knowing what you know now... what would you do differently?

OK, so I truly believe in the phrase "live and learn" so I am asking everyone who has gone through with the surgery ... knowing what you know now what would you do differently?

Anything you can think of ....

I am pretty early out (less than 2 months) so I don't have a list of things but one thing I would have done differently is to have started taking Gas-X strips and drinking warm fluids as soon as I could. My main issue was with severe gas pains and I suffered with that I don't know how long before thankfully learning from the wonderful people here that it was gas.

 For early post-op .. absolutely ensure you take every stool softener and take strong measures immediately if no movement!
Spoken by the girl who took 10 days post op for the first bm... it was not a pretty sight! lol

Later ... dont forget those clothes in the back of your closet... you will shrink out of them before wearing them. 

Otherwise enjoy the ride of a lifetime. And sadly the constipation issue can be ongoing. Keep on top of it is my only advise.

Chris

Chris, do they give you anything in the hospital, after your surgery, for the gas pains or do you just have to walk it out on your own? Are you even allowed to take anything like Gas X or Lax-A-Day?

Deb

I am only three weeks out but I would have wanted to talk more to my surgeon. He's one of the best in this field, but he is a man of few words and only spoke to him for about five seconds on the second day of surgery. I met with another surgeon on my surgeon's visit, but landed not having him for the actual procedure.

 1.  I would have had my surgery at least 10 years ago!

2  I wish I would of known about this forum wayyyy before I had my surgery.  I really wasn't aware of a lot of things enough

3.  I would of really worked on my "issues" before having surgery.

4.  I would of really made myself start tracking my food intake more dilligently.

5.  I would never have started eating refined or processed carbs after surgery!!!!!

Agree whole-heartedly on number 1!

 yes,,,i wish i did it done many many many years ago and not waited until i was 49 and done it....

First I would have started my pursuit of WLS sooner than later, in fact I tell people now who are considering it but have not yet made up their mind to get on the waiting list now while they are thinking about it because if you wait until you are absolutely sure the wait is then very discouraging.  There is nothing to say that when it's "your turn" you can't reconsider and say 'No Thank you'.

I had a VSG, for medical reasons.  VSG's should be discharged on a PPI or H2 inhibitor, something that decreases the acid production in your stomach.  This was not prescribed when I was discharged and I ended up with a huge ulcer that stretched from my esophagus to my duodenum.  I was on full fluids for 3 months!  It certainly helped with the success of my procedure but if I could give any advice to VSG people it would be, "MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR PPI RX".

A piece of advice I have heard for RNY people, and I will be the first to admit that I have no business giving this advice, is DO NOT TRY ANYTHING MADE WITH REFINED SUGARS for the first 6 months post-op (minimum).  Two things can happen: you will either experience the horrors of "dumping" OR you will find out you can tolerate refined sugar NEITHER is a GOOD thing.

If I knew then what I know now I would still do it again in a heart beat.  My life is far richer despite the GERD from hell than it ever was pre-op, for this I am glad

I totally agree with everyone on doing it sooner. I was referred to Humber several years ago (before Ottawa started doing it) and I didn't bother going to the consultation, I thought it was a risky surgery and still thought "I just need to work harder to do it on my own" Several years later and almost 100lbs later, I reconsidered.

Having said that, I still got it done at a fairly young age. What kept me strong was knowing that many people wish they had done it sooner, so I thought better now than later when I'm bigger, older and likely suffering from an obesity-related health condition.