I have so many questions....

[Ainu]

Do not even consider flintstones. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. You can chew and swallow anything that you could before. Right after surgery I had to take 1 at a time but now I can toss back a handful at a time. Immediately postop you do need to eat SLOWLY and chew well. But down the road, after you heal it's normal chewing and normal bites. I wax poetic about Flintstones... http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/i...dence-that-vets-know-more-than-surgeons.2454/

I was looking at that thread. I'm a little concerned that the surgeons are so misinformed. I have a degree in biology which doesn't make my an expert on the body by far, but it does allow me some critical thinking skills and the knowledge to go through a research paper which may just save me.

For instance, I didn't even consider my D3 gels were oil based, I just assumed it was gelatin until I read it in here and sure enough, when I checked the ingredients, Olive oil.

I'm more than a little disgruntled at the kids vitamins they want us to take though it's good to know I can take normal pills.

I'll probably be going through the sticky threads with a fine toothed comb before they finally cut me.

 

[Caitlunn]

Welcome @Ainu

I had no idea we had so many drivers around here! I'm a class a driver, and construction port a johns were my best friends when I was stuck in the middle of nowhere for hours on end. I have recently changed industries, but I feel like I could manage to go back to that now, with my DS. I usually go in the morning, around 1-3 times, and I'm good. I've had oil leakage accidents before, but they were early out and my own damn fault, lol.

Take off as much time as you can. My doctor gave me a note saying I would need 2 weeks. I had a check up then, and I know if I told him I thought I needed more time, he would have written me another note. I almost wish I would have taken more. After two weeks, I went back to school, but I ended up going home early or calling out most of my first week back. It took a month, really, for me to feel up to par.

 

[Ainu]

I was able to keep my weight someone under control when I was working a job where I was on my feet all day (I worked in a deli) but I was in constant pain. When I got my CDL B and started driving the bus, I was on my butt all day and I really started to realize that if I don't do something drastic, I'm going to lose what little control I have over my health. I think that's a problem with a lot of people who drive for a living, especially with limited amounts of time to stand up and exercise. It's also shocking just how exhausted it makes me. After work I just want to go home and....sit some more. We have a lot of bus drivers that are just so fat and unhealthy that it's scary they're carrying people around. Since we're government funded, they can grandfather the older drivers in so they don't need physicals. I'm too new and need the physicals so that's another huge reason I want the surgery, my job may very well depend on it.

I'm not too worried about taking the time off. I plan on getting and FMLA so I'm protected, it's just figuring out how to pay bills in the meantime. I feel like, despite how much I make, I still live paycheck to paycheck so saving up for the deductible for the surgery plus possibly two months of bills seems like a daunting task. I don't want to delay the surgery though. My fiance and I are getting married in September 2018 and I really don't want to worry about any....accidents on my wedding day. I also really want to be much smaller and be able to fit into an amazing wedding dress for the big day. Thankfully, we're delaying out honeymoon for another 6 months after that so I'm really hoping I'll be okay.

I was looking at my surgeon options and I'm leaning towards Dr. Anthony Petrick. He's the lead surgeon at Geisinger in Danville and has 9 years of experience. I also emailed my doctor telling her that I'm looking at DS instead of RNY so I'm hoping to hear back from her.

Does anyone have any experience with bone broth after surgery to help heal the gut? I make it now just to use in soups but it's supposed to have amazing healing properties with all of the minerals. Anything to make the healing process quicker and easier.

 

[hilary1617]

Hi and welcome @Ainu!

I eat normal-sized meals and don't chew any special way. I do try to eat high protein and don't worry about fats. If I wanted to be thinner, I would restrict carbs, but I lost down to where I want to be and like my current physique so I just eat what I want after I get the protein down. I did become lactose-intolerant after DS. I eat cheese, cream and butter in abundance, but skim milk doesn't agree with me unless I take a lactaid pill with it.

1. I have an morning constitutional right upon waking, often an act in two or three parts. That's usually it for the day, unless I eat a huge lunch or something.

2. Stomach noises - maybe post-op? Nothing now.

3. Supplements. I take calcium (cal-mag-d3) twice a day and the following once a day: 2 centrum multivitamins, water soluble A,D,K1,K2, and selenium. I don't tolerate oral iron supplements so every once in a while I get IV iron.

4. I can build muscle but am lazy and irresponsible in this department.

5. I felt really good starting at about 2.5 months after surgery. 6 months after DS I had pancreatic cancer surgery removing a lot of my pancreas and liver, so that was a bit of a setback.

DS was one of the best decisions of my life. I feel like a new person.

Best wishes! Hilary

 

[Caitlunn]

@Ainu I am nearly four months post op, and I just lost all my truck driving weight. It was INSANE how much I gained when I started driving. Truck stops make it entirely too easy to make horrible food choices.

As far as bone broth, I'd say go for it. I never tried it, but I know some people have. Broth is great for keeping you hydrated early on, and bone broth has more fat in it, correct?

 

[KathrynK]

Ainu, welcome! I admire the methodological approach you are taking to know what your life will be like after surgery, beyond being thinner.

1. You are mostly in control of the urgency of needing to poop by food choices. It usually takes a half an hour in the morning, with on and off events, and then, I'm done for the day. Unless, I go wild with fat or sugar. Then all bets are off. But on workdays, I ate differently than on days off. At my age, some friends are wearing depends, but not me. You can't ignore your body's call as easily as before, but you can usually take care of it with planning.

2. i had loud stomach rumblings post op a few times in the first months. Always in the morning. Went away quickly. No more.

3. Supplements are a lifelongresponsibility, as are annual extensive blood tests for nutritional factors. I count on spending about $30 month (average) on supplements. 6-10 pills per day. You will become an expert on which vitamins you need, and Flintstones or patches aren't it.

4. I know nothing about muscle building and very little about exercise. I know I can climb multiple flights of stairs and walk 25 blocks with ease.

5. I went back to work after 3 weeks, since I didn't want anyone to know about surgery. I had a sedentary job and a bathroom on the same floor, so it wasn't difficult.

Before, I was burdened by diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, joint pain, skin rashes, depression... and more. Then, one day in the operating room changed my life. There are GI issues I have to contend with, but it's a very small price for being healthier and happier (and 145 pounds thinner). Good luck with your decision!

 

[Ainu]

@Caitlunn that's really good to hear how quickly you dropped that weight. It makes me feel really good at my chances to be a "princess" on my wedding day. This is certainly not my #1 reason for surgery or even in the top ten, but it's a nice little bonus to look forward to. The joint pain I deal with in my back and the fatty rashes and not being able to buy clothes and having a hard time keeping myself clean when my back hurts so much and the depression and the difficulty in the bedroom, and worrying I'll be assigned a bus with one of the short seat belts, and, and, and....I'm sure you all get it.

A small ray of sunshine, my last blood tests were all in the green for the most part. I haven't gotten to the point of unhealthiness that I need to worry about how it will impact what happens of the operating table though I'll know more when I do the pre-surgery tests at the end of October.

I was looking at the vitalady packets of pills and my god are they expensive. It's nice to know that people are getting by with $30 in pills instead of $130/month. I've never taken oral iron as I've never had a problem so I'm curious what's the issue with a lot of people who take it. I know it can make some people constipated but I kinda feel like you can use that to your advantage.

One more (probably not the last) odd inquiry. I have the planet fitness membership and they have this red light booth that also vibrates and it's supposed to help with a bunch of things including circulation. I've found very little real information about it online but what I have read says that it can help with "exercise" early out when you really don't have the energy or pain tolerance for proper exercise. The light is also supposed to help heal minor injuries. All of this sounds like hokum but I'm wondering if anyone has tried it. The vibrations may actually help but I'm extremely skeptical about the light.

 

[southernlady]

A small ray of sunshine, my last blood tests were all in the green for the most part. I haven't gotten to the point of unhealthiness that I need to worry about how it will impact what happens of the operating table though I'll know more when I do the pre-surgery tests at the end of October.

I was looking at the vitalady packets of pills and my god are they expensive. It's nice to know that people are getting by with $30 in pills instead of $130/month. I've never taken oral iron as I've never had a problem so I'm curious what's the issue with a lot of people who take it. I know it can make some people constipated but I kinda feel like you can use that to your advantage.

One more (probably not the last) odd inquiry. I have the planet fitness membership and they have this red light booth that also vibrates and it's supposed to help with a bunch of things including circulation. I've found very little real information about it online but what I have read says that it can help with "exercise" early out when you really don't have the energy or pain tolerance for proper exercise. The light is also supposed to help heal minor injuries. All of this sounds like hokum but I'm wondering if anyone has tried it. The vibrations may actually help but I'm extremely skeptical about the light.

Post your levels of your last labs (with lab range) and we can help tweak if you like. Honestly, your D could be all of 30, still be in range and yet be ONE point from being too low. For most of our vitamin levels, we want mid to high normal. Exceptions are B6, PTH, and obviously A1C and your lipid panel.

While ordering thru Vitalady is preferred, many of us can't. We also have a link to Amazon on here.
Most of us use Amazon, Costco, and a few other places. The dry vitamins (A, D, E, and K) are the ones most of us get from Amazon. BUT use her list as your starting regime, quantity, dose, etc. When hubby and I had our surgeries, we just got the bottles from her. Pre-packaged is a nice idea but what happens when you need to cut B Complex, double your D, etc? That's why we just got the bottles.

Iron and calcium both constipate. Fat consumption is your friend. I didn't absorb oral iron so in 2014, I got infusions. My ferritin is still well within normal (had labs pulled mid Sept).

 

[Ainu]

My Levels Range
HEMOGLOBIN, A1C 5.3 % (4.0 - 6.4 %)
EST AVG GLUCOSE 105 MG/DL (<126 MG/DL)
NSULIN 22.8 uU/mL (3 - 25 uU/mL)
BUN 11 mg/dL (6 - 20 mg/dL)
CREATININE 0.7 mg/dL (0.5 - 1.0 mg/dL)
SODIUM 140 mmol/L (135 - 146 mmol/L)
POTASSIUM 4.4 mmol/L (3.5 - 5.1 mmol/L)
CHLORIDE 103 mmol/L (98 - 107 mmol/L)
CO2 24 mmol/L (22 - 32 mmol/L)
ANION GAP 13 mmol/L (7 - 15 mmol/L)
GLUCOSE 101 mg/dL (70 - 120 mg/dL)
ALBUMIN 3.8 g/dL (3.8 - 5.0 g/dL)
AST 11 U/L (10 - 35 U/L)
ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE 51 U/L ( 0 - 153 U/L)
BILIRUBIN, TOTAL 0.2 mg/dL ( 0 - 1.2 mg/dL)
CALCIUM 8.8 mg/dL ( 8.4 - 10.2 mg/dL)
PROTEIN 6.7 g/dL (6.0 - 8.3 g/dL)
ALT 17 U/L (10 - 35 U/L)
E GLOM FILT RATE >60.0 >60

This was a copy and paste. It looks like I didn't have D levels checked last time. I'm assuming they'll be checked in October.

edit: I tried to make it easier to read but failed miserably so I apologize

 

[Clematis]

The vibration thing was sort of a fad 10-12 yrs ago. I even bought a $400 platform which I dust regularly along with all my other unused exercise equipment. (In the midst of a kidney stone attack I did try laying my back over it to see if it would move the stone but it was of no help.) I don’t know what the red light thing is. But seriously if any of these “miracle” products really worked, don’t you think it would be the headline in the New York Times and we’d ALL be using them? No way could something that “magical” be kept a secret only for members of Planet Fitness. Haha. No shortcuts. Just exercise. Pick one you enjoy doing, or the one you hate least.

 

[Ainu]

@Clematis I actually used to love to exercise. My absolute favorite in the arc trainer for cardio though I usually focus on weight lifting. It's just so hard to motivate myself to go when I just want to go home. I keep trying to convince myself to buy my own arc trainer but they're....a lot of money. As for the Planet fitness thing, you're right, probably not magic. The circulation thing has some merit but the light is along the lines of "If ultra violet is bad, infra red must be good!" While I have studies the affects of red light on plants I've never gotten into how it may work on animals so it's something I may study up on if I can. It's kind of nice to shake off the cobwebs in my head.

Speaking of studying, one more thing my weight did to me: I would skip a lot of classes when I was in college because I could barely fit in the seats. It was so embarrassing I would try and study at home and not go but my grades suffered. Probably the darkest years of my life. And of course I'd eat to make myself feel better.

 

[k9ophile]

Reading this reminded me of a reading the posts of a woman years ago who was a UPS driver with an outrageous sense of humor. Among other things, she posted about keeping a box in her van for pooping emergencies. My point is that having a sense of humor about what one has to deal with the DS goes along way towards success.

Yes, it is a very serious procedure with dire consequences for anyone who can't or won't be vigilant with follow-up lab tests and thinks compliance with nutritional supplementation is optional. But if you are all serious all the time, find yourself a sense of humor. You're gonna need it.

 

[k9ophile]

FYI: "Gold Standard" is not a medical term, it's a MARKETING TERM!! I too cringe when it's applied to the RNY which we all know now should be called the "Tarnished Brass Standard"

Tarnished brass standard.

 

[Ainu]

@k9ophile I've been trying to convince my employer to replace the driver seats with toilet seats since I started. Wear chaps and a loin cloth and no one would ever know

 

[k9ophile]

@k9ophile I've been trying to convince my employer to replace the driver seats with toilet seats since I started. Wear chaps and a loin cloth and no one would ever know