My name is Loretta, I am in the first stages of having the RNY done. I go to my initial appt with the surgeon tomorrow morning and will then have a better idea of when I may be able to have the surgery. I was told by someone that ms medicare requires a 3 month supervised diet. I am hoping they were wrong! I am 37 yrs old and weigh 440 lbs on a 6'2 frame. I have never been normal sized, I weighed 13 lbs and 13 oz at birth!! I also have lupus, osteoarthritis, DDD, and foot drop. I am scared that if I don't do something I am going to end up in a wheelchair. My mom had a form of the surgery over 20 years ago and my sister had it 18 yrs ago. both of them have regained most of the weight, but I watched them over the years and neither of them changed any of their habits. they still fixed full size plates and got angry when they couldn't finish them. I think I have learned a lot from watching them and I think I am ready for this. I am excited but also very scared. any advice would be welcome. especially about what I can do for exercise because walking, sit-ups, toe touches all are out of the question for me. also what to expect after surgery and what the post surgery diet is like. thanks for reading!!
new here from Mississippi
- Thread starter rettak8
- Start date
Pat99
Member
Rettak-I am also pre-surgery for RNY. Don’t get discouraged if you end up having to go on a 3 month supervised diet. By the time you finish having all of your pre-surgery testing done it will be at least 2 months. We all go through the testing. Your surgeon will give you a list of the prerequisites at your first visit. You will also set up an appointment to see a bariatric dietitian who will go over the post surgery diet. Your surgeon and dietitian will be there for you after surgery as well so don’t ever worry about being on your own.
Start writing down all of your questions and take a list with you to your first visit. Also write down any questions that come up after your first visit so you can have them addressed on subsequent visits. You will have lots and lots of questions so don’t do yourself an injustice by not writing them down.
Also come back to this forum to keep us posted and to offer advice as you progress on this wonderful journey of weight loss!
Start writing down all of your questions and take a list with you to your first visit. Also write down any questions that come up after your first visit so you can have them addressed on subsequent visits. You will have lots and lots of questions so don’t do yourself an injustice by not writing them down.
Also come back to this forum to keep us posted and to offer advice as you progress on this wonderful journey of weight loss!
Letrell
Member
Welcome to the group, rettak!!!! I am so proud of you for taking this step. Someone I'm sure is going to lay into me for what I'm about to say, but I'm being totally honest and well..it worked for me...
I was 319 when I started all this. I couldn't walk well...it hurt. I was too embarrassed to put on a swim suit so I sure as heck wasn't going to swim. The gym was out...so what did I do til I lost enough weight? Absolutely NOTHING. Don't fret over the exercise just yet. You will need it. If you want to, do things like leg lifts, arm circles, lift hand weights, etc. Do something light that you can successfully do. Don't beat yourself over it. You will lose enough weight in a short time that will enable you to become mobile.
It took me 8 months to reach the point where I could have surgery. My big problem was diabetes. My A1C was so high, they would not do surgery. I was high risk and the surgeon flat out said..nope. I finally reached my goal with diet and daily meds. It works. Just listen to your surgeon and your dietician. You'll get there!!!
I look forward to hearing how things are going with you. Please keep us posted.
http://wlschallenge.blogspot.com
I was 319 when I started all this. I couldn't walk well...it hurt. I was too embarrassed to put on a swim suit so I sure as heck wasn't going to swim. The gym was out...so what did I do til I lost enough weight? Absolutely NOTHING. Don't fret over the exercise just yet. You will need it. If you want to, do things like leg lifts, arm circles, lift hand weights, etc. Do something light that you can successfully do. Don't beat yourself over it. You will lose enough weight in a short time that will enable you to become mobile.
It took me 8 months to reach the point where I could have surgery. My big problem was diabetes. My A1C was so high, they would not do surgery. I was high risk and the surgeon flat out said..nope. I finally reached my goal with diet and daily meds. It works. Just listen to your surgeon and your dietician. You'll get there!!!
I look forward to hearing how things are going with you. Please keep us posted.
http://wlschallenge.blogspot.com
I met with the surgeon for the first time this morning. I have to be off cigarettes for 2 months so that puts me the end of february. He wants me to lose 45-50 pounds before he will do the surgery. Iam really scared about that. if I could lose weight I wouldn't need the surgery. and especially trying to lose weight while quitting smoking, because when I don't smoke I want to eat. could really use some advice!!!
Letrell
Member
Oh hon, I am so sorry. What a boat-load of stress to be layed at your feet!!! I can't relate to the smoking but the losing some weight, we all can relate to that. Just do your best, Loretta. Try as best you can. It's only 10% of your weight. That's really, really not so bad. They wanted me to lose some 20%. I was freaking out and cried as I left the surgeon's office. Like you, my thought was if I could lose the weight, I wouldn't need the surgery.
It was explained to me a few reasons for the weight loss...1. to get you started mentally....to put you in the right frame of mind for losing and 2. to see how much you are willing to put into the process.
Hon, give it all you can. It's only for 8 weeks. We can do anything for 8 weeks. Then, it's over. Surgery follows and you are on the way! There is an end to this. ... a light at the end of the tunnel. And just think, Loretta....you will never again be this size!!!! It's almost over.
Hang in there. Be strong. And ask the doc for something to help you with quitting smoking!!!!!! LOL
Take care, hon. have a wonderful Christmas.
It was explained to me a few reasons for the weight loss...1. to get you started mentally....to put you in the right frame of mind for losing and 2. to see how much you are willing to put into the process.
Hon, give it all you can. It's only for 8 weeks. We can do anything for 8 weeks. Then, it's over. Surgery follows and you are on the way! There is an end to this. ... a light at the end of the tunnel. And just think, Loretta....you will never again be this size!!!! It's almost over.
Hang in there. Be strong. And ask the doc for something to help you with quitting smoking!!!!!! LOL
Take care, hon. have a wonderful Christmas.
thanks letrell. I also cried leaving the surgeons. It all just seems overwhelming. I can do this though, I have noother choice! I have an appt with my regular doc in a few hours and am going to see about a mild nerve pill to help with the smoking. I am just going to get through the weekend trying not to absolutely stuff myself and then start atkin's on monday morning. thanks for the encouragement! It means more than you know! Merry Christmas!
Letrell
Member
Here's a thought, Loretta...just a thought. I'm no doctor, not a nutritionist...just someone who has battled weight most of my life. Adkins...as good a diet as it is, it's a fad diet, like just about all the others. Why put yourself through that. At your weight, you are eating a lot. Why not just cut back a bit. Figure out how many calories/fat, etc you are consuming and cut it back 25%. If you have 3,000 calories a day, okay...have 2,300 or 2,500. Do that for a week. If it goes well, do it for another week. The weight has to come off...it's science.
You have to consume a certain number of calories to maintain your size...if you don't, you lose. Unless there is something physically wrong with you, the weight will drop.
Certainly it has to be better for you and easier to do than cutting out all the carbs. You'll go nutters going cold-turkey on carbs!!! I tried Adkins once. It did work and every day I was craving carbs in the worst way until the day came when I went nuts and just shoveled the carbs into my mouth. I had to have them.
Just a thought.
I wish you a very merry Christmas and pray it goes well for you
You have to consume a certain number of calories to maintain your size...if you don't, you lose. Unless there is something physically wrong with you, the weight will drop.
Certainly it has to be better for you and easier to do than cutting out all the carbs. You'll go nutters going cold-turkey on carbs!!! I tried Adkins once. It did work and every day I was craving carbs in the worst way until the day came when I went nuts and just shoveled the carbs into my mouth. I had to have them.
Just a thought.
I wish you a very merry Christmas and pray it goes well for you
Rettak,
When I went to the dr for the 1st time he told me the same thing I had to lose 60 lbs before his insurance would allow him to do surgery. My BMI had to be under 60. He told me to go on Dr.Atkins because it was low carb and that is how I would be eating the rest of my life anyway. It is the easyest diet I ever did. I went to Atkins.com and signed up and ordered the free starter kit. Started on the induction phase. i pretty much stayed on this phase the entire time so I could lose my weight. It took me 7 months and I lost 72 lbs before my surgery. My bp decreased, cut my medicine in half and my arthritis is 99% better. I had to see my PCP and a nutrionist for 3 months. The dr said my liver had shrunk and my surgery was very easy to do. Don't be afraid of this diet you will lose the weight and be much healthier for your surgery.
When I went to the dr for the 1st time he told me the same thing I had to lose 60 lbs before his insurance would allow him to do surgery. My BMI had to be under 60. He told me to go on Dr.Atkins because it was low carb and that is how I would be eating the rest of my life anyway. It is the easyest diet I ever did. I went to Atkins.com and signed up and ordered the free starter kit. Started on the induction phase. i pretty much stayed on this phase the entire time so I could lose my weight. It took me 7 months and I lost 72 lbs before my surgery. My bp decreased, cut my medicine in half and my arthritis is 99% better. I had to see my PCP and a nutrionist for 3 months. The dr said my liver had shrunk and my surgery was very easy to do. Don't be afraid of this diet you will lose the weight and be much healthier for your surgery.