ObesityHelp

I haven't posted in a very long time but I remembered when I was a newbie that I frequently read other people's profiles to see what I was about to undergo.  So here is my 3 year 3 month post-op update:

Starting weight: 242-size 22/24
Today: 149-size 8/10.
I just had an annual physical and my labs are perfect and I have NO medical conditions other than some arthritis that prevents me from doing a lot of exercise.

The one thing I want to stress, is that I find it so hard to maintain my weight the further out I get.  In the beginning, weight just fell off-it didn't matter what I ate.  Now I have to conciously think about everything I put in my mouth.  If I had not established good eating habits in the beginning, I know I'd be having an issue with regain.  I see so many of my friends that are struggling with this and it breaks my heart. 

Pearls of wisdom from a "veteran":
1.  Establish a good relationship with other WLS people-whether it be thru the TMB, OH, or a local suport group.  We "get each other"- no one else does.
2.  Change your eating habits from the beginning and stick to them.  PROTEIN first, don't drink with meals, shop on the outside aisles of the grocery store.  No fast food (or very little), avoid "slider" foods.
3.  Drink your water~ least 64 oz a day but none with meals.
4.  The CARB MONSTER is real and lives in your house.  Kick his butt to the curb-his whole mission is to sabattage your weight loss. 
5.  Be very careful about cross addictions.  A LOT of my friends are struggling with Rx drug addiction, alcoholism, gambling-these things are REAL.
6.  Seek out some professional counselling.  You got fat for a reason.  We are all food addicts and need HELP working thru those emotions.
7.  Vitamins are NOT optional.  If you had a RNY, you can DIE if you don't take them.  You made the decision to have the surgery so keep up your end of the bargain.


Don't let this post scare you.  My surgery has been the absolute BEST thing I've ever done.  I have met the most incredible people, have had more fun in my 50's than I ever had in my 30's, I still eat everything I always ate, just maybe prepared a little differently (no more fried foods).  The only food I can't tolerate is milk in large quantities-no biggie.  I still eat cake/candy but only a bite or two-and belive me, it's enough to satisfy me.  Being THIN is AWESOME and is well worth any sacrifice I had to make along the way.

Tips for anyone having a tummy tuck:

Get a walker and use it for the first week.  (I bought mine at a thrift store for $5).  I attached a small bag/backpack to the front to hold my cell phone and drink.

Use a shower chair or potty chair in the shower for the first week or two.  It's much easier to sit down while showering.

Pad your incision line with overnight Kotex pads.  I bought cheap ones fron the dollar store and lined my incisions with them to protect from drainage and to keep the compression garment from rubbing on the incision.  (It's much cheaper than gauze and thicker too).  Cut a pad in 1/3 and then make a slit in each one to put around your drain tubing to keep the drainage off your clothes.

I used a plain old abdominal binder for the first week over top of my nightgown to prevent rubbing.  After a week, I alternated between the abd binder and my compression garment.  I bought a Silhouette brand one that had a 4 inch elastic top, it's crotchless and has zippers and hook and eyes on both sides.  (google it on the internet).   You can pee and poop with it on cuz it's crotchless.

Take 2 stool softners every time you take pain meds.  I also took 2 fiber tablets and drank Benefiber daily in my protein shake.  You do NOT want to get constipated!! 

Ask for LIQUID pain meds.  I used liquid Lortab and it worked in like 15 minutes.  (much faster than pills).  I also asked for liquid Phenergan (for nausea).  I used it along with my pain med cuz it has a sedative effect and makes the pain med more effective.  (I never was nauseated, but it sure helped with the pain). 

An On-Q pump is a must.  It injects numbing medicine into your incision site slowly over 4 days.  It made a huge difference.

Strip your JP drain tubing every 6-8 hours.  Start at the end closest to your body and squeeze the tubing between your thumb and forefinger to force the fluid down into the bulb.  The tubing should be flat and clear when you finish.  If you don't understand make sure you ask your doc about this.  It's very important to prevent clogs.

Don't put any creams, oils or lotions on your incisions unless specifically told by your doctor.

Your appetite will markedly decrease.  Keep lots of liquids on board  (I started eating SF popsicles again.) 

Make sure you continue your vitamins.  Zinc is important for healing so I started taking a zinc supplement about 3 months before my plastics.  Also keep that protein going, it's essential for healing.

Get a lanyard for around your neck and pin your drain tubing to it while you shower. 

Clothing:  I wore loose PJ pants and a button-up shirt home from the hospital.  I live in loose nightgowns for the first week.  After that I wore exercise suits when I had to go outside.

Hide your JP drains in a fanny pack.  No one can see them.

Weigh yourself, take pre-op pics and take your meausrements the day before you go in.  These will be very important later down the line.  I love looking at the difference.  Can't wait for all the swelling to go away so I can re-measure my tummy.