New to Bariatric Pal

[Terri17225 3]

Hello Everyone,

I just moved from my 21 year home in North Carolina to Rhode Island this past summer. I also made a decision I had been thinking about for a few years, to have Weight loss surgery. I had my first appointment with my surgeon on 11/16/17. We decided on the bypass due to my diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I have gotten through all steps required for surgery except for my endoscopy, I have that tomorrow. Everything is going well I have no reason to think I won't be approved by my insurance (Tricare Prime). I am just feeling like I am hanging out here by my self. My family is very supportive but I left all my friends behind when I moved and it is harder to connect with them now. Anyone else pre-op here is RI. It would be good to connect to someone close who could understand. I went to my local support group but I didn't really connect with anyone. I am going back to the next one at Roger Williams Medical Center on 1/17/18. If there is anyone out there that feels the same way and just wants to talk to someone going through the same thing feel free to reach out.

[Rainbow_Warrior 996]

33 minutes ago, Terri17225 said:

I went to my local support group but I didn't really connect with anyone.

That can happen in amongst the many weight loss systems and support groups.

Sadly, not everything is a good fit.

I hope you can get suggestions from someone in your part of the world.

[James Marusek 5,244]

Welcome and let us know if we can be of any help. Attending local support group meeting can be good, they are areas where information can be exchanged and encouragement. But they can also provide the opposite.

My insurance required that I attend support group meetings each month during pre-op. Many of those in attendance were pre-op. After surgery there was not really an attendance requirement, so many that attended post-op either attended because they wanted to give back to the community or because they had problems and then problems on top of problems and were seeking help. This gave a distorted view of the effects of surgery. Many individuals that had good outcomes from surgery just disappeared from the meetings.

I put some of my experience after surgery in the following article and it may be of help. http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery.pdf

At your stage I would recommend three things:

1. Take a good before photograph of yourself, so that you have something to compare to after surgery. Many times we are blind to our obesity. We do not see ourselves. Therefore when the weight begins to drop off rather dramatically, we question if this is really happening. Photographs are a good visualization of our success. Many people carry a before and after photo with them, just to remind themselves of their success.

2. Walk 30 minutes each day, every day until surgery (or equivalent exercise). Walking helps the recovery process go smoothly and minimized the pain levels from surgery.

3. Wean yourself from caffeine and carbonated beverages now. After I gave up my 6 diet coke a day habit, I suffered from a week of severe withdrawal syndrome consisting of severe headaches and body aches. I was miserable. You don't want to combine the effects of caffeine withdrawal with the effects of surgery.

[Rainbow_Warrior 996]

6 hours ago, James Marusek said:

Many times we are blind to our obesity. We do not see ourselves.

So true. I can see the numbers on the scale diminishing. (Averaging about 1.4kg OFF per week for the last 13 Mondays ... equal to 3.1 pounds per week).

I can see the 7" to 8" of belt holes passed.

BMI down from 56 to 45.

But the photos don't say much to me.

7 hours ago, James Marusek said:

when the weight begins to drop off rather dramatically, we question if this is really happening.

Also happening here!

7 hours ago, James Marusek said:

Walk 30 minutes each day,

Nigh on impossible for me ... knees and ankles seriously impaired from years of obesity.

In three months since surgery, I returned to the indoor swim centre and put in 3.25 to 4.5 hours per day ... with just one day off per month. 60% of the time is devoted to ambling breaststroke. 35% of the time is for chest-deep 'wading' and the other 5% is for Water resistance exercises.

It'll do until I can walk smoothly again.

7 hours ago, James Marusek said:

Wean yourself from caffeine and carbonated beverages now.

I have ended my relationship with fizzy drinks, soft drinks, 'sodas' and beer.

I stopped coffee a month before surgery and stayed off it for three weeks after.

Since surgery, I have about FOUR or FIVE small turmeric espresso lattes on unsweetened almond milk per week. It helps with settling my post-op stomach.

Thanks, James, for your insights and advice. Much of it applies well to me.

[angyplus5 470]

welcome!!!

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[Redhatgal 11]

I have no idea what I am doing. I am trying to navigate this site but feel pretty stupid. I signed up 5 years ago but didn’t really participate. At that time I had a lap band placed. Now am going to have a bypass on Feb. 21st. So many questions, so little time.

[kakatlady612 1,053]

Welcome Terri7225, there's a thread on the bypass forum for February 2018, you might even find a surgery twin there. At any rate you're among friends we all are fighting or have fought in the diet wars and are committed to better health and a longer lifespan. Bariatric Pal is a great resource, I've learned so,much from others experiences.

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