Looking for patients of Dr. Caruana at Synergy
Hi. I am having my surgery on 4/5/10 -- open RNY. I have been to a few suport group meetings at Synergy and find them very helpful, but am interested in hearing more detailed reports from people about their surgical and newbie experiences. Also looking for anyone who has my surgery date.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Dr C did my surgery almost 18 months ago, I had open RNY feel free to pm me with any questions u may have. I had a very smooth surgery with him, I walked a lot while in the hospital, even when I didn't want to. I was out in 3 days, mostly because I had an infant at home and back to my life the next day. I took pain meds only a few days after the hospital discharge and was driving by the next week My DH returned to work a few days after I was home and I was alone with my 3 small children. I do not have any problems with any kinds of foods, I do not dump or have any restrictions to eating any kind of food.
As far as my newbie experience...I read a lot online, did a lot of reseach I talked to lots of other patients farther out than I. I did not find the support group there helpful. After a while hearing how much everyone lost and their name and going around the room wasn't enough for me. I did not find the eating plan paperwork much help and sought the services of the recommended nutritionist. I got a personal trainer outside the gym there. To date I am very close to a 100lb loss. I lost most of my weight in the first 6 months and have been trickling since. IMO you really need to research your vitamin regemin, the support on this part is non existant and I fear people who have their surgery and go there may not be getting everything they need afterward. I have also been a bit disappointed in the support after surgery, especially if you have to call with questions. Good luck on your upcoming surgery. I am happy that I had mine done.
As far as my newbie experience...I read a lot online, did a lot of reseach I talked to lots of other patients farther out than I. I did not find the support group there helpful. After a while hearing how much everyone lost and their name and going around the room wasn't enough for me. I did not find the eating plan paperwork much help and sought the services of the recommended nutritionist. I got a personal trainer outside the gym there. To date I am very close to a 100lb loss. I lost most of my weight in the first 6 months and have been trickling since. IMO you really need to research your vitamin regemin, the support on this part is non existant and I fear people who have their surgery and go there may not be getting everything they need afterward. I have also been a bit disappointed in the support after surgery, especially if you have to call with questions. Good luck on your upcoming surgery. I am happy that I had mine done.
I just had my surgery on Monday, it went well but I was very sick from the anesthesia. I'm already glad I did it, it feels good to know I'm on my way! I am a little nervous about recovering, I have a one year old and a two year old. Each day I feel so much better than the last so I'm hoping I'll be back to myself soon.
Beahero, you mentioned about vitamins, what do you take? I've been taking the ones that they sell at synergy (Bariatric Fusion), do you think they are okay?
Beahero, you mentioned about vitamins, what do you take? I've been taking the ones that they sell at synergy (Bariatric Fusion), do you think they are okay?
Congrats on your surgery. Recovery isn't too bad. I had a 1 and 3 yr old at home when I had mine. I was lifting them, I shouldn't have been but I am a SAHM so there was no one else to help. I had them climb up to me as much as possible. I felt so bad not picking them up but I didn't want to risk injury or ripping something. I think the thing that was most hard was feeling tired. I felt that way for a few months. I think it's from the severe calorie deprivation and surgery. I often took naps in the beginning. Be sure to get in as much of your protein as possible as well as water. Its very hard to get it all in in the beginning, just do your best, you'll get to the right amount in time.
I take lots of vitamins. I know the risks of deficiencies and don't want myself in that boat.I took the fusion vitamins in the beginning, mostly because I didn't know any better. I think Synergy gets $ from selling those so of course they push them. There is some debate about the calcium and iron in those pills, it's a no no to take iron and calcium together and that vitamin has both in them. Everyone is different in their requirements. Your first round of labs in a few months will give you some help with that. I did not get much info from Synergy on vitamins, they just tell you to take the Fusion stuff. You should contact the vitamin companies and try them all-Bariatric Advantage will even send you samples, you may find that some you cannot stand and others you love. You have to find one you can live with, we have to take them forever. Sometimes it's nice to have several forms of vitamins, liquid, capsule, powder, lozenge.
I take-
- Bariatric Advantage multi's 2 per day
-D3-Vitalady-1 50,000 IU tab 1x-2x per week
-Bariatric Advantage-Calcium citrate lozenges 3 per day or Vitalady's capsules 3 per day 1500-1800 mg per day
-probiotics-PB8-Vitamin Shoppe-2 per day-this has helped immensely with any BM problems from having large doses of protein
-B-Complex-Vitalady-Stress b-50 1x per day
-B-12 I prefer the methylcobolomin over the cyanocobolomin, better for you, I order this from netrition.com 5000 mg
-Omega 3-Coromega, you can get this anywhere, it's a pudding like texture that you take 1x per day, i like the chocolate orange
-Iron-carbonyl-Bariatric Advantage
-Vitamin C-you can buy this anywhere 1000mg taken with iron for better absorption, never take your iron within two hours of your calcium
I also take zinc and copper from Bariatric Advantage
Early on I took Biotin, they say this helps with hair loss but I'm not so sure it did. I also took magnesium to help with BM problems but this did not help me so I stopped.
Hope you're feeling better soon, feel free to PM me if you have any other ?'s.
I take lots of vitamins. I know the risks of deficiencies and don't want myself in that boat.I took the fusion vitamins in the beginning, mostly because I didn't know any better. I think Synergy gets $ from selling those so of course they push them. There is some debate about the calcium and iron in those pills, it's a no no to take iron and calcium together and that vitamin has both in them. Everyone is different in their requirements. Your first round of labs in a few months will give you some help with that. I did not get much info from Synergy on vitamins, they just tell you to take the Fusion stuff. You should contact the vitamin companies and try them all-Bariatric Advantage will even send you samples, you may find that some you cannot stand and others you love. You have to find one you can live with, we have to take them forever. Sometimes it's nice to have several forms of vitamins, liquid, capsule, powder, lozenge.
I take-
- Bariatric Advantage multi's 2 per day
-D3-Vitalady-1 50,000 IU tab 1x-2x per week
-Bariatric Advantage-Calcium citrate lozenges 3 per day or Vitalady's capsules 3 per day 1500-1800 mg per day
-probiotics-PB8-Vitamin Shoppe-2 per day-this has helped immensely with any BM problems from having large doses of protein
-B-Complex-Vitalady-Stress b-50 1x per day
-B-12 I prefer the methylcobolomin over the cyanocobolomin, better for you, I order this from netrition.com 5000 mg
-Omega 3-Coromega, you can get this anywhere, it's a pudding like texture that you take 1x per day, i like the chocolate orange
-Iron-carbonyl-Bariatric Advantage
-Vitamin C-you can buy this anywhere 1000mg taken with iron for better absorption, never take your iron within two hours of your calcium
I also take zinc and copper from Bariatric Advantage
Early on I took Biotin, they say this helps with hair loss but I'm not so sure it did. I also took magnesium to help with BM problems but this did not help me so I stopped.
Hope you're feeling better soon, feel free to PM me if you have any other ?'s.
Wow, thanks for all the great information! I'm staying at home now too, but I am lucky to have my mother-in-law helping out! It's tough to not be able to pick up the baby though.
That's great info on the vitamins. I love the idea of being able to take a capsule or a pill, because I have a hard time with the aftertaste of the chewables. I guess I'll get used to it.
Hope this isn't TMI but I have been constipated and they had me take milk of magnesia which worked, but I almost vomited after taking it. Do you have any suggestions for that? Also, I've been taking those gas x strips because I have some gas pain, but I'm wondering if there is anything else I should be taking.
Thanks for the advice!
That's great info on the vitamins. I love the idea of being able to take a capsule or a pill, because I have a hard time with the aftertaste of the chewables. I guess I'll get used to it.
Hope this isn't TMI but I have been constipated and they had me take milk of magnesia which worked, but I almost vomited after taking it. Do you have any suggestions for that? Also, I've been taking those gas x strips because I have some gas pain, but I'm wondering if there is anything else I should be taking.
Thanks for the advice!
You're lucky to have the help at home. Take advantage of the time and nap! Over the next few weeks you'll be tired easily. Not TMI around here! A fact of our new life :( In the beginning I thought I would die from that. I tried lots of things. I started with the senna teas, I tried an off brand from vitamin shoppe and traditional medicinals smooth move in chocolate and regular, both taste the same and work overnight. I wasn't always in the mood to drink the stuff every day. I also bought all bran lemonade and ice tea mix with 10 g fiber per serving. You mix it in water like crystal lite, I found it at wegmans and walmart by the laxatives. I also treid benefiber and fiber 1 but they had a lot of calories and didn't work as well. I think the one thing that has helped me the most is taking the probiotics and drinking 2-3 32oz waters a day. As far as the gas goes, walk, as much as you can, it will help alleviate it. I too have used the gas x. Another thing that can help with general stomach upset and something to have on hand all the time is papaya enzyzme. You can get it anywhere, walmart has it for $3. Take 2-3 of them when you just don't feel right and it clears it up quickly. They're a pleasant tasting chewable. Speaking of chewables I wouldn't get rid of them all sometimes I can't stand taking the capsules when I have to down 9 of them! Feel free to ask me any ? if you get stuck. I think there's so much left unsaid after the surgery and its hard when you have no one to ask.
Tammy
Tammy
"I did not get much info from Synergy on vitamins, they just tell you to take the Fusion stuff."
You must not be talking about the info you get at Synergy's free bi-monthly support group meetings for bypass patients, because there we've been told over and over (and over) to take any vitamin you chose, as long as you're getting 200% of your RDA amounts of vitamins and minerals. Lisa does NOT push Bariatric Fusion, at all (though they are fine and rank in the top 5 of what is generally recommended here on OH).
There have been entire meetings based only on supplements and our vitamin/mineral needs. Samples have been handed out and not only of Bariatric Fusion. We've discussed iron, B-12 and Bs including Biotin, the huge importance of vitamin D (dry only for bypass patients), calcium (citrate is best), pro-biotics, omegas, fiber, protein (whey protein isolate is best), etc.
About the Fusion - while it's best to take iron seperate from calcium, you CAN take certain (small) amounts of calcium and iron together (in a multi), before the receptor that works for both will no longer accept the iron (in layman's terms). Most people (mostly women) benefit from taking additional calcium supplements throughout the day and an iron supplement (I take mine at bedtime, since I've not eaten recently and therefore don't have any calcium in the works at the time).
I hope to see you two at the meetings. You are really missing out if you don't come. You learn something new each and every time.
-Cynthia
You must not be talking about the info you get at Synergy's free bi-monthly support group meetings for bypass patients, because there we've been told over and over (and over) to take any vitamin you chose, as long as you're getting 200% of your RDA amounts of vitamins and minerals. Lisa does NOT push Bariatric Fusion, at all (though they are fine and rank in the top 5 of what is generally recommended here on OH).
There have been entire meetings based only on supplements and our vitamin/mineral needs. Samples have been handed out and not only of Bariatric Fusion. We've discussed iron, B-12 and Bs including Biotin, the huge importance of vitamin D (dry only for bypass patients), calcium (citrate is best), pro-biotics, omegas, fiber, protein (whey protein isolate is best), etc.
About the Fusion - while it's best to take iron seperate from calcium, you CAN take certain (small) amounts of calcium and iron together (in a multi), before the receptor that works for both will no longer accept the iron (in layman's terms). Most people (mostly women) benefit from taking additional calcium supplements throughout the day and an iron supplement (I take mine at bedtime, since I've not eaten recently and therefore don't have any calcium in the works at the time).
I hope to see you two at the meetings. You are really missing out if you don't come. You learn something new each and every time.
-Cynthia
Bad boys get spanked. - Chrissie Hynde 
Hey Cynthina,
Nope haven't been to a meeting in a while, I was getting frustrated hearing how much people have lost when I have been at a standstill since six 6 months out. I wasn't finding the meetings helpful. If these topics are now being discussed I'm glad to hear it! Perhaps I should try to check one out again. Hope all is well with you.
Nope haven't been to a meeting in a while, I was getting frustrated hearing how much people have lost when I have been at a standstill since six 6 months out. I wasn't finding the meetings helpful. If these topics are now being discussed I'm glad to hear it! Perhaps I should try to check one out again. Hope all is well with you.
Uh oh, given up on working out? That's just it for me, I haven't, working with a trainer and nutritionist and still stuck, just switched to a new nut hoping for some progression! i wish the meetings were a bit later or a different day, my hubbys work schedule makes them tough to get to. Hope to see you soon.
Tammy
Tammy
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