Vets: What advice would you give your pre-surgery self?

Hi everyone,

I've been a lurker here on & off for about 3 years.  I'm 38, 5'8'' weigh 255 and have PCOS (diagnosed appx 15 years ago).  

I was able to starve myself below 200 for a few years and have 2 beautiful kids to show for it - but now they are 7 & 10, and nothing has been able to help me keep weight off for more than a few months.

Last June I had my appt with my OB (PCOS specialist) and she suggested Bariatric surgery as a long term tool to help control the weight gain.  

I finished up my 6 months of supervised nutrition in January, and I'm scheduled for RNY on March 23rd.

I'm terrified.  Not about the surgery exactly - but about screwing this up.  Not doing everything I need to do to not only lose, but keep it off.  

I travel a lot for my job.  I will be flying home from a trip on 03/22, and have surgery at 7am on 03/23.  I am suppose to go on another work trip 04/17 - 04/21 if my doctor says I've recovered well enough. 

So, what mistakes did you make in the weeks before and months after surgery that you would "do over" if you could?  Do any of you travel a lot for work, and how do you handle it - especially in the early "mush food" only phase?  I'm planning on taking a lot of pre-mixed shakes so I have good options, but still worried.

Thanks for any advice!

Erin

I would have never allowed carbs back into my diet at 7 months out.

This is a great question! I am scheduled for March 21st!! I'm terrified too and it has nothing to do with the actual procedure. I've recently had way too many "last suppers" and gained a few pounds. Tomorrow I start my stage 2 all liquid diet to be on for the next 2 weeks. I'm really excited for it because it means I'm that much closer to looking and feeling how I never have before. I'm looking forward to all the answers you get back and already noted the first one, no carbs at 7 months! lol Good luck to you !!! :-) My kids are 11 and 6 and I bet we'll be able to do so much more with them because frankly, we'll just feel more comfortable being seen running with our children!

I wouldn't do anything differently than I did.  I followed my Nut's and Doc's instructions to the letter, and still do.  I travel the state daily (all day) with my job via car.  I would have my breakfast at home (still do), take a pre-made shake in the car with me for my lunch, then have dinner at home each night.  Of course, I travel daily with 3 24oz water bottles that are empty by the time I get home.

The very best advice I can give you is to work it for all its worth the first 6 months

DONT WASTE ONE DAY OF LOSING in this time frame

Don't just 'try' non essential foods to "see' if you can handle it- pasta - bread - sweets - etc will be waiting for you around the bend.  You have this one great chance to get as much weight off as possible.  Take advantage.

Follow the instructions given to the letter.  Drink your water.  What you eat is more important than how you move - exercise is great, but what you eat is the most important in your short and long term success

If you are a higher BMI then this advice is even more pertinent.   I did not deviate - not even once - for the first 9 months until I had the majority of the weight off.  I kept the pedal to the metal until I made goal.  You can do this.

People will lose weight regardless of themselves the first few months.  It gives many a false sense of security in that they feel they can eat crap - ice cream/pasta etc. etc. and lose weight so they must be doing it right.

HOWEVER, what they are not realizing is maybe they could lose it faster if they ate protein forward - bit of veggie and kept to it.  So at the end of 6 months they are down 60 - 80 pounds but it could have been 100 pounds if they had just followed the straight and narrow path.

Things get a lot tougher the further out you are.  You get bored - the weight doesn't come off as fast.  Then your body learns how to cope with its new anatomy.   Weight loss slows or stops for some especially if they aren't eating properly.  They think - its OK, I am so much better off then I was.  But they don't realize that regain happens to the best of us and suddenly you are battling hard. 

Use and treasure each and every day of easy weight loss.

All the best

Brilliant advice.

Thanks so much - this is fantastic advice, and I plan to take all of it with me in this journey!

This is GREAT advice.  Thank you!

My biggest regret was going "hog"-wild eating/drinking when I knew I would be having surgery. I probably put on an additional 15-20 lbs in that few months. That would be another 15-20 lbs I would be down now. I had surgery on 4/22/15 and have lost 133 as of today. I'm about 9 lbs from my goal weight. The surgery was the best thing I've ever done. I've followed all the rules and will continue to do so. I'm curious about your travel one day before surgery. I had to do a bowel prep the day before, so that may be awkward. Anyway, good luck and see you on the loser's bench!!

Hi Deb,

Thanks for the advice.. and I admit - although not going "hog wild" I have definitely had my last "piece of pizza, glass of wine, etc".  I start my 2 weeks of liquids only on Wednesday, and I've been getting my head in the game.  Protein shake this morning, salad for lunch, cheese stick for a snack.

I have my final physical / meet with my surgeon & anastesia this afternoon.  My NP knows about my travel schedule and didn't say anything about a bowel prep.. i'll ask about that today.  I'm planning on taking a bigger suitcase to take a case of pre-mixed protein shakes with me.  I know this trip is going to be tough.. it's 3 days of entertaining clients.  But, this is my "new normal", so I need to get used to it now.  I already have plans to pour water into a beer bottle in the bathroom and drink from that if needed.  Not ideal  - but not making these adjustments isn't an option!