Beginning me journey to a better me.

Hi everyone, I am new here and could really would like to make friends with you all. I am excited about this journey although I know its a long road ahead and I know there will be some tough times but I will make it. I never dreamed I would be having Gastric Bypass but I did this to me, no one else so I am taking the bull by the horns and turning things around. 

I have some questions to ask if someone will please answer me. Whats it like after the surgery, the first month? What can I eat, how much do you start off with, teaspoons or more? Will I have to "work it off" I am in a wheel chair for now but once I get the first 50 lbs off I can hopefully be out of the wheel chair depending on the knees and what the doc says about them whether I will still need the knee surgery. I am looking forward to knowing you all and in hopes of gaining some good friends here, 

Welcome to ObesityHelp!  We are glad that you have joined our OH community.  

As you check out OH, you'll see many features and tools that are created for our members as you embark on your WLS journey.  OH is a great place for support, research and tools to assist you with your journey.  Here are a few suggestions:

About Obesity
About Weight Loss Surgery
Medical Necessity
Post-op Planner
BMI Calculator
Health Tracker

We also have a great HELP SECTION with tutorials to assist you with navigating our site. If you need our assistance, you can reach us at [email protected]

You didn't mention what surgery type you are researching and or having.  May we suggest you post on the forum for your surgery type to reach out to those that are having the same surgery as you.

Duodenal Switch Forum (DS)

LAP-BAND Forum

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

Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum (VSG)

We look forward to your updates

With your BMI, I strongly urge you to research a procedure called the Duodenal Switch. The DS has the very best long-term, maintained weight-loss stats, especially for those of us with a BMI greater than 50. Your profile also mentions having a lot of pain---do you rely on NSAIDs for pain control? After the RNY/gastric bypass, most surgeons tell their patients to NEVER take NSAIDs again. One big reason I chose the DS for myself was because I knew I would always need NSAIDs for my extensive arthritis. With my DS, I can still take NSAIDs twice a day. (The DS was also my best bet for avoiding the diabetes and high cholesterol that runs heavily in both sides of my family.)

As for exercise---I was virtually confined to a wheelchair before my DS. By three months out, I could work in my garden for hours at a time. I lost 100 pounds in six months, doing NO formal exercise at all. 11.5 years later, I STILL haven't had my knees replaced! Sure, they still hurt some, but they WORK now. (*grin*)

With any form of WLS, the first month or so you'll be eating  a couple of teaspoons of food per meal, but that won't last. My surgeon's goal was for me to be eating 1500 calories a day by six months out. Now, anyone watching me eat would have no clue I'd had WLS, they'd just think I was a picky eater. There is nothing that I can't eat if I choose to.

Research ALL your options before you go under the knife. Visit all the various surgical boards, including the Revision board. Think twice, cut once.