What do you wish someone had told you BEFORE your surgery?

[GinaCampbell 434]

My fibro pain was controlled by the liquid meds but the fatigue has been aggravated by low calorie intake and post op infection.

I have recently had my first B12 injection but still have significant fatigue.

I also have alot of large muscle and joint pain but because I feel dizzy and off balance, I am concerned about taking full script of fibro meds post op.

I was concerned about my fibro care plan post op but didn't fully appreciate the scope of managing all the different symptoms that post op vsg and fibro throw out.

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[rolosmom7 740]

I also have endo which has gone HAY WIRE.

This might be the thing that makes me the most nervous. I have a hard time with my endometriosis 'episodes' as it is, I can't imagine them getting much worse.

For me it was worse than the surgical pain

[theantichick 2,204]

I don't have fibro, but I have auto-immune arthritis. Had to stop my meds 3 weeks prior to surgery, and NSAIDs a few days before. So I was aching pretty good by surgery day. And surgery flared me. By day 3 my arthritis was hurting WAY more than the surgery sites. But at about 2 weeks post, the inflammation started backing off and my joints started feeling better. My rheumy had told me that the stomach tissue that is removed secretes inflammatory hormones and I might see improvement in my inflammation from the surgery itself, and then ongoing with the weight loss.

I'm back on my meds now, and can start taking NSAIDs again if needed (my surgeon and rheumy are on board with this) and we're hoping that this stalls the need to move to biologics for a while.

Second (or third) the thrift/resale shops idea. My sis had VSG so I had an idea how fast my sizes would change. I still have business casual pants going down a couple of sizes (kept thinking I'd get back in them, so didn't get rid of them) and then because I am sheer heck to fit in pants at any size, I'm going to make several drawstring maxi skirts to get me through to goal weight/size. With tops from thrift/resale shops, and stretchy "genie" style bras, I'll get through without having to spend a great deal on clothes over the next 6 mo to a year. Having a plan about wardrobe is good, though, and I'm glad my sis warned me beforehand.

The only other thing I wish I'd known was just how fatigued I would be until I could eat solid food again. I had less than a week off of work, but was able to work from home for a week, and during this time my department started a 2 day/week work from home arrangement. If I'd had to go back to the office earlier, it would have been awful. I also couldn't start decent workouts until a couple of weeks after solid food started. I know this is only partially from the WLS, and is more from my auto-immune, but I underestimated the fatigue.

[RubyWednesday 5]

Each weight loss is unique. Do not compare your experience to someone you know had the surgery. Do not make yourself crazy if you are not losing weight as rapidly as she or he is.

I am one of the segment that is called The Slow Loser. There was a rumor that I could only expect to lose all the weight I could hope to within an eighteen month window. This rumor cast many slow losers into great despair and panic, seeking revisions, because they didn't see the hoped for results within that window. Luckily for me, I lost my job and benefits about a year after this surgery or I would have driven myself crazy trying to qualify for revisions surgeries.

To set this up for you, I did not follow any particular diet. I already was aware that I had dieted myself up to 450 lbs. This surgery was supposed to be a weight loss tool, not a cure.

The writing was on the wall when the nurse expressed disappointment that I had lost "so little" in my follow up to surgery about a week later. If I recall correctly it was about seven or eight pounds and I was thrilled before she opened her mouth. But my top weight had been 450 and I had worked my way down to 410 for the surgery. I weighed in at 400 that day. That was in 2004.

I am now 200 lbs, literally half the size I was that day. I lost 100 pounds within that window and then it stopped altogether one in 2005. After finding my body totally resistant to everything I tried to do, I resigned myself to the size I was. 300 lbs was still better than 450 lbs. But then, after a few months, I'd get on the scale to find I lost weight. Then I'd get stupid and hopeful and see what I could to to nudge it along. The scale would fluctuate wildly. I'd throw up my hands in disgust and get back to my life. Rinse, repeat. Until I finally started documenting the progress I made.

I figured out that I would plateau at every point I started another diet. 300 lbs., 275 lbs., 260 lbs. 230 lbs. 210 lbs. Now 200 lbs. I don't know if I will lose more weight, but if I do the next point set is going to be 185 lbs.

So, based on my experience as a slow loser who didn't follow some hard core Atkins regime, I lost half of my weight within that window due to having a much smaller stomach with very little ghrelin and the other half moved off much much slower to the point I averaged about a half a pound a week, all said and done.

So, don't panic. Expect to revisit every set point that you started dieting again.

You are not as muscular as you think. Most fat people think they must have a huge muscle structure, because they carry so much weight, but if you're like me, you don't realize all the things you did to avoid getting up and moving. Get into a muscle building program before the surgery so you will stay warmer and more energized.

You also want to pay attention to your Iron and your Calcium. I finally got this right recently after years of trail and error.

So what you want to focus on is staying strong and energetic, not to mention how you look in your clothes. Stay off the scale as much as possible and pay more attention to how your clothes fit. The less bloating and unsightly bulges you have, the better off you are.

Hope this helps.

T

[tammysturn 0]

Bloating after gastric sleeve

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[towrecovery 2]

3 things.

1) the sensations of having to defecate and gas are not the same as before the surgery. its harder to tell them apart.

2) the first night at home when you are in so much pain that you are about to go to the emergency room, go take a #2.

3) If you are having a revision from the band to the Switch, be prepared for them to only remove the band and do the switch and not do the sleeve portion. My second sergery for the sleeve portion is December 2nd.

[genn 460]

I wish someone had shared with me that having Fibromyalgia might/would make any nerve pain extremely intense and different from regular surgical pain.

If I had known that, I would have been able to wrap my head around the possibility and not just be blind sided.

If you don't have Fibro, I would just say "roll with it". Especially we women who have given birth. Try to relax and breath through the pain. It really does help.

AND

DON'T WORRY. You got this!!!! We are all here rooting and praying (if you'd like) for you.

i have had fibromyalgia for 13 years now just wondering did you loosing the weight help your fibromyalgia pain? And was the pain for surgery super intense?

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[genn 460]

Was diagnosed 13/14 years think I have had it 15/16 years possibly longer

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[melbell2222 244]

The belly itching is unbearable!!!!! Omg but get some gold bond powder and it helps

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[Rae5148 28]

Best advice for in hospital: bring a robe and comfy pants like pajama pants. You will be too out of it to read so you don't need to bring any of that. Also, walk, walk, walk. It took 5 days to get the gas from surgery out but walking always helped. don't let the pain get ahead of you, you need the pain medication the first few days take it as soon as you feel it wearing off.

For home: everyone is different don't expect the same results as anyone else. If you aren't ready to advance in your diet or you feel uncomfortable about anything talk to your surgeon they are the only ones who know you fully and can give you sound advice. Also, the scale sometimes doesn't motivate you as much as measuring your body.

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Edited November 11, 2016 by Rudy126

[InspectorJensen 20]

You won't be hungry. My nut told us this, but I didn't believe it. I have a 300 page manual - I was prepared. So prepared, we have enough Jello until 2020. I thought I'd be starving and need it all.

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I guess I might have went overboard as well. I have enough Protein powder to feed a third world country!

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[towrecovery 2]

yes, Walk, Walk, walk at the hospital! i think that helped a lot. It also got them to release me the next day! (i hate hospital stays)

[bariatricbutterfly 113]

Everyone's experience is unique. I can't compare my experience to someone else's and expect the same result. Also, the importance of a support system. You need someone in your corner who understands your "why" for having surgery and will hold your feet to the fire when you have your questionable days. And the most important one, which I feel has helped me to be successful on this journey, understand your demons before surgery. Because afterwards they magnify. What I mean by this is there's a reason why we turn to food for comfort. After surgery, that food outlet is no longer there. You can no longer find solace in a bag of oreo Cookies. You will have to face that demon head on and find a healthy alternative to deal with it. I started preparations prior to surgery and I still check in (seven years later) once a year with my therapist.