A few post op issues/questions

HI 

I am 2 and half weeks post op... I am a bit concerned about a few things..One being I don't always remember and sometimes drink just after my liquid meal which doesn't always take me 30 minutes to drink (been travelling and visiting friends and relatives) forgetting to wait an hour afterwards when I remember I stop and wait.  I am still on liquids and am wanting to continue along that path until I can get them mastered before going on to the pureed food part.  I am a bit worried about regaining my weight.  4 years ago I weighed 394.6 pounds and had lost 135 pounds pre surgery.  I have since lost another 15 pounds post op. Totalling 150 pounds.  However Obesity has run in my family for years.  My grandfather was 380, my mom 450, my aunt 560, and my other aunt has been on a diet for the 49 years I have known her. I am really worried about re gaining the weight back, especially reading some posts here.  I am off work for six weeks as I lift and transfer and toilet.. Is six weeks long enough? I also have severe middle back and lower back sciatica... am I allowed to visit my chiropractor after six weeks? 

Positive Input would be greatly appreciated :) thanks 

Congrats on your weight loss!

I'm terrible with drinking and I am still working hard on making better habits.  I now carry a water bottle everywhere.  I feel dorky, but I at least have doubled what I drink.

I was driving less than a week after surgery and back to work after two.  I'm weird though, as I have an incredible tolerance to pain, and was completely narcotic and OTC pain med free after I got home from the hospital.  I was also very lucky and had no complications.  Conversely, a friend had the same surgery and could barely move, and became quite ill.  We are all different, and however long it takes for you to get back to work is up to you and your body. That's a question to best ask your doctors who know your medical conditions more personally.  I would ask the surgeon about the chiropractor, too. 

Obesity is a complex disease, as it has a behavioral, genetic, and physiological component.  All three have to be addressed to be successful, and one thing all the vets say over and over is that they don't do surgery on our brains.  I'm worried about it myself, and that is why I am still in counseling for now.  Getting surgery is easy, but changing behavior... that's really hard, and counseling can make it much easier if you work it.  Counseling, like the VSG, is just a tool in the end.  

Counseling, like the VSG, is just a tool in the end, though.  The truth is if we want to be successful we will do what the people who have been successful have done.  We will adhere to the plan and immediately get right back up if we lapse.  I basically just copy what everyone who's been successful here has done and shut myself up when I get whiney about food, ha.

thanks for your input... it is greatly valued!

You're on all liquids, right?  There is no timing delay when all you're doing in drinking.  You can drink your "meal," then continuing drinking your water/liquids right away.  When you start on purees/soft food, you'll definitely need to remember to wait to drink.  And you'll get a real painful reminder if you don't when the food and water all come back up on you.

oh ok I didn't know that ... was trying hard to do it all right before I went on the pureed part... I gulped milk the other day and hoooboy it wasn't nice.  thanks for responding!

Two and a half weeks post-op and you're already worrying about regain? You need to focus on losing the weight first.

I don't know what you mean by "mastering" liquids. You drink them. Often. End of story. Move on to pureed foods when your surgeon tells you to. Once you're eating pureed foods, you'll "master" liquids in a hurry.

Most of us have at least one other family member who is obese. All the women (and some of the men) in my father's family were short and wide. That doesn't mean my destiny has to be theirs; neither does yours. That's why we we got the surgery.

Re your questions about returning to work and going to a chiropractor, please check with your surgeon, who can better guide you about physical limitations while you're healing.

psychoticparrot

yes I have been concerned about weight gain my whole life really working on it since I lost my mom and my aunt by the age of 50, now though it's more of a lifestyle change...

by "mastering" liquids i didn't realize that it wasn't necessary not to adhere to the 30 mins after drinking water/tea to eat and one hour after eating no water... I have tried to but it's been a challenge and I was informed of this from the dietician (whom now is on holidays until January)associated with my surgeon whom i only met in the OR on the day of my surgery and is gone on holidays now.  

thank you for your kind words of encouragement, that is why I posted and appreciate your insight as well.. I have worked hard to ensure my destiny is changed, that is exactly why I got the surgery!

the waiting shouldn't really matter when you're just on liquids - but it WILL matter once you move to pureed foods.  They probably want you to do it now just so you get in the habit.  And it does take time to get used to it - so DO IT NOW!