Hello to all

Hello everyone!  I am new to the group and just wanted to post a bit about myself.  I'm originally from MA but live in FL now with my 8 year old son.  I'm separated but not divorced yet due to the cost of the paperwork.  I'm going to go by RNYEsq because with my job it's just easier to remain anonymous on boards like this.  

Like many others here, I have been overweight all of my life.  (Seriously, since birth - I came out at close to 11 lbs.)   My son was only 7lbs so I don't know how the heck my mother managed that one! Anyway, last year about this time I was studying for my bar exam and decided I'd look in to WLS.  My weight was somewhat under control (190's-210's) when I entered law school but by the end of it I had gained 100 lbs. (Law school is only 3 years but the coffee, sleepless nights and pizza did me in)  I opted to go with the lap band (Realize Band) because I was afraid of "real" surgery - they reeled me in with the "least invasive" line I think.  Plus I was worried about longer recovery time and anything that would put me out of commission during those next few months.  

My lap band operation was "textbook" and the band is still placed perfectly with no swelling of the esophogus or pouch or anything.  I would be perfectly content with keeping it if it actually DID anything for me.  But after I had my surgery I was 100 million times more hungry than I ever was prior to surgery.  This explosive hunger combined with a restriction is not a good combination.  

So when I had a fill appointment with my Dr. on December 3rd and my blood pressure was 192 over 90-something, I decided to talk with him about getting the band out and having an RNY.  He was agreeable because although I seem to be doing everything right the band isn't assisting with any real weight loss, in fact I had gained back all but 10 lbs or so that I had lost within the first few weeks of surgery.  So, from there everything went very quickly and I already had my surgery date and was on the liquid diet before I knew it.  My date is December 23rd.  He said I'd be released from the hospital on Christmas morning IF everything is going well.  PRAY that I be released!  The only part of this whole thing that is killing me is that I might not get to see my son open his presents from Santa Christmas morning. I don't want this to be a bad memory for him.  He's 8 so I this is still a "magical" Christmas too.  But I am sure he will appreciate all of the good things we have to look forward to together when this weight is off me and I become healthier.

I am looking forward to my new life.  I am nervous about the pain.  Nervous about being out of work for an unknown amount of time.  I really need to be coherent and able to work from home at least the week after.  I'm telling my boss this so I hope it is the case!  What were everyone else's experience with time out of work?  

I would like to welcome you to Bariatric Buddies, and  I hope you feel welcomed by others also.
I am still pre-op, and cant answer your questions myself, but I assure you someone will be up soon and be here to give you the answers and support you need.
Have a wonderful day, and I hope you find the answers you seek here.
Linda

Hello and welcome.  I will keep you in my thoughts an prayers for an uneventful surgery and quick recovery.  I had my lap RNY about 3 months ago.  Tired the first couple of weeks, I do lifting as part of my job, plus needing to be alert.  Planned to take 4 weeks off, I could have gone back at 2-3 weeks, work didn't want me bac****il the lifting limit was removed.  So I ended up taking the whole 6 weeks.  Used the last 2 weeks as a vacation and travelled with my dad (road trip to see family and friends). 

Keeping your identity quiet is fine.  Great to meet you and hope to get to know you better as we lose weight together.  Originally I wanted lap band as well, but with my co-morbidities, ended up with RNY.  I am so delighted with the decision.  Down 97 pounds in the last 10 months.  My knees are not complaining as much, other medical troubles are so much less.  And I now look forward to daily exercise.

The pain was pretty minimal, I was on a liquid narcotic pain med for just a few days then switched over to tylenol.    Sometimes weekends are a little quiet around here, hope you get some other good responses.  Also come to the monday evening chat session if you can.  Located here on the bariatric buddy site.  Access point is in the box to the right.  Starts 6 pm central time, we are usually there for an hour or so, until questions are answerred.  We have fun supporting each other. 

What a great present you are giving yourself and your son this year.  Keep me in the loop of your surgery and recovery.  Hugs, Kathy

A big welcome to you! Glad to have you in our group. there are some really great folks here, and we all really care about each other. Congrats on your upcoming wls. I do want to tell you I am so sorry for all you went through to get the band, just to have it be ineffective for you. That had to be heartbreaking for you. I too initially considered the badn.. my doctor said I could go either way, so it was up to me to decide. Prior to being able to have any of it done I had to do a 6 month supervised weight loss program and so I used that 6 months to investigate thoroughly and ended up deciding on the RNY Initially I had been afraid of having my insides rerouted, but By the end of my research, I knew rny was going to be best for me,.

So far I have gone from a tight 24 to a 10 pant size. From a 2 to 3 X top to a large. And from weighing 270 to 161 ish.  (I tend to bounce around by 2 or 3 lbs when I am in a plateau, which I am at the moment.) So I am down 109 lbs.Have 11 to go to hit goal, although my surgeon would be just as happy if I didn't continue to try to lose. lol. He keeps saying, you are just fine where you are...I told him I at least have to get to 154 as that will put me in the normal BMI range.. so he agreed, but said at that point I am to stop! lol.

As far as retuning to work, I can't be much help, as I stay home to care for my husband who was crushed in a construction collapse just a year before my surgery, and is completely blind as a result, alog with severe pain and depression. He's not doing well with accepting it and moving forward yet. BUT about a week after my surgery I was able to resume cooing his meals, and most other things i needed to do for him.  I was very tender, and couldn't do much lifting, but did most things.

The biggy is to rest when your body tells you  it is needed. Take lots of little walks even if it is just around your house, to prevent clotting and get the air out of your tummy. Focus on protein and get your water in by sipping throughout the day. Also take your supplements. You will find that your foods are more restricted with RNY then the band, and that your need for protein intake will have to be focuised on strongly. Unlike the band, this is a malabsorptive procedure and you have to take care to follow your doctors instructions.

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayres for an excellent hospital rcovery so you can get home and be with your son t open gifts and share the holiday. Please don't over do it tho. You will need lots of rest the first several days. Please listen to your body.

Again congrats on your upcoming rny! Keep us posted as to how you are doing and we'll make room for you here on the losers bench withus!
Patrece

welcome to our family. do u feel comfortable enough with just sharing your first name?  it is easier to  know who i am talking to.  i had open rny in jan of 09 and since my presurgery diet until now i haave lost 151 lbs.  i am down to a size 6.  i hope u will be happy with your decision, and i think you will be. let me know if i can help you in any way.  i wanted to be a lawyer, until i wound up in jail a few times. lol lol lol  have a great day. also your little boy will understand more than you think and he will be glad that mommie is getting some help to be healthier.  take care. vick

hello, my name is Bonnie, I wanted to let you know that everything will be fine and the kids understand more than you know. I have a seven year old named Kody and a two year old named Becky. I had no help where I used to live but My seven year old would do anything that he could. I cant say about work because I am a home maker but after the first 6 to 8 weeks i was released for normal activities ( enen with two bouts of mersa and the hernia that they removed during my rny). I was pretty much doing my regular activites before I was  released though ( I dont know how to relax) and have had a lot of weight loss even with out much exercise. I asked the dr for a binder after my surgery and it helped me with alot of the movement i was doing because i was so over weight. I weighed 340 at the time of my surgery. I wasnted to wish you luck and tell you that it will be fine. I have lost on average about five to six pounds a week with my rny and I couldnt have asked for a better reward and I know you will feel the same way. Good luck and Merry Christmas!

 Thank you everyone for your comments!  It's a really nice group you have here! 

~Chris 
(that's for you, Vick )