A Few Newbie Questions :):)

Hi everyone! Excited to have joined the group last night and literally CANNOT WAIT to have my lapband removed and converted to RNY next Monday! I think I'm pretty well informed, but I do have a few random questions:

1. I'm a little scared of dumping, although honestly, if I do have it I know that it will be a great GIFT for me because one of the reasons I was never super successful with the lapband was being able to eat things like candy and ice cream (I definitely have a sweet tooth). So my question is, what is a "safe" amount of carbs and/or fats to have 3 months down the road? Will I be able to eat any fruit? How about cheeses? Would a cheese with 6gms of fat cause me to dump? Or are we really talking about things like fried chicken? Do I need to remove all butter from my food? Not just as a spread but in cooking? I know some of this will be trial and error, but I'm curious about how much would trigger problems.

2. Similarly, will I dump from my vitamins in Stage 2/3?? I have a Biotin gummy that has a couple grams of sugar. Howabout all the chews and multivitamins I will need to take?

3. One of the unfortunate realities of the lapband for me at least was sliming and getting food stuck ALL THE TIME and having to throw up ALL THE TIME (as in, pull over and park behind a dumpster at my kid's school to throw up - not fun!!!). My doctor said this won't happen with the RNY. Is that true? What if a piece of meat gets stuck?

4. I'll be turning 40 in June and my hubby wants to have a party. I know alcohol is a no-no, but is it possible/likely that I'll be cleared to have a small glass of wine or something low sugar by mid-June? I'll be about 5 weeks post-surgery. Also when they say you get drunk really easily - Like HOW drunk?? Like one sip would make me really really drunk or tipsy? Also, are hangovers way worse?? I'm not a huge drinker but I do like an occasional glass of good wine so just wondering.

Not everyone dumps. Some do with the slightest hint of sugar- some, like me need to consume copious amount to get a subtle yet knawing reminder that my tummy doesn't agree.

yes you can eat fruit- when, how much and what type are the better questions. I avoided fruit regularly for the first year. I'll eat an apple, orange or banana occasionally now...but fruit is not meal. Yes you can eat cheese. Fat is necessary and imo keeps me regular. I don't monitor fat intake. Fried foods or thing like bacon that are high in fat give me a stomachache and I avoid them (still). I eat cheese regularly. I went from using cooking Spray to using butter to make my eggs. Haven't looked back since.

i can assure you- in this learning process you will get food stuck. It will be miserable. But you'll learn fast. I think I ate had 5 stuck episodes, most occurring early on. I've thrown up twice since surgery-- and that itself is a different experience.

I never paid attein to the nutrition info in my supplements. I don't take chewables or gummies so I figure it's a non-factor for me.

No, no alcohol. At 5 weeks. I avoided alcohol for the first year. Have had maybe two drinks. I turn into a giggling fool with one drink-- but you recover from it quickly though. Makes transfer addiction easy and real.

I'd like to share my experience with bypass with you. Here goes...

I had my surgery in Jan of 2010. I feel like my story is IMPERATIVE for anyone considering WLS to read. This past January I had a complete reversal and I'm still not recovered and am facing another major operation. PLEASE take the time to read my story and don't hesitate to reach out to me with any questions. I so badly want to spare anyone I can from the pain, sufferring, confusion, depression, and agony that I've been through.

In 2010 I made the difficult decision to undergo gastric bypass surgery. At only 26 years old, I was morbidly obese and on the fast track to diabetes and early onset heart disease. I had a two year old little boy whom I so desperately wanted to be present for and active with. My husband and I yearned for a large family, but I knew I was too big and unhealthy to get pregnant again before losing the weight. I had tried every diet known to man and while I had experienced some success, the hundred pounds I still needed to lose just to have a ?normal? BMI seemed so daunting I believed weight loss surgery to be my last and only resort. After thorough research, thought, and consideration I scheduled a consultation with a bariatric surgeon at a well known hospital in Boston. The consultation went great and within a month I was scheduled for the surgery that was going to change my life and fix all of my problems.

Fast forward six months post op and I had lost 100 pounds! Thats right, 100 pounds in six months. My surgeon was thrilled, I was thrilled, my husband was happy; everything seemed to be working out just the way it should be. Then the pain started.

At first it was just a bit of belly pain, then a bit of nausea. After a few weeks of this and a significant amount of additional weight loss, I contacted my surgeon. She was quick to assume that ?Looking as good as you do, you must be pregnant.? When I assured her I was not (bariatric patients are given strict instructions not to become pregnant until one year post op), she insisted, taking a pregnancy test and sending me on my way with no further diagnostic testing or follow up. Needless to say, I was not pregnant and began to adjust to the abdominal pain and now chronic nausea.

It wasn't long until I found myself back in Boston seeing the surgeon again. This time though, I was being rushed in for emergency surgery for intussusception, a small bowel obstruction, and a perforated ulcer (hhmm remember that belly pain and nausea?). Intussusception is so rare that the Mayo clinic estimates there are less than 20,000 cases per year with most cases occurring in children, not adults (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/intussusceptio n/home/ovc-20166951). Two weeks before Christmas, all I could focus on was getting discharged in time to be home with my baby for Santa's arrival. I was home for one week.

One week later I was back in the OR, helplessly laid out on the cold, sterile table at the mercy of my surgeon yet again. This time she wasn't even sure what she was going in for. She just knew things ?didn't look right,? and so into surgery I went. It turned out I had a pill stuck in the lining of my ?new? stomach (often referred to as a pouch with bariatric patients). The kicker here is that she never told me this. After releasing me to recovery she went to tell my sister, whom was waiting for me, that the surgery was done and I was okay. She explained that she really didn't know why I had so much pain and free air in the scans. She had no explanation. It wasn't until years later when I requested pages upon pages of medical records did I discover there was, in fact, a pill stuck in the lining of my pouch. At this point we're still in December 2010 and I'm only 10 months post op. This time my discharge wasn't quick or easy, as I was sent home with a feeding tube and a visiting nurse. The regret began setting in and hovering over me like a dark cloud that simply wouldn't allow one ray of sunshine to shine through for even the briefest of moments.

February delivered the ever predictable blizzards and cold. Unpredictable though, was my third operation in as many months. In my wildest dreams I never imagined I'd be back on that stark, cold, metal operating room table; bright lights blinding me as the doctors and nurses rushed about the operating room. This time I had a small bowel obstruction and required my second small bowel resection in three months. My condition was grave. At 5'7? I weighed a mere 112lbs; so sick and malnourished, my hair was falling out, despite the feeding tube, which had become lodged in my abdomen and would ultimately require yet another surgery to be removed.

By The Grace of God I made it out of surgery and returned home to my husband and son. Having gained 5lbs, that additional surgery to remove the feeding tube was performed and I was more than eager to get back to my life. I was 27 years old. Twenty Seven.

As the months passed I grew stronger. Though I suffered some devastating personal losses including death and divorce, I continued to push forward; refusing to lose. July brought more than fireworks and cook-outs for me, though. An unexpected appendectomy brought my new job and graduate courses to a screeching halt. Again, I fought back as hard as my weak body would allow.

Soon enough the Summer was over and the beauty of Autumn in New England decorated our fields, streets, yards, and forests. As October embarked upon us, I knew something was wrong. Refusing to ?be sick? again, I laid in bed for days and days unable to eat or drink, uncontrollably vomiting. It wasn't until I was too weak to even yell down the hall for help that I finally returned to the hospital. I honestly don't remember much after arriving at the local hospital. I remember a wonderfully compassionate nurse who took incredibly good care of me. God I wish I knew her name so I could thank her personally. I vaguely remember the ambulance ride into Boston, and the next thing I remember is waking up full of rage because the surgeon had decided to conduct an ?open surgery,? leaving me with a hideous scar from cleavage to belly button. It was not until this new surgeon,(the Chief of Surgery), informed me that I was lucky to be alive because all that pain and vomiting was a result of an ulcer which had perforated in two places. It had been leaking toxic fluids into my system the entire time I had been sick and refused to seek help.

I have to admit, the next few years were largely uneventful regarding my health. I returned to work, and we moved across the country for my then fiancée (now husband) to accept a prestigious position in a top grossing restaurant in Las Vegas. Though I suffered with chronic pain and nausea, I was just happy not to have surgery. Not to mention that any attempt I made in seeking medical help was blatantly ignored. Time after time I visited both the ER and my PCP, only to leave disappointed with a diagnosis of gastritis.

This past July I once again found myself being transported via ambulance from a local hospital to a Trauma One Center. Having moved back East just about a year ago, I considered myself very lucky to have access to the hospitals and doctors I did. Once again I was diagnosed with the rare condition known as intussusception, and once again I found myself in surgery to correct the intussusception. I have now had three small bowel resections.

Since July I have spent more time in the hospital than out. I have been diagnosed with nearly every GI condition one can be, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome. A large cyst was discovered on my right ovary (the third in a year) and I've been told the ovary, not the cyst, the entire ovary, looks concerning and problematic. I am now faced with the all too real possibility that I may very well lose my ovary. I'm 32.

While some may say I got what I deserved for taking ?the easy way out? and having weight loss surgery, I beg to differ. Nothing about this has been easy. My son is 8 now and all too aware that I am sick. He's gentle with me; refusing to let me lift or carry anything. While his chivalry makes me proud, it crushes me, too. I hate that he knows I'm ill and I hate that I'm not stronger. I've been out of work since July, and I fear daily my part-time management position will be filled. I love my job. Again I say, I'm 32 years old.

One of the main reasons I decided to have gastric bypass was because I wanted more children. Since the surgery, I have been rendered ?infertile.? I hate that word so much and have an incredibly difficult time accepting the diagnosis. After all, I have been pregnant twice; once ending in an early miscarriage and the other yielding the most beautiful, healthy baby boy a mother could ask for. How can I now be ?infertile?? I just don't understand.

Bypass patients are promised a lot. The surgery is promoted like a magic potion that will correct infertility (oh the irony there), PCOS, and diabetes just to name a few. None of this happened for me. Though I don't have PCOS or diabetes (I never did), I suffer with chronic pain and chronic nausea. Worse than the physical symptoms though is the dread that looms over me every time I feel the slightest pain, tweak, or discomfort in my abdomen. Today I am back down to about 115lbs and struggling. An ulcer makes it both uncomfortable and difficult to eat. My hair is falling out again, and I'm keenly aware of the concerned and curious looks I receive on a daily basis from family, friends, and even strangers.

I am resolved to will myself better. No matter what it takes, I will fight for my health and well being. I deserve to be well. My child deserves a healthy mother. My husband deserves a vibrant and healthy wife. While I have made a valiant effort not to let any of my health issues get me down, I'm not sure I will ever fully recover from the infertility. We do have access to IVF and other fertility treatments, but I'm not sure my body could carry a baby at this point. My frail frame can barely support my 115lbs, and I'm not sure God wants us to have a second child. I believe if it's meant to be, it will. Sadly, it seems as though it won't.

Gastric bypass robbed me of more than my fertility. I now live in continual fear that something will go wrong and I will once again be at the mercy of whatever surgeon has my case thrown at him. Bob Seger says it best in hi**** song, ?Against the Wind,? when he says ?I was I didn't know now what I didn't know then.? Oh how I wish...

• Sugar doesn't make me sick at all but I absolutely can not eat ice cream or rich foods. I have never had anything get stuck in 14 years but I always chew well.

1. I don't drink because I was told it goes straight to the liver. I am lucky as I never did drink my meals so it wasn't something I had to worry about.

I eat butter with no problem. I also eat fruit. Actually I eat everything but small amounts. But no ice cream! Best of luck. I have no regrets and maintained my loss

I'm a lapbabd to RNY revision. Best decision I've ever made. I to had food stuck constantly. Your Dr is correct, it really isn't the same feeling as getting stuck with a lapband. I've only gotten stuck 2 times since the revision and both were because I was eating too fast. The episodes while uncomfortable, weren't near as painful as the lapband. Now I can actually eat healthy dense protein without the fear of getting stuck.

I don't know if I dump because I haven't tried to find out yet, nor gave I tried alcohol. I have a very healthy fear of both dumping and transfer addiction so I am in no hurry to try those things.feel free to ask if you have any questions!

I was hoping I would be one of the few who experience dumping. And, I am. It sucks something bad. It's a wonderful deterrent for me and it holds me accountable every time. I experienced dumping for the first time during my first week post op. The boost shake the doctor had me drinking had too much sugar, and for three hours I laid on the bed curled up sweating and crying. Awful, yet wonderful.

I eat cheese daily and so far have had no trouble with fats in general. Sometimes heavy foods like ribs will give me a greasy feeling. Intense nausea for a little bit but I don't avoid fats at all.

I don't worry about my supplements.

Ive had food get stuck a few times. The foamies are not fun, it's very unpleasant. I think 5 times maybe in my first year? I have no doubt it was my own fault for not chewing well or eating too fast. Either way, it comes back up and it feels 1000 times better.

I have had alcohol once since surgery. I had half a glass of sangria - which is really only half a glass of wine with some juice added. It didn't give me any satisfaction so I no longer feel the need to drink alcohol. To me, it's a huge waste of calories and especially carbs. I try to stay under 30-40 carbs a day.

I will honestly say, I wish I had this surgery 10 years ago and I'd do it all over again. Every day and twice on Sunday.

My surgeon is real loosey-goosey and he said I should wait 4 months until I try a glass of wine. I doubt you're going to get "clearance" at 5 weeks.

Eat too fast, eat too much, eat the wrong thing, or don't chew enough you'll likely get stuck.

I was never a mindful eater. I need to concentrate on my eating in order to do it the way my new GI tract needs it.

Hi, and welcome!

I'm 13 weeks out tomorrow, and haven't dumped yet, although I think I came close on some mango. I'm usually really good at checking the sugar content of foods and avoiding anything that has high sugar, but i ate some mango pieces before checking them on myfitnesspal. I don't eat a lot of fruit but I do eat some fruit, mostly in the form of berries. I tried some apple slices for the first time last night and they went down well but they made my stomach rumbly. So far, strawberries (3-6 berries, depending on size) have been my best experience with fruit. I also tried mini prunes and they were OK (and helpful, lol).

I haven't had anything stuck yet, but I chew everything forever before swallowing, and when I eat dense protein, I cut it into tiny pieces before eating so I have less to work with in each mouthful. I can eat chicken, steak, shrimp, ham, fish, and eggs just fine, but bacon bothered me, as did pork chops.

I can eat cheese but buy the lite or low fat cheese. I just read everything and try to pick the ones with the best stats. My favorite cheese is babybel lite. Yum!

I wouldn't drink at 5 weeks post op, or even now. I don't think the calories are worth it, and the alcohol can hurt your liver.

I was told not to use gummies so I don't. I take the Celebrate 36 (with iron) chewable vitamins and like them. They have everything I need except for calcium, so I also take the calcium chews, and they don't bother me at all. This is the vitamin recommended by my center, and I had to order them online from the US (I live in Canada and we don't have those vitamins here).

Good luck with your journey :-).

I haven't read the replies, but I'll just answer anyway, lol.

1. I don't dump. I am 8 months out. if I eat too much of simple carbs or sugars, I get really sleepy and feel worn out for a good while, sometimes bloaty and gassy, but I don't dump. I didn't try any sugar for several months, so I can't answer for really early post op. I would avoid as long as you can stand it. :) Butter and fried stuff doesn't bother me at all. If I have a carb reaction, sticking with straight protein and drinking a ton of water helps me feel better faster. Avoiding the carbs and sugar in the first place is smarter. :) I truly don't eat enough carbs to have this reaction very often, maybe a few times it has happened.
2. see above
3. doctor is wrong-o. lol. I have had food get stuck and gotten the slimes. In the beginning it happened pretty often, like a couple times a week, probably adjusting to eating slowly and chewing well. Now it happens rarely, maybe once every couple of months. When it happens, just vomit and get it over with, rest your tummy on soft foods/shakes for the rest of the day, drink plenty of water once you can tolerate it.
4. I think that is too soon for alcohol. I first had a glass of wine, oh, probably 6 months out. It affects me faster and with less. Like half a glass of wine is plenty. But it doesn't affect me long. Drink at home and very slowly until you see how it affects you. I haven't had a hangover, but I drink one drink maybe a couple times a month. One is plenty, for calorie reasons if nothing else. For your birthday, if you want to have a party, something on plan is going to be very important that early. I went to a party early out and brought buffalo chicken dip. Soft, low carb, high protein. :) You will be able to eat very little still anyway. look at the worldaccordingtoeggface blog for good recipes.

Re: the gummies, just make sure you have the right dose of everything going. I have not found gummies that have the right dose without eating a ton of them. I did have chewable multis for a while. Now I'm on capsules and tablets for everything.