I GOT APPROVED!!!! Advice??!

Hey everyone I am SO happy to say I finally got approved for my RNY surgery and my date is 1/7/15!!!

I am so thankful and excited!! For those of you who have been through this already what is your best advice? My pre op appointment is December 16th and I believe I start my liquid diet on December 7th. I will get the details for that tomorrow.

 

So for my friends who have already traveled down this road:

 

1. How long did your incisions take to heal? Would I be able to babysit my 1 and 3 year old family members shortly after? How long would you say? 

 

2. How soon after were you allowed to exercise like on an elliptical or home gym/free weights?

 

3. What kind of stuff should I stock my kitchen up with before surgery? 

 

4. What do you recommend taking to the hospital with me?  

 

5. Where do you find the majority of your recipes and food ideas? I'm currently looking on pinterest and bariatriceating.com 

6. Have you used any amazing protien powders that you would recommend?

 

7. Overall advice! 

 

I know I have 43 days to prepare but I'm sure with the holidays they will pass SO fast! 

 

Hope to find good information and good friends/support on here!! 

 

 

How long did your incisions take to heal? I had steri strips.. They were healing for about 2 weeks?  The steri strips were on longer than the healing.  

Would I be able to babysit my 1 and 3 year old family members shortly after? You won't be able to lift anything over 10-15lbs till your doctor clears you, I was cleared at a month.  I wouldn't recommend it unless you have help.

How soon after were you allowed to exercise like on an elliptical or home gym/free weights? walking, immediately.  All other exercise was after doctor cleared me at 1 month. 

What kind of stuff should I stock my kitchen up with before surgery? Your surgeon should let you know what you can eat in Phase 1, some are clear liquids, like mine was, some are full.  I had sugar free or diet juice( I diluted it with water 1:4) broth, and Sugar free Popsicles for a week, then to puréed foods. Anything on my approved list puréed to baby food texture.  

What do you recommend taking to the hospital with me? Chapstick, a neck pillow, loose clothes, tooth brush/paste, slippers, stomach pillow for the ride home.  You won't want to do anything in the hospital. 

Where do you find the majority of your recipes and food ideas? Pinterest, EggFace, Google.

Have you used any amazing protien powders that you would recommend? I have loved all the Syntrax Nectars I have tried, they are more like juice or kool aid, instead of creamy shakes since you use water.   Favorite is Pink Grapefruit and Lemon Iced Tea.  I like the Unjury Chicken broth in the beginning, but don't use it so much now, it's nice for savory, since everything is sweet when it comes to protein shakes. 

 

Overall Advice! Pain is only in the beginning.  I woke up in recovery and immediately regretted my surgery, I thought, what did I do?  Put it all back, just so the pain would stop.  We all do that... Don't panic! 

I personally couldn't sleep comfortably for 2 weeks till I could sleep on my side with no pain.  My pain was terrible, but my body doesn't use pain meds well... Mine lasted 3 weeks, slowly better everyday, then I woke up and it was gone. 

Walk a lot in the beginning.  It helps with gas and prevents blood clots. 

Gas.. You will be full of it, I used extra strength GasX chewable tablets, the strips did not work for me. 

Water.. In the beginning, it's more important than anything.  64+ oz a day. Sip sip sip walk walk walk... That's your life for awhile. 

Dont get frustrated if you don't see weightloss for periods of time.  You will stall, it's normal.  Your body is getting used to the drastic changes. 

Im sure others have different experiences, different products and advice.. But that's mine!  

Your doctor will be different than others, they all advise and progress patients differently.  So always follow your doctors plan, don't be afraid to ask them anything you need.

Eat slow, small bites, chew very well, and don't take more than 20-30 mins per meal.  

Good luck, and remember... It's all worth it.  

Every doctor is different, so my replies, and anyone else's, will potentially be different than what you're told on the 16th.  As always, do whatever your doctor says to do, but here is how it applied to me:

 

1. How long did your incisions take to heal? Would I be able to babysit my 1 and 3 year old family members shortly after? How long would you say?   My incisions were healed within two weeks.  The book from my doctor said I would be on 20 pound lifting restrictions for 4 weeks, but in my class, I was told 10 pounds for 6 weeks.  I went with the 10 pounds just to be safe.  At the third week, I lifted something wrong, and did something to my deep stitch.  It was really sore for another week or two, then I felt fine.  I was definitely ready to go with everything by 6 weeks.  I would count on at least a month before taking care of kids that young.

 

2. How soon after were you allowed to exercise like on an elliptical or home gym/free weights?  They'll have you walking sooner than you thing, like within a couple hours after surgery, so walking or anything like that will be fine.  I suppose as long as you kept weights to less than 10 pounds you could do that, but it would probably be safer to wait for whatever length they tell you.

 

3. What kind of stuff should I stock my kitchen up with before surgery? At least 2 weeks worth of stuff.  Sugar-free Jello, SF Pudding, SF Popsicles, SF Fudgesicles, Yogurt, Broth, etc.  Your class with the surgeon will give you more specifics.

 

4. What do you recommend taking to the hospital with me? I brought my Kindle and my iPad, and didn't use either one at all.  My time was spent sleeping, and then walking between naps.  You really don't need much.

 

5. Where do you find the majority of your recipes and food ideas? I'm currently looking on pinterest and bariatriceating.com  As HLen said, Eggface's blog is a tremendous resource:  http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/.  I also gave gotten a ton of good ideas from Bariatric Foodie: http://bariatricfoodie.blogspot.com/. 

6. Have you used any amazing protien powders that you would recommend?  I also use Syntrax Nectars.  I just can't do the sweet ones.  I currently have Grape and Cherry.  I got a sample pack of the Syntrax Nectars as well as a sample pack of the Unjury powders.  I tried them all after surgery, since it can mess with your taste buds.  I then ordered after sampling.

 

7. Overall advice!  You won't feel physically hungry for a while, but head hunger will still be there.  Especially when they play all sorts of food commercials at night!  If you are a caffeine addict, I would get off of it now before you start the pre-op diet.  That will be hard enough, you don't want caffeine withdrawl at the same time.  Use the message boards!  Even though I'm not a huge poster, it's such a comfort just reading through what other people are going through/have went through.  The Search feature will answer most of your questions, but don't hesitate to post a question. 

Good luck!

Great answers (my surgery is scheduled 12/15...and I had many of the same questions).  Where can I get Syntrax Nectars and Unjury powders?

Syntrax Nectars can be found at The Vitamin Shoppe online and instore for certain flavors.  Unjury, I found on their site.

As far as I know, you can only get Unjury online.  But, I believe you can find some of the Syntrax powders at a Vitamin Shoppe store.  Our closest one is over an hour away, so I've only ever ordered online.  

Also remember everyone is different. I had very minimal pain even waking up from surgery. But I am what the nurses called an anesthesia light weight. Tons of nausea dry heaving and dizziness. Although walking is part of post op was not allowed for about 12 hors with accompaniment. Left hospital next evening and was walking a minimum of two miles a day. Six weeks before I was cleared for other exercise and lifting. Even though it is laparoscopic and incisions seem so small it is major surgery and you will need to follow your surgeon's orders exactly. As far as what to bring you don't need much. They have whatever toiletries you may need and although hospital gowns aren't a great fashion statement it is the way to go. For walks use a second one to cover your rear assets! For now relax and you will be back to babysitting and exercising and LOSING before you will realize it.

These are all really great answers!  I am 5.5 years out .... Just follow the rules ... from day one going forward follow the rules put forth by your doctor and you will do great!  GOOD LUCK!