Ready, But Freaking Out A LIttle (Kinda Long)

  Hi there new friends!
I'm Rhonda - brand new to the community.  I was doing some research, and there you all were - like an answered prayer.

 just got my surgery date - Monday, April 4th.  LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY!!  I'm so excited, but I'm also freaking out a little. I've been through the orientation, and I have my pre-op visit on March17th, but there are so many questions that I still have.   I'm hoping that you might be willing to help me out a bit with a few questions:

1. When I was preganant, the mommy boards all had lists of things you needed to take in your hospital bag, things to pack in your diaper bag, etc.  So my first question is: what are the things the Dr's office forgets to tell you to pack when you do in for surgery?  What did you wish you had with you?

2. So I know that a liquid diet is going to be a big part of my initial few weeks, and I've been trying to prepare myself for that by learning to make smoothies and all that good stuff.  Is that the right thing to do?  Do I need to buy protein powder or protein shakes or what?  And what are the best (read: CHEAPEST without being disgusting) brands?

3. What brand of vitamins do you all recommend?  Where is the best place to get them?

4. What am I forgetting?  What words of wisdom were really helpful for you?  What do you know now that you really wish someone had told you ahead of time?

There is so much, and I'm having a hard time trying wrap my little pea brain around it all.  I feel like I need to take all the orientation classes again...  I was so excited initially, that I don't think I absorbed any information.  

Sorry it's long.  I have so many thoughts swimming around in my head!  And I appreciate any advice you can offer.

Best, 
Rhonda

Rhonda,
Congratulations on your surgery date.
I will answer what I can and what I remember.

1 Take as little as possible with you to the hospital. They will provide many things for you - the less you have to worry with, the better. I did take my own pillow and a small squishy pillow for by back. Chapstick is a necessity. I used hospital gowns the whole time I was there, but I did use my own house coat to cover the back side!!! I wore pjs home so I didn't have to change when I got home. The pillow also helps on the ride home. Some people take their laptop and phone, etc. I really wasn't focused enough to use any of that, and I wasn't focused enough to read, either. Just concentrated on walking and sipping!!!

If you have a recliner plan to sleep in it for the first week. Best advice I can give you.

2. I know people do not like the liquid protein bullets = but they got me through the first few weeks. I would mix up 2 a day, got in all the protein I needed and sipped all day long. I have my favorite protein flavors now, at 3 years out, and I supplement with shakes every day. :Lots of people don't - I am sure you will get other suggestions.

3. I do use bariatric vitamins - many people buy their vitamins at Wally World and other places. I get mine from bariatriceating.com = I love the new Journey capsules. I took Bariatic Advantage chewable up until the last few months and I got them from BE also.

4. My words of wisdom - start walking as soon as you can and go at the losing full force - the honeymoon period will end, life will set in and you want to have as much off as possible.

Good luck!!!
I know you will get more answers and they will probably differ from mine - I am 3 years out this month, lost over 100 pounds and have kept over 100 pounds off. I can only tell you what seemed to work for me.

Rhonda,

Congratulations on your upcoming surgery. It is really normal to 'freak out' a bit. I often attend the support groups at the Duke Raleigh campus. I'm not sure if you go there for their support groups, but if you do, please say hello. I also want you to know that I host support group meetings in Raleigh and you are most welcome to attend any of my meetings.

1. Basically you'll have everything you need at the hospital. If anything, you might want some good chap stick to help you with dry lips and a pair of loose pj's or a gown to wear on the ride home and pillow to hold across your stomach to cushion the bumps.

2. There a number of different types of protein drinks available. If I were you, I'd try going to your local GNC or Vitamin Shoppe and see about getting some of their single serving items to try. This allows you to try a variety without commiting to a large purchase for each type. Generally, finding a plain or vanilla flavor you can tolerate will allow you to doctor them to your own tastes. With that in mind, you might want to look up a blog by a fellow WLS patient called the world according to eggface that has a number of really pretty good recipes for protein shakes. My husband liked some by IsoPure that were relatively thin and easy to go down. The protein that you can get in protein bullets generally is not very good for bariatric patients and even though the  bottle may say that they have 42 grams of protein in them we can't process most of the protein in them. As soon as I was able, I stopped drinking protein shakes and routinely get in 80 to 100 grams of protein each day with regular food. Of course, you have to work up to that in time.

3. What brand of vitamins do you all recommend?  Where is the best place to get them? There are a number of places to get bariatric vitamins. To be honest, most of the vitamins that I take a not specifically bariatric vitamins and most of my labs come back just fine. I have been low on vitamin D lately and I need dry vitamin D3 to manage my vitamin D levels. I get my vitamin D3 from VitaLady. I take Citrical w/D, 2000 mgs/day, I take 2 Centrum multivitamins each day, I take 1 sublinqual vitamin B12 and I take a 5000 UI Dry D3 once a week. Be careful about taking vitamins. You need to take all that they prescribe for you and you need to be very careful about getting your labs to make sure that you have enough, but not too much. Some vitamins and minerals can be toxic in high enough doses and we don't all malabsorb at the same rate. If someone on this site or anywhere else tells you to take something other than what your Dr is prescribing, I would go to your Dr first and make sure that your labs show that you need it. That is my humble, non-medical, personal opinion.

4. What am I forgetting?  After surgery you will need to sip, sip, sip and walk, walk, walk. Be sure to take photos of yourself before surgery in front of a door: front, back and profile, then do it again once a month. Take your full body measurements before surgery and then again once a month because sometimes when the scale isn't moving the tape measure will be showing progress. The photos will help as you try to recognize the new you that is emerging. I wore and still often wear a pedometer. It helps remind me to move. I also logged relentlessly on www.mydailyplate.com so that I could develop awareness and accountability. I did so through my weight loss journey.

Wishing you every success in your journey!

Congratulation! You are on your way.

1) (warning TMI on this one) That time of the month showed up early due to my nervousness, so be sure to pack some feminine products and some underwear. The hospital apparently did not have the large size mesh undies that day so they had me just ‘put’ a pad between my legs before surgery and I had to lie on a pad afterwards. That was yucky for me so I had them take that cath out asap and I put on my own undies.
I agree with taking as a little as possible. The tv, talking with my hubby, and walking was enough to keep me busy. Surgery was Wednesday afternoon. I was discharged Friday morning. Any toiletries you prefer rather than the hospitals would be ok as I was able to wash up Thursday and take a shower Friday (I did not have any drains).

2) My taste buds changed dramatically after surgery. I had heard that it may not be a good idea to ‘stock up’ on any one thing due to this and it proved to be true. All the protein drinks I had tasted horrible and I became lactose intolerant so I could drink anything I had purchased before surgery. You may want to get a small variety of drinks so you can experiment afterwards without having to go to the store right away.

3) I did not purchase any ‘bariatric’ vitamins. I pretty much sticked with what I could find in the store, and like Barb, my labs have been fine over the years. I did ask my nutritionist about some brands like Centrum as a multi vitamin. If they recommend a particular brand to get you started, I suggest you follow their specific instructions.

4) I was unable to sleep in the bed (lying flat) so we moved our recliner into the bedroom. Be prepared that you may need to adjust where and how you sleep.

The pillow for the ride home and having something lose to wear is a definite plus.  

I agree with walling as soon as you can. It will help get the gas moving and you will feel better sooner.

 

Wishing you the best!

Hi Rhonda,

Congrats on getting your date!!!!.  How exciting.  I know because I just had my procedure last Wednesday 3/2.

1. What are the things the Dr's office forgets to tell you to pack when you do in for surgery?  What did you wish you had with you?

Well, I personally slept the day of the procedure after they brought me back to my room.  I just stayed in bed and slept so I didn't use much of anything that day.  I would say that chapstick might come in handy because your lips do get DRY...and they do that those swabs that you can dip in water and apply to your lips and inside to moisten your mouth.  I didn't drink anything the day of my procedure.  I did take a pair of slippers to use to walk the hallways.  I personally didn't recall having on a single pair of underwear until they removed the catheter and I was getting dressed to go home.  I have to confess though that I was a bit out of it due to the morphine from the pump and I had a tendency to get nauseated, especially the day after the procedure when they start get you up out of bed walking, & start you on your liquids.  I kinda had a hard time with some of that...due to feeling sick.  My whole hospital visit was kinda a blurrrrrr....I just remember that I got soooo tired of them coming in to get vitals...all I wanted to do was SLEEP and be left alone.  No chance on that.  But I did get to leave the hospital the next afternoon after surgery so I wasn't at the hospital long enough to do much of anything.  But that was me...I was sleepy and tired and just wanted to go home.  I would recommend the chapstick and some slippers.  Don't over pack.  I took a lot of stuff that I never removed from my bag, but your situation might be different.  So prepare but don't over-do-it.

2.  Do I need to buy protein powder or protein shakes or what?  And what are the best (read: CHEAPEST without being disgusting) brands?

I personally chose to buy UNJURY protein drinks online.  They contain quite a bit of protein in 1 scoop and don't add a whole lot of fat/carbs and it really tastes good.  I went ahead an ordered a cannister of CHOCOLATE and VANILLA.  I tasted a sample of vanilla at my pre-op group meeting, I liked it alot so I decided to go ahead and buy some.  Glad I did.  I'm alternating daily between the chocolate and vanilla mixed with skim milk and I've had no trouble drinking it.  Tastes tolerable to me.  It's no milkshake or anything but it does taste pretty decent.  I found that the other protein drinks at Wal-mart and such had too much fat and too many carbs and frankly too many calories.  I hated to spend the money online for UNJURY but it's medically recommended PROTEIN.  It does pack quite a bit of protein into 1 scoop.  I found it kinda hard to get in the fluids the first couple of days after I got home from the hospital.  By about Day 3 or 4...I was sailing right along getting in my 2 oz of UNJURY protein, 2 oz of Crystal Light Fruit Punch, 1/2 of a sugar free popsicle, and perhaps 2 ozs of Crystal Light again or maybe some low sodium tomato juice.  I've found low sodium tomato juice to taste really good...almost like a treat.  It has 50 calories in 8 ozs.  Make sure it's LOW SODIUM...if you're with Duke WLS Center--you'll get an info packet outlining the liquid phase of the diet.  But I've been doing great with it thus far.

3. What brand of vitamins do you all recommend?  Where is the best place to get them?

Personally, I selected Centrum's Orange Chewable vitamins from Wal-mart.  About $9 or so for a bottle of 100 tablets.  After your 3 week post op appt they'll probably fill you in on the other vitamins you'll need to buy,  For the first 3 weeks you'll likely be on 2 chewable mulit-vitamins daily, along with 1 prilosec pill or something similar---they'll fill you in on this info too.  I think Centrum is pretty decent.  Not a fantastic orange taste or anything but it's tolerable.

4. What am I forgetting?  What words of wisdom were really helpful for you?  What do you know now that you really wish someone had told you ahead of time?

I can't think of a thing.  They do a good job of providing you with helpful info at your pre-op group appt at Duke WLS Center.  Nothing really shocked me about the surgery or afterwards.  I did have some gas and gurgling in my stomach after I got back home and started walking and stirring around.  The sound isn't as bad now  but for the first 2 or so days after I got back home, my new pouch made all kinds of gurgling noises and sounds.  I did buy some Gas-X strips from Wal-mart to have just in case I had a lot of gas and needed to use a strip.  I did use a couple of them...they did help.  

Hope this isn't too much info...  but be prepared that you probably won't go to the bathroom for a few days.  Sure, you'll be passing urine fine hopefully, but it took me about 4-5 days before I really went to the bathroom if you know what I mean.  And those protein drinks....they're kinda different on entry versus "exit".  Not trying to be gross or anything but I've got cats and I clean their litter boxes and I also have changed a few "whewy" smelling baby's diapers in my time too and nothing, I mean nothing prepared me for that first bathroom visit and the ODOR.  It wouldn't be an understandment to say that I needed a professional breathing mask.  WOW...luckily it didn't last too terribly long---that horrible odor, I mean.  Not saying it's peachy smelling now but it's better.  I have been drinking some low sodium tomato juice and guess that's helping in that department because I can tell a difference.  It does get better.  But no one mentioned it to me before and I guess protein drinks just do that to you.  Could be my UNJURY protein drinks too since I am drinking ones LOW in fat and LOW in carbs.  Atkins beverages, Boost, or Ensure,  or others higher in fat/carbs/calories might turn out different "on exit".  LOL   Just an FYI.

Today was my 1 week post-op surgery day.     It's hard to believe how I feel now compared to how I felt this time last week.  Argh!!!!!!  It's amazing the difference a week can make.  I feel great.  Getting in all of my liquids easily, getting up moving around just fine and over all--feeling super.  Of course, that wasn't the case right afterwards so it has taken me some time to heal.  I've felt the best today of all days thus far so hopefully the good times will keep rolling along.  Truly I wouldn't know that I've had surgery if I didn't actually know that I did because my stomach/pouch feels fine...I've been sipping and sipping and sipping and everything goes down just great.  That will probably change when I have to eat soft foods...probably will fill the "fullness" effect of the pouch then but right now...I don't.  I also am not hungry really.  Sure I have head hunger...especially when the YUMMY food commercials come on tv.  I'm over it now but I have to confess I had head hunger on Day 5 or 6.  But I'm not physically hungry nor is my pouch growling or anything.  So that helps.  Be prepared for seeing food commercials on tv and  be prepared for others eating FOOD around you...they'll go over that in your pre-op group as well.  I'm doing good with it now but you have to pace yourself and remind yourself that the liquids only last 3 weeks.  You can do it. 

Like you, I had a lot of thoughts going in my head too.  I even kinda did a panic thing right after I got my date, but then I calmed down and was calm right up to being wheeled into the operating room.  I was confident with my decision.  Feel free to contact me any time--shoot me a message on this obesityhelp site and I'll be happy to share my experiences.  I know that I communicated ALOT with folks on this website before I had my surgery.  Hang in there...not as bad as it might seem at times.  Trust me...I worry about everything and this has been a fairly smooth ride so far. 

Ask questions on this site and get all the info you need...I think you're on the right track for sure.  April 4th will be your NEW BIRTHDAY.  Mine was March 2nd....so you'll be about a month or so behind me. 

   
Good LUCK!!!

-Donna

Everyone is giving great advice.

I had my surgery on 1 March. The only other thing I can really stress is that my tastes changed overnight. Thankfully I was warned about this and I only bought samples of protein and vitamins.
I tried several before just to see .. but really that was useless because none that I liked before taste good now.

There are also companies that will send you free or cheap samples of their products.

Unjury, Bariatric Advantage, GoTein,  and others.

I second the note to visit The World According to Eggface. She has great smoothie recipes and even recipes for later on that give you hope that you will eat again.

My biggest thing has been wanting to CHEW something after. So hanging on that this day will come has saved me.

Another great site is MeltingMama.net - lots of support and information out there.

Good luck, you'll do fine!!

OH .. the one thing I wish someone had warned me about you may not have to deal with but just in case ... your doc may require you take Lovenox shots for blood clots for up to two weeks after the surgery. They don't really hurt (and I HATE shots) but it was a real scary shock to me that I wish I had known about.

Take Care!!

Lehnanne