DLCoggin

There is no such thing as "normal weight loss". Comparing your weight loss to someone else's weight loss is always a bad idea. The fact that your weight loss is different from mine (or anyone else's) means absolutely nothing. There are simply too many variables. Focus on following the protocol as closely as you possibly can, maintain a food log, stay active and stay away from the scales for at least a week at a time and two would be even better. You're gonna love the new you!!

I so totally agree with everything music said! I know this isn't easy to do but forget about your "goal weight" and focus instead on the great job you've done so far and all of the even greater things that will be possible in the future. Focus on following the protocol as closely as you possibly can (which you clearly have been doing) and let your body find its own way in its own time. I decided some time before I had my surgery that I would not set a goal weight. I focused on following the protocol confident that my body would tell me when it was where it wanted to be. And I can tell you with absolute confidence that is exactly what happened. When your weight stabilizes, that is your number. In my case, it was 155 lbs 13 months post-op. I'm just over 21 months post-op today and my weight this morning was 154. When you let your body make the decisions, not only is your weight loss journey MUCH easier and less stressful, but maintaining your weight when the time comes is so much easier because you're not fighting your body. You're gonna love the new you!!

I maintain a food log so I can track my numbers very closely. 1640 AVERAGE daily calories - some days I'm over and some I'm under and both are fine. My goal is always to hit the average (on a weekly basis). Carbs/Fat/Protein = 40%/30%/30% (again an AVERAGE) and I hit that very close on a weekly basis. Food is always the best source for protein (and just about everything else including vitamins) as long as you can meet the protein requirement from your doctor. As noted above, my surgeon requires 100g a day. I've had a 35g protein shake for breakfast every day for close to two years. There have been exceptions but as a general rule, I found it very difficult to hit that 100g number with food alone and still maintain my calorie, carbs and fat goals. The daily shake makes it relatively easy. Everyone please note that I am not a June post-op - Oct 20th I'll be two years post-op.

My surgeon requires 100g.

No liquid pre-op diet for me either. In fact my surgeon made it simple and to the point - "Lose 20 lbs pre-op or no surgery." That was it. No diet. No recommendations. Just do it. To this day I have never asked her what her reasoning is behind her approach but she does a LOT of bariatric surgeries so it apparently works. I know it did for me - I lost 35 lbs from my first meeting with her to my surgery date. I've often wondered if doctors who require the pre-op liquid diet waive that requirement for patients who lose the required pre-op weight on their own.

Me too and they have quite a selection of other flavors as well. Have you ever tried the dill? I know it sounds strange but they're quite good!

You're certainly welcome music. Wish I could be more help. To answer your questions: - How long I feel full depends somewhat on what I eat but as a general rule, two to three hours. - Completely normal - One. Regular as clockwork. Your GI obviously makes a good point - you must be absorbing nutrients or you'd be losing weight. Are you at (or reasonably close to) your goal weight? Have you had blood tests recently? Is you Vitamin profile normal? Are you hydrated? Dehydration is always a concern with prolonged diarrhea. Please keep in mind that I am NOT a doctor. But I do a considerable amount of research and I'll be glad to see if I can come up with anything that might at least give you some ideas to explore. Will let you know if I find anything. I can imagine how frustrating it must be but stay positive. There are a lot of very skilled doctors out there and I'm confident you'll find one that can help!

Ditto on the popcorn and nuts as well. Virtually all nuts, including peanuts, are very healthy. Nuts contain monounsaturated fats, Protein, Vitamin E, Fiber and are rich in antioxidants. A study known as "The Nurses Health Study" followed 86,016 nurses for 14 years. They found that those that ate five ounces or more of nuts per week reduced their risk of dying from heart disease by a whopping 35%. They've also been shown to lower "bad" cholesterol levels and raise "good" cholesterol levels. They're delicious, nutritious and because of the fat and fiber content, very filling. Interestingly, the study also found that the nut-eaters tended to weigh less than those who did not eat nuts. The only bad news - you have to watch the portions - they are high in calories. http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/go-nuts-your-diet

My BMI was 35 right on the button at the first meeting with my surgeon. I decided quite some time before my surgery that I was not going to set a weight goal. Instead, I went into the experience believing that as long as I followed the protocol as closely to the letter as I possibly could, my body would tell me when it was at the weight it needed to be at. And that's exactly what happened. When my weight stabilized, that was the number. Thirteen months post-op and 130 lbs lighter, my weight stabilized at 155 lbs. Today I'm just over 21 months post-op and my weight this morning was 154. I'm loving the new me and you're gonna love the new you!!

The distinction between "can't have" and "shouldn't have" is an important one. Long term, the list of absolutely "can't have" is usually pretty short. In my case the only thing I've found is white rice. I've had it twice and experienced late dumping in the form of hypoglycemia both times. Hardly life-threatening but definitely unpleasant and I can live just fine without white rice. As far as shouldn't haves, most doctors recommend against all carbonated beverages, foods high in simple carbohydrates (like white rice) and foods high in sugar content (like ice cream). There are very good reasons for strict adherence to dietary guidelines for the first two years following bypass surgery. After that time, many folks "can" eat just about anything they want. But the long term success of any of the bariatric surgeries is dependent on the Prime Directive - lifestyle changes. So the real question is not what you can't eat, it's what you "choose" to eat - or not eat. It's about control, not denial.

If all of the food you eat is essentially passing directly into the intestine with little or no digestion taking place in the pouch, I don't think it is a question of what foods to avoid. Essentially anything you eat is going to pass into the intestine undigested. Definitely time to get together with your surgeon and get his/her thoughts on options to correct the problem. And I would likely seek a second opinion, preferably from another bariatric surgeon, before proceeding. This is the first time I've heard of a case like yours. You would be doing all of us a great service by keeping us informed of what you learn as you explore options.

I always follow a couple of simple rules. Never drink anything less than 30 minutes before and less than 30 minutes after eating. There are a number of very good reasons for that rule but one of them is that drinking fluids fills you up and so you tend to eat less that what you should. The second rule is never eat less than two hours or more than four hours apart. Less than two hours and you're most likely eating from "head hunger" as opposed to physical hunger. More than four hours and you increase the chance of overeating because you're so hungry. Dehydration is serious and can land you back in the hospital in a heartbeat. Many folks find that about the only way they can get the recommended 64oz a day of Water is to sip - constantly throughout your day. It takes a little getting used to but before you know it it becomes second nature. You're gonna love the new you!!

I don't believe that anyone forgets what it's like to be fat. And I don't believe that anyone forgets every delicious moment of the journey back to healthy. One is a progressive, life-threatening disease. The other is an almost miraculous accomplishment that requires courage and commitment. Both are unforgettable.

There are a lot of folks who have/had sleep apnea and have been approved for bypass surgery. I would be quite surprised if it was a problem. It took a little time for me to get used to the CPAP mask. I'd suggest that you make a commitment to use it for two weeks, every night, no matter what. Do that and you'll never hesitate to use it again. You'll be amazed at the difference it makes!

You're feeling "very alone and down right now"?? You've lost 55 pounds. In four weeks. An average of almost 14 pounds a week. Two pounds a day. Wow. You're practically the poster Mom for the success of gastric bypass surgery! You've likely endured years of obesity, declining health, who knows how many "diet and exercise" attempts which all ended in failure, seemingly endless pre-op testing, major surgery, a strict post-op protocol which you clearly have been following and you've had results which many, many would kill for! And you're "very alone and down right now" over cheese, cottage cheese, tuna, Beans, soup and veggies?? It is absolutely not my intent to be unkind. But it is my intent to suggest that you might benefit from taking a closer look at your perspective. Celebrate your unqualified success! What you have achieved is monumental. And it just keeps getting better. And better. And better still. A year from now when you've lost 125 pounds (or more), when you're enjoying a new life with your children, when every store is an ocean of fabulous clothes - in your size, when you can't stop looking in the mirror because you look so amazing, when you are truly healthy for the first time in a very long time, when 99% of the "pills" you are taking are not Rx but plain old Vitamins - it is my absolute promise to you that "cheese, cottage cheese, tuna, beans, soup and veggies" will seem like a very small price indeed. Change your thoughts and you'll change your world. You're gonna love the new you!!

As others have said, the CPAP was a huge improvement for me in my ability to get a good nights sleep. But RNY eliminated the sleep apnea entirely. Now that's huge!

Tilly, I don't know about you but I'd say that you're getting some very powerful feedback here from folks who have been there done that. I've only had the bypass. So I can only tell you that I would do it again without hesitation. All of the surgeries have their success stories. And all of them have their nightmares. But as SoccerMomma said, do the research. I think you'll find that bypass is the gold standard of bariatric surgery.

One week out your hunger is almost certainly "head hunger". Follow your doctor's instructions as closely to the letter as you possibly can. Forget about what you "can" do and focus all of your thoughts on what you "should" do. Your new pouch has stretch sensors in it which are temporarily ineffective as the result of the surgery. Be patient. As noted above, you absolutely will begin to feel full as the healing process continues. In the interim, you can stretch the pouch with liquids (just as you can with solids later on) by drinking too much too fast. You had enough confidence in your surgeon to allow him/her to perform major surgery. Apply that same confidence to his/her post-up care. You're gonna love the new you!!

No sickness, discomfort or pain. Diagnosed with an ulcer at the anastomosis at about one year out. No pain or symptoms other than slight anemia. Follow-up test picked up a little blood in the stool. Endoscopy confirmed the ulcer. Surgeon increased my Prevacid from one capsule a day to two. Second endoscopy four months later and the ulcer was completely healed. Ulcers are not an uncommon complication following bypass but, more often than not, they respond well to treatment.

I doubt that there would be a problem with going back to the post-op diet but we don't have all of the details of your journey so far so that's probably a question best answered by your doctor. You may want to consider a different question - is it reasonable to go back and repeat what you've already done and expect a different outcome? Perhaps you can make some adjustments to your routine and move forward from where you're at? Are you logging your food? If not, I highly recommend that you start without delay. My Fitness Pal is quick and easy to use, free, and has what I believe to be one of if not the largest food database on the market. Highly recommended. But if you prefer there any number of other apps out there and most do pretty much the same function. Logging your food is a powerful tool that will allow you to manage your weight instead of your weight managing you. Success is about control, not denial. And food logs put you in control. You simply enter your current weight and how much you would like to lose on a weekly basis. The app will calculate a calorie goal that when you maintain it, will likely produce the weight loss that you are trying to achieve. If you meet the goal and your weight loss is not what you expected, it's easy to adjust the goal up or down until you find the number that is right for you. Now you're in control. Remember that the calorie goal is an average. It is not realistic or sustainable to expect to meet that goal every single day. There will be days when you are over. And there will be days when you're under. It's important to allow yourself those days. And you'll quickly discover that they are nothing to fear. You simply adjust your calorie goal, up or down, for a day or two and you're right back on track with your goal average. Try it. You're gonna love the new you!

It is always a bad idea to compare yourself to, or set your expectations based on, the results of others. The fact that my weight loss may be different from yours means absolutely nothing. There are simply too many variables. Consider focusing that energy on following the protocol as closely to the letter as you possibly can, log you food, stay active and stay away from the scales for a week at a time - two would be even better. Allow your body to find its own way in its own time. You're gonna love the new you!!

What you're seeing, or more accurately "not seeing", is the delay between your weight loss and your brain's recognition of a new "body image". Sometimes it can take a while. Lots of folks have noted that friends and family make comments of dramatic changes while they really don't see it so much. Your brain will catch up. In the meantime both scale and non-scale victories will reassure you that you are indeed losing weight. You're gonna love the new you!!

Terry I wish I could help but I don't have much to offer that you don't already know. As you said, everyone is different and there are countless variables so it's almost always a bad idea to compare your weight loss to someone else's. Being a dude, I don't have any first hand experience with menopause but my wife still laughs at some of the really strange things she did. It's my understanding that hormones fly all over the place and there is absolutely no doubt that hormones can be responsible for some pretty dramatic changes. Personally, I'd say you're doing great and there are some advantages to a slower weight loss. Keep it up!!

You're certainly welcome Vicki and you're gonna love the new you!!

New thread started yesterday by Sprinkles13 with title something like "Is there any conversion from Sleeve to Gbypass". You might want to check it out.