DLCoggin

Doesn't sound to me like you're doing anything wrong. With your exceptional commitment to your workouts, you may very well be losing fat and gaining muscle. Both are very good things! Do you maintain a food log? Logs not only allow you to track calories, Protein, carbs, etc. but also the calories you are burning with your exercise routine. Extremely powerful tool that over time will allow you to see a very detailed picture of all of those factors AND how your weight is responding to fluctuations in those variables. It then becomes to quite easy to experiment with increases or decreases in calories and/or exercise to find the numbers that work best for you in terms of achieving your average weight loss goal. Not losing fast enough - reduce your daily calorie goal by 100 calories for a week and see what happens. Or increase your workout routine to burn an additional 100 calories and see what happens. You might be surprised at how quickly and precisely you can "dial in" exactly what works best for you. Great job so far!!

You might find this study, http://www.sages.org/meetings/annual-meeting/abstracts-archive/robotic-gastric-bypass-the-future-of-bariatric-surgery/ , published by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons of interest. In terms of safety and effectiveness, the results of laparoscopic vs. robotic surgeries are quite similar.

You're certainly welcome! Folks often become concerned when they read or hear horror stories following surgery. There are risks and there are no guarantees. But I always try to remind everyone that there are approximately 200,000 bariatric surgeries performed every year in the U.S. alone. If you personally heard or read 2,000 horror stories, that would be one percent of the surgeries performed in a single year. The major complication rate (usually defined as requiring re-hospitalization) for gastric bypass is now less than four percent according to a study done by Cleveland Clinic and published day before yesterday. The minor complication rate is less than 15%. And the death rate as the result of surgery is less than one-tenth of one percent. Consider that in conjunction with the other benefits of the surgery outlined in the same study: 40% reduced risk of heart attack over a ten year period 42% reduced risk of stroke over a ten year period 18% drop in the five year risk of death from cardiovascular disease 45% drop in the risk of developing moderate to severe kidney disease over five years 47% drop in the risk of developing circulatory and other complications including diabetic retinopathy (diabetes induced blindness) On average patients lost 60% of their excess weight and had a 61% remission of diabetes The overall risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke or peripheral vascular disease within the next 10 years dropped 27%. All of this research was presented in Atlanta, GA at the 30th Annual Meeting for the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) during Obesity Week 2013. http://www.newswise.com/articles/new-cleveland-clinic-study-shows-risk-of-heart-attack-stroke-among-diabetes-patients-significantly-lower-after-gastric-bypass Bottom line - the odds of having a life-changing, successful surgery are overwhelmingly in your favor. And the weight loss is just one of a very long list of benefits.

Folks are sometimes confused by the statement that muscle is heavier than fat. A pound is a pound. The key is that muscle is heavier than fat *by volume*. So a pound of muscle has considerably less volume than a pound of fat. That's why we often see people say they are not losing weight but they are losing inches. Smaller volume and relatively heavier muscle replacing larger volume and relatively lighter fat. Great job! Keep it up!!

Obesity is a progressive, life-threatening disease that is the number two cause of preventable death in the U.S. Gastric bypass surgery is the most effective treatment known to medical science for the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes and more than 30 comorbidities associated with obesity. By a very wide margin. I had 130 lbs to lose. And I lost 130 lbs. And I was considerably older than you are. Perhaps you're asking the wrong question? The question is not did you wait too long. The question is are you ready to do whatever is necessary to change your life? To dramatically improve your health? To quite literally extend your life? To dramatically improve your quality of life? Is the cost of doing nothing - reduced quality of life, low self esteem, progressive disease, reduced life span - worth the benefits - no "mudflaps and flapjacks"? Is the cost of surgery - "mudflaps and flapjacks" - worth the benefits? There are a lot of folks right here on this forum that will tell you the answer to that last question is an unqualified, indisputable - "YES"!! You're gonna love the new you!!

There's no schedule for stalls and no way to accurately predict how long they'll last. Ditto for weight loss. It's always a mistake to compare your weight loss to anyone else's weight loss - too many variables. And by extension, it's a mistake to compare your weight loss to what you "think" it should be. That can be a sure formula for frustration. Consider a different approach. Follow your plan. No matter what is happening with your weight, focus all of your energy on following your plan. Trust the process and let the weight take care of itself. No matter what you do, your body is going to find its own way in its own time. My plan is this: Stay focused on following the protocol as closely to the letter as you possibly can. Stay positive. Stay patient. Maintain a food log. As long as I'm doing those things, I know I'll get to where I want to be. There is no doubt. The laws of science and the universe cannot be denied. You're gonna love the new you!!

I lived my whole life and until I had RnY and reached my goal weight I never knew that I got no butt! Unbelievable. And as I type this my hands are so cold I can hardly get my fingers to move - LOL. And I'm still loving the new me!!

I did exactly the same thing and it works like a charm. The site is really starting to get back to its old self! Just needed a little fine-tuning!! Starting to see more and more veterans and newcomers alike back in the zone! Great job Alex!

Sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday Kinsse - I was having some problems myself! Slowtogo is thinking the problem may be solved now. Let us know if you're still having problems and have a great day!

In the Internet world, forums are very near the top in terms of technical complexity. Transitions to new systems are usually painful but most problems can be resolved and I know Alex and his team are working diligently to do just that. It's encouraging to see some of the senior folks starting to appear here and there. I'm here for the long haul and am truly confident that things will be up to speed in the near future. We all know the importance of patience when it comes to the weight loss journey. I remind myself that the support and information provided by so many knowledgeable and caring folks is worth a little patience until they can get the kinks worked out.

This is why we're here. I can't speak for anyone else but I think we do it better than anybody, anywhere!! "Welcome to the group and you have come to the right place for support. Ask any question you want and if you want to send me a private message." "Welcome & Congrats " "Thank you so much guys. I'm glad I have someone to turn to that has been through what I'm going through." "Welcome! This site has been my savior through before, during, and after surgery! Check the post op threads for a July group as well. Going through the post op time with a group of people who had their surgeries at the same time will help. You will walk through the phases with others "in your shoes". Best wishes to you!" "Welcome to the forum. This is a great site for support!" "Welcome to the group. I am a newbie as well. My SD was 7/16. I just signed up yesterday, but already i feel at home. This group is awesome, in that people share their real stories and struggles. I am going to look for the July group right now. Good luck with your journey!!!!" "my surgery was the day after yours, i just walk right now, thats all I have the energy to do..LOL...I feel hunger off and on thru the day, I just tried my first egg salad...omg, never thought it would taste so good...welcome to the site, you will love it here... " "Welcome to the forum, you have come to the right place. lots of fantistic people in here. Ask any question you can think of , someone has gone through it and will have some insight to a possible solution. Best of health to you and a speedy recovery"

I didn't have my surgery at Mayo but both my surgeon and the hospital are Centers of Excellence and the timeline was pretty much as you have described. Specifically, my first meeting with my surgeon was on May 10, 2011 and the surgery was Oct 20, 2011. I don't think there is one person on this forum that can't relate to your desire to get it done and get on with your life. But there are a lot of players - insurance company, testing, surgeon's schedule, hospital OR schedule - the list goes on and on. Try to be patient and stay positive - you're gonna love the new you!!

Totally agree with cgreen! Don't waste your time dealing (or trying to) with the insurance company. Choose your surgeon and let his/her office deal with insurance. That's what they do and most (not all) are quite good at it. I was approved on the initial application, had the surgery and am just over two years post-op and have not talked to my insurance company once. You're gonna love the new you!!

I'm in South Bay.

I've used MyFitnessPal for almost two years now and highly recommend it. It's quick, easy and makes you accountable - to you. I have found that it establishes an irrefutable link between what I put in my mouth and what I see on the scales. That link is reinforced every day. And perhaps more importantly, the control and confidence that my log gives me is beyond priceless. Enjoying those special occasions in life that involve food will often result in a little weight gain. I simply adjust my calorie goal down by 100-200 calories for a day or two and my weight comes right back down. I've done it not just once or twice but many times. You don't have to do that too many times before your confidence goes right through the roof. You don't think you're in control, you know you're in control. You no longer stress or worry about enjoying a special occasion because you know you can correct it. Food logs/apps/photos are an enormously powerful tool that should be in everyone's toolbox!

I just posted the following on another thread that should help you feel more at home again. Guys this may help you narrow things down a bit. After you've logged on, click on "New Content" in the ribbon near the top of the page. On the right side of the screen you'll see "New content" filters followed by three main options, "By category", "By time period", and "Other". The options in the first two are pretty self-explanatory. To narrow the content you see to RnY threads, click "Filter by forum" under the "Other" option. Scroll down (quite a ways) until you see "Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums". Below that you will see all of the bypass surgery forums - you can select one, many or all of them by holding down the "Ctrl" key on your keyboard while clicking your choices. Immediately below the options, you can filter further by Year or even one or more months of the year. Once you've made your selection, then just click "Save". Every time you come to the site and click "New Content", you'll see only RnY threads based on your filter options. It sounds much more complicated than it is when you're looking at it and you only have to do it once. Everyone (including myself) hates changes but once you get the filters configured the way you want them, you'll feel right at home!!

I had to guess but if you guys are looking for the "November surgeries?" thread you can find it here - http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/280809-november-surgeries/page-21?hl=%2Bnovember#entry3235890 . If you're looking for another thread, if you do a search on the exact title you should be able to find it. If not, post here or send me a PM and I'd be glad to try to help you out. I just posted the following on another thread that should help you feel more at home again. Guys this may help you narrow things down a bit. After you've logged on, click on "New Content" in the ribbon near the top of the page. On the right side of the screen you'll see "New content" filters followed by three main options, "By category", "By time period", and "Other". The options in the first two are pretty self-explanatory. To narrow the content you see to RnY threads, click "Filter by forum" under the "Other" option. Scroll down (quite a ways) until you see "Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums". Below that you will see all of the bypass surgery forums - you can select one, many or all of them by holding down the "Ctrl" key on your keyboard while clicking your choices. Immediately below the options, you can filter further by Year or even one or more months of the year. Once you've made your selection, then just click "Save". Every time you come to the site and click "New Content", you'll see only RnY threads based on your filter options. It sounds much more complicated than it is when you're looking at it and you only have to do it once. Everyone (including myself) hates changes but once you get the filters configured the way you want them, you'll feel right at home!! Dave

At 8 weeks out you may want to be careful with popcorn. The kernels and shells can be a problem for a healing pouch. And in my case, popcorn causes dumping. Just too much carbs. Lots of other great suggestions for you here! My son and I went to see "Captain Phillips" last week (very highly recommended, Tom Hanks should win another Emmy for his performance!) and I took a Protein bar and a couple pieces of Babybel light cheese and was happy as a clam. You're gonna love the new you!

Follow the protocol as closely to the letter as you possibly can. Stay positive. Stay patient. Maintain a food log. And stay away from the scales for at least a week and two would be even better. Think of that as your plan. Sometimes you'll lose quickly. Sometimes slowly. Sometimes not at all. But your journey will be much less frustrating if you remember that regardless of what your weight is doing, your plan is ALWAYS the same. Follow your plan and the weight will take care of itself. You're gonna love the new you!!

I'm just over two years post-op and have never thrown up. But it isn't uncommon for folks to have bouts of nausea and sometimes vomiting for a period of time following surgery (as noted above everyone is different so it's difficult to be specific). But it certainly is not normal for someone to be experiencing nausea and vomiting three years post-op. If it is a stricture or an ulcer, both are relatively easily diagnosed and both most certainly can be treated with very high success rates. There appears to be quite a lot of information missing from this puzzle. What does her doctor say? Has she sought a second opinion? Does she follow the Vitamin protocol? The surgery is an amazing tool that produces astounding results but only when the all important lifestyle changes are practiced. Most, if not all surgeons advise their RnY patients to expect to take vitamin supplements for life. I take my Vitamins as a matter of course every day and my lab work has been spot on since the day I left the hospital. Getting sufficient daily Protein is also critically important for a whole list of reasons which includes reducing the amount of hair loss and the loss of lean muscle tissue. It's difficult to avoid some hair loss but the loss is usually temporary. All surgeries have risks and RnY is no exception. There are no guarantees. But if you take the time to do the research, I'm confident that you'll find that the odds are overwhelmingly in your favor of having a successful, life changing experience. You're gonna love the new you!

The first place you always want to start is with the nutrition goals that you received from your doctor and/or nutritionist. Your question is difficult to answer because doctors vary considerably in their recommendations and patients vary considerably in their medical history and needs based on lab tests. I would highly recommend using a food app if you are not already. My Fitness Pal and Spark People are often recommended by folks on the forum. After entering in height, age, gender, weight, goal weight, your weekly weight loss goal and other information, the app will calculate a daily calorie goal along with recommended nutrient levels for Protein, carbs, fats, sodium and any number of Vitamins. I have not used Spark People but have been using MFP for about two years. With MFP, you also have the option for modifying nutrient goals to match exactly what your doctor recommends. Think of your log as a compass. Always pointing you in the direction you want to go. In my opinion, a food log is the single most important tool you can have. Pre-op, rapid weight loss, maintenance - it works exactly the same regardless of where you are at in your journey. It's quick. It's easy. It allows you to manage your weight instead of your weight managing you. It gives you confidence. You'll never again say "I THINK I did well this week" - you'll KNOW you did well. You're gonna love the new you!

Next to the surgery itself, food logs are the single most powerful tool you can have. I've been logging for two years and have no intention of giving it up - ever.

I've been drinking decaf for over two years now. Keurig K-cups are the best thing to hit coffee ever. The transition from caf to decaf was painless.

I had my CPAP for about two months following surgery. Most of that was just the time it took to schedule a new sleep study which showed the sleep apnea totally resolved.

In my head it's a beautiful and charming accent! Right up there with the Aussies!