mi75

I'm a fan of Jason Fung too, I maintain nutritional ketosis and have for a little over a year now. I used this option to lost 40 lbs of regain. Seriously, I started drinking regular pop and grazing and before I knew it the weight was coming back on FAST. I still have 20 remaining pounds (all right in my middle) to lose before my plastics. I'm aiming for plastics work early next summer. I've also added exercise to my regimen and hoping to see good results in the next 6 months

I checked in last year and need to go again in the next few months. I'm hoping to lose my very final 20 lbs before I actually make the appointment so my surgeon will refer me for all the plastics work I need. My family doc does all my bloodwork but I'm seriously proud to say that never in 4.5 years have I ever been deficient on anything other than low iron about 1 year post op!!!

At the end of the day, we are ALL different. That's what makes us all so great. Everybody, think of when you were pre-op...what was working great for your friend/cousin/co-worker/neighbor just didn't work for you, right? Thus, part of the reason that most of us ended up in the surgical suite. Here we are again, going around the same argument. What works for one post-op doesn't necessarily work for us all. I WISH I could eat carbs. Boy, do I truly wish I could sit down with some awesome carby thing and love on it, but my body absolutely does not tolerate any form of sugar and almost no carbs now. At 5 years post op I've had to revamp my diet multiple times and am finally in a spot where I feel as good as I can, but I maintain nutritional ketosis. That works for ME. It might not work for you, nor would you want to do it! Additionally, everyone here has different surgeons and different surgical teams who recommend very different maintenance diets to live on. I'm going to just remind everyone that we have all been on the receiving end of eye-rolling, someone somewhere who thought we were 'crazy' for having bariatric surgery, people who thought we didn't have will power or that we were weak. We all remember what that felt like. Please let's not now bring all this negativity to the forums.

Vets- I have been following Keto for about 9 months, lost about 48 lbs. Feeling good. I hate the word 'diet' but want your opinions: I'm thinking about changing it up and going completely back to a post-bariatric type eating- low carb and higher protein. I've been tweaking my diet a bit but don't want to screw myself up. I have 10 lbs that I need to lose before some medical testing in about 4 weeks and wondering if going back to low carb/high protein vs Keto would be more successful (by successful I purely mean burn off some fat)?? thoughts?

So....question- I am 4 yrs post op. I have always had very large 'assets' and because my mom never helped me get fitted for the right bra at the age of 10-11 when they most needed it, I've always had a serious droop (like totally southward). Now that I'm almost to my ultimate goal, i'm looking sad and deflated, albeit still small C size. I would love to have a serious reduction and lift, essentially to get to a small B. I know, most women would want a lift with implant, but I prefer a smaller size. Any ideas how this will be an option, and anyone here had something similar?

Barrett's is now clear- no further positive biopsies in 4 years. GERD was mostly gone within 4 months post op, but I had regain and it flared. Now that I've lost my regain it actually persists but turns out from a recent EGD that I have a pretty huge hiatal hernia too, doc feels like if the GERD doesn't clear up by the 6 month mark, she will do a fundo to fix it.

Well, just concern yourself with your goals, smile and nod, let him do the surgery and move on. You'll only have to see him in regular follow up for a while. If his surgical skills are spot on, don't worry about his bedside personality. Keep doing what works for YOU, and if that includes building big ripped muscles, then go for it!! I personally would LOVE to be ripped, my ultimate 'mid life' goal is to try and enter the world of clean body building after my plastics are done and I'm at goal (yup, i'm 4 yrs out now but it's a long story)… best of luck

Nice to see everyone's response here. It has been 4 years for me, but since I never reached my ultimate goal weight, I continue to fight the good fight. I finally got myself on track where I should have been way back then, and am very close to my goal. Once I'm past that point and have my plastics, I guess I'll feel more like my bariatric journey is complete. Until then, I'll continue to be a regular here and check in daily!

Sounds maybe like a possible stricture causing GERD and you might need that looked at. Stricture causes delayed emptying of food into the stomach and can cause reflux of it backward, or reflux of stomach acid. I've had esophageal stricture for about 15 years, I get bi-annual EGD with dilation of the stricture. Surgery helped some but mine is still there...

WHOOP WHOOP!!! 4 years post op, I am finally getting the scale to move again and my regain is officially gone. I was doing some Keto type eating, but now I'm trying to cut back the fat so it's more like a 'bariatric' type eating, just a low carb, high protein thing. I had been losing nicely for a long time then the scale completely stopped. What I THINK was happening is that my body had adjusted to ketosis and I was probably taking in a little too much dietary fat so I wasn't burning my own fat. Now that I've tweaked it my regain has dropped off and I'm back 'on the move'!!!! Hoping for a good 7-10 lb loss over the next month before I have some medical testing

Well let me chime in here- I am 4 years post op!!!! I had pretty significant GERD way BEFORE my surgery, and in fact it was a huge mitigating factor in my surgery. my surgeon told me that the reduction we both expected in weight would easily eliminate my GERD, so either surgery was an option. I chose VSG in 2014. I lost about 70 lbs total and felt great. I took the occasional PPI for the first 4-6 months during that huge weight loss. Then...well about 2 years post op I regained a lot of my weight and GERD returned. I went back on a PPI. last fall I made an appointment with my surgeon who said that I REALLY had to lose all of the regain, and that if the GERD didn't resolve, I would probably face a revision. Around the same time I had an EGD and got some ugly news from my GI doc. That sparked a huge drive in me, I went full on Keto and have re-lost all of my regain!!! BUT...my GERD is still present and not getting any better. I know that I DO have a sliding hiatal hernia that may be reacting to the fat in Keto, so I just keep pushing and hope that by the time I see my GI doc in fall, it will be gone.. So yes, reflux after surgery can be and IS a real issue. for me, I honestly wish I would have just had the bypass 4 years ago, because I STILL face that option, even 4 years out!! EDITED TO ADD: I was formally diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus in 2012 but thankfully, no other positive screens since that year.

I'm 4.5 years out, so my reply is probably much different. Immediately post op, yes the lip balm and slippers are important, but for ME the one thing that I couldn't do without immediately post op was my MOBILITY. As a RN, my biggest advice is this: as obese people, we are at in increased risk for DVTs and PEs. Get out of bed and MOVE as soon as they will let you. And wear the sequential boots that they put on you while in bed. But get up, get moving. I got out of bed 6 hours post op and my surgeon thought I was crazy, but I was scared to death of making it through the surgery only to have a fatal blood clot! And yes it's a real concern, there are plenty of vets here with stories of blood clots. Long term, the one thing I couldn't live without is the support of my family. Losing the weight initially is not a problem. The surgery does all the work. Any physical activity you do adds to the result, but the surgery is the worker for the first 12-18 months. After that, it's all on you and what you do-the surgery has done it's job at that point and hands the controls to you. The support of my family has kept me on track and when I fell off, their support got me back on track and losing again.

had regain too- 45 lbs!! lost all of it on strict Keto, but just now starting some HIIT using a jump box and fitness ropes at home. Hard stuff but hoping to see some serious body changes in the coming weeks. This is a lifetime battle for us- I laugh in people's faces when they remark about surgery being the 'easy way out'....

I think I actually have a similar thread somewhere here in the vet's forum. I'm 4 years out and have similar struggles. I fell off program, went through HUGE life changes and had regain. I floated around regain land, eating and drinking everything I wanted- after all, my sleeve controlled the AMOUNT I eat, right??- and finally woke up when I got ugly medical results last fall. YOU GOT THIS. For me, I went hard core Keto the next day and got my crud together. But you KNOW what to do. Go back to post op. Relearn WHAT to eat. Focus on water, protein, moving every day, etc. Dig out your old papers from your clinic or doc and reread them. I do that occasionally. Don't waste time looking at various diet sites, groups, etc. As bariatric patients we know that protein, food amounts, water, movement all work for us (I did the same, I even went to a new surgeon to inquire about revision but he told me I didn't need it). Consider finding a brand new support group. Even if you have to drive a little ways, going to a new group is SO much easier because you don't have to face people who knew you when you were losing and were post op. For me, people in my new group never knew me post op, so they only met me last year and by getting my crud together, I've lost about 45 lbs (all my regain) and am back on track to FINALLY get to my actual goal. YOU GOT THIS girl, hang in there !!!!!!!

I'm 4 years out also. In complete transparency, I fell off the wagon bad about 16 months out. I went through major life changes (moved, changed job, lost a parent, went back to grad school, graduated and went back AGAIN for a PhD, hubs changed jobs, etc.). Yes, major changes. When I fell off, it was very gradual and I hardly noticed it until I had regained almost 40 lbs and got some seriously sobering health news last fall. It kicked my butt into gear and I went strict Keto and have lost all of my regain and continue to lose even more. While I never even reached goal the first time around (I think that I had so much change during my honeymoon phase that I lost focus) I know that at this point I WILL get there and I plan to have my plastics done next year after I graduate for the FINAL time!!! For me, I don't count macros too closely, I just focus on protein, water intake, moving every day, good sleep hygiene, supplements and I TRY to manage my stress so cortisol doesn't go sky high (I get serious belly gain when my cortisol goes up, and I have it clinically monitored every few months). Yes I fell away, yes I regained, but YES I have figured it out and am making it happen. Even if I'm 4 years post op, I'm proof that it's never too late for anyone!!!

ABSOLUTELY!!! Yes, surgery was THE key for me. I had tried just about everything and had even priced out having my jaw wired shut! Sad but true. I am now 4 years post op, straight Keto and have been since I had some regain about 2 years out. I'm 4 years out but I fell off the wagon for about an entire year before I got my senses straight again (plus some depression, job change, move, back to grad school, loss of parent, etc). In my new job role, people only really knew me with most of my regain on me. So to them, since I went Keto I've lost TONS of weight. In reality, I really have only last all of my regain (45 lbs). But again to them, it's a lot. They all want to know my exact plan, and my exact workouts etc. I always preface by saying "I'm a bariatric patient...", but most dismiss that as minor detail.!!!!! What gets my goat the MOST though, is when they say to me "well don't you just wish you would have skipped the surgery and done keto instead"? really? The surgery saved my life, literally. And the science behind bariatrics confirms that I would have really never had a chance at successfully losing my weight on my own, keto or not.

I never reached my final destination of 'goal weight'. I am 4 years out and I too began slowly adding sugar/carbs back in to my diet about 2 years post op. I regained a lot of my weight and felt terrible. Last November I began Keto and have lost about 40 lbs on that- losing all of my regain except a few pounds. I'm a believer that sugar and carbs in general are not what our body needs. There have been many randomized controlled trials looking at the results between caloric deficit diets vs low carb diet and the low carb has better results, every time, hands down. Different approaches work for different folks, so find what works for you and stick to it. Good luck

Just wanted to chime in...I am 4 years out right now. I did great for the first 2 years, then had some regain. for the past 10 months I FOUGHT that regain. I searched online, I bought the 'reset' book, tried to print all sorts of meal plans, etc. I never was honest with myself to admit that my eating/drinking was completely out of control. Then last fall, I had some sobering medical news. One of the things that I initially had surgery to combat was reappearing. And, the doctor was moderately concerned. That was ALL it took. My brain kicked in, and I was on fire. I went strict Keto (doesn't work for everyone, but it works for me) and lost all of my regain (except about 7 lbs right now), losing about 50 lbs in 5 months. I have rejoined a gym. My medical thing has resolved. I have been tinkering with all of the LCHF info, intermittent fasting, and reading lots of randomized control trials about metabolic disease, insulin resistance, etc. I had to get out of my own head and just let auto pilot take over. I KNOW what to do. we all know what to do. For me, true Keto works great and I'm feeling good. Another 30 lbs and I will be at my TRUE goal and will pursue plastics. It TOTALLY is do-able, even this far out, to get control and get back on track.

I have made my own every week for a very long time. I do Keto/Primal and love it. It made a huge difference for me in avoiding 'keto flu' when I first got started.

True Keto is very high fat (like >70 grams), moderate carb (30-45 grams) and very low carb (<20) a day. I am 4 years out and have been Keto for a while. My surgeon and docs are all for it, I used this to conquer some regain and also to resolve a health issue. It is quite different from a 'bariatric' diet. I don't drink milk or eat yogurt anymore, I follow the rules of keto, I eat my macros calculated out for me. They change as my weight goes down. I also incorporate Intermittent Fasting which also has made a huge difference. I will probably eat this way forever. There are tons of resources out there, especially on youtube and there are substitutes for EVERYTHING, but I try to stick to a very basic food list.

True Keto is high fat, moderate protein, extreme low carb. I have been keto for quite a while. I do very traditional Keto and use calculated macros, which are calculated according to my weight/height/ etc. I started Keto when I was struggling with regain and got some not-so-good health updates that finally kicked me into action and got the ball rolling. I have done really well, losing 40 lbs almost effortlessly. I have lost all of my regain, but I'd like to go another 20 to get to my ultimate goal. Hopefully by the end of summer I'll be there. I also incorporate Intermittent Fasting into my regimen and do this when I feel like carb creep is getting to be an issue. It works wonders and has definitely helped with my loss. My doc is all for it, and very supportive of the whole thing.

I'm 4 years out and have always enjoyed the show for the most part. I enjoy watching the episodes where the people succeed and not so much the ones who are just taking advantage of this free surgery. I also always encourage people to go to YouTube and watch a British show called Fat Doctor. To me it's better than 600 lb life, and actually shows a lot of the surgical procedure. There used to be many more episodes, but there are still over a dozen quality episodes.

After 5 months of strict Keto I'm feeling good, have lost all but 7 lbs of regain and restored my overall health. However, at the appointment with my surgeon last fall, he told me if the GERD still persists after weight loss, my only option is revision to RNY. I'm feeling focused and still have another 4 months before I see him again, but I'm still taking a PPI twice a day. I've had an EGD which shows persistent reflux, however no Barrett's or significant scarring right now. I've had GERD almost my entire life due to the way I carry my weight, in fact I had an upper GI series as a baby from such severe reflux! I've been on a PPI for about 15 years and really want to get off of it related to the longterm risks with the drug class. I'm a nurse practitioner so I am very familiar with the research on the subject. I guess this all boils down to the fact that I'm probably still looking at a revision. I'll do what I have to for my total health but really hoping that I can get another 15-20 lbs off before I see him and the GERD is resolved.

I'm 4 years post VSG and also looking at a RNY revision. I had significant GERD all my life. With my surgery I lost about 90 lbs, regained 40. have lost the majority of that using Keto but still, the GERD remains. Surgeon says RNY revision will cure the GERD. I want off of meds, which I've been on for 15 years. I understand the decision to consider a revision. There are many vets who have revisions for various reasons.

I definitely need plastics, and have every intention of getting it done. It's not about vanity, it's really about comfort. I have skin everywhere and I deal with infections, skin breakdown, etc. I don't want to use shape wear because it makes me sweat, making the skin problems worse. I'm 4 years out from VSG and have persistent GERD so I'm actually looking at a RNY revision first, then once I get to final goal I'll look into plastics. Definitely breast reduction and tummy tuck, everything else I'm ok with.