Okay, i had my third dilation yesterday. Again the Dr. found the hole too small to allow most foods. He again opened it up. I had a rough time of it this time. I threw up blood and was real nausea after that. I ended up having a chest xray which came back ok. Since I continued to be so nausea the DR was worried about not getting enough fluids so he admitted me to the hospital. I felt better by the next day and was able to drink so I was sent home. Now I'm back on a full liquid diet for a week or so. My Dr. is confused of why this is happening so much and so I'm I. I had all my three dilation 2 weeks apart. I was wondering if anyone else is having this problem. Could it be that when I throw up it causes the the hole to swell shut more and gets irritated? I'm getting sick of the full liquid diet so can someone help!

That sounds like no fun at all! Sorry your going through such a rough time! I would suggest calling your surgeon back and letting them know, it cant be good for you to be throwing up that often!  As far as the low weight loss, your body probably isnt getting the protein it needs because of the lack of food or food being thrown up when you do eat.  Make sure you are getting all your liquids, vitamins ect in, but call your dr asap and get that taken care of!

Take care of you, and let us know how your doing!!

I have just gotten my therapist to give my surgeon the go ahead so now i am really researching stuff and I have a question. Well I have several I will just ask this one for now.

Does everyone have to have a tummy tuck afterward? Do most peple have a tummy tuck after the weight loss?

I don't think I could ever afford that procedure. I am 5'7 and weigh 375 in a size 28. I carry all of my wiehgt centrally.

I would appreciate any help you guys can give. 

What is the best way to get protein in after surgery?

I know I have had lots of questions but I have forgotten them for now.....I'm sure I will post more later....

First off, I strongly suggest you do some research if only to get confused enough to ask your surgeon good questions. 

In my humble opinion--part of the choice should be determined by your age, your weight (how much you need to lose), how long you've been obese, and your level of comfort with the degree of surgery involved.  I was middle aged, super morbidly obese, had been overweight/obese since childhood, and never been in the hospital before--not even for a broken bone.

I had been philosophically agains wls for a long time.  It seemed like "surgical willpower" to me.  I kept thinking, "I should be able to do this," and did the whole moral failure thing.  So when I reached the point of knowing I had to do something, I did my research.  My first attraction to RNY over band was the success rate--typically one loses more and faster than with the band.  I knew I needed that.   Also, in researching the RNY, I read about how the digestive hormones change allowing people to feel satisfied (very different from feeling full).  I was one of those who had to literally stuff herself to the point of being sick as a substitution for being satisfied.  The more I read about the hormone/digestive changes, the more I understood the RNY was a medical treatment for a medical condition and not just "surgical willpower."  That may not be an issue for you, but it was for me.

Some people like the idea of not having the radical surgical change that the RNY does, while for others it "ups the stakes" and is a motivator.  A lady at my support groups talks about how she did the RNY because she was going to go all the way--and just once.  She was a self-pay and had to morgage her house for the funds.  She was very serious about it (and has lost 130 lbs. and kept if off for five years). 

The best surgery is the surgery that meets your needs.  You can find all sorts of information online to get you started.  But part of it also comes down to your thinking and relationship with food.  After all, it is your brain that drives so much of the overeating.  What are you prepared to do for the rest of your life? 

Keep asking questions.  And good luck.

1) Where are you located? West Central IA,

2) Which WLS did you have OR do you plan to have? I had the RNY Feb. 9, 2004 by Dr. Dwain Rogers. Mercy Hospital in CB, Ia.

3) What was/is your biggest motivation for having WLS? I was near death I thought and wanted to see my children grow up. This was my last resort after trying diet after diet since high school.

4) What was/is your biggest reservation about WLS? I was worried that I would have many complications. Ended up having none.

5) Do you have a 'life motto' that keeps you going? No, not really. Just still trying to get my weight down.