can you halp

hi eveyone, I am am waiting for a gastric bypass has anyone got any information or advice that may help me

can you be more specific? what are you interested in hearing about?

well stuff about the gastric bypass operation for example how long does it take to recover, how will i feel and  is there anything i can do to make it easier. also i have been told i will have skin folds after the op is there anything i can do to prevent this?   

sure thing. recovery times vary. i think taking 2-4 weeks off work afterward is a good rule of thumb. i had very little pain afterward, but i also developed a post-surgical complication. everyone is different. i found that wearing a binder was VERY helpful for healing. i would recommend them to anyone. i followed my surgeon's post surgery meal plan very closely and did fine with tolerating almost all foods. 

as far as skin goes, yes, you will most likely have loose skin and folds. of course, that depends on how big you are, your age, and your general skin elasticity. for most people, they end up with some kind of loose skin. you either learn to live with it or save up for plastic surgery and have it lopped off! i used all kinds of lotions and creams to avoid scars and stretch marks, but i don't think they did any good. it will be what its meant to be.

best of luck to you!

thanks for your advice

I can't answer Q about bypass but as far as loose skin is concerned, it depends on how old you are, how obese you are, how long you have been obese, your genes and a dollop of luck! You can't do anything to avoid it if it is going to happen - exercise tones the underlying muscle but can't make the skin any more elastic, 

so may as well not worry! Can't be altered! Can only be removed surgically if necessary. 

Get over to the RNY forums on here and read, read, read.  Just about every topic has been covered many times over and I found it to be an invaluable resource in the run-up to my surgery last October.  Another really good resource was the "Weight Loss Surgery For Dummies" book.  That one is nice because it gives an overview of all of the various surgeries and the language is simple and straightforward without a lot of jargon.

Good luck in your journey!

Jen

Hi Tinderbell140685,

If you have not done so, please post this on your surgery type forum for more responses.

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery Forum (RNY)

Prepare for surgery by being as healthy as possible.  Follow your pre-op diet, drink lots of water and get plenty of exercise

After surgery, wear your binder for at least two weeks, sip a lot of water, and follow your surgeons eating and exercise plan

Take all of your vitamins and get regular labs done

Your body will do the rest.