Its exciting to get your surgery date! Angie is right with the above information. I would add chapstick. My lips were so dry and I was so greatful for it. I was just fine with stacking two pillows but some people need to have more support. A pillow to hold on your belly for the ride home may also help with bumbs and turns. Remember it gets better every day.
You may also feel free to add me.

Congrats on making one of the best decisions of your life (in my opinion). I would suggest you prepare as much ahead of time as you can, with regard to making sure you have tried the various protein shakes out there and picked a few you like. Premiere Protein pre-made are really good. I wish I had known about them in those first couple months. I had done the powder protein and the pre-made ones are so much better (again, in my opinion). Also plan to have some help the first few days with, as there can be some pain that makes it hard to get around. I had one incision that was really indented that made it very painful for me for nearly 4 weeks, but the minute that bad-boy popped I was pain-free.

Another great resource for me has been my Instagram family. There is a HUGE weight loss surgery community out there filled with the best of the best. Very supportive group of people. They have been a wonderful support for me.

Best of luck to you!!!

Take slippers or comfy shoes with room for your feet to swell from the fluids you're pumped full of to the hospital. I hated walking in the no skid hospital socks and was very grateful for my own slippers and a lightweight robe to wear over the gown before they pulled my IV while walking. Don't bother with a laptop or even a tablet- I was in for 3 nights due to severe nausea, and never pulled mine out. I just used my phone to facetime with my kids and occasionally respond to FB messages. Your job once they let you get up in the hospital will be to walk, sip, rest, repeat. I was really glad to have my own pillow and good lotion and lip balm- the hospital was SO dry.

Find a non straw water bottle that you love and buy a few of them- you will use them a LOT and for a very long time, so make the investment in ones you like and will actually use. Same with a food scale and consider an immersion blender to help mix your shakes and make purees while in the early stages.

Finally, take some good before pictures (clothed so you can share them) and have someone take your measurements. I did the pics, but wish I had my preop measurements to see how far I've come. Many times you lose inches while not losing weight, so it is good to do both. The surgery is an awesome tool, but you have to work at it still. Weight will not magically come off every day, and stalls will happen. There's a pretty notorious one 3-5 weeks post op that most people experience and panic that the surgery didn't work.

Hello and welcome Sam,

Congrats on your date! I am not sure if you will have a pre-restriction diet or not, but letting you know that the first couple of days on mine, I was miserable. By the third day, I was not sure I was going to do it. A few calls to my Rah-Rah committee (yes, I do have one, my wonderful friends) and it was better to get over the hump. I just kept my eye on the prize. I kept reminding myself that this is the final test to do, and if I can do this, I can do the rest.

So far, four months later, and my tool has been one of the best things that I have done for me. I work my program and my results have been what I have expected and more. As others have mentioned, I did not like the powder shakes either. I preferred the pre-made Premier. Now, I use them in my coffee as creamer since my coffee restriction was lifted. (YES!)

Best advice I can give, listen to your tummy. If you are drinking and/or eating something and you get a woah nellie feeling, LISTEN AND STOP!! You may think that can't be enough that your getting in, but trust me, that little tiny amount will be.

And, if you just need an ear, hit me up and I will be happy to chat away with you as well.

Tina<<---Bipolar type II here :-)

I was worried about how extreme my RBYGB procedure seemed when I first considered WLS, but 13 months post-op I can tell you it was a great decision for me and no real lifestyle impact (restrictions) other than good ones. Sure, I take vitamins everyday, but I no longer take perscriotion medicine for blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, or acid reflux. I can eat anything I choose, but I'm able to make better choices now. I'm in control.

Best of luck to you and welcome!