried and cried and called my family and kept saying, "I've ruined my body! I want my stomach back." That all being said, if you had mashed potatoes on your mushies, as long as they are pretty thin (the consistency of a thick yogurt) you will be just fine. You won't eat very many and the state of Idaho will thank you!

Oh and by the way according to the size of my butt, the potatoes have been winning for years!

[BJean 16]

Oh Wannalise that sounds pretty dreadful on all counts. But I'm proud of you for keeping your sense of humor!

In spite of Idaho's economy I think I'll tread lightly when it comes to adding potatoes as a mushie.

I have seen a couple people post that when they got into trouble it was because they didn't realize that the next bite would send them over the edge. So I take it that's why putting down the fork is such a necessity? And my doc's assistant said that I really MUST buy a baby spoon to get me used to eating lots slower and in much smaller bites. What a trial! But we're lucky to have a chance at health and beauty like this. If you're anything like me, all the crazy diets and fasts that I've tried just worked against me.

You are such a doll! I really enjoy your posts.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Anna, I'm super proud of you and all that you've done in this month. You did have a rough start, and you conquered through it all.

Keep it up, and keep posting.

Tiffany - I saw your name and even though this has nothing to do with this thread, you're the one I needed to ask, so since it's on my mind, I thought, no time like the present. My husband was wanting to know if there is any data on older patients 65+ that have been sleeved and then tragically been diagnosed with cancer? How have they faired through chemo treatment? Any kind of cancer/chemo. Any stats, is it any more difficult for us? I think he was a little concerned about the need for our supplements, keeping them down, the needed Protein etc. Any answers on something like this and our need for additional Calcium? Are more females who are sleeved, when we get older, are we at a bigger risk at osteoporosis? I really should have asked this at the seminar, but didn't even think about it. :smile1:

Thank you in advance!

[Tiffykins 673]

Tiffany - I saw your name and even though this has nothing to do with this thread, you're the one I needed to ask, so since it's on my mind, I thought, no time like the present. My husband was wanting to know if there is any data on older patients 65+ that have been sleeved and then tragically been diagnosed with cancer? How have they faired through chemo treatment? Any kind of cancer/chemo. Any stats, is it any more difficult for us? I think he was a little concerned about the need for our supplements, keeping them down, the needed Protein etc. Any answers on something like this and our need for additional Calcium? Are more females who are sleeved, when we get older, are we at a bigger risk at osteoporosis? I really should have asked this at the seminar, but didn't even think about it. :smile1:

Thank you in advance!

You can check out the American Cancer Society with these links about gastrectomies for stomach cancer patients, and read up on their life post partial and total gastrectomy.

ACS :: Search Results: gastrectomy

I also read a lot of personal stories on the forum that is attached to ACS called Cancer Survivor Network. It gave me a broad view of many patients that had gone through partial or complete gastrectomies.

That is what I did at the suggestion of my oncologist/hematologist that I had to see for a diagnosis and treatment of my clotting disorder. He also showed me published studies from Europe that showed patients that had gastrectomies reduced their risk of cancer (all cancers) by a significant percentage. I can't remember the percentage as it was almost a year ago when I started seeing him.

The osteoporosis risk is high for all women obviously, but the recommendation of calcium citrate 1200-1500mg daily is in place for this specific reason especially when we are prescribed acid reducers. Calcium carbonate needs an acidic environment to be absorbed properly. With citrate, it does not need the acidic environment.

We do not have any malabsorptive components therefore the medication absorption should not be an issue for us. Some meds require food or dairy for dosing. I'm currently taking Wellbutrin to help quit smoking, and I have to take it with food or I get a stomach cramp. I swallow my pill then immediately eat something like a cracker with cheese, or a small bit of chicken/turkey deli meat. That way the food gets to my stomach before the pill starts breaking down. That's how I've taken other pills when they needed food or a dairy product this was around the 2-3 months post-op time-frame.

I hope those links help some. There are some studies out there that suggest gastric stomach cancer, or ulcers with gastrectomies. BUT, every article I read, and every case study published indicated that all the gastrectomy patients already had a diseased stomach with either cancer or an ulcerative condition that obviously increases the risk of developing cancer or ulcers post gastrectomy. I have not read of any DS or VSG patients develop stomach cancer. The DS has been performed for about 20 years, and I researched back to see if I could find any connection between the removal of the large portion of the stomach with the DS and cancer since VSG is the first stage of the DS. I found no connection.

[BJean 16]

Oh my, I learn something important and new here everyday!

I take Wellbutrin. When I had emergency surgery a couple of years ago (colon resection) I was off my happy pills for 4 days straight. I became what you might call suicidal. I was all for allowing the surgical staff to let me die and in fact, I told them to. When my doctor's surgical assistant met with me just before surgery, she asked if she could pray with me and I said NO. Can you even imagine? I was so totally not myself and until I started taking Wellbutrin again I was pretty much a basket case and my husband was seriously concerned about me.

I have learned that there is a crushable 100 mg. Wellbutrin that I am going to try to use post sleeve surgery. With all the crazy hormone issues that arise after the sleeve surgery, I know that I really need to make sure I get some of that medication and the regular Wellburtin's instructions say, "do not crush" so in case anybody reading this has the same problem, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Having Tiffy tell me that it will be important to take it with food is a great operating tip. Thanks again for your help, Tiffany!!

[NtvTxn 1,262]

You can check out the American Cancer Society with these links about gastrectomies for stomach cancer patients, and read up on their life post partial and total gastrectomy.

ACS :: Search Results: gastrectomy

I also read a lot of personal stories on the forum that is attached to ACS called Cancer Survivor Network. It gave me a broad view of many patients that had gone through partial or complete gastrectomies.

That is what I did at the suggestion of my oncologist/hematologist that I had to see for a diagnosis and treatment of my clotting disorder. He also showed me published studies from Europe that showed patients that had gastrectomies reduced their risk of cancer (all cancers) by a significant percentage. I can't remember the percentage as it was almost a year ago when I started seeing him.

The osteoporosis risk is high for all women obviously, but the recommendation of calcium citrate 1200-1500mg daily is in place for this specific reason especially when we are prescribed acid reducers. Calcium carbonate needs an acidic environment to be absorbed properly. With citrate, it does not need the acidic environment.

We do not have any malabsorptive components therefore the medication absorption should not be an issue for us. Some meds require food or dairy for dosing. I'm currently taking Wellbutrin to help quit smoking, and I have to take it with food or I get a stomach cramp. I swallow my pill then immediately eat something like a cracker with cheese, or a small bit of chicken/turkey deli meat. That way the food gets to my stomach before the pill starts breaking down. That's how I've taken other pills when they needed food or a dairy product this was around the 2-3 months post-op time-frame.

I hope those links help some. There are some studies out there that suggest gastric stomach cancer, or ulcers with gastrectomies. BUT, every article I read, and every case study published indicated that all the gastrectomy patients already had a diseased stomach with either cancer or an ulcerative condition that obviously increases the risk of developing cancer or ulcers post gastrectomy. I have not read of any DS or VSG patients develop stomach cancer. The DS has been performed for about 20 years, and I researched back to see if I could find any connection between the removal of the large portion of the stomach with the DS and cancer since VSG is the first stage of the DS. I found no connection.

Thanks Tiff!

[thinoneday 445]

You are doing fantastic. . . it took us all a long time to get to the obese side, and suddenly we have our tummies snatched away and have to make life changing changes. . it doesn't happen overnight! it will take a while to retrain ourselves again. . . eyeballing portions comes with time. . . i'm 4 months out and still have eyes bigger then my tummy (literally! hahahaha). . . keep doing what your doing and keep feeling wonderful! Bless you!

[KZol 0]

My med manager said I could just open up the Wellbutrin, even though it says "do not crush", that she's had other people do it and it's fine.

[JillianMarie 0]

Congratulations on the weight loss! I have not yet had surgery, yet i am very concerned about the nausea and vomiting following the surgery. Does this happen to everyone? What can be done to avoid it??

[lmmore 0]

I did not vomit. I felt nausea the first week. Almost vomitted a couple of times from eating too much, and the food smells. I had a heightened sense of smell and taste the first week. I removed anything that smelled good or bad and then put everything back a week later. This doesn't happen to everyone. Everyone is different, and what ever issues you may have after surgery, they will all go away before you know it.

[deletedsally 8]

Congratulations on the first month! I was sleeved on 3/30, so just a few days before you. My first weeks were rough too--and I was only working part-time. I rested and slept a lot. Couldn't eat much of anything. Felt weak and kind of trapped with no way out most of the time. A month really has made a huge difference--this week has been a real turning point for me. I think being able to eat a little more, and being able to have foods that I could chew and enjoy has helped with my energy level and my mood. I've been able to get out and shop a little, and work in the yard...Just in general I'm starting to feel better most of the time. Can't wait to see what the next month brings for both of us!

[wannalise 16]

Congratulations on the weight loss! I have not yet had surgery, yet i am very concerned about the nausea and vomiting following the surgery. Does this happen to everyone? What can be done to avoid it??

I don't think the nausea is universal. I have ALWAYS been really gaggy and struggled for quite a bit. I still have days that when my Multivitamin hits my tummy I have to really psych myself not to throw up, but food and I are learning a new kind of friendship and its loads better. One mistake I made that was avoidable, was in the hospital after I had thrown up a few times I became really leary of taking in the fluids, and it is super important that you take the time and slowly get them in. You'll be great!