I AM going to do this!!

well after a long discussion with the surgeon yesterday I feel more confident about having  bypass done on Jan 25th!  She went over everything and anwsered all my questions, so I am not going to let anyone change my mind! 
They said I could cut the calcium pill in half- is there any chewable calcium citrate +D that anyone knows of?  So any advice for going into surgery and post op?  I am most worried about blood clots (my uncle went in for shoulder surgery last month and had a blood clot go to his heart and died) so that is what really scares me, the surgeon did give me a lovenox injection that I have to give myself the night before and then they give you another one after surgery. 
Also after bypass is it painful to get sick?

thanks!!

Liz

Good luck, Liz!!!  I think you're going to be fine!  It's perfectly normal, though, to be worried before having a procedure. 

There are some chewable calcium citrate options available.  Bariatric Advantage, Celebrate, and Building Blocks all make chewables.  My personal favorite is the BA wild cherry flavor.  I would suggest you contact the companies and ask for samples rather than buy a big bottle of something.  And remember that your tastes may change after surgery.  Citracal Petites aren't too big and are easy to swallow.  Bariatric Fusion makes a complete chewable for us, and I've heard people have good labs when taking this one.  (They will also send you samples.)

I haven't gotten sick, so I can't help you with that question.

Good luck!!!

ok thank you!  I will contact them to get samples, I might want to do the same for protein powder- I have carnation instant breakfast now, but they said I may not like that after surgery.
Hopefully I won't get sick either!  :)

Liz, not to be funny but make sure the instant breakfast by carnation is sugar-free.

oh yes i have the sugar free kind- which was hard to find at any stores besides the grocery store, meaning more pricey but oh well!!

Good for you!  The positive attitude will help!

I'm a fan of Bariatric Advantage chewable calciums - they're the best tasting ones I've found.  I'm partial to the cinnamon ones - taste kinda like a cinnamon altoid!  But they have a number of flavors - check with your bariatric nutritionist and see if they have samples you can taste, or order samples for yourself. 

As to blood clots, that's why you really need to push yourself to WALK.  At Barix, they have you up and walking within 4 hours of your surgery, and every 4 hours after that - they tell you to keep up that regimen when you get home and for several weeks afterward.  It keeps the blood flowing through your legs and helps prevent clots.  I don't know what Rogers' regimen is, but putting yourself on a schedule of movement can really help (it will also kick start your digestion, help you get rid of the gas, and set you up for more weight loss). 

After RNY, it's really difficult to "throw up" the way you may have in the past.  There's no pressure, and no substance to do it.  Most of the time, you'll just bring up a little (one of the girls calls in "unswallowing") and that's about it.  The foamies are a different story - more like an overproduction of saliva/mucous - again, not like throwing up.    A lot of people get through this experience without ever throwing up, by the way... you may have some nausea early out, but actual throwing up is pretty rare.

Hope this helps!

Karen

Thanks Karen!  I will push myself to walk as I know this is a way to prevent them, so hopefully I won't be too sick after the anesthesia- I have never been put under so I don't know what really to expect.  Also do you take your calcium at a different time than your multi+ iron?

I take my multi and my calcium in the same time period in the morning, along with my sublinguals (D, B12) and my E (water soluble), B-1, and biotin, then take my iron and stool softener at night (has to be 4 -6 hours from your calcium).  Note that "iron and stool softener" need to be thought of as a non-separable entity :-P  as iron is very constipating, and the dietary practice of a high protein diet is also constipating.  

HOWEVER - don't start anything other than your multi until you doctor tells you to, post surgery (feel free to ask).  The various supplements were added in at specific points after surgery for me - don't want to overload your new pouch too early!

Karen

Good luck Liz!

I for one can't throw up since surgery.  I do dry heave and bring up some mucous and what not...but never vomit.  I won't say that is a pleasant experience - but at the very least - most of the time it is preventable and only due to my own thick headedness.

Pam

Hi Liz....i wish you all the best. I just joined about a minute ago, lol.  i hope to have the lap band done.  i have been cleared with everyone so far.........everyone except pulmonary but i am trying to work on that.  they (the cardiologist and pulmonologist) are afriad that once i am tubed for surgery, i wont be able to be extubated and will have to stay on the ventilator.  i can understand their fears cause i have the same but i am hoping to prove them wrong.  My surgeon said that if i lose some weight, it may help.   wish me luck!! Am i in the right place?  Is anyone else going to have lap band surgery?  i see that there are pros and cons but i dont know that yet......
Anyway, again, good luck Liz.  You'l do great!!
thanks
nancy