karenb4729

Wow, I didn't know that this was a disorder. I suffer from this as well. Luckly my choices are usually a piece of string cheese but last week my husband had some chocolate striped shortbread cookies and I ate about 6 of them. That was my first real suger binge in the past 7 months and when I got up in the morning I had a horrible bout of dizziness. I am really trying hard to work on this issue.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post!!! I am pretty steadily losing 5 to 6 pounds a month but when you always read about people with fast weight losses then you have a tendancy to feel like you are doing something wrong. Your post is just what I needed to hear this morning! Eventually we will get to goal as long as we focus on correct eating habits and doing our exercise.

LOL - that's my Doctor. He is big on making sure you get in 80 grams of protein.

I took a month off but I had FMLA and was paid 100%. At 3 weeks I could have gone back but felt much better at 4 weeks. Of course I'm also 54 years old so that had an impact too.

I gotta be honest, I don't miss that 85% of my stomach at all and certainly wouldn't want it back. It wouldn't matter if there was a newer better surgery tomorrow, today I am happy and 100lbs less than I was a year ago.

I'm so glad you posted this! I'm 7 months out on Friday and it's slow going for me too. But, I only have 30 lbs to lose to be at goal so whether I make it in 5 months or in another year the important thing is to not give up.

Oh one more thing, one of the gals in our support group lives in Marysville and also works at Boeing in Everett - if going to group is something you are interested in maybe you could carpool with her.

Oh and my Dr runs two support groups, one at Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland and the other at Northwest Hospital in Seattle. Everyone is welcome at the groups. I usually go to the Northwest Hospital one since its close to work for me. We usually meet for dinner prior to group. At group we have the nutritionist, psycologist and the sports/exercise Dr. Usually there is a topic, I don't think they have been posted for 2013 yet.

I'm in Lynnwood, WA - not too far away. I would be happy to get together.

I know everyone says you need 64oz of water a day but my Doctor said at first your goal should be 32oz and you work your way up to 64oz. Are you able to at least get in 32oz? If you can get that then at least you won't dehydrate.

I'm 33 lbs away from goal too. We are going to make it this year!!

How much exercise are you getting? Are you logging all your food? You say you don't think you are eating much but do you really know? Its important to keep a food diary so you know exactly what and how much you are putting in your mouth. If you are keeping a diary take a look over the past few months to see what has changed. Its hard work getting the weight off and watching what we eat is going to be a life time learning experience for most of us.

I agree with the above poster. You feel so much better with exercise everyday. One of the biggest lessons learned in my weight loss was how much I needed the exercise. Once I got out and started walking I noticed all these older people out walking and realized that in order to lead a long healthy life you need to be active. My weight gain had more to do with being less active than it did with what I put in my mouth. Yes, you can lose weight without exercise but the key will be can you keep it off without exercise. I personally don't think it's possible unless you eat next to nothing.

I think it's individual. I am almost 7 months out and have hunger, sometimes its downright ravenous hunger. I think it was only the 1st month after surgery that I didn't have any hunger at all.

I'm so sorry you are going through all these issues. I know that you had a good surgeon, I live in the area and know a few folks that have used him and the clinic and they are well respected. No one ever expects or wants to be part of the 1% that have complications and it sure is hard when you are the one it happens to. While RNY may not be the choice you want, I do know a number of people who have been very successful for a long time with RNY. I hope whatever happens you begin to get better soon!

I have it and love it! I have had mine since last March and it was my best purchase ever. It keeps me motivated to walk more because I want to see the number increase. Plus, it sinks up with myfitnesspal too.

I was at two weeks out before I could do pureed food, then it was 6 weeks after than before I could do soft foods and another 6 weeks before I could start regular food. Just follow your Doctor's plan, after all there was a reason why you chose him.

You are still on liquids and they will go through you quite quickly. Believe me, you will feel the restriction once you start something more solid. As for hunger, yes, I get hungry still - can actually get quite ravenous and I am on an acid reducer. However, it takes very little to satisfy that hunger. It will work for you as long as you make sure you make healthy choices in what you put in your mouth.

I was driving one week after surgery. Of course you do have to make sure you are off your narcotics.

Count me as another person who endorses walking as a way to start. One of my motivations has been my Fitbit, it's almost like a pedometer and it sinks up with your computer. It records the number of steps in a day along with the number of flights of stairs you climb. For me, it was motivation to try to get to 5000 steps a day and then to 10,000 which I don't always make. Walking was a great way for me to start and recently I joined a gym and made it a priority to spend money on a personal trainer once a week. After all, I spent money to have this surgery to get healthy so why not continue to spend money on myself to get fit.

Exercise - he wanted me to start walking from the moment I came home, which I did. Anything more strenuous has to wait until week 6 which I also did. Alcohol - Dr said 1 year, I had my first drink on my cruise in October which was almost 5 months out. I didn't get any kind of buzz which tells me that the cruise ship drinks are really watered down. Caffiene - Dr said 1 year, I started up again in month 3 but only drink 1 cup of coffee a day otherwise my acid reflux acts up. Smoking - Dr said NEVER and since I quit in 2004 I have no plans to ever begin again.

I had this happen to me twice, first time with a liquid vitamin... same experience with the hot/sweaty followed by dry heaves and then diarrhea. The 2nd time was with peanut butter. Good thing that was early on and I haven't had a problem since. But, it did take a good long time before I had peanut butter again!

I am not taking anything and haven't lost a single strand at almost 5 months out. But, years ago when undergoing chemo I didn't lose my hair and it was because my hair grows very slowly and I think that's one of the reasons why I have kept my hair.

My UHC policy had Bariatric Resources through Optum: The most effective treatment to date for significant, sustained weight loss for morbidly obese patients is bariatric surgery.2 Because clinical outcomes of bariatric surgery vary widely, receiving services at an OptumHealth Bariatric Resource Services (BRS) Center of Excellence (COE) facility can help ensure that bariatric surgery and care are delivered in a manner that meets strict standards and increases the likelihood of superior outcomes and ultimately reduces costs. Our BRS clinical team works to help individuals understand and manage the conditions associated with morbid obesity before and after surgery and have reduced inappropriate surgeries by 5 percent.3 Successful weight loss is achieved through: Guidance to Centers of Excellence network facilities, helping to better control the disparity of care and variability of surgical outcomes. Multi-disciplinary bariatric clinical team approach. Case management 6-months post-surgery to assess for complications and to reinforce lifestyle changes. Behavioral support to reinforce lifestyle changes, nutrition, exercise, and encouragement to participate in bariatric support groups. Behavioral health support is coordinated with the client?s behavioral health vendor.

I have UHC to but I think it depends on the policy. I was approved before I even met with the surgeon - I had contacted UHC and was assigned a nurse who provided me with the paperwork to prove my 5 year BMI 40+ history. Once I got it signed off from my primary and sent it in I received the approval letter in 5 days. Then I was given the choice of surgeons, if I wanted maximum benefit it had to be at a Center of Excellence. I actually had to jump through more hoops for the surgeon than I did for the insurance co.