Obesity Surgery WP Blog

It is so so hard figuring out what is “satisfied” and knowing when
to stop eating. Sometimes I can eat quite a bit (7 oz of food) with
no problem at all, so much that I wonder if the pouch is working or
not, if there is a leak, etc. Other times, 2 very small bites are
enough and if I have a 3rd I get sick. A lot of it depends on the
food I am eating. Pastas, breads, SF popsicles, boiled shrimp, and
tuna all seem to go down ok although I am trying to avoid the foods
with high carbs except for when I can’t get anything else down.
Taking today as an example, I had an HMR
shake around 11am, and then about 5 shrimp cocktail at about 1:30
pm. I then went to the gym to go swimming (drinking Propel
regularly) and when I got out of the pool, I felt faint (assuming
because I didn’t have all too much to eat and as quick as I was
drinking, I was probably losing water too.) I got home around 3pm
and heated up some chicken and pinto beans (I think they are
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Hi I am almost 7 mos. out and I am just going back to work from gall
bladder surgery. I am having a terrible time coming up with lunch
ideas to take to work…. For that matter I can’t think of anything
good to eat even for dinner.. food doesn’t taste good and anything I
try doesn’t taste as I think it should…. Does anyone have any
ideas for lunch??
Thank you in advance
Susan in NY
Prior to surgery 332
Day of surgery 302 11/19/02
today 199

One year ago today I had open RNY done by Bruce Thayer of
Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Massachusetts. Here are some rather
long-winded observations on this anniversary.
Stats: I’m a middle-aged female, 5′4. I started putting on weight at
puberty and though I had numerous weight losses, always regained and
then some. I’ve never been a normal weight adult. My highest weight
was somewhere around 315; at time of initial surgery consultation I
was 291 and on day of surgery was 281, BMI of 48. Today I’m 155, for
a BMI of about 27. The rate of loss has slowed down drastically and I
bounce up as often as down, but the overall trend is still going down,
averaging a pound every week or two. I’ve always been “fatter” than
my weight would indicate, wearing a bigger clothing size than many
people much heavier. I started out in a 32-34 or 5X and am currently
wearing size 16 misses slacks and skirts and anything from a misses L
to a 1X in tops.
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For any pre- or post-ops in the Ocean/Monmouth area, the first meeting will
be Tuesday, June 24, 2003 at 7:30pm. Location is 525 Jack Martin Blvd, Suite
308 (3rd floor), Brick. It may be decided that the day/time will change to
accommodate more interested people, so for more information or updates, call
(732) 458-8810 or email me at nineofcups@….
Hope to see you soon!
Judy McCaffrey

Hi All just a quick note to let you know I am back home again, I went down to
MaGee’s ER on Wednesday because of vomiting & chest pains, & I felt as though I
was dehydrated again… & I was admitted after quite a fight with Dr.Schauer..
He wanted to send me back home & come back down on Friday to have a scope test
done, I said NO I am way to sick to send me back home I am staying, In which the
2 ER Dr’s. agreed with me they felt I should have been admitted right away. So I
got there @ 3:00pm, was registered @ 3:30pm was taken into the ER @ 4:00pm got
into my room @ 12:10AM YES AM, because Schauer wouldn’t agree to admitt me the
ER Dr wouldn’t let me come home until he did, She agreed I was way to sick to
send me back home on a 3 hr trip. So finally he agreed, AFTER being paged @
7:10pm for the third time he finally calls back @ 10:10PM …. I had chest
x-rays & the scope done on Thursday which both came back negative. & Then
Saturday they took me down to do a cat scan of my chest & stomach but the white
stuff I had to drink for the X-rays was still in my system so the cat scan
wouldn’t work, so Sunday they sent me home, I have to go back Wed. or Friday to
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Howdy folks,
I just got off the phone with my doctor after having gone in for my
first blood test after surgery. I was wondering if anyone can give me a little
schooling… I’ve asked them to fax over the results of everything, but
here’s the info I have from the couple of things he went over with me:
Folate- mine: 3.4. Normal: 5.4 Evidently I fall at the very bottom of
borderline. Deficient is below 3.4
B12- mine: 348. Normal: 211-911. I’m slightly concerned that this is closer
to the bottom end of the spectrum.
He said that my blood counts are normal, however the size of my cells were
borderline high. I have no idea about this, either.
Platelet: mine: 87,000. Mine in 2000 (2 yrs prior to surgery): 160,000.
So far, this has seemed a pretty disconcerting. He’s putting me on a
prescription of folate. I’m going to be doing some more research over the next
few
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I am having pain at one spot in my incision, where the incision line
curves around my belly button. It’s always been the worst spot (I think
the curve makes it pull more no matter which direction it’s stretched),
but I did a lot over the weekend and maybe I’ve stressed it too much…I
am taking it easy, there’s no bulging like a hernia or anything. Anyone
experience fresh pain at this point? How long might it take to go away?
Cat

Smoking will severely damage your recovery. It will effect rate of healing
in your incisions, your stomach, and effect your ability to tolerate food. Try
a triple approach. Find a social worker to do talk therapy, find a person
qualified to do hypnosis and do the prescription thing all at the same time.
If you really can’t quit before the WLS….you should re-evaluate whether or
not you will have the real ability to comply with the post WLS issues. If you
have non compliance issues and unresolved addictions before WLS what makes you
think you won’t after and what makes you think that surgery will develope the
ability to cope with stress with out addictive behavior?
It will be much harder to handle life until you replace your addictions
(food and tabacco) with something stronger and healthier! Delaying surgery
until you have a well rounded healthy lifestyle will save you tons of grief post
WLS.
Look at all the posts from post ops who were unprepared to substitute
anything/something else in place of their habit of coping with stress by eating
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Hi, all, I just wanted to share the good news… I have now lost 100.5
pounds in six months. It has been a wonderful milestone. I’ve been lucky
and had no complications.
Angela Peace
RNY 12/05/2002
325/224.5/???

I am just wondering if anyone has had this surgery
and smokes. Did you have complications from it? Did
you try quitting with the patch or pills? I tried the
patch and still I continue smoking. If anyone can
help please tell me about your success. I have my
surgery in one week from Tues., the 17th of June,
can’t wait!!!
Kathy