DLCoggin

Good day everyone! I guess I'm supposed to tell my story so here goes. I was 285 lbs on May 10, 2011. After being overweight or obese for virtually all of my life and following a recent diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes I decided that it was time to do something about it. I met with my surgeon for the first time on May 10th. Went through all of the pre-op testing and worked on losing the 20 to 25 lbs that the surgeon had told me was mandatory and non-negotiable. No loss, no surgery. I had my RNY on October 20th and had lost 35 lbs up to that point. I will be 27 weeks post-op tomorrow, April 26th and my weight about a week ago was 182 lbs. Like most bypass veterans, I am a huge proponent of this surgery and would very much like to "give back" by doing what I can to answer questions and help folks who are going down the same path. I've been married to the same extraordinarily patient lady for 36 years. We have two sons and the world's cutest grandson. One slightly spoiled ( ) black labrador retriever and an amusing if slightly psycho cat. I'm semi-retired and enjoy all things nature - fishing, camping, photography, gardening, astronomy, birding and anything else that takes me out into the fresh air. There seems to be an awful lot of friendly folks here on the forum and I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone! Have a great day!!

Congratulations Bernie! Good to see you back!!

I don't have any horror stories to share either but here's something for you to consider. There are roughly 200,000 bariatric surgeries performed every year in the U.S. alone. So if you read or hear 2,000 horror stories, that would be one percent of the surgery population for a single year. Statistically, that is not a viable basis for making your decision. The minor complication rate (often defined as problems not requiring hospitalization) for RnY is about 15%. The major complication rate is about 5% and that number has been steadily declining as surgical procedures are refined. RnY has a history spanning more than 30 years. That's more than 30 years of clinical and research studies. It is in fact the most studied bariatric surgery there is - by a very wide margin. And last but not least, the success rate at the five year mark is approximately 85%. It is the most effective treatment known to medical science for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and more than 30 comorbidities associated with obesity. As noted above, every surgery has risks and RnY (or any other bariatric surgery) is no exception. And some of those risks can be very serious. Even life-threatening. But the overall risk is often equated to the risk of having your gall bladder removed. There's nothing wrong with educating yourself about possible complications. Just do so with the knowledge that statistically speaking, the odds of having a successful, life-changing experience are overwhelmingly in your favor.

Great advice from music! I would only add to ask your doctor specifically about dumping. What to expect and what not to expect. Dumping can serve a purpose but there is no scientific evidence that folks who dump are any more or less successful than those who don't. RnY has an unparalleled record of success for many reasons but it is about much more than dumping. Many surgeons, and more all of the time, no longer perform banding. The complication rate is more than three times that of RnY and that number doesn't even include revisions to sleeve or RnY. You're gonna love the new you!!

Two years out, have never thrown up, and I eat almost anything I want. White rice and most recently popcorn and I don't get along. Long term, the number of things you can't eat is usually pretty short. What's more important is the things you choose to eat or choose not to eat. And that's for life.

Slow and steady wins the race!

Forget about what you can or can't do and focus all of your energy on following the protocol as closely to the letter as you possibly can. Trust the process and the weight will take care of itself. You're gonna love the new you!!

I'd call your doctor. It's probably not serious but it's always best to hear that from the big kahuna!

There is no accurate way to predict when stalls will happen or how long one will last. There are simply too many variables. Stay focused on following the protocol as closely to the letter as you possibly can, stay positive, stay patient and maintain a food log. Trust the process and the weight will take care of itself. And do yourself a huge favor and stay off the scales for at least a week and two would be even better. You're gonna love the new you!!

I had it in the first few weeks but in my case, it really wasn't related to food so much as just the "foreverness" of the whole thing. "I actually had an elective surgery that literally changed the physiology of my body! OMG!" It's actually kind of funny now but it wasn't at the time. Now it's "why did I wait so long??" I would do it again in a heartbeat! I'm living the life that not that long ago I did not believe would ever be possible. Just doesn't get any better than that!!

I have MFP set to a daily goal of 1700 calories (I'm in the maintenance part of my journey). Do I hit that goal every single day? No. Do I want to hit that goal every single day? Absolutely not. Does my weight go up on those days when I exceed my calorie goal? Usually. Do I make minor adjustments (say a 100-200 calorie reduction) for a day or two following an 1800-2000 calorie day. Every time. Does my weight come back down with my reduced calorie goal for a day or two? Like clockwork. It's about control, not denial. All or nothing is unrealistic and not sustainable. Life is supposed to be fun! Part of living your life is enjoying those special occasions that more often than not involve food. I don't think of it as "falling off the wagon". I think of it as enjoying a beautiful day with family and friends. No panic, no stress, no worry. I know that I can enjoy that experience and still be in total control of my weight. I know that because I've done it. Not just once or twice but - again, and again, and again. That kind of confidence is priceless. And the key to gaining that kind of confidence is maintaining a food log. It's quick, it's easy, and it works exactly the same way regardless of where you're at in your journey - pre-op, rapid weight loss, or maintenance. Maintain a food log, allow yourself to enjoy special occasions, make minor, realistic and temporary corrections. Do those things and you're gonna love the new you!!

In my case, with two different surgeries years apart and two different surgeons, they didn't know until they got in there. Both surgeons knew my family and personal history and both said the exact same thing, we'll do it laparascopically if possible, open if necessary. The gall bladder wound up being open, the RnY (10+ years and a LOT of technological improvements later) was done laparascopically. It's amazing what they can do and either way you're gonna love the new you!!

I agree completely with what Terry said above but if it comes down to leaving the forum vs. blocking the posts of a member, you do have that option. Click on your profile name (upper right side of any page) and then click on "Manage Ignore Prefs". From that screen, enter in the member name that you want to ignore and then click the "Posts" box (and/or any of the other options). You will not see content started by that member. I've never used it so I don't know if you will continue to see comments posted by that member in response to a thread started by another member. Perhaps you can test it and PM me with the answer? If you do a little checking I think that you'll quickly discover that this is hands down the best forum there is for RnY patients. This is an amazingly supportive and informative group of folks!!

I have a family and personal history of adhesions (scar tissue from previous surgeries). I had my gall bladder out years before my Rny. It was intended to be laparoscopic but when the surgeon got in there he decided to do it "open" because of the scar tissue I had from an appendectomy when I was a kid. I advised my RnY surgeon of all of this and she said she would do it laparascopically if possible, "open" if not. Took her a little longer (surgery was about two and a half hours) but she was able to do it laparascopically and as I discussed above, recovery was amazingly quick and problem/pain free. You're gonna love the new you!!

Some folks have expressed curiosity and/or interest in the original post. You can find it at http://www.rnytalk.com/topic/14547-garden-of-life/ . You guys have a great day!

Mayo Clinic, Harvard School of Public Health, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), Institute of Medicine, National Institutes of Health (NIH), food and Drug Administration (FDA), WebMD, MedlinePlus (part of NIH), World Health Organization, and most major universities across the U.S. and around the world. And don't forget that there is a LOT of great information right here on this forum. There are many others but that should give you a good start! You're gonna love the new you!!

Pretty much the same story for me. Two days in the hospital. Surgery started at 7:35am and I was in recovery before 10:00. In my room at noon and walking by 2:00pm. They had me on a morphine pump the day of the surgery but I never used it. Pain was minimal. The day after the surgery I took Tylenol with codeine twice and that was it for pain meds. As I recall, there were four roughly one inch incisions. I did have a drain that they removed just before I went home on the second day. Removing it was not what I would call pleasant (they're pretty much pulling a hose out of your "insides") but it was not painful. The bottom line is that the surgery was nothing even remotely approaching what my overactive imagination thought it would be. I really laugh at myself when I think of all of the worry about what it would be like versus what the reality was. RnY has a history spanning well over 30 years. They pretty much have it perfected. You're gonna love the new you!!

"A guy on this forum, who works here, says whey isolate is just fine. To make whey isolate, they denude the whey of much of its nutrition. AS the guy pointed out, Gibbons, I think is his name, the denuding process strips out fats but it is a mistake to think one can be healthy with no fat. There are good fats and our bodies need them. The Proteins in whole whey are good fats and good for you and you don't eat mass quantities of the stuff." I'm pretty sure that guy did not say or imply that "one can be healthy with no fat". I seem to recall that he indicated that fats, along with Protein and carbs, are all "macronutrients" meaning that they are all three required in relatively large quantities. Whey isolate is not a source of healthy fats. But I don't recall him suggesting that anyone should limit their diet exclusively to whey isolate. There are many sources for healthy fats. I believe that he indicated that whey isolate is an excellent source of highly digestible and exceptionally high protein content. Not familiar with the term "denuded" but protein can be "denatured" using either heat or acid. Whey isolate is produced by a filtering process (as the guy mentioned) and is not denatured. Denaturing actually changes the molecular structure of proteins effectively making them smaller in size. The result is that they pass very, very quickly through the walls of the intestine and into the bloodstream. Denatured proteins are sometimes the protein of choice for body builders but they are very expensive and seldom used or recommended for bariatric patients. As I recall, the guy that made that post indicated that he is not vegan or vegetarian but has friends and family that are and he has great respect for those who make that choice. I also think he favors organic, but does not exclude other options. And just for the record, that guy's name is DLCoggin but some folks just call him Dave. You're gonna love the new you!!

Thanks so much margomarie. I was able to get rid of the cpap but it took a little time. Partly because I had to schedule another sleep study to confirm that the sleep apnea was resolved. Keep positive thoughts and be patient. The hormone changes following major surgery are very common. The first few weeks post-op can be something of an emotional roller coaster ride but they usually subside before you know it. Hang in there! No energy, tired and weak are all very common and when you think about it, probably no surprise. Your body is concentrating all of its resources toward the healing process. That's a good thing! But it takes a lot of energy. Perhaps the best thing you can do is get plenty of rest and let your body do its thing. Keep in mind also that it is important to get as much of your doctor's recommended daily Protein as soon as you can. For the ladies that's usually 60g to 80g a day. That can be challenging the first few weeks but it's important to keep working on it. On a low carb diet your body will turn to protein for energy. Getting as much as you can as soon as you can should help with the energy loss. The yogurt and cottage cheese - great ideas!! Most folks find that protein supplements (shakes, powders, etc) are a big help as well. Congratulations on your surgery! It is an amazing, life-changing journey. Are you in the L.A. area? You're gonna love the new you!!

Amazing isn't it! And it just keeps getting better, and better, and better still. I never considered myself a vain person. Now I can't stop looking at myself in the mirror! Guys just aren't supposed to do that! And I don't care! LOL! What a great post bloreorbust! You made my day!

It is always a bad idea to compare your weight loss to anyone else's weight loss. The fact that your weight loss is different from mine (or anyone else's) means absolutely nothing. Everyone is different. There are simply too many variables. Here's something that you may want to consider. Your weight loss journey can be an emotional roller coaster ride. Sometimes you are going to lose weight quickly. Sometimes more slowly. And sometimes not at all. If you start second guessing yourself every time there is a change, it's frustrating, it's self-defeating, it's exhausting, and it's pointless. But it does not have to be that way. IF you have a plan. Here's the plan that worked (and continues to work) for me: * Stay positive. * Stay patient. * Stay focused on following the protocol as closely to the letter as you possibly can. * Maintain a food log. So why is a plan so important? Because regardless of what your weight is doing, your plan is ALWAYS the same. You're losing weight quickly - follow your plan. You're losing slowly - follow your plan. You're not losing at all - follow your plan. No matter what is happening - follow your plan. It is so much easier, so much more effective, and so SO less stressful. No matter what you do, your body is going to find its own way in its own time. No matter how much you would like to, you can't rush it. There is no up side in trying to micro-manage it. You cannot control every twist and turn regardless of hard you try. So don't try. Trust the process. Follow your plan. And the weight will take care of itself. Relax a little. You're gonna love the new you!!

When it comes to energy, carbs will always be king. On a normal diet, about 60% of your energy needs are met with carbs. But, when you're on a low carb diet, Protein is your body's best friend. In the absence of sufficient carbs, your body will use protein as its primary source of energy. So, no carbs, no protein = no energy. There is no doubt that "whole" foods are always the best source of protein (or any other nutrient). But that can be extremely difficult if not down right impossible for several months following surgery. I am not a doctor. Or a nutritionist. But if the choice comes down to protein supplements or no protein at all, I would go for the shakes/powders/bars/soups/puddings in a heartbeat. Without hesitation. And I believe the majority of doctors would agree. Protein is not only important for energy. Every single one of the one trillion cells in your body contains protein. Protein helps to build and repair body tissues including skin, muscle and major organs. Without sufficient protein, healing can be slowed. Protein is used extensively by the body in defending against bacterial and viral infections. Rapid weight loss will always result in some loss of muscle mass. Protein will help minimize that lean muscle loss. It will also reduce hair loss. And these are just some of the benefits of protein. Consider giving protein a very high priority in your journey. There are very good reasons why virtually all doctors recommend their patients get at least 60g of protein per day. Follow their recommendation. You'll be glad you did and your body will thank you. Depression is quite common following RnY. You've had a major surgery. Hormones are going wild. But it does pass and before you know it, you'll be back on your game. Stay positive. Stay patient. Stay focused on following the protocol as closely to the letter as you possibly can. And last but not least, maintain a food log. You're gonna love the new you!!

My understanding is that they test for nicotine so - if your e-cig contains nicotine, they will likely pick it up.

How do you know you're ready? What a great question. And I think you'll likely get a lot of great answers. From a purely objective viewpoint, it's similar to asking how do you "know" the surgery will succeed? Or how do you "know" there won't be serious complications? How do you "know" you won't fail? The answer is you don't. There are risks. There are no guarantees. No absolutes. No certainty. Can you "know" you're ready? Probably not. But there is an old saying - "If you know something to be true, it's a fact. If you feel something to be true, it's faith." Like you, I did extensive pre-op research. I was meticulous about the sources I chose for the information I was looking for. The Institute of Medicine, Harvard Public Health, Mayo Clinic, the World Health Organization, the food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, WebMD, countless major universities and hospitals across the country and around the world - the list goes on and on. By the time I made my decision, I was convinced (and still am) that RnY is the single most effective treatment known to medical science for the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and more than 30 comorbidities associated with obesity. I had read all of the statistics. I was convinced that in spite of the very real risks, some very serious, that the odds of my having a successful outcome were overwhelmingly in my favor. I felt that it was the right thing to do. And that was enough. Does that mean that I wasn't scared on the morning they wheeled me into the OR? Not hardly. Does that mean the thought of failing never crossed my mind? Not hardly. Can you ever really "know" that you're doing the right thing? I don't think so. But courage is not about never being afraid. Courage is not about certainty. Courage is about doing what you feel is right, in spite of your fears and your doubts. This last Sunday was the second anniversary of my surgery. Now, I know I was ready. Now, I know it was the right decision for me. Now, I have a new life that at one point not so long ago I "knew" I would never have. I "feel" that you're gonna love the new you!!

There are still some unanswered questions regarding the causes of dumping but it is generally thought to be the result of food being “dumped” too quickly (because the pylorus valve is no longer present) from the pouch into the small intestine. Early dumping usually occurs roughly 30 minutes after eating food high in sugar or simple carbohydrates (aka “simple sugars”). They can create a rapid increase in blood sugars (hyperglycemia). The rule of thumb is that white foods (e.g. potatoes, rice, Pasta, white bread, etc.) are usually simple carbohydrates. The sugars rapidly pull Water out of the bloodstream and into the small intestine. A number of the symptoms of dumping including severe diarrhea can result. With “late” dumping, the body responds to the rapid rise in blood sugars with an increase in insulin to process the sugars. The increased insulin can cause the blood sugars to “crash” producing low blood sugar (reactive hypoglycemia) and dumping symptoms follow. Symptoms may or may not include vomiting. It is called late dumping because it usually occurs two to three hours after eating but can occur as much as twelve hours later. The delay is partially explained by the time needed for the brain to signal the pancreas to produce more insulin in response to the blood sugar spike. It then takes time for the pancreas to produce the insulin and for the insulin to make its way to the small intestine via the bloodstream. Because the intestine is shorter as a result of the surgery, the partially digested food passes more quickly through the intestine and blood sugar levels may have returned to normal before the insulin reaches the intestine - which is why the blood sugar crashes. Somewhere between 25% to 50% of patients never experience dumping. It is difficult to determine an accurate number because some folks experience dumping without realizing what it is and others think they are experiencing dumping when the cause of their symptoms may be something else. Of those that do experience dumping, about two-thirds experience early dumping with the remaining one-third experiencing late dumping. Although decidedly unpleasant, dumping is rarely serious. As you can see from the responses above, dumping may occur for years following surgery and possibly even for life. Or it may subside and even disappear over time as the body makes adjustments to its new physiology.