*

Thankyou so much, you all are so informative. I thought the baby powder idea was wonderful, as well as the post about the chap stick...dr's just dont seem to think about those things. Thankyou all. 6 days to go, is it normal to be this nervous!

good heavens yes!!!!! this is a major surgery, and we'd be far more concerned if you were not worried or nervous or something.

and pookie darlin - you are WAY too kind..

tell us more about yourself, mystek--- who's your surgeon, what you're doing for support groups, what kind of protein shakes you've tried... what you're planning for exercise.. hey. whatever works..

how do the people closest to you feel about this step?

Hello ladies,

Well, im 25, (250 lbs)...due to not so good dr's care after a serverally dislocated pubic bone and no rehab or directives, the weight came on so very quickly, tooooo quickly. Over 120 lbs in less than 2 years. Alot of people say "your so young, you dont need it, your just lazy." IM SO TIRED OF HEARING THIS< EVEN FROM MY CLOSEST FRIENDS" They are so used to seeing me energetic and healthy and thin, that they cant understand that sometimes things that are not under your own control, can CONTROL your life. Food being my drug of choice to help soften the pain. Layed up in bed unable to do any type of excersize due to pain for over a year, pretty much stuck me in the rut im in now. Ive tried everything, had successes with alot of them, even Meridia (losing 70 lbs in 8 months), but once of the prescription prescribed drug and unable to excersize gained it back and than some the following year. Now with my pubic bone being completely healed for the past 6 months, they have tried everything even excersize with no success. So i decided WLS was the way to go for me. Or fear ending up like my father, 38 yrs old -having a double bypass.

Ok, i apologize, im such a chatter box.

Ive decided to go with the 100% whey protein for my drink, the main reason because i dont intake enough protein as it is that the more i can get the better. For people like myself, who dont eat much in the means of fish and eggs, my surgeon, DR. EGAN ( Balboa Hospital, in SD, CA) reccomended ISOPURE ZERO CARB. HE also explained that sometimes the taste isnt a factor after surgery since most peoples taste buds are hightened! Good thing, beacause it dont taste so grand! a local nutrition center sells it for 50.00 for 3 lbs, but i found it for less than 30.00 at a competing nutrition store. In two scoops you get over 50g of protein with no carbs, no too shabby.

My biggest struggle would be my water intake, and ive been doing well, small sips throughout the day to better prepare me. Other than that, after getting over my obstacles with food, im extremely anxcious.

Im mostly looking forward to being able to roll around (okay more like bounce) on the floor with my two year old son and have the energy to get out of bed in the mornings, and sweep my floor without having to cry through the pain.

ok, i think ive eared you all too death, no offense taken if you didnt read it all!!!! im a gabber.


****Here is a website ladies, for those who havent had their surgery yet, ive cleared it with my surgeon, and all the suggestions dealing with supplements and vitamins are actually considered the best choice plan for a tip top recovery.


http://www.teklawgirl.biz/nutrition_after_wls.htm

oh yeah, im searching for an awesome support group, since i move around so much with the military...im in hopes of finding something just right for me, if not id like to help start one, somewhere within this website..if there isnt one.

So, I'm guessing that would make you a spouse. Or possibly a veteran, or both, like myself. There will soon be a (better) support group at Balboa, if you're interested. Let me know and I will get you the info, MysTek.
I am having an open RNY on Jan 26th, in 6 days. 3 working days. Wow. I did my freak out on Monday night, lol. I only had 13 days notice and prep time, overall. Fortunately, I had most of my big lab stuff already done, like a sleep study and and ECG done in May 2004. So, right now I'm hurrying up and "sampling" protien supplements and looking for vitamin supplements that will work best for me. I found that Centrum makes a liquid version of their everyday vitamin supplement. I'm going to try it, and get back to ya'll on the gag factor. I'm writing down everything you guys are saying to bring to the hospital, lol. slippers, check. baby powder, check. Has anyone thought to bring music? I haven't read all the posts yet. I rely on music (with headphones, of course) to relieve stress, relax, kick back, fight pain, work out, etc.

TOO FUNNY!!! My surgery is the 26th too, im a military spouse...i had 19 days to prepare, i figured id be like most people here in the posts who waited a few months, but i think balboa is in a hurry, to gain xp for the lap procedure
I dont know what all you have heard, i really wanted they RNY done lap., but the surgeon coursed me away from that. He says the line of site isnt as accurate, and leakage is more prone. ALthough i met a woman who had it done , military spouse, through Sharps lap., and she was out of the hosp. it two days. I was really stoked to hear they dont cut the stomach muscle during the open procedure!!

He said if i wanted to i could wait a few months, but im ready to begin mylife NOW...no more waiting.

welcome you two californians by military!!! and amy - this IS a support group. but most of us come here AND to one where we see people face to face.

a warning about the 50 grams of protein. be careful!!! right after the surgery, it takes A LONG TIME to get down a protein drink, but you gotta do it within 30 minutes. i don't like isopure, but i do like the syntrax. bottom line, whatever works.

but another key thing is that after the surgery, we really can't absorb more than about 20-25 grams of protein at a time, so forcing yourself to drink all 50 grams will not only make you miserable, but also waste the protein.

there are lots more tips around here. and please PLEASE share the ones you pick up along the way!!!

glad to have you here!

Well that is good to know, im not good at the whole protein thing. Do you have any suggestions once i get out of stage 1 for protein, i cant stand fish! You are all so wonderful, reading everyones stories are truly inspirational.
And i have the weirdest question, maybe a little t.m.i. as well....But, hey that is what this is for-Right?!?!?
ok, so after surgery we cant really bend in order for proper suture healing. What about when i need to wipe my A**!!! no seriously, i have short little arms, and a huge belly so i always find myself bending oddly to properly take care of myself in that area. I would really hate if my hubby would have to do those *dooties*. lol.

That whole twisting thing can be a challenge. on the up side, since you won't be taking much in, there won't be much coming out, if ya get my meaning.

lots of folks SWEAR by those sponges on sticks... gotta scoot to a meeting right now. more later

you get them in drugstores[i think] or those stores that have medical devices like wheelchairs, compression stockings, those little push-stools, that elderly people need.

but i promise you, Mystek - it's TEMPORARY!!!! you'll be twisting and bending sooner than you realize!!!

Alrighty then, lol. Were you at the pre-op meeting this past Wedsnesday night?

That can't happen until they've completed 50 successful open RNY's there. Also, TriCare West just this past Tuesday began allowing coverage for the lap approach for patients discharged to civilian providers. The lap approach does have a higher risk for leakage and infection. And a higher mortaility rate under an inexperienced doctor with that approach.

Yeah i know balboa had to reach 50, that is what i meant, as to them pushing us all through so quickly, not that it is a bad thing of course. I sat in the front, i was the one in the back reaming the nutrionist for his poor attitude and knowledge after the meeting!!! My private session with him didnt go so well. And other woman that night told me the same thing. He pretty much expressed this surgery was nonsense and it was a fault of pure laziness. When i asked him "have you ever been morbidly obese", "have you ever been to tears out of pain becaseu you couldnt pick up your two year old"....he was floored, but i think he may have finally understood. THen afterwards i gave him a wonderful website to veiw where i got alot of info from nutrition and told him i wished him luck and would see him after surgery.

i felt bad, but like you- i have researched this for over a year, and feel if you are going to support so many woman in their fight to better health, you should know a little of what you are doing. I feel bad, he jsut kinda was handed the job, so in a sense didnt mind helping him out with the info i had found. Hey im by no means a doctor, and of course you cant believe everythign you read off the net, but i think he was releaved i did my research and knew what i was getting myself into.

Thanks for the sponge on a stick, i did home care for 2 years and cant believe i forgot about that....im telling you guys, im losing brain cells.

Thats too funny serendipity.....i hope to see you roaming that nurses station with me!!! maybe we will be sharing a room, lol! poor you!!!!

Yeah, pookie, that avatar was from the better days....Here is too hoping to seeing them again soon ...CHEERS TO ALL OF US.

MY HEARTBURN IS KILLING!!! LOL

Don't feel bad, I've lost quite a few brain cells myself. I got the impression that the nutritionist wasn't with the program. But I've reached a point where, if someone can't help me, I will draw the line on how much of my precious energy I waste on them. I gave him more info than he gave me as well. I didn't stick around once the meeting was over. I have issues with flourescent lights and by the time we left, I had such a bad migraine I was in tears. Mostly because I knew I couldn't take anything for it, lol. I was the one getting all the blank stares when I asked about kidney stones and elemental calcium. To which their reply did not satisfy my need for an answer. Ya, blank, deer-in-the-headlights stares.