Hi All Greetings from Waldorf, MD

Hi all, my name is Terri, Waldorf, MD, retired aand 58 years old with a BMI of 49.8.  I am so new to writing on message boards and forums I am not sure if I will do it correctly so bear with me.  My main objective is to to be able to get rid of the 10 or so pills I take daily for diabetes, HBP, GERD, Thyroid, High Cholestrol; and not be so tired and not want to do simple stuff like clean my house.  I had my initial consultation with Dr. David Von Rueden on June 30, I had wanted Lap Band but since I have hiatel hernia, GERD, he does not think I will be good candidate for it but rather should have the RNY.  I met with the team and they were all great. I received the testing packet and have started making appointments for the various tests.  I have another appointment on July 30.  I went to a support group session and met some great people there.  My question is in the first months after the RNY surgery, what typically do you eat in a day.  I am afraid that I will not be successful once the surgery is done and there is no going back.  I know I have several months before the actual surgery but I sure would appreciate some new friends to help in the learning process.   Thanks for your responses back to me.

Hi and welcome to the MD boards!!!! Great bunch of people here! I'm not sure how DVR works it but my surgeon gave us a timetable and list....kinda like a menu of the foods we could eat from the beginning. Normally it's liquids, to pureed, to soft, then to solids. Each surgeon is a little different but the basics are the same. Fear is normal to feel that you won't be successful at this surgery. Just keep the faith, ask questions, follow your surgeon's guidelines, exercise, and you should be fine!!! You have a few months before your surgery so you are right, this is the best time to become even more educated and learn as much as you possibly can beforehand! Good luck! It'll be great!!!!

Thanks Heather for your well wishes and I am gathering some of my answers by praying on it.   Good luck with the commercial venture.

Hi Terri!!!  I'm Teri as well and actually there are two other Terri's on the board...lol  So now the Terri's are running with the Heather's.. Terri I remember you from the support group meeting with your hubby!!!  You sat next to Debbie, and I was to the left of Debbie!!   Well I'm also new to the boards but have been on here since I started my journey!  Actually I'm having surgery next Friday!  So because I'm not there yet, I don't feel comfortable answer your question about the food you eat after the surgery, but I'm sure some other members will chime in!!!   I just wanted to stop in and say hello!!!  Good luck with all your Pre-Op testing and if you have any questions pertaining to that, I'm sure I could help you out there...lol Teri

I do remember you Teri.  Good luck with your surgery and I am looking forward to seeing you again at the support sessions.  I do have a question about the cardio testings. I had an appointment for Cardio consult, she was suppportive of the surgery, and after appointment she wants me to a stress echo which is scheduled for July 15. When she did my EKG she said there was some non-specific changes from the last time (2006) and that is why she wants to do Stress Echo. So now I am a little freaked about that and hoping that is not going to change anything. I believe it is more involved and that is not the same as the echocardiogram with doppler.  So my question, what is the Echocardiogram with doppler?

HI Terri, Welcome to the MD forum!!!  Dr. Von Rueden was my surgeon and he is awesome.  I had surgery March 6th 2007.   As for the foods when you go for your class a couple of weeks before your surgery is scheduled you are given a binder with a list of foods that you will b able to eat throughout the first 6 weeks after surgery.  To answer your second question an echocardiogram is done to check the blood flow through your heart chambers and valves.  It is a standard procedure. It is done just like when someone is pregnant and is getting a sonogram except this one gets done on your chest. Wishing you all the best on your journey you are in great hands. He is an awesome doctor and he knows what he is doing. Please feel free to ask any questions you ma have we are here for you,

Thanks Cira.  He also operated on my brother in November 2007 (lap-Band) which led me to him.  Thanks for echo info.  Trust me I am always online and I amsure I will be bending ears daily.  Thanks and continued successes for us all.

Hey Terri!!!  I'm going to agree with what Cira said (her explaination of what a Echocardiogram was)....The Echocardiogram was one of the easier tests...You should have no problem.  Good luck on the 15th with the Stress Echo.  Please keep us posted on your progress. Teri

Hi Terri and welcome to the MD board!!! To answer your question, I think it is normal practice that when you see your surgeon you also see your nutritionist (nut).  Your nut should provide you with some sort of roadmap of what meals to plan and sample menus that you can follow if you want to.  I had a long meeting with my nut right before surgery and she told me how it was going to be after surgery that after a bite or two that I would be full.  She was mostly right but now that I'm a couple months out, I can definitely hold more than just two bites.  Just follow the rules that they give you and you'll be just fine! Aaron

Thanks Aaron, I noticed you had a 54 lb. pre-op weight loss, How did you accomplish that, I seem to want to eat everything I see and I know that losing some of the weight is helpful before surgery so I am wanting to learn from others.  I will admit I have been journaling my food, all of it, good with bad and it is really scary to see what I eat some days.  Terri