New to the MA board...Can I join?
Hi All,
My name is Stephany and I'm having my surgery December 6th. I'm so excited and can't wait to do this! I post on the RNY board all the time, but I wanted to talk to people that are doing this the same time I am. I'm having it done at Memorial in Worcester. Has anyone gone through the UMASS program and how did you like it?
Please say "hello"!!! 
Thanks
Stephany
Thanks
Stephany 
Thank you so much!! Sometimes it's like being the new kid in school. LOL
I wanted to tell you that I read the post for AngelaM and I think you hit it RIGHT ON with everything you said. Age is a HUGE factor!! You're right about people not taking this surgery seriously or wanting it to be a quick fix. It certainly isn't and just going through this process has proven that. I'm glad you were the first to welcome me...it's appreciated!
How much have you lost and what's your biggest struggle?
- Stephany
I remember those kids in school! lol 
Glad you saw my point in her post, I wasn't bashing her at all and i can't say I was someone who went out every night for drinks before surgery, but after 21 when you can meet with friends socially at a restaurant and have a drink or two its nice. Same thing with indulging in things you cant after surgery.. Its a big life altering step and they just want to make sure you're ready for it. Theres a guy I met who had lap band and he goes to the gym religiously and does a 2 hour work out. He lost a lot of weight quickly from drastic adjustments, wants to get down to a certain weight and seems so determined to do it that he could harm himself in the process. The people in the program saw the signs of him overdoing it and told him he had to see the psychologist again and they were going to hold off for a while before doing another lap band adjustment... These people are professionals and are looking out for your best interest (sometimes sadly enough we don't look out for our own best interest hence diet pills, crash diets, even low carb eating which not only causes yo yo weigh loss and gain, but for me it caused me to have my gallbladder removed because missing out on carbs and eating meats that are high in fat made me develop more gallstones than i should have had at my age).. ok I could go on for hours lol BUT my point is no matter what you think, they ARE looking out for your best interest.
I had surgery on March 13th and I'm less than a half pound away from 100 lb loss!! When I tell people surgery was the easiest part of this whole thing no one believes me until they have it done! I went into the hospital on Monday, came home Wednesday around 10:30am and by Saturday I was walking around and honestly felt like I hadn't had surgery!! The only pain I experienced with surgery was the gas pain (Thurs night into friday the week of surgery). They put air around the staples to make sure there are no leaks before they close you up. Well since the air is in you... it must come out! lol I can tell you chewable gas-ex will be one of your closest friends, it helped tremendously!!
I can tell you there are 2 "struggles" for me
One is getting in all my protein for the day (even after 7 1/2 months there are days you just don't want to eat).. Your taste buds change after surgery so it took me a little time to find a protein i could tollerate. Once I did I would drink 2 shakes a day (and sometimes even now I still drink 2 if I don't have enough protein in for the day). I still drink a shake in the morning and track everything I eat on fitday.com. Toward the end of the day I look at my protein for the day and if it isn't over 70 I'll drink another shake.
Second struggle..... HAIR LOSS!!!!!!!!!!!! It makes you want to cry! lol
Everyone goes through it and once you're getting in over 60 grams of protein EVERY DAY for weeks, it will start growing back (expect it to start growing back 3 months after you're getting in 60 grams a day). I'm not bald by any shot (knock on wood lol) but I lose CLUMPS of it in the shower. I take 2-1000mcg biotin pills (protein for hair and nails) and also use the medicated nioxin (gold caps) and still have hair loss, maybe it would be worse if I didn't take biotin and use nioxin? who knows, but I'm not going to stop either product just incase!! Yes, I know its my fault for hair loss because it took me so long to get protein in.. Since I'm getting in over 60 protein grams a day now I can just sit back and wait another month or two and the hair loss will stop..
well I should stop typing my book! lol welcome again, feel free to post anytime! everyone is great on all the boards! We have a great group on the March board too, you're welcome to stop in anytime ((hugs))
oh p.s.- Not sure where Linwood is, but on November 14th our support group meeting in Lowell, MA is about "holiday eating" it might be helpful to you since you'll be having surgery before that If you want to come, you're more than welcome to! We're meeting in the cafeteria at the hospital for dinner around 4:30 and the meeting is at 6. I love meeting new people 
Glad you saw my point in her post, I wasn't bashing her at all and i can't say I was someone who went out every night for drinks before surgery, but after 21 when you can meet with friends socially at a restaurant and have a drink or two its nice. Same thing with indulging in things you cant after surgery.. Its a big life altering step and they just want to make sure you're ready for it. Theres a guy I met who had lap band and he goes to the gym religiously and does a 2 hour work out. He lost a lot of weight quickly from drastic adjustments, wants to get down to a certain weight and seems so determined to do it that he could harm himself in the process. The people in the program saw the signs of him overdoing it and told him he had to see the psychologist again and they were going to hold off for a while before doing another lap band adjustment... These people are professionals and are looking out for your best interest (sometimes sadly enough we don't look out for our own best interest hence diet pills, crash diets, even low carb eating which not only causes yo yo weigh loss and gain, but for me it caused me to have my gallbladder removed because missing out on carbs and eating meats that are high in fat made me develop more gallstones than i should have had at my age).. ok I could go on for hours lol BUT my point is no matter what you think, they ARE looking out for your best interest.
I had surgery on March 13th and I'm less than a half pound away from 100 lb loss!! When I tell people surgery was the easiest part of this whole thing no one believes me until they have it done! I went into the hospital on Monday, came home Wednesday around 10:30am and by Saturday I was walking around and honestly felt like I hadn't had surgery!! The only pain I experienced with surgery was the gas pain (Thurs night into friday the week of surgery). They put air around the staples to make sure there are no leaks before they close you up. Well since the air is in you... it must come out! lol I can tell you chewable gas-ex will be one of your closest friends, it helped tremendously!!
I can tell you there are 2 "struggles" for me
One is getting in all my protein for the day (even after 7 1/2 months there are days you just don't want to eat).. Your taste buds change after surgery so it took me a little time to find a protein i could tollerate. Once I did I would drink 2 shakes a day (and sometimes even now I still drink 2 if I don't have enough protein in for the day). I still drink a shake in the morning and track everything I eat on fitday.com. Toward the end of the day I look at my protein for the day and if it isn't over 70 I'll drink another shake.
Second struggle..... HAIR LOSS!!!!!!!!!!!! It makes you want to cry! lol
Everyone goes through it and once you're getting in over 60 grams of protein EVERY DAY for weeks, it will start growing back (expect it to start growing back 3 months after you're getting in 60 grams a day). I'm not bald by any shot (knock on wood lol) but I lose CLUMPS of it in the shower. I take 2-1000mcg biotin pills (protein for hair and nails) and also use the medicated nioxin (gold caps) and still have hair loss, maybe it would be worse if I didn't take biotin and use nioxin? who knows, but I'm not going to stop either product just incase!! Yes, I know its my fault for hair loss because it took me so long to get protein in.. Since I'm getting in over 60 protein grams a day now I can just sit back and wait another month or two and the hair loss will stop..
well I should stop typing my book! lol welcome again, feel free to post anytime! everyone is great on all the boards! We have a great group on the March board too, you're welcome to stop in anytime ((hugs))
oh p.s.- Not sure where Linwood is, but on November 14th our support group meeting in Lowell, MA is about "holiday eating" it might be helpful to you since you'll be having surgery before that If you want to come, you're more than welcome to! We're meeting in the cafeteria at the hospital for dinner around 4:30 and the meeting is at 6. I love meeting new people 
Welcome!
I had RNY lap.on April 3rd at UMassMemorial with Dr. Kelly. Have nothing but positives to say about him, his team and the weight center.
The surgery has made my life so much better. Some days I can't believe this is really happening (weight loss). Day in day out its a process of what am I going to eat, do I have enough protein and fluids.
I go to the monthly support groups at UMass.
You are on one end of town; I'm up at the other end.
Wishing you the best.
Elaine
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