Advice for Pre-Op with November Surgery Date

Hi all! I am scheduled for laproscopic RNY surgery on November 29th. I am trying to get prepared, but I need some advice from all of you post-ops. I have to travel to DeKalb Med Center in Decatur, GA and I am required to stay in the are for several days after my surgery. I need to know: 1. What should I be doing now? I have gained a few #s eating all the things I love. Is this bad? I don't want to pile on #s before surgery. Does anyone have any advice on this either way? Should I be exercising? Any tips? 2. What should I be buying. I have so much info, I am overwhelmed. Will someone please share with me what they bought prior to surgery as far as vitamins and food goes... I want to make sure I have plenty of options for my few days in Decatur. 3. What will I feel like the first few days? Will I be able to do anything? Help, help, help. With the holidays approaching and so much going on, I am feeling a little overwhelmed and unprepared for this. Thanks in advance. You guys are life savers Carla

I WILL ANSWER YOUR POST, MS CARLA ... GIVE ME A LITTLE TIME. YOU HAVE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED ... I'LL TRY TO DO SO TODAY OR TOMORROW, SWEETIE. GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK

Hi Carla- I would say that getting some exercise in now will be good. It will help your body better prepare for the recovery from surgery as well as just mentally get you on the right path! I agree that having things/meals which you want to have b/c you can is pretty harmless, but i'd limit it to a number those meals/things, rather than a 1 month free for all. if you do so, i think you will have bad head hunger, and cravings/migraines directly after your surgery. Just my 10 cents. I was told chapstick is a good thing to take to the hospital along with your own pillow. I wore my hospital gown the whole time i was inthe hospital b/c i had the IV in..so its up to you. BEst wishes.

GOOD QUESTIONS, MS CARLA ... 1. EVERYONE EATS THOSE "BELOVED" FOODS BEFORE SURGERY, BUT LET ME ASSURE YOU, YOU WON'T WANT OR MISS THEM AFTER SURGERY! GAINING WEIGHT BEFORE SURGERY IS "BAD" ... YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY LOSE A COUPLE POUNDS, AT LEAST. SOME SURGEONS WILL REFUSE TO EVEN OPERATE ON YOU IF YOU GAIN WEIGHT FROM YOUR ORIGINAL RECORDED WEIGHT. THIS IS FOR YOUR SAFETY. YOUR LIVER BECOMES FATTIER, WHICH MAKES THE SURGERY HARDER ON YOUR BODY & MAKES IT HARDER FOR THE SURGEON TO HAVE SPACE TO DO LAP ... IF YOU'VE GAINED TOO MUCH, THAT COULD MEAN YOUR SURGEON WOULD HAVE TO PERFORM AN "OPEN" & YOU REALLY (!!!) DON'T WANT THAT IF YOU CAN HELP IT. TRY TO LOSE ABOUT 10 #s BY MAKING LITTLE CHANGES ... SUGAR-FREE THIS & THAT ... THEY EVEN HAVE SURGAR-FREE CANDY & ICE CREAM SO THERE ARE SO MANY OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO STILL ENJOY FOOD BUT NOT SABATOUGE YOURSELF. MAYBE HAVE A SPECIAL NIGHT OUT EACH WEEKEND (EXCEPT THE LAST ONE) SO YOU CAN STILL ENJOY YOUR SPECIAL FOODS, BUT DON'T DO IT EVERY NIGHT ... OR, EVEN SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. YOU'LL PAY FOR IT IN YOUR RECOVERY. THE LAST WEEK, TRY TO STICK TO MOSTLY LIQUID ... YOU DON'T WANT A FULL STOMACH & DIGESTION TRACK GOING INTO SURGERY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO KILL YOURSELF WITH EXERCISE, BUT "YES" GET YOURSELF MOVING AROUND ... PARK FURTHER AWAY ... TAKE THE DOG OR BABY FOR A WALK - AEROBIC EXERCISES ... BEING A LITTLE STRONGER WILL HELP YOU THROUGH RECOVERY. I LOST A LITTLE OVER 10 #s ... I GAINED 11 #s IN FLUIDS IN 2 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL ... CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MUCH WORSE I WOULD HAVE FELT IF I HAD NOT LOST THE 10 #s? GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK

2. MOST ITEMS CAN BE PURCHASED AT WAL*MART & ARE FAIRLY INEXPENSIVE ... ...CHEWABLE MULTI-VITAMINS/MINERALS ... SOMETHING LIKE FLINTSTONES OR CENTRUM (MUST TAKE DAILY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE). I ACTUALLY TAKE ONE IN THE MORNING & ONE AT NIGHT AS OUR DIGESTIVE TRACKS WILL NO LONGER ABSORB AS MUCH AS BEFORE SURGERY. YOU CAN MOVE TO REGULAR VITAMINS/MINERALS A MONTH OUT. ... CITRACAL = CALCIUM CITRATE (MAKE SURE YOU ONLY GET "CITRATE" NO MATTER THE BRAND) FOR BONES & TEETH. THESE ARE HUGE PILLS, SO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BREAK THEM UP TO SWALLOW THEM, THEN THE VITAMIN SHOPPE (IN-STORE OR ONLINE) HAS "ALL ONE NUTRITION" CALCIUM COMPLEX = POWDERED WHICH YOU PUT INTO A DRINK OR MILK PRODUCT (MUST TAKE DAILY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE) ... THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ... ONCE YOU LOSE BONE DENSITY, THERE ISN'T MUCH THAT CAN BE DONE TO REVERSE IT. ... B-12 FOR HEALTHY CELL PRODUCTION, NERVE CONDUCTION & ENERGY - MOST SAY 500mcg, BUT I TAKE NO LESS THAN 2000mcg A DAY & FEEL GREAT. YOU CANNOT "OVERDOESE" ON B-12 AS YOU WILL PEE OUT ANYTHING YOUR BODY DOES NOT USE. DO NOT GET B-12 THAT YOU SWALLOW AS YOUR DIGESTIVE TRACK DEMINISHES IT'S STRENGTH. GET "SUBLINGUAL" (MELTS UNDER YOUR TONGUE) OR LIQUID. I HAVE BOTH. I USE THE SUBLINGUAL DAILY & IF I'M DRAGGIN', THEN I USE THE LIQUID AS IT IS ABSORBED INSTANTLY INTO THE BLOOD STREAM (MUST TAKE DAILY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE). ... BIOTIN FOR HAIR ... I TAKE 1500mcg - THIS IS NOT ABSOLUTE, BUT GASTRIC BYPASS IS TOUGH ON YOUR HAIR SO WHY NOT HELP IT ALONG? I STARTED TAKING ALL THESE THINGS FAITHFULLY A MONTH & 1/2 BEFORE SURGERY & FELT A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN MY OVERALL HEALTH & ENERGY, SO START THESE NOW. AS FOR YOUR PRESCRIPTION MEDS ... ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU'LL BE OUT OF TOWN ... TAKE ALL OF THEM WITH YOU. YOUR SURGEON MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE YOU CONTINUE THEM ALL. IF YOU ARE TAKING ANY TIME-RELEASED MEDS, ASK YOUR PRIMARY PHYSICIAN TO PRESCRIBE THE NON TIME-RELEASED VERSION & GET ONLY 1 MONTH WORTH. YOU CANNOT CRUSH OR ALTER TIME-RELEASED MEDS. GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK

Hi again! Thanks for the info and keep it coming, please I am going to start to the gym again on Monday and I am only going to go to my 3 favorite resturants once each before suregry. The one thing I am worried about it Thanksgiving. I will have to watch myself, since it is right before surgery. My suregon did not put me on a diet or tell me to try to lose weight. I was concerned about that, but he said as long as I did liquids 2 days prior and took the meds he gave me to clean myslef out, I would be fine. I am getting prepared, but a little scared. I am glad you are all here to help me. I am going to start cutting back and going the non-sweet route so my cravings won't be so bad, but if food tastes as good after eveyone saays, it will be a blessing for me. I have gotten to where everything tastes almost the same... Thanks again angels

GOOD FOR YOU, MS CARLA ... TAKE CONTROL & BE PRO-ACTIVE IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO ON ANYTHING, BUT PARTICULARLY REGARDING YOUR HEALTH! SERIOUSLY, DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME BEING SCARED. PUSH THOSE FEARS AWAY & "MAKE" YOURSELF FOCUS ON SOMEHTING ELSE. THE GIRLS I'VE HAD CONTACT WITH ... EVERYTHING DEPENDED ON THEIR ATTITUDE. THE ONES WITH THE POSITIVE, "I CAN DO ANYTHING" ATTITUDE ... COME THROUGH WITH FLYING COLORS. YES, FOOD TASTES MARVELOUS AFTER SURGERY, BUT IT IS "GOOD" FOOD, SO I'M GLAD MY TASTES ARE CHANGING TO ENJOY HEALTHY FOODS. I GOT THE SAME WAY ... WE WENT OUT SO MUCH THAT I FINALLY TOLD NICK ... LET'S CUT BACK ... IT REALLY ISN'T TASTING THAT GOOD ANYWAY. &, THAT'S WHEN I STARTED CHANGING MY EATING CHOICES. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK ... GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK

2. REGARDING FOOD ... I HAVE VERY, VERY STONG OPINIONS ON THIS ... I'VE WORKED IN THE MEDICAL FIELD BEFORE & SO MANY MAJOR COMPLICATIONS OCCUR BECAUSE THE PATIENT WILL NOT FOLLOW THE DOCTORS ORDERS ... SO, I'M GOING TO SCARE THE BA-GEE-BEES OUT OF YOU ... &, HOPEFULLY OTHERS WHO ARE LAXED IN FOLLOWING ORDERS. I READ POSTS FROM NEWBIE POST-OPS BRAGGING THAT THEY ATE PIZZA OR HAMBURGERS OR WHATEVER A COUPLE DAYS OUT. I JUST WANT TO STRANGLE THEM UNTIL THEIR EYES POP OUT ... THAT IS THE MOST ASSININE FOOLISHNESS. IF FOOD IS THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU, WL SURGERY IS NOT FOR YOU. IF YOU ARE SO WEAK THAT YOU CANNOT FOLLOW SIMPLE REQUIREMENTS, DON'T WASTE EVERYONE'S TIME, EFFORTS & MONEY. IF YOU CARE SO LITTLE FOR YOUR HEALTH, THEN RUN DOWN TO BURGER KING & STUFF YOUR FACE - STAY OBESE. IF YOU EAT ANYTHING OF TEXTURE AS A NEWBIE POST-OP, YOU PLACE YOUR VERY LIFE IN JEOPARDY. IF YOU SEVERED YOUR ARM & THEY REATTACHED IT, WOULD YOU RUN TO THE GYM A COUPLE DAYS POST-OP & POWER LIFT WEIGHTS? NO ONE WOULD. BUT, WLS PATIENTS WILL GET THEIR STOMACH SEVERED & STAPLED BACK TOGETHER & PLACE SUCH PRESSURE ON THE STAPLE LINE JUST TO TASTE FOOD. SHOULD THAT STAPLE LINE FAIL, YOU ARE LITERALLY LOOKING DEATH IN THE FACE WITHIN ABOUT 24 HOURS. A HOSPITAL SURGEON RELATED A STORY TO ME OF A FEMALE WLS PATIENT HE HAD WHO DID JUST THAT ... &, AS IF THAT WEREN'T STUPID ENOUGH, SHE REFUSED TO ALLOW THE SURGEON TO DO OPEN SURGERY TO REPAIR THE LEAK AS "SHE DIDN'T FEEL BAD ENOUGH TO SPEND THAT MUCH MONEY" BECAUSE HER INSURANCE WOULD NOT COVER IT SINCE IT WAS CAUSED BY HER OWN ACTIONS. WITHIN NO TIME, HER CONDITION WAS CRITICAL & SHE DIED ON THE OPERATING TABLE. DO I HAVE YOUR (& OTHER'S) ATTENTION? FOLLOW YOUR DOCTORS DIET REQUIREMENTS NO MATTER WHAT. DO EVEN BETTER THAN HIS/HER DIET REQUIREMENTS. MY SURGEON REQUIRES A PUREED DIET FOR 4 WEEK ... NOT 2 WEEKS OR 3 WEEKS ... FOR 4 WEEKS. THIS IS SO YOUR POUCH IS NOT STRESSED & CAN HEAL EASILY. SOME SURGEONS ARE EVEN MORE STRICT REQUIRING THEIR PATIENTS TO STAY ON CLEAR LIQUIDS FOR UP TO 2 WEEKS POST OP. I DECIDED TO DO "BETTER" THAN MY SURGEON REQUIRES. I STAYED ON LIQUIDS THE FIRST WEEK, WITH ONLY MY HIGH-PROTEIN PUDDING HAVING MORE TEXTURE THAN LIQUIDS. I DRINK HOOD CARB COUNTDOWN MILK DRINK, CRYSTAL LITE, MINUTE MAID LITE & WATER ... "EAT" STALLONE HIGH-PROTEIN PUDDING, SUGAR-FREE JELLO & SUGAR-FREE POPCICLES (THEY GO DOWN SO WELL). YOU CAN ALSO GET CHICKEN OR BEEF BROTH IF YOU WANT SOMETHING WARM TO SOOTHE YOUR POUCH. THERE ARE MANY MORE OPTIONS FOR NEWBIE POST-OP FOOD. I TRIED ISOPURE HIGH-PROTEIN DRINK BUT I FOUND THAT IT CREATED SO MUCH ACID, I HAD TO STOP. THAT'S OK, AS MY POUCH HEALS, IT WILL BE ABLE TO TOLERATE MORE THINGS. THIS COMING WEEK I MAY ADD GRITS, APPLESAUCE & CREAMED SOUP, BUT NOTHING WITH ANY MORE TEXTURE THAN THAT. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO EAT ANYTHING YOU WANT AFTER YOU MEET YOUR GOAL & HOPEFULLY, YOU WILL BE WISE ENOUGH TO STAY AWAY FROM SUGARS, WHITE CARBS (BREAD, PASTAS, DOUGH, FRENCH FRIES, ETC), CHIPS, ETC. THEY NOW HAVE "GOOD CARB" ITEMS LIKE MAC & CHEESE, PIZZA DOUGH, SAUCES & MARINADES & CRACKERS ... SO, KEEP CHECKING THE STORES & ONLINE BUSINESSES THAT CATER TO US WLS PATIENTS & MAKE GOOD DECISIONS, MS CARLA. I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU POSTING STUPID "BRAG" POSTS ... YOU'RE TOO IMPORTANT & TOO SPECIAL TO ALLOW FOOD TO CONTROL YOU ANY LONGER! WITHIN THE 1st 2 WEEKS, FLUIDS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE - KEEPING DEHYDRATED (THIS FROM MY SURGEON). IT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROTEINS DURING THAT SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, SO SIP, SIP, SIP. WELL I'VE PUT MY $10.00 WORTH IN ... I HOPE THIS HELPS, SWEETIE. I WANT NOTHING "LESS" THAN FOR YOU TO SUCCEED & BECOME HEALTHY! GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK

ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS HOW I FELT, MS CARLA ... IF, IF, IF YOU KEEP A GOOD ATTITUDE, YOU WILL COME THROUGH WITH FLYING COLORS. IF YOU WANT TO MOAN & GROAN & WHINE ... YOU WILL BE MISERABLE ... BOTTOM LINE! THEY HAVE ENOUGH DRUGS TO KEEP YOU COMFORTABLE SHOULD YOU ENCOUNTER PAIN, SO THE ATTITUDE IS UP TO YOU. I FELT GREAT, ESPECIALLY FOR HAVING MY PLUMBING REARRANGED. I TIRED EASILY; I STILL DO BUT NOT AS BAD. THE 1st COUPLE OF DAYS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL, I TOOK NAPS, BUT AFTER THAT, I DIDN'T. I HAD TO BE CAREFUL & SLOW GETTING OUT OF BED ... UP & DOWN FROM A CHAIR OR POTTY. I COULD ROLL OVER ON MY RIGHT SIDE AS MY DRAIN WAS ON MY LEFT. I COULDN'T BEND DOWN FAR SO NICK HELPED ME WITH SOCKS, PANTIES, SLACKS, SHOES, ETC, FOR THE DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL. NOW, SOCKS & SHOES ARE THE ONLY PROBLEM. I COULD WALK SHORT DISTANCES. I COULD "CAREFULLY" GET IN & OUT OF OUR LITTLE SPORTS CAR. I COULDN'T BEND FORWARD FAR ENOUGH TO CLEAN MYSELF AFTER GOING POTTY. THAT ONLY LASTED ABOUT 4 DAYS. I WAS CLEAR-HEADED & FOR 2 DAYS OUT JUST VEGED IN FRONT OF THE TV, BUT NICK & I STILL RAN ERRANDS THOSE 2 DAYS AFTER HE CAME HOME FROM WORK. AFTER THAT, IT HAS BEEN NON-STOP. I DON'T DRIVE YET BECAUSE I AM TAKING 3/4-1 TEASPOON OF HYDROCODONE BEFORE BEDTIME ... I SLEEP LIKE A BABY & IT RELIEVES MY BODY/JOINT PAIN (I HAD NO SURGERY PAIN) SO I CAN WALK FREELY THE NEXT DAY. COUGHING, SNEEZING & BURPING HURT, BUT ONLY FOR A MINUTE. I PLACED A "PEA" PILLOW OVER MY TUMMY UNDER MY SEATBELT SO WHEN WE HIT ROUGH ROAD, I COULD SCRUNCH THE PILLOW INTO MY TUMMY INSTEAD OF IT "BOUNCING" AROUND BECAUSE THAT WAS PAINFUL. ALL-IN-ALL, I'VE FELT 100 TIMES WORSE WITH A CASE OF THE FLU, SO NOT TO WORRY, SWEETIE ... GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK