Obesity Surgery WP Blog

Hello…my name is Shawn and I am new to this group. I am a 39 year
old mother of two, living in Iowa. I just went to my first Doc’s
appt. and was told I was a good candidate for the Ruen-Y Surgery. I
weigh 240 and my BMI was 40. I have severe heart problems which will
benefit from major weight loss.
Needless to say, I am very optimistic about the future…where before
I felt that there wasn’t much chance for improved health. Yet, I have
a long road to travel and have alot to learn. So, this is where you
all come in!!!
I hope to learn alot from you and hopefully encourage each other to
reach our goals.Thanks for allowing me to join your family and I look
forward to life-long friendships…
Shawn

Hello everyone, I hope everyone is having a great day. I am 5mo. post-op and i
have lost 97lbs. everything is going great. but lately i have noticed that i am
not getting satisfied like i use to when i eat. At first i could really go all
day without eating. And now i eat between one and two small meals a day.
Usually, a cup or a half of cup of chili or soup. and if i eat a solid meat it
is a third of chicken breast or a one oz turkey patty. Well, as of the past few
days i have been wanting to eat about every 2-3 hrs. at first i thought it was
the lack of protein although i do eat chicken and turkey in my chili. so i
started drinking more protein shakes usually two or three instead of just one. i
know this is getting long but i really need some advice as to what to do. in
addition i went to weigh in yesterday and i had gained a pound and that really
upset me. i don’t understand how that could happen when i don’t really eat
anything. so please any advice would be appreciated.
thank you
Toya C

When I had my labs done, my iron was only 25. My surgeon called in
a prescription for Chromagen Forte. I was told to take one pill 3
times a day….in ADDITION to what I was already taking. I was
taking polysaccharide iron…one pill 3 times a day. So now I’m
taking SIX iron pills a day. Ok…does that seems a bit much to
anyone other than me??? Just wondering…
Michelle

Hi I had my surgery on the 13th and since last Friday, I have had a constant,
sharp pain near the botton of the left side of my rib cage. As I mentioned
in my last post, I went to the ER, and they found a kidney infection. Well,
I’m glad that they found that and it’s being addressed, but both my surgeon and
I think that that is unrelated to the pain; the pain is too high to be caused
by my kidneys. My surgeon thinks it’s muscular inflammation, and is taking a
“wait and see” approach; she is not overly worried because I have no other
symptoms, e.g., fever, swelling, etc. and I am able to keep food and water down.
And it’s not near any of my incisions.
But I am nearing the end of my rope. I have been in continuous pain since
Friday; last night I could barely sleep at all, the Vicodin wasn’t even helping.
If it’s muscular, I find it strange that it would surface two weeks post-op
out of the blue. Just wondering if anyone else experienced something like
this? I am supposed to leave for vacation and am hesitant to do that until this
gets at least marginally better. I will be really screwed if it gets worse
(more…)

This is a response I wrote to sunstar a few days ago regarding
antidepressanats. I thought if it might be of use to someone else it would
be worth sending. Jeanette
First off, you need to talk to your prescribing doctor about these feelings
and if he doesn’t change your medications, then I would probably see another
physician. This is only an opinion, but I do have some experience on
anti-depressant drugs, in fact I still take them. I am pre-op and my
prescribing physician is wanting to stay right on top of things in case
adjustments need to be made post-op.
I have had some experience with Effexor XR but I have not had any with
Celexa. The medications I now take are a combination of Wellbutrin SR
(which will be a problem post-op for a while) and Zoloft. I have taken
Paxil, but I did not have good results with it. Just by what my doctor has
told me Wellbutrin SR makes things seem sunny and brighter and are sometimes
an appetite suppressant (not for me though!!) Be assured though that there
(more…)

I just celebrated 17 months postop. Wow, what a positive
difference in my life this surgery has made! I no longer have
diabetes, chronic leg soreness, irritable bowels or urinary
leakage. I no longer feel “HOT” & sweaty. I can easily perform
personal hygiene now at 100 lbs. thinner. I can go into a regular
store and buy clothes in the “misses” department.
I have so much to be grateful for due to this surgery. I think
back to all the many years of being morbidly obese and how it robbed
me so much of the joys of life. While I wish that I could recapture
those years not morbidly obese, I am grateful now to be only 48 yrs
old in a thinner, healthier body.
Life is so much better now. I still struggle with making proper
food & exercise choices, but it isn’t anything like the prior SUGAR
binges that were my preop routine. Maintaining “good habits” is a
challenge each day and, at times, I fantasize about the early postop
(more…)

Wow! That’s one HUGE container of protein! BTW, this is directed to the chick that started the
thread, but I responded very late.
I drink protein every day with water. First and
foremost, find one that you enjoy. Lots of online
companies sell samples of their products for around
$1-$2. It is much cheapier to buy a few samples than a
big container.
You can also buy sugar free syrups online and flavor
the drinks a bit. For example, you can put a little
coconut and a little almond syrup in a chocolate and
have something that tastes sort of almond joy-ish.
Be careful with the quantity of water that you add. If
you add too much the drink tastes like a$$. Add less
water if the drink tastes funny or is too runny.
(more…)

As many of you know I will be one year out in two weeks. And have
lost over 200 pounds. I have been dealing with many things over this
journey. First the skeptics and naysayers. All the health problems
and low self asteem. All the limitations on my life due to my weight.
(What life really?)All the embarrassing moments and shameful fat
pictures I tore up or hid. Hmm…its a wonder I still have a few I
look at now just to remind me where I have been. Thank god for kids
who love you no matter what huh? As I lost the weight and tossed
clothes monthly for new ones my self esteem zoomed to all new
heights. The compliments and encourgement flowed freely from friends
co workers and strangers. I was able to do so many things I had taken
for granted as a thin person.(A million years ago it seems) Simple
things such as tieing my shoes.Now when I tie my shoes my face doesnt
get all red like a tomato and I dont grunt becouse I cant breath and
tie my shoes lopsided becouse I just cant do any better. Now I dont
(more…)

I really need some advise from all of you on this subject. I saw a RYN
surgeon and he advised I have a medial bypass. (In-between the proximal and
distal)
What do you know about this length?
Thanks,
Debbie

When I see some of the weight losses I keep wondering how tall the person is. I
tell my husband this person weighed more than me and now weighs 135 lbs and he
always say how tall are they 5′, I know he is just kidding around but I also
know that at 5′5″ tall I could go down that much. I have never been a normal
weigh so it is hard to imagine how much i could lose. I know it is different
with everyone but if some of you that have lost a lot could tell me how tall you
are maybe I could get an idea.
Leslie
5′5″ tall
321/311/?