My journey just started.

[LdySheCat 4]

Hello, I'm Ldyshecat. I just had my surgery on Oct 10th. Thankfully my body has been with me 100% throughout this journey. In order to have my insurance cover the surgery I needed a pysch eval, 3 mo doctor monitored diet and a cert from my regular physician saying I was OK for surgery. When I started my diet I weighed in at 295lbs...after the three months were up I weighed 254lbs. I still chose to do the surgery though, even though I'd proven to myself that I could lose the weight on my own, because I wanted to make sure it stayed off and I think the surgery will help me take my weight to my goal (125) as well as maintain it.

So...for my facility (Rocky Mountain Assoc. physicians) they required about three classes prior to surgery and a 1k diet started 10days out from the date of surgery. That was difficult...but I had a few Snacks and things set aside I already knew were low cal as well as that I liked them. The day of surgery was scary as hell since I had never had a surgery before in my adult life, but my husband stayed with me as much as he was allowed. When I woke up the first thing I did, when I was allowed, was to get up and walk...and I normally did this once every few hours...when I was awake. I also tried really hard to drink the 1oz of Water given to me every hour. As a tip for anyone that hasn't done it yet... If you feel a lot of pressure anywhere after surgery (from the air they pump into your abdomen) holding a cold pack of ice against it works great to break it up...same with walking. I had little to know pain during my recovery at the hospital...but I also used the pain pump as often as I remembered and was awake. I didn't want the pain to get a foothold.

I was released the day after my surgery and told I had been a star patient and done everything I was supposed (the others that had the surgery the same day had to wait at least another day and were told they would probably go home on oxygen). The liquid diet...was agonizing. My stomach tolerated it fine, but I got bored and didn't have an appetite for the broth or the Jello...it also made me very jealous of everyone else getting to eat normal food. I'm now on the semi-liquid diet (cottage cheese, yogurt, strained soups) and again my stomach has been fantastic in working with me and accepting new foods. I have found that the more gourmet type foods I get the less likely I am to feel deprived. So I got some yummy butternut squash bisque, Progressive Tomato Basil Soup and some Protein rich Greek yogurt that I love (Dannon, if anyone's interested). At this point the hardest thing I'm finding is that my stomach is not very happy with water...I get bloated and gassy feeling after only a few sips no matter the temperature. In the program I'm with they allow herbal tea as a Water substitute and I'm getting by on some yummy Blackberry vanilla tea until I can figure out water that works for me.

Well, that is where I'm at right now....if anyone having surgery soon has questions about anything I did or didn't do, please ask....and the same goes for anyone else....this is all very fresh in my mind right now for this stage of recovery. ☺

I was released the day after my surgery

[layknee 357]

You should join us on October 2014 thread and the October surgery date thread.

[dark n lovely 70]

Congrats on your new journey.

I also did well during my recovery and is now 8 weeks post op. I am doing the opposite with the Water and food. Loving the water, on a regular diet but my stomach doesn't like too much of what i have tried to eat. Soups, lots of water, and yogurt is my favorite. I am also having trouble with my shakes. I get gas, bloating, and sometimes vomiting.

I have lost 44lbs so far. And just order "New Whey"protein shake (clear), to see if i can tolerate that better.

Well, welcome to the forum. Good luck????

[Nancy E. 44]

Keep up the great job!!! What type of surgery did you have, the bypass? I am scheduled for my bypass on November 12. I am nervous and excited at the same time. My surgeon said he will try to do it laparoscopicly but due to excess scarring from 2 previous hiatal hernia repairs he may have to switch to opening me up instead. He won't know until he is in the process, so I won't know until I wake up. I think that is what I am most nervous about! I really want to get the surgery part over so I can begin getting healthy. I am determined to do whatever it takes to reach my goal and stay there. I hope I do as well as you have!