Matt Z

The first 2 months were rough. The first 2 weeks were the worst for me, I didn't regret it, because I knew that I'd have some bizarre emotional attachments/hang ups/issues post op. Didn't make them suck any less, but they were expected. Things just kept getting better, as I was able to do more and more as the weight came off. Like a few days back, I ran. Like, RAN. I did 5 full minutes, non-stop at 5mph. I could have gone longer but I didn't stretch, because I didn't expect to be able to run like that... I couldn't stop the smile on my face as I was able to just keep running without foot, knee or back pain, without ending in huffing and puffing and all gross and sweaty, it was amazing. All the "issues" I face day to day, pale to how happy I am with how things have turned out. I'm not at my overall dream goal, but I'm back to what I was 20 years ago. I couldn't be happier with the results.

Did they give you an Incentive Spirometer? Are you using it hourly? It helps so much with those gas bubbles!

What are you "eating" ? This close to surgery typically folks are on purees only and 1 oz at a time at set intervals. I don't get a real full feeling anymore, I just lose interest in eating. Take your time and don't push things. You REALLY want to focus on healing before focusing on figuring out what your max capacity is.

The "Hair loss" is called Telogen Effluvium https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/effluviums#1 It's not really "Hair loss" it's just a larger % of your hair follicles going into rest at once, so when they reactivate they shed the hair they were holding and that gives the appearance of "hair loss". Fear is normal, NSAIDs are not the only pain relief out there, there are options. Pretty much everything you've listed is normal fears, and pretty much, all of those fears, you'll laugh at down the road. I was 370 at my largest. I'm 210 now, I have some extra saggy skin, but it's really not THAT bad and it's totally hidden under even decently tight clothing. Just remember, staying overweight *WILL* kill you. If something was to happen during your surgery, the best place for that to happen, is in a hospital. No one but you can tell you if what you are going to do is right for you. You have to make that call. Weigh out all the pros and cons, and make your decision based on that, no one is going to look down on you for making the best decision for your life that you can.

We always left our pups with family or friends. Not a fan of boarding kennels personally.

That's what everyone *SHOULD* be striving to hit. Current research shows that normal humans need between 90 and 110 oz of water a day, just to meet minimum requirements. If you exercise, that number goes up. If you are trying to lose weight, that number goes up. Fat is water soluble, and your body needs water to process and remove the fat, so if you don't get enough to cover your normal day to day requirements, fat loss *WILL* suffer! It's a goal not a rule though, shoot for 128oz a day, because it really REALLY does help out a lot of functions and processes within the body.

Take a moment at some point and see if you can figure out how fast fluids drain from your pouch/sleeve. Make sure you are totally empty and take a sip and wait to see if you can feel it, then increase the size of the sip and wait to see if you can feel it, you'll get to a point where you'll feel it sort of stick around. Once you get there, pay attention to how fast that feeling goes away. This way you can figure out how fast fluids drain, this helps because once you know how fast things drain, then you can drink more fluid, more often and know how much you can and cannot put in before it starts to back up. It's helped me greatly with getting in my upwards of 128oz of water.

I'm going to advise the opposite here, TALK ABOUT IT! Find out what her fears are, and the both of you research the reality over the perception, together. Be open with her about your fears, explain **ALL** the reasons why you want the surgery. Leave NOTHING unexposed. And make sure she understands that you are hearing her concerns, and that they mean a lot to you, and that you've weighed out the pros and cons and the pros outweigh the cons. ETC or something akin to that... Is she overweight as well by chance?

Avoid over packing. It's not a vacation LOL Dry mouth spray and lip balm was such an amazing thing to have post op when they don't let you drink anything! Bring a pillow, not just for the overnight if you have one, but for the ride home to put between you and the belt. Good luck and Congrats!

Ok, for the protein, look for proteins that have ONLY protein isolates, protein concentrates contain a lot more lactose than milk does, isolates have little to no lactose. Muscle atrophy takes weeks to months, it's possible what you are seeing is visceral fat loss making it appear as if it's atrophy. Speaking from personal experience on this one, my muscles appear to have gotten weaker with my weight loss, however that's just not the case, I'm stronger from working out, there is just less fat in and around my muscle making them *appear* smaller. Have you looked into other vitamins? Or another nutritionist? What surgery did you have? And how's that water intake? Water is so important to weight loss and healing it's not even funny how important it is!

That's good that they figured out what was up! Congrats on the loss, curious though, your starting weight listed in your call out says you started at 303 and are currently 297, is that a mistake or ?

It's going to look nasty/beat for a bit... it'll get better.

It's interesting to see, sad, but interesting to see how things pan out. Divorce surgery is accurate.

I've been to 2 parties this year. One event I wore my Oogie Boogie cosutme (100% home made, custom for me, made by my buddy and I over 30ish hours) And the other party I went in my Super Mario outfit. (the only part that's licensed is the hat, the rest is pieced together as to not be a "Purchased" Costume (and holy crap was it huge on me LOL)) No idea what I'm wearing tonight... if any.

I haven't been getting much exercise myself either... not just because the "Exercise equipment" is typically busy at work, but my "exercising mood" swings much harder than before... never in my life would I have thought about turning down some "exercise" but yet... that sheets happening.

Agreed, not sure why she didn't just post her question to the whole forum... us vets pay attention to the whole forum not just 1 section typically.

https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/how-use-your-incentive-spirometer If they did not give you one, you should ask for one. It helps SO MUCH with gas removal.

Did they provide you with an incentive spirometer? Are you using it?

Insurance coverages can be selected by employers, it's entirely possible your employer decided to no longer cover it for a discount in service fees.

Just be aware that if you have GERD or other stomach acid issues, the sleeve will more than likely make that worse. And, the sleeve is the *only* surgery that's not reversible as 90% of your stomach is going to end up in medical waste and contrary to popular belief, the bypass is reversible, just under specific conditions due to the added danger in reversal, but, it can and does occur. With the vitamins you are taking now, that's more than I'm required to take... I don't think you'd have an issue with the bypass in my opinion based on what you've written. Either way, you decide what you want to do, just be open to what your doctor has to say about it. I was set on the sleeve myself when I was looking at revising from the band. My surgeon wouldn't do the sleeve due to reasons specific to my case. She advised that others in her practice would do the surgery and outlined why she wouldn't. After talking with her, I agreed that her reasons were sound and decided to go with the bypass rather than the sleeve and I'll tell you this, I'm 100% glad I did. Found out I had Grade 4 Esophagitis during pre-op testing, and I had no idea. If I had gotten the sleeve, this would have gotten much much worse. But since the bypass reduces or reverses acid reflux issues, my Esophagitis is now Grade 1 after only 6 months and may be completely healed at this point (won't know until my next scoping). Just be open to *all* the facts and information and make the best choice for you based on that information rather than assumed or perceived personal preference (speaking from personal experience on this one)

pretty normal when your body is processing an injury and the dead cells get trapped under a layer of skin. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26972794

Have you done a "reset" yet? Pretty much just "start over", start a 2 week pre-op diet, then fast for the 2 days when you would have "surgery" then start up a post-op diet process again. Have you had any skin removal yet? If not, that could be where your weight is getting stuck, if you've reduced your fat content to a level that's low, yet still are 10-20 lbs over what you feel you should be, it could be extra skin.

Just a heads up, that "hunger hormone removal" thing is pretty bunk. Almost all sleeve patients regain some level of hunger at some point within the first year. Both surgeries have a level of hunger changes. For both surgeries, some folks lose the sensation and never get it back, most lose it or have it greatly reduced but get it back within the first year. And some never lose it at all. The sleeve can make GERD or any acid reflux issues worse, this happens pretty often. The bypass can resolve GERD and acid reflux issues, this is very common. The sleeve is 100% un-reversible, 90% of your stomach ends up in medical waste. Contrary to popular belief, the Bypass *IS* reversible under certain circumstances, reversals don't happen often due to the danger of doing so, but they *DO* happen and it *IS* an option if something really bad happens. I was "against" the bypass originally, one of the reasons I had the band installed in 2011. With the revision, my surgeon wouldn't do the sleeve... for good reasons that were specific to my surgery, so I went with the bypass and I really couldn't be happier. Everyone is going to have their personal preferences, but overall, the bypass results in less follow up surgeries for failed WLS, has a better weight loss % and a better % of weight kept off. I won't tell you which is best for you. But for me, I truly wish I went with the bypass back in 2011.

5 - 10 mins maybe. At first you REALLY want to just listen to your body, my day 1 out of surgery and I didn't even get in 1 full 8 oz bottle of protein. Forget water. Day 2 was better, I got through a whole bottle, and some water. Day 3 I was home and already started purees. I was eating about 1 oz of pureed stuff a several times a day, and drinking something every 15 mins (except when I had to wait the 30 mins after eating). The big take away, is take your time. No matter what you feel should be happening, no matter how much weight you are or are not losing. Take your time, listen to your body and, if it hurts... stop.

The trick for post bypass drinking is to figure out what your "empty pouch throughput is" So you can figure the rate of ingestion to match how quickly it flows out the other side. I know I can take 3 full mouthfuls before it's too much to process.