Question:
Does anyone have any pre-op advice?
— DGH082404 (posted on June 8, 2004)
June 8, 2004
I think the very best advice someone can give.....is to DO YOUR
RESEARCH..Read ALL about WLS, (become an expert on the subject) Know
EXACTLY what your getting yourself into- that way, your not here 4 days
post op asking "I don't know what to eat"..."When can I
start solids"...."why am I losing so slowly" etc etc etc
(smile) a few other small tips........Don't go out and stock up on tons of
stuff now, sometimes tastes change, Have everything set up for you at home,
Know this is NOT a miracle- You WILL need to work to get all the weight off
you want, after some time, it's VERY EASY to slip into old habbits...and
VERY VERY important (wish I had followed my own advice) DON'T "TEST
THE WATERS" just ASSUME your going to dump on Sugar and stay FAR away
from it...Once that junk (carbs) creep back into your life, you might find
out that you don't dump, and keeping away from that stuff just becomes
harder..ASSUME your going to get sicker then a dog if you even TOUCH the
stuff..A few things to bring to the hospital...Slippers,Chapstick, YOUR OWN
PILLOW.Don't bother packing things to keep you occupied in the hospital
(like books/magazines) I promise you..You won't feel like reading- Also,
know that it might be a little rough at first,,and you might go through the
"what have I done to myself" Phase..this is totally NORMAL..and
It DOES get better :) best wishes Kim
— WABBIT F.
June 8, 2004
Research your doctor. Go to the ends of the earth to examine his or her
credentials before you agree to hire him or her. Post on your state board
for feedback about your surgeon. Make sure that your surgeon has a
comprehensive aftercare program and will be available to you afterhours and
on weekends.
Do everything in your power to get yourself in the best possible physical
and emotional state before you have your surgery.
Good luck to you!
Jackie O.
— Jackie O.
June 8, 2004
After surgery a lot of people go through an emotional crisis. They start
wondering "what have I done to myself". I did this, even with a
year and a half of research prior. After about 3 months I got over it. I'm
6 months now, and very glad I had the surgery.
— greg17
June 9, 2004
As everyone is suggesting, do your research. I read this website several
times per day, read everything I could about WLS, and then did the MOST
important step that I ever did for myself. I started dealing with my
emotional issues that made me an addict (an addict to food is still an
addict). I firmly believe that there are many contributing factors to
obesity and morbid obesity: genetics, metabolism problems, thyroid
regulation problems, etc. HOWEVER, I also firmly believe that most of us
(CERTAINLY me)became morbidly obese because of underlying emotional issues.
The fat is just a symptom of real problems lying within. I started
reading AA, OA, NA books - seriously, the "Blue Book" of AA has
wonderfully insightful passages (just replace drinking with eating).
Overeater's Anonymous by Bill B. (the "Red Book") often made me
cry. I found that the more books I read about food addicts, addictions of
all kinds, etc., the more calm that I became inside. I cannot tell you to
the extent that these readings actually helped me build better coping
skills. I am finding that out as I go. Addicts are all the same inside, it
is just the choice of addiction that is different. 13 months post-op, I
continue to read. Every few months, I will buy another addiction book
(cheap on half.com)and read/digest it. I don't always agree with what is
being said, but it still helps. ANYWAY, before surgery, take your
measurements and write them down. Then take them again every 3 months. It
is a true pleasure to look at where you were. Pictures are a good idea
(one that I REFUSED to do - now I wish I had ~ well, kind of). There is no
need to bring much to the hospital (robe, slippers, basic toiletries,
toothbrush/paste, loose comfie clothes to go home in, chapstick, a small
fan if you are prone to being hot). Hopefully your stay will be short and
you will only want to veg in front of the TV anyway. Concentration after
anesthesia is not easily obtained. If you only have contacts, get a pair of
glasses right now! Staying hydrated in the beginning can be difficult and
this makes your eyes really dry (at least mine were). Get off of caffeine
and soda prior to surgery. I was a diet coke addict and a caffeine addict.
I didn't want to have to deal with caffeine withdrawal during recovery so I
quit a few weeks before surgery. If you are a smoker, quit a few months
prior to surgery. This will help clear your lungs. Remember, this is a
commitment to your health. Get a cheap kitchen timer and have it handy. I
kept mine on the kitchen table to help me eat slow enough. Matter of fact,
start now slowing down your rate of eating. Again, seriously, I still find
it hard to eat slow. It is much harder than most people think. Get your
emotional support group together now. My DH has been my biggest supporter
and confidante. Get your insurance situation completely covered. I had some
major complications after surgery. Thankfully, I had checked into my Aflac
policy prior to surgery and I knew that I was covered by my small
disability policy. Whew! Don't overstock your cupboards at home with baby
food. Mistake! Do have cream of soups, applesauce, farina, cottage cheese,
yogurt, bouillon, frozen fruit juice bars, jello, etc. in your house. You
will be amazed at how little you will eat. Just have a few things so that
you have some choices. I found that I really only wanted to eat the same
things (I didn't have to worry about getting sick on something then). You
will have to decide what your approach to sugar/sugar-free will be. I
personally do not put sugar-free chemicals into my body. They make me
violently ill and, if you do your research on aspartame, you may become ill
too! Have your bills, household and laundry all clean and caught up.
Concentration after surgery is difficult at best. Allow yourself at least
one week of being a bit of a veg. Then, if physically able, start
exercising. Hmmmmmm, I guess I could go on all day (I've almost done that
already)! You cannot do enough research. You cannot read enough. You cannot
prepare yourself enough. Go into it with 100% commitment to YOU. That is
what this is all about. Learn to be kinder to yourself and more
understanding of yourself. This will help you if/when emotional eating
issues arise. Good luck on your journey. I remember fondly when I was
where you are at now. Even with my rocky start, I am so glad to be where I
am at today. Jodie ~ Lap RNY 05-02-03 ~ 336/169/??? 13mos+, -167 lbs
— Jodie P.
June 9, 2004
Don't let the first 6 months fool you. During this time, you'll lose
weight pretty much no matter what, and it may fool you into thinking that
you don't have to follow the rules to get to goal. DON'T BE FOOLED. Stick
to the program, lose as much as you can as early as you can, because the
honeymoon comes to an end.
— mom2jtx3
June 9, 2004
You've gotten great advice so far. Another tidbit: don't weigh yourself
constantly. At most, once per week. Yes, it's exciting to see the scale
move so quickly in the beginning, but then you see posts like "I
haven't lost weight in 3 hours, how do I break this plateau?" That's
another thing, plateaus are normal and natural and true plateaus last
several weeks, not days. Don't panic. Follow the rules. Stop smoking now
(if you are a smoker). Wean yourself off of caffeine before surgery to
avoid the nasty withdrawal headaches. Caffeine is a diurectic which you
don't need in the first few months of not being able to get in much water
anyway. Best wishes!
— Yolanda J.
June 9, 2004
Just a few tidbits of info...I did not initiate this myself but I am part
of a group that all had surgery on the same day and we started prior to
surgery and are still continuing to lean on each other for support even 15
months after surgery. I would suggest contacting as many people as
possible who are having surgery the same time you are and starting a group
on yahoo. I don't know what I would have done without them...I didn't
think of the great idea myself but I vow to let everyone in on my little
secret in order to help people. It was great...we went through pre-op
tests together, those first few days post-op and even our one year
anniversary celebration!!
I also scrapbooked my journey with pictures of and materials such as diet
changes, appt. dates, measurements, etc. on the front page and I journaled
my feelings on the back page once a month through my first year after
surgery. This ofcourse is only useful, if you are interested in
scrapbooking, but it was very helpful writing down my emotions and taking
pictures to help keep me motivated.
Best of luck to you and congratulations on your surgery!!
Denise
RNY 280/140/at goal
— denisel
June 9, 2004
Go and get a picture made - full length head and body shot. You know you
have been hiding from cameras for years; we all did. But a year from now
you will be SOOOOOO glad you had a good picture made. Then go back to the
same place and get a new one made! I did this at a strip mall Motophoto,
very reasonable price. You could go to WalMart or Penneys or Sears also.
Good luck! hugs, Ann .... RNY 9/10/99... 260/125
— [Deactivated Member]
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