Question:
What were you clueless about post-op??
What were you clueless about post-op? As prepared as I felt I was, there was a few realizations that slapped me in the face as I became a new post-op. Maybe it will help someone else who's about to have WLS... <p> <ul><li>Any edema is the first thing I lost, and lost it quickly! (45lbs in the first 2 weeks) <li>Had no clue my sense of smell would be so heightened. <li>If you don't measure your food before putting it on your plate, you might overeat. <li>Bathroom habits DO change post-op <li>Weighing more than once a month causes excess worrying. <li>Drinking becomes more important and sometimes more satisfying than eating. <li>Taking vitamins suddenly becomes a chore, especially when you can't fit them all in your tiny pouch. <li>The vast majority of conversations around you post-op will be about your surgery and progress. <li>You suddenly notice your cat eats more than you do!</ul> <p> What other things were you surprised about post-op??<br> <b>Lap-RNY 1/13/03 -83 lbs & Counting!</b> — thumpiez (posted on March 21, 2003)
March 20, 2003
What surprise me about post op surgery was how nasty the protein drinks and
candy bar was. Also what surprise me about being post op is that the longer
you are post op the more you can eat, but not as much as you use to.
— Sharon T.
March 20, 2003
Number one I didn't realize how unheathly I was and how great healthy and
thin feels!!!!! I didn't realize how much my tastes would change. My
favorite foods from before I now hate and things that I used to hate are
now my favorites. Can't figure it out they didn't do any surgery on our
taste buds. I never thought it was possible to be cold all the time. I
used to be the person that slept with the window open in the middle of
winter. Now I have the heat on 90 all the time and still sleep with an
electric blanket too.
— Linda A.
March 20, 2003
I learned that NOTHING tastes as good as thin feels =)
— Denise W.
March 20, 2003
I didn't realize how much I would love shopping for new clothes, a chore I
dreaded pre-op! But the one thing I think I didn't realize would happen,
and I know I'm not alone in this, is that as ecstatic as I am about my
weight loss and all the benefits...I feel even more self conscious about my
naked body now! People who haven't been down this road, especially those
"always thin" people, think we have suddenly become vain because
we're investigating plastic surgery. Only by showing off my ugly naked
excess skin can I make them understand! And what's up with family members
who used to feel sorry for us when we were heavy, gave us the old "you
have such a pretty face" line, now saying "oh you don't need to
lose anymore weight!" It's like we go from morbidly obese and hiding
out to saying "here I am world, look at me. And I don't care what you
think about my size anymore, I'll be as skinny as I want!" LOL
— Anna L.
March 20, 2003
For me, it's how much my taste buds changed. I swear Dr McCarty did a
taste bud transplant on me while I was under!! I really am sensitive to
sweet things now, even flavored waters usually taste too sweet and I want
to water them down. I crave salt and spice and bought a bottle of tabasco.
I have never been tempted to use that stuff before in my life! So pretty
much I had to start from scratch with figuring out what I liked to eat post
op.
— Susan F.
March 21, 2003
Great question! I have 4 *cases* each of Fruit 2 O and Propel waters that
are wasting away. I gave up sodas 2 months before surgery and could drink
4 to 6(sometimes more) flavored waters a day with no problem. I cant stand
to even smell them now.YUCK! Had several protein drinks,bars that also bit
the dust. Double YUCK! Never in my life would I have thought that I would
LIKE to exercise. I think I may have hound dog in my blood cause I smell
things no one else can! Never thought I would LIKE to buy clothes and have
the credit card bills to prove it. The list could go on and on but you get
the picture. Having WLS was the best thing I ever did for myself. Life is
good. Sidney Open RNY 10-23-02 down 70+
— Siddy I.
March 21, 2003
How fast clothing sizes change when you get into the "teens" and
below. If I knew then what I *still* don't know now, I wouldn't go nuts
buying clothes thinking, "Surely this will be my final size." I
wound up with lots of baggy and loose clothing, which used to be how I
liked to dress as an M.O. (never liked tight stuff when I was big). I
still don't like stuff too tight, but now, I don't wanna wear
"baggy" or "loose" anymore, either.
— Suzy C.
March 21, 2003
Christie- great question- I liked some of your surprises! I am like Linda-
and probably many other post-op. I was the one pre-op who never wore
jackets in the winter b/c I sweat so much, and it was just horrible. Now I
am the first one to close a window or wear a few layers b/c I am ALWAYS
cold. I feel like some of my skinny friends now! lol Also, although I know
this is a TOOL, I really counted on having dumping syndrome. Although I do
for large amounts of sugar, I can still eat candy- a downfall. So I have to
work harder- but everything is so worth being in a size 6/8!
— Lezlie Y.
March 21, 2003
I had no clue why they were doing the things they did in the hospital. I
probably would have been a lot more accomodating if they had explained what
they did all that stuff for. Although the anaesthesia really did a number
on me and I was a b&*%$ on wheels for the entire time anyway!
LOL<p>Also, I had no idea that I could plateau at 3 weeks out. I
thought I was done losing and panicked. I wish someone had clued me in to
watching my measurements and not just the scale.<p>I didn't know that
at 6 months out I would SUDDENLY be able to eat a lot more--like from 1/4
cup to over a cup. I thought I broke my pouch!<p>Nobody told me I
couldn't absorb calcium carbonate or B12 from a pill. I wish the ASBS would
just go ahead and set some guidelines on vitamin supplementation so
everyone would get the real scoop up front before there is a chance to do
any damage.<p>I didn't know that I wouldn't be able to move furniture
postop. I guess even new muscles are not an adequate replacement for that
extra 100 pounds of counterweight I used to have at my disposal!
— ctyst
March 21, 2003
What surprises me, at just over six months post op, is that I still have no
real muscle control. Calcium is the big problem for me as it causes
constipation. So now fiber cereal is a big must. It helps alot. I have
just noticed that I have a larger appetite again and must be real conscious
of it. Still I feel good overall. Minor inconveniences to deal with the
major problem of morbid obesity. I am still early on my journey and have
lots to look forward to later on.
— Rhonda V.
March 21, 2003
Great question and some of the other answers are mine too. I didn't know I
would be cold all the time (I was always hot-even in the winter). I didn't
know early on that my tastes would change so much (this doesn't last
forever). I also did not know about the dreaded 3 week post-op plateau
that most of us experience. And most of all, I did not know that there is
a very real chance of regain if you abuse the pouch or don't follow the
pouch rules or snack too much. I also didn't know that I would not dump on
sugars..I thought it was automatic that you did dump. And the nice
surprise- I am still amazed at how little fills me up! Who would have
thunk that after a year post-op, 1/2 a sandwich still fills me up!!
— Cindy R.
March 21, 2003
For me, I didn't realize how small the volume of food would be!! In my
head, I knew that I would eat less, but the reality is, a bite or two of
ONE thing would fill me up. I was concerned that this would be how I would
eat forever and asked several times "when will I be able to eat
something that resembles a meal?" (You know, more than 1 bite of 1
item!). I thought that would be forever. However, I am happy to report that
I can and do eat meals now and not just bites!! Shelley
— Shelley.
March 21, 2003
The mental addiction to food. I didn't realize how much food was a part of
my life. And related to this, the amount of free time I had on my hands.
It seems a good part of my life preop was taken in food....preparation,
eating, and thinking about what was next on the menu! Head hunger is the
hardest part of the post op experience.
— Mylou52
March 21, 2003
I didn't realize that the pain meds can cause severe constipation,
especially in the hospital. Say no to drugs as soon as you can deal with
the pain, and make sure you have a bowel movement before you leave the
hospital. I would even ask for a laxative or suppositories if necessary.
— Fixnmyself
March 22, 2003
The thing I didn't realize was when I was in the hospital and had the pain
clicker, that I could click it every 15 minutes. I was in a lot of pain and
the nurses didn't share this with me right away and also never pinned it to
my gown until the 2nd day so I could find it.
— Sandy P.
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