New to the Forum - Surgery Date 08/21/2015

Welcome! My RYN was open so I had a little rougher recovery but I could take care of myself. The lifting. !!! I have had 3 hernias . Don't lift 

Thanks! I usually try to do too much. I will make sure I pace myself.

Read and review as much as possible before your date. There are sites and free information all over the internet. Then checkout the You tube videos for people video-journaling about WLS. There are pre op and post op food list and meal plans to get you going and support you post op. The mind will need lots coping skills post op since food for comfort will not be an option... Remember WLS is for life and to have a better life with better quality. The more you are prepared, the better your success. You have a family and this is definitely a dynamic changer. Share your knowledge with your spouse, since you will have good and bad days, and even just moments. Best wishes.

Thank you so much for your words. I have tried to include my family in the process as much as possible and YouTube has definitely been a great source of information. This will be a life changing moment and I am so excited for this journey. 

Hi braebre,

I'm still in the pre-op stage diet. Even though I'm just starting my journey my wife, family, friends, co-workers and my bosses are all in my corner. A few of them have also had RNY. I am very fortunate to have such a great support system. This has been so helpful in getting ready for the surgery as well as being on this forum! Everyone on here has such great knowledge to share. I signed up only a couple of weeks ago and have learned so much!I'm sure your family will be great cheerleaders!!

I hope you have a recliner or very comfy chair!

Positive support is so important. I am lucky enough to have a wonderful family that is so excited for me and this new chapter in my life.

My first couple of weeks were basically walk, sip, and sleep.  Repeat.  It's good that the kids will be in school, and it'll make it a little easier for you.  Less than a month!

Thanks for posting about your experience. Everyone's posts have been so helpful.

Hello, you are so smart to ask these question before the surgery, I didn't find this sight until after my surgery.  Anyway I read through what everyone wrote and thought I had a few thing I could add being I am 4 weeks post-op and I too am a mom, with one very energetic wiggly 3 year old.

Something to think about as far as coverage, you will not be able to drive until you are off pain medications and cleared by the doctor, so make sure you have someone to drive your kids to school and back if that is how they get to school.  Also with that in mind the day or two before make sure you house is stocked with the things your family needs too, like snacks, school lunches, everyones favorite stuff for dinner, or even just stuff you would need from like target to minimize the errands you need to run post surgery.  Like people have mentioned you can take care of yourself but without being able to drive you can't just zip out and get the things you need.  You are also very tired and not 100% so a trip to target to grab things can take a lot out of you.  My husband had to work during my recovery so I had my mom help me out, then she went on vacation 5 days post-op and I had my best girlfriend actually come stay with me for the next 5 days, then my mom was back.  My post-op appointment with my doctor was 12 days later and that was when I was cleared to drive again.  Once I was cleared to drive, I didn't need as much help.

What the Grim Traveler said about getting some of your protein drinks ahead of time is really important but not too much because you won't know what you like so plan to taste them and then you will need a trip to get more.  My surgeon allowed me to have the pre-made Pure Protein shakes which I found tasty but I thought I had to buy Isopure so I have a fridge full of them which were expensive and I haven't had even one.  So buy a few different types that your surgeon will allow, taste them and then plan to get more post surgery.

I have a recliner and had heard that was really helpful but I actually preferred to sleep in my own bed prompt up with lots of pillows, for me it felt similar to the hospital bed.  Also I went in thinking I am going to come home from the hospital in one day and get back to normal but I couldn't get the protein shakes down fast enough for the surgeon so I stayed one more day, don't be afraid to stay one more day if you need to especially with 3 kids at home.  I was able to concentrate on walking, resting and trying to get down the protein shake.

I actually took my fitbit to the hospital with me, my surgeon said that was a first!  Unfortunately my walks around the hospital I was moving so slow that they didn't actually register on my fitbit!  So I counted my steps and laps in the hospital, a friend told me this was really important in the hospital to help with the gas.

Okay one last tip, don't weigh yourself as soon as you get home from the hospital, I did and lost one pound.  ONE POUND, I was so annoyed, here I was in pain, tired could barely drink 1 once of protein shake and they had also taken out my gall bladder and cut part of my liver and ONE POUND was all I lost? I thought doesn't the gall bladder weigh more than one pound?  But as I have read on this sight, they pump you full of fluids and gas so it isn't a true account of your weight some people even gain weight.  A friend told me to weigh myself once a week and record it in a notebook/journal FOREVER, once a week forever.  I didn't hear this advice until 3 weeks post op, so I spent everyday weighing myself, if I lost weight of course I was happy and if I didn't I hated myself.  My friend told me don't let a day of not losing steal your joy.  Weigh yourself once a week, once a week only, forever.  She is now 4 years out and has maintained 145lbs with her once a week weigh ins.  I ordered myself a cute journal and got some fun colored marker pens for my weekly weigh in journal.  Oh and take a "Before Photo, the day before of the day of surgery"

IT will be worth it!  I am 4 weeks out as of yesterday and have lost 25lbs, and I look forward to more!  It will be awesome, but you might have a moment where you think, what did I do?  but again I say It will be worth it!!

Thank you so much for the awesome advice. You definitely mentioned some things I had not thought about.