I am going to have Gastirc By-Pass surgery...

[kanitter]

Hi everyone, my name is Carrie. I am 33 yrs old and have struggled with my weight my entire life, no kidding. I am planning to have the gastric bypass done in the spring. I am nervous but excited as well.

 

Hi Carrie, I'm sure you are nervous. It is a major thing to go through. If you read through some of the posts here you'll see that it just may be one of the best decisions you make in your life. :D So far I have seen more good than bad about the surgery. I know it changed my life. We just got back from our first cruise and I actually lost weight during the cruise and yet it seemed like I was always eating.;) If you have any questions there is usually someone around here that can answer them for you.Good luck. Sue

[brettsmom2004]

I finally got to the end of this thread and found out so much information that I will have to go thru it again just to write everything down.

Allow me to introduce myself...I am Goldie.

I started my journey in January of this year starting with a seminar at a local hospital. From there I've attended WL clinic once a month since then. Yesterday I received my approval from my insurance company for me to have the GBS. The surgeon's assistant called me with the good news and we made an appointment for November 29. My surgery will be performed at one of the best hospitals here in Michigan and is known for their excellence in the Gastric Bypass Surgeries.

I am very excited and a little scared at the same time but I know I can do this. I am 5'1", weighing in at around 210#...their goal for me is 153, mine is 130.

Congratulations to all of you for your fantastic weight loss, I only hope I can live up to this thread and loose until I reach my goal. You all have given me hope that I can truly do this!

I thank you all!

gg

[kanitter]

I finally got to the end of this thread and found out so much information that I will have to go thru it again just to write everything down.

Allow me to introduce myself...I am Goldie.

I started my journey in January of this year starting with a seminar at a local hospital. From there I've attended WL clinic once a month since then. Yesterday I received my approval from my insurance company for me to have the GBS. The surgeon's assistant called me with the good news and we made an appointment for November 29. My surgery will be performed at one of the best hospitals here in Michigan and is known for their excellence in the Gastric Bypass Surgeries.

I am very excited and a little scared at the same time but I know I can do this. I am 5'1", weighing in at around 210#...their goal for me is 153, mine is 130.

Congratulations to all of you for your fantastic weight loss, I only hope I can live up to this thread and loose until I reach my goal. You all have given me hope that I can truly do this!

I thank you all!

gg

 

Hello Goldie, Good for you for making that choice to get some help. I think the hardest part about deciding whether or not to have the surgery was finally admitting that I just couldn't lose the weight by myself, that I needed help. I'm sure you will do fine, you sound like you're ready to take that final step. And if I could do, believe me, anyone can do it. ;) And you may find that your body has its own goal weight. My dr said 135, I said 130. Right now I'm at 123, but I bounce between 122 and 125. So I think that is where I'm going to stay. Which is great because I started at 269, and I'm only 5'2". So basically I was round.:o Good luck to you and just remember to take it one day at a time. Sue

[ssatterly]

Update on Me!! I have now lost 120 pounds and am holding steady at 145....I was 265 when I had the surgery on 4-15-09... Going on 2 years and i have had the best time of my life the past 2 years compare to the 1st 32 of my life!!!

[brettsmom2004]

Thanks Sue,

When I started this journey I was kinda beside myself....do I want to do this, do I not want to do this?....as the months went by, with all of the clinic visits, the great doctors I've seen, I knew I had a lot of support from them and my family. Each clinic visit consists of seeing a MD, a Dietician, and a Physical Therapist. They all were very supportive of me, didn't judge me, didn't repremand me when I didn't do well with the dieting, and they praised me when I did well.....I did my homework with researching the pros and cons of having this surgery. The further I got along in the program, the stronger I became and I knew that this is what I want and need if I was going to stay alive. I am doing this for my health first, then for my family...I want to see my grandkids grow up and with the path I had been on I was surely doing myself more harm than good.

 

Now I am about to travel down that road that will hopefully lead me to happiness and healthiness. I know I am doing the right thing and I will do my best to adapt to my new life starting at the end of this month.

 

Not to mention how great I will look by the time my cruise comes along in January 2012.

 

I have a couple of questions tho....

When I loose all of this weight, I know the fat will be pretty much gone, but what happens to the extra skin...will some of it shrink?...will it just seem like a thin layer of sagging skin?....mostly talking about the belly pouch that I have....I know when it is time, I can get it surgically removed along with firming up *the girls* but what do you do until then?...how do you make it less noticable?

 

Goldie

[kanitter]

First of all, Ssatterly, great job. Isn't it great not to carry all that extra weight around. It really made it a lot easier to walk around the ship, I didn't have to keep stopping to catch my breath. :D In fact I actually took the stairs quite a few times. More than I normally would have. If I remember correctly you are pretty tall. I bet you really look great!

 

Goldie, you should find that some of the skin should shrink, how much might depend on how old you are, the younger you are the more it would probably shrink. But if you are older like me, 53;), you might have a little more sagging. I've found that once I put on my pants that pretty much keeps everything where it should be. When wearing a dress I do need to wear a body shaper. But my worst problem is actually the flapping skin on my underarms, you know, the grandma wings. They actually bother me more than anything else. I usually wear long sleeves because I am always cold, I was before the surgery too, So I can kind of hide it, but it is harder with some clothes. You just have to be a little more creative.:rolleyes: But for once, I bought a nice dress that was form fitting and not shaped like a bag, for our cruise. It was nice being able to do that. You will too, soon. I added one of our pictures from our recent cruise to show you what I mean. I wouldn't have worn that dress 2 years ago. Everyone have a good one,

Sue

 

[brettsmom2004]

Very nice Sue...you look beautiful.....

I am 55, so I know that the skin will be with me until I can get it cut off....but that's just the belly skin...the granma wings will have to stay unless I can tone them up an not make them so noticible.

 

Now that my surgery is coming up soon...I need a little advice on what to have in the house for me when I come home from surgery...I know alot of this will be talked about at our pre op discussion group, but was wondering what you all did to prepare for your homecoming...what are you supposed to eat and drink?...I just want to get a head start and get stuff in the house soon so I know I have it...

Thanks, Goldie

[Perfect Stranger]

The wings are very hard to get rid of. I've lost a lot of weight myself and work out with hand weights doing specific exercises for the under the arm skin, and it won't go away!

[ssatterly]

I wish I knoew how to post a pic on here but I don't but if you go to Facebook there are pics there.. I am under Susie Conner!! I would love to add some more people!

[brettsmom2004]

Susie,

There are a few Susie Conner's in FB.....lol...

 

gg

[pcl_cruiser]

I have a question, how does it work for eating onboard the ship after surgery. I mean, are you gonna be charged full price at specialty restayrants when you can eat less than what a kid eats?

[GHarkness]

The price of the specialty restaurant includes the "experience." The least important aspect of the price is the quantity of food. So, while I have not dined in a specialty restaurant, I would not ask for a price break, and I wouldn't expect that they would give me one. They are going to serve you a standard serving of food, and you are going to eat at least some of it. They won't be able to serve the food to someone else, so what you don't eat will go in the trash.

 

Neither on the ship nor at home do I ever make any reference to my surgery at a restaurant. I eat what I eat; I never request children's menus, and whatever is left over is either taken home in a "doggie" bag or left at the restaurant with no regrets. I just don't want it to land on my hips, so leaving food on the plate is not a biggie. In fact, before I take the first bite, I cut the portion into what I am going to eat and what I am going to leave, so I don't get carried away and "forget." (At nearly four years out, I can eat more than I used to be able to eat, but I still get surprised at times by the limitation of my pouch - and I'm so glad for it, too!)

 

I think once you are a bit away from the surgery, you will realize it's not at all about the quantity of food. :)

[brettsmom2004]

I would imagine that they would still charge full price....they have no control over what you can eat and not eat....but it would be nice if they would discount meals, but then you'd have everyone saying that they just had surgery and cannot eat much.....no way of telling who's lying and who's not....

gg

[GHarkness]

wondering what you all did to prepare for your homecoming...what are you supposed to eat and drink?...I just want to get a head start and get stuff in the house soon so I know I have it...

Thanks, Goldie

 

You really need to get this from your doc, but for me, protein drinks were the only thing I had for a long time. I still have protein drinks - I totally LOVE them! Sometimes I'd rather have them than "real" food.

 

The only thing I would not bother to pay attention to would be if you doc says he wants you completely off protein drinks by X time frame. Protein drinks are very useful, tasty, and if you do them right, they can be quite filling even long after your pouch has relaxed.

[brettsmom2004]

Thank you Georgene,

I know they talk alot about the protein drinks, and I am a picky eater, don't eat chicken, fish, seafood, turkey...just beef, so I know I'm gonna have to rely alot on protein drinks...that's probably the only way I'm gonna be able to keep up with the protein. What brand do you use?...I know at the clinic they sell a HMR brand...almost $40 a box...looking for something a little cheaper on my pocketbook....

 

gg

[GHarkness]

I have tried them all, but in my opinion the best quality/taste combination is Jay Robb (jayrobb.com)first and second, Lean Dessert (netrition.com)(particularly Banana Nut Bread flavor). I always buy my protein online. I always buy the powder - the premixed in the can don't taste good to me (but that's just me). They taste "tinny."

 

Be sure to look carefully at the sugar/fructose contained in your protein supplements. Many are way too high in sugar to be good for you. Click brand is one of those. And frankly, I would starve before I ever spent another nickel at BariatricEating.com (some personal history there ).

 

One thing you should know is that the first few months out of surgery, your tastes may change. So if something doesn't taste great, give it a few weeks and try again. Much is happening in those first weeks to your body - so be patient. :)

 

Oh, and remember: these protein supplements are food. That you put In. Your. Body. "Inexpensive" is not a consideration here. You need to buy the best you can get (which does not always correspond with price, but be careful not to eat/drink junk just because it's cheap.) Really!

[BillOh]

One thing you should know is that the first few months out of surgery, your tastes may change. So if something doesn't taste great, give it a few weeks and try again. Much is happening in those first weeks to your body - so be patient. :)

 

Very true.

[BillOh]

Hello everyone, my wife and I are both almost 2 years past surgery and about to go on our 2nd post surgery cruise. Below is us before on Freedom, and after on Navigator.

 

 

[GHarkness]

Hello everyone, my wife and I are both almost 2 years past surgery and about to go on our 2nd post surgery cruise. Below is us before on Freedom, and after on Navigator.

 

 

'Tis a totally different world, no? Still sometimes I forget that all those things I could not do before, I can do now! Life is good!

[BillOh]

'Tis a totally different world, no? Still sometimes I forget that all those things I could not do before, I can do now! Life is good!

 

Navigator was the first time we hit the gym on a cruise ship. :D Sugar Free Keylime isn't bad. We only gained 1 pound on the last cruise and I think that was hanging around the airport for 5 hours on the way home.

[brettsmom2004]

That before and after pics are great!...you two look like totally different people....that is something to be very proud of.....I only hope and pray that I have such good results. I go for my pre op discussion class on Monday night...gonna take plenty of notes, learn all I can from this discussion..and will have to buy up 2 week supply of their HMR-70 diet drink. Have to have 2 weeks of that under my belt before surgery. I'm headed out to Las Vegas from the 18-22 of this month, will take some along with me...surgery is the 29th.

 

I have a cruise planned for January 2012, I am looking forward to being a few pounds lighter by then...heck, I won't know what to do with myself....lol....:D

 

gg

[kanitter]

Billoh, you and your wife look great. I find myself looking at old photos and thinking, "was that really me, I was huge!". And I agree about your tastes in food can change after surgery. I never liked fish before and now find myself making it at least a couple of times a month, my family just looks at me and asks what did I do with their mom?:D I did have a problem with the protein drinks, all of them made me gag. The only one I've find that I can drink is Unjury chicken soup. It's a powder that you mix with hot water and it makes like a chicken broth. It is actually really good. I still drink it to help keep my protein levels up, and just because I like the flavor. It makes a nice snack. The one thing that I hate is before the surgery I always had a glass of milk with my meals, for some reason since the surgery I have become lactose intolerant. If I take the lactaid tablets I can eat stuff like cottage cheese or sauces with some cream in them but I can't drink milk.:( Oh, and I ate so much jello right before and after surgery that now I really don't like it at all and avoid it. But everyone had different reactions and what bothers some may not bother the next person. Everyone have a good one,

Sue

[suezyq50]

My daughter uses Unjury. She had the sleeve done a year ago August. She has lost 120 pounds, from a size 28 to a size 14. She feels real good where is at, but still wants to lose more. I am now wanting to have surgery. I have gone to two information classes. One was with my daughter, the other for me, this past week. I, like most, have some fears. But I have yoo-yooed so much, I feel this would be best. Another concern I have is the sagging, especially being in my 50's. I also wondered how cruising will be. DD says it can be tough at restaurants when servers keep asking if something is wrong with the food, etc. Enough rambling. This thread is very encouraging. So many have done so well. Hats off.

[GHarkness]

At restaurants, it's all about the attitude.

 

A big smile and a thank you go a LONG way. Additionally, when you are first served, if you ask for a take-home container right then, the server will know not to expect you to finish your food.

 

On a cruise.....well, would you rather be fat or thin while cruising? In fact, in life, would you rather be fat or thin? (I am not trying to be offensive - if you didn't have a weight problem, you would not have posted here, but please do forgive me if I have stated this poorly).

 

I was 57 when I had my surgery. I'd much rather sag than be rounded out and full of fat - just my opinion, though. It's one of those things you have to decide for yourself. Good luck in making the right decision! :)

[BillOh]

Billoh, you and your wife look great. .......... I did have a problem with the protein drinks, all of them made me gag.

Sue

 

 

I like EAS ready to drink protein drinks. Pretty much just like Chocolate, Strawberry or Banana milk. The Vanilla isn't bad either, I'll take it when its given away at races, but stick with the other three.