Attention October Surgeries

Hello October friends...By now everyone in the October forum should be recovering and happy their surgeries are over.  We're all on the road of becoming healthy.  I would like to know if everyone from October would let the team know how they are feeling.

As for me...I had lapband done on 10/23, the first week of recovery was tough, however; the second week was much better, I was able to move around and started feeling like myself.  I'm on the third week now, and things are going well.  I'm healing much better, eating everything but steak and carbs.  I weighed myself 2 weeks after surgery and Iost 12 pounds. 

How about everyone else?  Please share your stories, successes and struggles. 

I had Lap RNY on October 31.  I am doing great.  I had my staples out yesterday (11/10).  I started on pureed foods yesterday (a few days early per the nutritionist because of the diarrehea issue I have been having since before leaving the hospital).  Other than that issue, I am feeling quite well and have been out and about and walking twice a day for about 20 minutes. I can't believe it has only been about 11 days since mjor surgery.

I have only lost 3 # (according the the surgeon's office) since surgery (8.5# according to my brand new digital scale, purchased a couple of weeks before surgery).

I had to do a 2 week pre-op liquid diet.  With permission from my endocronologist, and a promise to CLOSELY monitor my sugar.  I stopped taking all my diabetes meds.  My fasting blood sugars were about 135-150. 
But this is the good part, DRUM ROLL PLEASE ... My glucose is NORMAL for the first time in many years.  It hasn't been over 100 this entire week, regardless of whether I am fasting, drinking the two-week post-op liquid protein, or today being on pureed proteins (including cheese, cottage cheese & things higher in sugars).  My high blood pressure meds were decreased by 75%, I am not taking several other meds (including one high cholestrol med).

Tomorrow I see my PCP and hope to be able to get off of some of the other meds I am still currently taking.

I feel so blessed.  Praise God!! 

God Bless,

~Kathi

ec0576 and Kathi- you are both doing great!

I had RNY on October 30. I had a very rough hospital experience and a hard first week. Lots of pain, nausea and throwing up. I am so much better now. I am still on full liquids. I can't wait to have cream of wheat, oatmeal and eggs. I never thought I would be excited to eat those! Soup doesn't agree with me yet. I was able to eat some lite yogurt yesterday for the first time.
I have lost approx. 12 pounds since surgery. I don't have a scale at home but have asked for a good one for Christmas.
good luck and we all need to keep in touch.

 I had lap RNY on October 24, 2008 and am feeling surprisingly well. My hospital experience was very positive, and I was released to go home the next day. We live 2 1/2 hours away, so the surgeon asked us to stay at a hotel in the area for a couple of days to make sure there were no problems. My husband is a Nurse Practitioner, so he changed my dressing and got me walking with no problem. Really, the only issue I've had is some diarrhea the first week, but after stopping the protein shakes and starting yogurt with probiotics, that problem went away.

I'm still on full liquids for another 10 days, then on to pureed food. I've lost 11 lbs since surgery, but a total of 27 lbs. since I started the 2 weeks of clear liquids prior to surgery. I forget to eat all the time, which is a new experience for me. I had a lot of "head hunger" the first week, but not so much this week. I've learned to stop watching the commercials on tv, all of which seem to be about food.

I'm walking and riding an exercycle for 20-30 minutes a day, and plan to add weights tomorrow. I want to work up to doing cardio at least 5 times a week and strength training at least 3 times a week.

My surgeon took me off the blood pressure medicine immediately after surgery. I stopped the arthritis and heartburn medications myself - no more pain, so why continue it? I was told not to stop the medication for depression until after the first year, but hope to get off it eventually.

Today I put on a pair of jeans and a tshirt that I haven't been able to wear for 2 years, so I am thrilled!


Marcy Brinkley

I had lap-band on 10/27.  Had my first post-op today.  The first week after surgery was difficult, mainly because i thought i was still super-mom!  Got that cleared up by day 4 and spent the last few days feeling a lot better. I get to start swimming next week. Lost 18# on the 3 week full liquids, still at surgery wt and have 2 more weeks of liquids (3 oz every hour). Tired of not chewing, but willing to go the distance for healthier times!

I had lap rouxen y on October 22,2008.  So far I have been reletaviley well.. I do find that getting in enough liquids is quite a challenge.  And I am still eating everything by the book.. lol.. only thing I found that I don't tolerate well is tuna fish and some mac/cheese.. sits in my pouch like a lead brick.

I was up and walking around on the same day of my surgery.  Am very impatient to be able to use excercise equipment, and to get back to cleaning my house like I used to, without the fear of hurting myself.

 

Laura

 I had my RNY on 10/28.  I have lost about 15# and have had no problem eating very small portions of fish and a little (2 bites) of veggies very well cooked.  I am on mashed and pureed foods.  

I am following the rules, walking and eating my protein.  I just get really tired in the afternoon.

I had lap Roux en y on 10/10/08. I am doing great. I lost 19 pounds proir to surgery and 19 pounds since surgery. I am still on soft foods, I see the Nut. on Nov. 24, can't wait. I'll finally get some real food. Most soft foods get along with my pouch just fine, but I really have to take my time eating and drinking. My surgical experience was really good, went home the next day, saw my Dr. on 10/17/08 and went back to the gym on 10/20/08. I  MY RNY !

Hi October friends!
I had my lapband procedure done on 10/11, so 5 weeks ago as of tomorrow. I feel really great, have energy and high spirits. Recovery was a breeze. I lost 14 Lbs over the 2 first weeks, then....only 0.6 Lbs each of the 3 last ones....OK, I was told that slow and steady was good, but still, that's really  slow to my taste!
I resumed walking 1 hour a day on an elliptical 2 weeks ago...but sprained my ankle yesterday, and THAT is not going to help the scale moving! I used to lift weight before surgery, but was told to wait up to week #6 to resume that kind of exercise.  Can't  wait for things to come back to normal!
On the food side, I don't really feel any restriction. I just have to be reasonable....and rely on the moment I begin burping: time to stop! I should schedule my first fill for end of November, beginning of December, but I'm still undecided between going to a doc close to my house who does not use fluoroscopy, or go back to my surgeon who is far away but insists on fluoroscopy for each fill. He told me it was the best way to avoid unnecessary fills and unfills. Any input on that?  Have a great day everyone!

HI there-
I had my RNY lap done on 10/16, so I am one month out....
The first two weeks were so hard....emotionally mostly...the hospital experience was fine....and I was off pain meds by the time I was discharged...no issues at all physically....I was so thankful to go back to work at two weeks out....I needed it mentally....

Now, I am eating more foods...and I am feeling better...but food is not too appealing to me....lets put it this way....I get psyched up to eat a nice dinner....and then I start eating and I am like "UGH"...I get half of my 2 oz of turkey down and I have to stop....go back to it later....I am glad that I don't want food....but I want to keep up my strength as I do one hour of cardio a day (drs orders) and I work full time plus I have a 4 1/2 year old to keep up with....I need the strength....right now I am eating 3 meals of 2 oz each...so I am getting in around 30 grams of protein daily...or about 300 calories...Since my pre-op visit...I am down 28 pounds....in about a 6 weeks....not a bad start....

My one complaint is I cannot shop....I don't want to spend money on clothes that in another month will be too big....WHat an issue to have, right?

Sounds like most of us of doing A-OK....keep up the good work! 
Courtney