New Member ~Wave~

Hi Joyce and Welcome!  I'm 3 weeks out and will turn 58 in December - we are pretty close in age.  I wondered the same thing, but in the end, just decided this was what I needed to do.  I've had no complications thus far and am losing weight.  It is pretty exciting!

All the best to you.

Hi Joyce!

I am 11 weeks out today and just now found this Over Fifty forum so I am glad you found it now--they seem like a great group of people and really watch out for and take care of one another!! 

Like everyone else has said, follow the rules and you should be okay!  I have followed my doctor's rules to a "t" and have never "dumped" or vomited or anything close to that.  I have felt very full once or twice and that feeling is so bad that if you are smart you won't do it again!

More advice: take all the time you can to recover fully.  I am 54 and went back to work after 2 weeks which was probably too soon...even though I have a desk job I bent over and reached a lot, carried things, etc and pulled a stomach muscle my 3rd week which put me flat on my back for a week---so they are serious about taking it easy after the surgery!  But then I have heard that others went back to work even sooner, and were fine, so it all depends. 

The first 6 weeks I dealt with all the food issues (or lack thereof) and of course I was expecting the weight to just fall off.  I was eating no more than 500-600 calories a day and even that was hard to do.  Seems our nutritionists and surgeons have given out many different lists with different foods...  You will find some people have to stay on pureed foods longer, or soft foods longer, etc.  I just seemed to always be behind the others and wished I could move ahead, but I found out my stomach really wasn't ready for some of the foods others were eating. 

Don't judge your weight loss by others...I was pretty disappointed that I didn't lose as quickly as I thought I should, and I wondered if all the pain was worth it.  But then it finally happened--I dropped two sizes and all of sudden I think the surgery was worth it after all!  Like childbirth, they say you forget all the pain once you see the results of your labor!

We all lose differently---I have lost 53 pounds, my younger sister who is 51 had the same surgery in January and she lost very fast--94 pounds in 7 months and she is a few pounds from done!  She went from a size 24 last Christmas to a size 8 now and she is so healthy!  Her weight loss really inspired me to get on board and get the surgery done. 

Check out all the "before" and "after" photos on the site--they are so inspiring!  Just think---one of these days, you will find your photo's there!!!  It will  be a reality!

Like I said, I had been on this site three months and it is a great source of information, motivation, confirmation and validation, but the "OFF" is even better!

GOOD LUCK! 

 

O'MYGosh!  Wow,  I am flabbergasted by all the responses.  I put the post up late last night and just now have found all you wonderful people who are giving me such inspiration.  Thank you all so much!

Yes, navigating the site as to find the appropriate information, with who you can make pals with and where you can find others in the same shoes is daunting at times.  Although, everyone who are here will be going through something like this or have already gone through it.

I seem to be having many questions,  and I don't want to keep calling the Dr's office with every little one.  The Dr's office said to come to the office 5 days before my surgery to pick up my supplements, I just wonder if they are all liquid since they want you to on liquids for about 2-3 weeks and do they want you to be on all liquids before the surgery.  Do you have to drink that gallon of stuff the day before surgery?   They said my stomach will be about 1oz.  Wow, that's small compared to whatever huge one I have now. ha  Also, someone said that you get hungry and want more to eat than you can have.  I have read that you don't get hungry and don't have much appetite.

Thanks again for your encouragement and help.  This is where I shall be and come for all my bariatric buddy info, I know I'll need you guys when I come home from the hosp.  I know I'm going to have to try and get 64oz of water down a day....  How hard is that?  I suppose water doesn't sit in you little stomach, and is why you have to sip so often.

What a journey, and yes I'm looking fwd to taking less medication, although my blood pressure is creeping up, I'm not on bp meds right now.  And, how did you take your meds?  Were you afraid of them getting stuck somewhere.  Or did everyone just crush them.

Thank you, for all your posts and each one of them has wonderful information, I am going back to re-read right now.  ~Joyce

What supplements is he using now?

Welcome, Joyce!!!   I'm 55 and 5 weeks out from surgery. And have had a very boring recovery. No drama, no nausea, no pain, no food reactions....everything so far has been great! I lost 60lbs before surgery and have lost almost 30 since surgery...maybe not as fast as some but that's OK with me. My only trouble has been bathroom issues, which are easily fixed if you don't wait too long like I did.

Good luck on your surgery! Read and research all you can, be as prepared as you possible can so you'll know more what to expect. We're here so ask any questions you can think of. If we don't know it, we know where to find it!

Hi Joyce,

I'm late to the party, but that's nothing new for me ;)

Anyway, a great big welcome, you got lots of great welcomes and advice.  If your surgeon has a good program (each has their own, some better than others), than follow it to the letter and you will do fine. 

I will give you one other bit of advice, take a picture the day of surgery, front and sideways, as well as your measurements, and then do so monthly, as many times the scale does not tell us the story and this journey can be full of stalls and frustration if you base things solely on that, matter of fact, I'll suggest it to you, but you may not listen, don't get on the scale more often than weekly, monthly if possible. . .  As others stated, this journey is different for each one of us and you will find your way and we are here to help and encourage you.

Best wishes as your pursue a healthier way to live.

Laureen

 Hi all, 

Yes the time is fast approaching, and I'm not yet worrying,  but I'm sure the date of pre-op I will start my nail biting.  I don't bite my nails though, maybe my lip.  Each has a different experience and I will follow my Dr's. instructions, I'm sure he knows exactly what I should be doing before and after.

Good to know that I have others here in common with me.  Is anyone one pre-op here on the board besides me?  I'm really happy we have this site, and a place to come where people understand what it's like to be in the place we are now.

Thanks to all,  I want to get on the ticker tape parade here, I'm sure it's something like putting a link into your profile.  I'll figure that one out and take a pre-surg pic and get that up.  And thanks Laureen for the advice of putting my measurements down as well.  

You must tell Dr P hello for me......