Bryn Dawson

I'm a long way out from even getting a surgery date, but I know that VSG is going to affect the medicine I take for my bipolar as well as the Vitamins and such. Does anybody have any experience with HOW this will actually change? Like, will I be taking a higher dose to compensate for less time in the stomach, or a lower dose because body weight for absorption will be going down? Currently I take 120mg Cymbalta (AM), 5mg Abilify (AM), Multivitamin (AM), 500mg Depakote ER (PM), 20mg Omeprazole (PM) and either 3 or 6mg melatonin to help me sleep. I suppose I can ask my psych this when I have my psych eval but I was wondering if any of you folks have experience with it too? I'm worried about the rollercoaster ride of depression and hypomania and would like to have an idea of what might be in store.

Hi All, No, I'm not dead. Yes, my ticker is accurate. Here's the skinny: 1) I am a slow loser at approximately 1-2 pounds a week, stalling every 3rd or 4th week for 1-2 weeks per stall. But that's okay, because 2) The scale and the inches are still going down! I started in a size 32 and am now in an 18/20. I started in a 50G bra size and am now a 42F (the girls will always be big, no matter how saggy they get, lol.) 3) I am 5 pounds over my halfway-point in my weight loss! I am eating well, living well, being healthy and happy and knowing that life will continue that way for the forseeable future. I am pain free in the lower-back, knees and ankles for the first time in years. My doctors are all surprised at how I look and when I went for a little pampering this weekend to get a pedicure for the first time in over a year, the ladies at the spa didn't recognize me. I attribute my new awesome job to the surgery. I finally dug up enough confidence to go out and look for something new, and got it. So now life is even better than it was before because I'm not stuck at AwfulJob anymore. Life is good. I'm so happy I can say that. Hugs to all, Bryn

1. Having the counter lady at 7-11, who recognizes me because I used to smoke, ask me where I have been for the last few months (since I quit smoking in March) and ask if I was losing weight, then tell me I look 'great'. 2. Having a snarky co-worker who usually doesn't compliment anyone tell me I am looking 'really good'. (Knows I had surgery.) 3. Taking 65lbs of freshly washed size 3x and 4x clothes to goodwill. Those sizes are done forever! I feel like a million bucks, and I'm only 60 lbs down. Another 90 to goal. I can't imagine what that might be like. But I'm determined to get there!

My hair loss started around the 2.5 month mark and is still going pretty strong. I have focused on making sure my protein is up almost to the exclusion of everything else - even carbs are not as important as that all-singing all-dancing protein. I *think* the loss is slowing down some because of that. I don't take any biotin supplements or anything, just a multivitamin and calcium. I'm hoping the loss will slow down/stop within the next few months. I've always had very thick hair and it's sort of sad to see so much of it coming out.

This is going to be random. Consider yourselves warned. 1. My scale is the most capricious creature in my household, and that includes my cat. I only weigh in once a week and I have to weigh twice or three times and take the median measurement. (My bathroom floor is made up of 1" tiles and if the feet of the scale are in a grout-groove I can kiss a decent weight measurement goodbye.) Tooooooooootal pain in the patootie! 2. hair loss sucks, even when you have hair as thick as mine. I don't have bald spots, but my hair is now frizzy instead of curly and running my fingers through it yields a small fistful every. single. time. And let's not even talk about how much comes out in the shower. 3. Portion size makes NO sense, varying from day to day and meal to meal. Dense Protein is probably about 2/3 cup or less, more if it's ground meat or mixed with Beans or something. 4. I never thought I would say this, but I miss vegetables. I have a hard time getting in all my protein, so I hardly ever have room for them. Some sauteed broccoli and soy sauce would make me a happy girl right now. 5. Protein meal-replacement bars are my friends. 10 grams in a candy-bar sized portion. If only they didn't average out to a buck and change each! 6. Being between sizes in clothing is annoying and needs to quit it. I seem to pause in-between sizes. 7. All complaining aside, I am glad I had the surgery. I haven't weighed this little in 4 years and it's still dropping. I am not the fastest loser but I remind myself that it is not a contest and that I will get to where I need to be with a little faith and a little effort. I love my sleeve!

I was allowed to keep silicone earskins in for my stretched lobes, but not acrylic barbells in my nipple piercings. So I think it depends on the surgical team and the jewelry. Good luck.

I'm backwards from the way I was pre surgery - pre surgery, my stomach would growl when it was empty and ache when it was too full. Now my stomach aches when it's empty and growls when it's full. It's actually kind of funny in a twisted sort of way. You may, actually, be hungry. Especially if you're still on liquids. I was. I still get 'hungry' now that I am 2 months out, but it is a much different feeling than it used to be - just a shadow of what it used to be like to be hungry. I love that it no longer rules my life.

I had to go to my local radiology office today to get an x-ray. Of course, I went to the same office where I had my pre-op chest x-ray and ct-scans and all my other pre-op radiology stuff. This radiology office is conveniently right across from my WLS surgeon's office, so they are familiar with us 'green binder people' (my surgeon's office and NUT give us all our pre-op info and RXs in a green 3 ring binder, which ends up getting carried to all kinds of appointments during our pre-op period.) It was the same office staff lady and the same x-ray tech lady as the previous times I have been there, both of whom know I am in the WLS program. BOTH of them noticed how much smaller I am looking and BOTH of them commented on it, saying that I am 'doing great' and how 'awesome' I am looking. Neither of them knew my surgery date, so the proof is in the pudding that my appearance has, indeed, changed since surgery. My roommate and husbeast have been telling me that my appearance has changed, as have my co-workers and employees. But for some reason it almost seems to mean more when relative strangers notice and comment. It's nice for it to be noticed! I've been smiling all morning!

The hair loss has officially begun. Ugh. Luckily I have VERY thick hair and can spare some. So, do any of you long-term folks know how long I can expect this to go on? Does it keep happening throughout the weight loss period, or does it stop after a little while? Just curious. I knew it was going to happen so it's not a shock, thankfully. I just want to try and gauge the duration. Thanks for any help y'all can provide!

It all depends on several things: what your Protein requirements are from your surgeon, how many carbs you can have, how well you tolerate the protein powders, what you're mixing them with, etc. For me, I have a picky tongue. I can't do a lot of protein powders or drinks because they taste too sweet or too weird. Isopure is disgusting to me, but some people really like it. Generally speaking, you want higher protein and lower carb. I use unjury chocolate Splendor, which is 20 grams of protein to each powder scoop, and 4 or 5 grams of carbs (can't remember which.) I mix it with 16oz of skim milk for a total of 36 grams protein. Then again, I am not counting carbs very harshly right now and allow myself between 30 and 70 per day. If your carb restriction is lower, you may need something that mixes with Water instead of milk, or to use almond or soy milk instead. There are a LOT of choices out there. You can get lots of samples through www.vitalady.com to try and see what you like and what you don't. Good luck!

Congrats, Meggiep! That's terrific! I'm sure it feels wonderful!

1) Click on your ticker. It will open to a new web page. 2) Enter your pin. 3) Click 'Edit/Update Weight Data'. 4) Change whatever data you like. 5) Click 'Next' down at the bottom. You're done!

The starving happened to me too when I was on liquids. It did go away for me when I got to purees and then solids. Just so you know that it probably won't be forever.

I have had this happen off and on since making it onto mushy and then solid foods. It seems to happen more with denser food to me. I have no idea what it is, but it does pass soon for me - I only feel bad for about 10 minutes, and it's not every meal I eat. Good luck. You're not alone.

Okay, so here's what's going on: I can't take my chewables. Neither the Multivitamin nor the Calcium citrate. They are so so so chalky and disgusting and they make me sick, literally - I become nauseated and I start retching. I'm not supposed to take 'big' pills until 2 months out. I'm only 1 month out right now. I am ahead of the curve on eating ie I don't have discomfort with dense solid Proteins unless I eat too fast or take bites that are too big. My sleeve is not as restrictive as most - I can get in more than 'normal', say maybe 1/2 cup to 1 cup depending on whether it is soft food or not. I DON'T eat to capacity unless I make a mistake and miss my 'full' signal. I want to start taking pill-form Multivitamins and calcium, because right now I am not taking either due to them making me nauseous. Which is worse - taking pills early, or taking no supplements?

I had similar problems with chewables but not with pills so I don't have as much of this experience as you do. However, I know that Bariatric Advantage makes a multivitamin crystal that you mix into a drink, maybe that would help? Sorry you're still having nausea with this. It's no fun, that part I know from experience with liquid pain meds.

I had a very similar experience - I lost all the Water weight from the IV fluids and then lost another 5 lbs in a week, and then stopped dead. Then I waffled up and down on the scale for 2 weeks. It was sort of frustrating, but BOY DID I LOSE INCHES DURING THAT TIME! Holy crow. I went down a whole size in a week! Frankly, I care less about what the scale says than what my clothes say. I just shrug and assume this is how I am going to lose. I refuse to get all worked up about it. I figure, I've been overweight since I was 7 and obese since I was 22 and morbidly obese since I was 26... what's a little longer now that the scale is coming DOWN (however slowly) instead of going UP? I know it's hard. But it will happen, don't worry. Your body is just going to lose on it's own schedule instead of yours. *hugs*

Congrats on making it to surgery and through to join us on the loser's bench! Thanks for updating us!

I mix 2 doses of Benefiber into my morning Protein shake and have no issues - then again I never had issues before surgery so it may be that also. Haven't had to try Miralax or MOM. Benefiber seems to be completely tasteless here but I am mixing it with Protein powder, coffee and milk so that may be why. Good luck. I hope you find relief soon.

I am currently on the very beginning of solid foods, supplementing with soft solids and 1 Protein shake a day. I know that I am meeting my protein goals. I started feeling better around the beginning to middle of week 3. Since then I have really begun focusing on getting all my fluids in and have been feeling better and better, so I guess there IS a correlation and I just didn't realize it.

I have a slightly different story than most here - for the first 2.5 weeks I was EXHAUSTED with fatigue at work and at home. I called my surgeon's office and was told that it was normal. I also got that feedback here. So some of it may not have to do with carbs or liquids, but just normal recovery from surgery.

Step 1: Breathe. Step 2: Repeat. You will do fine! It is completely normal to feel as you do, especially after scaring yourself silly with a complication story right before surgery. We are human, after all, and subject to emotions. But remember all the things that made you want this surgery to begin with? They are still there, being just as good reasons as they were before. I think the fact that this is 'elective' surgery causes us to get scared more than usual. Because we could opt not to have it, we compound the fear with guilt and shame, neither of which is appropriate. We all know that we have tried again and again to take the weight off permanently without surgery, and that those attempts have failed for whatever reason. It is no shame to ask for the help you need - surgery is that help. And it will help you to be there for your kids for a long time, involved in their lives and living to the fullest instead of trapped by being overweight and by whatever co-morbidities you WOULD eventually have developed that you are now avoiding entirely. Good for you! Repeat steps 1 and 2 about now. This too shall pass, hon. You'll be on the other side soon and feeling much, much better. You can do it.