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Hello, my name is Marilyn....just starting!

M

mama0297

Member
I am in the beginning stages, I have an orientation to go to on April 15th. I hope all goes well for me and for all on this journey! Just to fill in a few blanks about me... I have diabetes II, asthma, high cholesterol (especially triglycerides), high blood pressure, I am going for a sleep study and stress test also. I have 3 children ages 16, 11, and 7. I also have 2 St. Bernards. I am hoping that all goes well and I will be approved for surgery because I am sick of my body deteriorating. I am running into problems with my liver and kidney functions. Hopefully, my diabetes improves b/c I am on insulin and medication. I do have one question, if anybody can answer...how do you take your meds and vitamins if your pouch becomes so small? how do you take them with eating and water? Thank you in advance.
 
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Welcome
First most people are able to stop taking most medications. I take 5 chew-able vitamins per day and they are taken every two hours. One thing I have found is that the vitamins are not a big issue as I started that habit before surgery. I take my vitamins with food or a protein shake. This is my schedule. Breakfast one Flintstones chew-able, mid morning protein snack Flintstones chew-able, lunch two chew-able calcium pills, dinner chew-able calcium, pm snack I take a b12 that melts under the tongue. Yes you have to wait 30+minutes after eating to drink but it is a matter of time before you master getting all your protein and water. I hope this helps. I should probably mention the first months after my snacks were Unjury protein shakes and it would take an hour or more to drink those but I alternated with water.
 
mama0297 said:
I am in the beginning stages, I have an orientation to go to on April 15th. I hope all goes well for me and for all on this journey! Just to fill in a few blanks about me... I have diabetes II, asthma, high cholesterol (especially triglycerides), high blood pressure, I am going for a sleep study and stress test also. I have 3 children ages 16, 11, and 7. I also have 2 St. Bernards. I am hoping that all goes well and I will be approved for surgery because I am sick of my body deteriorating. I am running into problems with my liver and kidney functions. Hopefully, my diabetes improves b/c I am on insulin and medication. I do have one question, if anybody can answer...how do you take your meds and vitamins if your pouch becomes so small? how do you take them with eating and water? Thank you in advance.
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Hi Marilyn, WELCOME to the Forum!!!

I have always taken my vitamins and meds a little while before a meal. I never count that as drinking before eating because I just take enough to get my pills down and then I must eat so my meds dont burn a hole in my stomach. In the beginning you will be on a liquid diet anyway and when you start on food you will have to be careful not to overstretch your tummy. You'll start out eating one or two teaspoons at a time of food like applesauce and cottage cheese. It's a slow process to work your way up to eating more at one time.

Good Luck to you. This is a life changing process, you must think of food as fuel to run your body, nothing more nothing less. Later on you can eat your favorite foods, but in tiny quantities, which by then you will be satisfied eating.

This is a wonderful journey to a new and healthier life. Glad you are joining us!


Cheyenne
 
Thank you both for your response and for welcoming me. I am just worried that I will still need to take my antidepressant, which is extended release. I was wondering how I will take my meds in the beginning without getting too full...does that make sense? Along with vitamins, I am worried my pouch will not have enough room for eating as well. I probably will have to go over that with the physician, just wondering how others do it....thank you again!
 
hi marylin. first I know you have three beautiful children that are proud of you. and we all have problems too but with surgery all those problems should decrease. I wish you the best and hopes everything before and after surgery works out well for you.
 
can anyone tell me about the specifics when it comes to the six months weight lost visits and what needs to be put down for the visits.
 
errica johnson said:
can anyone tell me about the specifics when it comes to the six months weight lost visits and what needs to be put down for the visits.
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My insurance had specific information they wanted from the doctor every month. They mailed me 6 forms to give the doctor and he sent a form in every month. Call your insurance and make sure you talk to someone there who is knowledgeable about this or your visits won't count. Your bariatric surgeons office also should have info about it but I would definitely talk to insurance too.

Cheyenne
 
mama0297 said:
Thank you both for your response and for welcoming me. I am just worried that I will still need to take my antidepressant, which is extended release. I was wondering how I will take my meds in the beginning without getting too full...does that make sense? Along with vitamins, I am worried my pouch will not have enough room for eating as well. I probably will have to go over that with the physician, just wondering how others do it....thank you again!
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Marilyn, you have 2 St. Bernards.. AWESOME! I'm a dog person too, I have Rottweilers. :)

I also have medication to take.. 2 heart pills, gout pill, water pill, cholesterol pill, blood thinner pill, aspirin, 2 huge Centrum viamins, 2 calcium, potassium, viamin D3, vitamin B12, vitamin C, 2 Fish Oil pills. I take all of them at one time except one heart pill and one calcium in the evening. I don't like to space them out because then I forget some of them. I have to drink a little water with each pill or I could never get them down. It was a struggle in the beginning but no problem now.

Cheyenne
 
mama0297 said:
I am in the beginning stages, I have an orientation to go to on April 15th. I hope all goes well for me and for all on this journey! Just to fill in a few blanks about me... I have diabetes II, asthma, high cholesterol (especially triglycerides), high blood pressure, I am going for a sleep study and stress test also. I have 3 children ages 16, 11, and 7. I also have 2 St. Bernards. I am hoping that all goes well and I will be approved for surgery because I am sick of my body deteriorating. I am running into problems with my liver and kidney functions. Hopefully, my diabetes improves b/c I am on insulin and medication. I do have one question, if anybody can answer...how do you take your meds and vitamins if your pouch becomes so small? how do you take them with eating and water? Thank you in advance.
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Sounds familiar.

Lots of good posts here for you.

Lets see, I have T2 diabetes, high cholesterol but controlled, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, etc., etc.,

Here is where I am at 4 months post op.

Medical/Physical Maladies that have been resolved to date

• Diabetes resolved – off all meds, avg reading 110
• BP normal again – I am still taking bystolic 5mg. Resting pulse is around 60 and BP near or below 120/80. Without the bystolic my resting pulse is still in the 60s. However, my BP goes up to the high 130s/high 80s.
• Sleep Apnea resolved – I am not snoring nor do I believe I am stopping breathing. I will confirm this later this year. The air pressure from the CPAP machine was making me very uncomfortable; lots of burping
• Legs no longer swollen
• Waist size has shrunk – Wearing size 44 pants comfortably and just made it into 42 pants.
• Feet are smaller – I was able to put a pair of dress shoes on that I haven’t been able to wear.
• I stay under 1200 calories a day. Most days around 1000 calories.
• I have a lot more energy
• I can dance, dance and dance
• I can walk up neighborhood hills aggressively without having to stop; no longer breathless.
• My incontinence due to my prostatectomy has been resolved.
• I am able to sleep in my bed again. I had been sleeping In an upright chair to be comfortable.
• Dramatically reduced backaches; almost completely gone.
• I can bend over and tie my shoes now!
• I can see my toes again 
• I can do dance steps again that I couldn’t do. The belly is gone!
• Now wearing size 42 slacks comfortably and looking forward to size 40 slacks. Just got into 40s but they are snug.
• Starting to sleep on my side again! This has happened in years!
• Intimacy much improved !!! 
• Fit in to a small diner booth !
• I can run up and down stairs several times without becoming breathless

So there you go.

I love bragging about my accomplishments. What is important is you will achieve a similar set of accomplishments by following this new way of life.

Welcome, we will be here to help you through your journey.

I have a min-poodle and a min-schnauzer! So there a dog love too. Wow.

You diabetes will be controlled. It doesn't go away. It is controlled and without meds.

Your sleep apnea will be resolved. Your high blood pressure will come down without meds or greatly reduced meds.

All of your health measures will improve dramatically.

Some will say to you this is taking the easy way out! Bull S..T.

We need this to get where we need to be. It is a tool.

You will enjoy a honeymoon period of a year to a year and a half and then the real work starts; maintaining the new you and holding on to a better and healthier eating/exercising routine that should be habit after a year or so of working the program.

Ralph
 
mama0297 said:
I am in the beginning stages, I have an orientation to go to on April 15th. I hope all goes well for me and for all on this journey! Just to fill in a few blanks about me... I have diabetes II, asthma, high cholesterol (especially triglycerides), high blood pressure, I am going for a sleep study and stress test also. I have 3 children ages 16, 11, and 7. I also have 2 St. Bernards. I am hoping that all goes well and I will be approved for surgery because I am sick of my body deteriorating. I am running into problems with my liver and kidney functions. Hopefully, my diabetes improves b/c I am on insulin and medication. I do have one question, if anybody can answer...how do you take your meds and vitamins if your pouch becomes so small? how do you take them with eating and water? Thank you in advance.
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Marilyn, I take most of my meds in the morning, although I am no longer on BP or cholesterol meds, so that's 4 gone. I take them slowly. Take one with water, feed the dog. Take another one, fix my lunch. You get the idea. I'm just taking them in between my regular routine and letting them dissolve before taking another one. I take my breakfast with me to work so that I have the required "no liquids before eating". I buy bariatric vitamins and take 6 per day, although in the beginning I used the powdered form. I still use the powdered form for 3 of them, although I haven't decided if I'll continue that once the canister is empty. In the beginning it may take you several hours to get all your meds down, but you have to look at it as a job--something that you have to do every day. It gets easier.
 
Wow, you all are very full of info. Thank you! I guess I am just nervous. I can't say it enough...thank you! I see there are some dog lovers too... that is fantastic! I will post as often as possible about my way into this "journey". Oh and Ralph, you mentioned the honeymoon phase and after its over, that is the actual hard part, boy oh boy that makes me nervous too. I plan on adopting a new lifestyle and plan for it to be permanent, I can only imagine it's easier said than done. I just want to live longer and healthier!
 
mama0297 said:
Wow, you all are very full of info. Thank you! I guess I am just nervous. I can't say it enough...thank you! I see there are some dog lovers too... that is fantastic! I will post as often as possible about my way into this "journey". Oh and Ralph, you mentioned the honeymoon phase and after its over, that is the actual hard part, boy oh boy that makes me nervous too. I plan on adopting a new lifestyle and plan for it to be permanent, I can only imagine it's easier said than done. I just want to live longer and healthier!
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It is good to be nervous.

This is still work for all of us.

That is why we must be diligent with journaling our foods. We have to make sure we don't go back to the old habits.

Yes, there are people who lost it all using bariatric surgery and then regained it all.

Why? They didn't change their lifestyle and eating habits. They went back to junk foods, excessive eating, etc., etc., etc.

I suspect once I reach my maintenance weight sometime later this year, end of year I will be somewhere between 180-200.

I will have been working out for months by then. So I will be rebuilding and toning my muscle mass which as you know is our calorie burner.

I probably will be able to tolerate 1500 calories per day and still keep my protein at 80 to 90 grams a day while keeping my carbs around 100 maybe 150 a day; we will see.

However, if I go back to caloric intake of 2500 or even just 2000, I know I will gain weight unless of course there is plenty of exercise.

The best thing for me to do is maintain my regimen of journaling, yes I have treats, but limited quantities and continue to exercise.

If I drop all these new habits, I will head right back up the scale.

So yes be nervous. This requires a big change on your part both mentally and physically.

But guess what that is why we are all here. That is why your surgical team also has a nutritionist and a psychologist. Use these resources to help keep you on the straight and narrow path to success.

Make sure you also join a local bariatric support group. You should be attending a local group already.

We are here to help and cheer you on, answer any and all questions.

As I say many time, the only stupid question is the one that isn't asked.

Best wishes,

Ralph
 
good morning, hi Cheyenne thanks for the good advice about talking to my insurance. I just started this month and it already seems like I been knowing all of you for years. it' good to know there are other great people who can share similar experiences with on a daily basis. thanks.
 
Marilyn guess what? im nervous too, but we are in this together ok. I have not got my surgery day yet, but I feel like its tomorrow. lol ! but being nervous is ok but we can get through it together my friend.:)
 
mama0297 said:
Thank you both for your response and for welcoming me. I am just worried that I will still need to take my antidepressant, which is extended release. I was wondering how I will take my meds in the beginning without getting too full...does that make sense? Along with vitamins, I am worried my pouch will not have enough room for eating as well. I probably will have to go over that with the physician, just wondering how others do it....thank you again!
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I'm on Effexor XR, so before my surgery the doctor told me to check with the pharmacist to see if I could break open the capsule. She looked into it and said while it is not recommended to open the capsule for extended release medicine, that if I took the entire contents in one mouthful it would be OK. So I mixed the insides with a small amount of applesauce and consumed it right away in one spoonful. As I recall, it was just a week or two before I could swallow the capsule without breaking it open.
 
Wow, Karenina, you hit the nail on the head with that answer!!!! I am on that, along with others, but that is the exact one I was concerned with! You probably know...you CAN NOT be off that med!! That is a major no no! I am so glad to hear that, I have heard people open them and count the little "balls" to wean themselves off of it, but that's another topic. Like your pharmacist said taking it at one time should not be a problem, btw how did you do that week or two taking them that way? Ericca Johson, you and I are about the same weight too! Did you already start/been through an orientation? Just wondering....you seem to be where I am with this and I have a few questions for you, if you don't mind of course!
 
mama0297 said:
Wow, Karenina, you hit the nail on the head with that answer!!!! I am on that, along with others, but that is the exact one I was concerned with! You probably know...you CAN NOT be off that med!! That is a major no no! I am so glad to hear that, I have heard people open them and count the little "balls" to wean themselves off of it, but that's another topic. Like your pharmacist said taking it at one time should not be a problem, btw how did you do that week or two taking them that way? Ericca Johson, you and I are about the same weight too! Did you already start/been through an orientation? Just wondering....you seem to be where I am with this and I have a few questions for you, if you don't mind of course!
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I assume you mean how did I feel when I was taking the opened capsules? I couldn't tell any difference in my mood or anything.
 
Hi Marilyn,
This will be a very good thing for your health! I still have to take my anti-depressant and my thyroid meds. But, I am off of my BP meds and some others. I made sure to discuss it with my surgeon & regular doc. We got all things switched over to tables from capsules so that I could break them in half and take each bit very slowly at first. I am 4 and a half months out now, and it is lots easier, all things take time. Don't worry. Your surgeon, nutritionist and your own body will certainly take you through each step. God bless you on your journey and you will find such peace because you are doing proactive, amazing things to be healthy and make sure you are around for hose little ones! ♥ T.
 
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