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

set myself up with stool softener and gas relief meds. 

the constipation was unbelievable, surgery stops your bowels and the start up was the most horrendous event of the entire process. 

wish the clinic would have given advice to start taking the stool softener or drinking MOM right out. 

I would have made a point of giving myself leeway rather than stopping at goal in order to accommodate bounceback.  When the bounceback hit it left me devastated.

Dawn

I totally agree with Dawn, don't stop at goal, give yourself some bounce back room!

Something I feel strongly about that I did right, was to stay away from white carbs until I hit goal.

I wouldn't weigh myself for a week after surgery and I would start right from the beginning only weighing myself once a week. I weighed myself at least once a day and it was depressing if I didn't lose, even if in reality I was losing a large amount total in a week. Once a week you get a thrill.

I would not even attempt to eat sugar, or refined or processed carbs.  I found out that I don't dump, which gives my food addict brain permission to eat sugar, and I found out that I can eat pretty well anything, which gives that same brain permission to eat... well... anything!  It's a constant battle.

I would work on accepting the fact that I would have loose, saggy skin and that I would lose hair, and lots of it.  I would remind myself that I'm 45 years old and can't expect my skin to bounce back as it doesn't have the elasticity (collagen content) as the skin of younger post-WLS folks.

I would have done it sooner.

And I would have been on this forum much sooner.

ok what are refined sugars and carbs, how can i tell the difference.  and yes i would have done this surgery earlier, and another thing i would have spoke more to the dietician about othere foods that are available in the first couple of weeks.

 I am glad I asked all of this info is so helpful to me and I hope everyone else!

At over 4 years out, and at age 62 when I had my self pay surgery, I now wish I'd had a DS as my weight loss, because of age and metabolism, was excruciatingly slow...Although there are times I think maybe because at a an older age, like when little older ladies with alzheimers forget to eat and taketheir  supplements, maybe it is best I had an RnY after alll....But I never reached goal and am stuck bout 60 lbs away from my origina goal weight...after losing only about 70 lbs...,and then a regain of 30 lbs...do the math: net loss only 40 lbs, but on the positive side:  I have kept that off and not regained and more, as I used to do with every major diet before WLS, So maybe not so bad after all?. Prior to surgery I had lost 40 lbs as well from my highest, so thats a total loss of 80 lbs. Technically I am considered an RnY success, personally I feel I failed my RnY....

Absolutelty NO!
I started making diet changes about 6 months pre op and was able to stick with it as surgery was my goal. Able to lose 30lbs before surgery.
Would do it again in a heart beat. Had some left side pain that was prety bad for the first 3 weeks, but now it is just a faint memory.

I ahd an issue with thrush post op I would have called my centre much sooner. They know what is going on. Not the GP>
Also I would have started to carry weight while exercising. If I could walk now carrying the 120 lbs I lost I would be much stronger.
I would start to carry the weight as I lost it. ie lose 2 lbe carry 2 more.