Questions for RNYers

Hello, I'm Alexis, and Im new here.

Iv been watching the forums for about 2 weeks now, trying to soak up all the information about Post-Op life that I can absorb.

After years of struggling with my weight (and being at my highest peak now that I have given birth) I have decided to have Gastric Bypass surgery. I am going to my first Pre-Op support group tomorrow, have an appointment to get my referral in 15 days, and have read all the papers and watched all the videos the Bariatric Surgery Consultant provided.

My questions to all of you who choose to share your stories;

How was your pain after surgery?
How long did it take you to recover?
How much have you lost?
What is some of the foods you can never eat again?
What are your favorite experiences you've gained from having RNY?
Do you have any regrets?
Do you have Iron deficiency?

And of course, if you have any advise, please let me know! 

Thank you! Hope you all are having a great day! 

Hi Alexis and welcome to OH!  

I had Open RNY in April of 2001, 

How was your pain after surgery?    I had an epidural for pain management, so I very little pain right after surgery and up to the day I was discharged.   They discharged my epidural one day before I went home, so I was on vicodin from then on.  Pain level was about a 5-6, but gradually got better every day.  

How long did it take you to recover?    I returned to work at 6 weeks post op.   Keep in mind, my procedure was open.  I was able to resume doing everything including housework at about 7 weeks.   

How much have you lost?  Total loss was 155bs.   I have had regain in the last two years that I am working on getting off.  

What is some of the foods you can never eat again?  Anything high in sugar/carbs or fat.   I miss Orange Juice...... 

What are your favorite experiences you've gained from having RNY?   Meeting new people who are going through the same experience.  

Do you have any regrets?  Not one!!!

Do you have Iron deficiency?   I do have iron deficiency, but I do not have to have iron infusions.   

Good luck to you. 

Nik

Thank you Nik! I'm just hoping that I don't have to get infusions, I know a lot of people do so I'd count myself lucky if I didn't have to. 155lbs is a lot to  lose! You should be proud of yourself, even if you regained a little! We're humans, we get off track sometimes, but you lost the weight before and you can do it again :) you'll do awesome!

Thank you.   I have gotten all my vitamin issues resolved and am thankful to have the vitamin patches now, instead of the pills.   Taking them daily was a total pain, but a necessity.   I know I can get back on track with my weight loss and I know that my tool is still working and I am very thankful for that.   I have gone back to basics, measuring/weight foods as needed and journaling my intake.  I can see where I need to make changes and I am making them, daily.   Getting off track is easy, especially when life happens. Support is vital.     Please be sure to update us on how your seminar and consult go!    :)

Nik

HI Alexis, and congrats on your decision to improve your life.

I had my RNY on 12/15/15.

1) Pain right after surgery was not all that bad. For me it was not any worse that having a c-section. I had a pain pump and could hit the button if  I felt like I needed additional pain control. Honestly I only hit the button to try and get some sleep after surgery. I spent 2 nights in the hospital. I did not take any more pain medication after I was discharged.

2) Recovery, I took 2 weeks off from work. I have a desk job and honestly could have returned the Monday after my surgery. I was still a little tender at that time but it would not have hindered me from returning to work. I did however want to utilize the 2 weeks to prepare myself for the change with diet and getting my fluids in. It doesn't seem like it would be a difficult task, but it is. You will have to be constantly sipping on fluids all day!

3) I started my 2 wk pre-op diet on Dec. 1st at 245lbs. The morning of surgery I weighed 229, and today (2 mo post-op) I am 197. I am 2lbs away from a 50lb loss!

4) I do not know if there are any foods that I will never be able to eat again. My mind set is this, I choose not to eat certain foods. So far the only thing that is difficult for me to get down, is fish. I have no problems with chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, eggs, cheese, Brussel sprouts, squash, mushrooms, or onions. I have had a very small bite of my nephews birthday cake a few weeks ago. I have not pushed the issue to see if I will dump, because that honestly scares the crap out of me.

5) Favorite experiences: Being told I'm skinny!!! I have NEVER heard that before! I still have about 50lbs to go but I am truly loving the new body I am seeing!

6) The only regret I have, as many others have said, is that I did not do this sooner!!!

7) I do not have an iron deficiency. I live in the country and have well water. I live in Florida and we have iron in our water. I also cook with cast iron pans, most of the time.

My advise to you would be to make sure you are 100% committed to making this incredible life change. I can not understand why people would go thru this surgery without being committed. You can be very successful after surgery! Just follow your surgeon's plan and cut out the carbs!

One thing that has surprised me is that I no longer find sweets appealing. Before surgery I would have rather had a piece of cake or any dessert over an actual meal. Today just give me my meat!!

Best wishes to you on your journey to a healthier life!!

Fluffyfrog, first of all I love your username! Made me laugh.

I also had a ceserean so the comparison is great! Gives me a little bit of an idea on where my pain level will be (hopefully)

50lbs loss in 2 months??? YES PLEASE! Lol, keep up the good work and keep me uposted on how you're doing!

Welcome!!

I'm currently 11 months out from surgery and am starting to transition to the maintenance phase. 

How was your pain after surgery?

Other than gas pain and a little discomfort in my left side it was very minimal. Walking and a little morphine in the hospital got me through. Once I was home I just took extra strength Tylenol for a few days. 

How long did it take you to recover?

I would say it was about four weeks before I felt like I could really get back to it. Eight before I was back at the gym. I just got worn out easily. Others seem to bounce back a lot quicker. I also found I was really drowsy from the anesthesia at first.

How much have you lost?

I have lost about 105 since surgery and 135 in total.

What is some of the foods you can never eat again?

I find that foods seem to go in cycles. I had trouble with raw carrots when I first tried them, but I love them now. I currently have trouble with peanuts, meatballs, and mixed greens.

What are your favorite experiences you've gained from having RNY?

I really enjoy attending the support groups for wls patients. It makes you feel like part of a community where you can share your experiences. I also enjoy the NSVs -- going shopping for clothing, being more confident trying new things, fitting into the seats at the movie theatre, etc.

Do you have any regrets?

I don't. I know a lot of people say they wish they had had the surgery sooner. I don't think I would have been mentally ready though. Now I can say I'm on plan and very motivated to keep the weight off.

Do you have Iron deficiency?

I just had my 11 month labwork and it was all perfect. I just take a prenatal multivitamin for iron and that has worked so far.

Hope this helps!! :)

Meg~

Thanks for replying meg! I have been taking prenatal since a year before I even conceived my son, now 6 months after birth and I still prefer them over traditional multivitamins! And specific brand you would suggest?

Congratulations on your loss! You seem to be doing really great, and are very positive. I'm excited to go to support groups! Iv never had friends who had problems with their weight, and when they did; they didn't want to do anything about it. So I'll be happy to talk to like minded people

I was taking a generic brand from the drug store but I switched go the Kirkland brand from Costco because it was cheaper.

I try to stay positive as much as possible. I find going to the gym and trying to stay busy helps with that. And I'm happy to help :) I remember being pre-op and wanting to know every little detail. Pre-op I told the social worker that if I could follow someone into their surgery my knowledge would be complete!!

I had my RNY August 29,2012. It was laproscopic and I had little pain post surgery. I was in the hospital only one night and was prescribed pain meds but never needed anything stronger than extra strength tylenol. Felt great after about a week but was up moving and walking in the hall within an hour of getting to my room. Worst pain was gas pain in my shoulder and the oneBay incision where the instruments were inserted. I weighed 272 at my highest and weigh 123 today. I was overweight or obese my whole life and am now a normal bmi. I have been at this weight for over 2 years. I went from a tight size 26 to a 0 or 1 and even have a pair of Silver jeans in a 00 that fit great. I love being called tiny and being able to do anything I want to. I used to be out of breath going down my basement stairs and now I walk over 4 miles everyday on my treadmill! I cannot eat sweets now as I do dump and will feel miserable for 45 minutes. I can't say I don't miss them as they were my favorite before surgery but being able to be active and feel and look great more than makes up for it! My only regret is that I waited so long to have surgery and spent so much time being miserable. Keep active here and get ready for an amazing journey!