Advil and Chicken? Need advice!

Have you tried a Neti pot?  It might change your life.  I know a woman couldn't fly (and had basically been cut off from taking any more antibiotics) due to chronic sinus infections, and now that she uses a neti pot she hasn't had one single infection in several years.  Amazing. It's worth a try if you haven't already. Those things are pure misery.

It is okay to scared and worried. I mean you are having a major change in your life about to happen.  You will surprised how your pallet changes over time. I would never eat salmon. I eat it and like it. 

I eat almost all meats. A crock pot is your friend. It makes the meat very tender. 

Everyone is different to one person can eat everything and others can't. I think if we put our minds to it we can really change. 

You have to look at the positive things that can happen. Like being able to go out to eat dinner and not worry if you will fit in a booth. Or if you ever fly think how you can fit in the seat and not feel like you should be taking up two seats. 

Walking without having to stop and lie saying you don't feel well or you are too tired. Dancing and not having to stop to breath. Walking up stairs without having to stop. 

I could go on and on. You have done great losing 96 pounds. You should be proud of that. 

One thing that kind of calmed me was picturing myself doing things I have always wanted to do. 

Best Wishes 

A lot of surgeons' educational information is based on RNY.  The reason RNY patients should avoid NSAIDS like Advil is that they can create stomach ulcers - even if the medication is taken via patch.  Doesn't have to be present in the stomach to create the problem, it's a systemic thing and can happen to non-ops as well.  With the RNY, if the ulcer occurs in the remnant stomach, it isn't easily accessed via scope for diagnosis and/or treatment.

VSGers and civilians should limit use of NSAIDS, for the same reason, but there isn't the remnant stomach to be concerned about.

Eggs, chicken and beef can take awhile to adjust to because they are dense foods...but the majority of people can eat these.  When the nurse said these are the common foods that people can't tolerate after surgery she didn't say that most people can't tolerate these foods.  Just that people who tend to have issues have issues with these foods.  You are not fated to have problems! 

As for ibuprofen, that is off the table.  Unless you want to risk a big ol' bleeding hernia (and P.S. - you can die from that).  My husband gets along just fine with Tylenol and he has constant sinus issues.  

Well now I'm perplexed. When I had surgery a year and a half ago, I was told that I could take NSAIDS. It was one of the big perks of this surgery over RNY. But now all these knowledgeable posters are saying no to NSAIDS. I take Aleve every once in a while  and I would hate to stop it. I guess it's something I have to ask my surgeon about.

As far as food issues go, not everyone has them. And if you do, it would be unlikely to have an issue with the top three meat contenders.  

Hello ILuvSeaWorld, I totally understand you!! I feel the same way. I canceled my surgery because I am really scared about the fact we won't be able to take any more medicine or eat certain foods. I am very scared! I got so scared that I lost weight on my own!!! 20 pounds in three months. I also take a lot of medicine for pain because I have strong cramps etc... 

I don't know what to do.... :(  having second thoughts....

I have no food intolerances whatsoever. I eat beef regularly and chicken is a daily staple! I also eat eggs with no problem, but hard boiled eggs were very difficult to eat early out. Scrambled eggs, over easy were fine. Now, I eat hard boiled eggs for snacks and enjoy them. 

Frankly, it sounds to me as if whoever was talking with you was confusing the sleeve with the band (not RNY). 

Now, for the Advil issue. The truth is it depends upon who you ask. My program and surgeon said NO! The new surgeon I see on occasion has no trouble with Advil used sparingly. As both surgeons explained to me NSAIDS can cause ulcers. Ulcers love scar tissue - a favorite place to occur. Given that the RNY pouch is very small a major ulcer on the pouch could be quite dangerous. Also, if the remnant stomach ulcerates that is much more difficult to diagnose and treat. With VSG you will have a very long scar running the entire length of your sleeve. Some worry that the scar is more likely to ulcerate if NSAIDS are used. However, since you have a much larger stomach with the VSG there seems to be less consensus about precisely how NSAIDS should be used with VSG patients.  

That said, I do use ibuprofen on the occasion that I need to kick a headache. I have no luck with Tylenol when it comes to a major headache. I know it may be a risk, but it's once or twice a year and as I said, one doc supports it, the other doesn't. 

Just wanted to toss out there that the reason you may need several pills at once for your sinus pain is size related. You can't know that Tylenol won't work when you've whittled yourself down.

(And YAY 96 pounds. That's awesome!)