Now What?
My insurance doesnt cover WLS (employee exclusion) however my husbands does, I got approved and my date is set for April 27. It seems so far away. Does anyone know without complications, how long I will be off work Roux-en-y lap.? Also, do you get tired easily? To anyone who has already had the surgery, is there anything you wish you would have done before (besides had the surgery sooner).
HI AIMIE...i HAD LAP RNY ALMOST 6 MONTHS AGO...TIME GOES BY QUICKLY. i AM A NURSE AT A HOSPITAL AND I WAS OFF WORK 2 1/2 WEEKS. WAS TIRED THE FIRST MONTH OR SO, BUT STARTED FEELING PEPPY SOON AFTER THAT. i WISH BEFORE SURGERY THAT I WOULD HAVE STARTED DOING SOME LIGHT FORMS OF EXERCISE, STOPPED EATING A LOT OF JUNK FOODS AND STARTED TAKING SOME VITAMINS AND BIOTIN. BIOTIN SOMETIMES WILL PREVENT OR AT LEAST SLOW HAIRLOSS AFTER SURGERY. KEEP IN TOUCH ON THIS BOARD, WE HAVE GREAT SUPPORTIVE PEOPLE HERE WITH A LOT OF INFO......DEB
I wish I had started taking my vitamins sooner.. gotten used to the protien drinks 
BEFORE surgery so I could have found one I liked BEFORE it was so necessary.I wish I would have used my sippy cup and learned how to sip BEFORE surgery and practiced not drinking 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour after my meal times. I wish I had asked this very same question BEFORE my surgery. So I would have been more informed.
I did have GREAT friends like Peggy, JUlie my surgery buddies and Angie and Deb, and Sherri and Leah who walked me through all my scarey situations.
I was tired alot the first month after surgery but then I was fine.. Dr said I could go back to work 2 weeks after surgery but I stayed off a whole month learning to be the new me. But then again I am a 51 year old grandma who deserves to nap.. I have paid my dues. 
Linda
BEFORE surgery so I could have found one I liked BEFORE it was so necessary.I wish I would have used my sippy cup and learned how to sip BEFORE surgery and practiced not drinking 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour after my meal times. I wish I had asked this very same question BEFORE my surgery. So I would have been more informed.
I did have GREAT friends like Peggy, JUlie my surgery buddies and Angie and Deb, and Sherri and Leah who walked me through all my scarey situations.
I was tired alot the first month after surgery but then I was fine.. Dr said I could go back to work 2 weeks after surgery but I stayed off a whole month learning to be the new me. But then again I am a 51 year old grandma who deserves to nap.. I have paid my dues.
Linda 
I wish maybe i had tried the baby spoons and small plates and smaller portions...and taken 20-30 mins to have eaten...but as an obese gal i am sure i would have just piled that smaller plate again and again and had that baby spoon piled high with each bite.and yeap this is a major surgery and i was tired and took naps...but i was just days shy of my 51st birthday...
any weight you lose now saves that much for once you have the surgery.....
dr diaz told me about 2 weeks but i ask him for 4 and if i feel like it i will let him know and he can sign my paper to go back sooner and he was ok with that . so when i have a dte and i get the STD paper from work thats what he is going to do for me. i want to know that i am ready for sure . i dont want to feel rushed. i will call it my recover time / vacation ( since we cancled ours to replace our furnane ) i had a lot of questions and have always gotten the answer from someone here or have looked at older posts and gotten them . the best thing i have ever done was be a part of this site. so many wonderful people. i feel like i have a second family i have yet to meet.
vicki
Aimie,
In advance, sorry this is so long. I get wordy sometimes 
You've recieved some terrific advise. The number one thing that I would stress is to become a regular on here. The people here are very willing to be supportive in every way they can. It won't be long until you will also be considering them your friends. As Vicki said, read through some of the past posts. You will learn tons. Read through some of the profiles on here. See what others have experienced.
Pre-op, I said good-bye to my favorite foods. I would go and order them one last time and then explain to them about the surgery and the new life I wanted. By the time I was done with that meal, I no longer had any desire to touch that food again. I still don't.
For me, I am glad I didn't try out protein drinks, vitamins, crystal light or anything else like that pre-op. My taste buds have changed so much along the way that I would have just ended up with cases of stuff I don't like. Because of my experiences, I wouldn't recommend anyone trying stuff out ahead of time. Since you'll be going through St. Vincent's, they will give you a recipe for their preferred protein drink for when you are a new post-op (you'll get it at the nutrician class). Get a SMALL box of powered milk for it. Get JUST A FEW packages of sf jello for flavor (I used lemon or lime flavors because the others were way too sweet). Also, pick up a container of the sf chocolate powder mix and have skim milk in the house. If the protein recipe doesn't flip your trigger, at the least, drink the skim milk (& add the sf chocolate if you want****il you find a protein drink you like. There are bunches of protein drinks to choose from, so lots of choices. You are looking for ones that have the least calories with the most protein. Bookmark: www.bariatriceating.com. They have protein drinks that are 160-170 calories for 35 grams of protein. I've tried several of the flavors and they have all been fairly decent so far. Remember...because of the taste bud thing...whatever you buy, buy small.
Vitamins...you'll be told to get 'Flintstones'. Go ahead if you have lots of money. At 3 a day, they can get expensive. I check the labels and buy cheaper ones that have the same amount of the same things in it. Chewables may not taste 100% yummy but they will be your best friend. You'll also need to pick up some B1 and B12. Very important to get the B12's in sublingual form. Your body won't be able to asorb the pill form post-op. Pick up some Citracal chewables. You'll need calcium and it needs to be in the citrite form not carbonate. Also, pick you up some Biotin. Start taking this NOW. Many of us (do I dare say 'most'???) of us start losing hair about 3-6 months post-op. Part of it can be if we don't get enough protein in, but for most, it just is. Either your body has a tendency to do that or it doesn't. Past history of having surgeries and your hair stayed intact means nothing. Take the Biotin and slow down the mass exodus from your scalp. No, you won't go bald, but you drain will definately know what color your hair is. I take tablet form in any pill I take because my body doesn't break down the capsules at all.
I took 5 weeks off and was glad I did. My body felt drained. And that was before I had any complications (they started later). Mine was lap RNY as well. After about 2 months, I had more & more energy. Sure, I have days when I'd rather snooze all day. Don't we all? But in general, I have more energy than my 25 yr old daughter.
Other in general things:
1. If you smoke, quit. Many doctors won't touch you if you haven't been smoke free for 2 months. Non-smokers heal better than smokers.
2. If you are a caffiene addict (coffee, tea, pop, chocolate), wean yourself off of it now. When you are in pain post-op, the last thing you need is a caffiene withdrawal headache. Caffiene will be a no-no post op. For starters, it's a stimulant (that's why many use it to 'wake up' in the mornings). If it stimulates your brain, it is also stimulating the rest of you including your belly. In addition to that, it's a dehydrator. It takes 2 ounces of water to undo the dehydrating effect each 1 oz of caffiene does. You will already be told to drink 64 oz of fluid a day. Let's say you had an 8 oz cup of coffee. You would then have to drink 16 oz of water just because of that coffee in ADDITION to the 64 oz of fluid. Allowable 'Fluids' include anything that is: Caffiene-free, sugar-free, alcohol free. For the first 6-12 months, you will also be instructed to keep your fluids carbonation-free. Hint: 1 twin pop sf popcycle is 3 oz for both.
3. Go to Gorden Food or another place which has restauraunt supplies. Pick yourself up some 1 oz containers & lids. When you are post-op, you are allowed 1-2 oz of food per meal. Who cooks 1-2 oz of mashed potatoes or soup? Put the extra in the containers, label them, freeze them. Then at meal time, take out 2 of them, nuke them, and you have your meal.
If you'd like to get to know some of us, there will be 2 opportunities prior to your surgery. We have a clothing exchange every 3 months. The next one is in April. Keep an eye out on the board here as there will be more information posted the closer it gets. The other opportunity is that my husband and I are hosting a hot tub & tea party next Saturday evening. It's for pre & post-ops, male & female, and their significant others/spouses. You're welcome to join us. Email me for details if you'd be interested ([email protected]).
Welcome to the board and I know you have to be excited about starting your journey.
Sherri
You've recieved some terrific advise. The number one thing that I would stress is to become a regular on here. The people here are very willing to be supportive in every way they can. It won't be long until you will also be considering them your friends. As Vicki said, read through some of the past posts. You will learn tons. Read through some of the profiles on here. See what others have experienced.
Pre-op, I said good-bye to my favorite foods. I would go and order them one last time and then explain to them about the surgery and the new life I wanted. By the time I was done with that meal, I no longer had any desire to touch that food again. I still don't.
For me, I am glad I didn't try out protein drinks, vitamins, crystal light or anything else like that pre-op. My taste buds have changed so much along the way that I would have just ended up with cases of stuff I don't like. Because of my experiences, I wouldn't recommend anyone trying stuff out ahead of time. Since you'll be going through St. Vincent's, they will give you a recipe for their preferred protein drink for when you are a new post-op (you'll get it at the nutrician class). Get a SMALL box of powered milk for it. Get JUST A FEW packages of sf jello for flavor (I used lemon or lime flavors because the others were way too sweet). Also, pick up a container of the sf chocolate powder mix and have skim milk in the house. If the protein recipe doesn't flip your trigger, at the least, drink the skim milk (& add the sf chocolate if you want****il you find a protein drink you like. There are bunches of protein drinks to choose from, so lots of choices. You are looking for ones that have the least calories with the most protein. Bookmark: www.bariatriceating.com. They have protein drinks that are 160-170 calories for 35 grams of protein. I've tried several of the flavors and they have all been fairly decent so far. Remember...because of the taste bud thing...whatever you buy, buy small.
Vitamins...you'll be told to get 'Flintstones'. Go ahead if you have lots of money. At 3 a day, they can get expensive. I check the labels and buy cheaper ones that have the same amount of the same things in it. Chewables may not taste 100% yummy but they will be your best friend. You'll also need to pick up some B1 and B12. Very important to get the B12's in sublingual form. Your body won't be able to asorb the pill form post-op. Pick up some Citracal chewables. You'll need calcium and it needs to be in the citrite form not carbonate. Also, pick you up some Biotin. Start taking this NOW. Many of us (do I dare say 'most'???) of us start losing hair about 3-6 months post-op. Part of it can be if we don't get enough protein in, but for most, it just is. Either your body has a tendency to do that or it doesn't. Past history of having surgeries and your hair stayed intact means nothing. Take the Biotin and slow down the mass exodus from your scalp. No, you won't go bald, but you drain will definately know what color your hair is. I take tablet form in any pill I take because my body doesn't break down the capsules at all.
I took 5 weeks off and was glad I did. My body felt drained. And that was before I had any complications (they started later). Mine was lap RNY as well. After about 2 months, I had more & more energy. Sure, I have days when I'd rather snooze all day. Don't we all? But in general, I have more energy than my 25 yr old daughter.
Other in general things:
1. If you smoke, quit. Many doctors won't touch you if you haven't been smoke free for 2 months. Non-smokers heal better than smokers.
2. If you are a caffiene addict (coffee, tea, pop, chocolate), wean yourself off of it now. When you are in pain post-op, the last thing you need is a caffiene withdrawal headache. Caffiene will be a no-no post op. For starters, it's a stimulant (that's why many use it to 'wake up' in the mornings). If it stimulates your brain, it is also stimulating the rest of you including your belly. In addition to that, it's a dehydrator. It takes 2 ounces of water to undo the dehydrating effect each 1 oz of caffiene does. You will already be told to drink 64 oz of fluid a day. Let's say you had an 8 oz cup of coffee. You would then have to drink 16 oz of water just because of that coffee in ADDITION to the 64 oz of fluid. Allowable 'Fluids' include anything that is: Caffiene-free, sugar-free, alcohol free. For the first 6-12 months, you will also be instructed to keep your fluids carbonation-free. Hint: 1 twin pop sf popcycle is 3 oz for both.
3. Go to Gorden Food or another place which has restauraunt supplies. Pick yourself up some 1 oz containers & lids. When you are post-op, you are allowed 1-2 oz of food per meal. Who cooks 1-2 oz of mashed potatoes or soup? Put the extra in the containers, label them, freeze them. Then at meal time, take out 2 of them, nuke them, and you have your meal.
If you'd like to get to know some of us, there will be 2 opportunities prior to your surgery. We have a clothing exchange every 3 months. The next one is in April. Keep an eye out on the board here as there will be more information posted the closer it gets. The other opportunity is that my husband and I are hosting a hot tub & tea party next Saturday evening. It's for pre & post-ops, male & female, and their significant others/spouses. You're welcome to join us. Email me for details if you'd be interested ([email protected]).
Welcome to the board and I know you have to be excited about starting your journey.
Sherri Aimie,
I was off of work for two weeks. I do sedentary work, so it wasn't too hard to go back. I did leave early a couple times in the first two weeks, when I just got worn out. I could have stayed home six weeks, Dr. INman's office did my FMLA papers for that long, but I was bored at home.
I think the best thing I did for myself before surgery was quit the caffiene. You can't have it post-op, and you don't want to be feeling uncomfortable, recovering from surgery, and have a withdrawal headache on top of that.
Linda Vicory
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