Questions and update.......

I am 6 days away from my surgery ( November 20th ) and getting very excited.  I am getting the Sleeve done.  I am doing well on my pre-p diet.  I have lost 6-7lbs so far.  Most of my family and friends have been really supportive and are ready to help me through all of this with me.  My mom is even on the pre-op diet with me and after she is gonna do the diet with me then.  Since I only have 6 days until Surgery, I have a few questions........

1.  Besides the essentials, what else did you bring to the hospital?

2.   What foods and beverages did you have to give up?

3.  What is the rule of thumb on ice cream? can you have it or not?

4.  What is the average wait time to get back to exercising? 

5.  How long do you have to wait to drive again after surgery?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

1- I had a bag of stuff when I went, but only used the chapstick and hairbrush.  The hospital provided everything else I needed and I was too tired or stoned on pain killers to read or anything.

2- I had to give up my precious diet coke, and it took me a good 5 months to rebuild my addiction

3- I have a tiny bit of ice cream, but I usually suffer some ill effects from it.  Frozen custard is better for me, and I do enjoy small amounts.

4- Give yourself 2 mos to try anything more than walking...especially when you're thinking of working core muscles.

5- You can drive as soon as you're off pain meds

1.  Besides the essentials, what else did you bring to the hospital?  Nothing.  I was in for 24 hours and the hospital provided all the toiletries.  I wore the same dress in and out.

2.   What foods and beverages did you have to give up?  HAVE to give up?  None.  I limit bread, rice, pasta and potatoes because of calories.  Plus they all make me go into serious carb comas now.  But I can eat them all.

3.  What is the rule of thumb on ice cream? can you have it or not?  Again, you CAN, but I wouldn't be worried about this right now.  You really shouldn't have it in any regular way until you're closing in on maintenance.  In the beginning, the focus is on protein and hydration.  Leave everything else out of the equation.

4.  What is the average wait time to get back to exercising?   Your doc will give you his guidelines.  Probably 4-6 weeks.

5.  How long do you have to wait to drive again after surgery?  You can drive as soon as you're off the pain meds, assuming your surgery is laparoscopic.

Carmex or lip balm is the main thing to take, as your lips will get dry.

Don't forget to take your measurements before surgery...I never gave it a thought and now 6 years later, i would give anything to know how many inches Ive lost.

Good luck on your surgery!

-  Bring slippers that stay on well - some hospitals give you footies - but you will be walking soon after your surgery so you want to make sure you are steady on your feet.

-  I didn't "have" to give up anything!  Fortunately for me, I can't tolerate breads or pastas - so that's such a huge bonus for me.  Ice cream, regular ice cream is evil!  I think for at least RNYers, our bodies don't react well.  However, I can satisfy my need for ice cream by having a Breyers "carb smart" bar.  I don't find I crave ice cream all that much.  I can watch people around me eat it no problem.  Sugar free popsicles are great treats too!

- I didn't exactly give up sodas.  Once every other month I may have one.  Again, it's the "not drinking when we eat" habit that we get into. 

- But at 4 1/2 years out, I don't really feel like I gave up anything.  I gained such better all around health and the ability to do the activities that I had only hoped I could've before I had the WLS.

Good luck to you - Sandie

1.  Besides the essentials, what else did you bring to the hospital?

laptop and charger, headphones, cell phone and charger, super comfy non drawstring pants and loose shirts, a wide headband, cause i didnt wanna mess with my hair, and my own pillow, cause i personally cant sleep without my feather pillow.

2.   What foods and beverages did you have to give up?

coffee :( even decaf, i cant drink it, mashed potatoes, i can eat them now but very very small portions, MOST carbs to be honest, i can eat all carbs, but in very small portions or i dump bad. i was never a soda drinker, but i really dont like the stuff now its just far too sugary, beef and most pork, they dont digest properly and make me very uncomfortable when i eat them, and a lot of fruit makes me dump, so i eat it in small portions. 

it seems i tend to have more problems with dumping with foods that are sugar free, or low sugar, for some reason, i prefer when getting something that i get regular full sugar and just moderate the amount i consume that way i dont dump. 

3.  What is the rule of thumb on ice cream? can you have it or not?

at first i couldn't it was instant dumping, a few months out i could, 2 medium scoops is my max, i usually only eat one scoop as a special treat when i want some ice cream.

4.  What is the average wait time to get back to exercising? 

for me it was 9 weeks until my surgeon told me i was safe.

5.  How long do you have to wait to drive again after surgery?

was supposed to be 8 weeks, but my surgeon gave me the ok after 4.