The Musings of a Pre-Op Newbie...

A lot of surgeons will tell you that chewing gum will put air into your pouch after surgery.  I have an awesome surgeon at a center of excellence and he also tells us to not drink through straws or drink carbonated beverages because of stretching the pouch.  That is pretty outdated advice, and I was really upset about the gum at first.  Then I came here and started reading articles about soda and straws and I don't worry about it.  I chew gum nearly everyday and have never had a problem.

The alcohol issue is a real one and I am glad for the information that I got from my surgeon about it.  I believe he makes us sign the paper to really get it in our heads how dangerous transfer addiction can be.  

i drink wine sometimes, so I hope he doesn't find out. 

I quit using a straw a few months back because of my NUT... I love straws. I might rebel against that rule ;)

I didn't have to sign any papers about not drinking... just a note in my binder that no alcohol for 90 days... I will be aware though, I've read a lot about transferring addictions. I do see wine in my future though ;)

They are made by a company called Protiwise.  There are other products out there that offer better, cheaper, more favorable forms of protein and nutrients... but they will do for now.  Don't go running out to buy a lot of anything just yet, because after surgery your taste for certain flavors and products may change (mine did).

Something you should think about early on... vitamins.  Do a search on vitamin recommendations on this board.  Then after surgery, find out what works for you.  Flintstones and Magnesium Oxide, btw, do NOT belong on the "works for you" list.  Your doctor probably has his/her own expensive, personally-labeled vitamins too.  But repeat after me.... "Amazon is my friend". 

Loose skin varies.  Norwegian genes, no smoking and a high-healthy-fat/high-protein/low-carb diet helped me limit loose skin and hair loss... but it's still a thing, no matter what I do.  So I just kind of deal with it... maybe some day I'll win the lottery and get my tummy put back where it belongs.

As for the no gum and alcohol pledge from the other poster, as a lot of people on this board will tell you, the gum thing has no real science behind it (unless you swallow some and it somehow effs up your pouch... or if you are chewing sugar-y gum).  Alcohol.... well... your mileage may vary.  I drink, others drink, others don't, and there is admittedly a research-proven link between RNY and alcoholism... but as it's a fairly useless form of nutrients early on, avoid it in the beginning and worry about it much, much later.

Audrey

Ah, yes, I did also purchase those expensive privately branded vitamins ;)

But I have already also been using, and purchased some from Amazon... I can't remember the brand right now, and I don't know if they'll agree with me later, but they were specific to bariatric patients... I just need to figure out this 'timing' thing with the iron and calcium. That's on my list of 'to-do' before surgery!

I'm not Norwegian... wonder if Hungarian/Czech/Croatian genes will play nicely in the loose skin game ;) 

My doc said no alcohol for 90 days... I will follow that closely. We are going to Key West in August. 14 weeks and 3 days after surgery. I am pretty positive I will 'test' the waters with alcohol that week... however, after that week (and not in great quantities that week) I will put it on the back burner until I get to goal. I don't want to mess with my chances during that fateful 'honey moon' period.

Gum? I will have to see how I feel... I am a gum chewer, but it's not like a have a piece in my mouth constantly... 

Thanks for the advice!

When you do "test the waters", make sure you are somewhere safe and with someone who can drive (drag) you home.

Before surgery, I could easily down a bottle of wine and three shots a night without blinking.  

After surgery, I got so plastered on a half-glass of cheap zinfandel my first time out, I nearly put a lampshade on my head and danced the hula.  I couldn't speak, I couldn't think, I even couldn't feel my legs for a bit.

Nearly 5 years later I have become a little more tolerant, but my point is your re-routed intestines will absorb alcohol differently, so just beware.

Audrey

lampshades and the Hula...  

At least in Key West, we will be walking everywhere, and seeing someone being dragged home isn't that uncommon. I will definitely keep this in mind.

I just hope I don't think I'm in New Orleans and try to collect beads !

He doesn't like Premier because they aren't totally Whey Protein Isolate. I love those suckers, but have decided to count them only as 20g protein even though they say 30, because I don't think I absorb it all.

Quest protein powders are not 100% Whey protein isolate either. Ideally it should be 100% whey protein isolate, especially in the beginning when you aren't eating much food.