I'm Scared.
I'm due for RNY surgery this June.
I'm 29 years old, stand [just under] 6 ft tall and weigh 348 lbs.
I am very nervous (scared) about my RNY surgery.
I could really use a new (post op) RNY pal.
If I could meet someone in my age group, who was about my weight pre-op...that would be ideal. I haven't been able to find RNYers who are 10 years or more post-op. ...Anyone???
Anyone with sound advice would be appreciated.
This is one of the biggest deals ever... I would sure value a knowledgeable friend. Please.
Thank you for reading.
God bless,
Amy Lou
I'm 29 years old, stand [just under] 6 ft tall and weigh 348 lbs.
I am very nervous (scared) about my RNY surgery.
I could really use a new (post op) RNY pal.
If I could meet someone in my age group, who was about my weight pre-op...that would be ideal. I haven't been able to find RNYers who are 10 years or more post-op. ...Anyone???
Anyone with sound advice would be appreciated.
This is one of the biggest deals ever... I would sure value a knowledgeable friend. Please.
Thank you for reading.
God bless,
Amy Lou
';*;'*Amy Lou*;',*;
;*, ;',* ;*, ;',*;
Okay, I WAS your age group when I had surgery in 2000! I had just turned 30, I'm 5'10" and I weighed 272 pounds just before going into the OR- I had lost a bit of weight before surgery in an effort to be as healthy as possible. I wouldn't be here right now if it were possible to die of fear! Outside of getting married and having my kids, the surgery was THE BEST decision I've ever made! I lost 127 pounds, but I have gained some back. I'm pretty steady at 165-170... still about 100 pounds lighter. I went from a size 22/24 to a size 10/12. Like most other women my age, I'd like to loose a few pounds (but it is a NORMAL amount now!)
I had two kids after surgery and pregnancy, health of the baby, delivery and so on went well! I'm relatively healthy with no major issues except anemia... I always have to watch my iron intake closely and take prescription iron by mouth and vitamin B shots monthly. I'm very active. I played two hours of tennis today, but recall being REALLY proud pre-op when I walked one mile in less than 18 minutes!
My advice:
*Expect that things won't be perfect. Your life WILL change, but you WILL have problems. Everyone does!
*At time when you really want to eat more, but don't have room I want you to immediately recall a time where you ate too much of the same food and felt great for a second and then felt shame/defeat/regret/remorse/no self-worth/guilt and all the other horrible things that come with overeating. Say a prayer thanking God (if that's your thing) that you had this surgery and you won't have to feel that way again! ALWAYS stay positive! This surgery saved my life and it can save yours too!
*Be prepare that you will, at some point, cry in a dressing room when a size fits you that you never imagined would fit- you will always take a too-big size and have to return to the racks! You will fold your laundry and be floored that the pants you are folding belong to you and not your kids!
*Be prepared that you will have to watch your diet for HEALTH reasons and not for WEIGHT reasons. It's a wonderful difference in focus.
*People will treat you differently. That will actually be very difficult at first (several times I wanted to cry and scream out at them that I was exactly the same person when I was fat, but NOW they want to be my friend!)
*You will get discouraged at times when you are eating child-sized portions and the scale shows you only lost five pounds in a month. Hold 20 sticks of butter in your hand and tell yourself that that is how much fat left your body and will never return! Be proud of that! (BTW, I lost 27 pounds the first month and 17 pounds the second. Less and less after that until I reached 127 pound max loss. It will come off! I would have done the surgery again after I had lost 50 pounds, even if I never lost another one! I wasn't so HOT in the summer and my overall feeling was so much better.)
*Focus on eating protein first, veggies second and everything else after- when you have no room left! LOL! This will keep you healthy.
*You will be astounded that the "full" feeling is really just a feeling that you can't take anymore and that feeling of "fullness" is under your left breast!
*In the early months, you will constantly be thinking about the surgery and how it affects your life. TRY not to talk about it all the time. It can be VERY tiresome to others!
*Allow your body to adjust! I had hibernation syndrome where your body tries to conserve because it isn't getting as many calories... I had to take a solid three-hour nap daily for the first several weeks after surgery and I am NOT a napper usually!
*Be kind to your body, but do exercise as much and as often as you can- even if you just walk up and down the stairs several times throughout the day if you haven't been able to make specific exercise time that day. In preparation for surgery, walk and then walk some more to be as healthy as possible. In the hospital, grab hold of your IV pole and walk, walk, walk! Don't be shy, get out there and circle the nurses station all day long if you can. Your body will recover more quickly when your blood is flowing! Your psyche will be healthier too!
Okay, enough already! I haven't logged on to this site in years, but had a question about iron. I saw your post and felt compelled to tell you it's going to be alright! :-) Go on the chat room when you have questions/concerns/fears and everyone will set you straight! Good luck!!!
I had two kids after surgery and pregnancy, health of the baby, delivery and so on went well! I'm relatively healthy with no major issues except anemia... I always have to watch my iron intake closely and take prescription iron by mouth and vitamin B shots monthly. I'm very active. I played two hours of tennis today, but recall being REALLY proud pre-op when I walked one mile in less than 18 minutes!
My advice:
*Expect that things won't be perfect. Your life WILL change, but you WILL have problems. Everyone does!
*At time when you really want to eat more, but don't have room I want you to immediately recall a time where you ate too much of the same food and felt great for a second and then felt shame/defeat/regret/remorse/no self-worth/guilt and all the other horrible things that come with overeating. Say a prayer thanking God (if that's your thing) that you had this surgery and you won't have to feel that way again! ALWAYS stay positive! This surgery saved my life and it can save yours too!
*Be prepare that you will, at some point, cry in a dressing room when a size fits you that you never imagined would fit- you will always take a too-big size and have to return to the racks! You will fold your laundry and be floored that the pants you are folding belong to you and not your kids!
*Be prepared that you will have to watch your diet for HEALTH reasons and not for WEIGHT reasons. It's a wonderful difference in focus.
*People will treat you differently. That will actually be very difficult at first (several times I wanted to cry and scream out at them that I was exactly the same person when I was fat, but NOW they want to be my friend!)
*You will get discouraged at times when you are eating child-sized portions and the scale shows you only lost five pounds in a month. Hold 20 sticks of butter in your hand and tell yourself that that is how much fat left your body and will never return! Be proud of that! (BTW, I lost 27 pounds the first month and 17 pounds the second. Less and less after that until I reached 127 pound max loss. It will come off! I would have done the surgery again after I had lost 50 pounds, even if I never lost another one! I wasn't so HOT in the summer and my overall feeling was so much better.)
*Focus on eating protein first, veggies second and everything else after- when you have no room left! LOL! This will keep you healthy.
*You will be astounded that the "full" feeling is really just a feeling that you can't take anymore and that feeling of "fullness" is under your left breast!
*In the early months, you will constantly be thinking about the surgery and how it affects your life. TRY not to talk about it all the time. It can be VERY tiresome to others!
*Allow your body to adjust! I had hibernation syndrome where your body tries to conserve because it isn't getting as many calories... I had to take a solid three-hour nap daily for the first several weeks after surgery and I am NOT a napper usually!
*Be kind to your body, but do exercise as much and as often as you can- even if you just walk up and down the stairs several times throughout the day if you haven't been able to make specific exercise time that day. In preparation for surgery, walk and then walk some more to be as healthy as possible. In the hospital, grab hold of your IV pole and walk, walk, walk! Don't be shy, get out there and circle the nurses station all day long if you can. Your body will recover more quickly when your blood is flowing! Your psyche will be healthier too!
Okay, enough already! I haven't logged on to this site in years, but had a question about iron. I saw your post and felt compelled to tell you it's going to be alright! :-) Go on the chat room when you have questions/concerns/fears and everyone will set you straight! Good luck!!!
I am overwhelmed with emotion. Reduced to tears over your kindness and candor. Love is welling up in my heart for you; kind stranger. Otherwise, I am literally speechless. I have to call my mother and read her this. How insightful and wonderful indeed.
Thank you so much, and God bless you and your family.
';*;'*Amy Lou*;',*;
;*, ;',* ;*, ;',*;
zacmom
on 5/30/11 11:19 pm
on 5/30/11 11:19 pm
Hi
I'm very new here too!!!! Probably having surgery in July. Very nervouse/scared/excited all at the same time. I'm a little older and bigger then you, but not much. I will tell you that if you go to youtube and look up "shelbyshrinks" She is on this sight but has logged her whole porcess on youtube, it helped me alot to understand and feel better. I highly recommend watching her videos.
Good Luck and I look forward to chatting with you!!
Pam
I'm very new here too!!!! Probably having surgery in July. Very nervouse/scared/excited all at the same time. I'm a little older and bigger then you, but not much. I will tell you that if you go to youtube and look up "shelbyshrinks" She is on this sight but has logged her whole porcess on youtube, it helped me alot to understand and feel better. I highly recommend watching her videos.
Good Luck and I look forward to chatting with you!!
Pam
I'm fixing to be 32 and I'm 2 months out from surgery. My high weight was 347 and I'm 5'5"! You've gotten some great advice! We'd all be worried for you if you weren't scared. For me one of the best things I ever did was come on here and talk/listen to other people who went through the same things. Take care!
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