pre-op

HI i am new here from wisconsin and would love to talk with people who have had the r&y prcedure done. im so nervous and scared about living on liquids.will this be a easier thing then im thinking ? will all the food cravings diminish? please help me with all these anxieties!!!

Brenda, You've got mail! Nicole Lap RNY 6/7/05 312/154/150

Brenda, The short answer is ... you won't be hungry for the first few weeks. Lay those fears to rest. For the first few days, a sip of juice or broth, or some ice will fill you up. Lots of times, the juice I took my pain meds with filled me up for hours. My hubby had to keep reminding me to drink stuff. I thin****pt a cup of ice at hand all the time so I didn't get thirsty. It's hard to get in enough water, because just a little fills you up. As time goes on, you'll want half a cracker, instant potatoes (were a staple for me (they have loaded flavors!!)), etc. After a while, you'll build up. For the LONGEST time, 3 bites was my limit. It's great because you quit eating because you are so full, or you're afraid of making your grouch (stomach pouch) hurt. What's hard is when the cravings start to come back. You know you aren't stomach hungry, and you have to find new habits to replace your old eating (when you're bored, upset, frustrated, tired, ...) patterns. Walking is a great replacement. The one thing I'd recommend is starting on the protein shakes ASAP. I had to start on tuna salad at 3 weeks because I had gotten so weak from lack of protein. No one had mentioned protein shakes to me pre-op. The were really important to me for quite a while. Now, I eat real food, just smaller portions, and am doing great. FYI on the shakes: don't mix more than you'll drink at a time, i.e. don't make a pitcher, thinking you'll drink it throughout the day. It will start to break down and give you terrible gas! And a magic bullet is great for mixing one that is rich and creamy. Definitely worth the investment! :thumbs up: Also, start walking NOW! I don't know anyone who's been really happy with their results without doing the time in exercise. I know many of us admit to slacking now, but not during the first 6 months, especially. You really want to optimize your losses from the beginning. Now it's more maintaining. Instead of walking my 5 miles every day, it's 2 or 3 times per week. The first day of surgery, going to the restroom was a marathon. Within a week, I could walk to the end of the block and back. It took about 3 weeks to get up to 3 miles, and about 4 or 5 weeks to get up to 5 miles. But we (I always had someone to go with me-I was really weak at first, and exhausted after every walk) pushed me as far as I could every day. I lost 30 lbs. my first month! Back to your question, though, the answer is no, at least not at first. You may want to eat, but it won't be because you're hungry. Sugar free fruit bars and sugar free chocolate bars made me really happy during that period, too. Don't expect to be able to eat a whole one at once, though. You will be amazed by how little you actually need to eat to feel healthy, especially when you add the exercising! Take your vitamins, drink as much water as possible, get your protein, and walk. If you can start all of that now, you'll be doing even better. The BEST advice I can give to you is to get involved with the message board for your operative month as soon as you can stand to sit at the computer. This thing has been a life-saver! You'll be going through it all with the only people who can truly understand what you're dealing with. Good, bad, ugly. We've gone from mystery pains, to embarrassing gas and tummy gurgling, to new relationships as well as new clothes sizes together and the best WOW moments imaginable. You just can't beat the support system here! Not such a short answer after all, huh? Anyway, Good luck! If you have any other questions, just email! Kristie

Hello, Welcome............. I'm Renee in Nashville, Tn. I had this procedure on 6/19/05 It was tough at first because-- I was use to craming food(whether hungry or not)the whole purpose for the surgery- you will survive!! Know that this is an awesome tool to the end war w/ WL Issues. you will be on liquids for only a short time....... trust me--- you wont want food.... your tummy wont be able to handle that for awhile. You will get back to eating-- but in moderation. Take it in stride and enjoy the WL and new freedom......... Blessings, Renee'