New here ... And over 50!
I joined this site a few weeks ago.....having surgery in another couple weeks. It was a serious decision, and being 53 I sometimes wonder if my recovery will be more difficult and longer. I'm enjoying reading all the different forums, gathering information, gaining wisdom hopefully! Any tips or hints from your collective wisdom are always appreciated.... Thanks for listening!
BJ
BJ
HW 325 SW 303 CW 245. GW 170
Hi BJ,
You have arrived at the most loving family of weight loss surgery patients on Obesity Help. We come from all over, and share our struggles and successes, and family news, and our health concerns. We pray for each other and sometimes meet each other, as our travels allow.
The best advice I can give is to remember to sip, sip, sip, and walk, walk, walk. My nurses had me up and walking four hours post-op, and I had an open RNY. Walking encourages blood circulation, and promotes healing. It also helps dissipate pockets of gas that accumulate early on. Walking as much as you can before the surgery will make walking post-op easier. When you are walking post-op, try to do more each day, and build up to 30 minutes a day.
Before surgery, practice deep breathing exercises, as in the hospital, you will have to do breathing exercises, which are challenging when we have any abdominal surgery. Practicing deep breathing before the surgery helps.
Don't hesitate to ask for pain meds while you are in the hospital. Staying on top of the pain early on helps. Once you get into the walking routine and start to heal, the need for pain meds will lessen each day.
Don't try to overdo it early on post-op. My first two weeks post-op, I concerned myself with sipping, walking and resting. Nothing else. I always had a beverage, and sugar free jello, or sugar free popsicles the entire day. I took short walks at least twice a day, and built them up till they became one big one of 30 minutes briskly. That took time.
Don't be surprised if you have spells of feeling wiped out during the day. Bariatric surgery is major surgery, and healing takes time. Our bodies tire easily. The sipping, walking and breathing exercises are vitally important.
My mother came and stayed with me, because I had two cats, and could not even bend over to feed them, or clean their litter box.
Oh, one thing I did before my surgery was make homemade broth. I made my usual chicken noodle and beef vegetable soups, and strained the veggies, meat and noodles out of them, and froze the broth in small containers for sipping post-op. I am not a huge fan of instant boullion, and thoroughly enjoyed my homemade broth. I also pureed the solid stuff I strained, and froze it in ice cube trays, then stored them in the freezer in ziploc bags. They came in handy during the puree phase of the post-op diet.
Sorry to be so long winded. All my pre-op preparation made my post-op experience go smoothly. I hope it helps.
Hugs,
Trish
You have arrived at the most loving family of weight loss surgery patients on Obesity Help. We come from all over, and share our struggles and successes, and family news, and our health concerns. We pray for each other and sometimes meet each other, as our travels allow.
The best advice I can give is to remember to sip, sip, sip, and walk, walk, walk. My nurses had me up and walking four hours post-op, and I had an open RNY. Walking encourages blood circulation, and promotes healing. It also helps dissipate pockets of gas that accumulate early on. Walking as much as you can before the surgery will make walking post-op easier. When you are walking post-op, try to do more each day, and build up to 30 minutes a day.
Before surgery, practice deep breathing exercises, as in the hospital, you will have to do breathing exercises, which are challenging when we have any abdominal surgery. Practicing deep breathing before the surgery helps.
Don't hesitate to ask for pain meds while you are in the hospital. Staying on top of the pain early on helps. Once you get into the walking routine and start to heal, the need for pain meds will lessen each day.
Don't try to overdo it early on post-op. My first two weeks post-op, I concerned myself with sipping, walking and resting. Nothing else. I always had a beverage, and sugar free jello, or sugar free popsicles the entire day. I took short walks at least twice a day, and built them up till they became one big one of 30 minutes briskly. That took time.
Don't be surprised if you have spells of feeling wiped out during the day. Bariatric surgery is major surgery, and healing takes time. Our bodies tire easily. The sipping, walking and breathing exercises are vitally important.
My mother came and stayed with me, because I had two cats, and could not even bend over to feed them, or clean their litter box.
Oh, one thing I did before my surgery was make homemade broth. I made my usual chicken noodle and beef vegetable soups, and strained the veggies, meat and noodles out of them, and froze the broth in small containers for sipping post-op. I am not a huge fan of instant boullion, and thoroughly enjoyed my homemade broth. I also pureed the solid stuff I strained, and froze it in ice cube trays, then stored them in the freezer in ziploc bags. They came in handy during the puree phase of the post-op diet.
Sorry to be so long winded. All my pre-op preparation made my post-op experience go smoothly. I hope it helps.
Hugs,
Trish
Seek always to do some good, somewhere. Every man has to seek in his own way to realize his true worth. You must give some time to your fellow man. For remember, you don't live in a world all your own. Your brothers are here too.
Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer
First of all welcome, 2nd of all, being scared is definitely normal and last of all Trish gave you lots of good insight. . . Wishing you a simple transition to the 'Loser's Bench' where there is always room for one more and an uncomplicated recovery period, followed by lots of WOW moments!
Laureen
Laureen
My Mantra is that I do not determine my success by the number hanging in my closet, nor will I let the scale determine that success either. . . It is through trial and error I will continue to grow and succeed. . . Laureen
"Success is a journey, not a destination." Ben Sweetland
welcome a-board 
suggestion pre-op--take pictures (yea-we all hate them!) and take measurements with a tape measure..... someday you will be glad that you did--when you start losing you may hit plateaus -they are normal-and the best way to know that you are losing even if the scale stops is to have measurements to fall back on!
in a few weeks; i am 8 years out from my surgery...
ask questions...be informed! be good to you!!!!
for the hospital- a robe and slippers and chapstick.....
if you are going to try protein to supplement i suggest buying samples from some of the reputable companies- not a whole huge tub of stuff....your tatse buds may change drastically after surgery--and if you are addicted to caffeine as i was/am-try to wean off before surgery-at least for awhile cuz caffeine dehydrates so you have to work harder to get your water in....
suggestion pre-op--take pictures (yea-we all hate them!) and take measurements with a tape measure..... someday you will be glad that you did--when you start losing you may hit plateaus -they are normal-and the best way to know that you are losing even if the scale stops is to have measurements to fall back on!
in a few weeks; i am 8 years out from my surgery...
ask questions...be informed! be good to you!!!!
for the hospital- a robe and slippers and chapstick.....
if you are going to try protein to supplement i suggest buying samples from some of the reputable companies- not a whole huge tub of stuff....your tatse buds may change drastically after surgery--and if you are addicted to caffeine as i was/am-try to wean off before surgery-at least for awhile cuz caffeine dehydrates so you have to work harder to get your water in....
I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.
- E. B. White
Dear BJ:
Welcome and don't worry a bit about being 53. I was 62 when I had my RNY 2 1/2 years ago, and the only thing I felt post-op was a sudden rush of energy. The first few days were a bit uncomfortable, but not painful, and five days post-op I was at Home Depot buying mulch (let the store clerk load the bags in my car though).
Anyway, walk soon and walk often. I had the procedure done laparoscopically, so it was not as traumatic as the open RNY, so I was walking around the hospital ward the day after surgery, and then every two or three hours. When I got home, I'd just drive to Target or Walmart, get a cart for support and pu**** around the store for an hour or so. Did this for a couple of weeks until I felt strong enough to walk around the lake unaided.
This is a great site for gathering good adivce from fellow WLS veterans and newbies alike. I'm fighting a stubborn case of anemia and B12 defficiency; the support and advice I've received here has been invaluable in figuring out what to do next.
Best wishes and keep us posted on your progress.
Have a blessed day!
Maria
Welcome and don't worry a bit about being 53. I was 62 when I had my RNY 2 1/2 years ago, and the only thing I felt post-op was a sudden rush of energy. The first few days were a bit uncomfortable, but not painful, and five days post-op I was at Home Depot buying mulch (let the store clerk load the bags in my car though).
Anyway, walk soon and walk often. I had the procedure done laparoscopically, so it was not as traumatic as the open RNY, so I was walking around the hospital ward the day after surgery, and then every two or three hours. When I got home, I'd just drive to Target or Walmart, get a cart for support and pu**** around the store for an hour or so. Did this for a couple of weeks until I felt strong enough to walk around the lake unaided.
This is a great site for gathering good adivce from fellow WLS veterans and newbies alike. I'm fighting a stubborn case of anemia and B12 defficiency; the support and advice I've received here has been invaluable in figuring out what to do next.
Best wishes and keep us posted on your progress.
Have a blessed day!
Maria
Hello and Welcome to OFF!!!!!!!
This is the best board OH has to offer. Not all the drama and crap that goes on on the other boards. Just good honest people trying to help each other!! You can't and won't find a better support system anywhere. Everyone else has already given you some great advice so I will only add...listen to your doctor and follow his orders.....they have us doing things for a good reason.
Don't be nervous although that is very common. Remember "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" !!!!
Good wishes and prayers. Please keep us updated!!
Hugs....connie d
This is the best board OH has to offer. Not all the drama and crap that goes on on the other boards. Just good honest people trying to help each other!! You can't and won't find a better support system anywhere. Everyone else has already given you some great advice so I will only add...listen to your doctor and follow his orders.....they have us doing things for a good reason.
Don't be nervous although that is very common. Remember "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" !!!!
Good wishes and prayers. Please keep us updated!!
Hugs....connie d
Welcome BJ!!!! Best place on OH that they have to offer!!! US!!! OFF (over 50 forum) can't say anything else that hasn't been already siad...but I had my surgery at 54 and my only regret was I didn't have it sooner!!!!
Hope you keep coming back and get to know us all....Good Luck!!!! And Hang on its a WILD RIDE!!!!
HUGS
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