Leaderboard

Good for you and God Bless, you are an inspiration to me also and you didn't even know it. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

So are we all better now Kathy? I'm praying so you'll still be my bariatric god-aunt, my natural family's pretty well died out. I need you, Fluffy Chix, Creek Imp and Little Green to have my back, life has been pummeling me recently. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Goal weight is an artificial number. I think my surgeon told me that I could reach 190 pounds. I was happy with that. But in the end I dropped almost down to 140. As far as a goal, I would shoot for the high side of normal BMI. Normal BMI 18.5-24.9. So for your height of 5 foot 2 inch that would correspond to a goal weight of around 135 pounds. The reason why I would select that as a goal is because individuals on the high side of normal live the longest. It is important to keep a little fat in your body because when you have a very, very serious illness or accident, you need that reservoir of fat to keep you alive until your body recovers. It is O.K. to drop below that level for a little while to compensate for a small amount of weight gain as you progress in Maintenance phase.

I have eaten every 1.5-2 hours (now closer to 2 hours) apart all along this journey. So that has me eating 7-8 times a day. I just have specific macros that I stick to, and I only eat certain things (basically meat, eggs, cheese, and green vegetables). Eating in this kind of cycle has been both productive and sustainable. There is no issue with frequent eating if you set it up the right way.

Antibiotics are really bad to wipe out your gut microbiota, so there could be some merit to their playing a role. Try eating yogurt, probiotics, etc. You really should contact your doctor and discuss this ASAP.

I wasn’t required a pre-op diet either. Nothing to eat after 12 night of surgery and 12 oz of a carbonated drink the morning of.

Feel better!

Always keep track of your meals, even if it means you have to write it down. Make certain times for meals, drinks and vitamins and meds (if applicable). Hw-273 Sw-226 CW-134 GW-130 Size- 4 or 6, Small in sweats. Small in shirts. depends on how it's cut or made. Bra Size- 36C Surgery Date- April 26th, 2017 RNY "Only those who try will become" FFX

Don't beat yourself up. Obesity is a multi factorial disease. It is caused by many things. Eating habits, activity level, genetics, gut microbes, hormones and who knows what else. The medical community can't even tell us exactly why weight loss surgery works. We just know that it is the most effective treatment that we have at the moment. Everyone is different. Don't compare yourself with anyone else. I also believe that stress is a big contributor as it affects our hormones and our genes. I still see my bariatric nutritionist at 20 months out and have no plans to stop because we have to be diligent and do everything we can to fight this disease. If you have access to one, I would highly recommend doing that because you are right, there is so much misinformation and information that does not pertain to us out there. Time and time again I have found her information to be spot on. She reels me in back to nutrition and away from the confusion. Also, I have said it before and I still believe that if we get to a point where we feel like we are loosing control, reaching out for psychological help is a good thing. It can't hurt and I've seen many people who said they were so glad they did. You can do this.

Thank you. Yes, even though I’m going to a psych recommended by the surgeon, I know I will need to partner closely with my psych. I’ve asked each surgeon I’ve met with about the risks for BP patients and med absorption. The only one who took it at all seriously recommended the sleeve and said I would probably need to decrease dosages after losing weight. That said the literature I’ve seen suggests greater risks than that. I’d honestly rather be obese than have a relapse. It isn’t something I play with. I’m meeting with my private psych in a couple of weeks to discuss this in particular. She has seen me through some rough patches so I trust her. I just don’t think she understands obesity and weight loss terribly well. She seems to think diet, exercise and appetite suppressants will do the trick. Perhaps for some, but not for me. I track calories religiously, and I can only lose at 900-1000 and I gain at 1300. Appetite isn’t my issue. Anyway- could you tell me more about the challenges that you faced Post-surgery? thanks again.